Enough is Enough…The Bottom Line

[bsrsharma]

2008 will not be low-turnout election year. If this economic crisis reaches its peak by summer 2008, it will be one whopper of change election. At least those feeling bad about low turnouts in elections can celebrate!

[ibjames]

I agree, everyone wanted to have a piece of the money pie. No risk involved, no losing, a sure bet!

It’s a shame that people think they can just toss in some money and if they lose cry wolf.

To get rich you have to accept risk, one of them is becoming poor instead.

[ibjames]

I agree, everyone wanted to have a piece of the money pie. No risk involved, no losing, a sure bet!

It’s a shame that people think they can just toss in some money and if they lose cry wolf.

To get rich you have to accept risk, one of them is becoming poor instead.

[ibjames]

I agree, everyone wanted to have a piece of the money pie. No risk involved, no losing, a sure bet!

It’s a shame that people think they can just toss in some money and if they lose cry wolf.

To get rich you have to accept risk, one of them is becoming poor instead.

[contraman]

Allan, Very well said. The example should start from the top down in the governement and in the family.

Once again, we need an "economic reset" here. Maybe if we piss off China enough "who unknown to 99% of americans literally has our economy by the proverbial balls" and controls us like a puppet on strings this will happen sooner than later….

Others in this post say, I will be retracting my wishes when the hammer falls. Not so. I live a simple life and don't need anything else. I don't buy designer clothes to try to fit in with society and be a clone (hence the nickname contraman). Last time I checked, a polo tshirt and a walmart tshirt are both made of cotton. I won't pay $25.00 more for a logo of some dumb ass on a horse with a stick so I can fit into San Diego culture and be "cool".

To be honest, since I stopped growing about 15 years ago, I rarely even buy any clothes. Don't need them as I don't get caught up in fashion trends. A few pairs of pants and shirts suit me just fine.

I don't buy expensive watches because the timex I have had from 10 years ago that cost $25.00 and my buddies $20,000 yachtmaster serve the same purpose, they tell the time. If I lose it, I don't care, he lost his water skiing a few weeks ago. You think he is pissed and stressed?

My car is paid free and clear because I saved money and drove "less desirable" cars until I could ACTUALLY AFFORD the one I have. Stellar concept.

I have no consumer debt and I bought furniture along time ago as I could AFFORD IT and purchased most of it at Jerome's because a couch there vs. one at some fancy place serve the same purpose, me sitting on it. If my freinds don't like the style, they can by me a fancy one, or they can find someone else to be friends with, I am not going to get sucked into the debt vortex.

Don't need fancy TV's and anything else….I am content.

I don't need a NEW KITCHEN or a NEW CAR or any other material thing and have been saving since I was 15 and living a SIMPLE NON-MATERIALISTIC lifestyle.

This is why I say a reset of values is needed, because we are spoiled materialistic crybabies in this country who value the wrong things.

Young people should take 5 people to lunch within the next week who lived during the "Great Depression" and see how good we have it…and then visit a third world country for a month…..no clue…..

Sincerely,

Contraman

 

 

 

 

 

[contraman]

Allan, Very well said. The example should start from the top down in the governement and in the family.

Once again, we need an "economic reset" here. Maybe if we piss off China enough "who unknown to 99% of americans literally has our economy by the proverbial balls" and controls us like a puppet on strings this will happen sooner than later….

Others in this post say, I will be retracting my wishes when the hammer falls. Not so. I live a simple life and don't need anything else. I don't buy designer clothes to try to fit in with society and be a clone (hence the nickname contraman). Last time I checked, a polo tshirt and a walmart tshirt are both made of cotton. I won't pay $25.00 more for a logo of some dumb ass on a horse with a stick so I can fit into San Diego culture and be "cool".

To be honest, since I stopped growing about 15 years ago, I rarely even buy any clothes. Don't need them as I don't get caught up in fashion trends. A few pairs of pants and shirts suit me just fine.

I don't buy expensive watches because the timex I have had from 10 years ago that cost $25.00 and my buddies $20,000 yachtmaster serve the same purpose, they tell the time. If I lose it, I don't care, he lost his water skiing a few weeks ago. You think he is pissed and stressed?

My car is paid free and clear because I saved money and drove "less desirable" cars until I could ACTUALLY AFFORD the one I have. Stellar concept.

I have no consumer debt and I bought furniture along time ago as I could AFFORD IT and purchased most of it at Jerome's because a couch there vs. one at some fancy place serve the same purpose, me sitting on it. If my freinds don't like the style, they can by me a fancy one, or they can find someone else to be friends with, I am not going to get sucked into the debt vortex.

Don't need fancy TV's and anything else….I am content.

I don't need a NEW KITCHEN or a NEW CAR or any other material thing and have been saving since I was 15 and living a SIMPLE NON-MATERIALISTIC lifestyle.

This is why I say a reset of values is needed, because we are spoiled materialistic crybabies in this country who value the wrong things.

Young people should take 5 people to lunch within the next week who lived during the "Great Depression" and see how good we have it…and then visit a third world country for a month…..no clue…..

Sincerely,

Contraman

 

 

 

 

 

[contraman]

Allan, Very well said. The example should start from the top down in the governement and in the family.

Once again, we need an "economic reset" here. Maybe if we piss off China enough "who unknown to 99% of americans literally has our economy by the proverbial balls" and controls us like a puppet on strings this will happen sooner than later….

Others in this post say, I will be retracting my wishes when the hammer falls. Not so. I live a simple life and don't need anything else. I don't buy designer clothes to try to fit in with society and be a clone (hence the nickname contraman). Last time I checked, a polo tshirt and a walmart tshirt are both made of cotton. I won't pay $25.00 more for a logo of some dumb ass on a horse with a stick so I can fit into San Diego culture and be "cool".

To be honest, since I stopped growing about 15 years ago, I rarely even buy any clothes. Don't need them as I don't get caught up in fashion trends. A few pairs of pants and shirts suit me just fine.

I don't buy expensive watches because the timex I have had from 10 years ago that cost $25.00 and my buddies $20,000 yachtmaster serve the same purpose, they tell the time. If I lose it, I don't care, he lost his water skiing a few weeks ago. You think he is pissed and stressed?

My car is paid free and clear because I saved money and drove "less desirable" cars until I could ACTUALLY AFFORD the one I have. Stellar concept.

I have no consumer debt and I bought furniture along time ago as I could AFFORD IT and purchased most of it at Jerome's because a couch there vs. one at some fancy place serve the same purpose, me sitting on it. If my freinds don't like the style, they can by me a fancy one, or they can find someone else to be friends with, I am not going to get sucked into the debt vortex.

Don't need fancy TV's and anything else….I am content.

I don't need a NEW KITCHEN or a NEW CAR or any other material thing and have been saving since I was 15 and living a SIMPLE NON-MATERIALISTIC lifestyle.

This is why I say a reset of values is needed, because we are spoiled materialistic crybabies in this country who value the wrong things.

Young people should take 5 people to lunch within the next week who lived during the "Great Depression" and see how good we have it…and then visit a third world country for a month…..no clue…..

Sincerely,

Contraman

 

 

 

 

 

[cyphire]

Sorry – hate to be a contrarian here, or perhaps I’ll just play devil’s advocate.

First of all – understand, that I take personal responsibility to an absolute level… I am FULLY responsible for my own actions and thats my credo. But I have had the benefit of education, intelligence, and a career in business as a leader, not one of the ‘downtrodden workers!’.

The American consumer is playing in a rigged game. You claim that people have only themselves to blame, but they are the product of marketing and conmanship… (Is that a word?). Take a very hard working assembly guy. Sober most of the time, gets to work on time, plays with his kids, watches TV. He is pounded from all sides by a constant blare of low interest rates, you must act quickly, you will be priced out of market forever, rates will never be this low, trust us – we are the most honest and honorable company, look how much money your neighbors all are making, don’t worry if the paperwork doesn’t match our promises, they are complex documents and if you don’t sign you lose your deposit (and your house – which by the way will be more expensive if you start all over.)…

It’s not greed. That should be reserved for the folks who gave their credit out for the purchase of 5 houses in their name…. Most of the people who are going to be smacked in the meltdown weren’t speculating that they would get rich from their ownership, that was just a potential side benefit.

A salesman’s job is to put people in pain. But the most pernicious group of savage money stealers have been lying to people who, by all accounts, don’t really understand economics, interest rates, economic cycles, or many of the other things that someone needs to make an informed decision.

By the time some of these slick Real estate LIARS, mortgage LIARS, investment counselor LIARS, TV Advertisement LIARS, government policy makers (You Mr. Greenspan), and anyone else making Ferrari buying money (p.s. It was never the case that Realtors could live in the neighborhoods they sold, now they live in the neighborhoods above the stuff they sell! – of course 90% of them will be looking for work soon….) got through with the general consumer the game was over.

Hey – my core values agree with all of the posters in this thread. And I am NOT interested in bailing anyone out (except by a 10 year tax on the real estate agents, mortgage agencies, and a whopping payback by the wall street crowd) but lets try to realize that it’s very, very hard to resist this kind of assault.

A lot of what is going on right now is “I told you so”, and “Look – I didn’t get taken – so you are an idiot”…. But our ENTIRE culture is based on marketing crap to people which they don’t need. It also is the driving force in our economy. A bunch of hucksters took the rubes for all their dough! But don’t come down too harshly on the rubes.

If I had a 11th grade education, made 30K per year, and was constantly barraged by very, very, VERY sophisticated folks who’s job was to get me to sign, and I saw the opportunity to own a home (and with it the ABSOLUTE promise that it would only increase in value), I would have signed too. If I was middle class and made 90K and saw that prices were going up every year and that soon, very soon I would NEVER be able to buy (I would be priced out), I would have bought as well… Not for greed, but just to be able to keep my kids and family in a nice neighborhood.

This market wasn’t created by greedy people looking to get rich, it was created by an incredibly greedy real estate cartel of Realtors, Mortgage brokers, Wall street finance cheaters, and our government looking for short term success to be reelected. Not by the vast majority of the buyers.

Just my 2 cents…. Don’t be so hard on the little guy.

[cyphire]

Sorry – hate to be a contrarian here, or perhaps I’ll just play devil’s advocate.

First of all – understand, that I take personal responsibility to an absolute level… I am FULLY responsible for my own actions and thats my credo. But I have had the benefit of education, intelligence, and a career in business as a leader, not one of the ‘downtrodden workers!’.

The American consumer is playing in a rigged game. You claim that people have only themselves to blame, but they are the product of marketing and conmanship… (Is that a word?). Take a very hard working assembly guy. Sober most of the time, gets to work on time, plays with his kids, watches TV. He is pounded from all sides by a constant blare of low interest rates, you must act quickly, you will be priced out of market forever, rates will never be this low, trust us – we are the most honest and honorable company, look how much money your neighbors all are making, don’t worry if the paperwork doesn’t match our promises, they are complex documents and if you don’t sign you lose your deposit (and your house – which by the way will be more expensive if you start all over.)…

It’s not greed. That should be reserved for the folks who gave their credit out for the purchase of 5 houses in their name…. Most of the people who are going to be smacked in the meltdown weren’t speculating that they would get rich from their ownership, that was just a potential side benefit.

A salesman’s job is to put people in pain. But the most pernicious group of savage money stealers have been lying to people who, by all accounts, don’t really understand economics, interest rates, economic cycles, or many of the other things that someone needs to make an informed decision.

By the time some of these slick Real estate LIARS, mortgage LIARS, investment counselor LIARS, TV Advertisement LIARS, government policy makers (You Mr. Greenspan), and anyone else making Ferrari buying money (p.s. It was never the case that Realtors could live in the neighborhoods they sold, now they live in the neighborhoods above the stuff they sell! – of course 90% of them will be looking for work soon….) got through with the general consumer the game was over.

Hey – my core values agree with all of the posters in this thread. And I am NOT interested in bailing anyone out (except by a 10 year tax on the real estate agents, mortgage agencies, and a whopping payback by the wall street crowd) but lets try to realize that it’s very, very hard to resist this kind of assault.

A lot of what is going on right now is “I told you so”, and “Look – I didn’t get taken – so you are an idiot”…. But our ENTIRE culture is based on marketing crap to people which they don’t need. It also is the driving force in our economy. A bunch of hucksters took the rubes for all their dough! But don’t come down too harshly on the rubes.

If I had a 11th grade education, made 30K per year, and was constantly barraged by very, very, VERY sophisticated folks who’s job was to get me to sign, and I saw the opportunity to own a home (and with it the ABSOLUTE promise that it would only increase in value), I would have signed too. If I was middle class and made 90K and saw that prices were going up every year and that soon, very soon I would NEVER be able to buy (I would be priced out), I would have bought as well… Not for greed, but just to be able to keep my kids and family in a nice neighborhood.

This market wasn’t created by greedy people looking to get rich, it was created by an incredibly greedy real estate cartel of Realtors, Mortgage brokers, Wall street finance cheaters, and our government looking for short term success to be reelected. Not by the vast majority of the buyers.

Just my 2 cents…. Don’t be so hard on the little guy.

[cyphire]

Sorry – hate to be a contrarian here, or perhaps I’ll just play devil’s advocate.

First of all – understand, that I take personal responsibility to an absolute level… I am FULLY responsible for my own actions and thats my credo. But I have had the benefit of education, intelligence, and a career in business as a leader, not one of the ‘downtrodden workers!’.

The American consumer is playing in a rigged game. You claim that people have only themselves to blame, but they are the product of marketing and conmanship… (Is that a word?). Take a very hard working assembly guy. Sober most of the time, gets to work on time, plays with his kids, watches TV. He is pounded from all sides by a constant blare of low interest rates, you must act quickly, you will be priced out of market forever, rates will never be this low, trust us – we are the most honest and honorable company, look how much money your neighbors all are making, don’t worry if the paperwork doesn’t match our promises, they are complex documents and if you don’t sign you lose your deposit (and your house – which by the way will be more expensive if you start all over.)…

It’s not greed. That should be reserved for the folks who gave their credit out for the purchase of 5 houses in their name…. Most of the people who are going to be smacked in the meltdown weren’t speculating that they would get rich from their ownership, that was just a potential side benefit.

A salesman’s job is to put people in pain. But the most pernicious group of savage money stealers have been lying to people who, by all accounts, don’t really understand economics, interest rates, economic cycles, or many of the other things that someone needs to make an informed decision.

By the time some of these slick Real estate LIARS, mortgage LIARS, investment counselor LIARS, TV Advertisement LIARS, government policy makers (You Mr. Greenspan), and anyone else making Ferrari buying money (p.s. It was never the case that Realtors could live in the neighborhoods they sold, now they live in the neighborhoods above the stuff they sell! – of course 90% of them will be looking for work soon….) got through with the general consumer the game was over.

Hey – my core values agree with all of the posters in this thread. And I am NOT interested in bailing anyone out (except by a 10 year tax on the real estate agents, mortgage agencies, and a whopping payback by the wall street crowd) but lets try to realize that it’s very, very hard to resist this kind of assault.

A lot of what is going on right now is “I told you so”, and “Look – I didn’t get taken – so you are an idiot”…. But our ENTIRE culture is based on marketing crap to people which they don’t need. It also is the driving force in our economy. A bunch of hucksters took the rubes for all their dough! But don’t come down too harshly on the rubes.

If I had a 11th grade education, made 30K per year, and was constantly barraged by very, very, VERY sophisticated folks who’s job was to get me to sign, and I saw the opportunity to own a home (and with it the ABSOLUTE promise that it would only increase in value), I would have signed too. If I was middle class and made 90K and saw that prices were going up every year and that soon, very soon I would NEVER be able to buy (I would be priced out), I would have bought as well… Not for greed, but just to be able to keep my kids and family in a nice neighborhood.

This market wasn’t created by greedy people looking to get rich, it was created by an incredibly greedy real estate cartel of Realtors, Mortgage brokers, Wall street finance cheaters, and our government looking for short term success to be reelected. Not by the vast majority of the buyers.

Just my 2 cents…. Don’t be so hard on the little guy.

[Alex_angel]

Contraryman, You are wrong on so many levels its not even funny. first of all the lenders are part to blame. Some schmoe pulls up in a beatup dump truck asking for a million dollar loan and says he will do no doc and the lender gives him a quick wink and signs the money away. This happened way too often.
Only in America will a bank give you a million dollar loan without any proof of employment or income. Blame your country and not the people in it.
I also like to blame the media. Growing up there wasn’t 50 reality shows showing you how easy it is to flip, how to make a quick dime in real estate ….
A lot of people got caught in the glitz and glamor and the banks reeled them all in and gave billions away. The banks by far are some of the biggest organized crooks in the history of this country.

People are also to blame as well. They don’t deserve a free pass.

EDIT: I laughed when I saw a headline that Bush was giving a speech on the economy. He is the crook in chief for all of these companies that made billions on this real estate run.

[Alex_angel]

Contraryman, You are wrong on so many levels its not even funny. first of all the lenders are part to blame. Some schmoe pulls up in a beatup dump truck asking for a million dollar loan and says he will do no doc and the lender gives him a quick wink and signs the money away. This happened way too often.
Only in America will a bank give you a million dollar loan without any proof of employment or income. Blame your country and not the people in it.
I also like to blame the media. Growing up there wasn’t 50 reality shows showing you how easy it is to flip, how to make a quick dime in real estate ….
A lot of people got caught in the glitz and glamor and the banks reeled them all in and gave billions away. The banks by far are some of the biggest organized crooks in the history of this country.

People are also to blame as well. They don’t deserve a free pass.

EDIT: I laughed when I saw a headline that Bush was giving a speech on the economy. He is the crook in chief for all of these companies that made billions on this real estate run.

[Alex_angel]

Contraryman, You are wrong on so many levels its not even funny. first of all the lenders are part to blame. Some schmoe pulls up in a beatup dump truck asking for a million dollar loan and says he will do no doc and the lender gives him a quick wink and signs the money away. This happened way too often.
Only in America will a bank give you a million dollar loan without any proof of employment or income. Blame your country and not the people in it.
I also like to blame the media. Growing up there wasn’t 50 reality shows showing you how easy it is to flip, how to make a quick dime in real estate ….
A lot of people got caught in the glitz and glamor and the banks reeled them all in and gave billions away. The banks by far are some of the biggest organized crooks in the history of this country.

People are also to blame as well. They don’t deserve a free pass.

EDIT: I laughed when I saw a headline that Bush was giving a speech on the economy. He is the crook in chief for all of these companies that made billions on this real estate run.

[contraman]

8 Steps to making the right mortgage decision.

1) Get a library card and FIND AND MAKE TIME to be responsible for you and the well being of your family. Red, yellow, black, white, rich, poor, middle, low, or upper class. If you can read and walk you are qualified here.

2) Go to the sections that have books on how to manage your finances, real estate, investing, how to budget, how to DELAY THE GRATIFICATION of things in life, types of mortgages, anything having to do with these subjects and check them out for FREE!

3) Turn the TV off and do a TV fast for 30 days. The time you would have spent WASTING TIME watching TV shows that won't help you plan to put your kids through college and the SLICK NO COST MARKETING ADS FROM COUNTRYWIDE you can spend READING THE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY.

4) Now take all this knowledge that you have accumulated over the 30 days and put it to use and use it in such a way to not get taken advantage of anymore by liars, slicksters, the govt, American Express, or your lender.

5) Never do RE business with friends and family. It never works, and there is always assumptions and misunderstandings and obligations involved.

6) Quit blaming people for your problems. Take responsibility,learn from mistakes, build character and integrity, and teach others who are younger than you the same.

7) Get a financial calculator. Use it. If you are spending more than you are earning, this will become a problem soon…

8) If you can't afford it, THEN DON'T BUY IT!

Sincerely, Contraman

[contraman]

8 Steps to making the right mortgage decision.

1) Get a library card and FIND AND MAKE TIME to be responsible for you and the well being of your family. Red, yellow, black, white, rich, poor, middle, low, or upper class. If you can read and walk you are qualified here.

2) Go to the sections that have books on how to manage your finances, real estate, investing, how to budget, how to DELAY THE GRATIFICATION of things in life, types of mortgages, anything having to do with these subjects and check them out for FREE!

3) Turn the TV off and do a TV fast for 30 days. The time you would have spent WASTING TIME watching TV shows that won't help you plan to put your kids through college and the SLICK NO COST MARKETING ADS FROM COUNTRYWIDE you can spend READING THE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY.

4) Now take all this knowledge that you have accumulated over the 30 days and put it to use and use it in such a way to not get taken advantage of anymore by liars, slicksters, the govt, American Express, or your lender.

5) Never do RE business with friends and family. It never works, and there is always assumptions and misunderstandings and obligations involved.

6) Quit blaming people for your problems. Take responsibility,learn from mistakes, build character and integrity, and teach others who are younger than you the same.

7) Get a financial calculator. Use it. If you are spending more than you are earning, this will become a problem soon…

8) If you can't afford it, THEN DON'T BUY IT!

Sincerely, Contraman

[Author]

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