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Its hard to deny that there is a "body-worship" aspect to our culture today.

There was a rerun about the Spartans last night on PBS. Now there was a culture focused on health, beauty and the military (men and women).

Also, don't seem to recall any depictions of fat, overweight people on the walls of Egyptian tombs. Everyone looks really fit and trim.

best *indian* food i ever et was in Edinburgh, Scotland

It's funny, the best Chinese food is in N. America and the best Indian food is in the UK.

I was in China on business for a few weeks back in '93 and had a chance to eat out each night with our Chinese hosts. One night the topic of conversation being discussed was Chinese food vs US Chinese food.

Turns out that the best Chinese cooks then (and now) are recruited (ie sponsored) to come over to N. America and end up in the super competitive restaurant scenes in Vancouver & LA.

Btw, while I use the generic LA, I really mean the heavily Asian cities 5-10 miles east: Monterey Park, etc. Anyway, it's an area no tourist will ever see.

the best chinese food is served in san francisco, the best pizza in new york, the best mexican food is texas...

Wrong, right, wrong.

SF's Chinese district is almost purely tourist oriented. The most dynamic aka 'real' Chinese districts right now in N. America are Vancouver and LA. These are the places were you get super competitive restaurants because of the discriminating clientele ie Chinese.

Ditto for Mexican food. Tex-Mex is ok, but traditions for the real stuff are imported along with the real illegals in SoCal.

Carl Karcher lost all his money (on real estate).

As did plenty of other people. However, in the interest of full disclosure, you're not revealing the underlying cause behind the early 90s meltdown in SoCal.

No one expected the Russians to give up so abruptly in '89. When they did, huge billion-dollar defense contracts were cancelled throughout the SoCal aerospace industry.

In effect, this was the equivalent of a perfect storm, since the 80s had had a 8-9 year run-up in prices. So many people had bought at the end of the run-up that they couldn't maintain the mortgages when the job cuts came.

We have the direct opposite occurring right now. (1) this is the beginning of a 7-8 expansionary cycle, not the end and (2) [at least in SoCal] the economy is very diversified, so no single hit will tank the entire market like before.

Crazy as it seems, I think we'll still see another 100% increase over the next 6-7 years. When the correction comes, prices at the nadir will still be higher than they are right now.

I agree with your hypothesis, but disagree with your timing. Many different kinds of birds and other wild animals willingly intoxicate themselves on all manner of things.

Ancient man was probably getting buzzed over 3m years ago. He's always liked the feeling. It just took around 2.95m years before he got to the point of identifying and controlling the source.

It came from us. So ultimately, they're just bringing it back. What's the difference: pay an existing citizen or pay a future citizen? Either way, the money always returns here.

While I'm on that topic, where does all the money sent to Arabia for oil go? It comes right back here (or some of the major European banks). Then, when they withdraw their funds for expenditures, who is the money paid to? Foreign companies/workers (Haliburton, Bechtel, et al) who build and maintain their infrastructure.

You see, when you're the big dog, you get a cut of everyone's action. They can't go anywhere without going through us. Which, of course, is what's driving world-wide Anti-Americanism; they're merely defeated socialists shaking their puny fists as the Colossus spreads capitalism everywhere through a system of our own making.

There's a reason America is the big dog - it is and will remain so for a very long time.

Max, really enjoy your posts. You seem to have a good grasp of economics and provide effective counter-points to the alarmists. Couple of general comments to the various posts on the thread:

1. People tend to forget that the US has the most stable and well developed legal and financial infrastructure system in the world. One might dismiss its importance, but for anyone who has ever tried to invest, purchase, trade, etc, in a foreign market (even Canada), you'd be in for a BIG surprise.

Things we take for granted, like property title insurance, escrow, legally enforceable contracts, etc. are not dunk shots elsewhere. The reason we do have a finely developed system is because the US was built on capitalism, and capitalism needs the rule of law to thrive.

People elsewhere know this - it's why everyone who is anyone tries to get here, and bring what money (if any) with them.

2. This leads to the cost of housing in Calif. Apparently, while everyone seems to focus on illegals driving down wages (true), no one is noticing that legal Asian immigrants are rapidly expanding in Calif.

The big difference is (a) they are usually educated, (b) they work hard, and (c) they bring money with them. Half the reason prices have skyrocketed in SoCal is because of Asian money.

Add 1+2 together and what do you get? More educated, hardworking people with money wanting to move to the US means higher productivity and higher housing costs.

Combine it with illegal immigration and low unskilled wages, and we have the makings of a two-tier system. However, it ain't businessmen and laborers, it's Asians and Hispanics.

Canadians prefer order.

Canadians are nothing more than 30-somethings still crashing at their parent's house. When someone else is picking up the tab, it frees one up to pursue more esoteric activities, like hanging around the beach all day.

Specifically, Canadians get to devote their budget towards social programs because we cover their ass on security. Even better, we provide a giant market for their goods/services. All in all, not a bad deal for the Canadians.

Who would you rather be, the draft horse or the rider? Problem is, while we may be the workers, we still can spit out the bit and run around the field. They may be getting a free ride, but they're stuck in that saddle and can't get out.

half million dollar homes

What, condos? LOL

My wife just back from a biz trip in Honolulu. Some guy from her OC office just got transfered there. Even though Hawaii has a rep for being expensive, it's a lot cheaper than LA/OC. The guy sold his ok house in Mission Viejo and bought a really beauty outside Waikiki.

While she was there, she had a morning off to check out some sights with a small tour group. When asked where she was from, all she got was uhs and ohs from the other curious midwesterners. She said the kids couldn't believe she was really from the "OC" (LOL).

Anyway, the LA/OC coastal areas, along with Manhattan/CT, have the wealthiest people in the world. When you live here, you sort of get inured to that fact. You need to visit other places that are typically thought of as 'nice' to realize they're chump change when compared to home.

Toke on bro'. You're just as bad as your drug addled brethren. Bong hits for dopers, pre-rolled for smokers. Let's see, if you just a one-pack-a-day man, then it's probably about time to light-up that nicotine delivery system before your nerves start twitching.

The L.A. city council

Ah, a real local. Did you know that the only beach in the city of LA is Venice? All the South Bay cities are LA County beaches (with the exception of Hermosa, which is owned by the city).

Yeah, right, they'll be staying far away that depiction from now until Nov. The Bush campaign has been yearning for a "Dukakis in a tank" photo opportunity; funny that the Tom-Tom Club has so readily provided it so early in the campaign.

Even though you live by the beach, it doesn't sound like you go there very frequently, otherwise you wouldn't advance such an inane statement.

Here's a good estimate: 99% of people use the trash bins for food wrappers, etc. while 99% of smokers either ground out their butts in the sand or flick them away.

I always see people gathering up their trash after lunch/snack and trudging the 50-75 ft to discard their wrappers. I've never seen a smoker get up off after having a "satisfying toke" to throw away the remnants of their dirty little habit/addiction.

It's actually basically impossible for the creationists to comprehend science.

It's a result of evolution. Some have a dominant 'faith' gene which allows them to fit in within groups. In days of yore, this was an excellent survival strategy. While the agitators where off discovering, fighting, challenging, etc., a significant number kept their heads down and focused on harvesting the wheat. The same tendency to pay obedience to tribal leaders has merely been shifted, first to rock/tree gods, and now to more embelished versions.

Typical Liberal clymer thought pattern....

I suppose you realize that this movement got started in the SoCal beach cities, right? Did you also realize, but for the exception of Malibu/SM/Venice, every SoCal beach city is Republican? Especially those in San Diego and OC, such as Huntington Beach, which just passed its no-smoking-on-the-beach ordinance on Tues.

In terms of trash on the beach, this is one of the classic misdirects of all time. The vast majority of people use the trash bins - its the seagulls digging through the bins looking for food that cause wrappers to spill out. Anyone from around here has seen it many times.

Compare this to smokers, who simply treat the beach as an ash-tray (or insouciantly flick their butts away as if they're James Dean). A 'flicking off the pier' incident witnessed by the oldest guy on the HB council prompted him to introduce the bill. Btw, he's also the most crusty conservative on the council, and his son is a West Point grad who just got back from Iraq. (He was also in the 4th of July parade last week.)

They can try all they want, but this goose is cooked. The new Iraqi gov't is simply co-opting former Baathists to "come in from the cold". Once they come to an agreement, it will be land rush business to try and become like the Kuwaitis.

This is really the hope and aspiration of most Iraqis. They've all seen, either firsthand or on TV, all the fabulous malls, expensive cars and easy living. Ain't no reason at all why they can't enjoy the same lifestyle.

there were about 15 big ships waiting outside LA/Long Beach harbor

I noticed it but thought it was due to the long 4th of July weekend. Hadn't considered that it might be part of increased scrutiny. Then again, I understand they really don't check much of anything anyway (impossibly high volume - rather, they rely on shipping co's statements regarding controls).

the murderer was an 18-year-old Ukrainian immigrant hood acting on his own

Who was enthralled with the 'gansta' style that Cosby is criticizing. After he committed the crime, he bragged about it to all his friends. Then, after they arrested him, he was so stupid that he continued to brag about his exploits while still in jail! Needless to say, his parents are deeply ashamed - all they wanted to do was get ahead in the USA.

Breck: Ronald Reagan was also good looking ...
VP: Here's a mirror, son. I knew RR, and you certainly aren't RR.