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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Political/War Lounge > What does the government do for you?

What does the government do for you?
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el chupacabra
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Apr 8, 2011, 04:29 PM
 
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( Last edited by el chupacabra; Jan 5, 2024 at 12:48 AM. )
     
olePigeon
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Apr 8, 2011, 05:01 PM
 
In Northern California they added a toll lane to the existing 3 lane highway, or, by virtue of extending the existing carpool lane. So it didn't take a lane away. If you're carpooling, the toll lane is free. It's also integrated with our existing FastTrak electronic toll system for our major bridge network across the bay.

I actually like the design because the lane is by itself. There's a median between the lane and the rest of the highway with merge lanes at specific exits. This keeps the traffic flowing smoothly, and you don't have people darting in and out of the toll lane causing slow downs; there's a merge lane on which to speed up and merge at the proper speed, or, to slow down and merge into slower traffic without hindering the speed of the toll lane.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
turtle777
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Apr 8, 2011, 05:11 PM
 
It prints money for me, causing my silver and gold to go ballistic.

Thanks, Chairsatan Bernanke.

-t
     
imitchellg5
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Apr 8, 2011, 05:17 PM
 
Deliver my Netflix DVDs.
     
Atheist
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Apr 8, 2011, 05:43 PM
 
Oh this is an easy one. NOTHING... absolutely NOTHING. And they take my tax dollars as well. I feel so privileged.
     
el chupacabra  (op)
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Apr 8, 2011, 09:02 PM
 
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( Last edited by el chupacabra; Jan 5, 2024 at 12:47 AM. )
     
Athens
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Apr 8, 2011, 09:26 PM
 
Your Question needs to be broken down into multiple levels of Government.

IE

What does my Local City Government do for me.

Provides Clean Safe Drinking Water
Provides Roads
Provides Police and Fire Protection

What does my provincial government do for me.

Provides good overall Medical Coverage
Subsidizes the Ferries which would otherwise be unaffordable to use
Subsidizes the Transit system which would otherwise be unaffordable to use
Had provided me my Education as a kid
Provides Roads in between cities through the province
If I ever in need assistance money if unemployed
Legal help if I cant afford a lawyer
Prisons to keep dangerous people locked up
Fire protection services of the forests
Protects the natural resources from exploitation like over fishing, over logging and so forth
Maintains parks and wildlife reserves
Search and Rescue on land

What does my Federal Government do

Protection of national interests
World Trade policies
Search and Rescue at Sea
Regulates the flow of people and goods in and out of the country
Provides legal system
National Police
Prisons
Maintains national roads and rail interconnecting provinces
Out of country services over seas
Evacuations of people in harms way while abroad

Short list off the top of my head over 5 minutes.
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turtle777
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Apr 8, 2011, 10:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by el chupacabra View Post
In 1979 $750/ounce about 100% gain in 32 years.
I'm not sure why you pick a year that was close to a multi-decade high.
And even picking a one-time investment doesn't give you any clue, since it so much depends on getting the timing right.

So, if you just invested $100 every years since 1979, Gold would have fared -23% compared to the Dow Jones.

However, if you invested $100 since
1968: Gold +18% compared to Dow Jones
1990: Gold +81% compared to Dow Jones
2000: Gold +140% compared to Dow Jones

It boils down to this: if you started investing into the DJ (instead of Gold) between 1971 and 1982, then you'd have a gain against Gold.
If you started before 1971, or anytime after 1982, Gold performed better than DJ.

(Calculation based on yearly avg. Gold price or DJ.)



-t
( Last edited by turtle777; Apr 8, 2011 at 10:11 PM. )
     
turtle777
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Apr 8, 2011, 10:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by el chupacabra View Post
In comparison I've been making 100% every 3 months with stock market. And if I just wanted to sit around and do nothing I could easily make 10%/yr. So if your primary investments had been stocks you could have made 900% in the past 3 years.
Useless, if you just look at such a short window. You just pick whatever window is great for you, and you pick a one-time investment, which is so dependent on getting the timing right.

Plus, the numbers you refer to seem to be individual stocks. That's useless as well, since nobody can just pick winners consistently.

I could have made more than 10,000% if I picked the right Uranium or Rare Earth Mining stock at the right time in the last 5 years. But that's not a valid comparison.

-t
     
   
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