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Old 12-11-2015, 22:50   #256
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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I have been of the opinion since 91 that we would be in trouble the day oil wasn't traded in US dollars, I expected a "Petro Dollar" to be created

SNIP
There is a good reason the US dollar is the world's reserve currency. The US government screws around with its currency less than any other big government in the world. Note I said big government. There are a few small countries like the Swiss that are really standup in that they seldom manipulate currency but there are really not enough Swiss franks to function as a reserve currency. China has a long and storied history of undervaluing the renminbi which makes investors wary of putting money there.

This is not to say the US dollar does not have real problems; just that compared to all the other options the US dollar has the fewest problems. Most folks in the US remember things like the Savings and Loan mess and later the credit default swaps causing failure of the big banks. These pale in comparison to the shadow banking system in China in terms of unsecured debt. Not to mention that there seems to be massive corruption in loans by official banks in China. Kinda like saying the US monetary system is the biggest midget in the circus.
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Old 12-11-2015, 22:52   #257
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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For an economy that has essentially no inflation, the rising cost of must have items like food is ridiculous, while I am no economic expert by any means, keeping interest rates at almost 0 with an apparent significant rate of inflation, will eventually have to be paid for somehow?
How do you pay for that? I've been expecting significant inflation for years as a correction, but it hasn't happened.
Am I right in thinking the longer it takes before a correction, the worse it will be?
They just keep changing how inflation is calculated. Also, ethanol and natural gas prices have been kept low low low so it appears to most consumers that things are not that bad. Just wait until gas goes up to $4 again and diesel goes to $6. You KNOW OPEC is just having a fit to make that happen again. But low oil prices are what is keeping money out of the pockets of our enemies.
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Old 13-11-2015, 04:16   #258
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

In regards to screwing around with its currency less (Usd) I'm not sure? Three lots of QE Is fairly screwing around with your currency! Moneterizing debt surely has an effect on dollar value ( purchasing power) But your right, currently the Usd is the least dirty shirt in the cupboard. Also as mentioned inflation is when there's alot of demand for less widgets, but alot of demand is being created by easy credit ie. The housing bubble 2008! Houses didn't become suddenly rare, finance become easy to get, so it's abit of a twist on the supply and demand fundamentals. In no way is this meant to bag out the US ,the same money practices are being practiced around the world. We seem to be in a race to the bottom, who can make the value of their currency zero first. I think economics is quite simple " money in money out" . People, businesses and countries go broke when they can't add up.

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Old 13-11-2015, 04:19   #259
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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They just keep changing how inflation is calculated. Also, ethanol and natural gas prices have been kept low low low so it appears to most consumers that things are not that bad. Just wait until gas goes up to $4 again and diesel goes to $6. You KNOW OPEC is just having a fit to make that happen again. But low oil prices are what is keeping money out of the pockets of our enemies.
You do realize that OPEC countries' (e.g. Saudi) decision to produce more oil is the reason energy is cheap in the US? OPEC is not functioning as a cartel right now. It may never be able to function again because the US (actually North America) is effectively self sufficient in terms of energy supply.

The US "enemies" such as ISIS are rolling in money and guns. They extort money from locals and hijack oil to sell on the black market. They have no need to buy many weapons because there are bazillions of weapons all over the middle east left behind during the pullout of the US.
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Old 13-11-2015, 04:59   #260
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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This is the real secret to affording to do anything, at a young(ish) age, that appears "rich" to others - house, car and kids.

At least, what those things mean to the typical American - huge expensive house, new expensive cars, and over-indulged kids.

Most don't even know they have been trapped, since it all seems perfectly "normal" to them.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am not advocating no house, no car and no kids - just the form and focus these have taken in the current American culture.

Mark
Brilliant assessment of the primary problem with the Society in America. This is so accurate, IMHO, as we too have been trapped for quite a while by the American Dream we lived in our younger years, and will probably never totally recover.
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Old 13-11-2015, 05:23   #261
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

Venison. The most riculously high priced meat in America is whitetail deer meat. If I add up all the money spent on hunting trips, clothing, ammo, gas, food and tolls, lures, tree stands.... one pound of venison probably costs over $100.

As you may have guessed, I just came back from another trip where no white tailed deer were harmed in any way.
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Old 13-11-2015, 06:22   #262
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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Brilliant assessment of the primary problem with the Society in America. This is so accurate, IMHO, as we too have been trapped for quite a while by the American Dream we lived in our younger years, and will probably never totally recover.
Us too. You take what you can salvage from the mess it made and move (sail) on. Thinking about it too much will drive you nuts.
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Old 13-11-2015, 07:25   #263
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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Venison. The most riculously high priced meat in America is whitetail deer meat. If I add up all the money spent on hunting trips, clothing, ammo, gas, food and tolls, lures, tree stands.... one pound of venison probably costs over $100.

As you may have guessed, I just came back from another trip where no white tailed deer were harmed in any way.
I feel your pain. My son and myself have spent the last week and I'll go we see lots of mule deer and some moose and coyote the white tail that we saw were either too far away, or too many trees in the way, or on property we didn't have permission on.

The good part is that our hunting area is only 15 minutes away from home.





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Old 13-11-2015, 07:51   #264
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

If kenomac and avb3 want to come camp out in my yard, I'd appreciate it if you could take care of our deer problem. I can't walk down the street without seeing several! And they do so love the vegetable garden.
Unfortunately, not allowed to hunt within the city limits, but I won't tell if you won't


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Old 13-11-2015, 08:00   #265
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

I miss Vietnam. Of all the places I have spent time, it is by far the most affordable place to live a healthy lifestyle. Not gonna live aboard there though.... Can't have a boat there.

We had a housekeeper 5 days a week for $40/month. She lived next door so she would still come to water plants and harass me on the weekend. If I wasnt up early enough, she would come in and throw my curtains open, all the while spouting viet at a pace I had no chance of understanding. Flirt.

I could eat phở, and coffee or pineapple juice and by lunch time I'd have spent maybe two bucks. Professional massage for five bucks including tip, or get my haircut,shave and mani pedi with the massage for $10. First mani pedi of my life but I went regularly. They never tired of choosing the nail polish color that I never got.

I rented a nice Honda motorbike for $30/month.

Bought flowers every single day for someone, anyone, for a couple bucks or less.

It's a great place to stretch retirement dollars so I'll consider parking boat in Thailand and living in Vietnam one day. We'll see how my wife likes it first. As cheap as it is to be healthy, it's still pretty easy to get killed or maimed if you ride a motorbike all over Saigon, or any viet city really., and the air sucks at times. My worst wreck was in Hue, guy t-boned me. He only weighed like 50 kilos though so he took the bigger hit. But I tired of seeing my blood and motor oil on the road. Rented that bike for the day. I fixed it and gave em 5 bucks for the mirror per their request. Things like that can cost a foreigner big time. I think I had 250 bucks to my name when I had a month left there. And left w money to buy all the expensive food one finds in airports. Took me a while to get over the shock of returning to US. Every time I buy flowers, it hurts.

Things are changing there fast and the growth in the middle class is astonishing. They're registering like 900 cars a day now as VN reduces tariffs on cars. That's gonna be a $hit show. Tried to upload video of an orderly traffic roundabout. Nothing could have prepared me for Saigon traffic. Swarms of 700 motorbikes crossing intersections perpendicular to another 700 bikes. Surreal.

I backpacked through Scandinavia when I graduated from college. I took a thousand bucks for the summer. Had a rail pass and we took a tent and sleeping bags but I could literally only afford bread and a jar of honey. But ferry was included in eurorail so we camped on Lofoten islands for couple weeks and ate bread. I was shocked at the price of a beer though so I didn't drink any.

Comparing these two examples, one could debate what wealthy is, and I'd certainly argue that riding a bike for transportation can have a positive impact on your health. I definitely consider most Scandinavians wealthy, and myself, in a global context.

But ya, if you want to live cheaply and have a good standard of living, Vietnam is an option.
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Old 13-11-2015, 08:14   #266
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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Venison. The most riculously high priced meat in America is whitetail deer meat. If I add up all the money spent on hunting trips, clothing, ammo, gas, food and tolls, lures, tree stands.... one pound of venison probably costs over $100.

As you may have guessed, I just came back from another trip where no white tailed deer were harmed in any way.

Just wish the game dealers paid that much in Scotland, just got the latest payment, a 59kg red stag £106.74, pluck 25p, tail £1 and pizzle £1.50.
Only another 20 to shoot/sell and the boat insurance is paid.

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Old 13-11-2015, 08:25   #267
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

My hunting buddy also named Ken, has watched way too many YouTube hunting videos and now thinks we're doing something wrong. He thinks it should be easy like in the videos, which in reality... take place on game farms. After only a couple of hours in the tree stand, he gets cold, bored and impatient. I explain over and over to him, what they're doing in the videos is more similar to shooting penned up cows. The real deer in the wild are mostly nocturnal, we're only able to actually see the dumber or lazy ones.

We go again next week for three days... wish us good luck.
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Old 13-11-2015, 08:33   #268
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Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

We stalk ours in open mountains, no sitting in high seats, spend lots of time spoting with binocs, then often a big walk/crawl, lots of deer but twice as many eyes looking for you, can be hard work but expect at least one most days. We have no tag system, when the deer are on your land they belong to you.

We also don't have to wear some of that wonderful orange camouflage.

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Old 13-11-2015, 08:38   #269
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

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My hunting buddy also named Ken, has watched way too many YouTube hunting videos and now thinks we're doing something wrong. He thinks it should be easy like in the videos, which in reality... take place on game farms. After only a couple of hours in the tree stand, he gets cold, bored and impatient. I explain over and over to him, what they're doing in the videos is more similar to shooting penned up cows. The real deer in the wild are mostly nocturnal, we're only able to actually see the dumber or lazy ones.

We go again next week for three days... wish us good luck.
Tell him that it is called hunting, not shooting.

BTW, I HATE, (did I shout that?) hunting on game farms and those that hunt there. That is the most unethical thing I can think of. Fortunately it is not allowed here in Alberta... the game ranchers lobbied for it, but there was such an uproar, and the loudest were hunters, that no government here would dare institute that.

Ken, I suspect just like here, the rut has started, and the deer will be moving a bit more. I'm tired of me or my son pushing bush (you've seen the terrain and vegetation), hoping to flush something, and then it popping out opposite of where someone is on point.

Did I mention I HATE those that 'hunt' on game farms? What chance of escapement does the critter have? A game animal should be wild, and those 'bucket bucks' that come in to oats being shaken in a bucket are anything but wild.
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Old 13-11-2015, 08:46   #270
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Re: Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

Jeez, I run down the road @55mph, with my head lights on and the moose come out of everywhere to stand in front of my vehicle on the highway, I don't even have to use a gun, put a schedule 80 pipe frame on my front end and a winch with an A frame in the back of my truck, all finished in no time, one trip to town and I have a winter's worth of meat.
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