Money Matters - Part 7

Yes every where to every thing. Up here someone took the castiron gates off a cemetery entrance.

Sally, I had looked into selling that silver flatware several years ago, once I found who made the pattern. At that time, it would have brought less than your silverplate brought now. I really should find it!

I have a few rolls of copper water pipe and a box of fittings in the barn, but I'm saving it. (I guess maybe because I think things could get worse!) I also have several bird feeder poles I made from heavy duty copper pipe, which I don't put out anymore because of my cat who hunts (but hasn't learned to eat what she hunts).

I hate it when they (cats) do that! Bad enough they kill the bird or mouse, but then I have to give it a decent burial.

Listening to an advertisement for a leadership seminar and they are listing all these high end speakers from the CEO of Starbucks to the Mayor of Newark, to a...............


marketing blogger................. What??? ooooo, I'm impressed!!!

ooo!
My brother can't seem to say I write 'articles', he asks how my blogging is going and I cringe.
Hope that doesn't offend anyone...

If 'ya going to worry about what offends people you never say anything!
I prefer 'writer' myself, 'blogging' sounds like something you do with a sled and a pack of dogs or something. Like in the Iditarod... (lol!)

Not that I mind people who blog, if that's their "thing"

There are some rich bloggers out there.

And here are the easy steps to do just that...
http://www.ehow.com/how_2046863_make-money-blogging.html

thanks Jen, that's an interesting insight.

I started blogging 2+ years ago when I quit writing for DG after many things here changed. My original intention WAS to make money; I soon learned I didn't want to accept ads for products I won't or don't use, or don't believe work as stated. So, no money.

I'm much happier writing scattered thoughts on food gardening, food preservation (some beyond canning, freezing and dehydrating), supporting local farmers/food, and fighting stupid food politics. It also helps me keep track of what I do right in the garden, and what failed. (If I write it in a journal, I invariably lose the journal! Besides, paper journals do not have a search function.)

Hate to say it, but I think today's market swoon is a sign of worse things in the days and weeks ahead. As I have felt for two years now, things in Europe are nearing the edge of the cliff. I would be really surprised if the euro survived the year. I don't think it will.

And our economy is a horror. Now that the ludicrous debt debacle is over, we are going to see the reality of the situation more clearly. Hope I am wrong.

Verrry Interesting!

darius, yours is one blog i would certainly respect!

victor- my stomach sort of sank to read that but I am afraid you will be right.

Let's hope not!

Some say the Am govt is still a good bet--compared to the alternatives worldwide.
Who knows, maybe Russia will suddenly find all of the Csars gold and take over .

I think the temporary 'flight to safety' of US treasuries would be more than offset by the negatives associated with a euro collapse. For example, how exposed are US banks and financial institutions? Money market funds often have a sizable European component.

1 word - Gold

My vintage gold watch collection has gained substantial monetary value.
Yippee!

If the Dow goes down today, it will be the longest losing streak since Feb '78. Yesterday tied the longest since the crisis in '08.

Gonna start praying or crossing fingers before opening this thread

Hee hee! Nasdaq turned positive. ^_^

Gas here dropped around 30-35¢ gallon.

I'm just so confused. My money-handler (maybe I should say change handler) hasn't told me to move anything and I'm very heavy in the stock market. I hope he knows what he is doing. . .

i have not done anything either memory - just ride it out - the market will come back

That is what the manager says. So I don't look at the accounts.

I need a harness for this kinda ride !!

Yes, bailing out after a significant drop only locks in losses. Having said that, I promised myself to be more proactive after the last crash (2nd big one for me) and I am glad I pulled lots out. Buy and hold as constant philosophy may have worked years ago, but it certainly has not the past decade or so.

A piece of advice. If you are concerned at all about the problems in Europe, and you should be, and you have significant money in money market accounts, check the prospectus about holdings. I was surprised that the one I was using to 'park' my money for years at Vanguard had a very high % in European short-term debt. I moved it to one that is all US.

A few things that are particularly troublesome for our economy are, a) outside factors, such as Europe and China, b) the high cost of oil - last few recessions the price was WAY lower coming out - now, every time there is a positive sounding piece of economic news, the price spikes, c) interest rates - cannot get any lower. Therefore, what does the Fed Reserve have left to throw at the problem?? d) Continued loss of manufacturing - it is a permanent problem, unfortunately. How do you compete with wages in Asia?? Genie not going back into the bottle. So what future do unskilled laborers have? Are they going to become computer experts at 50 yrs old? e) Lastly, housing and construction - many of those jobs will never come back because they were growing at a ridiculous, unsustainable rate.

Other than that, things look great. ^_^

vanguard service has been great.
wells fargo service stinks. I had a great person to deal with for closing out moms assets. BUT Everytime an action left her desk it got misplaced, screwed up or something. Hate WF.

Love Vanguard!

ditto on vanguard - most of our money is there - still spread it out though do not want all eggs in one basket

There is SOME manufacturing staying in the US. One of the Big Boys is going to retool their refrigerator plant in the US that was slated to move offshore. The company I work for sells equipment to manufacture products and sales are booming. Of couse a lot of it is moving offshore . . .

wha, just don't spread any to wells fargo
= ^P

I'm waiting for darius' gas price to get here
8 ^}

Thanks heavens for any manufacturing staying here. It does seem crazy that we can add the cost of shipping and still be cheaper from across the world.

Well the good news is oil is under 90. Bad news is it is low because of a poor outlook. Dow is down over 300 pts right now. Ouch.

It's not cheaper for US, but for the company producing it...notice the INSANE salaries of some of the CEO's
1. Carol Bartz, Yahoo Inc., $47.2 million
2. Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp., $42.9 million
3. Marc Casper, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., $34.1 million
4. Philippe Dauman, Viacom Inc., $33.9 million
5. J. Raymond Elliott, Boston Scientific Corp., $33.3 million
6. Ray Irani, Occidental Petroleum Corp., $31.4 million
7. Glen Senk, Urban Outfitters Inc., $29.9 million
8. Brian Roberts, Comcast Corp., $27.2 million
9. William Weldon, Johnson & Johnson, $25.5 million
10. Louis Camilleri, Philip Morris International Inc., $24.4 million
2010
1. Philippe Dauman, Viacom, $84.5 million
2.Ray Irani, Occidental Petroleum, $76.1 million
3.Leslie Moonves, CBS, $56.9 million
4.David Zaslav, Discovery Communications, $42.6 million
5.Richard Adkerson, Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold, $35.3 million
6.John Lundgren, Stanley Black & Decker, $32.6 million
7.Brian Roberts, Comcast, $31 million
8.Robert Iger, Walt Disney, $28 million
9.Alan Mulally, Ford Motor, $26.5 million
10.Jeff Bewkes, Time Warner, $26.1 million


This was an interesting list for ceo's of companies that are based in the around here
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/96406479.html

The one standout that amazes me is the CEO for Urban Outfitters...they must be making their clothing REALLY cheap

Yes, CEO salaries are crazy, but that is not the reason we are in this mess. And they are accountable to shareholders.

No not saying that all, they make their $ from the sale of the product, if we stop buying it, they stop making the $