Recession? (good)

[Barkingowl]

It'll be interesting to see what happens to the banks when the people who first defaulted on their mortgages start defaulting on their credit cards.

[Rance]

Originally Posted by Dan Beorn

Just because something hasn't happened before during your lifetime doesn't mean its not going to happen. Read the news.

Yeah...like I'm gonna believe anything the news has to say. Thats half the problem these days. Media.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Rance

Yeah...like I'm gonna believe anything the news has to say. Thats half the problem these days. Media.

That's for sure. God my sinuses are killing me...

[Dan Beorn]

What are you basing your optimism on then? I've watched the media actually try to explain away what's been happening. Out came the "experts" who said that oil would never hit $100 a barrel... which it did. Out came the "experts" who said that we're not going to see a rise in unemployment... we have. Out came the experts who said that the Sub-Prime mortgage mess wouldn't spill out into the rest of the mortgage industry... it has. Slowly but surely more and more people are having to admit there's something more going on here than just business as usual. I just think its smarter to be prepared when the proverbial poo hits the fan.

[Rance]

I don't know. Maybe growing up dirt poor, heating with wood, growing half our food in a garden and fishing and hunting for the other half, hauling water, wearing handme downs, etc...you see...I've been poor. And I made it just fine. And I would and could do it all over again. I built my own house out of pocket...so the folks that dove in way over their head for a 500K house and no real decent way to pay for it...does not bother me. I value life...not material things that go with it. I've had to work lowpaying jobs. You just have to adjust your living style to suit your income. I don't sweat the small stuff...and to me...it's all small stuff.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by Dan Beorn

What are you basing your optimism on then? I've watched the media actually try to explain away what's been happening. Out came the "experts" who said that oil would never hit $100 a barrel... which it did. Out came the "experts" who said that we're not going to see a rise in unemployment... we have. Out came the experts who said that the Sub-Prime mortgage mess wouldn't spill out into the rest of the mortgage industry... it has. Slowly but surely more and more people are having to admit there's something more going on here than just business as usual. I just think its smarter to be prepared when the proverbial poo hits the fan.

Yesterday it was Doom & Gloom and today it's Mr. & Mrs. Proverbial Poo. I'm collecting a great circle of friends lately. Maybe we'll start serving chinese tea soon, promptly at 4 pm.

[Rance]

We're all gonna die! Someday. So why not just enjoy life while we can? Why get caught up in the turmoil brought on by others that have nothing better to do than wail and gnash their teeth at everything. I'm more concerned with whats for dinner than which stocks are loosing money.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by vpcats

Yesterday it was Doom & Gloom and today it's Mr. & Mrs. Proverbial Poo. I'm collecting a great circle of friends lately. Maybe we'll start serving chinese tea soon, promptly at 4 pm.

Will there be scones?

[Dan Beorn]

Rance, I totally appreciate what you're saying. I was raised on a cattle-ranch in Arkansas (Amity-pop. 759). I too lived most of my life heated by a wood-stove, grew my own veggies, helped build my parents' cabin with my bare hands. I believe that when the stuff does hit the fan, its gonna be people who have those backwoods skills that are gonna make it through. But I've gotta get out of this hell-hole first (Vegas). Worst mistake I ever made.

[vpcats]

Unfortunately, I still have a mortgage and I'm seeing (and trying not to) my retirement funds just waving bye-bye lately and I don't have all the time in the world anymore to wait for the market to climb again. At some point I'm just going to have to put a freeze on whatever there is left and cry a lot for having lost so much.

I'm a city girl. Don't know anything about surviving unless it's in the middle of Manhattan! :-)))

Glad my son was a boyscout.