'Merica :pimp

Pity that much truth can only come from Hollywood and not Washington!

yay hollywoods!

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.

America isn't the greatest country in the world, never was, and probably never will be.

If looked at over history, Italy, Greece, China, France and Britain must lay claim to be the greatest country in the world, the influence they have all had. In terms of freedom, presently, New Zealand would be the winners, offering the highest level worldwide, with Australia and Canada not far behind. As for the idea that the United States is the envy of the world when it comes to free markets and business? No longer, they lag behind surprise leaders New Zealand, Germany, China, Japan, India, Canada, Britain and even Australia.

A Japanese study in the '80s concluded that 54% of the world’s most important inventions were British. And if you take into account things like immigration, culture, music, architecture, literature, aviation, railway, the steam engine and electric motor, chocolate bar, sewage systems, light bulb, vacuum cleaner, tank, communication (radar, computer, television, photography and colour photography, telephone, typewriter, SMS messaging, pencil, and the world-wide-web), sport, the hovercraft and submarine, the fridge, toothbrush, the tin can, the toilet, telescope, the lawnmower, plastic, the soft drink, silicone, and penicillin and medicine. Plus influences on so many other countries and continents, Britain, especially in the 16th century with the Industrial Revolution, had the most major role at shaping the world I would suggest. That's not to mention Viagra.

In recent history France's mopping up in Mali and Libya (with Britain) shows them still as a major military influence around the world, something they have been quite good at over two thousand years now.

I can't find many excuses for America to lay claim to being the greatest country there is. Half the time, it turns out they were Canadians who should get the credit.

this isn't a valid compare and contrast. you can't take the good from some countries and just conclude. you haven't mentioned 1 single positive trait usa has while you also leave out anything negative from the places you cite to back up your comment.

you continue to support your view by pointing out britain in the 16th century yet neglect to mention anything positive usa has done in 200+ years.

and i won't even go into your ridiculous canada conclusion.

if you want to compare and contrast, here are some rules

http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/e...et/rcccon1.htm

CANADA......Fuck Yeah! lol

On the plus side for America I can think of the sextant, the oil well, the internet, the motorcycle, toilet paper, the artificial heart, the aeroplane, the tampon, electric guitar, WD40, Woodstock, Hollywood, porn and that's about all I can think of. It should be a never-ending list for a country so great, but it's not.

The downside of Britain is huge, for the first 1,000 years anyone and everyone invaded it and took it over, it started slavery, snobbery, the class system, racism, wars, filled up Australia with its criminals, the rape of countries, it's smugness. That would make a very long list if continued.

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.

Maybe you're right, that everyone 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 be just as powerful military-wise.

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.

Whereas your thoughts are that military power = greatness, that the many millions from around the world that died in the two Great Wars counted very little, the suffering they endured, families destroyed, towns bombed to nothing. That the Cold War was an actual war, and completely ignoring Vietnam to boost your military greatness ego, that's where we shall have to disagree. Congratulations then on being a superpower, and all the greatness that comes with it. USA is, indeed, the greatest country in the world.

thank you, now run along.

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."

I knew before I clicked on this that there would be a Newsroom clip waiting inside. It is such a brilliant scene from one of the best writers around.

I went to a panel discussion with the cast and Sorkin a few months ago, I'm really looking forward to the new season. He said he was forcing himself to write on Sandy Hook. I'm interested in seeing how that turns out.

i think the greatest country is where i don't get mugged on the streets, a beer costs $1.50 and the girls are beautiful, emancipated and sexually adventerous

and i happen to live there ;)

People can argue all they wish about what country is great. It's all hyperbole.

Go look in the mirror. Ask the person you see there; "What you do for your community"

If you like the answer, maybe thats part of what makes your country great.
If you don't hear anything back, maybe you aren't qualified to comment on greatness?

So, who is?

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.

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

Isn't that too old already? :1orglaugh

from a moral point of view at least a country that is not at war with any other country or parts of its own population

I like the idea of Bhutan - measuring "national happiness" opposed to the GDP. but they are a bit too poor for my taste to be the "greatest" of all.

and btw: who says that there has to be a number one in something you cant even measure properly?

Who do YOU think is #1? And what constitutes #1 for you...

Lowest crime rate? Lowest poverty rate? Best overall happiness rate? Best health? Best military power? Richest citizens?

Again... no clue who is #1. And frankly... don't care. I just know it's not the U.S.

However... I could live in Canada, Australia and various places in Europe. And when it comes time to retire... may just get outta here.

Let there be no mistake, for all the issues we have, there is no where else I would want to live. Lots of nice places to visit, this is the only place to live.

How do I arrive at this conclusion? I have dozens of friends around the world, and I can only think of one that MIGHT say we are not the best place to live; but she comes to live here at every opportunity.

Additionally, in my International travels I talk to locals (they approach me) and bare none, they all wish they could live here. I can't disagree with them.

^ Do you moonlight at the Visa desk at US Embassies?

So those cocksuckers have turned the medallions into FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLARS in ONE CITY .. And people wonder why I don't like government. WoW. . What happens if you get fucked up or sick and can't drive your prerequisite # of hours one year? Do they at least work with you on that?

That's great that they're finally going to allow you to make someone drive under yours. You paid for the god damned thing, it's fucking yours. Period.

I see what you mean about the ROI - it sounds pretty damned fucking wonderfully good :thumbsup