MetaFilter posts tagged with surplus

So...what are we doing there? Anyone? Anyone?

jourman2 — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:54:26 -0800

In a new GAO report it's noted that the Iraqi government will have a $79 billion dollar surplus by the end of the year (accumulated from 2005-2008). All of this is on top of the $48 billion dollars that the US has contributed to Iraq since 2005. “The Iraqi government now has tens of billions of dollars at its disposal to fund large scale reconstruction projects,” said Mr. Levin, who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in the statement. “It is inexcusable for U.S. taxpayers to continue to foot the bill for projects the Iraqis are fully capable of funding themselves. We should not be paying for Iraqi projects, while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank,” Mr. Levin said.

Paracord crafts! Lt. Stewart, report to the supply tent. Calling Lt. Martha Stewart...

vorfeed — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:03:35 -0800

Paracord is a perennial survival kit favorite, but why carry a boring ol' hank of it when you can get crafty? Parachute cord lanyards, bracelets, watchbands, belts, and other braided items are surprisingly easy and fun to make by following some simple instructions. But they're just the beginning! From water bottle carriers and camera tripods to knife handles, Khukri conversions, flashlight & stick wraps, pace beads, magazine pulls, rifle wraps and rifle slings, there are tons of useful things you can make out of paracord! What can you do with all that paracord, you ask? First of all, it's tough and lightweight rope that's great for use as tiedowns, bootlaces, and rigging. It's also useful for all sorts of survival tasks, including making a tarp shelter, catching fish, snaring animals, fire-starting, building a field tripod, and making a sling. The inner strands are useful, too, as they can be removed and used as fishing line or sewing thread. Hurrah for paracord!

Economic Consequences

homunculus — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:35:28 -0800

The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush. "The next president will have to deal with yet another crippling legacy of George W. Bush: the economy. A Nobel laureate, Joseph E. Stiglitz, sees a generation-long struggle to recoup." [Via Firedoglake.]

drezdn — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 23:07:28 -0800

Where do products go when they die? The thrill of walking down the aisle at the odds-and-ends store to find the weirdest items. The best one? Edible Worms.

Faze — Thu, 30 May 2002 13:16:23 -0800

Cities with water to burn. "While some drought-stricken cities elsewhere in the nation threaten to jail people who waste water, Cleveland wants people to open their spigots... 'Don't be afraid of it. . . . We have trillions of gallons of water here.'" So why do Clevelanders still have to use low-flush toilets and low-output shower heads?

brucec — Mon, 21 Jan 2002 05:59:00 -0800

Could the Surplus be Vacuumed Away? A US Treasury official, who must have regretted picking up the phone that day is engaged about the macroeconomic effect of change ending up in vacuum cleaners...

muckster — Mon, 27 Aug 2001 17:05:13 -0800

Oops. Where did the surplus go? It' fascinating how MSNBC bends over backward to make it sound as if both parties shared blame equally rather then pointing straight at Bush's outrageous tax cut.

mathowie — Fri, 27 Jul 2001 18:50:28 -0800

It's like a paycheck advance, not a rebate. You thought the great tax relief of 2001 was a rebate on those huge surpluses the US gov't didn't know what to do with right? Nope, it's merely an advance on the refund of taxes you'll file next year, and here's the kicker: you may or may not be getting any refund at all next year. Tax relief? Tax rebate? Simply owing the $300 back next April? Who came up with this stupid idea? (truth courtesy of Megnut)

plinth — Thu, 25 May 2000 07:07:53 -0800

I used to go to Edmund for my neato geek hack supplies, but then I discovered American Science And Surplus (formerly JerryCo). Between them and All Electronics, my geek needs are satiated.

tdecius — Wed, 09 Feb 2000 12:21:55 -0800

One thing is for sure: Overstock.com and American Science & Surplus aren't the run-of-the-mill e-commcerce sites. I love AS&S's detailed information, which occasionally runs like: "Unfortunately, the default colour is chartreuse", or "You have to buy at least three per order. Believe us, you'll probably need the parts."

mathowie — Mon, 02 Aug 1999 23:29:26 -0800

Why go all the way down to your local police auction to pick those great seized property bargins, whey you can buy former drug lords' mountian bikes on ebay?