Originally Posted by dyna mo (Post 19625804)

also, the greatest nation status isn't based on anything other than power. superpower to be exact. greatest nation bullshit didn't happen prior to ww2. it happened as a consequence.

that is why usa is considered the greatest country in the world.

Originally Posted by GAH (Post 19625824)

Maybe you're right, that everyone else but me considers USA the greatest country in the world because of its military spending and power, and it's humungous amount of yellow cabs. The thing is, if most other countries had a national debt of $16,776,256,508,135.85, they could have just as powerful military-wise.

Originally Posted by dyna mo (Post 19625832)

fact is they don't, and can't. if they could, they would. so please, don't try and couch it as anybody can do it.

not anybody can be the only victorious country from ww1 and ww2 that was not devasted, the only country to win in the cold war, create an economy that can produce that military and achieve that level of debt.


we didn't invent the superpower race, we just won it. that's where the great comes from.

the *greatest nation* thing has been perverted over time to mean what we all want it to mean- which nation is the perfect paradise.

Originally Posted by GAH (Post 19625916)

USA is, indeed, the greatest country in the world.

Originally Posted by LAJ (Post 19625934)

As with any entity... you are only as strong as your weakest link. And until we are able to fix ours... there is just too much bad shit in the U.S. for our country to be the "greatest."

Originally Posted by baddog (Post 19626383)

So, who is?

Originally Posted by LAJ (Post 19626410)

I wouldn't have a clue who the "greatest" country in the world is. Until you've lived in and traveled through enough countries for any significant amount of time to make an educated comparison... it's all just opinion.

Originally Posted by grumpy (Post 19622371)

3 minutes worth watching

Originally Posted by baddog (Post 19626414)

Well, someone has to be number one. You have enough info to say we aren't, so who do you think a contender is?

Originally Posted by baddog (Post 19626414)

Well, someone has to be number one. You have enough info to say we aren't, so who do you think a contender is?

Originally Posted by RandyRandy (Post 19624080)

Here's a quick NYC Taxi Economics 101 to answer your questions:

There are 13,000 taxis - they rarely issue more medallions, thus it's a limited commodity.

Of the 13,000, 60% are owned by companies (fleets) that have anywhere between 2-500 medallions. These taxis can be leased out 24/7 are are usually done so in 12-hour shifts. These medallions go for appx. $1,400,000 and are sold in PAIRS - ya gotta buy 2. These are hardly ever traded - once you have one and manage it right, it's a great ROI.

The other 40% are owned by individual drivers - that's the one I have. A couple were sold last month for just over $1,000,000. These are restricted in the sense that the owner physically must do 210 nine-hour shifts per year - basically a 40 hour work week 8 months out of the year. You can lease it out the rest of the time. There's a newer option now where the owner can designate one person for the upcoming calendar year to drive his 210 shifts. I'm going to do that next year - already have the guy, he's been driving for me for 3 years.

as to getting into the business, now you have to come up with $200,000 as a down payment, and the balance is paid in a business mortgage over the course of 15-25 years, last I heard. Getting financing is easy - getting the down payment is hard. Guys are now forming LLCs and going in 2-3 per medallion, which the City is allowing.

I got in at the right time - luck, timing and hard work. A little bit of all three usually leads to success.