Riots in the streets 2008-2013 style.

[Bob_S]

India is such a large consumer at #1

A large part of that consumin' is an order for a crap load of F-18's and negotiations for some C-17's (provided of course that they can be a parts supplier, you know how these things go).  Can't hardly blame them what with Pakistan on one side of them and China on the other.  Talk about your rock and a hard place.   

[Dave H]

Rank Country Spending ($ b.) World Share (%)
— World Total 1464.0 100
1  United States 607.0 41.5
2  China 84.9a 5.8a

Like I really believe the Chinese or North Koreans for that matter!   Oh I get it...the Chinese only used $84.9 billion (US dollars) for defense...the other zillions were spent in  Chinese yuán.  

Hmmm...I might believe these ladies... 







The Chinese could really learn a few fashion tips from the North Koreans!




Dave

[fathertime]

No, we are not that lame.  The U.S.'s top 5 exports are semiconductors, commercial aircraft, passenger cars, vehicle parts and accessories, and medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.  The dollar value of arms exports doesn't even break the top 12 list.  A majority of the U.S. arms market is for the U.S. military.

very interesting, it is good to see we are producing valuable items for other countries.  I surprised we haven't been undercut in price on something like pharmaceuticals, which should be the same regardless of where it was made.  I don't know that patents make a difference to individuals in many countries.  

Fathertime!

[Ray]

I surprised we haven't been undercut in price on something like pharmaceuticals, which should be the same regardless of where it was made.  I don't know that patents make a difference to individuals in many countries.  

Hey bozo!   

Patents would make a difference to those folks if the Pharmaceutical companies all folded up and stopped developing new drugs because they couldn't make a profit with some cheap-ass a-holes stealing their work for free and reaping the benefits...

It's bad enough with the stinking lawyers stealing their profits with dumb-ass lawsuits.

For more info, dial: 1-800-BAD-DRUG   

So, when are you going to be a daddy again??

[piglett]

Dave

there is just something about a group of hot chicks wearing skirts & packing "heat"
i sure would hate to be "roughed up" by them


pig

[Jedironin]

If they were posted at the crossings, I can guarantee you I would stop for that checkpoint! 

"No problem, officer! Take all the time you need to check me out.... I mean, check my papers!" 

[Jeff S]

It doesn't stop there jedi - once you get past the military then you have to deal with the police!

[Bob_S]

Patents would make a difference to those folks if the Pharmaceutical companies all folded up and stopped developing new drugs because they couldn't make a profit with some cheap-ass a-holes stealing their work for free and reaping the benefits...

Of course you would think that.  You come from a generally law-abiding country and are clever enough to see the big picture.  But that doesn't address why drug companies operating in more lawless lands where people are just struggling to survive and don't see the big picture and don't give a damn about their impact to entrepreneurial inventiveness don't just try to make knock-offs of drugs and try to sell them abroad.

To answer that question more directly, it's because the culture of lawlessness that allows them to ignore international patents (such cultures often arise in dictatorships where the basic need to survive drives even common good people to find ways around the official oppressive system of the state) permeates all levels of the production process.  So just as the upper echelons of a company ignore patent laws, the production levels ignore company rules on quality control, and the company executives just bribe government inspectors who of course ignore their own quality inspection requirements.  Japan who imports a lot of food stuffs from China learns this lesson frequently the hard way as they discover mass contaminated and poisoned dumplings and pot-stickers (gyoza).
Pharmaceuticals require critical quality control of a degree many countries, mostly outside international agreements on patent control, simply inherently are not up to.  If you were to get a bottle of intravenous antibiotics labeled "Made in China", you are better off just getting a shot of tap water (since that's probably what it is anyway).

What are those elevator girls doing carrying weapons?    

[Jedironin]

^ Have you seen some of the people who ride elevators?!   

Reminds me of the shooting case I heard about... An FBI agent got on an elevator with one man already inside. After a few minutes, the agent realized the other man was a wanted felon. The other man realized he was facing an agent at about the same time. BOTH men drew their pistols and fired repeatedly at the other, INSIDE the elevator.

NO ONE was hit! Not once!  True story.

[Alabamaboy!]

Good point FT regarding the pharmaceutical companies. When I get some extra time, I am going to research how much the bloated drug prices are adding to our skyrocketing healthcare costs, compared to other countries.

If other countries are not raping their people with these crazy healthcare costs, why do we need to? It would be different if we were head and shoulders above the rest of the world with quality of care, or life expectancy, but we are far from it.

And don't try to paint the pharmaceutical companies as being so nice and thoughtful. If they were, they would spend more time developing medicines for fighting cancer or AIDS rather than erectile dysfunction.

[fathertime]

Hey bozo!   
 

So, when are you going to be a daddy again??

Howdy BOZO!

If all goes the way it should, fatherhood will be shortly after Harry Reid is voted out of office!  Now hopefully that happens this Nov, because I don't think my lady can hold the little guy in until the next election.

Fathertime!

[robert angel]

American 'invented' and patented drugs are produced overseas with total disregard for any patent, royalty or any other kind of payment to the pharmaceutical company responsible for the drug's origin. It's no different than knock offs of cars, various replacement parts, electronic devices, etc.

Unlike automobile knock offs, where I remember the Chinese building a knock off of an American car so blatantly similar that doors, body panels and engine parts were interchangeable with the original GM car made a couple miles away IN China, a lot of these foreign knock off drugs come into the USA and looking just like the 'real' original pharmaceutical companies, are sold on line and vary greatly in quality, purity and potency.

[Alabamaboy!]

there have been many overblown stories of pharmaceuticals being counterfeit in Mexican pharmacies along the border also, but since living close to the border in several large metro areas, the newspapers will usually run a piece regarding this "threat". But time after time they show that there is very little, if any, counterfeiting.

[Ray]

If all goes the way it should, fatherhood will be shortly after Harry Reid is voted out of office!

Outstanding!

Now if that dumbass Barbara Boxer should somehow lose the election next week, I'm going to get really drunk & celebrate... 

(If it's Brown, flush it down!)

Ray

[Jeff S]

http://vimeo.com/16072732

[Researcher]

    I hope many incumbents get voted out this time.I don't think our government can solve the problems we face but they have gotten arrogant.It would be nice to see them get taken down a notch or ten.

    Many say the Japanese scenerio here in the US is unlikely because even though they did try stimulus type tactics it was too little too late for them.Time will tell.


  Researcher

[Bob_S]

Now if that dumbass Barbara Boxer should somehow lose the election next week, I'm going to get really drunk & celebrate... 

(If it's Brown, flush it down!)

I would say "your lips to God's ears", but I think God and California are no longer on speaking terms.    

[Jedironin]

Sad, but true, Bob.

[Alabamaboy!]

GM just released data today showing its biggest quarterly profit it has had in 11 years. Earning like $1.96 billion, with about 1/3 of that coming from China.

Again showed that more vehicles are being sold in China than in US.

Shows what can happen if the company's can just go bankrupt, re-organize, lower costs, modernize, decrease the wild benefit programs, and become more competitive in the world market.

As opposed to propping up business models that are out dated and doing "business as usual".

[Alabamaboy!]

In today's news there was a big story about "Tens of Thousands of Students Rioting in the Streets" in London due to escalating tuition costs at Universities.

It's getting closer.

May be coming to a town near you real soon.

[fathertime]

Shows what can happen if the company's can just go bankrupt, re-organize, lower costs, modernize, decrease the wild benefit programs, and become more competitive in the world market.

As opposed to propping up business models that are out dated and doing "business as usual".

Thanks for the update AB,

I think we need to have some cities/states reorganize their retirement systems.  We can't be having public employees retire at age 50-55 with 75-90% of their income for the next 35-40 years of their life.  It is completely unsustainable and the public shouldn't have to support such a heavy burden. 

Fathertime!

[Alabamaboy!]

Maybe all we need to do to fix the majority of our problems is simply raise the retirement age across the board, and Medicare along with it.

When these programs began, maybe the average life expectancy was 72 or so. Maybe now it is 82. I am just guessing at those numbers. But anyway the gist of those programs was to provide for the final 10 years or so of life. So now that the life expectancy is 10 years longer, why not just boost that retirement age 10 years. So the essence of the program can be kept intact, that is, providing something for the last 10 years or so of life.

And if it costs more, then so what? Lots of things cost more now than before.

And if people don't like it, oh well. Unfortunately it has to be done.

I wish gasoline only cost $0.50 a gallon like the old days too, but it's not happening.

[Alabamaboy!]

I checked out some numbers:

In 1935 the average life expectancy was 63
In 2005 it was 77.

So people should not bitch if they raise the retirement age 5 years or so, because in the 30's and 40's a heck of a lot of people never got to retire at all!

[fathertime]

When these programs began, maybe the average life expectancy was 72 or so. Maybe now it is 82. I am just guessing at those numbers. But anyway the gist of those programs was to provide for the final 10 years or so of life. So now that the life expectancy is 10 years longer, why not just boost that retirement age 10 years. So the essence of the program can be kept intact, that is, providing something for the last 10 years or so of life.

Did you see what the deficit cutting commission recommended today?  They say normal retirement should be moved up from age 66 to age 69, here is the catch, this shall occur in the year 2075?   Are they effening kidding?  What businesses do these nincompoops have coming up with something 65 years in the future?  In 65 years who the hell knows what will be left of this nation and world?  They acted like this was some great sacrifice.  Well it is not a sacrifice to any of us because we are all going to be dead or crapping our diapers in 65 years.

 Yes I believe retirement age has to go up NOW because the system is going to collapse if it doesn’t and like AB boy said, we may need to put little more money in the system too, how the hell us does it sustain itself?  I am still what the reaction is going to be from police officers, firefighters, teachers and other public servents that are getting used to retiring at a much earlier age with near 90% of the income in tact.  That simply can’t go on much longer and I think these groups feel entitled to this money.  In a perfect world they could have it, but the world is not perfect and the fact is that the money comes from the rest of society and it is just excessive. 

Part of me thinks our society should start thinking about encouraging the older folks to move back in with the younger folks when they reach that fragile age.  Maybe houses should be equipped with a small living quarters for the elderly parents of a married couple.  That can be mutually beneficial in many ways, although obviously it can present problems as well.   

Fathertime!

[piglett]

Shows what can happen if the company's can just go bankrupt, re-organize, lower costs, modernize, decrease the wild benefit programs, and become more competitive in the world market.

As opposed to propping up business models that are out dated and doing "business as usual".

that whole Gm bankruptcy things was some fishy if you ask me.
I thought that if you went bankrupt that your equipment & assets had to go to pay off your creditors & i also seem to remember the holders of any prefered stock being able to get at least some of their money back if you went belly up.

well i guess if you have the feds on your side the law just doesn't apply.


pig