Are we about to hit rock bottom in the USA?

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migrant

noun
1. traveler who moves from one region or country to another
2. One that moves from one region to another by chance, instinct, or plan.
3. a person or animal that migrates.

â€"adjective
1. migrating, esp. of people; migratory.
2. from L. migrantem (nom. migrans), prp. of migrare "to move from one place to another" (see migration). The noun meaning "person who migrates" is first recorded 1670.

;)
 
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Originally posted by Dario

migrant

noun
1. traveler who moves from one region or country to another
2. One that moves from one region to another by chance, instinct, or plan.
3. a person or animal that migrates.

â€"adjective
1. migrating, esp. of people; migratory.
2. from L. migrantem (nom. migrans), prp. of migrare "to move from one place to another" (see migration). The noun meaning "person who migrates" is first recorded 1670.

;)
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So you like... fly south for the winter or what? [:p]:D
 
Originally posted by DocStram

Originally posted by gerryr

Originally posted by Dario

I am a migrant...
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I didn't know you keep moving around all the time.:D
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Geeezeee .... at first I thought he said he was a vagrant. ;)
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vagrant

noun
1. a person who wanders about idly and has no permanent home or employment; vagabond; tramp.
2. a person who wanders from place to place; wanderer; rover.
3. wandering idly without a permanent home

adjective
6. wandering or roaming from place to place; nomadic.
7. not fixed or settled,
 
Originally posted by Dario

I am a migrant...came from a place where police officers and military are shot on the streets while; working, on their way to work, with their family, etc. Where some people don't know where to get their next meal. Where some dig through trash looking for things to re-cycle and sell all their life. Where you see dead bodies in the news everyday. Where people sell a kidney to buy food. Where people live in a shack made of cartons or none at all, etc. One thing I know, they are like that not because of laziness but because they don't have a choice. The government failed them (mostly due to corruption).

I too chose to live here and I am blessed to have that opportunity to escape the insanity. I've posted before that most Americans don't know or appreciate how good they have it and probably cannot live the way 3rd world people does. That said, I don't want...no...I refuse to compare USA to any third world country because it doesn't have to be.

It is not whining when you compare how it is vs how it could be because we really can do much better.

As posted above...maybe we need this wake-up call.
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Thanks for sharing that Dario.

I recently went to a small, fairly poor (by American standards) city 45 minutes south of Eagle Pass, TX.

The people were very poor and live in very, very small cinderblock 10X10' huts with bamboo roofs.


But they did not act unhappy. Times were tough for them, but they have learned to adapt. Crime in this city was VERY LOW, not a place you felt uncomfortable to be at all (when you habla some espanol it helps too:)).


What worries me in America is that if we hit another Great Depression, how INSANE and STUPID our middle class will become when they suddenly become "lower class". I see how our middle class, baby boomer and Gen-Xers act when they don't get their way, and it AIN'T purdy! Now imagine 150 million of them all p/o'ed and acting like someone owes them a prosperous living.

Lack of money doesn't scare me, because I don't have any right now anyhow[:eek:)]. The Lord has taken good care of us the 7 years we have been married and the 8 years we've been followers of Christ. It's folks that have money (or excess credit card debt) right now and depend on it greedily to support their burgeoning beltline and loose living that scare me.
[B)]
 
My thinking is that in times of uncertainty, you can only count on yourself . . . your family . . . and maybe your friends. You certainly can't count on your government. Whether we like it or not, we live in a capitalist society. Businesses are in business to make a profit. That's how our country works . . . and, that's why I'm not a businessman. I'll take the helping profession any day. It's why I was put on Earth.

With that said, a capitalist should not be complaining about oil companies making huge profits. Nothing says that you should be in business to make a small or medium profit. If I don't like the price of gas .... I'll try to find ways to use less gas. If the price of food continues to climb . . . I'll plant a larger garden.

Just my two cents .... errrr make that twenty dollars. ;)
 
All of you are complaining, but you guys have not looked down. Us, the kids and teenagers, we have no choice in where this country goes and we'll be walking into the mess left by the citizens ahead of us.
 
Originally posted by DocStram

My thinking is that in times of uncertainty, you can only count on yourself . . . your family . . . and maybe your friends.
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Man if that was all I had, I'd be in such a world of hurt! I gave up on counting on myself a long time ago when I found out that I was basically unreliable and selfish (that's changed a little, but just a little). My family and friends, well, that's another story. I love them all, but you know how that goes. We've been able to live a good life by the grace of the God alone, and by "good life" I am not talking about material stuff, though He has kept food on the table. I just know that I can look to my dependable wife on those hard days and, just like Sonny, say, "I got you babe!"-- God's been good to me in many ways!
 
Originally posted by Aderhammer

All of you are complaining, but you guys have not looked down. Us, the kids and teenagers, we have no choice in where this country goes and we'll be walking into the mess left by the citizens ahead of us.
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Aderhammer, you are right. I once heard an old proverb I'm sure you're familiar with, considering your signature (and one of my favorite songs of all times).

It says "You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...yes

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...."


My dream was once to be a marine biologist. That dream changed over a two year period and now all I want to do is teach (in a church). That's something I can do regardless of what the economy is.

Economics can't take away your dream. If it could, neither Martin Luther, the old German Reformer, nor Martin Luther King Jr. could have succeeded in the way they did. They had some rough waters, but they also knew their Captain.
 
hmmmmm. I hadn't thought of that. You're probably onto something.


Speaking of the election year, I find it so astonishingly funny that the person who is in hot water over what his preacher said is a left-wing democrat, not a right-wing conservative republican. There is just some kind of bizarre, hilarious irony to that.
 
Originally posted by Aderhammer

All of you are complaining, but you guys have not looked down. Us, the kids and teenagers, we have no choice in where this country goes and we'll be walking into the mess left by the citizens ahead of us.
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Andrew,

I know it can sometimes feel that way, however, the younger generation has a lot it can do to influence the direction of the country.

1. Become "well" informed of the facts not just sound bites and drive-by commentaries.
2. Become "well" informed of our history on all fronts (economic, political, etc.)
3. Get involved. In the elections of 2008, the 18-30 year old vote will make the difference in many races.
4. Come together as a demographic group to effect changes. After all, the social programs that will support the Baby Boomer's will be supported by the younger generations, just as the Baby Boomer's supported their parents and grandparents.

Nothing substantial will happen unless you take ownership and educate yourselves so you can participate in an effective fashion. The current political process feeds on apathy and that has been an issue for far too many decades, where less than 50% of the voting population actually turns out and exercises their right to vote. It's a sad commentary when less than 25% of the registered voters actually elect the President.

As for understanding the issues; a case in point:

Are we really in a "housing crisis" as the politicians and media claim? No. We are in an economic correction.

Suppose the lending institutions were not writing bad paper making loans to people that normally would never have qualified for a car loan, let alone a mortgage. Where would the housing market "REALLY" have been?
1. Builders build to meet the artificially increased demand,
2. Home values increase unrealistically because of the artificially stimulated demand,
3. Then the bubble pops,
4. The bad loans (which should never exist in the first place) cannot be paid,
5. Home sales stall then decline,
6. Home values "readjust to more realistic values"
7. And the housing market "CORRECTS" itself to where it should have been in the first place, had CONGRESS and the financial institutions acted properly.

The "housing crisis" is as artificial as the demand created by unethical financial institutions. If we had double digit unemployment, double digit interest rates (not talking credit cards rates here) and inflation was out of control, all of which stopped a "normal" housing market, then that would be a crisis. We do not have a crisis.

Sure, people with minimal income, two new cars, credit card debt and now a new home, are in a "crisis" of their own making because they bought into the sales pitches and a "gotta have it now" mind set. People that were living within their means are not losing their homes or are still in the apartments/rental homes they have been in for years.

It's all about becoming adequately informed and involved. It's your choice.

Dave
 
Originally posted by Aderhammer

All of you are complaining, but you guys have not looked down. Us, the kids and teenagers, we have no choice in where this country goes and we'll be walking into the mess left by the citizens ahead of us.
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I remember thinking just about the same thing when I was a couple of years older than you, the year was 1968.
Bob
 
I remember thinking just about the same thing when I was a couple of years older than you, the year was 1968.
Bob
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And did you trust any one over the age of thirty? ;)
 
Originally posted by Grizz

I remember thinking just about the same thing when I was a couple of years older than you, the year was 1968.
Bob
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And did you trust any one over the age of thirty? ;)
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There was a couple of teachers over 30 that I was sure glad they were not running everything and a few under 30 I hoped would not ever run anything, other than that I didn't think much about it. Same old stuff with the news people, we are going into an new ice age, better build a bomb shelter, there won't be any SS when you retire, bread, eggs and gas prices going up. Life goes on one way or another.
Bob
 
I agree with Superdave. The housing thing is all about people getting into houses they could not afford. People lending money for houses believing that the home value would continue to climb, if a default happened. This whole eythenol thing will drive food prices higher and higher as the price of corn goes through the roof. With the major media outlets pining for a democrat in the Whitehouse, you can bet we will hear about "how bad is" until after the election.

Anyone remember the early "80's"? I do and we ain't there (yet).

Just my 2 cents.

Steve
 
Originally posted by Jim in Oakville

Originally posted by DocStram

Just my opinion . . . but, I always think our country's "Rock Bottom" was when the British burned Washington.
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They were Canadians....watch out, we have GPS and can do it again![:eek:)]

Gas here today is $1.20/Litre
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Eh, I'm not worried about a bunch of Mounties galloping toward Washington[}:)]--- we've all seen Dudley Do-Right, not much to be afraid of there.:D
 
Originally posted by redfishsc

Originally posted by Jim in Oakville

Originally posted by DocStram

Just my opinion . . . but, I always think our country's "Rock Bottom" was when the British burned Washington.
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They were Canadians....watch out, we have GPS and can do it again![:eek:)]

Gas here today is $1.20/Litre
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Eh, I'm not worried about a bunch of Mounties galloping toward Washington[}:)]--- we've all seen Dudley Do-Right, not much to be afraid of there.:D
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Forget the Mounties, if you want to put fear into some one try a team of beer drinkin, stick swingin hockey players ..... It's playoffs for Stanley, we'll start a riot anywhere for a Post game celebration!![:eek:)]
 
Originally posted by Jim in Oakville


Forget the Mounties, if you want to put fear into some one try a team of beer drinkin, stick swingin hockey players ..... It's playoffs for Stanley, we'll start a riot anywhere for a Post game celebration!![:eek:)]
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About 10 minutes from my house is a bunch of rednecks called the Hurricanes that show you Canadians a thing or two about going to a fight and playing a lil' hockey to boot. ;)

And we ain't afeard of anyone named Stanley, neether!
 
Gas here today is $1.20/Litre
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Maybe we should switch to the metric system. All we have to do is cross out "Gallon" and put in "Litre" and the price drops by 2/3. See, metrics aint so bad. I think that comes with free health care too. :D
 
Originally posted by thetalbott4

See, metrics aint so bad.
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IMHO, metric system is far SUPERIOR.

It does involve some re-education and swallowing of pride that OUR current system is not the greatest to switch. ;)

We did a semi-study for the Navy and the hardest hit if we switch will be mechanical systems. Imagine all the pipes, bolts, nuts, threads, gears, etc. that will be impacted.

New ones are no problem...stocking enough so you can maintain older systems later (if they need to be repaired) is the problem (and the PRIDE). LOL
 
Because of the amount of physics and biology I took at a community college, I'm quite happy with metrics.

I also worked at a cabinet shop that use only metrics.

Metrics are so much more user friendly than American silliness.
 
Originally posted by redfishsc

Originally posted by Jim in Oakville


Forget the Mounties, if you want to put fear into some one try a team of beer drinkin, stick swingin hockey players ..... It's playoffs for Stanley, we'll start a riot anywhere for a Post game celebration!![:eek:)]
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About 10 minutes from my house is a bunch of rednecks called the Hurricanes that show you Canadians a thing or two about going to a fight and playing a lil' hockey to boot. ;)

And we ain't afeard of anyone named Stanley, neether!
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And half of that team is made up of Canadians...BEWARE, we are every where!!!

[}:)]
 
Originally posted by Dario

Originally posted by thetalbott4

See, metrics aint so bad.
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IMHO, metric system is far SUPERIOR.

It does involve some re-education and swallowing of pride that OUR current system is not the greatest to switch. ;)

We did a semi-study for the Navy and the hardest hit if we switch will be mechanical systems. Imagine all the pipes, bolts, nuts, threads, gears, etc. that will be impacted.

New ones are no problem...stocking enough so you can maintain older systems later (if they need to be repaired) is the problem (and the PRIDE). LOL
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Hey Dario,

I don't know if it's superior but I find it simple and common sense. I am 49, in Canada we went metric in 1970, just when I started High School. I can still remember memorizing the conversion factors from standard to metric, I can recite them today easily. I feel comfortable in either, but volumes like quarts and cups have become foggy for me.

My daughter who is in grade 6 has no idea what a mile is, a quart, a pound or even what an inch is....she's 100% metric and I find it interesting to listen to her describe elements using metric terms.

I will also prefice that I was on the path to a PhD in science (geology) when cancer changed my life..... all my lab and field work was in metric... I do have both elements in my work shop I admit, and, I still convert my fuel consumption into miles per gallon (Imperial)...some things are hard to convert and still hold meaning.

One interesting fact that always makes me smile, when on a golf course here, they still use yards for measurement...and once my daughter asked is a yard as wide as our propery as that is a "Yard"....LOL, don't you just love diversity...;)

I think converting the US to metric would work at a base level, but like most of America the "pride" in standard measure would be a sticking point for many and the resistance could be overwhelming on an emotional level...

My dad bought a Toyota Corona in 1969, it was a huge curiosity in our neighbourhood. He had one of the first Japanese cars in our village. It was metric in every aspect, but it was not the first car he had owned that was like this, we previously had owned a 1959 Peugeot. In Quebec cars from France and other European countries were a common site, less so in any other provinces and even less so in the US. I know growing up in Quebec gave me a more European "feel" towards adjustment to going metric, it had been intiated since the post war years there when trade between Quebec and a recovering Europe was growing faster than anywhere else in North America...it was cheaper for many to buy European then than from the US. Somethings continue to cycle eh!:D
 
To cost of born and living in Hawaii:
median single-family home resale price to $628,000
if you rent average $1600mon not utilities included

gas $3.98 as of 5/2
diesel 4.68
rice 20lb bag 8.99 everday staple
milk 1/2gal 3.69
carrots 1.09 ea
romaine lettuce 1.9lb
chicken breast 1.99 lb
all shipped from the the lower 48

closed down 1 interisland airline "Aloha Air"
to fly to Honolulu round trip avg $120.00, you just can imagine if a school team has made it to the state finals, thats not including car, hotel, but usually kids sleep in the opposing schools gym. Ladt weekend kids went to the JROTC competition, kids slept in the field in tents, shower in the park.

But, That's the trade-off living in paradise.:D
 
My wife, an RN, picked up a new Honda Metropolitan scooter this morning. The local price of unleaded is about $3.75/gal. Even though the hospital where she works is only 3 miles from home, the scooters' 100mpg will mean she'll have to fill up about once a month. Gas prices have impacted the 2 of us a little bit, but our kids are still driving around as if gas was as cheap as water. They just can't get it through their heads that the reason they don't have enough money at the month is because they're spending it all on gas!

I teach 'em everything I know and they still don't know nuttin' !:(
 
Originally posted by jcollazo

My wife, an RN, picked up a new Honda Metropolitan scooter this morning. The local price of unleaded is about $3.75/gal. Even though the hospital where she works is only 3 miles from home, the scooters' 100mpg will mean she'll have to fill up about once a month. Gas prices have impacted the 2 of us a little bit, but our kids are still driving around as if gas was as cheap as water. They just can't get it through their heads that the reason they don't have enough money at the month is because they're spending it all on gas!

I teach 'em everything I know and they still don't know nuttin' !:(
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Mine can't get it through her head either. That might be because my wife hands over the cash like it's growing out back though. Hmm, wonder what would happen if I cut them both off.
 
Originally posted by panini

To cost of born and living in Hawaii:
median single-family home resale price to $628,000
if you rent average $1600mon not utilities included

gas $3.98 as of 5/2
diesel 4.68
rice 20lb bag 8.99 everday staple
milk 1/2gal 3.69
carrots 1.09 ea
romaine lettuce 1.9lb
chicken breast 1.99 lb
all shipped from the the lower 48

closed down 1 interisland airline "Aloha Air"
to fly to Honolulu round trip avg $120.00, you just can imagine if a school team has made it to the state finals, thats not including car, hotel, but usually kids sleep in the opposing schools gym. Ladt weekend kids went to the JROTC competition, kids slept in the field in tents, shower in the park.

But, That's the trade-off living in paradise.:D
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Heck those prices are better than the local prices in WV for everything but the gas, and that's only .20 worse. 25lb bag of rice is $20 and increasing here. My wife is from Manila, so she will never allow us to run out. MAybe we should move to Hawaii.
 
Originally posted by cowchaser

Originally posted by jcollazo

My wife, an RN, picked up a new Honda Metropolitan scooter this morning. The local price of unleaded is about $3.75/gal. Even though the hospital where she works is only 3 miles from home, the scooters' 100mpg will mean she'll have to fill up about once a month. Gas prices have impacted the 2 of us a little bit, but our kids are still driving around as if gas was as cheap as water. They just can't get it through their heads that the reason they don't have enough money at the month is because they're spending it all on gas!

I teach 'em everything I know and they still don't know nuttin' !:(
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Mine can't get it through her head either. That might be because my wife hands over the cash like it's growing out back though. Hmm, wonder what would happen if I cut them both off.
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Dustin, how comfy is your couch again?
 
Originally posted by rherrell

Doc, I thought you might have said it was when the North won.:D Or is that just a myth?;)
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The North won, Oh My God what will happen to us now
Fortunately Tennessee has one of the lower cost of living indexes in the U.S. My house is paid for, and I only owe around 2 grand on my daughters car, I'll get my first Social Insecurity check next month, and I already have a pension although it was severely raped by the
previous bouts of Wall Street bunglers, thieves and fund Molesters.
During the 70s gas shortage, I've seen tankers being loaded with oil in San Pedro then seen the same ships parked on the lee side of Anacappa Island, then brought back after a week or so off shore and sold as Imported oil which was bringing higher prices than domestic crude. So much for that shortage!!
I remember the 400 held hostage in Iran, and the President that virtually did nothing other than allow interest rates to climb to 18%.
What scares me about this time, our Dollar has fallen so drastically against the Metals market.
Yes I've seen gold at 850.00 per OZ and silver at 40.00 but only for a few hours, and oddly enough that too was a staged event, all for profit.
Don't get me wrong, I ain't a commie, I love our capitalistic ways, Just in case any body has been listening to the ambiguous rhetoric of the current crop of Presidential candidates you have to realize WE ARE IN TROUBLE...
As long as their is profit involved any thing goes, it's like the previous incursions on our way of life, the shortages of oil the collapse of the savings and loans, the bail out of a poorly ran auto manufacturer, the manipulation of the precious metals market, the crashing of the mutual funds markets all this stuff is all coming together in a giant Tsunami and it's going to drastically change the way we live.
The scary thing for me is I have a son a daughter and a grand son, I realize that there are places in Europe that pay around nine dollars a gallon for fuel, I realize that we still have a very pleasant life style compared to many parts of the world, But My family and I don't live there!!! we live in what used to be the epitome of places to live, with the second highest standard of living in the world, the only country that had a higher standard was Switzerland, I think it still holds that position.
It's still not bad here but give it some time, given that all these inner city folks have all these knives and forks with nothing to cut they are going to have to feed their habits and families some how.
I really don't care about the D.O.L. unemployment report, I live in a county of about 25,000 there have been over 3500 jobs lost in the past year with more layoffs in sight.
Things are so bad here I'm considering building a closer to stock engine for my Volkswagen, It cost me nearly 30 dollars to fill it up last night.
Of course now with out dumb things like a job and getting to work, a tank should last me at least a week or better since I can walk the 50 feet to my shop.
Nice part is at my age maybe I'll start forgetting things, (quicker)

:(:(:(:(:(
 
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