Economy

[Getsideways]

I just wanted to gather opinions on where you all feel the economy is now compared to a year ago ,, what your seeing at your local buisinesses ?
My personal buisiness just saw a record month in the 32 years its been in operation , partialy due to picking up more accounts when things were really slow last couple of years and now with everthing seemingly making a comeback im sure that has a lot to do with it..

what are your thoughts?

[mrslysly]

I just wanted to gather opinions on where you all feel the economy is now compared to a year ago ,, what your seeing at your local buisinesses ?
My personal buisiness just saw a record month in the 32 years its been in operation , partialy due to picking up more accounts when things were really slow last couple of years and now with everthing seemingly making a comeback im sure that has a lot to do with it..

what are your thoughts?

32??

[Getsideways]

Yes 32 my father started it in california

[highline_motorsports]

I honestly agree with you 100%, I havent been in my business nearly as long as yours but my tax's show about triple the amount I made in the previous years. Im excited to see what this year brings.

[devlish]

last year was "ok", we had a very strong 4th qtr which really helped. this year is starting out much worse than last year did. not sure why. doing a little more advertising, offering more products, just a slow start to the year. i'm optimistic though that it will turn around. that, or i'll have to sell something to put some operating money in the bank!

[EVILUTION]

Well.... the insurance industry still hasn't come back from the down turn.

There are less dealerships insuring less cars. There are fewer new cars being sold which in turn means lower insurance rates or lower limits on older vehicles.

There are less trucks on the road thus less fleet business. People that have lost their jobs have stopped paying for insurance. People that used to pay a premium for Sentry have talked to the lizard or moved to more competitive companies. Companies have fewer employees with means less life/health/investment business.

Sentry fired over 200 people and hasn't hired any back. I've had to ramp up my pace during the day to get more done in the same amount of time. I have less time to check and document my work. As a whole we simply don't have resources to research and plan new projects without letting something else slide. On top of it all the company froze salaries as well.

On the other hand.... I have seen my 401k rebound. My first 10 years of investments were 100% invested in PRIMECAP. This fund was kicking ass for me until the economy took shit. It dove down to mid 30's but has since recovered and is back in the 60's.
http://i40.tinypic.com/5f0p3p.jpg

I'm afraid that this give everything away for fee president is going to severely fuck us over.

[benben84]

I hear you Evil, Renaissance Learning put a hiring freeze on during the downturn and raises were not given. We did receive good bonuses though which was a plus. They've done a lot of "weeding out" of unnecessary positions and slackers. In all, we are doing well but tight money management is still in affect until everyone is turned around from this. Schools are feeling it the worst as there is much less state funds so in turn our sales have dropped a bit. I still feel secure though.

I've been looking at moving out to San Jose area for awhile now and have been researching real estate there. It seems like it might be a very good time to invest in a house there right now being that prices are at their low. I might take advantage of that...

[Dizmm]

bidness has been great here. The only time we saw a slump was when they ripped up the road last summer making it very hard to get to us.

Our new sales did go down a bit but our service side more than tripled.

[Deadly_Evolution]

Being in the manufacturing line of work (which was one of the hardest hit of all fields) things are starting to come back up slowly. I'm back to working 40 hour weeks since OCT of 09, and actually working 46 hr weeks for the past 2 months. The company as a whole is still down overall compared to 2 years ago, but up from a year ago this time.

[Ten2doyle102]

I currently work in the manufacturing side of things, designing conveyor systems and machines for product transportation. Things here have definitely been going in the opposite direction that most of hear on the news. We've been absolutely swamped.. So much so that we almost can't keep up with the number of jobs coming in. A couple weeks ago we were forced to put in 60 hours a week, manditory. That check was nice... but not worth it. Supposedly one of our biggest customers has about another $2,000,000 in sales for us coming up before the end of June....not to mention all of the other jobs we have as well.

[VPT]

Don't get to comfy people, the worst is yet to come.

[Dizmm]

Don't get to comfy people, the worst is yet to come.

you've been saying that for years. Keep telling youself that and use that as your excuse.

[Pointdsm]

VPT is not far from the truth.

[Dizmm]

VPT is not far from the truth.

you guys keep thinking that.

[EVILUTION]

I think the downturn increased the distance between middle class and poverty level. There is a much larger gap between the have's and the have not's.

Lower income workers were hit significantly harder than those in the upper middle class. If you look at unemployment rates .... the bracket that earns $60K or more has a much lower unemployment rate than those under that. This continues up the food chain, people making $100k+ were barely impacted.

[VPT]

you've been saying that for years. Keep telling youself that and use that as your excuse.



Yes I have and every year has been worse. People that lost their job still don't have jobs. It will get worse and continue to get worse for at least the next 5 years and probably more.

Just wait till the next war starts, it won't be long now, america will be cut off and pretty much fucked. Than at that time people will very quickly learn how helpless we are and how incredibly much we are dependent on foreign country's. It will be an incredibly bad time, most likely much worse than the great depression. This is not bull shit or hot air, this is cold hard fact!

[benben84]

Yes I have and every year has been worse. People that lost their job still don't have jobs. It will get worse and continue to get worse for at least the next 5 years and probably more.

Just wait till the next war starts, it won't be long now, america will be cut off and pretty much fucked. Than at that time people will very quickly learn how helpless we are and how incredibly much we are dependent on foreign country's. It will be an incredibly bad time, most likely much worse than the great depression. This is not bull shit or hot air, this is cold hard fact!

Matthew 24:7-14. Yes fact. Sounds just like the news today doesn't it?

[Pointdsm]

Rarely do I agree with VPT on matters like this, but i DO agree with him. The way our "mother-fucking piece of shit socialist loving cock pleasing" president is leading our country, it will not be long soon. I just hope that the next realm will be fiscal conservatives, not republicans.

[Pointdsm]

BTW, VPT, you wanna go shooting this summer? I just got a new gun that I love.

[TomKat]

BTW, VPT, you wanna go shooting this summer? I just got a new gun that I love.

Better do that before they get taken away. The govt. will need the money from the scrap iron to pay for all these social programs they've voted for that they can't afford.

[Pointdsm]

I bought the gun now, instead of later for that very reason.

[VPT]

Sure I have a few guns to shoot. My favorite is my shot gun though for some reason.

Actually I need to sight in a couple of .22's. One I did some welding and lathe work on that I am excited to try out and the other I just acquired.

[Dizmm]

Yes I have and every year has been worse. People that lost their job still don't have jobs. It will get worse and continue to get worse for at least the next 5 years and probably more.

Just wait till the next war starts, it won't be long now, america will be cut off and pretty much fucked. Than at that time people will very quickly learn how helpless we are and how incredibly much we are dependent on foreign country's. It will be an incredibly bad time, most likely much worse than the great depression. This is not bull shit or hot air, this is cold hard fact!

well shit let’s just give up now then. I mean what’s the point right?

I don’t disagree the economy is getting tougher, but that weeds out the weak. Those are the ones that are losing their jobs and complaining about the economy. All it takes is a bit of knowledge and effort. Make yourself valuable to your employer and you have nothing to worry about.

On a side note, my paycheck just grew another $200/month. Huh, stupid economy!

[BLAQK]

my checks have increased as well Andy.

dont even talk about the unemployment rates, every unemployed person sucking every penny out of whatever they can isn't putting forth a very good effort in my opinion. You should see the dumbasses come into my place of employment "looking for applications". torn jeans, nascar shirt and a fucking baseball cap. We have a now hiring sign on the door and i just tell them they shouldnt even bother to apply looking like that. Most of them are just looking so they can recieve their check every week. they're the bloodsuckers. It is NOT hard to find a job these days, it is hard to find a job you may like, but that doesnt negate the fact that places are still hiring on a daily basis.

The other company I work for, just finished their IPO and went public this morning, I watched it on cnbc, hiring people every day. btw, it's in the insurance/financial industry.

[Dizmm]

^well said

You get the hobo's asking for a job up there too???

[matt]

We get em all the time too. If youre wearing ratty clothes and walk up to someone wearing a shirt and tie and ask for a job, what do you think the response will be?


Can't speak for everyone else, but the TV and Appliance business is up... at least for us. People still want to spend money, now they just have to work harder to do it. The downturn we experienced isnt necessarilly all negative.

[devlish]

the best part of america and unemployment... you don't have to accept a job offer either if it pays less than your last job. get this, you do not even have to even apply for a job if it is paying less than your last job, within reason... that is why people are on the system as long as they can be, and finally take a job at that last week before unemployment runs out. which i think is rediculous. I can agree to a point if you were making $18/hr in a foundry you shouldn't have to accept a $9/hr job at McDs etc, but if you get offered $14/hr ... i think you should have to take it.

also, i really think that umeployment should make up the difference in jobs, not pay your 66% of what you used to make. so take the $9/hr job, and have unemployment make up the $5/hr difference to the 66% of what they used to make. etc etc. i'm sure there are finer details, but you get the idea!!! don't just let them sit at home sucking off the economy.

[devlish]

You should see the dumbasses come into my place of employment "looking for applications". torn jeans, nascar shirt and a fucking baseball cap. We have a now hiring sign on the door and i just tell them they shouldnt even bother to apply looking like that. Most of them are just looking so they can recieve their check every week. they're the bloodsuckers. .

agreed, same thing here. i had a guy actually ask for an application just so he can prove he was looking for a job for his unemployment. interesting fact about him, he's never even worked a day in graphic design, yet that's what he was applying for. don't you think he should maybe apply for a job that he knows something about?? it'd be like me applying for a position at St Mikes as an E.R. doctor... pointless.

[Dizmm]

I think unemployment shouldn’t exist. If I lost my job tomorrow and needed money for bills badly, I’m sure I could find a job anywhere working 40 hours a week. Or hell even 2 part time jobs. If the average middle class person didn’t live beyond their means and paycheck to paycheck, they'd be fine for a few months until they found a replacement job.

[devlish]

^ i agree completely. but if we have to have it for whatever stupid reason, it should really be revamped quite a bit, it is way too easy at this point for people to be on it. Hell, some make more money on unemployment than they did working (in certain situations), why wouldn't you want to stay on it as long as you can!?!?!

[matt]

it'd be like me applying for a position at St Mikes as an E.R. doctor... pointless.

Actually, I think if you knew how to properly opperate a pair of scissors, you would be more qualified than most of the monkeys that work there... jus sayin

[devlish]

well... yeah, bad example. i probably could get a job there with a forged diploma of any sort. and probably do quite well too! ha.

[BLAQK]

paging Dr Check...paging Dr Check

scary thought

[matt]

*high picthed, girlish laugh echoes down the hall*

I'm coming! Here I am!

[EVILUTION]

Everyone that voted for Obama should get a swift kick in the ass. Like DirtyBird said... Do you really think putting a darky in the white house during a recession was a good idea?

[Scrad]

Business is always good for me. The worse the economy the more fucking piece of shit criminals we have. They don't want to work so they steal other people hard earned shit or sling crack rocks because they are wanna be gang bangers and too cool to work at Mc D's.

If you fuckers knew that it cost about $60,000 per inmate to house them for a year you'd be pissed to know that when an illegal alien comes back a second time they are housed for about 3 years on your dime. Now compare that to the cost of a M4 bullet or 9mm which is $.60 our cost. Fucking Liberal PC nation.

If Prison wasn't seen as cool and the thing you do to get street credit shit would be a whole lot different.

Well at least I work the government and they can't fire me. There are just too many inmates to baby sit.

[Pointdsm]

I agree 100%. Capital punishment should be used much more. Cheaper, effective.

Business is always good for me. The worse the economy the more fucking piece of shit criminals we have. They don't want to work so they steal other people hard earned shit or sling crack rocks because they are wanna be gang bangers and too cool to work at Mc D's.

If you fuckers knew that it cost about $60,000 per inmate to house them for a year you'd be pissed to know that when an illegal alien comes back a second time they are housed for about 3 years on your dime. Now compare that to the cost of a M4 bullet or 9mm which is $.60 our cost. Fucking Liberal PC nation.

If Prison wasn't seen as cool and the thing you do to get street credit shit would be a whole lot different.

Well at least I work the government and they can't fire me. There are just too many inmates to baby sit.

[matt]

Are you pro-death penalty? Ask Jesse Taferno if he is for or against the death penalty

[Wolf///M3]

Business is good here as well.... My brothers and I had to start a second shift(I'm running against my will.. Hours suck but it's business) just to keep up with the orders that flood the place before we lose them for not shipping fast enough....

I agreed with dizzzm 100% unemployment is not thought out well... IMO

And just my 2c on the prez.... I really don't think it matters what so ever who we put into that oval office.... Were all going to hate him/her/shim whatever it may be at some
point and not going to agree with that person.... Besides the prez isn't even half the problem.. It's the ppl behind him making all the stupid laws and bla bla bla.... This stuff really doesn't interest me....

[matt]

I agree 100%. Capital punishment should be used much more. Cheaper, effective.

Oh yeah?

Maryland, for example;

A new study released by the Urban Institute on March 6, 2008 forecasted that the lifetime expenses of capitally-prosecuted cases since 1978 will cost Maryland taxpayers $186 million. That translates into at least $37.2 million for each of the state’s five executions since the state reenacted the death penalty. The study estimates that the average cost to Maryland taxpayers for reaching a single death sentence is $3 million - $1.9 million more than the cost of a non-death penalty case.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty

[Pointdsm]

So? You spend a little more with the sentence, but save a SHIT TON by just killing the fucker.

Oh yeah?

Maryland, for example;

A new study released by the Urban Institute on March 6, 2008 forecasted that the lifetime expenses of capitally-prosecuted cases since 1978 will cost Maryland taxpayers $186 million. That translates into at least $37.2 million for each of the state’s five executions since the state reenacted the death penalty. The study estimates that the average cost to Maryland taxpayers for reaching a single death sentence is $3 million - $1.9 million more than the cost of a non-death penalty case.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty

[matt]

So? You spend a little more with the sentence, but save a SHIT TON by just killing the fucker.

How do you figure? If it costs $37M to execute someone, but only $60,000 per year to house someone (according to scrad) then you could keep them in jail for 616 years before it costs $37M.

[devlish]

Are you pro-death penalty? Ask Jesse Taferno if he is for or against the death penalty

if you google JESSE TAFERNO youre post is the 3rd option that comes up on google! ha.

now i wonder how many of you will actually try this?

[matt]

Cuz i spelled it wrong lol its jesse tafero...

[Pointdsm]

How do you figure? If it costs $37M to execute someone, but only $60,000 per year to house someone (according to scrad) then you could keep them in jail for 616 years before it costs $37M.

One bullet does not cost $37M.

[matt]

Glad youre seeing the full picture.

[austinj06]

Personally, I believe the next civilwar and/or world war III, will happen in our life time.

[Scrad]

It costs a lot more to go to trial for a death penalty than a regular felony violation. Hence the overall cost being higher. Plus they always try to go back to court to try to get rulings over turned and evidence thrown out, which costs money for travel and to pay me or the Federal Marshall's to take him to court. Then you have to consider the cost of lethal injection, because it is the humane way to euthanize. That is a couple thousand if not about a 10K process.

What pisses me off the most is the illegals that come over and get locked up and then we have to pay for them as tax payers. They are not US citizens and didn't go about becoming a citizen a legal way, why should I have to pay for them. They have it better off in prison then they do it Mexico.

What we should do is just drop them off farther south in Mexico each time. It has to be cheaper to haul them back each time instead of incarceration.

I also agree with the above post. There is going to be something big that happens in your lifetime.

[IROC]

What's a "Darky" ?

[IROC]

............Jesse Tafero was to be executed by electrocution. However the machine dubbed "Old Sparky" malfunctioned, causing six inch flames to shoot out of Tafero's head. A member of the execution team had used a synthetic sponge rather than a sea sponge, which is necessay to provide greater conductivity and a quick death. In all, three jolts of electricity were required to render Tafero dead, a process that took 13 minutes and 30 seconds. :yikes: :yikes:

[VPT]

lol @ darky

[matt]

............Jesse Tafero was to be executed by electrocution. However the machine dubbed "Old Sparky" malfunctioned, causing six inch flames to shoot out of Tafero's head. A member of the execution team had used a synthetic sponge rather than a sea sponge, which is necessay to provide greater conductivity and a quick death. In all, three jolts of electricity were required to render Tafero dead, a process that took 13 minutes and 30 seconds. :yikes: :yikes:


I was referring more to;

"then the execution of Tafero was probably the execution of an innocent man, because the same evidence (later shown to be insufficient) used to convict Jacobs had also been used to convict Tafero. The information that freed her would have freed him -- if he had not already been executed."

But still... horrible way to die. Especially if his death was not just.