Author Topic: Depression? or what? You tell me! (Read 1089 times)

MATLOCK12C · « **on:** November 26, 2004, 06:38:45 PM »

Is it just me or is there anyone else out there who see's a lot of hard time's comming down the road.
The dollar is falling, prices are up on everything. Gold is over $400 an troy once. Oil is higher and gas too!
What do you fella's think?

Shorty · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2004, 07:53:56 AM »

What do you mean,"coming down the road"? I haven't had a raise in 4 1/2 years, but economists keep telling me that's OK because there's no inflationary pressure, since wages aren't creeping up! :roll: :shock:

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2004, 09:02:17 AM »

I was talking about when the interest rate's go up, way up! and it get's worse than it is now! :evil:

williamlayton · « **Reply #3 on:** November 28, 2004, 12:21:28 AM »

I believe you are right, and have said so many times.
We are in an evolution to a classed society, again, middle class is doomed too a place in history.
Blessings

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #4 on:** November 28, 2004, 08:56:11 AM »

They say we are moving into a "service economy" but I don't see how that kind of economy can support itself. :roll: The powers that be have pushed this "one world" and a "global economy" so much, it is hard to compete with some guy in a third world country when he will work for peanutts and be happy to get it! :grin:

American corperation's set up shop, and reap ungodly profits, good for them and there stock holders but not so good for the common folk :x If you got a job, you better keep it and hope your field won't end up being "out-sourced to India, Chinia, or Mexico. :twisted:

fe352v8 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2004, 01:34:18 PM »

Ah but at least we have our family values. It is curious that after the constitution was ratified, and thus the creation of the United States, that the goverment never saw fit to endorse the declaration of independence.

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2004, 03:37:54 AM »

I just spoke to a guy who is a Mgr, out at the local WALMART, he told me they were down on sales this past "black friday" over $160,000 . I guess folks diddnt spend neer as much as they were hoping.

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2004, 06:32:56 AM »

The past couple of years have been particularly good years for on-line sales. I saw a segment this morning on FOX news where they posted the top 10 websites for on-line sales this season and one was Walmart.com.

Personally, I do most of my shopping on line particularly this time of year. I just can't stand to get jostled by blue-haired old ladies who think that shopping is a death match. Nor can I stand to pull into a parking lot and see that some SOB has parked his SUV on an island in the parking lot because there isn't a parking space in what he considers walking distance.

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2004, 03:05:58 PM »

I worked for"THE GREAT SATAN" (walmart) for 11 years, trust me they really view there coustomers as a nusence more than anything. :x As for me, I will not go there unless I just got too! :evil:
About 90% of there stuff comes from Chinia. :x I feel they are greatly responsible for a lot of our loose of job's here at home. On the same hand, we want our new "thing a ma bob's" for as cheap as we can get em' :grin: The only problem is, the real cost is much higher than we thought! With manufacturing steadly moving overseas, and the out-sourcing of many of our other industry's the outlook ain't so good.

williamlayton · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2004, 10:50:25 PM »

Jack-
another annoyance. When a person or persons stops their vehicle right in front of a store and runs in cause they are in a hurry. Causes a traffic jamb ever time.
Blessings

lostone1413 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 01, 2004, 05:57:04 AM »

I agree with what you said about Germany. Just look at their elections Everyone more and more like1940s. When their change comes I look for them to turn on the Muslims no holds bared. Kind of a 1940s but the Muslims this time

IntrepidWizard · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2004, 07:29:41 AM »

Regarding the original subject,we are not even close to a depression.

williamlayton · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2004, 11:39:25 PM »

I been thinking about your thoughts Intrepidwizard and would be interested in what brings you to this conclusion. I am not sure I agree with you on this point but I do not have any opinions from you on your reasoning.
Blessings

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #13 on:** December 02, 2004, 03:54:07 AM »

I think we are in for some odd & interesting time's in the coming year, and now too. :?
Durable good's are up, along with oil, gold, and such. china is buying up everything in the way of raw materials steel, coal, cement, and anything else they can buy.
Our dollar is falling in value, people have little or no real savings. :shock: Personal debt is at an all time high, as well as our national debt. The first wave of baby boomers are getting up in years. Those born in 1946, turn 56 this year alone. Most of them still have children living at home, or are raising grand children. People who bought homes on ajustable rate morgage's will be in a tight spot when the rates go up, and they will go up!
A lot of folk's have a lot of things but don't own anything, but a note every month. It is not a pretty picture when you step back and look at it all. :shock:
I do not think it's going to be like the 1920's we have too much technology and infastructure nowdays. Back then about all we really had was the railroad and the telegraph so to speak.

We have become a consumer sociaity, buying it all on time, and no interest till next year. Most people do not even outright own their car, or the simplest of things.
It's a lifesize game of Russian Roulette most play, with one big problem as the bullet that kills them financaly. A lost job, a major illness, or the unexpected death of a breadwinner can break a household now in 30 days or less. :shock:
The commercial on TV where the guy has a big house and car and a country club membership, and says at the end "Im in debt up to my eye's, sombody help me!" Well nobody can my friend, most of us are in the same boat with ya!

IntrepidWizard · « **Reply #14 on:** December 02, 2004, 04:51:54 AM »

Layton I know what a depression is and we do not have all those indicators as a matter of fact after the Iraqi thing settles down we will be back on the upward trend,there is one thing that has bothered me,contrary to the tooling up for WWII we are not set up in any way for a war,we don't have the Steel,Rubber ,Machineing abilities nor the plants,but we are more tech and that may be the difference,as to the Dollar and Gold I bury mine in Mason jars.

IntrepidWizard · « **Reply #15 on:** December 02, 2004, 05:44:34 AM »

Today for example Oil is down and Metal up----what more can you want?

fe352v8 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2004, 04:11:08 PM »

It's a depression when you lose your job, it's only a recession when the other guy loses his.

Heard this and stole it from somebody.

jon

williamlayton · « **Reply #17 on:** December 03, 2004, 11:00:02 PM »

Well I guess it is just how you look at the signs. I see signs of change, not temporary, as in a depression, but a pretty drastic change for the middle class.
That is alright, the Lord knows and is in control, however, we all can see realignment going on around us. New posturing of business. Business' realiging. Sure a hasty clamoring for the middleclass dollar.
Blessings

MATLOCK12C · « **Reply #18 on:** December 07, 2004, 08:49:17 AM »

INTREPIDWIZARD,
Just what are the indecators of a depression in your opinion? I mean I never went through one, but I sure heard about it from my grand mother. She raised 12 kid's through it, and said it was a tuff roe to hoe! :lol: She said they had nothing, but were thankful because some folk's had even less than them! :eek:

By the way this question is for all of you good folk's out there too.

Major · « **Reply #19 on:** December 09, 2004, 11:43:13 AM »

I cant tell you what all the signs of a depression are other than total economic collapse that effects rich and poor alike. I dont think that the middle class slowly going away is one of the signs however.

What will do us in this time however is that for the most part we have left the land and moved to the cities. We can no longer grow our own food, hunt and fish on our own land to get by when times get tough. If and when we have another economic meltdown most of us have nowhere else to turn. We blindly mortgage everything including our future so we can have it all right now instead of building a secure base to see us through tuff times.

Back in the 1930s those that had lots of money and lost it had no other way to get by and many rich became poor over night. Then there were those that had some land to help them get by but they borrowed against that land to try to buy a better life and they too lost out. Then there were those that owed little or nothing to the banks and they had a means of growing their own food if need be. Those are the ones that did OK in those tuff times. By OK I mean they had it rough but they had the means to struggle through the tuff times.

So do we really have to have all the latest gadgets? Do we really need that new car just because Joe down the street has one? Why do we live in the cities and when we go out into the country we just litter there too? Do we really need the city life just because it is easier to chase more dollars that are to be found there?

Why not simplify your life and get rid of most of your debt so you are prepared for the wolf if he ever shows up at your door. So many times I am reminded of the kids story of the Ant and the Grasshopper. We played and player and now, when the first cold winds blow, we try to lay blame instead of hurrying up and put away some provisions. And yes, there does seem to be some cold winds starting to blow.

magooch · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2004, 03:57:41 AM »

To those of you who think our economy isn't vibrant and booming; you should get out and see some of the country. I just got home from a 7000 mile road trip and let me tell you, this country is on the move. If nothing else, the number of trucks on our highways is just incredible.

I've been around long enough to have seen some tough times. Believe me, this aint one of them. There are and always will be pockets that are left behind. You've got to be wise enough or lucky enough to go where the action is. A perfect example was recently revealed to me when I revisited an area where I was stationed when I was in the service. When I was stationed there, the base and some local farms were the only thing that kept the place alive. The base closed years ago and I figured the place would dry up and blow away. Wrong! The area now is over run with industry and the town has doubled in size. The entire region just amazed me with the amount of change. Where once there were primarily sleepy little backward towns and villages, there are now modern busy cities.

Again, if you think this country is about to go down the chute, buck up guys; it's going stronger than ever. I know most of you are too busy trying to make a buck to be able to get out there and see some of this country, so I'm happy to report to you that at least in the 7000 miles that I covered, much of the country is booming.