I presume you are talking about the USA. How much does policy change in nations where voter turnout is higher?

With base interest rates at effectively zero, it isn't hard to predict that asset values like this would inflate. In other words, financing is so cheap that things that wouldn't get it at higher interest rates now find it easy to come by.

That's one bone of contention in the whole mess. While Greece borrowed money it could not pay back, shouldn't the lender also take some responsibility for giving the money to them in the first place? I keep waiting for Greece to say something like 'all these banks are going to take a haircut or we drag all of you down with us'

This is a false dichotomy. What is often overlooked is that fiscal 'austerity' is only a small part of the bigger issues afflicting Greece. If half your economy is dependent on government spending, and government spending goes down, well there goes your economy. So what happened to the rest of the Greek economy? They are crippled by a huge list of counterproductive regulations from some dreamland they have been in for decades. I don't mean regulations like 'dont dump poison in the river' I mean regulations like 'there can only be one pharmacy in each town' or 'all freight has to be driven by a Greek driver'. Getting rid of all that garbage is the other half of the austerity program that is typically overlooked.

Just a few years ago Poland was looting retirement funds and pensions, so it can't be far behind Greece.

If there is one pump and one line, that would be true. Usually there are 8-12 pumps and one or two guys manning them all.

And do they have a a successful antivirus business?

The whole idea is just DRM on meth. It is just information, and you can't lock up information.

Here come the Fremen

"autonomous driving systems" makes me think of trains.

Nowadays this law sticks around because people who are unable to pump their own gas (i.e. would need to seek full service pumps) and people afraid to get out of their cars raise a huge stink whenever repeal is considered.

Turtles have come a long way. I suppose it had to happen sometime.

I was just thinking about this the other day when I realized a know four or five guys who just got one of these drones for their sons (supposedly). How long until any public event is ruined by swarms of camera drones? Things like fireworks, public music or theater performances, beer festivals, and so on? This will probably be the next generation of 'people talking in the movie theater'.

Sure, you would apparently have nice public transportation to and from your job picking through the garbage dump for food.

If it is only 37%, they are well ahead of the rest of the world!