patrick.net

Bigsby says

You sound like you're reading from a script. People live a life outside of work as well. You do understand that, don't you? Most expats aren't hidden away in little ghettos with their only interaction with the outside world being business cocktail parties or whatever it is you seem to be referring to here.

Do you engage in in-depth discussion on political economy with real life friends? I don't; that's why I reserve that to online discussions and essays/books I write. In real life, making a living, taking care of family, maintaining friendships and intimate relationships preclude heated discussions on religion, politics and most economics.

You really have some strange perspectives for someone who is claiming to have spent 2/3rds of their life working abroad. Where was that out of interest?

hmm, for most people who are not political operatives or academic economists. For people living and/or working abroad, networking for friendship (avoiding contention) takes even higher priority.

Reality says

In order to ridicule what I wrote, you claimed you had never heard of anyone making the points that I did. I referred you to the hundreds of books on the subject making the points that I did. You claimed they were just "a bunch of economists writing some books," to which my reply was that that "bunch of economists" included quite a few Nobel Prize winners in Economics.

Good grief. I said no-one I'd ever met had spouted the sort of economic viewpoints you favour on here. Of what relevance is a bunch of economists' books to that comment?

Reality says

There was no sudden switch. After being shown how ignorant you are regarding various thoughts in Economics, you insisted that what you meant earlier was only limited to the personal contacts in your life (i.e. not including books), so we took a look at what your likely personal contacts are. You tried to brag that you were an "expat," a specfic use of the term that is popular among the various local Chambers of Commerce overseas where the organizers wish to commingle both the western citizenship holders and the ones who actually have legally expatriated.

I wasn't shown anything by you. You were and are the one trying to misrepresent what I said. I know no-one who espouses your views. That's just a statement of fact on my part. What has that got to do with what I know or don't know about a school of economics that you believe in? And where exactly did I try to 'brag' about being an expat? And expat is common terminology around the world for people working abroad. Your nonsense about Chambers of Commerce has little to no relevance to the day-to-day usage of the word.

Reality says

I used the preposition very precisely. You chose to substitute it with something else and then launch into strawman tactic.

No, you responded to a post where I said I neither worked with or for the chamber of commerce by playing a very obvious and childish game of saying 'oh but I didn't say FOR, did I? I said you worked WITH it.' Your stupid little gotcha game doesn't wash.

And out of interest, you aren't Homeboy, are you? You seem to have a very similar approach.

Reality says

In real life, making a living, taking care of family, maintaining friendships and intimate relationships preclude heated discussions on religion, politics and most economics.

You don't discuss those topics with friends? I can relate to avoiding discussion of religion, but people talk constantly about politics over here. As for in depth conversations about economics, well I guess that entirely depends on what you are referring to.
Reality says

For people living and/or working abroad, networking for friendship (avoiding contention) takes even higher priority.

Really? Maybe for new arrivals or people staying for a short time. Once you make actual friends rather than mere business acquaintances, you discuss what you find important to you, do you not? The locals here don't sit around diwaniyas for hours on end avoiding contention. They bloody love it.

Reality says

ou tried to brag that you were an "expat," a specfic use of the term that is popular among the various local Chambers of Commerce overseas where the organizers wish to commingle both the western citizenship holders and the ones who actually have legally expatriated.

Now I know you have been taking lessons from the captain in creating incoherent posts.

The term expat is used around the world to describe people who have retired abroad or professionals working abroad (as opposed to laborers who are referred to as immigrant workers). It's got nothing to do with giving up citizenship (although expats can obviously do that if they have another citizenship) and it certainly has zero to do with chamber of commerce. Everyone understands the term and usage except you for some reason. That's really odd as you are trying to claim you've worked abroad, I don't think so.

komputodo says

Because you can carry enough of it in a small bag that will feed your family
for a year.

Your family eats gold?

Reality says

Of course it did:

Oil going from $10/bbl (2001) to $140(2007), to $40(2009), to $100 (now) meant:

dollar going from 1/10bbl to 1/140bbl to 1/40bbl, to 1/100bbl at those time points.

Simple arithmetics.

I'm curious what relevance that has to a comment about gold not being a stable store of value.

Bigsby says

Good grief. I said no-one I'd ever met had spouted the sort of economic viewpoints you favour on here. Of what relevance is a bunch of economists' books to that comment?

You have not met me in person either. What do the people you have met in person have any relevance anyway?

Bigsby says

I wasn't shown anything by you. You were and are the one trying to misrepresent what I said. I know no-one who espouses your views. That's just a statement of fact on my part. What has that got to do with what I know or don't know about a school of economics that you believe in? And where exactly did I try to 'brag' about being an expat? And expat is common terminology around the world for people working abroad. Your nonsense about Chambers of Commerce has little to no relevance to the day-to-day usage of the word.

If you really know no-one sharing my views, then you are just proving your own ignorance regarding various economic thoughts. While I don't agree with Keynesianism, it would certainly be proof of ignorance if someone claims to have never heard of the basic tenets of Keynesiansim.

You bragged about yourself being "expat" for 20 years. "Expat" in your so-called "day-to-day usage" signifies a privileged position in the local economy promoted by the local "expat" Chambers of Commerce around the world.

Bigsby says

No, you responded to a post where I said I neither worked with or for the chamber of commerce by playing a very obvious and childish game of saying 'oh but I didn't say FOR, did I? I said you worked WITH it.' Your stupid little gotcha game doesn't wash.

There was no game involved. I used the correct preposition, and you insisted on misinterpreting it and accuse me of something that I never said.

Out of interest, you aren't Homeboy, are you? You seem to have a very similar approach.

No. Homeboy and I had several debates on his favorite subject on healthcare.

Bigsby says

You don't discuss those topics with friends? I can relate to avoiding discussion of religion, but people talk constantly about politics over here. As for in depth conversations about economics, well I guess that entirely depends on what you are referring to.

Politics are only touched in polite company when both parties know they already share the same view . . . hence my earlier reference to "echo chamber." If you think your shared view is the only one out there, you'd be sadly mistaken. Friends do get into heated debates on politics from different views don't stay friends for long.

Bigsby says

Really? Maybe for new arrivals or people staying for a short time. Once you make actual friends rather than mere business acquaintances, you discuss what you find important to you, do you not? The locals here don't sit around diwaniyas for hours on end avoiding contention. They bloody love it.

So why don't they have fights on religion? See comment above.

Call it Crazy says

upisdown
says

I never implied anything, I just posted the exact same article link that you
did,

Sorry loser, but you TRIED to post links (but they are all dead links) from
January news releases instead of February.... There is a difference...

LOL, I did a search with 'Businessweek homebuilder confidence' and those(obviously many others too) came up and all I did was copy and paste them here in my post. There's one from 1/2013, one from 1/2014, and one from 2/2014. I posted them to annoy you, and it did, mainly because you read numerous things into it, and all I said was that they all used the same source(NAHB homebuilder confidence poll), which they did. Idiot.

So, if they're dead links, how the heck did you click on them then to start off on (another)your insinuating rant? Do you even BOTHER to think before you type?

Call it Crazy says

Hmmm, you also need spell check, but that's even above your pay grade...

You're right, and it's because I don't know how to type, so if there was a way that I knew about to do spell check, I surely would do it because it's annoying to even me. Thanks for stating the obvious, dipshit.

LOL, I post the exact same article link that YOU did, and NOW it's useless. This is after you claim the drastic weather this year has had no impact on anything, then you go and post the OP that it confirms that it has, and then today you contradict yourself AGAIN, and try and claim that it hasn't. Idiot.

DO you even have the slightest clue as to WHY home building shuts down in the winter/freezing temps other than it's just cold to work in and employee production drops?
I doubt it, but give it a shot anyway, I need some Friday entertainment.

Reality says

You have not met me in person either. What do the people you have met in person have any relevance anyway?

Do you have a point? And they obviously have relevance to my comment about never having MET anyone who holds your views...

Reality says

If you really know no-one sharing my views, then you are just proving your own ignorance regarding various economic thoughts.

It's doing no such thing. I've never met a Roman before, but I know quite a lot about the history of that time. I've also never met a nazi, but I've read a great deal on that particular period in history as well, and on and on I could go. You appear to be conflating 'never met' with 'never heard.' They aren't the same thing, are they?

Reality says

There was no game involved. I used the correct preposition, and you insisted on misinterpreting it and accuse me of something that I never said.

Err, I didn't misrepresent it at all. I made a point of remarking about exactly what you were doing by capitalizing the FOR.

Reality says

Politics are only touched in polite company when both parties know they already share the same view . . . hence my earlier reference to "echo chamber." If you think your shared view is the only one out there, you'd be sadly mistaken. Friends do get into heated debates on politics from different views don't stay friends for long.

You must live a very sheltered life.

Reality says

So why don't they have fights on religion? See comment above.

Why do you think I don't discuss religion? I live in the Middle East. Are you seriously that naive?

Reality says

You bragged about yourself being "expat" for 20 years. "Expat" in your so-called "day-to-day usage" signifies a privileged position in the local economy promoted by the local "expat" Chambers of Commerce around the world.

Er, all foreigners are second class citizens in the Arab world. And there you go again about the local Chambers of Commerce. You seem to have tunnel vision.

Reality says

You bragged about yourself being "expat" for 20 years. "Expat" in your so-called "day-to-day usage" signifies a privileged position in the local economy promoted by the local "expat" Chambers of Commerce around the world.

You have absolutely now clue what you are talking about.

Call it Crazy says

OK, I'll give it a shot....

Just as I thought, you're f-n clueless.

Try again, though without the circle-jerk theatrics.

The original Patnet forum was day by day, blow by blow, response to that moron's shenanigans.

Call it Crazy says

Did you ever hear of Copy and Paste???

Hey genius, did you read the part where I said that I copied and pasted the results of the search?

You really are dense, aren't you.

Call it Crazy says

upisdown
says

Do you even BOTHER to think before you type?

You know, I really wonder that about you????????????

I asked previously, and you just provided an excellent example of not thinking before typing. Way to go, you showed me.

bob2356 says

The term expat is used around the world to describe people who have retired abroad or professionals working abroad (as opposed to laborers who are referred to as immigrant workers).

It's got nothing to do with giving up citizenship (although expats can obviously do that if they have another citizenship) and it certainly has zero to do with chamber of commerce.

"Expats" and "expat" chambers of commerce have been in existence since long before "retirement" became a part of life for most people.

Everyone understands the term and usage except you for some reason. That's really odd as you are trying to claim you've worked abroad, I don't think so.

I understand the term quite well, both the legal meaning of it and how the chambers of commerce overseas promote it. I worked abroad, then the "abroad" became my home country, then I have worked several different "abroads" of various durations, including some to my country of birth as "abroad" because my home country changed. You can say that I actually expatriated from my country of birth in the legal sense.

Bigsby says

You have not met me in person either. What do the people you have met in person have any relevance anyway?

Do you have a point? And they obviously have relevance to my comment about never having MET anyone who holds your views...

Why did even bother to bring up what you have met in person? If your point was strictly about what you have met in person? We are not meeting in person. You were obviously trying to make the point that my points of view were strange. In that case, your lack of exposure to them only signifies your ignorance.

Call it Crazy says

Homebuilder Confidence in U.S. Slumped in February

How shocking! Builders need to counter the "Bankers/Investors" nexus.

Bigsby says

You must live a very sheltered life.

Very funny. I have been living on my own (often having to provide shelter to others) since when I was 14years old.

Bigsby says

So why don't they have fights on religion? See comment above.

Why do you think I don't discuss religion? I live in the Middle East. Are you seriously that naive?

Because you only mentioned the locals love to discuss politics when I mentioned the usual taboo on debating religion and politics in polite company. How often do you engage in civilized debates on religions with your friends? Is that an echo chambers or guns blazing, literally?

Bigsby says

Er, all foreigners are second class citizens in the Arab world. And there you go again about the local Chambers of Commerce. You seem to have tunnel vision.

"Second class citizens" is a very highly privileged position when the society has 4-5 different classes, with only the ruling class as the first class citizens. The average (non-monopolistic) local traders would be below you, the average local laborers would be lower still, then the women, then the imported laborers from 3rd world countries.

Reality says

"Second class citizens" is a very highly privileged position when the society has 4-5 different classes, with only the ruling class as the first class citizens. The average (non-monopolistic) local traders would be below you, the average local laborers would be lower still, then the women, then the imported laborers from 3rd world countries.

You don't know what you are talking about. Expats are second class citizens to ALL Kuwaitis. Obviously, you can then sub-divide the respective locals and foreigners, but that wasn't my point.

Reality says

Why did even bother to bring up what you have met in person? If your point was strictly about what you have met in person? We are not meeting in person. You were obviously trying to make the point that my points of view were strange. In that case, your lack of exposure to them only signifies your ignorance.

No, it doesn't. It signifies that of the people I know and have met none of them hold your particular economic views.

Reality says

Because you only mentioned the locals love to discuss politics when I mentioned the usual taboo on debating religion and politics in polite company. How often do you engage in civilized debates on religions with your friends? Is that an echo chambers or guns blazing, literally?

What are you blathering on about? I'd happily talk about religion (and have) with foreigners in other parts of the world. Here not so much for reasons that should be obvious to you.

Bigsby says

Reality says

"Second class citizens" is a very highly privileged position when the society has 4-5 different classes, with only the ruling class as the first class citizens. The average (non-monopolistic) local traders would be below you, the average local laborers would be lower still, then the women, then the imported laborers from 3rd world countries.

You don't know what you are talking about. Expats are second class citizens to ALL Kuwaitis. Obviously, you can then sub-divide the respective locals and foreigners, but that wasn't my point.

So are you required to cover your face in public? Were people like you not allowed to drive a car before 1991? (women in Kuwait). 2/3 to 3/4 of the people living in Kuwait are not Kuwaitis! Like I said, "2nd class citizen" in that society means you are above the next 3-4 different classes, second only to the ruling elite.

Bigsby says

Why did even bother to bring up what you have met in person? If your point was strictly about what you have met in person? We are not meeting in person. You were obviously trying to make the point that my points of view were strange. In that case, your lack of exposure to them only signifies your ignorance.

No, it doesn't. It signifies that of the people I know and have met none of them hold your particular economic views.

Since we are not meeting in person, why did you bother to bring that up? Except as a way of saying how strange my economic views are. They are strange to you because you are ignorant.

Bigsby says

What are you blathering on about? I'd happily talk about religion (and have) with foreigners in other parts of the world. Here not so much for reasons that should be obvious to you.

So how many religious debates have you (presumably a Christian or agonostic/atheist??) had with the local Wahabist tribesman? Zero? Why do you think that's the case?

Reality says

So are you required to cover your face in public? Were people like you not allowed to drive a car before 1991? (women in Kuwait). 2/3 to 3/4 of the people living in Kuwait are not Kuwaitis! Like I said, "2nd class citizen" in that society means you are above the next 3-4 different classes.

Let me guess, you are now going to 'educate' me about life in present day Kuwait. Don't bother. And I know how many foreigners there are. I live here. And what has driving a car before '91 got to do with anything? Oh, and obviously I'm not going to list every sub group and say this person is socially higher than that person, so don't waste your time going down that path. It was obvious what I meant. Foreigners are considered to be beneath the local citizens. Certain foreigners are obviously more 'privileged' than other foreigners but as a group we do not have the rights, influence or power that any Kuwaiti can call upon in this society. You would understand that if you lived here, but instead you google a few facts and then think you can tell me what life is like in a country that I've lived in for more than a decade. Like I said, don't waste your time.

Bigsby says

Oh, let me guess, you are now going to 'educate' me about life in present day Kuwait. Don't bother. And I know how many foreigners there are. I live here. And what has driving a car before '91 got to do with anything? I'm not going to list every sub group and say this person is socially higher than that person, so don't waste your time going down that path. It was obvious what I meant. Foreigners are considered to be beneath the local citizens. Certain foreigners are obviously more 'privileged' than other foreigners but as a group we do not have the rights, influence or power that any Kuwaiti can call upon in this society. You would understand that if you lived here, but instead you google a few facts and then think you can tell me what life is like in a country that I've lived in for more than a decade. Like I said, don't waste your time.

"Local citizens" in Kuwait means 1/4 to 1/3 of the population. Half of that small fraction are women, which makes them second class to men in that society's tradition. You are not going to bamboozle me with "all foreigners are 2nd class citizens in Kuwait" because I know that the overwhelming majority of the population in that country are "foreigners." I did a research paper on that country just before Saddam Hussein invaded it. I don't need to waste time googling.

Reality says

So how many religious debates have you (presumably a Christian or agonostic/atheist??) had with the local Wahabist tribesman? Zero? Why do you think that's the case?

Are you deliberately being a moron? That is the bloody point I've been making. I DON'T discuss religion here for bloody obvious reasons. Exactly how many times have I now said that? Do I really need to spell it out for you?

Reality says

Since we are not meeting in person, why did you bother to bring that up? Except as a way of saying how strange my economic views are. They are strange to you because you are ignorant.

Really. So because I find your economic views strange, I'm ignorant. Is that right? So presumably because I view support of fascism to be strange, I'm ignorant. Or religious fundamentalism, or...

Bigsby says

Since we are not meeting in person, why did you bother to bring that up? Except as a way of saying how strange my economic views are. They are strange to you because you are ignorant.

Really. So because I find your economic views strange, I'm ignorant. Is that right? So presumably because I view support of fascism to be strange, I'm ignorant. Or religious fundamentalism, or...

There is nothing strange about religious fundamentalism or fascism. They are distasteful and repugnant, but not strange. Both have been practiced and even made into main stream in numerous countries on numerous occasions. What do you think the government sponsored corporatism is? It is fascism.

Reality says

"Local citizens" in Kuwait means 1/4 to 1/3 of the population. Half of that small fraction are women, which makes them second class to men in that society's tradition. You are not going to bamboozle me with "all foreigners are 2nd class citizens in Kuwait" because I know that the overwhelming majority of the population in that country are "foreigners." I did a research paper on that country just before Saddam Hussein invaded it. I don't need to waste time googling.

What difference does it make how many foreigners are here? Foreigners are second class citizens to Kuwaitis. Just as foreigners are lower down the food chain in all the other Gulf countries. And what was the topic of the paper? Apparently not the status of foreigners in Kuwait.

Reality says

There is nothing strange about religious fundamentalism or fascism. They are distasteful and repugnant, but not strange. Both have been practiced and even made into main stream in numerous countries on numerous occasions. What do you think the government sponsored corporatism is? It is fascism.

Why don't you give your pedantic little word games a rest?

I ask you this:
upisdown says

DO you even have the slightest clue as to WHY home building shuts down in the
winter/freezing temps other than it's just cold to work in and employee
production drops?
I doubt it, but give it a shot anyway, I need some Friday
entertainment.

You then respond with:Call it Crazy says

Call it Crazy
says

Builder confidence declined in all four U.S. regions, led by a 14-point
plunge in the West to the lowest level since June.(I guess snow in CA can
cause that) The index dropped nine points in the Midwest to 50, the weakest
reading since May. In the South, the measure decreased to a nine-month low of
46, while sentiment among builders in the Northeast fell eight points.

Hmmm... "led by a 14 point plunge in the West to the lowest level since
June"...

Yeah, it's really tough to build in those western and southern states because
of the snow and cold.... (that snow in June sucks too)...

You freely admit above(although by a lame attempt at being sarcastic) that apparently there's no snow and aparently no freezing temps in California.
So, I then posted the response below to give you another chance at showcasing your vast amounts of housing knowledge:

upisdown says

Try again, though without the circle-jerk theatrics.

And this is what you post:

Call it Crazy says

Call it
Crazy says

Are you going to continue today to show us how much of a true asshole you are
with these fucked up comments of yours???

upisdown
says

Call it
Crazy says

OK, I'll give it a shot....

Just as I thought, you're f-n clueless.

Try again, though without the circle-jerk theatrics.

I rest my case....

So, beyond any shadow of a doubt, you have absolutely NO idea why home building shuts down in the winter, or at the very least to a crawl, because of the bitter cold and freezing temps, do you?

C'mon, at least a wild guess or maybe even making something up and running with it non-stop like you do about everything else. Hell, I'll even give you a big hint.......moisture, or lack of.

Bigsby says

What difference does it make how many foreigners are here? Foreigners are second class citizens to Kuwaitis. Just as foreigners are lower down the food chain in all the other Gulf countries.

It makes a huge difference: "second class citizens" in the context of Kuwait means #2 ranking in a system that has 4-5 different ranks on the power pyramid. Western "expats" have been the technocrats running those societies on behalf of the ruling elite for a century now.

And what was the topic of the paper? Apparently not the status of foreigners in Kuwait.

It's hard not to touch upon the unusual demographics and the political/economic ramifications of "foreigners" in Kuwait. "Foreigners" make up for the vast majority of the population in that country.

Bigsby says

Reality says

There is nothing strange about religious fundamentalism or fascism. They are distasteful and repugnant, but not strange. Both have been practiced and even made into main stream in numerous countries on numerous occasions. What do you think the government sponsored corporatism is? It is fascism.

Why don't you give your pedantic little word games a rest?

Words convey meanings; they also reflect the knowledge and capacity of the person who put those words together.

Reality says

I did a research paper on that country just before Saddam Hussein invaded it.

Are you sure it wasn't a book report? Did you have to stand up in front of the class?

Reality says

Words convey meanings and reflect the knowledge and capacity of the person who put those words together.

Indeed, and this is an online forum where the general intent of what a person means doesn't need to be parsed in the manner that you seem intent on doing. You play silly little word games while seeming to be oblivious to the fact that much of what you're arguing is simply wrong.

Reality says

It makes a huge difference: "second class citizens" in the context of Kuwait means #2 ranking in a system that has 4-5 different ranks on the power pyramid. Western "expats" have been the technocrats running those societies on behalf of the ruling elite for a century now.

Oh, give me strength.
Reality says

And what was the topic of the paper? Apparently not the status of foreigners in Kuwait.

It's hard not to touch upon the unusual demographics and the political/economic ramifications of "foreigners" in Kuwait. "Foreigners" make up for the vast majority of the population in that country.

I'm not sure what relevance that response has to what I said. What exactly do you think your remark demonstrates and what was your paper on?

corntrollio says

Reality says

I did a research paper on that country just before Saddam Hussein invaded it.

Are you sure it wasn't a book report? Did you have to stand up in front of the class?

No. It was a term paper. I had to go through more than a dozen books to write the paper.

Reality says

corntrollio says

Reality says

I did a research paper on that country just before Saddam Hussein invaded it.

Are you sure it wasn't a book report? Did you have to stand up in front of the class?

No. It was a term paper. I had to go through more than a dozen books to write the paper.

A term paper. A dozen books. What was it on?

Bigsby says

Reality says

Words convey meanings and reflect the knowledge and capacity of the person who put those words together.

Indeed, and this is an online forum where the general intent of what a person means doesn't need to be parsed in the manner that you seem intent on doing. You play silly little word games while seeming to be oblivious to the fact that much of what you're arguing is simply wrong.

I use precise words to convey precise meanings. I do not use phrases like "2nd class citizen" to mislead people, who general do not know #2 is a high ranking in a society that has 4-5 different ranks on the pyramid.