"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:24:43 -0500, the infamous "Ed Huntress"
scrawled the following:


wrote in message
The price of luxury goods is based on customer demand and perception,
ie. charge what the market will bear.

The question is, if the prices are as much higher as Larry and I are
guessing, why will the market bear those prices, if not because of some
screw-up by the US car makers?

Fit and finish make a real difference. Look at any given year (or
decade) of Consumer Reports automotive sections and see that the
reported defects in American cars have traditionally been extremely
high while those of Euro and Asian imports have been quite a bit
(extremely low in Asia's case) lower. Days in the shop detract from
the perceived value every time, Ed.


snip

Philosophically I believe that a civilized country ought to have BASIC
medical coverage as part of the social contract, ie. funded through
general revenues by the government.

A parallel private plan should be permitted also for those who wish to
pay for it. This is one of the great failings of the Canadian
plan... The impatient sick with $$ go to the USA or India.

We have some plans, which apparently are a growing trend, that reduce
rates
if you agree to go to India for surgery.

Isn't that amazing? Our doctors (and freaking hospitals) here charge
so much more that it's _cheaper_ to fly you halfway around the world
to get surgery there? Amazing. Boggles the imagination, it does.

Yeah, and it's apparently really good care. They take extra-special-good
care of the furriners.

I think I've mentioned that my cardiologist's first name is Muhammed, but I
may not have mentioned that my endocrinologist's last name is Hussain. g
They're both Indian Muslims, and absolutely top-notch.

--
Ed Huntress