tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post4543171829414900750..comments2024-02-29T02:16:45.679-08:00Comments on Gladly Lerne, Gladly Teche: Gold for GeezersJohn V. Fleminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136533410768061217noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-82788459844545386092009-08-18T05:52:54.435-07:002009-08-18T05:52:54.435-07:00Some geezers are worth more than othersSome geezers are worth more than othersThey say it's a cold worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09059089212388940864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-90196008294881778352009-08-11T19:51:03.287-07:002009-08-11T19:51:03.287-07:00On the other hand, the Volt is looking good if the...On the other hand, the Volt is looking good if these 230 mpg stories are true... :pBen (The Tiger in Exile)https://www.blogger.com/profile/15343544805893081216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-43558964311131877432009-08-10T09:35:57.198-07:002009-08-10T09:35:57.198-07:00As to "cash for clunkers" benefiting the...As to "cash for clunkers" benefiting the environment, not altogether <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/03/AR2009080302220.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>true</strong></a>.Sparrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09650480849742306984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-49211452018178753492009-08-10T09:14:21.017-07:002009-08-10T09:14:21.017-07:00The hidden economic impact of "Cash for Clunk...The hidden economic impact of "Cash for Clunkers", aside from decreasing the supply of cars for Ben to purchase and thereby, according to the laws of supply and demand, <i>increasing</i> the cost of purchasing said clunkers for the lowest economic stratum, is that you now have an enormous number of people who were perfectly happy driving their presumably paid-for cars taking on additional debt for the purchase of a new vehicle. Wasn't too much debt a large part of the problem that started all this?<br /><br />In the meantime, I'm open to a deal on my 92 year-old father...Sparrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09650480849742306984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-36815708837614531212009-08-09T18:25:21.767-07:002009-08-09T18:25:21.767-07:00The one thing that did strike me about "cash ...The one thing that did strike me about "cash for clunkers" -- which has been the one very successful part of the stimulus, in terms of shoveling that money out the door in a timely fashion -- is that it is quite literally a wealth-destroying program.<br /><br />I mean, really -- you take a car that runs quite well, if somewhat less efficiently than the newer models, and you pay someone four grand to turn it into a cube of scrap metal. (The condition, I believe, is that the "clunker" be made into a cube within 48 hours of the purchase of the new car.) We're paying people to destroy things.<br /><br />As someone who plans on entering the used car market in the next year, this concerns me. Where will I buy my cheap junky car that I can scrape against concrete barriers and the like?<br /><br />But I guess that if one sees the environment as the overriding issue, then "cash for clunkers" is brilliant.<br /><br />Still, I admire the fact that it is the one major program of the last decade that has actually over-delivered. (Well, maybe Medicare Part D has, too -- that one costs less and has lower premiums than was forecast when it was enacted.) In this era in which we wonder, "doesn't anyone know how to play this game?", that's something.Ben (The Tiger in Exile)https://www.blogger.com/profile/15343544805893081216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907071700721966011.post-68044404063492260682009-08-09T12:54:09.240-07:002009-08-09T12:54:09.240-07:00A hit. A palbable hit. Please forward immediately ...A hit. A palbable hit. Please forward immediately to disgruntled columnists who simply cannot understand such as as the fellow at "Sunday Forum: It's time to fight dirty"<br /><br />href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09221/989355-109.stm<br /><br />"No matter the righteousness of the cause, liberal progressives cannot seem to get on top of any public policy debate, cannot seem to win any war of words -- which is just weird because you have to assume there are many more English majors among liberals."<br /><br />I note the odd use of "righteousness" which says more about the fervor than the rightness.vanderleunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10296245324443413545noreply@blogger.com