Unfortunate Circumstances

John, our lawmakers are having to much fun in office to vote themselves OUT! :) We just have to be extra careful electing new ones...and it's a slow process.

Shane, regarding the war on terrorism, I was hinting at the fact that people are starting to forget why we're blasting large chunks out of the Afghan countryside. I knew it would happen, of course, because the people of this country would rather die by the thousands than risk hurting innocent civilians in a hostile country. It took a big shake-up like the WTC attack to stir up enough support for our current campaign. Never mind the fact that thousands had to die over a period of decades BEFORE that we started trying to do something to stop them from killing us all.

And what does this thread have to do with trains? Is the lumber being shipped by rail? Also, is U.S. lumber production high enough (and cheap enough) to justify buying from U.S. sources rather than the artificially inflated products from Canada? And why should we be buying lumber from Canada, anyway, if there are sufficient supplies here? What were the price differences before the tax hike? I'm afraid I don't understand what the issue is... Is the U.S. responsible for managing the Canadian economy? Are we violating that NAFTA thing or something?

Lots of questions, I know...

-Rory
 
unfortunate circumstancesIts not well known

Its not well known that alot of our lumber{like 40%] goes to Japan.And they take only the best parts of the tree.I can't work up too much sorrow for the lumber inderesty.Just look at what clear cutting does to the forrest.And the animals,birds,and ect.
 
This is to Rory...Economics 101 1/4........"why are WE buying Canadian lumber?" ..that "WE" is a big chunk of the USA housing industry, who want to buy Canadian lumber because it's CHEAPER, not "inflated''..IT'S CHEAPER mainly due to the Canadian dollar being worth only 60% of the US dollar, and because the industry here is large-scale and efficient.The industry here, by the way includes a number of US companies operating here,including Weyerhauser....and yes, the 29% tariff is a violation of that "NAFTA thing", but after all it's just a treaty between the USA, Canada and Mexico, so the USA should be able to violate it any time it suits them.
Meanwhile, the cost of housing goes up in the USA.

You're from Texas...how come the USA buys so much oil from the Arab countries ? Doesn't it tend to cost more than good ol' West Texas Crude, by the time it gets to you ? Maybe you should have had the Saudis in NAFTA instead of us.

Yeah, and quite a bit of lumber moves by rail.....so far.
regards/Mike
 
So... Canadian lumber is STILL cheaper even with the tariffs? Then what is the problem? It sounds like that the Canadian stuff is a better bargain, so why should it hurt the Canadian market?

And as far as crude oil is concerned...let's get all of the Arab oil that we can while we still can, and save the stuff here on the home soil for when they cut off the supply! I can pay the extra 25 cents per gallon if it means that we can survive when things really get tough.

-Rory
 
Oh, and I'm perfectly happy to go along with NAFTA as long as Canada and Mexico rev up their air and water quality standards to our own. Why should we have to suffer from Canadian sulfur dioxide in our air and the tons of raw sewage dumped into the Rio Grande by Mexico when WE have to keep ourselves clean? Forget the Kyoto treaty, too. Let's see anyone else with our industrial capacity do as well.

Sorry I'm on my soapbox, but I get tired of these petty little complaints about the behavior of the U.S. when everyone else's behavior leaves a lot to be desired. There are probably no countries on this wretched little planet that aren't guilty of being greedy.

-Rory
 
Uncle Miltie is dead, the NRA is suing the government, and decendents of former slaves are seeking reparations from U.S. firms for the money that their ancestors should have made (including CSX).

This country is going to heck in a handbasket.

Can I move to Canada?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020328/ap_en_ce/obit_berle
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020327/ap_on_go_pr_wh/campaign_finance_233
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020326/ts_nm/rights_slavery_lawsuit_dc

-Rory

P.S. - Maybe if this lawsuit against the companies works out, I can sue the British government for forcing my ancestors to live in squalid little crofts and causing them to move to this God-forsaken country!
 
I've got alot of indian in me, do you think I might get a dollar or two? Even a cup of coffee would be OK.Just as long as the goverment admits what they did to my ancestors was wrong and still is wrong. But I'm not complaining as the past is the past and the only thing we can do is make things better.

Shane
 
Oh yeah! I almost forgot... I'm almost half Cherokee. They were treated pretty badly...Trail of Tears and all. And the U.S. government didn't do a thing about attacks by the Thunderbird. Maybe I can get a few bucks, too. :)

-Rory
 
Damn, I was trying to stay out of this, but again....

I take offense at the comments about Canadian pollutants. American pollutants are just as bad, if not worse (and our air standards are just as stringent). The American industrial polluters of the northeast are the reason Ontario and Quebec get all the acid rain they do. NOT the other way around.

I take offense at the USA telling all the developing countries not to pollute, not to cut down rain forests. If it wasn't for the very same policies as the USA was developing into a world power, it wouldn't be. And now they're telling other countries not too???? What kind of bull*#*# is that ?!?!?!?!?!!?
 
I don't really follow the political end of everything, since I believe that political debates start fights. I do, however, live in Canada, in perhaps the most messed up province in Canada, I think you'll agree eh Robin. Living in Canada isn't as easy as most of you americans might think. Our dollar is extremely lower...it's like 60 cents on the dollar, our education system sucks, and no one in any federal or provincial government gives a damn about medical. Americans and Canadians have long since fought about who gets the better deal, who gets more money. IMHO Americans as a whole are getting the better deal. They buy things from canada with US currency and they get change back...WHY? Cuz their American paper($) is worth more...We go and buy the same thing from the same store and get little or no change back...WHY? Cuz our paper isn't as good as the US paper is. Our economy struggles importing products from the US but yet boosts the US economy by importing in the first place.. The US imports from Canada, they're laughing all the way to the bank since their economy gets better...Canada struggles...it's a vicious circle and so unfair. In order to boost one economy, another has to take the blunt loss..and on...and on...and on.
 
Yes, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have opened my big mouth because political debates do start fights. I'm sorry that the U.S. has treated others so poorly. On the whole we tend to look out for ourselves first. The reason our economy is so strong is because there has been very little government regulation. The good thing about that is that we have been able to grow, but the bad side is that everyone is suffering the consequences of lax polution controls and general greed.

Greed drives the whole thing. Even "American" companies only hold loyalty to the U.S. as long as there aren't better profits to be made somewhere else. I sincerely doubt that things will ever get any better. So, sit back, relax, take a deep breath of Canadian sulfur dioxide, or American soot, or smoke from the burning Mexican jungles, and enjoy your trains!

-Rory
 
WVRR: If you want to see a messed up province take a good look at what is going on here at the west coast of Canada, BC,now know as backward country. The layoffs, cut backs, health care in shambles, lumber industry & fishing industry down the big white one. It is sad to see the way things are going, but unfortunately this is what happens when you have politicians involved that are acting like my kids when they were 5 years old and were not getting their way. Thank goodness for jobs, lifestyle, and hobbies that we have and are able to keep, you do not have to look too far and you can easily find someone who is a lot worse off than you are off sitting reading this. I could go on and on but not worth wasting valuable space and time.
Ron, Abbotsford, BC, Canada...
 
OK everyone and a big thanks for all your posts, but please, can this come to a stop now? It has become a can of worms and I know I am the guilty one but this board is about RAILROADING so can we get back to that please and I will keep my yap shut eh!!!
 
OK, you guys have rung up 34 posts here, & it seems like the only result is people walking away mad.
I've seen politics tear groups of people apart (my own family included) I think there are certainly times, & places for intense political debate...I don't think The Gauge is such a place.
We have a diverse group of people here, from all over the world, who share this great hobby that we all enjoy. This doesn't mean we can agree on everything else.
Model railroading is an apolitical endeavor...that's one of the beauties of it... I can meet someone at a show, or a hobby shop, & I kmow that I have ABSOLTELY NOTHING in common with this person...but when we start talking trains...I've got a buddy for life!
I know there are other places on the internet where one can blast away at NAFTA, the WTO, terrorism, Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Europeans, Asians, tarrifs, taxes, regulation, DEregulation, EPA, the timber industry, & probably a million dead horses that are lying there waiting for someone to start kicking...
Speaking of "dead horses", I hate to use this one but, "Can't we all just get along?"
Can't we get back to trains?
 
Hey Rory,
I don't care what you do with that plaid backdrop, but save those wonderful trees! :)
And good luck with the move, my friend...I know those things can be very stressful!
 
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