What do you Think of America

[viswablr]

Originally Posted by Zap

That certainly explains why the JPY is doing even worse than the USD.
The Euro has done better against the USD.
Even our Canadian dollar is enjoying 30 year highs against the USD.



...and I'm with you guys on the YHDG/HJGB. HUH?

Yeah, currencies of many different countries are at 25-30 years high against USD. Developing countries (China, India) have appreciated 20-25% against USD in the last one year alone.

That is why USA has to stop concentrating on the war, and instead go for innovation, industrialization, attracting and retaining global talent. War itself used to be a way for a country's growth but that era is dead. Now enemy is not across the shore, but next door in most cases. One can never win an enemy living next door.

[John Scott]

Yeah, currencies of many different countries are at 25-30 years high against USD.

Many economists will tell you that a weaker dollar will increase foreign investment in the US economy. It also makes our exports more affordable, one reason Japan tries to keep its yen cheap.

That is why USA has to stop concentrating on the war, and instead go for innovation, industrialization, attracting and retaining global talent.

Very entertaining opinion. In your country, when a crime is being committed, does the government do a cost-benefit analysis before taking action? For example, if you were being beaten to death, would it really matter how many pesos it costs to save your life?

Pretty rediculous, eh? So is the suggestion that we should allow economics the direct our foreign policy.

[Zap]

Originally Posted by John Scott

Many economists will tell you that a weaker dollar will increase foreign investment in the US economy. It also makes our exports more affordable, one reason Japan tries to keep its yen cheap.

True enough.
Some Canadians actually worry about the strength of our dollar vs. the USD because of that.
In our specific case, though, I think there is too much worry about it.

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by Zap

True enough.
Some Canadians actually worry about the strength of our dollar vs. the USD because of that.
In our specific case, though, I think there is too much worry about it.

I remember back in the 80's when the Canadian dollar was very affordable to the Japanese - many Japanese bought real estate and invested in Canada back then.

Wonder how that turned out for them.. It was almost like a gold rush. ...

[Zap]

Originally Posted by John Scott

I remember back in the 80's when the Canadian dollar was very affordable to the Japanese - many Japanese bought real estate and invested in Canada back then.

Wonder how that turned out for them.. It was almost like a gold rush. ...

That depends on when in the 80s.
In the early 80s, interest rates were very high (1981 spiked at over 20%) and the cost of borrowing put many people out of the real estate market. Towards the end of the eighties, rates had come down considerably (back down to 7% or 8%) and people could afford real estate again.
Factor that in with the fact that (in general, long term) real estate prices enjoy a healthy rise here in Canada if you're anywhere near a major center.
Since buying our house only one year ago, comparables on our street are now selling for over 10% higher than what we paid.

If someone in Japan had bought in the late 80s and was still holding that property today, it could be worth something, especially if they converted back to YEN now.

[viswablr]

Originally Posted by John Scott

Many economists will tell you that a weaker dollar will increase foreign investment in the US economy. It also makes our exports more affordable, one reason Japan tries to keep its yen cheap.



Very entertaining opinion. In your country, when a crime is being committed, does the government do a cost-benefit analysis before taking action? For example, if you were being beaten to death, would it really matter how many pesos it costs to save your life?

Pretty rediculous, eh? So is the suggestion that we should allow economics the direct our foreign policy.

As USD weakeans against other currencies, US can export a lot. But what will you export? Fuel, Gold, Textile, Toys? None (materially) you have to export. USA's strength is science and Technology. The moment USD weakens, people behind it will fly away to far away destinations, thus draining the only possible export item.

Countries that have something (materially) to export can let their currency weaken against others. IMHO, USA is not a game to that.

As long as USD is high, you are well protected against 4 billion other potential competitors (world population). The moment USD drops, you have to compete with each one of them.

[John Scott]

Countries that have something (materially) to export can let their currency weaken against others.

Do you even know what our chief export is? It's higher ( university ) education, as I mentioned. The cheaper the dollar is, the more foreign students can afford to get educations in the US.

Top 12 Export Product Groups 1996
In Millions of US Dollars

1. Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances
$70,287
2. Road vehicles
51,703
3. Office machines and automatic data processing machines
45,751
4. Transport equipment
34,356
5. Miscellaneous manufactured articles
30,694
6. General industrial machinery and equipment
27,370
7. Machinery specialized for particular industries
26,628
8. Power generating machinery and equipment
23,169
9. Professional scientific and control instruments and apparatus
21,441
10. Telecommunication and sound record and reproduce apparatus and equipment
21,414
11. Cereals and cereal preparations
18,153
12. Organic chemicals
15,012

[viswablr]

A weak USD is something the world hasn't seen before. I don't think the world (at least the countries that trade mainly in USD) wants to see it. It is very hard to pin point what will happen if USD weakens. For every argument, there can be equal numbr of counter arguments. Only time can reveal.

[viswablr]

In Europe there is a general remark that Americans are not as liberal as Europeans when it comes to matters related to Sex. USA media is very highly censored.

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by viswablr

In Europe there is a general remark that Americans are not as liberal as Europeans when it comes to matters related to Sex. USA media is very highly censored.

True. They don't allow hardcore porn on TV. It's a pissing shame if you ask me. So what if some 4 year old happens to see some woman banging a Shetland pony?

[Ferre]

Originally Posted by John Scott

True. They don't allow hardcore porn on TV. It's a pissing shame if you ask me. So what if some 4 year old happens to see some woman banging a Shetland pony?

It's not about porn John, it's about things like a naked body. In the states there's national panic when half a breast is shown on tv for a split second. In Europe children know what breast are, they have mothers, and European men don't start raping women when they see a boob, American moral crusaders act as if men go horny as soon as they see a nipple, but those moral crusaders seem to have the power up there.


Sad puppies.

[John Scott]

Actually, Ferre, you seem uninformed in this matter. Nudity is ok as long as it's art. Nudity is not allowed if it is sexual in nature (porn).

[Ferre]

Originally Posted by John Scott

Actually, Ferre, you seem uninformed in this matter. Nudity is ok as long as it's art. Nudity is not allowed if it is sexual in nature (porn).

Then I guess the definition of porn isn't the same everywhere, looking at the reactions with the superbowl nipple and how every single nudity is blurred out on American tv. I remember Ashcroft censoring a frikkin statue because of a boob showing.

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by Ferre

Then I guess the definition of porn isn't the same everywhere, looking at the reactions with the superbowl nipple and how every single nudity is blurred out on American tv. I remember Ashcroft censoring a frikkin statue because of a boob showing.

Censorship is applied to words, not body parts. Ashcroft ordered the boob covered because he was giving his report in front of it and it was too easy to make him look like a boob.

[Ferre]

Originally Posted by John Scott

Censorship is applied to words, not body parts. Ashcroft ordered the boob covered because he was giving his report in front of it and it was too easy to make him look like a boob.

He wished. He looks more like a sour grape.

[thegamerslink]

Well, as for the economy, I think it's pretty strong, even though due to my own restrictions I'm currently living at the poverty level(working on that). The democrats(liberals) are doing their best to ruin that as usual. They can't compete honestly and openly so they start the stories about how bad everything is and it's just going to be amazing if everyone sees it to next week. At the same time they are taking advantage of every nicety the economy has to offer them.....

As for nudity on television.......well, if I compare what I watch on primetime television now, with the Adam 12 and Gunsmoke episodes I watched as a child then I see we have come a very very long way. You see everything on the breast but the nipple, you can see an entire butt for a very very small amount of time, and if you put a g-string on a woman you can extend that time limit. If you are watching abc, nbc, cbs, cw etc you will see these things, I have Dishnetwork and have foxmoviechannel, ifc, etc as part of the standard package, it all shows uncut movies, bottom line if one doesn't want to see it they turn the channel, but, they are all marked and have a warning of content, what happened at the super bowl, though to me was no big deal, Others seem to think it was a stage publicity stunt that subjected alot of people that had the known what to expect before hand would have had the option of whether they watched or not instead of being forced to see it irregardless.

That last part isn't neccessarily my own oppinion but an opinnion based on doing something that a lot of people don't do any more it seems to me called looking at something through someone elses eyes

[Harveen]

Having grown up in a dictatorship, I think, America, socially, politically, philosophically messed as it may be, is the land where I can raise my son to be a strong, independent individual with equality and freedom to be who he chooses to be as his basis. I can't ask for more.