Hmmmm, I bet DHS might think someone pointing out a failing economy was a terrorist sympathizer........
Posted by steve duncan at April 27, 2006 08:03 AMAhh, the hateful Lib, how novel! Giggling in glee at other's misfortune to paint the lie that the economy is bad and needs socialism to rescue it. Of course unemployment is at historical lows (we are actually facing a labor shortage), the GDP is waaay up, and business is good. But that would never stop you from scouring the sewer looking for misery since that is where you live. Liberalism = evil.
How's the weather in Arvada, CO - the state with the highest number of foreclosures in March? I'll bet your neighbors all love you very much for your compassion for humanity! - p
Posted by Mr. 71.208.17.165 at April 27, 2006 08:17 AMI wonder whether the new bankruptcy bill is affecting this.
Distressed homeowners have no way out but to sell their homes to pay off their credit card debts that are no longer forgiven?
That shit spewing forth from Troll's piehole (which doubles as his/her/its cornhole) would be funny as parody...but as argument, it is pitifully sad. My advice...don't procreate, Troll. Your kids will be stupid little fuckers who will live lives of desperate exploitation. Your DNA sucks...best have yourself spayed or neutered.
As far as evil is concerned, I'd offer that those overseeing a situation where soaring multitudes are losing their domiciles would constitute such.
Posted by God Of War at April 27, 2006 08:23 AMThis is very serious.
All this Kool-Aid-fed happy talk about how well the economy is going is just so much bullshit.
The Bushites ignore the lay-offs, the stagnant wages and the high energy prices.
If the real estate market goes, so goes the country.
Posted by Christopher at April 27, 2006 08:36 AMSay it ain't so Pess. The economy is just gangbusters! Donthca know!?!?!
I don't understand why the guy working at Wal*Mart, then going at night to work at 7-11, with 3 kids and a wife at home, can't afford to pay his mortgage - and his second mortgage which was taken out to pay the first.
It does not make any sense to me.
GDP is waaay up!
So are commodities. Surest sign that faith in the value of the dollar is falling...which means that the dollar is also falling.
How's it gonna be when the value of the dollar falls and everyone finds out that they owe more on their houses than their houses are worth?
Again - hope that the rich are ready to deal with all of the people standing outside of their gated communities begging for food.
Posted by Anjha at April 27, 2006 08:38 AMAdam Smith is spinning in his grave.
This bullshit is NOT capitalism. It's oligarchic (OILigarchic) fascist bullshit. It's socialism for the ultrarich and economic darwinism for everyone else.
This is no free market economy, folks. The system is fucking rigged. I don't want socialism. I want well-regulated capitalism. Is that too much to fucking ask?
Those pesky dead-enders may not just limit themselves to begging---we do know that increases in poverty tend to result in increases in crime in the modern world.
But with guarded, gated communities, armored SUVs and Hummers, and mandatory handgun permits, I guess America's Right Wing wealthy feel they're ready to lock n'load as BushAmerica dissolves.
With the return of the Confederate voting block, we might as well also have the return of the Wild West!
Posted by euzoius at April 27, 2006 08:50 AMThe American Economy...hmmm. I'm paraphrasing myself today, but I wrote (today and before) about a disabled Honduran woman I met trying to cross the border. She was young, tough as nails, and seemed smart, but--I couldn't help thinking--also a little delusional. Eventually it occured to me (this was at the time of the mine tragedies earlier this year) that most Americans are just as delusional about America, particularly about class mobility here. Today a new Reuter's story explains proves this point:"America may still think of itself as the land of opportunity, but the chances of living a rags-to-riches life are a lot lower than elsewhere in the world, according to a new study published on Wednesday".
Government issued employment statistics are virtually worthless. For one they famously understate or altogether ignore those fallen from the unemployment compensation roles or those no longer even trying to find work. They also do a very poor job of accounting for the underemployed, those working less hours for less money than their already modest living standard needs. The figures also ignore people working at jobs that offer no additional benefits whatsoever, forcing them to spend much of their aftertax wages on medical benefits (when they even bother to buy them), uniforms and tools they have to supply on their own, jobs requiring them to wear out their personal vehicle (pizza delivery, anyone?) and other costly expenditures. Citing the rate of unemployment as an indicator of the overall state of the economy is idiotic at best.
Posted by steve duncan at April 27, 2006 09:11 AMAre you libs saying that if someone can't make their mortgage payments I'm uncompassionate? How does that line of reasoning work?
This whole notion of massive unemployment is absolute garbage. The unemployment rate is just above 5%, a historical low. It is lower than what Bill Clinton averaged during his eight years. You can’t have 0% unemployment, it doesn’t work that way. As a matter of fact once you’re at about 5% the feds will start worrying about labor shortages.
Other Lib myths dispelled:
Housing bubble- There was a tech bubble in the 90’s because we can look at the stock market and see P/E ratios in the thousands. That was absolutely unsustainable, especially for companies that had never even turned a profit. The idea there is a massive bubble in the housing market is far from proved. Housing demand continually increases and will as America’s population continues to grow.
The weak dollar argument someone posted here- uhhhh, the dollar is weak (good for our buying goods cheaply) relative to other currency. It has nothing to do with the housing market.
The study “showing” upward mobility has stagnated in the US is BS. It has to do with what they consider “rich”. According to them America is full of poor millionaires. It’s a play on statistics.
Now for the intellectual rebutals I've come to expect from the left...."You're a jerk, you're hatefull! etc..."
Stop looking in the mirror and get back to work before they give some illegal your job and you can't pay YOUR mortgage! - p
Posted by Mr. 71.208.17.165 at April 27, 2006 09:36 AM"This is no free market economy, folks. The system is fucking rigged. I don't want socialism. I want well-regulated capitalism. Is that too much to fucking ask?"
Yes, because that is inherently contradictory. Capitalism is simply allowing people to trade freely without the government forcing one of the parties to act against their best interest. Any other form of govt. (socialism, communism, fascism, etc..) uses the govt.'s force to compell people to do something.
KELO et al. v. CITY OF NEW LONDON et al. For the greater good of capitalist America, we have decided that they need to take your house away from you. - p
Posted by Mr. 71.208.17.165 at April 27, 2006 09:44 AMMy wife reiterated to me yesterday that we should still be grateful that we are living in America.
I told her that I am but that this country was once far greater than this and we have reached a new low. We continue to go lower.
The division this pRe$ident has created far out weighs any possible gains.
There is no way the umployment rate is just over 5%. Try a statistic like returning Veterans trying to find work, which has it pegged at 15%.
People have stopped looking, they are not even registered anymore with the employment offices in their state. Do those people who were looking, magically dissapear? I guess in an optimist rebupli-con point of view, yes!
What of poverty levels for children? They continue to rise! Homeless people, again a rise! People barely able to make ends meet, huge rise! People un-insured doubled since this pRe$ident took office!
Everything is good if you had a chance to plan it out right. Your job is secure, your investments safe, you have insurance, you own your own home and have only one mortgage.
Feel lucky because if someone in your family gets sick, loses a job, or the company fails, you will be joining the rest of us.
Stv, yr pnt bt sttstcs bng wrthlss s vld. mjr fctr f crprt/pltcl hgmny s t s s mny ‘sttstcs,’ ‘fgrs,’ ‘stds,’ f nly t drct ttntn f rhds nt th dsrd drctn f prcptl cntrl. Frthr, ny cntr stts dn by mny thrs, f whch sm my b ctlly ccrt, mrly cnfnd th cnfsn prblm t th vrydy lvl f wrnss.
nyhw, w mst mk th ncssry dntfctns s t nt nly wh dd th sttstcl nmbr pnchng, bt gthr th ntr mthd f gthrng th stts. Th lttr s lwys gnrd by md. Spkng f md, nt tht th md s crprt wnd. Ths w s, n nly fw sntncs, th vldty f yr pnt f dcptn tht cntns lyrs f dcptn.
Bttm ln: th mr cnfsd th vtrs, th mr dcl thy bcm. sspct tht th nmbr crnchrs s ‘dclty’ scl tht prdcts th bst pnt n tm t ntrjct nvl vnt fr th hghst pssbl ccptnc, (fr nstnc, th Nw Yrk Cty bmbng). Gv ths crp lrds r cllgs, thy wll s thm fr prft nd pwr. gss ths s frm f ‘scntfc mngmnt.’
bnch f Gdlss kks rn r cntry.
[Editor: ignore=off]A bunch of Godless kooks run our country.
And I thank my lucky stars that's true. Gods are the root of all evil, as you so faithfully exhibit everyday, you freak of nature.
Posted by iamcoyote at April 27, 2006 10:14 AMStv Dncn, ws pntng my bv cmmnt n yr drctn.
[Editor: ignore=off]Hahahahaha! The old "stopped looking" argument. Uh-huh. Wow. It is so tough to be left-wing right now, when the statistics and reality are simply savaging the sacred cows to ribbons.
Stocks - all time highs, with more small investors than at any point in history.
Employment - Nearing "full" - we might want to implement socialism, just to drive the unemployment figures up. Full employment means that labor costs are going to go up, and that is a bad thing...right?
Banks - booming.
Tech - rebounding.
Telecom - soaring.
The poor - moving up.
Homelessness is a function of the anti-psychiatry movement of the left in the 1960s. Home foreclosures are a function of a good economy (unless it occurs during a Depression, which this clearly is not.)
When people ask why the Left died intellectually in 1984, it is because 1984 never happened here and it began to depend on the illiterate for footsoldiers.
One more thing: If all those people whose homes were foreclosed upon voted for Kerry, Kerry still would have lost in a landslide. Had Kerry been President, foreclosures would have remained the same.
Somewhere down the line the left has fallen for the magical tale that the President is omnipotent. Just because you had your political awakening and first bj during the Clinton era doesn't mean he gave you either.
Probably.
Dude! Back away from those magic mushroom pizzas for breakfast! - p
Posted by heehee at April 27, 2006 10:17 AMI saw this yesterday as well. I live in Michigan and I can assure you the conditions here are absolutely horrid. Even ritzy Bllomfield Hills is feeling the pinch big time. The shit eventually floats uphill.
Posted by Monica at April 27, 2006 10:23 AMStocks - all time highs, with more small investors than at any point in history.
Glad you can afford them, I can't!
Banks - booming.
I wonder why!
The poor - moving up.
What world are you living in?
Homelessness is a function of the anti-psychiatry movement of the left in the 1960s.
Explain that to the families that eat at soup kitchens daily.
Your another one of those right wing nuts who's empathy for their fellow man astounds me!
Posted by bbtb at April 27, 2006 10:29 AMSorry but too many Red Staters are too stupid to figure out the cause and effect equation. Just scream "Fags" or "Big Government" at them and they'll keep voting for Bush and his ilk.
Posted by KingHater at April 27, 2006 10:33 AMThe poor - moving up.
And your proof of that is ... ?
I ask because every single study and report done of the last four years shows that the numbers and percentages are INCREASING, and have since Bush took office.
On another note: A few things the study linked to in the main post doesn't seem to consider include adjustable rate mortages and home-equity lines of credit.
ARMs are almost the only way a family can get a home these days in some areas of the country. But once that initial low interest rate goes away, the family discovers it can't pay it's bills and lose their house.
And second mortgages and home equity loans are merely overextending families' credit which, again, causes them to not pay their bills.
When you factor in the new pathetic bankruptcy bill and the sad state of health care (a huge reason people file for bankruptcy), some of the foreclosures can be accounted for.
Posted by Unholy Moses at April 27, 2006 10:42 AMThere's a great analysis of the current housing market, how we got where we are, and why it isn't sustainable in the latest issue of Harper's (not online.) I highly recommend it. Look for foreclosures and bankruptcies to go sky high when ARMs go up and people have maxed out their home equity to pay off their credit card debt.
Posted by ann at April 27, 2006 10:46 AMThat Reich Wing Kool-Aid must be some tasty... either that, or the flop sweat is breaking out all over for Putsch supporters. Hmmmm, I wonder which it is?
I live in Michigan too. Been trying to get another job for years with no success. There aren't any out there to be had. Must be all that full employment that is causing companies to engage in mass layoffs and staff cutbacks.
I am happy to report that I got my first raise in five years (gee, what would have happened five years ago to cause greedy corpo-weasels to become even more greedy?) coming up soon. Just another sign of that huge problem companies have in finding employees. You know, the way companies always lowball potential (and existing) employees when things are booming.
Homelessness is a function of the anti-psychiatry movement of the left in the 1960s.
Actually it was because of Reagan cutting funding for substance abuse programs and mental health programs.
Posted by ann at April 27, 2006 11:05 AMIf you libs have some better solution, please inform us, 'cause all you've done is look for bad news and complain about it. What's your damn solution? Higher taxes for more government programs? Yeah, that'll get people out of poverty. Why don't you go take an Economics 101 class and get back to us when you have an idea.
Do they have such a class in Little Rock? - p
Posted by CP at April 27, 2006 12:30 PMthis latest troll makes as much sense as the rest of the head-up-their-ass gang..absolutely no sense at all...
Posted by headxray at April 27, 2006 01:05 PM"If you libs have some better solution, please inform us...." Posted by CP at April 27, 2006 12:30 PM
CP, Bush asked for the job of providing the ideas to make all our lives better. Republicans control both houses of Congress. Dems can't get hearings on bills, nor have a proposal voted on. The Right is solely in possession of the apparatus to effect change. When everybody finally wakes up to the reality we're all fucked the blame will lie solely with the Right also.
Posted by steve duncan at April 27, 2006 01:23 PMnn, f rcll, y'r bth rght. Thr ws ntnl crp mvmnt t 'fr' nstttnlzd mntl wrds; f y'll rmmbr, 'n flw vr th cck's nst,' dlzd th mntlly ll, whl dmnzng th nrss. Thr ws ll knds f md hrrr strs fcsng pn mntl cr drng th 60's nd 70's. Rgn mrly fllwd-p whn h tk vr frm Brwn. Jst bt nyn tht cld wlk ws pshd t nt th strt.
Th crp bys sd th sm prcdr t dmnz th fmly nstttn: prmtn f dltry, dvrc, hmsxlty/pdphl, hrd nd nt-s-hrd prn, vlnc, nd whl lt f prps tht rdcd th nd fr rl tlnt n flm nd stg.
Ths, wht tk th flm gys f th trn f th 20th cntry mnths t wrk t, th crps spwd n jst fw dys. Hstry f flm s rplt wth th scdl scl dstrctn f r cntry.
nywy, th thrstng t f th mntl ptnts ws rctn frmtn t th wntn nbrn nfntcd nd th hg dvrc rt, bth f whch r drct rslt f ml dmntn f r dcl wmn n tht mn wr n lngr hld ccntbl fr nrstrnd sx. r rwlln lrds, f crs, tght jst th ppst: tht dvrc nd nfntcd nd fmly dstrctn ws drctly lnkd t ‘qlty!’ Jst psychtc.
Th bsln fr pshng mntls nt th strt ws smply t prmt scl cnfsn n svrl wys: qstnng trdtn nd llvtng cnscs glt f th dlztn f mrdr nd dstrctn wth sprfcl crp md nlyss cntnng fcsd strs fnd btwn th lns.
ndd, thr wr svrl mmnnt psychtrsts, drng th 50’s nd rly 60’s tht dscvrd xcllnt prcdrs t cntrl th llnss f ncntrlld hmsxlty/pdphl. Mst wr psychtrpc, bt thrs wr pnlss frntl lbtmy tht wr hghly cclmd fr thr sccss rt, ( blv vr 70% rt).
Tdy w nt th ncrdbl dvsttn tht r psychtc hmsxl/pdphl ppltn hs rnd pn ll lvls f scl ntrctn: frm dctn t md t plc t tchrs t pstrs t dctrs. r cltr mks ncnt Sdm lk lk th Grdn f dn. My Jhvh hv mrcy pn ch nd vry n f s.
scout you should seriously consider taking or going back on meds...you're almost scary...
Posted by headxray at April 27, 2006 02:03 PM...a painless frontal lobotomy...
I hear these work well for religious fanaticism also.
Posted by snark at April 27, 2006 02:22 PMif you'll remember, 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest,' idolized the mentally ill, while demonizing the nurses.
scout, Your totally off base on this one. It was about who/what was truly sane and who/what was insane. The whole aspect of the mental patient having freedom was a representation of our society having freedom.
Indeed, there were several immanent psychiatrists, during the 50’s and early 60’s that discovered excellent procedures to control the illness of uncontrolled homosexuality/pedophilia.
Your ignorance and bigotry are showing here. Being a homosexual is not a mental illness. There is no cure for the pedophile except complete isolation or death.
Please, get a grip.
Posted by bbtb at April 27, 2006 02:27 PMGntlmn, pls, m mrly spkng frm f trth tht s lmst ncnt by mdrn stndrds. vn hr, whn cnsdrng hstry, r rwlln vrlrds f th chrt f crp-mnd-cntrl, cntnlly prmt th fls ntn tht ‘mdrn’ qls ‘smrtr,’ tc. Hwvr, th trth s tht w r gttng lwr n th Q scl s w pprch th prsnt. Th nly rsn w ddn’t hv th lks f mdrn mchns 7,000 yrs g s bcs Jhvh rprssd ths hmn tndncy t crt whn h splt th ppl nt svrl dffrnt lngg grps. Crsly, ths frm f cnfsn ws ttl; nt nly dd t slw th blty t crt d t dstrctn f mrkts, bt slwd th mrch dwn th rd n th byss f dprvty n tht sltn slwd th scl sprd f prvrsn. ls, Jhvh spks ftn f hvng ‘tm’ fr vrythng. Ths Chrst mst hv ddtnlly rprssd crtn lns f rsnng tht wld hv frmltd t rly, by Hs stndrd dcttng th nfldng f Hs slvtn pln.
Lk t th smplcty f ny mchn; dn’t w sk why dd t tk s lng t prdc? Tk flght; lk t th bsltly smplcty f hng gldr. cpl mtl tbs, sm fbrc, nd lttl scrt f rfl.
Lk t th smplcty f bnry lngg. lctrcty r mgntsm; vn mcr crctry. nc y stdy th stff, n sks, hw mch mr smpl cn ths b?
r ncnt fthrs lvd t vr 900 yrs ld bcs thr mmn systms wr pwrfl, jst s thr mnds wr mr pwrfl thn tdy’s lp tp. Ths gys wr tgh nd hrd; nd jst s rblls s s.
Yt, s bd s r ncstrs wr, lk t s: r ntr wrld systm rvlvs rnd n pm f dprvty. ll th whl pshng th vry th lmts f r fndtn f cnscnc, fndtn fr ll cltrl cds f fmly, rlgn, pltcs, mrrg, cnmcs, tc.
Mdrn scty, th px f ‘prgrssvsm,‘ cmpltly bsd pn bslss ntns f ‘lbrty, qlty, nd frdm,‘ cld nt bcm mr vl nd dstrbd tht t prsnt. Lglzd hmsxl/pdphl ‘mrrg?’ rn’t w thr? Lglzd prstttn? gss w’v bn thr. Lglzd nrctcs? Mght s wll b, snc t pprs tht vry llgl ln mst crss th brdr wth cpl pnds, t lst. (Ths s th rsn th crp bys dn’t lk brdr cntrl: thy wnt th cnfsn csd by pwrfl drgs.) Lglz mrjn? Rght.
Lk t r md: W s rwlln-spk t cll whrs, whrmngrs, nd hmsxl/pdphls ‘strs.’ Ys, w dlzd rwlln Hllywd ‘strs’ f dbchry.
Whn w lk nt th mrrr, w s th nmy, rslvs. Why? Bcs r dprvd prd mks s fl ‘smrt.’ Sm f s my knw jst lttl, lttl bt bttr thn byng r crp lrd llsn tht w r ‘lttl gds;’ ftr ll, cn w chng n hr frm gry t brwn? W shld knw frm tht lttl fct tht w r nt wht w prtnd. Hwvr, r rwlln mnd-st n n t-plt. W dn’t hv chnc sng th trth, nlss Jhvh pns r ys nd rs. f H ds ths lttl ct, thn Chrst hs grntd tht mrcy ws spkng bt n th bv.
I see the White House shakeup has resulted in a couple of new trolls seeing the light of day from the basement at 1600 Pennsylvania Av.
Posted by TIKI AL at April 27, 2006 04:14 PMNow it almost sounds as if your talking de-evolution scout.
Posted by bbtb at April 27, 2006 04:36 PMI think the recent vist by Hu Jintao was telling more by what DID NOT HAPPEN especially when contrasted to his visit afterwards to Saudi Arabia. Here Ju did NOTHING. In Saudi he signed mutual agreements for long term oil and SECURITY. This alone tells you where our economy is headed.
As near as I can tell all these folks who show up here and say our economy is "just fine" and then stick their head back in the sand are shills for the Red Chinese. Keep it up shills, the Red Chinese LOVE YOU.
Posted by Glen at April 27, 2006 05:21 PMbbtb, rthr thn lkng t sm spct f vltnsm, Bblclly, w r ‘wrng’ t lk ld clthng. Nt nly s, bt th ntr plnt, slr systm, nd nvrs. Jhvh dsgnd Hs crtn t ncld Hmslf; whn H crsd dm, ths ntr rlty ws smltnsly crsd. f y thnk tht wht m xprssng bt Bblcl rlty s slty nd crd, try rdng th Bbl. H s wy tghr. Strt wth Jrmh: hr, Chrst s spkng bt r tm lmst thrght ths ntr bk. Wrnng: t’s vrblly grphc.
My apologies.
I was wrong.
As scouts continued comments clearly illustrate the full frontal lobotomy has no effect on religious fanaticism.
Posted by snark at April 27, 2006 07:06 PMOf course unemployment is at historical lows (we are actually facing a labor shortage) - That's funny... except the numbers are bogus.
GDP is waaay up - Yup, because corporate production and profit is waaay up, which does NOT translate to wages and the working class. And Bernanke says this is a conundrum? I call it greed..
uhhhh, the dollar is weak (good for our buying goods cheaply) relative to other currency - wrong, good for OTHERS to buy OUR products cheaply (if we MADE anything tangible anymore)..
Banks - booming -- Yup again, because they are investing outside America. Look at brokers and mutual funds investing in Europe and Asia...
Tech - rebounding -- like a wet sock. I've been waiting for 4 years.. The "heated up job market" and higher wages we're supposed to see soon? I don't think sayin' it makes it so...
Telecom - soaring -- acquisitions and consolidation. (I'm sure collusion is on the horizon).
Stocks - all time highs - A lot of money chasing returns anywhere they can. Any excuse to raise P/E's and M&A activity all over the place, which for some unknown reason is seen as a positive (I mean, earn your own money, don't buy out somebody else who does it better than you). All the market movers, CEO's, CNBC, and Bloomberg are a stroking each other...
This economy is a "one way street". The rich get richer and the poor get the picture.
ANYWAY, most all of what you type here ---- total poopie... you should take a shower now.
Posted by Dishwashing Engineer at April 27, 2006 10:31 PMIf the real estate market goes, so goes the country.
I dunno Christopher Robin, real estate tanked during the 90's. How'd the economy do then?
Mr. IP Address, you are of course correct. The economy is very strong and has been for over 3 years now. That's why the Fed has been hiking rates after all. This is why the demand for crude is high. People are out there spending money. People don't do that when the economy is bad.
Posted by muckdog at April 27, 2006 10:59 PMsnrk, ys, th trth s smpl nd pr. Hw d w cnfs th Trth? 10,000 kk ds, ch gthrng spprt strctrs f mllns, ll rgng fr thr vrs dlzd ls. vn ths clt mbrcrs thmslvs sns th pwr f r mdrn scl cnstrctn f cnfsn. Bt, snsng smthng wrng s nt ngh, s mst g t th grv n rrr, ll thnkng tht thy r s vry ntllgnt nd gd-lk. Ths s s bcs, vn whl snsng wrngnss, thy stll blv th vry ls tht prr ppl bjctfd.
[Editor: ignore=off]muckraker -
The economy has been increasingly stronger over the last three years because it's hard to jump outta the freakin basement window.
People always spend money. Even sitting on your ass watching t.v. costs money. Crude demand and rising interest rates do not tell us the economy is in strong shape (unless that's what we choose to believe).
The feds are raising rates to cool the housing bubble and get-rich speculation that Greenspam started to get us outta the last bubble, which directly relates to your question about the 90's. I just hope not too late. It was boom time there for awhile, but the euphoria of EASY MONEY is waning.
Sure people keep spending but if things were that well, we wouldn't have the negative savings rate numbers. Once reality hits, there will be a serious pullback in discretionary spending (and those bills will still need to be paid). Why the credit push to set up payment options on bankruptcies? I wonder what the latest equity loan numbers are. Probably not too high.
To me, that's good. I hope all families can stay out of trouble, save money, put it into high return savings accounts, maybe the market, wherever. Nobody gets joy out of hearing about hardships. That's why we discuss this. I hate hearing about people and families "blindsided". Like we have been over gas prices. We keep hearing about Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela - but never a word on Iraqi production. How goes it there? How much oil do we get from Iraq? Something to research. I'm waiting for my 100+ Miles/Gallon motorcycle but the military gets theirs first I guess.. shoot, they can afford 5 bucks a gallon. They probably pay 5 bucks per Pepsi.
Crude demand is not rising that fast. Most of the drawdown on inventory is due to productivity and maintenance levels that have conveniently dropped and risen respectively...
Also commute times have risen while people look for nicer homes or schools out of town or further from work. Which could reverse.
GDP is up because labor costs are stagnant which equates to higher corporate profit, which is reflectied in your bull market cycle. But, we're still looking at increasing price to earnings levels. Without these P/E levels Cisco could easily be a 8-12 dollar stock AGAIN.. Johnson & Johnson could be cut in half in a day..
It's all relative. My company just got bought out and I'll probably be getting laid off. I will find another job but if things continue as they have been, it might be the third pay cut in a row I'll have to accept. Most people I talk to are experiencing the same thing. I'm a perpetual student with a strong work ethic. Creative and productive. Doesn't matter.
When I hear about the "labor squeeze" - they are looking at that person as just a body. Somebody to fill that job. Hopefully part-time with no benefits so we can keep that "wage pressure" low.
It's not all bad - but you can't tell people how well the economy is doing if it's not doing for them. It's like trying to make you see the other side of the coin...
Brusselsprouts are GREAT and you WILL love them!
Posted by dishwashing engineer (sry for rant) at April 28, 2006 10:20 AM