does the economy seem to suck?

[lesterpaul]

tax returns and the govt rebates will pick things up-I have noticed that most things I check out in the paper..ebay..etc..seem to be less in quantity-thank goodness beer prices have been solid-seems to offset inflation!

 

[RJ2213]

yes teh economy does suck right now. this is why every other news story i read is about business's closing locations, banks starting to fear going under, and how we're going to be hitting a recession like we did in the 80's. this is also why i cant find a new job, afford my mortgage, and my insurances keep going up for no logical reason.


ok, i'm gonna shutup now before i start getting political. all i can say is 1.5yrs ago my gear budget was 10x what it is now.

 

[AustinK]

i don't know if it just me but it seems like the media causes a recession. With every other news segment about how the economy is slowing more and more people stop spending their money, thus reducing companies income,and it continues down the line until we really do hit a recession.

 

[Elpelotero]

+1

 

[RJ2213]

i don't know if it just me but it seems like the media causes a recession. With every other news segment about how the economy is slowing more and more people stop spending their money, thus reducing companies income,and it continues down the line until we really do hit a recession.

so the fact that most IT jobs are now performed by people in asia isnt a factor? so the fact that the US just contracted the entire contract for refueling planes to a european company rather than a US company based on cost isnt a factor? its the media? yeah thats BS. thats why while we're hitting a record deficit Bush thinks that giving everyone a few hundred bucks will help? i'll tell you this much, my ENTIRE extra income is going to nothing more than paying off credit cards and hoping to stay afloat with my mortgage, i'm not going to be putting it into extra fun purchases.

this is why we're paying RECORD high prices for gas, blaming it on the mid-east, but yet the oil execs are making record incomes.

or maybe because certain stocks were up for a while and everyone said we were good. unfortunately those stocks rose by outsourcing to other coutnries and cutting jobs in the US, yeah the stock market looked good, too bad most americans arent vested in teh stock market except for the ones that arent ruined by these big business decisions.

 

[mikey383]

Yes, the economy does suck. I've been laid off from work for 4 months now, and there doesn't seem to be an end in the near future. The workload around here just isn't there. Companies aren't spending the money to build, and material prices are out of control.

The price of gold has nearly tripled in the last few months, yet the value of a dollar is extremely low because of interest rates.

I just saw on the news that a gallon of gas is averaging $3.19. In Cali, it's up over $4.

Bottom line: The rich keep getting richer, the poor keep getting government assistance, and the middle class are getting screwed.

BOHICA.

 

[Restless Rocks]

During the early 90's in the last "recession" the bar band business started on a boom (at least in my area). I played full time and had so much work I booked it out to other bands. Then after the election in 2000 it all went to **** when the drinking and driving laws were stiffened and most of the larger clubs started shutting down and the DJ's took over most of the rest. Now in the last couple months I've booked my band solid for the year and am getting calls from new clubs and restaurants begging for good bands. I'm even getting out my old ovation and working up my solo act because there is so much opportunity in all the little restaurants opening up just as the largest manufacturer in my area anounced it is shutting down and others are laying off workers, the housing construction is at a stand still and off course gas hit $3.30 yesterday.

It looks like the pattern is coming around again. When people are down and out and having financial problems they have more time (and somehow money) to go to the bar. Then it's our job to help them remember happier times. "AC/DC .......Hell yeah"

 

[AustinK]

so the fact that most IT jobs are now performed by people in asia isnt a factor? so the fact that the US just contracted the entire contract for refueling planes to a european company rather than a US company based on cost isnt a factor? its the media? yeah thats BS. thats why while we're hitting a record deficit Bush thinks that giving everyone a few hundred bucks will help? i'll tell you this much, my ENTIRE extra income is going to nothing more than paying off credit cards and hoping to stay afloat with my mortgage, i'm not going to be putting it into extra fun purchases.

this is why we're paying RECORD high prices for gas, blaming it on the mid-east, but yet the oil execs are making record incomes.

or maybe because certain stocks were up for a while and everyone said we were good. unfortunately those stocks rose by outsourcing to other coutnries and cutting jobs in the US, yeah the stock market looked good, too bad most americans arent vested in teh stock market except for the ones that arent ruined by these big business decisions.

The recession is not caused by outsourcing. Companies have been outsourcing for nuch longer than just the past few years. Also outsourcing does eventually help the economy. It makes the businesses more efficient. With the money they save on it jobs they can use to hire others to perform other jobs. As for the deficit, Most presidents have run up deficits. Bush alone is not to blame for the deficit. Also we are fighting a war that does make up the majority of the deficit.

The oil prices are rising because of supply and demand. Countries like china have many more drivers now so there is a larger global demand for oil. As for the execs, they make money regardless of who they sell to so why would they care where they sell to.

As for the stock market, every investor should know that there is always a risk when investing in stocks. Just because everyone thinks it's safe doesn't make it fact.

The economy is cyclical so i don't feel that blaming any one reason is correct.

 

[JOEY B.]

When you work in the US manufacturing sector, as I do, the effect of non- US outsourcing will hit you smack in the face. I am not pro-union and I am not pro corporate. There has got to be a middle ground that will make this economy support the middle class. I used to drag race some very high power street legal race cars, and paid $6.50 per gallon for their 117 octane fuel. I hated it then, and the $3.50 per gallon for Super Unleaded today really chaps my ass. OPEC has f'kd up my hobby. I ran into an old drag racing buddy who said that his methanol has not climbed in price near as much as gasoline or diesel. :evil: In my opinion, any company (OPEC) that cuts back on production to increase the demand and price, is clearly screwing us all. The energy costs have a trickle down effect on most all goods and services. Thats why everything is going up except my paycheck.

 

[RJ2213]

its great that outsourcing causes corporations to save money, but open your eyes, do you think they bleed it down to the employees or help create non-executive jobs? get real. they take the profit and run.

hell, here in tampa alone this year an AOL call center shut down to be outsourced to india and that laid off about 400 employees, and the home depot call center closed down laying off another few hundred people. now double that number and thats how it really effects the working class around here, there are more people looking for jobs and that same number of jobs that dont exist.

outsourcing has gotten out of control. another good example is Blackwater, why are we paying a private citizen 4x as much as an enlisted soldier doing the same job in iraq? its because the current administration has a financial interest in doing so. theyre fleecing america in order to make sure they can keep buying more overpriced property and toys for themselves.

i've been a victim of outsourcing for the better part of the decade, and it has only gotten worse. its reduced teh amount of jobs in my field and the jobs that are there are paying signifigantly less. but yet the average cost of products on the market hasnt dropped at all.

 

[RJ2213]

and here's a great example of how the economy is screwed as of lately.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/07/news/economy/jobs_february/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

[AustinK]

In my opinion, any company (OPEC) that cuts back on production to increase the demand and price, is clearly screwing us all.

You can't just blame opec because other oil producers have also raised their prices such as BP. They don'y use middle eastern oil but their prices are almost the same. Why? because they can. The oil producers know that oil has an inelastic demand. They jnow that no mater how high the price gets most people will be forced to buy it.

hell, here in tampa alone this year an AOL call center shut down to be outsourced to india and that laid off about 400 employees, and the home depot call center closed down laying off another few hundred people.

I understand how it does effect many people, but in todays market there is so much competition that if one company outsources all of the others must follow. If they don't their prices will rise and no one will buy their product so the whole company goes belly up and everyone who worked for the company looses their jobs. I don't feel that it is extremely wrong to outsource a few hundred "unskilled" jobs in order to keep the company alive and provide many more jobs.


Don't get me wrong, i do feel for those who have lost their jobs. But growth/recession is all part of having a capitalist economy.

 

[RJ2213]

unskilled? so computer technicians and software technicians are unskilled? thats a new one to me.

 

[mikey383]

Money is the evil of the world. Everything comes down to money.

The oil execs are making billions by shafting everyone because of rediculously high gas prices. It's not any more dangerous to pump oil now than it was 15 years ago, yet the prices of oil keep going up, forcing the price of everything up. The oil companies have the biggest control on the economy. If they raise the price of oil by 10%, then everyone in the world will feel that 10% a hundred times over. Because you feel it when you go to the pump, then you feel it when you go to the grocery, your heating bill goes up...trucking companies raise their delivery prices because of rising diesel, then whoever they deliver to raises the prices on their products, and you are the one feeling it in your wallet.

 

[AustinK]

unskilled? so computer technicians and software technicians are unskilled? thats a new one to me.

You said call centers not computer techs.

Money is the evil of the world. Everything comes down to money

I completely agree.

Also i do feel bad for the people who have lost their jobs but it is not fair to blame all of the big corporations. Capitalism is truely survival of the fitest and one of it's inherent problems is that it doesn't always guarentee a job for everyone. If you guys would like jobs for life go look at all of the failures of economies that have tried this. There is a reason why our economy has been one of the strongest and it is our laisse fair market but in this system there are flaes such as the need to always find cheaper labor, so we outsource.


I see that we aren't going to see eye to eye on this topic so all i can do is wish you all good luck in finding success in getting/keeping jobs.

Can we just get back to talking about Mesa/Boogies :lol:

 

[RJ2213]

i cant afford to talk about mesa boogie anymore, the economy is killing me. maybe i'll start playing Crate amps and admit failure. :lol:

 

[AustinK]

i cant afford to talk about mesa boogie anymore, the economy is killing me. maybe i'll start playing Crate amps and admit failure.

:lol:

 

[mikey383]

i cant afford to talk about mesa boogie anymore, the economy is killing me. maybe i'll start playing Crate amps and admit failure. :lol:

That works for the majority of gigging bands in this area. It makes me wonder why I have spent thousands on my rig when I see a band playing a solid state Crate and a cheap LTD guitar, and they are getting tons of attention.

 

[CoG]

I've seen a surprising number of Americans selling gear (on this and one other board I frequent) that's less than one year old. I wonder if those might be people who bought on credit cards, and now can't make the payments.