Monthly Archives: December 2006

Social assistance and the cycle of poverty

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Why do social programs such as welfare, keep citizens in a cycle of poverty? In and of themselves, they don’t. The circle of poverty is perpetuated by the combination of welfare and tax penalties for … Continue reading

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Does the U.S. buy natural gas from the Middle East?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Does the U.S. buy natural gas from the middle east? Yes, but very little. In 2005, the U.S. imported 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas from Qatar, 2 billion from Oman, and 97 billion … Continue reading

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A brief history of van

A question from Yahoo! Answers: When did vans start being made? In France, Citroën made them as early as 1947 (pictured below is Citroën Type H): Volkswagen Type 2 (aka “the Minibus”) was introduced in 1950: In the U.S., compact … Continue reading

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Scotland Defence Force?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: It’s 50 years from now,fully independent Scotland needs it’s Defence Force sorted out………..? ………how many men would we need and what types for Scotland’s 1st defence force for ages? Military planning is first and foremost … Continue reading

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Why are boxes brown?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Why are boxes brown? Because brown is the natural color of paper. White paper is white only because it’s been bleached…

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Obesity: who’s responsible?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Is the food industry responsible for the problem of obesity in America? This is my modern oratory question and I need opinions and reasons. In moral terms, yes, in the same way car manufacturers are … Continue reading

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If Africa is ever lifted out of debt and poverty…

A question from Yahoo! Answers: What will happen to Western economies if Africa is ever lifted out of debt/poverty? In order for Africa to be lifted out of debt/poverty, the Western capitalists will have to stop exploiting Africa. If this … Continue reading

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Can cartels benefit the economy?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Can cartels benefit the economy? Yes, if they are export-oriented. Cartels expropriate consumer surplus and turn it into producer surplus. If a cartel is export-oriented, it expropriates FOREIGN consumer surplus and turns it into DOMESTIC … Continue reading

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Is trade with China a form of appeasement?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Is trade with China a form of appeasement or paid tribute since they do not buy our goods or revalue currency? Neither. Bank of China buys large quantities of U.S. government bonds, thereby helping to … Continue reading

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Could ethanol hurt America?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Could ethanol hurt america? The nation’s demand for ethanol is not even close to its peak, and yet we are already experiences shortages in supply. This means as a nation, we will have an insatiable … Continue reading

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