Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Dutch Central Bank Sale Announcement Imminent? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sea_urchin who wrote (22594)	3/11/2005 10:53:28 AM
From: philv	Respond to of 81085

Re: house prices. Yes, according to that chart you posted, S.A. is the runaway winner in home price increases. I just can't figure it out. Usually a high interest rate depresses prices because no one can afford to buy. Such an increase should also be part of a general high inflation rate, not just in prices, but also wages I would think. Is there wage inflation going on? On another topic, I have been reading horror stories about hospital charges in the US. If a person does not have private insurance, a very short stay can quickly bankrupt him. $5000/day is not unusual, and that is without surgery. It makes me grateful for the medical system we have, even though it has many many problems. But I have seen projections of costs based on past experience, and the future looks very bad in terms of cost. They say that 80% of a person's life time medicare bill is typically incurred in the last 2 years of life. Maybe there has to be some rationalizing and hard decisions to be made. Or, we can go into debt?