Money Matters - Part 7

mercury in those new bulbs

Geeze - I couldnt even sell a 1935 thermometer on ebay cuz it was mercury!

Perspective please- mercury in the bulb a tiny tiny fraction of the mercury in a glass thermometer. I can find more detail later if desired, if I continue to survive long enough, having played with liquid mercury as a child.

Ohh I used to play with Mercury too, accumulated small quantities for 'scientific observation'. lol!
Never ingested or inhaled it as my priority was to play with it.. Then Nat-geo came out with an article on how toxic it was and I just kept it in the tube and eventually lost it on the rug or something... that was over 30yrs ago.

The Dow Jones is up 114+ today.

I think everyone played with the mercury as I kid

Not much of a stock comeback. And this is with a 'good' jobs report. Down down almost 6% for the week. Nasdaq down 8%.

Small amount of mercury in cf bulbs, but multiply that by a gazillion now that incandescents are outlawed. They rushed into that without thinking. Wait a few more years and LEDs will be the way.

Dow futures are down 285 pts. Should be a fun day tomorrow. Will need Dramamine and Valium!

Amazing how alarmist some 'experts' can be. One said we should sell our primary homes because housing prices will drop another 20%. What an idiot. Another said to sell everything and go 100% cash. Follow this and you lock in your losses.

Y'know, I've been following this thread for many months now. It's amazing the differences in your areas of the country, and mine. Could be 2 different countries (or worlds!) entirely. New Poverty abounds in the South, except perhaps for portions of major cities like Atlanta and a couple of others.

Not to worry, darius, we're getting there.

You also have a MUCH lower cost of living. Bet your property tax is minimal.

i don't know how property tax compares but you are probably correct... we pay about $700 annually for a single-wide trailer on a small piece of ground. County services are nil, although we do have collection points where we can take our garbage. No recycling there to speak of... and I haven't seen any law enforcement patrol on our rural road in 5 years except when they were out to arrest someone. Speed limit is 25 mph, and average speed is 50 mph... with numerous road kill including pets.

Oh, I should add the appraised value is around $70,000

Sounds like here, except try $13,000 property tax. Was $5K ten years ago. How about the chief of police and school superintendent making almost $250K? How about the lowest paid cop in this dinky town making $145K in '09? How about a $1K annual public transit tax when we do not even have access to public transit? See a pattern???

And they just approved another hike in the Hudson tolls so all who drive to NYC to work will pay $12 per day just for the privilege.

Didn't your tax dollars build the bridges that have tolls?

Anyway, your numbers above support what I said about it being like 2 different worlds... But of course I have no clue what the Chief of Police makes (notice I didn't say 'earns'. LOL)

Yes, tax dollars built bridges and roads which still have exorbitant tolls and, we're told, we need to spend hundreds of billions more on infrastructure.

It is a different world. Yours is much better.

The grass is always greener on the other side...

And cheaper.

- You'll find out it all evens out Victor. But don't believe me, go and find out for yourself like I did.
☺!

The drop in bond rating gave me a few new gray hairs. Meanwhile the refrigerators at Lowes are ever bigger fancier and with more features and the price tag reflects that. Who the heck is buying all these 2500 $ fridges? I guess its to hold all the premade food since no one cooks anymore.

Or for cold cash??

$2,500 for a fridge that is a gonner in 7 years or so plus if you take out the insurance you end up paying a good portion of a new one = I dont think so.

$13,000 property tax = I would faint.

tee he victor.
And that is the last time I'm going to giggle today- the news is already BAD and its only 8 30 am for cryin out loud !

Makes VS earns- yup

On the good news front - I just got a free apple! Our company cafeteria brings in local produce every week for sale. I bought beautiful peaches for 50 cents each and I got an apple for free!

LOL - good one

Italy and Spain are getting bailed out.

Gold over 1,700 an ounce

Dow nearing another 500 pt drop.

Wow, I wonder what will happen if Moody's and Fitch downgrade us..

Maybe it would go up!

Was down over 600 at one point.

Reminds me of the crash in 2000. We were in a meeting and I said I was going to check the market. As I returned, the other engineers all asked how bad it was. I replied, 'At least we have our health'.

where is the bounce??

She's nowhere to be found.

you got that right

Down 630!

Dow down 5.5%. Nasdaq down almost 7%!

whew - only down 506.............................

Would buying into the market now fall into the category of trying to catch a falling knife or into the "buy low" category?

I heard 634...

Ugh, this is too depressing, time for a musical interlude.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4yT0KAMyo

excellent question