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I was in high school during the early 60's. I would have done anything to have a Jag XKE like you did. Remember Jan & Dean's tune "Dead Mans Curve"?

If this is such a waste of your pseudo "time", why do you keep on posting? Give it a rest.

How do you find, what does your car model! Hi Diestel. I'm in Des Moines. I have a 2010 ES350. Welcome to the LOC.

And how glad I am for that, especially when the religious right tries to do it all the time. There are enough channels on cable or satellite to accommodate anyones needs. Just don't mess with my "Big Bang" program!! LOL

Fool me once....didn't fool me twice, absolutely will not fool me a third time with another Texas evangelical catering to big oil and bigger pockets. Interesting fact from last nights debate, there was not one use of, or mention of the word "middle class" during the whole Republican Presidential debate. Yes cultural times are different from the 80's, but that may not be necessarily for the better in all sectors. Prime-time TV is way borderline on some of their shows IMO.

Paul and I have been to busy :chairshot: beating each other up on the politics thread to welcome new members lately! :whistles: Yeah...it's usually lexir, dcfish and I that are the neighborhood Welcome Wagon. We are all pretty good bud's.

Welcome to the Club. Paul

I love it! LOL!!!

My vote says we've pretty much beaten this one to a pulp. Shall me move on to something less controversial like religion or capital punishment?.....LOL guys.

Excellent overview....thought provoking. Thanks for posting. Question: I have been in the affirmative on the need to raise some taxes in order to clean up our debt load. Am I correct when I say that our current tax rates are the lowest they have been since the early 1950's?

I think we should all run for office.....dog catcher. I'm pretty sure others on this forum think that's all were qualifed for.....picking up dog s..t!! LOL!!!

I agree NC...This is a huge problem! I also wanted to add this is another reason that I think that extending the unemployment benefits is a huge mistake. Now I just watched Obama talk about extending them again! AS an employer this makes me sick…my cost for unemployment insurance went up $150.00 per week at the beginning of the year. Part of this was due to a termination of an employee and the other was due to the high rate of unemployment in my state. Now as a small employer that caused me to have to move some other things around. It wasn’t going to make or break me but I have to factor this in when looking at raises and benefits for the staff that is working for me. But just the fact that here I am with 8 people on payroll wow what is happening to huge corporations? There are people as you say NC…that are on "paid vacation" and don't plan on going back to work until they have too. If unemployment was for 6 months you better bet that they wouldn't sit around and wait when they get offered a job at a little less than they used to make. There also is a sense of pride that has been lost with so many...you have people now that not only are they getting unemployment benefits but they are proud of it and truly think that they have earned them? I just interviewed 3 people for a job…all had recently been let go do to a downsizing. All extremely qualified…but they all IMHO were a little overpaid…which is what to the company that they were with having to cut back. When I sat down with the one who I ended up hiring she understood that I wasn’t going to start her at what she was making but that I would give her the opportunity to grow with us and she was more than happy with the opportunity to have a “job” however the others kind of made me feel as I had insulted them by telling them that I in no way would be offering the same pay that they used to get…and I picked up the feeling well I might as well stay home why would I take a job making less than I was making before. Now my starting pay wasn’t a slap in the face but it would have been a little less per hour than what they had been making. It just absolutely amazes me that someone can actually get a check for doing nothing…can’t we at least have some provision in there that after 6 weeks, or 12 weeks or something you must have copies of jobs applied for and proof of 20-40 hours of community service or benefits are cut off. Another idea is to pay full benefits for 6 weeks, reduce ¼ weeks 6-12, and keep coming down until payments are stopped. There has to be a system of getting people off of Unemployment or at the very least something to make people want to get off of it. I can tell you for sure if people had to show names and jobs that they applied for and do community service and at the same time when week 6 hits their $$$ is going to be reduced by 25% they would take a job until they found a better one…and that is the problem today no one wants to go backwards or work their way up…they are entitled to more… No question, I consider you as one of my friends on here as well. Statements like, "someone can actually get a check for doing nothing", or suggesting that their benefits reduce proportionately over 6 week intervals, as if the longer their unemployed the easier it is for them to make ends meet, did hit my hot button. But, it's not about my daughter. It's about our ability or our inability to make judgments about others without knowing all the facts. I am guilty of this as well. It is my belief that the stress of this economy is making all of us jump to conclusions that we wouldn't normally do. Except Lenore. LOL

Good God! Have you made your self Judge and Jury of the rest of the human race or what? I don't know what state you live in but let me give you an example of a "real" person collecting unemployment that you assume must feel entitled to free "benies". Our daughter, 34, lives in the Space Coast region of Florida. Her Accounting Dept. was downsized in early 2010. She has a BS and several years experience in acct. During this time she has collected unemployment. Each week, she must turn in at LEAST two contact names and that is for every week she receives her unemployment. Since being laid off she has submitted over 131 resumes and received less than 14 responses. (In Florida it is not unnusual to not hear anything back no matter how much you call. One job opening had over 10,000 applications.) Why? Florida has over 15% unemployment. Beginning in 2010, the U.S. Government began laying off employees of the shuttle program, approximately 7,000 of them through 2011. Obviously one small area like the Space Coast can't provide jobs for all of these uprooted people. Without the supplement of unemployment to help, things would obviously be more difficult for our kids family. She continues to pound on doors and check company web sites until shes blue in the face. If the unemployment runs out before she finds a job, we drain our savings some more. My point. Yes we live in a current society where some people feel they are entitled to just about everything just because their parents taught them that nothing was their fault. But to make such broad all encompassing statements that anybody who gets unemployment is lazy, no ambition, could find a job if they really wanted to, and on and on, is just plain wrong.

Sure that wasn't the liquor...or the kool aid! :) Just messing Paul... You know me to well....I seem to always pick the cup with the kool-aid!!

But, on the evening news...in the past 9 days, 36,000 kids have died of starvation in the famine in Samolia. The U.S. is sending another shipment of aid. This is just right on all levels. Paul I was being a little sarcastic in my earlier post. However we have children in this country that need to be taken care of. I am glad that our country can give and give but when is enough...enough. So we are borrowing money to pay our debt and we are still giving to other countries? Something doesn't add up. Sure there are children starving and if we give them $100,000,000 there will still be starving children there. It is great the good our country does...and it is one of the things that makes me proud to be an American. But when do we hit the point where we must start taking care of our own? Now...When? Personally I am disgusted with ALL of the politicians. I want a real leader to step up and lead us out of the current situation we are in and not make excuses. I have yet to see one...neither party wants to work together...they just want to point the finger at each other. One thing we need for sure is term limits...and to cut the pay of the jokers that are in congress and senate! I hear what your saying. It's the old adage...give a man a fish, he is full for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will never be hungry again. There probably is a line someplace where you have to stop giving aid to those in need so that you can continue to help your own. But I would remind you of the almost hysteric mood the health care bill debate raised when we wanted to take care of the 43,000,000 uninsured people in our own country. I don't recall too many jumping up and down to say "yes, we need to help our own". We are a good people and a good country. We are a compassionate and generous people and we have shown that time and time again. We need to get more countries to do there part instead of expecting us to be the United Way of the planet. As for getting a leader who can lead, given the poisonous and kill or be killed political atmosphere in the country and Washington D.C., you could put Jesus Christ in the Oval office and the Democrats and Republicans would start sawing 4x4's for a cross. I have said this here before. A leader cannot lead people who do not want to be led. i.e., ever watch a supervisor try to lead a strong union shop? However, a leader with strong skills can often over come these problems. But if you are a strong leader and your leading in a caustic environment like Congress your likely to end up like Caesar. Right now, Bachman is leading the polls in Iowa. Romney is one point behind. Huntsman is in the top six even though he is a virtual unknown. Gingrich is far down in the standings. Bachman is the only one that has really caught on and could easily beat Romney and Pawlenty. None of these have the campaing skills or mental acuity to go the distance. IMO.

NC, Just an FYI....Do you know Bob Baur, Global Economist for Principal here in Des Moines. I ask because he was on the evening news localy and was very bullish about the current market situation. He felt the the S&P move was unfounded and the markets movements are not based on facts. Made me feel a little more warm and fuzzy.

But, on the evening news...in the past 9 days, 36,000 kids have died of starvation in the famine in Samolia. The U.S. is sending another shipment of aid. This is just right on all levels.

IMO the last three words, "not his party", are the most important you said. For regardless of our banter about deficit, budget, taxes, rating,leadership, etc., the inability for our elected officials to concentrate on problem solving instead of working to find fault with the "enemy" for sake of racking up political collateral on the evening news. Whether it was the Tory's or the Whig's, Lenin or Marx, or our Elephant's and Donkey's, politics has always been a battle ground. But in our present time in has become more than just a matter of varying opinions such as the Continental Congress. This is deliberate, open character assassination and undermining the other sides efforts purposefully just to make them look bad. If I had a solution I'd tell you. I don't. I do know that all of the discussions all of us have had over these last seven pages regarding the countries problems will go nowhere until and unless this one problem is stopped.

But reducing the deficit was only part of what S&P needed to see to avoid a downgrade. If we saw 4.3T in cuts, but we still didn't raise the debt ceiling and defaulted on our debt...we would still see a downgrade obviously. Default=downgrade...bottom line. The government is not a household. You won't find a lot of economists that say massively reducing government spending in a weak and recovering economy with reduced consumer spending is going to get us out of a crisis. Like I said before, we're still trying to get the economy growing on its own...debt is not the primary concern right now. Thats simplistic thinking that the right wing uses out on the stump, but in reality comparing the activities of the federal government to a household is about as ridiculous as it gets. Apples and oranges. Allow me to add to this Steve: Your government has the ability to print more money and infuse it into the economy so your household budget can still buy bacon for $2.69 a pound. A government can only cut it's budget so far just like a household that needs to keep the water, gas, and electricity turned on. Sometimes a member of the household has to take on a part time job to help pay the bills. The government in a crisis sometimes need extra income as well. This morning on CNN, a Republican Senator said that there needed to be a revision of the tax code to allow for revenue enhancements. Obama has said that we need to eliminate the Bush tax cuts on those making over a million. Tax revenue, revenue enhancements. Same thing. The Constitution gives the power to tax and spend to Congress. Not Obama. Obama is making mistakes.

Thanks for your support of one of our local companies! One of our closet friends is a senior vp and has been in charge of shutting down their Health insurance company;cutting a losing product. Pre 08', the Principal stock was trading in the 70's. A huge fall from where they are now, but as you know, a well managed company with a strong ability to reinvent itself as the market demands. A good opportunity for growth, but even paced, not a rocket ride. I would definately buy.

NC, watching "Meet the Press" and "Face the Nation" this morn. Alan Greenspan was on MTP and remarked that the markets in Israel had already opened by 9:00am, eastern. He felt that even there we would see a shudder in values as trading opened. After that, of course, the conversation quickly decayed into each of the guest blaming the others party for the fricking mess last week and the rating downgrade. It's so nice to know their always working together on a solution. I wonder whats going to happen to the Republican/Democrats pi..ing contest when Spain and Italy implode, there is no one left in Europe that can bail them out, and the dollar goes south. I agree with Steve and NC about Obama and his political acuity. I believe he has and is trying to do the right thing as he sees it. But his advisor's lack of skill and his own naiveté have been obvious. I have listened to his current chief of staff twice now during a lengthy interview. He still is pushing the responsibility for current affairs on other parties. (Just like the Republicans do.) Pawlenty has campaigned hard here in Iowa. IMO he is a lightweight. His high points on his stump speech are that he shut his state government down for weeks throwing all the employees out of work, but also showing how tough he was. He actually thinks bringing the state government to a point were the only option is to stop all government in its tracks is a good thing. He also does not like !Removed! and identifies with the evangelical Christian side. In his TV ads he likens himself to a hockey player and the election is a hockey game. (I guess that makes Obama the puck).

Thanks Lenore for the info. I remember we continued selling the 914 clear into the late 70's to county clerks because it was the only machine we had that would print the "negative" copies from their old files. What a work horse that was....and the 660!

Agree. Whats your plan.

Lexir, you already know why companies have been sending their work over seas for YEARS. IT allows them to produce their product at a reduced cost. Plain and simple basic good business practice. Why? You already know of course....lower consumer price on the store shelf,(especially for Wilmar which is a huge account for many American/overseas manufacturers), and hopefully higher profits and bigger stock dividends. Yes it sucks. But who or what is the cause of this? As I stated. This trend has been going on for years, not just the last 20 months of Obama's term. You bet. Government can and does create an environment in which business grows. Interest rates, readily available loans, government contracts. I did not agree and do not agree with the timing of the health care legislation. I thought it was the wrong priority when he should have been focusing on the economy and only the economy. IMO, we are beyond one man being able to solve the problems. Yes, one person taking responsibility and being forthright as part of their makeup along with courage and a willingness to fight can show a way for people to follow. BUT, it is my experience that whether it has been Nixon, Ford, Carter,Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, or Obama, we as citizens give them about 12-14 months and then descend on them like a pack of wolves. Do you remember Desert Storm?, the attempt to impeach Clinton, The Mission Accomplished problem for Bush II? The big flap over the beer in the garden with Obama? We seem to love to stick it to our presidents. And the ones who seem to loves it most is the TV news. In watching the president news conferences over the last four weeks or so,Obama has several times said things like, "I take responsibility for that", "That was my fault", "That didn't go as well as I had hoped". I know that won't assuage you, but I find it interesting. As citizens, we have the ultimate responsibility to lead our country. It is not Obama's country only, its is OURS! And especially it is not John Boehner's country only, or Harry Reid's, or Mitch McConnell's. Stop and think, when the FAA people were out of work and the country was loosing $400,000,000., every Congress person and senator was still getting paid. When you, a friend, former co-worker,or relative has been out of work and has lost all their benefits, Congress still got paid. The running of this great land is our business, and should not be turned over into a gripe session expecting someone else to "FIX IT" daddy. Being here in Iowa, we are the first in the nation to have a caucus for the Republican Presidential candidates. Hence, we are already being bombarded with Television ad's, town hall meetings, kissings baby's, speech's, and every political candidate from all over the country. So far, there have been no plans or platforms put forth by any candidate on the economy or debt crisis, just a constant drone of what a evil person Obama is and his evil intents. Should be an interesting campaign. There is blood in the water. Paul Please forgive the problem with auto spell check.