patrick.net

Mark D says

is it just me or most of the bears here are republicans. not sure what side Patrick is on.
Captainshuddup = bear
thomas wong = Chinese-bear
B A C H = bear
dan = bear?
billybigrig = oneliner-bear
crazy = perma-bear
bmw = confused-bear
jvolstad = bear
C BOY = bear
Shrekk = possible bear
who else?

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You are missing someobody, but I can't remember who.......

I'm an cautious optimist. However, after this election, I'm less optimistic. I really think Obama's regulations, and healthcare changes are really going to throttle back growth here in the US; Growth in GDP, growth in employment. Mostly for small to medium companies. Larger ones will adjust but not be affected as much. Can't say the same for the middle/working class.

From an investment point of view, most of my moola is in American MNCs that I'll hold for a long time (think 20 years). As a DGI investor (KO, PM, MCD, INTC, VOD, T, CVX, AFL), I'm not too worried, until one of my stocks stops the dividend increases, or *GASP* cuts dividends. If the economy tanks for a couple of years, it's just a long term buying/accumulation opportunity for me.

Mark D says

Republicans = Bears

Well, I just Google Image Searched "Republican Bears"...

First off, ewwww...

Second, awwwwhhh...

Of course, bears are godless killing machines, so it's no surprise that they are republicans. From the postings on this site, I'd say that ducks and dogs are democrats, and cats are republicans.

Dan8267 says

From the postings on this site, I'd say that ducks and dogs are democrats, and cats are republicans.

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Democrats are more like Ostriches, I think. If their media of choice doesn't broadcast the news that makes Democrats look bad, then they think the event didn't occur. If I believed the Boston Globe, and it was my only source of info, then I'd believe that Ted Kennedy was actually a good guy, Real Estate only goes up, and that the only investment vehicle available is Mutual Funds (the expensive ones, I might add).... Actual facts/events that get reported from the likes of Krauthammer, Malkin, Levin, etc get dismissed by Liberals as 'extreme right wing' media. never mind that the facts they bring up actually happened and are true....

AverageBear says

Democrats are more like Ostriches

As neither Democrat nor Republican, I can say that the Republican's are far more the denial of facts party. Just look at climate change. That's an economic security and national security issue, but Republicans will deny all facts and evidence even after it has become painfully obvious to everyone else.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Dan8267 says

First off, ewwww...

Oh, thank god(s), Dan has finally gotten sick of posting pics of shirtless men. I could have done without that crotch zooming David Hasselhoff.

Mark D says

thomas wong = Chinese-bear

No, just Chinese trying to destroy US.

Hmmmm, did I just scribe most of Republicans minus the Chinese part?

Mark D says

Republicans = Bears

Funny, I eat bears.

leo707 says

AverageBear says

Hey, don't shoot the messenger

But, bear has such a wonderful flavor. Yes, some might complain that it is too strong (gamey) and/or tough, but in a slow cooked stew (bear bourguignon, yum!) it really adds another level of delicious complexity. I also have a brother in law who has made a sausage with bear, venison and pork. The sausage is great, but last Christmas he used it as an ingredient in the stuffing (cooked in the bird of course) ...oh...my...god...best stuffing ever.

And speaking of eating animals...
AverageBear says

Democrats are more like Ostriches, I think.

Ostriches are also delicious. There are lots of places you can get ostrich burger and they are OK, but if you ever have the opportunity to try and ostrich steak give it a try. You will thank me later.

Republicans were not bears during Bush years. It was difficult to find a Republican that liked gold and hated the stock market. Most were like Larry Kudlow on CNBC.

I do agree that Democrats are somewhat ignoring the elephant in the room which is debt. I completely agree that we need to raise taxes but we also need reform. I don't believe Obama care is a reform. Dodd Frank could have been but knows what will to happen to it.

If longing for prudent accounting makes me a bear then sign me up.
I think it would fair to say.
Republicans are Classical Economists
Democrats are Keynesian Economists

Republicans were clearly Keynesians during Bush era. They only switched after Obama won in 2008.

Just like Krugman used to worry about deficits during Bush years and not so much lately.

Dan8267 says

I can say that the Republican's are far more the denial of facts party. Just look at climate change.

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Dan,

I find it interesting how 'global warming' crusade morphed into 'climate change' the last 10 years. After it's been proven that the earth is not getting warmer. I don't deny we have 'climate change'. Hell, what climate doesn't happen in the short, medium and long term. There's no denial on the Republicans view of climate change either. Not speaking for them, but this conservative believes that climate change is not mainly due to man. More like sun... While one polar ice cap is 'melting'/shrinking, the other one on the other side of the planet is growing. Who'dathunk?

leo707 says

Ostriches are also delicious. There are lots of places you can get ostrich burger and they are OK, but if you ever have the opportunity to try and ostrich steak give it a try. You will thank me later.

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I have heard good things about ostrich meat. However, Bison is where it's at.... If you are ever in the area, Bison County on Moody Street in Waltham, MA is a great place to get some....

leo707 says

Oh, thank god(s), Dan has finally gotten sick of posting pics of shirtless men

I will never get sick of posting pics of shirtless men as long as they look like Matthew McConaughey. The ewww was for the guy who did not look good.

The sad thing is that I didn't have to type in shirtless in my Google image search for "Matthew McConaughey". Google already knew what daddy wanted.

leo707 says

I could have done without that crotch zooming David Hasselhoff.

That one is a classic. You see, when your zooming in, the inner Hasselhoff looks like an erect penis, but ends up being Hasselhoff himself, and then you zoom in again at what looks like an erect penis. And it all happens at just the right speed so that your brain can't anticipate that the next Hoff isn't a penis, so it's like wearing an Ur-Quan excruciator.

AverageBear says

After it's been proven that the earth is not getting warmer. I don't deny we have 'climate change'. Hell, what climate doesn't happen in the short, medium and long term.

You seriously need to stop watching Fox News and conservative talk radio and start listening to real news like NPR. Global warming has been proven beyond even any unreasonable doubt. 97% of scientists definitively state that global warming is happening and that it is caused by man. The other 3% are paid by corporations and lobbyists trying to prevent anti-pollution laws.

Whether you call the phenomenon global warming or climate change is irrelevant. The later name has become popular because "warming" doesn't describe all the various things (droughts, flooding, air and sea current changes, etc) that are happening.

In fact, we're way beyond the point where we can prevent global warming. We're already going to incur economic costs of climate change that are going to far exceed the profits gained by corporations by polluting the Earth. That much is already certain.

The debate now is how much we are willing to do to mitigate the costs of climate change and to adapt to the inevitable change that is already here and will continue to come. It is already a given that we are going to have a 2°C rise in global temperatures in the next few decades. That might not sound like much to you, but it translates into trillions of dollars of lost wealth -- something that maybe you can appreciate. The debate now is that without changing the paths we're on whether the rise in temperatures will be a mere 4°C or an 8°C change over the next 50 years.

Once in a lifetime natural disasters are now happening every single year.
Islands populated for thousands of years are now under water due to rising sea level.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/3YXzTzTWyEs

The same thing will happen to the New York islands eventually.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ahk_faoFmIY

200 million refuges expected. That's not insignificant.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/8Vywtkqre4c

And that's just what's happening with a 2°C rise in global temperature. 4 or 8 degrees will be much worse. Of course, you don't care because you think that you and your family won't be affected. And that is where you are wrong. It's not just poor nations that will suffer a loss. America will lose trillions of dollars of real estate alone, not to mention the economic costs of replacing infrastructure lost as coastal land is lost and tens of millions of people on the populated coastlines relocate further inland. Just imagine the costs of building a replacement for New York City alone. That's going to come from your tax dollars. That's going to affect the stock market. That's going to burden this country with debt. Environmental problems are economic problems. It is financially foolish to let corporations pollute when this pollution will cost us far more money than it "saves" within your own damn lifetime.

Greed + stupidity = poverty

All climate change deniers are full of shit. None of them will put their money where their mouths are. Insurance companies, which are very pro-Republican, are certainly not climate change deniers.

From that bastion of hippie literature, High Times,

The world’s largest reinsurer has examined the recent rise in the number and severity of natural disasters worldwide, and finds the trend bears the unmistakable fingerprints of climate change.

What’s more, America is bearing the brunt of that change.

Oh wait, that actually was from Forbes Magazine.

It's funny how conservatives deny climate change when debating anti-pollution laws, but fully embrace that "theory" when setting rates for insurance. I am more apt to listen to a republican when his own ass and money is on the line. I find you get more honest answers from them that way.

Ah but how many of those high profile climate change deniers are quietly buying up inland properties that will see their values skyrocket in the coming decades as the ocean slowly moves inland?

Lex Luthor would be proud.

We'll find out soon enough. Mayans said the world is ending in 2 weeks. Makes reps vs dems and buy vs rent debates rather insignificant.

Dan8267 says

Well, I just Google Image Searched "Republican Bears"...

First off, ewwww...

Against my better judgement I tried Google Image Searching "Republican Bears" myself. Just how many pages did you have to scroll through to find that nastiness?

Dan8267 says

I'd say that ducks and dogs are democrats, and cats are republicans.

I'd say you're right.

Of course as we well know Republicans = Bears

and

Bears = Communists

Therefore

Republicans = Communists

CaptainShuddup says

Republicans are Classical Economists

Wa? Are you shitting me?

Mark D says

thomas wong = Chinese-bear

That would be a Panda...

Dan8267 says

Global warming has been proven beyond even any unreasonable doubt. 97% of scientists definitively state that global warming is happening and that it is caused by man.

Cows with Gas: India's Global-Warming Problem

Now, however, India's ubiquitous cows — of which there are 283 million, more than anywhere else in the world — are assuming a more menacing role as they become part of the climate-change debate.

By burping, belching and excreting copious amounts of methane — a greenhouse gas that traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide — India's livestock of roughly 485 million (including sheep and goats) contributes more to global warming than the vehicles the animals obstruct.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1890646,00.html#ixzz2EQSjzuHG

read again... cows contribute more to greenhouse than cars.

Mark D says

is it just me or most of the bears here are republicans. not sure what side Patrick is on.

oh.. it doesnt surprise me that many libs here are pro real estate and high property values..

no matter how much pain and problems it creates in places like Silicon Valley.

The end game is ... it doesnt work.. employers will go elsewhere or our industries will go under... Like Locust they only destroy the local economies...

thomaswong.1986 says

Mark D says

thomas wong = Chinese-bear

That would be a Panda...

Panda proves that the intelligent designer is a postmodernist.

Down with pandas! We need to preserve redheads instead.

Only fools will embrace policies backed by so-called models.

AGW is like home prices in 2005. Yes, it was a fact that prices were going up. But was it right to claim that prices will only go up? Was it right to have policies like allowing toxic loans so that people do not get priced out?

Climate is no less nonlinear than economics.

Mark D says

is it just me or most of the bears here are republicans. not sure what side Patrick is on.

I cannot be classified.