Comments on: Don’t tickle me Elmo… http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/ Mike Harding's Blog Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:42:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: mike http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24729 mike Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:39:51 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24729 Lloyd, I wrote a separate entry referencing your source. <a href="http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/06/516348-per-us-household/" rel="nofollow">$516,348 per US household</a> Lloyd, I wrote a separate entry referencing your source.

$516,348 per US household

]]> By: Lloyd http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24526 Lloyd Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:38:19 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24526 I was sure it was a lot more debt than that and but it looks like it comes down to accounting. http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=22498576&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fprintedition%2Fnews%2F20070529%2F1a_lede29.art.htm&partnerID=1660 more standard accounting practices (such as ones you'd use to try and balance the books in the real world) show it at 500k per household. I was sure it was a lot more debt than that and but it looks like it comes down to accounting. http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=22498576&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fprintedition%2Fnews%2F20070529%2F1a_lede29.art.htm&partnerID=1660

more standard accounting practices (such as ones you’d use to try and balance the books in the real world) show it at 500k per household.

]]> By: mike http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24121 mike Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:42:11 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24121 Lloyd, enjoy China. Cities like Shanghai are quite enjoyable. Like you, I'm very concerned that our current government expenditures are $1.7B per DAY in deficit and that the national debt is a record $7+ TRILLION dollars, something like $28,000 for every person in the states. I agree that pressuring China will not help. Unfortunately, a sound government policy of living within our means and paying down the debt is the way out. I don't see any leadership on this issue from our current or aspiring candidates... Lloyd, enjoy China. Cities like Shanghai are quite enjoyable. Like you, I’m very concerned that our current government expenditures are $1.7B per DAY in deficit and that the national debt is a record $7+ TRILLION dollars, something like $28,000 for every person in the states.

I agree that pressuring China will not help. Unfortunately, a sound government policy of living within our means and paying down the debt is the way out. I don’t see any leadership on this issue from our current or aspiring candidates…

]]> By: Lloyd http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24092 Lloyd Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:49:19 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24092 Oh, the chinese government seems to be (at least superficially) taking some steps to clean up their act. I'm completely against corporal punishment but its mildly refreshing to see some government officials somewhere being held accountable. http://civilitas.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/former-chinese-fda-minister-executed/ Oh, the chinese government seems to be (at least superficially) taking some steps to clean up their act.
I’m completely against corporal punishment but its mildly refreshing to see some government officials somewhere being held accountable.
http://civilitas.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/former-chinese-fda-minister-executed/

]]> By: Lloyd http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24091 Lloyd Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:46:08 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24091 Joshua, I mostly agree with you (apart from generalising quite so much). I see the weakening of the US dollar not as a blip but more as a correction and the amount of national debt isn't going to help you guys going forwards either (I think last time I heard it had reached record levels under the current administration). I don't think the US approach of pressuring china to increase the value of the Yuan is going to get them anywhere very soon either. I think a valid approach would be for imports (AND home produced goods) to have taxes applied relative to their environmental impact. Then there would be an incentive for chinese companies to reduce emissions which levels the playing field somewhat. But they'll still have most countries (UK included) easily beaten on wages. (I'm currently looking forward to my couple of weeks learning mandarin in shanghai next month.) Joshua, I mostly agree with you (apart from generalising quite so much).
I see the weakening of the US dollar not as a blip but more as a correction and the amount of national debt isn’t going to help you guys going forwards either (I think last time I heard it had reached record levels under the current administration).
I don’t think the US approach of pressuring china to increase the value of the Yuan is going to get them anywhere very soon either. I think a valid approach would be for imports (AND home produced goods) to have taxes applied relative to their environmental impact. Then there would be an incentive for chinese companies to reduce emissions which levels the playing field somewhat. But they’ll still have most countries (UK included) easily beaten on wages.

(I’m currently looking forward to my couple of weeks learning mandarin in shanghai next month.)

]]> By: mike http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24005 mike Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:37:28 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24005 Joshua - that's an interesting response. Where in the world are you living? It sounds as though it's not the US. Joshua - that’s an interesting response. Where in the world are you living? It sounds as though it’s not the US.

]]> By: Joshua http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24004 Joshua Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:05:29 +0000 http://montaraventures.com/blog/2007/08/02/dont-tickle-me-elmo/#comment-24004 I think the US workforce has priced themselves out of the market. When US wages are adjusted to world sustainable levels, then the option to move business back into the country, might exist, if you all don't spend yourselves into bankruptcy first. I think the US workforce has priced themselves out of the market. When US wages are adjusted to world sustainable levels, then the option to move business back into the country, might exist, if you all don’t spend yourselves into bankruptcy first.

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