As I was ending another note and signed off about my retirement, it occurred to me we might share how these economic times are effecting us personally.

I retired on a private disability insurance policy. I have been pretty much insulated from the economic fall out, but I feel it. On the roads, or at the grocery store or anywhere one interacts with the public, it seems people are really, stressed out. And although I am relatively insulated - it rattles me anyway and I don't like that atmosphere.

Moi

Born Into A World Not Of My Choosing

Went to a large shopping mall yesterday. Almost no place to park. Looked like Christmas. Recession? What recession. People were carrying stuff out of the stores by the cart load. And almost all of it Made In China.

We are still doing ourself in. Our only export is money.

Individuals are drowning in debt, and corporations are drowning in debt, and our government is drowning in debt.

Perhaps you remember the phrase: "As goes GM, so goes the nation".

Even the rich are affected, but not to any degree you or I would notice.

Hard times for them means just fewer trips to Europe, fewer bottles of Dom Perignon, smaller diamonds. The rich have very large and soft airbags that cushion them from the crash. The poor aren't even wearing seat belts.

I am on Social Security. I do less, buy less, use more coupons, but I still have the basics; food, clothing, shelter. Compared to most people of the world, I am still well off. Taking time to enjoy the simple life of "Less is More". You can really make a game out of it; how to enjoy life more with less stuff. Of course if you are lacking in any of the basics, then I am truly sorry; but I could also be lacking one or more of the basics if I tried to help anyone financially. I do give. I give my stuff away, I give of my time. And I get by with a little help from my friends. Don't expect the government to help. Help one another.

It seems to me that the recession has probably bottomed out by now. Remember that we have actually been in this "recession" for a couple of years now. For a long long time the government was getting away with denying anything and then last year by calling it an "economic downturn". It wasn't until last fall that it was "official". But if you were to be watching the mainstream news you'd think that it was new or something.

devi (imported) wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:00 pm It seems to me that the recession has probably bottomed out by now. Remember that we have actually been in this "recession" for a couple of years now. For a long long time the government was getting away with denying anything and then last year by calling it an "economic downturn". It wasn't until last fall that it was "official". But if you were to be watching the mainstream news you'd think that it was new or something.

Sorry to be pessimistic here, but I disagree with you when you say "

devi (imported) wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:00 pm the recession has probably bottomed out by now...

" I am pretty sure that things can and will get much worse than they are now. We are in this horrible situation because of year of making the wrong choices, we will not get out of this situation in a few months.

I wish I was wrong about this, I really hope that you are right, and that nothing will get worse, and things are going to improve soon... But hope as I do, I still believe we are in for a lot more "hard times" over the next few years.

I feel things are only going to get worse as this GM and other bankruptcies take affect on the working folks.Here in California we are seeing layoffs comming with this budjet mess.The new adminestration is also working on a plan to raise taxes on everything we buy.This will also slow down the economy and the money they will need for the health care they are working on will not come in as this slow down gets worse as higher taxes have a way of doing that.So this adminestration will go ahead any way and print the money they need and then we will have runaway inflation.I had a IRA that was worth about 7500.00 but when I wanted to withdraw it I was told forget it as it was tyed up in this credet and housing mess.Ho well its only money and as long as I have Christ nothing else matters:)

Unemployment is a trailing indicator meaning that even if economic conditions begin to turn around, unemployment will increase.

That doesn't make it any better for the unemployeed.

Since the whole world had an economic stake in the once almighty dollar they had gotten together and kept it from collapsing a few years ago. Otherwise we would have been in a major depression about a few years ago when the gdp (not the gnp) had had sunken and almost completely collapsed back then. This also had occured with us during 1986 (I believe) when the plaza accords propped up the dollar back then also. From out of the problems back then came the idea of having another major currency alongside the dollar. This is where the euro got its start. Since the national US debt had had more than doubled during both of these periods (1981-1987 and 2001-2007) in such a short period of time this had caused a very drastic reduction in the real value of the dollar. Most people outside of a core group of pseudoconservative idealogues believe that President Obama will get this runaway spending that we have had during this decade under control just as had President Clinton gotten the runaway spending of the 1980's under control.

;);)

devi (imported) wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:50 am Since the whole world had an economic stake in the once almighty dollar they had gotten together and kept it from collapsing a few years ago. Otherwise we would have been in a major depression about a few years ago when the gdp (not the gnp) had had sunken and almost completely collapsed back then. This also had occured with us during 1986 (I believe) when the plaza accords propped up the dollar back then also. From out of the problems back then came the idea of having another major currency alongside the dollar. This is where the euro got its start. Since the national US debt had had more than doubled during both of these periods (1981-1987 and 2001-2007) in such a short period of time this had caused a very drastic reduction in the real value of the dollar. Most people outside of a core group of pseudoconservative idealogues believe that President Obama will get this runaway spending that we have had during this decade under control just as had President Clinton gotten the runaway spending of the 1980's under control.

;);)

WAIT!

I don't understand this. Bobover, Ramses, aren't the REPUBLICANS the

FISCAL CONSERVATIVES? (http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/gree ... icits.html)

:-\

...

devi (imported) wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:50 am This is where the euro got its start. Since the national US debt had had more than doubled during both of these periods (1981-1987 and 2001-2007) in such a short period of time this had caused a very drastic reduction in the real value of the dollar. Most people outside of a core group of pseudoconservative idealogues believe that President Obama will get this runaway spending that we have had during this decade under control just as had President Clinton gotten the runaway spending of the 1980's under control.

;);)

Funny, both times our deficits doubled, it was under republican presidents. I see a pattern. Huge tax cuts for the rich, paid for by borrowing money. It's insane.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth (imported) wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:12 am Funny, both times our deficits doubled, it was under republican presidents. I see a pattern. Huge tax cuts for the rich, paid for by borrowing money. It's insane.

Elizabeth

The facts don't seem to have any affect on some Republicans.