Government is insane

Post #325,147 by drook 4/24/10 1:00:39 PM Reply	Government is insane Strong derivatives language crafted by Senator Lincoln has passed through the Agriculture Committee. The *Agrigulture* Committee?! Is this the news or did I accidentally start reading Gulliver's Travels? -- Drew
Post #325,149 by boxley 4/24/10 1:07:26 PM Reply	everything goes thru the agricultural commitee If we torture the data long enough, it will confess. (Ronald Coase, Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences, 1991)
Post #325,158 by beepster 4/24/10 7:09:46 PM 4/24/10 7:10:01 PM Reply	Our best at work... I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill. Edited by beepster April 24, 2010, 07:10:01 PM EDT Expand All History
Post #325,356 by mhuber 4/28/10 5:11:02 AM Reply	Why not BATF? Historically, it would appear that the entire concept of law derives from Mesopotamian regulations regarding the distribution of an alcoholic beverage produced by following the lyrics of the Hymn to Ninkasi (oldest known recipe for anything). That beverage was more or less what we would call beer, but a bit more complicated and without pressure vessels and usually consumed via a gold straw (I suspect there was also a cheaper tool) in mid-ferment. So the entire government, historically, is a branch of the BATF. But not the tobacco or firearms part. This is an odd species, in case you hadn't noticed. --------------------------------------- Why, yes, I did give up something for lent. I gave up making sense.
Post #325,160 by Another Scott 4/24/10 7:23:46 PM Reply	Old news. As I understand it, derivatives grew out of agricultural hedging - pork bellies, corn for delivery in 6 months, etc. Which was under the purview of the Agriculture committees. It's not totally senseless for it to be there. http://www.rollcall....news/45481-1.html A derivative is a financial product in which investors bet on the future price of commodities or other financial products. Derivatives are often used by companies who want to try to lock down lower prices for commodities, such as oil or agricultural goods. In recent years, the derivatives market that bases its futures on financial products has ballooned. For example, investors can bet on future changes in interest rates or on the credit risks associated with loans or other financial instruments. Yes, it probably should be rationalized and put with the rest of the Finance stuff now. Cheers, Scott.

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