The xXx Gloom & Doom Report

[old fashioned]

Ooops...sorry, I assumed anyone posting to this thread had to be a worry-wart!

don't be sorry, you're right I am...I'm also a smartazz! (I was laughin in that earlier post too)

 

[i_am2bz]

don't be sorry, you're right I am...I'm also a smartazz! (I was laughin in that earlier post too)

Kinda thought so, but you never know!

Worry Warts Unite!!!

 

[old fashioned]

Now if only I could get someone else to 'worry' about my laundry I'd be forever grateful.

In all seriousness......it seems like I may have posted something like this before, maybe on another thread or maybe I only thought I did... http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2011/10/11/8270483-holy-peter-pan-peanut-butter-prices-are-going-up

 

[THEFAN]

We have seen an increase in out of state people trying to find work here. A ton more than usual. Hopefully the cold weather will scare them away. I do see this as a sign of the times. Just because we have a ton of lot of 1%ers doesn't mean we have a ton of work for the rest of the country. ARGH!!! Glad I have my client base. phew!!

 

[k0xxx]

Seems like there was an "argument" on the forum a few months back about this...how the CPI doesn't include food & energy anymore (and this make sense why....?? ) I don't know if you mentioned it on this thread or not, but I thought it was good to remind everyone that things may even be worse than we worry-warts think.

Food and energy were removed from the equations supposedly due to the fact that the prices of these items are so volatile and can skew the result. It may indeed skew the results, but it definitely "screws" those on fixed incomes.

 

[i_am2bz]

Seems like there was an "argument" on the forum a few months back about this...how the CPI doesn't include food & energy anymore (and this make sense why....?? ) I don't know if you mentioned it on this thread or not, but I thought it was good to remind everyone that things may even be worse than we worry-warts think.

Food and energy were removed from the equations supposedly due to the fact that the prices of these items are so volatile and can skew the result. It may indeed skew the results, but it definitely "screws" those on fixed incomes.

Yes, that is the explanation given, but being that food & energy are such huge parts of a family's budget (for most people), leaving them out of the CPI will skew the results as well...I mean, to the point that the number is meaningless, no?

 

[k0xxx]

Yes, that is the explanation given, but being that food & energy are such huge parts of a family's budget (for most people), leaving them out of the CPI will skew the results as well...I mean, to the point that the number is meaningless, no?

Exactly. The number is meaningless for the average family. It's just something that politicians can point to and say, "Look, I've kept inflation under x %. Vote for me again and I will continue to work for you." They don't mention that over the last three years that food prices have risen by 35 - 60% and fuel prices have risen 100%. It's all a smoke and mirrors game to them. They don't feel it when, as members of congress, they have a salary of $174,000 (a little higher for House and Senate leaders). There is a cheap but excellent federal health care plan and life insurance. Plus free outpatient care from military hospitals. There is an inflation-adjusted pension plan that's almost three times as generous as the typical private sector pension, and there's a special thrift-savings accounts, a kind of 401(k) plan, that comes a one-to-one match up to 5% of a member's salary.

There are plenty of other perks that us, as lowly citizens, would never dream of receiving. A prime example of their arrogance is Insider Trading. Insider Trading is illegal for everyone except stock traders on the exchange floor (as long as they are not trading for their own personal benefit), and for members of congress.

 

[i_am2bz]

Does anyone else here feel the "doom & gloom" is not just economic but social/societal? If just unemployment & inflation were high, well, it may take a while but eventually the economy will straighten itself out, just like it has after every other economic disaster. But society in general just seems to be spiraling out of control, if the news can be believed. Case in point locally from a year or two ago: a mother "sells" her 5 year old daughter as a prostitute; the guy who "buys" her ends up murdering her. The local radio crew were talking this morning about a gang that beat up a disabled woman waiting at a bus stop. Etc, etc. etc. I'm sure every community has their own disgusting stories. People talk about getting to know their neighbors in order for the community to "come together"; sorry, I want nothing to do with the wife-beating meth-heads next door. Are things as bad as I think, or is it a case of the 24/7 news cycle just bringing these things to light? Someone cheer me up, please. :/

 

[moolie]

I think it is the prevalent culture, and that includes the media, of the US at the moment.

We don't have your notion of impending doom here in Canada, nor do I see it in other places in the world (we have friends and family in the UK, Sweden, Poland, Australia, New Zealand). But we have great financial stability, except that our dollar is somewhat tied to yours on the global stage.

Here in Canada, or at least in the circles in which my family/friends run, we pretty much think that your terrorists have won--you're all terrified of the unknown, 24/7.

The sky isn't actually falling, life isn't so bad.

And, don't get me wrong. I've been poor most of my life, hubs was out of work for half of 2010, and we've had our share of hard times. I know what it is to work hard and wonder why I'm not getting ahead. But that said, I've always trusted in my faith and everything has always worked out just fine--even when it felt like I was on the edge of losing everything. I always try to remember that I've got it far far better than the majority of the world's population and that it is up to me to remain positive rather than worry or complain. I LIVE my life each day, rather than worrying too much about tomorrow and teach my kids to do the same.

 

[TanksHill]

I think its both. There is so much more pressure on people these days as well as the prevalence of drugs. We had 8 people killed in a nail salon in my home town yesterday, about 2 hours north of me. The man was very angry at his wife, employee at the store. It saddens me that people are being driven to this point.

I also believe the Main Stream Media is praying on these things in order to boost ratings. I just wish they could focus on the cause not the result.