what is up with this countries economy lately??

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:29 am

For March, energy costs shot up 4 percent, the biggest one-month gain since a similar 4 percent rise last October. Gasoline prices climbed 7.9 percent, reflecting the shock motorists have gotten at the pump. There should be a further jump for April given that motorists nationwide are now paying an average of $2.28 per gallon. Outside of energy and food, clothing costs, which had been declining, jumped 0.8 percent in March, the biggest one-month gain in 12 months.

Airline ticket prices rose by 2.7 percent, the largest increase in nearly four years. Airlines have been raising ticket prices to cope with soaring fuel costs.

The costs of hotel and motel rooms shot up 3.9 percent in March, the biggest increase on record.

read the whole article here http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e ... d=84439559

its getting kinda scary....

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:34 am

while we a hurting... this is china:

BEIJING - China's economy grew by an unexpectedly high 9.5 percent in the first three months of this year from a year earlier, the government said Wednesday, warning that it needs to tighten controls on surging investment in new factories and real estate.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... na_economy

Noevo · Post by **Noevo** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:36 am

I think a big part of the problem is people overreact when it goes one way or the other, which further magnifies any movement at all. Take the last sentence for example; "Outside of energy and food, clothing costs, which had been declining, jumped 0.8 percent in March, the biggest one-month gain in 12 months" You read that and see that they jumped .8 percent in march, biggest one-month gain in 12 months and you think "oh noes!!!" but if you think about the setence, it say they had been declining. so it went back up some, the economy will always be cyclical. prices go up, we stop buying so much. prices go down, we buy til we have too much debt, prices go up...rinse, repeat. Yes, gas is the highest $ that it ever has been. BUT still .70 cents away to being equal to the early '80s prices if you adjust for inflation.

And if you think about all the slashing that airlines have had to do since 9/11 it was inevetible that they go back up, whether it's fuel prices pushing it or not.

Sit back and relax, it will change again.

EDIT for China post- Mind you, china has 1 billion more people we do and our GDP is still I think 4-5 times what theirs is. (i think 2.x trillion for china and 11.x trillion for us). Plus they lower economically than us, so it's easier for them to go. Our economy is on a plateau really.

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:39 am

[quote="Noevo"]I think a big part of the problem is people overreact when it goes one way or the other, which further magnifies any movement at all. Take the last sentence for example]
i hope your right, it just seems like the beginning of something worse...

i dont forsee gas prices getting down to a dollar and a quarter anytime soon..
and if everything else that requires gas (just about everything) followed suit, then everything is going to be hiking up the price.

Noevo · Post by **Noevo** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:44 am

Meggie wrote:
i dont forsee gas prices getting down to a dollar and a quarter anytime soon..
and if everything else that requires gas (just about everything) followed suit, then everything is going to be hiking up the price.

No, I don't think gas will ever go much below $2.00 a gallon again. But hey, it ain't a quarter like it was 30 years ago either

meggie wrote:i hope your right, it just seems like the beginning of something worse...

of course I am!

mountainman · Post by **mountainman** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:20 am

Maybe it's our spelling that's dragging us down.

Sheesh.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:54 am

Mad Max here we come

Massa · Post by **Massa** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:55 am

The glory days of US economic superiority are over. There is no way your economy can compete with China in the long run with the sheer manpower and infrastructure they have. The US is just going to have to accept that you can't stay on top forever IMO...

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:58 am

Our country will fall eventually, its not something you can stop. Just like Rome, etc. Doubt itll be in our lifetime though.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:59 am

Anyway's, aren't our gas prices still lower than Europe? I remember hearing something along those lines.

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:01 pm

Brent wrote:Anyway's, aren't our gas prices still lower than Europe? I remember hearing something along those lines.

Yes.

Noevo · Post by **Noevo** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:02 pm

Brent wrote:Anyway's, aren't our gas prices still lower than Europe? I remember hearing something along those lines.

even canada runs about $3 a gallon

ScottE · Post by **ScottE** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 12:47 am

wee96 wrote:Our country will fall eventually, its not something you can stop. Just like Rome, etc. Doubt itll be in our lifetime though.

The United States will never fall by an invasion. The only way we will fall is if we destroy ourselves. If you haven't noticed we are on a huge island. Unless the Canadians or the Mexicans decide they want to invade who ever it does is going to have to send a **** load of boats over here. Then okay. Boom Boom Boom all your boats are sunk. It's just not going to happen.

The economy does a pretty good job of regulating itself.

mccoffee · Post by **mccoffee** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:06 am

mountainman wrote:Maybe it's our spelling that's dragging us down.

Sheesh.

rofl no the pormblem with the outsourcing that's why china is booming for example i'll try to find the stroy there was bill passed or up for being passed that will allow usa companies to outsource to china and get a tax break while doing it Cisco said it will if it passed.

Asia is all the technology now more then ever they work cheap blah blah same with inida as well as some others.

I say if anything as Lewis Black said " we need to have a public works project that will employ people they will earn money they will spend it on unbrealla stands the first project should be building a wall between here and Canada that's where all the cold air comes in"

Blisster · Post by **Blisster** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 2:57 am

good think we've poured 300,000,000,000 into Iraq, eh?

I mean, at least we got their oil, right?

and Osama Bin Lauden......

wait, i wonder......

sito · Post by **sito** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:39 am

mccoffee wrote:rofl no the pormblem with the outsourcing that's why china is booming for example i'll try to find the stroy there was bill passed or up for being passed that will allow usa companies to outsource to china and get a tax break while doing it Cisco said it will if it passed.

Asia is all the technology now more then ever they work cheap blah blah same with inida as well as some others.

I say if anything as Lewis Black said " we need to have a public works project that will employ people they will earn money they will spend it on unbrealla stands the first project should be building a wall between here and Canada that's where all the cold air comes in"

Ya you best be watchin out for Canada eh. Dems crazy motherf******.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:32 am

Blisster wrote:.......I mean, at least we got their oil, right?.........

ya we get so much oil from Iraq

and about the price of oil, i think it is still lower than say a few decades ago, if you figure in the inflation rate, or am i off base here ?

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 10:02 am

ScottE wrote:The United States will never fall by an invasion. The only way we will fall is if we destroy ourselves. If you haven't noticed we are on a huge island. Unless the Canadians or the Mexicans decide they want to invade who ever it does is going to have to send a **** load of boats over here. Then okay. Boom Boom Boom all your boats are sunk. It's just not going to happen.

The economy does a pretty good job of regulating itself.

In case I havent noticed eh? I think I have.

I never mentioned being attacked, I said it will fall, yes obviously by its own power.

Crabtoes · Post by **Crabtoes** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 10:25 am

[quote="Mark"]ya we get so much oil from Iraq ]

not off base at all

triniwasp · Post by **triniwasp** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 2:59 pm

I hate paying so much for gas, but the upside is that it will drive the inovation of better and better non-petroleum fuel tech.

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:19 pm

Blisster wrote:good think we've poured 300,000,000,000 into Iraq, eh?

I mean, at least we got their oil, right?

and Osama Bin Lauden......

wait, i wonder......

Yeah, let's blame everything on being in Iraq. There's a good solution.

Blisster · Post by **Blisster** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:22 pm

Sarahnn wrote:Yeah, let's blame everything on being in Iraq. There's a good solution.

The belief that it ISN'T all interconnected is a big part of the problem.

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:37 pm

Blisster wrote:The belief that it ISN'T all interconnected is a big part of the problem.

What problem? That the economy fluctuates from World events? Or, are you saying we would be sitting pretty if we never went into Iraq? I'm not challenging you, I simply need to know your point.

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:40 pm

Massa wrote:The glory days of US economic superiority are over. There is no way your economy can compete with China in the long run with the sheer manpower and infrastructure they have. The US is just going to have to accept that you can't stay on top forever IMO...

Excuse me? What crystal ball have you been gazing into? Our future in America is what we make it. If someone has to be on top, as you put it, I don't see why it can't be us, if we want it.

Grimson · Post by **Grimson** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:22 pm

ScottE wrote:The United States will never fall by an invasion. The only way we will fall is if we destroy ourselves. If you haven't noticed we are on a huge island. Unless the Canadians or the Mexicans decide they want to invade who ever it does is going to have to send a **** load of boats over here. Then okay. Boom Boom Boom all your boats are sunk. It's just not going to happen.

The economy does a pretty good job of regulating itself.

Mexico is invading, I moved to canada so 1 of them could have my spot.

ScottE · Post by **ScottE** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:28 pm

Massa wrote:The glory days of US economic superiority are over. There is no way your economy can compete with China in the long run with the sheer manpower and infrastructure they have. The US is just going to have to accept that you can't stay on top forever IMO...

Meh, it would help if the Chinese didn't undervalue their currency. It all evens out in the end. As the price of oil rises the cost of shipping goods across the sea goes up and the price of chinese made good goes up as well.

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:58 pm

Blisster wrote:The belief that it ISN'T all interconnected is a big part of the problem.

i agree completely.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:38 pm

Meggie wrote:while we a hurting... this is china:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... na_economy

China has its own set of problems - teh gap between rich and poor is widening quickly. Things will catch up once (if) they are one day represented by the people and not the current oppressive regime. When the majority is making a few bucks in a twelve hour day, the pot starts to boil over.

Once the oilmonkies are out of the whitehouse you might start seeing renewed interest in alternative fuel. That would take away the middle-eastern card, too.

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:54 pm

cyberskye wrote:China has its own set of problems - teh gap between rich and poor is widening quickly. Things will catch up once (if) they are one day represented by the people and not the current oppressive regime. When the majority is making a few bucks in a twelve hour day, the pot starts to boil over.

Once the oilmonkies are out of the whitehouse you might start seeing renewed interest in alternative fuel. That would take away the middle-eastern card, too.

agree with u there..

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:43 pm

The same people who complain that its the war in Iraq thats causing the "problem" are the ones who said we were invading Iraq for oil.

Well, if we were invading Iraq for oil, how come we got an energy problem now?

2 + 2 = 7....

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:49 pm

Sarahann....

But, thank God I'm not an armchair "piss and moaner" who just needs someone to spit at, and Bush would be the man because he is a Republican

Are you sure that's what's going on? I'm not....not at all.

I don't think Republican is the deal....I do think that corporate greed is. It's Millers knot on politics is strangling the economy. We borrow from the world to spend what we do and the debt is ever increasing. It's way past time for our elected officals to get off the pot and do what we elected them to do. Which is look after the "best" interest of the USA....not their own.

mccoffee · Post by **mccoffee** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:55 pm

downhill wrote:Sarahann....

Are you sure that's what's going on? I'm not....not at all.

I don't think Republican is the deal....I do think that corporate greed is. It's Millers knot on politics is strangling the economy. We borrow from the world to spend what we do and the debt is ever increasing. It's way past time for our elected officals to get off the pot and do what we elected them to do. Which is look after the "best" interest of the USA....not their own.

some of that is what i trying to say with the technology companies instead of attraching them here they are moving way but me be mr grammically superb i can't phrase sentances like that my new name is fem the retarded rabbit.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:57 pm

mccoffee wrote:some of that is what i trying to say with the technology companies instead of attraching them here they are moving way but me be mr grammically superb i can't phrase sentances like that my new name is fem the retarded rabbit.

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:02 pm

downhill wrote:Sarahann....

Are you sure that's what's going on? I'm not....not at all.

I don't think Republican is the deal....I do think that corporate greed is. It's Millers knot on politics is strangling the economy. We borrow from the world to spend what we do and the debt is ever increasing. It's way past time for our elected officals to get off the pot and do what we elected them to do. Which is look after the "best" interest of the USA....not their own.

I deleted that. It was very confrontational and I shouldn't have gone that way. Truth is I get so angry when these armchair einsteins don't have a clue what they are saying.

Okay, it is perfectly reasonable to put the onus on Bush for the rising gas prices, the outsourcing fiasco, and our lack of clout to keep the Chinese in line in the global marketplace, and especially the illegal alien problem on our Southern borders.

But, we got to get off the Iraq thing. It is the most mindless, leftist, P.C. blather we got and it is not anywhere near the cause of the issues we have facing us now. Whether people want to be in Iraq or not is moot. This armchair quarterbacking about Iraq is just so damn old and tired and useless and it has never helped to make the progress we have made in the Middle East since we went in.

Here's a clue for anyone who wants it. The gas lines and recession hit us under Carter....the Ga. god of the Democrats who had all the answers as a peace-loving man.

One last thought....WAR IS HELL, and sometimes leads to gas rationing. This is an historical truth. Not understanding that is part of the problem, like lots of things are part of the problem.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:15 pm

But, we got to get off the Iraq thing. It is the most mindless, leftist, P.C. blather we got and it is not anywhere near the cause of the issues we have facing us now. Whether people want to be in Iraq or not is moot.

Eh....

[Reagan voice on]There you go again..[/Reagan voice off]

Is it really leftist? Or is it that the current administration hangs so far to the right that even moderate "rightest" look like commies?

I don't mean to be so open here but believe it or not, there are a fair amount of Republicans that are getting fed up with some of the shenanigans....

Also, just to clarify....PC has nothing to do with the situation.

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:19 pm

downhill wrote:Sarahann....

Are you sure that's what's going on? I'm not....not at all.

I don't think Republican is the deal....I do think that corporate greed is.

Capitalism looks greedy but it is the nature of the game that keeps America thriving. Every single time America has gone through economic boons there has been an explosion of free market capitalism in the U.S. Think about our boon times...we cornered the market on agriculture, steel, technology, fashion, I.T., etc etc. Capitalism drives our market and the lack of it sent the ole USSR spiraling into ruin.

To address your concern, we need strict laws which come down swiftly upon the heads of corporate crooks. Bush is for that. He wants conservative judges on the bench to kick azzzzz, but the libs say the Conservatives are too tough. So, we go back to saying that Capitalism is greed.

We need untethered capitalism and strict, swift laws to strike down the crooks, not the greedy.

It's way past time for our elected officals to get off the pot and do what we elected them to do. Which is look after the "best" interest of the USA....not their own.

I think both interests are the same. No man is an island and trust me they know that.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:24 pm

Sarahnn wrote:Capitalism looks greedy but it is the nature of the game that keeps America thriving. Every single time America has gone through economic boons there has been an explosion of free market capitalism in the U.S. Think about our boon times...we cornered the market on agriculture, steel, technology, fashion, I.T., etc etc. Capitalism drives our market and the lack of it sent the ole USSR spiraling into ruin.

To address your concern, we need strict laws which come down swiftly upon the heads of corporate crooks. Bush is for that. He wants conservative judges on the bench to kick azzzzz, but the libs say the Conservatives are too tough. So, we go back to saying that Capitalism is greed.

We need untethered capitalism and strict, swift laws to strike down the crooks, not the greedy.

I think both interests are the same. No man is an island and trust me they know that.

Whoa.......hey I caught that episode of Hannity too!!!

By the way...untethered capitalism is a huge part of the problem. When corporations have nobody to answer too...they do as they please.

You can have the last word, chancellor..

*shurg*

Sarahnn · Post by **Sarahnn** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:24 pm

downhill wrote:Eh....

[Reagan voice on]There you go again..[/Reagan voice off]

Is it really leftist? Or is it that the current administration hangs so far to the right that even moderate "rightest" look like commies?

What difference does it make? Mindless P.C. Sheep follow the notion that the Conservatives are war-mongering greedy, corporation butt kissers.

I don't mean to be so open here but believe it or not, there are a fair amount of Republicans that are getting fed up with some of the shenanigans....

And they should. That makes sense, I'm one of them.

Also, just to clarify....PC has nothing to do with the situation.

It has everything to do with it. That's why there is such a deep divide in our country. No one will think for themselves. It's just too easy to blame the whole damn thing on Iraq or corporate greed.

poptom · Post by **poptom** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:26 pm

Greed is good.

mccoffee · Post by **mccoffee** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:27 pm

downhill notice the title change under the name yippie