Total government control, that's the answer. We can always trust the government to do what's right for us. New Zealand is calling (on your cell phone)
--- On Tue, 9/16/08, Dennis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Dennis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Ban cel phones on the road! To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 4:26 PM Message Paul, Some might want to ask the same question in reverse. I.e., how much regulation can we strip away before the lack of it begins to hurt us? In the 1930's, when the stock market crashed and the great depression began, it was widely agreed that the cause was greedy speculators getting themselves way over extended. And, at that time, the federal government implemented various regulations to control the markets and prevent wild speculators from crashing the market and hurting all of us. These regulations worked for decades. But, beginning in the Reagan years, the mantra of free markets, deregulation and no rules (let the market forces find their own way) was taken up. Since then, the regulations imposed after the Great Depression have been quietly taken apart. And here we are again. Human greed, in the form of make-a-quick-buck sub-prime mortgages and the development and use of all sorts of fancy complicated financial instruments that even half the folks on Wall Street don't really understand, has done us in again. Start with a few million mortgages of varying credit-worthiness and create a series of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) from them. Then take the RMBS and stratify them. Then leverage them up into collateral debt obligations (CDOs). Once that bundling is complete, make complex bets on which layers might default, via credit default swaps (CDS). Gee, how could anything possibly go wrong with that?! So, there's a balance out there some where. On one hand, we can't kill the creativity and growth of Capitalism and the markets that generates wealth and prosperity for all of us. But, on the other hand, we also can't just let the markets run free because there are just too many folks out there who will, in their personal quests for high profits, take risks or actions that can hurt all of us. Dennis Gallagher Seattle -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul LeBoutillier Sent: 16 September, 2008 12:57 To: [email protected] Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Ban cel phones on the road! I whole-heartily agree that talking on a cell phone while driving can be dangerous, but where do all the regulations end?? I mean, should there be a regulation about doing your makeup while driving? Eating? Programming your radio? Scolding your kids in the backseat? Maybe we should ban all conversations in cars because of the potential distractions. How about listening to the radio and getting all worked up about a political talk show while driving? That certainly can't be good for one's concentration! Do you see my point? Where does it end? Paul On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 1:42 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Here in France, using a cell phone in hand while driving is an offense. You pay a fine and get minus two points on your driving licence. At minus twelve points, you loose it. Riding a bike without an helmet is an offense here, even for the passenger. Though not required by law, I use gloves, a bike jacket with shoulder and elbow protections, and high boots which protect my ankles. >AAnyway, I am curious to know about your state laws in this matter. I am >going to write my legislature about it as I have had many near-misses >myself from these cel-phone drivers. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
