WHAT'S THAT "THE GIANT SUCKING SOUND"?

We provide flowers for DIY weddings.  Most orders are 6 months to a year ahead of time.  When times are good, brides go with us to get fancy flowers cheap.  When times are bad, they go with us to save some bucks.  We have been around for 35 years, Ive seen the cycles.

Based on our current projections I suggest stocking up on canned food, ammunition and diesel generators.  I'm not sure which Kevin Costner movie this is going to be (waterworld or the postman) but it looks ugly. 

......to combat the economy, I will live in my man-van, commute to work with my scooter, catch fish with my kayak for food (spear fish as a back-up plan ). Keep a steady supply of spam when the weather won't let me fish or dive...... and then keep telling myself that things are worse in other third world countries 

One thing I learned growing up in a Third World country is to make due with what you have and appreciate the little things in life 

make due with what you have and appreciate the little things in life 

Very wise words Mooch.  Too many Americans have become become both hedonistic and materialistic and could learn a thing or two from inhabitants of 3rd world countries, myself included.

Michael

Heck, on any given weekend there's a party of NCKA'ers to meet up with.  Living in a van isn't a bad idea, really, for us bachelors..

Great words of wisdom Mooch!!

We had  a Sr. Financial Advisor from Merrill Lynch in the office yesterday to talk with my staff about their 401K's.

The consensus from Merrill's top guys and gals is that we have not hit rock bottom yet, but we're close. Once we hit, we will bounch along the  bottom for anywhere from 3-9 months as economic recovery plans get implemented and tweaked . This will likely occur through 2009, and their expectation is that we will see recovery start in 2010.

The two strongest industries that will produce the most job growth will be Bio Tech and Alternative Energy, so all our NCKA folks needing jobs should focus on those 2 industries.

Again, this is their opinion, I'm just sharing what I heard.


So how can we tell the difference between a recession and a depression?

A good rule of thumb for determining the difference between a recession and a depression is to look at the changes in GNP. A depression is any economic downturn where real GDP declines by more than 10 percent. A recession is an economic downturn that is less severe.

Hang in there.. We have our health, family, friends, yaks....

Rich

One thing I learned growing up in a Third World country is to make due with what you have and appreciate the little things in life 

True wisdom Joel!  What your really espousing is "contentment".

Problem is that that won't help an economy that is 2/3rds dependent on consumption--driven by discontent.  If you could bottle your attitude, label it contentment and put it in the water supply, none of the adds would work anymore, people would be satisfied with what they had, and the economy would tank.

I'm with allen...gear up for a couple of years at best.  Remember japan?  Remember how they tried to bail out there banks? hmmmm....sound similar?  That lasted a decade.  One saving grace might be some large government sponsored infrastructure projects

My wife's father is a psychiatrist in Japan who apparently got a LOT of new patients from that economic downfall.  In tough times his business was thriving, sadly.  My wife and I have been discussing the similarities of our current situation with the crisis that hit Japan, and we're both getting nervous.    That said, as house prices continue falling I keep catching her surfing the online real estate listings more and more...I know she wants a bigger house (and I'd kill for a garage) but I think the wise choice is to wait until the ride smooths out a bit.  It'll be interesting to hear what her dad has to say about the situation when we visit Japan in December (assuming I can understand his valiant attempt at English, which is always a challenge).

... someday those GM SUVs will become valuable collectors items.

Maybe they will become the new temporary disaster shelters instead of the noxious fume laden trailers like they used in N' leans. . . TIC

The Great City of Sacramento is threatening to lay off a 100 plus Firefighters and the same in Cops,

Ya might want to pass this place like you just cross the Boarder of Mexico and keep going till it gets a little safer...

 Sobering Topic and sounds like we sould all prepare for a long couple of years....

 Throw in a few natural Disaters and a Terroist attack
            and ya better get the High ground with Superior Fire Power   

 

... someday those GM SUVs will become valuable collectors items.


Maybe they will become the new temporary disaster shelters

  All set for Armageddon

Yeah, we're pretty much ensured a decent amount of protein.    I've also got a large garden and winter is the most productive time for lettuce, greens and peas - water is mostly free until May.  That'll keep the scurvy at bay. 

I came from pretty humble beginnings too, my wife at least had plumbing in the Philippines while I had a sub-zero outhouse, and frankly I've been more or less equally happy through everything.  We adjust to our environment and make our own happiness. 

That sucking sound is my wallet at the bait shop!!!
If you don't live close enough to pump your own shrimp or get your own live minnows it can get pricy.

Oh that sucking sound? oh nothing,... just the sound of some beaurocrat getting a bl@w-job from that lobbiest who just sent your job overseas.

I'm with allen...gear up for a couple of years at best.  Remember japan?  Remember how they tried to bail out there banks? hmmmm....sound similar?  That lasted a decade.  One saving grace might be some large government sponsored infrastructure projects

My wife's father is a psychiatrist in Japan who apparently got a LOT of new patients from that economic downfall.  In tough times his business was thriving, sadly.  My wife and I have been discussing the similarities of our current situation with the crisis that hit Japan, and we're both getting nervous.    That said, as house prices continue falling I keep catching her surfing the online real estate listings more and more...I know she wants a bigger house (and I'd kill for a garage) but I think the wise choice is to wait until the ride smooths out a bit.  It'll be interesting to hear what her dad has to say about the situation when we visit Japan in December (assuming I can understand his valiant attempt at English, which is always a challenge).

The similiarities are scaryto me too...free money, gov't bailout by injecting capital to FI markets...it goes on...
We've even pre-announced which we never do. I think a lot of high tech companies have been reaping benefits of the FX rates, and emerging country growth for a while now and are just starting to see the hit. Likely though those same industries and markets will recover more quickly than some others (auto for example)

My wife's father is a psychiatrist in Japan who apparently got a LOT of new patients from that economic downfall.

Usagi, 
Is your father-in-law in the private or public healthcare sector? 

Maybe he sees more patients if he's in the public sector.  I think Japan has some kind of universal healthcare system:

"National Health Insurance covers workers in agriculture, forestry, or fisheries, those that are self-employed, and those not employed (including expectant mothers, students, retirees, etc)."

People keep saying to me that an economic down turn must be great for business since everyone gets depressed.  It's not.  I have to remind them that in order for them to see me, either they or their spouse usually needs to have a job.

Usagi, 
Is your father-in-law in the private or public healthcare sector? 

Maybe he sees more patients if he's in the public sector.  I think Japan has some kind of universal healthcare system:

"National Health Insurance covers workers in agriculture, forestry, or fisheries, those that are self-employed, and those not employed (including expectant mothers, students, retirees, etc)."

People keep saying to me that an economic down turn must be great for business since everyone gets depressed.  It's not.  I have to remind them that in order for them to see me, either they or their spouse usually needs to have a job.

He has his own practice, but I'm not sure if that started before or after Japan's economic crisis.  I know my wife told me he had a lot of patients that were seeing him because their businesses had failed, et cetera (based on what little he told her...obviously he never went into detail).  But he is in private practice now...I know this because he sent us a brochure and photos of his new clinic when he moved last year.

I see your point though...without $$ or insurance it's probably difficult to find counseling.  Makes me feel for all the people who don't qualify...if they can't pay their mortgage, they probably won't be paying you.