Moonlight Graham

He is seen that way because he somewhat is. But this isn't just an Obama problem. It's also a Bush/Clinton/Bush/Reagan etc. problem, a Congress problem, and a problem of the American people. To be fair, has Canada done much different? In terms of housing and banking yes, but debt-wise not really. Canada was downgraded to AA+ status in the early 90's too. I'll say it again, in some ways this is a good thing because maybe this will make voters realize that balancing the budget and reigning in debt is something that needs to be done and has REAL consequences that will affect them, not just their grandchildren.

Asian markets are down, US futures down. I predicted stocks would go down at the start of Monday, wow i'm a genius. A true genius.

Can't find the other thread for monday markets, but i predict on Monday stocks will go down at first (who would buy right at the bell? Either they sell or just watch it), then go up and down like a yo-yo for the rest of the day. No clue on the final day tally but likely down overall.

In just about every country people have put up with deficits and debt by their state, and the state not doing much to pay it back. Why? Because spending money gets votes, and there's been little negative consequence felt by the state debt. Now citizens in some countries, including the US, are finally feeling real negative consequences from the debt and consequences they just can't pass down to their kids/grandkids. Crap has hit the fan, sometimes people to feel the bee-sting before they decide to get rid of the nest. Hopefully this debt crisis will sting enough to get voters in the US and elsewhere to pressure their govs to run balanced budgets. Not hopeful though since many people are so stupidly in debt (credit cards etc.) themselves.

But the solution to a debt-caused financial bomb is more debt!

The problems go far beyond just "Obama". Big business, Wall Street, and other interests control the President and the vast majority of Congress. They pay for the campaigns, they mobilize interested voters, they are filled with former members of US gov + current members of the US gov formerly worked for them = ownage. In other news: U.S. credit rating downgraded by Standard & Poor's Lovely, just lovely.

Even if anthropogenic global warming were not occurring, green energy would still be very desirable because it keeps the garbage that burning coal/oil/gas spews into our air, giving us smoggy cities, asthma attacks, and other delicious yummies!

Our leader-led, party-driven democracy is flawed, most people with a brain know it. Reforms to loosen party discipline are needed.

Don't see anything wrong with "Support Our Troops" stickers on gov vehicles. It's not like it says "Support Our Wars".

Yes, extra money should be spend on "gifted" and "special/disadvantaged" kids for them to realize their full potential based on their different needs from the average kid. For "gifted" kids i don't know the best solution (private school vs special classes vs skipping grades etc.), but i'm sure research has been done on the subject.

I have to say i rarely ever use my cellphone, i carry it mostly for emergencies. It will be interesting to see in twenty years if all my friends are dying from brain tumours and get away scot-free!

I was recently on a trip driving through Quebec, stopped at a gas station, went into the little store at the gas station and saw a fridge stocking beer next to the fridges stocking soft-drinks. I had to do a double-take, it was so weird to see! I don't even drink so i don't pay attention to where booze is sold, but i was like "say whaa???...that doesn't look right!" lol.

How do you farm, for subsistence, if transnational corporations and African wealthy own all the land? And if you want a job, you move to urban centers, where you don't have much if any land to work for yourself.

The far-right, and regular conservatives, and just people in general who are against multiculturalism & immigration from non-white countries are most definitely in Canada obviously. But i thank the stars that whatever social problems stem from multiculturalism and non-white immigration will mostly be seen first in Europe, so Canada will be able to adjust policy or mindset hopefully to learn from their mistakes.

Yes of course geography is huge in any countries' development. I was asking the reason why you think geography has been a negative to poor African states in particular? Well i'll just disgaree with you on the impact of colonialism on the current underdevelopment of most African states. That's like saying colonialism has little to due with the current economic/social problems of North American aboriginals. But ya i'll agree that foreign aid and the entire 'development' project has caused major problems too. As i've stated in other posts, the causes are extremely complex and certainly multi-causal.

Colonialism isn't an excuse, it's a major part of the explanation of the economic/social failure of African states vis-a-vis other states. But not the only part, as I eluded to in my analogy. You can compare former colonies against each other, but you can also compare how native peoples of former colonies compare. Some, like in India, are doing better than those in most African states. Other former colonies who had the most 'intimate experiences' with colonialism, like the Americas, Australia, New Zealand etc., had their natives decimated because of European contact and colonialism. As an explanation, not an excuse, how would you argue "geography" as a reason for the underdevelopment of African states? (besides obviously some of the states located largely on desert)

It's a puzzle without a solution anyone has really figured out definitely yet. It is an extremely complex puzzle, like a Rubik's cube. I prefer the "trade not aid" approach. Let developing countries in on the global capitalist economy on equal trade terms as OECD countries, and let their economies develop. This will cost western economies some lost money, but doing this while reducing aid can help balance the money gains/losses. You hit on a huge problem, which is the population growth. A fully developed Africa could probably be sweet economically for the West, vast new markets to sell goods, but I wouldn't want to breathe the air in a world where most African households own a car (running on oil that doesn't exist). With current technology, it doesn't seem possible for humans to live long if at all in a world where the current 7 billion people lived in fully developed countries.

Nothing? I'd check the stats again. Also, i think people need to ask the question: why hasn't there been more progress? Then find the answers to that question (the ones known), because they're out there and some aren't pretty. Staying out of it is certainly a legit viewpoint. The problem is we don't. We will exploit them for their resources and through trade, and sell the developing world more money in arms than we give them in aid, among a great many other things. I would say if we stop interfering with them, we do it on both sides of the coin. Also, Somalia is a dangerous place, but there are refugees camps looking for help in neighbouring countries like Kenya and elsewhere.

If somebody smashes your car up with a sledge-hammer, then you drive it really roughly for 20,000km, then your car breaks down...is it all your failure?

lol. What?

Article says "despite criticism she supported the Bloc Québécois in 2006 and Quebec Solidaire in 2008". This is conjecture, it doesn't mean she did so and we don't know, from this article, if or how she so, with what intent etc. Basically, no context to this short quip.

My mother even said she felt this, she was a stay-at-home mom. It's perverted. Many good things have come from the women's movement, but also some bad. Strangers raising our kids even when we do have them.

Manson is not crazy.

Oh my God, I just saw video footage of the press conference, he looks like he's on death's door! I've rarely seen anything like it, Sandie Rinaldo was choked up reporting the story. Damn.

This is sad news. Doesn't sound good for Jack. He didn't look well on the campaign either, his entire head was caked in makeup during the debates i remember. Good luck Jack! note: I never knew he had a PhD in Political Science!