If you don’t have full time employment, then you’re facing some tough competition.
The roughly 14 million unemployed Americans that make up the 9.1% official U-3 unemployment figure aren’t competing just with themselves – they’re also facing competition from the nearly 9 million “underemployed” Americans who have part time work, but are looking for full time labor:
And the unemployed [14 million] will face another source of competition once the economy improves: Roughly 2.6 million people who aren’t counted as unemployed because they’ve stopped looking for work. Once they start looking again, they’ll be classified as unemployed. And the unemployment rate could rise.
Intensified competition for jobs means unemployment could exceed its historic norm of 5 percent to 6 percent for several more years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office expects the rate to exceed 8 percent until 2014. The White House predicts it will average 9 percent next year, when President Barack Obama runs for re-election.
…
Combined, the 14 million officially unemployed; the [8.8 million] “underemployed” part-timers who want full-time work; and “discouraged” people who have stopped looking make up 16.2 percent of working-age Americans.
The Labor Department compiles the figure to assess how many people want full-time work and can’t find it — a number the unemployment rate alone doesn’t capture.
In a healthy economy, this broader measure of unemployment stays below 10 percent. Since the Great Recession officially ended more than two years ago, the rate has been 15 percent or more.
Source: Yahoo
Those 2.6 million Americans who have reportedly stopped looking for work are still looking – they just don’t count anymore because they aren’t taking unemployment insurance benefits.
These are big numbers, folks, comparable to the great depression if we consider the Shadow Stats SGS alternative unemployment measure, which utilizes non-official calculations to determine how many are unemployed. We’re talking over 22%.
SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate reflects current unemployment reporting methodology adjusted for SGS-estimated long-term discouraged workers, who were defined out of official existence in 1994. That estimate is added to the BLS estimate of U-6 unemployment, which includes short-term discouraged workers.
As it becomes apparent to Americans that this so-called recovery is nothing but conjecture, we can expect a self reinforcing unemployment spiral to develop. More people are laid off, less money is spent, more businesses close, and even more people lose their jobs.
This isn’t going away in 2014. Remember, these are the same people who told us things would get better in 2009, then 2010, then 2011.
We want to be optimistic, but numbers like these make that impossible.
Sheep don’t eat bullshit but sheeple do!
Perhaps you have already seen this:
All Work and No Pay: The Great Speedup
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/speed-up-american-workers-long-hours
Remember, their plan is 90% depopulation and to enslave the survivors.
Good article, but such an action can and does backfire.
My previous employer was big on operating “lean”. I finally decided that I’d had enough. As a Systems Administrator, I discovered very quickly that I had a shitload of options.
I spent a few hours one day combing through monster.com, and spent the next couple of weeks weeding out the flood of interviews. I found a job that has a far lighter schedule, and for a far bigger salary.
My old employer is still struggling to find a replacement. I already spread word on my own local network what the job is really like (I was honest about it), and no one will touch it. No one wants to be worked to death, after all.
Long story short, in some job skills and regions, it is an employee’s market.
Banksters’ woes:
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1048/875/Full-Blown_Civil_War_Erupts_On_Wall_Street:_As_Reality_Finally_Hits_The_Financial_Elite,_They_Start_Turning_On_Each_Other.html
Of course, you can always create your own job. You don’t really need the corp. In fact, income without the corp should be among your preps.
If you are unemployed, you should be aware by now that the corp is disintegrating the economy you live in and is not interested in allowing jobs to be created for you.
Things will pick up again only if privately owned, unregulated companies return in a free market to replace publicly held perpetual corporations.
Yep GC, creating your own job is the way to go. Unfortunatly, most don’t have the intestinal fortitude to go it alone. They like showing up for the job, punching a time clock and then going home.
another factor is laying out 1200 a month up front for insurance.
GC, you are spot on.
It’s funny (not haha funny ) when “preppers” talk about prepping it’s all about beans, bullets and bandaids or gold and silver…blah, blah, blah. But ever preppers first priority should be prepping himself by learning skills and maintaining tools.
Yes it’s about beans, rice, and bullets. Have you noticed the fragility of our JIT hyper concentrated food supply system? it has little or no food warehousing and limited throughput. Yet the sheeple buy only enough food to last three to five days. What happens when the public decides it is time to buy for two weeks or two months. The demand quintuples, far beyond the system capacity, hoarding starts and nobody eats. Nobody eats because equibibrium never come until a substantial fraction die off.. Yes it’s about beans, rice, and bullets. Wake up!
I never said we don’t need to store food and the other items. I just mentioned skills are needed. Bartering skills for payment is a valuable asset.
Are you prepping yourself to become a prostitute or pimp?
Weird that you would consider the ability to have sex a skill considering your parents were able to procreate.
So, why do you call yourself Handy? Au, 1920 in Europe right now, haha. They are still giving it away hands down.
The guy’s right.
Certainly it is a good thing to have supplies, but it is even better to have the *skills* and the *tools*.
If you cannot plant, breed, nurture, hunt, and harvest properly, all the freeze-dried baggies in the world won’t help you stay fed.
No amount of ammunition on the planet will make a rifle with a busted trigger work again.
Bandaids are nice, but you can’t set a broken bone with one, or deliver a baby, or use it to know the difference between a zit and a nascent infection.
Corporations should die just like people die. They should not be allowed to live forever. Give them a life of 80 (or something) years and then divide their assets to their heirs (stockholders).
That would solve a lot of our current problems.
As if the “free” market hasn’t already done us in???
I am currently reading an excellent historical and ethical exposé of the “free” market. Some prominent proponents of “free” market capitalism remind me of unrepentent Communists who, despite the130milion+ deaths at the hands of Communism, claim that “real Communism hasn’t been tried.” If a little arsenic didn’t cure the syphilis, maybe a little more arsenic will. If a little “free” market didn’t starve us all, maybe a little more will.
Whether Capitalist or Communist, any economy divorced from morality will inevitably descend to lives of hell for the people at the bottom—that’s YOU and ME, folks!
Regardless of your religion or historical competence, anyone interested in understanding the fundamental flaws of libertarianism and “Austrian” economics would be edified by The Church and the Libertarian by Christopher Ferrara
http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/Archives/2010-ferrara-church-libertarian.htm
You owe it to yourselves and your children to oppose usury, unjust wages, and unjust prices. Really, you do.
They call it a “free market” but the market in this country hasn’t ever been truly and completely free. Like “-isms”, a free market get co-opted and corrupted with greed.
Humans will take the most perfect system and corrupt it to the point where its unrecognizable and still call it by the same name.
They did it with Republic: The uSA, now the USA and not a republic at all. They’ve done it with the market: Free Market turned Capitalism but is really Chronny Capitalism but they still call it both “free market” and “capitalism” while its neither.
It is within human nature to lie. Psychopaths lie and they lie a lot and when you want to make money, lying works wonders for your bottom line.
The only statement that really need be said is a permutated quote within your comment, John:
“Whether Capitalist or Communist, any economy divorced from morality will inevitably descend to lives of hell for the people at the bottom—that’s YOU and ME, folks!”
Just start at “Any economy…” and go from there.
I’m learning that the morality is pulled out of the system by a certain type of individual: The Psychopath.
Find out more about H(er)(im) at:
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/socio-economics/the-art-of-urban-survival.html
Enjoy!
You make an astute observation — that all forms of economic structuring will eventually arrange themselves into an oligarchies. History is replete with examples of greed and human selfishness turning any and all economic formats into collective oligarchies where the rich control everything and essentially enslave the masses. This is what is happening now in the US, the question is whether capitalism was always doomed to become corporatism (fascism). I believe that it was, just like all forms of socialism are deemed to become communism. And the end of the day there is no left or right, there is only free will and control. Free will lost a long time ago.
As a person that is a believer in Austrian theory economics I found the synopsis very interesting. I spent the bucks and ordered the book. I believe that I may find answers to a couple of questions that have been rattling around my hat rack.
Here’s mine…just started it…
http://www.GlobalCodeGuild.com
We already have a team project in the works.
No more thinking like an employee.
Time to be boss man.
“In fact, income without the corp should be among your preps.”
Seriously excellent advice!
Why?
Why would I start a business and risk my life savings when I can comfortably collect a 6 figure corporate salary with 0 risk?
And why do either of those things when you can work for the government and either sleep on the job or sit at home “telecommuting” all day collecting a 6 figure salary?
It is moronic to try to start a small business or work in the private sector when you can pull 6 figures sleeping or playing video games thanks to government employment.
But if you want to be regulated to death and pay massive amounts of taxes to support government employees asleep on the job, and buy them new model Mercedes every couple years, and BMW’s for their kids, be my guest.
What’s the best available count these days of the number of working illegals in the US?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5312900
“There are places in the United States where illegal immigration has big effects (both positive and negative). But economists generally believe that when averaged over the whole economy, the effect is a small net positive. Harvard’s George Borjas says the average American’s wealth is increased by less than 1 percent because of illegal immigration.”
NPR is nothing but Poison Ivy League Marxist lies 24 hours a day.
“Poison Ivy League Marxist “… LMAO, never heard this one before, but talk about Nail on the Head ! Well said.
Jesse: That math is insanity. The wealth that is created by the exploitation of illegals go to the bottom line of corporations and then to managers.
The average American’s wealth isn’t increased by a single DIME, on the contrary, 30 million illegals have probably surpressed the average hourly wage by $6 to $8 bucks an hour!
If its HARVARD its a LIE.
We beg to differ. The classical music broadcast every single day (and late evening) on our local NPR station is nothing short of fabulous.
Mac
The NPR article was from March 2006. This is more current
“…- 8 million: Number of U.S. jobs held by illegal workers in 2010, according to the Pew Hispanic Center’s February 2011 report (including more than 7 million non-farm jobs; only 4 percent of illegal workers work in farming, fishing, or forestry occupations). Contrary to the impression given by the media, most illegal workers are holding “permanent” type jobs…” source numbersusa
Remember those shovel ready jobs the tax payers paid for – guess who got the pay checks???? Illegals!!! E-Verify (a joke because of stolen and fraudulent documents – but at least it is something) was removed from the legislation. Wonder why?
Those projects awarded (vis a vis lobbyist)went to “preferred” big boy government general contractors, who “subcontract” the Labor portion of the contract out to Labor Agencies (who use illegals with a English/Spanish speaking crew boss.) This way they can say to Congress, which they did, that “they” don’t hire illegals.
Either some of you folks don’t get it or don’t want to get how invasive and devastating and over whelming the numbers of illegals are to the economy and job market. The number 12 million illegals has been used for over 15 years. Are you kidding me? Even this 2006 NPR was using the number.
GC – my industry was hijacked my the illegals, I was a small business owner. One of the small businesses hiring two or three employees. They have hijacked the small shops of auto mechanics, tires, detailing, painting, house cleaning, diesel repairs – all gone.
So has construction – housing, building and highway. Gone. The only Americans I see are the super and his asst on sites. These ARE jobs Americans want to work but have been hijacked by the illegals.
At the same time they are stealing the jobs, they are dipping into the treasury at the tune of $10,000 annually in fradulent tax refunds. Lastly, throw in the benefits their families are getting from welfare too.
The American citizen is being robbed and your children are going to pay the price, because the parents didn’t want to be impolite.
8 million??? If this is an accurate figure of employed illegals in the US then why are American employers not doing THEIR job in ensuring that people with the RIGHT to work in the US get hired instead of someone who isn’t eligible??
No offense here, but if your jobs are being fleeced by millions of people who aren’t eligible to work, then why do you allow it?? Surely you’ve only got yourselves to blame, if you turn a blind eye to this fact?
As for jobs being shipped off to places like China ect. Well, really? Isn’t it obvious that those companies are to blame? And if so, why aren’t Americans demanding law changes to protect themselves instead of moaning and sulking in the corner?
If it’s really that bad in the US then wouldn’t we see workers protesting in the street? Where are the underemployed and unemployed millions protesting in Capitol cities and outside China friendly companies demanding accountability? Haven’t you got tounges?
LH….Not to mention meatcutters and slaughterhouses…best pay around till all the invaders got in…most all gone now too! Make no mistake folks this didnt happen by accident…it was planned by the powers that be…church and state!
Yes, a drywall contractor said the illegals get away with not having workmen’s comp…and that fact undercuts his bids..he lost so much business combined with the housing industry crash–he lost his business..just one story of thousands.
Add in the fact that second and third generations from illegal still utilize government programs (welfare/WIC/foodstamps) at a far higher rate than the general population. Also, am I the only one that notices the tendency of Hispanic women to take their children to the docotr or hospital every time they sniffle?
Mac: That is a 2006 article. Two years ago, (2009)the US Government said it’s official count was 20 million illegals in the country.
Last May the PEW org said there were 9-11 million. That was a lie to disguise the truth and make Americans believe the problem isn’t that big. Some private organizations estimate 40 to 60 million illegals.
I have a friend with a helicopter who is paid by the Corp to count heads of illegals on ONLY a 25 mile strip of land south of Tucson. He averages 1,000 illegals a day, every day on his tiny piece of border.
SHTF America estimates 30 million illegals and gives a great rationale for the number, at that site.
Sure is secure borders around here. Good thing they are making sure no terrorists get into the U.S. Good thing they are raping us at the air ports and surveiling us 24/7 on the telecommunications networks.
Mick, the “illegals” are not taking the jobs. The politicians are.
Besides, people from other countries can come here. It’s God’s land. I am sure they would be glad to join the Republic if it had a government to Naturalize them according to the law. They are only illegal because they are not registered property of the corp.
I think what pisses most people off about the “illegals” is that they have the freedom corp citizens do not have…
…..”registered property of the corp” ? I don’t believe that more than 5% of the populace understands that fact.
Or, maybe people are pissed because they are here ILLEGALLY, and adding insult to injury is the FACT that our Federal government is NOT only refusing to enforce our laws, but is BREAKING our laws!
there’s one on this board, what is it with you people who can’t find your own screan name??????
I have been hearing there are about “12 million” illegals for over 20 years. There area reports of another 1/2 million new illegals coming in each year.
I never hear about any illegals leaving.
So I would think there are 20 to 30 million illegals here now.
Nearly 3 million people migrate to the US every year. Legal and illegal. Almost 1 million legal. 1 million enter by land illegal. 1 million enter by air illegal. Almost never spoken about is the 1 million by air. Millions of people come here every year for business, tourism and school. ICE says about 1 million overstay their visa, and never leave.
I know for a fact that many people who work for border patrol is paid very well to look the other way. But interestingly a lot of Mexicans are going home. Maybe not in droves but in my neck of the woods, In just the past couple of days I know of 5 families who are heading back. I also know that quite a few more have plans to be leaving soon. I also know that because of the tension on the Mexican side that many are not planning on coming back. That includes both ends of the legal side.
I’d have to think it’s even higher than that. I see so many fucking brown people around these days that it makes me sick.
No fucking way there’s only 8 million illegals in the U.S.
Not even close. 30 million? Probably higher.
A very large percentage of the jobs lost since 2007 aren’t coming back IMO. These were associated with the housing bubble and building boom that began in 1995 and what we managed to do with the ‘cheap credit’ money was overbuild to a large extent. Housing has always led us out of the typical inventory recession caused by higher interest rates but that’s not where we are. When one thinks about who’s affected: framers, roofers, electricians, plumbers, concrete people, painters, carpet layers, finish carpenters, tile layers and the finance sector of brokers, bank loan people, escrow workers, title insurance companys, real estate agents, etc. none of them are needed in an overbuilt market. Then there are the retail appliance outlets, furniture, drapery and all the other sectors that sold to the new home market. Without housing, which is mired in debt that can’t be paid, how can employment come back? No, somehow we have to get rid of the debt. Somebody in the finance sector has to take a hit and until that happens, we will continue spirling down into a black hole.
I do believe in cycles and we’re in the hard down phase. By 2014-15, some will be turning up and we will begin the long slog of climbing back to a better future. I heartly recommend all readers of this blog to get a copy of The Fourth Turning if you want to learn some of what is ahead of us.
Hope all are getting through this Labor Day without too much pain. There is light at the end of the tunnel but there are a couple corners we have to get around before it is visible. Keep the faith!
@cdw
You are exactly right! I am in the title business. I have seen numerous title companies in the surrounding Dallas area go out of business. I am north of Dallas and on every corner you will see where a title company used to be in business. Since 2007, I have been laid off 3 times. I am employed by a national title company. I have friends in the business that have lost their jobs, recently. We are hiring right now, due to a large account we just received. You cannot imagine the number of resumes that we have received. I am blessed to have a job and I know it. I work 50 hours a week and more. I am saving every dime I make. I know this may be only temporary. I have been told my job will eventually go to Costa Rica. I just pray that Yahweh(God) will be merciful and allow me to work a little longer and try to get caught up on my debt. I am having faith and I know He is blessing my efforts. I am thankful for everything and I’m not taking anything for granted anymore.
I am a sheeple no more…
Yahweh Bless,
Peewee’s Mom
“I just pray that Yahweh(God) will be merciful and allow me to work a little longer and try to get caught up on my debt. ”
Your “debt” is based on a fraud. Why work your butt off to pay the criminals? Take every penny you make and pay yourself. The banks have put up NOTHING, and that is exactly what they should be paid.
@GC,
I agree with what you are saying. However, I incurred this debt. You know what the scriptures say in Proverbs.
I have cut up all but one of my credit cards and I am cash and carry, now. The banks are criminals but they weren’t holding a gun to my head when I was out buying everything I thought I needed or wanted…living this “American Dream”. I am awake, now. Here I am with a house full of foreign made “stuff”. I appreciate your posts GC 🙂 I don’t say very much on here but I read almost every post. There was a time when I was laid off the kinds words of our “regulars” encouraged me and helped me with my preps.
Blessings to everyone! @ Mac, thanks for all your hard work. You are a peach 🙂
Peewee,
The Bible also forbids usury
You MUST understand that YOU created an asset for the bank each time you signed for something. The bank did not give you anything. Anything the bank has was given to it by your signature.
If you don’t pay the bank anymore, in six months it will have to charge off the account and bring it back to square. That’s the corp policy (law) for banks.
Immediately upon discharging the “debt”, the bank is returned to exactly where it was before you lent it your signature so it could create money based on your “promise to pay”. Nothing further can be done under the law to the debt. Debts can not be paid, only discharged. That’s the corp policy for you.
Besides, in you wildest imagination do you see God wanting you to continue supporting the evil institutions that are His enemy?
That no gun was held to your head is no reason to pay a fraudster. They had already stolen what you bought with their credit, otherwise their credit would not buy it.
By quitting your support of the beast, you are showing your support for the People, and for God.
Peewee’s Mom – In my opinion, you are correct in your approach. Keep your eyes focused on your goal and continue to maintain your integrity. Integrity, amoung other things, is doing what you believe is right no matter how many people try to talk you out of it. It is not dependent upon what others may do, have done or what others may or may not deserve; integrity is your own. It is one of the very few things that can not be taken from you; only you can loose it.
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries.—Exodus 22:25
If thy brother be impoverished, and weak of hand, and thou receive him as a stranger and sojourner, and he live with thee, Take not usury of him nor more than thou gavest: fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor exact of him any increase of fruits.—Leviticus 25:35-37
Thou shalt not lend to thy brother money to usury, nor corn, nor any other thing: But to the stranger. To thy brother thou shalt lend that which he wanteth, without usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all thy works in the land, which thou shalt go in to possess.—Deuteronomy 23:19-20
A psalm of David. Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill? He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice: He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours. In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing: but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not; He that hath not put out his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent: He that doth these things shall not be moved for ever.—Psalms 14:1-5
As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel. Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die. And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice, … Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man: Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. Though he doth not all these things, but … That giveth upon usury, and that taketh an increase: shall such a one live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.—Ezechiel 18:3-13
And if you love them that love you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also do this. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks are to you? for sinners also lend to sinners, for to receive as much. But love ye your enemies: do good, and lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest; for he is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.—Luke 6:32-36
PeeWee’s Mom, I pray the same for you.
John Q.
Wonderful scriptures! Thanks for your prayers. I believe before long that’s what we ALL must cling to…
Oppression of the widow, orphan, and wage earner (like murder and sodomy) are sins that cries to Heaven for vengeance. You have no more duty to suffer usury that you have a duty to murder or be murdered.
For completeness, the sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance are
(1) Wilful murder – the blood of Abel, [Genesis 4:10]
(2) The sin of the Sodomites, [Genesis 18:20; 19:13]
(3) The cry of the people oppressed in Egypt, [Exodus 3:7-10]
(4) The cry of the foreigner, the widow and the orphan, [Exodus 20:20-22] and
(5) Injustice to the wage earner. [Deuteronomy 24:14-5; James 5:4]
good luck
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but its a freight train loaded down with military equipment and foreign troops IMHO!
Ah yes, however the track has been stolen and sold for scrap by the drug addicts, don’t ya know?
So what we have is a runaway train barreling through a tunnel at 90 mph and there’s no track on the other side. What a perfect analogy, Copout & POL! Just keep on prepping, all.
The country isn’t coming back. The Federal Reserve is printing trillions of bogus dollars or creating them electronically. There are trillion dollar deficits every year as far ahead as the eye can see. There are three disasters coming:
1. The EU countries are headed for default. When that happens it will create a banking crisis thought to be 10 times worse than what we had in 2008.
2. We’re going to have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. The dollar will become so worthless that a loaf of bread will cost $1,000.
3. The dollar will lose its status as the world’s reserve currency. OPEC will stop accepting dollars as payment for oil. When that happens our entire economy will collapse and government at all levels will cease to function. We will become like a third world country with total anarchy almost over night.
Bill S: You do not understand what is happening in the US banking business after I have explained it so thoroughly over and over again?
Get a grip Bill, the sky is NOT falling. 80% of Americans are working. YOU may not be working but 80% of Americans are working and spending money every day just not as much as they always have.
WE are not going to have HYPER-INFLATION. Period. I have explained that over and over and over again. If We were, it would be here by now. Its not. The concern and the very real concern, is a deflationary contraction.
Now a loaf of bread is going to cost a $1,000? Last week it was a gallon of diesel that is going to cost $1,000.
Bill you are a buffoon!!! Seriously. 🙂
You are ridiculous and make yourself look like a fool for saying those things. There is NO basis for your “predictions”. None whatsoever.
At this point it is total PROPAGANDA Bill; there is NO rationale for that crap. If there was I would gladly agree. There isn’t. I can’t. It makes you look extremely stupid to say so. You obviously have no financial background and parrot whatever gloom and doom guru you read. Think for yourself.
With respect to Europe, yes, several countries will “opt out”, devalue their currency and adjust their lifestyles. Bottom line however, is that the EU will get stronger, not weaker.
Bible prophecy is manifesting before OUR eyes.
You know DK…we are stupid, uneducated buffoons…but taught to use previous events and math to predict what’s happening in regards to prices…so, saying that in a not so scholarly fashion…that ham I bought @ 1.50 3 years ago is now $2.95 at most stores…check it out–Bristol brand (great little hams)..
Is that not almost a 100% increase in price?? And multiply tht by 100 items boiught every two or three weeks(we buffoons like to shop once a month to save gas) So, why can we not be right–the damn prices are not reverting to 2008 status, now or ever.
And since our wages are not increasing, is not that a really bad thing?? No hyperinflation my arse..or is it deflation, no, is it stagflation, or wait, is it just inflation>???
Semantics (political propaganda, connatative meanings), pure and simple…it still means we go home with less for more money.
JayJay..one of those buffoons.
JJ: That is a 100% price change over three years, but it is not 100% inflation, or $1,000 for a loaf of bread, which is pure fantasy, hyper-bole, and fear mongering.
Your particular example is probably more like 25-30%inflation per year as the inflation compounds each year.
Neither can you apply the example of the ham going up 25-30% a year as an across the board measurement of inflation for the 100 or so items you buy. Its only for the ham you buy. Buy chicken its better for you than ham. Other items will inflate more or less.
Quit buying that ham and the price will drop. As long as the consumer will pay the price, the middle man will try to maximize his profit margin.
Grocery stores operate on a small margin anyway, so if they have a particular product that they can maximize their profit on because people will disregard the price point, they will charge you more. Wait and buy it on sale or substitute a different item.
The Principle of Substitution always applies.
I do not discount inflation. Nor do I discount double digit inflation. On the contrary I forcasted double digit inflation for this summer, last fall. Double digit inflation is not hyper-inflation. Not by a long shot.
Bill S is a buffoon if he thinks that a loaf of bread is going to be $1,000. There is nothing to support that wild assertion. It is either insanity or propaganda.
There are those here and elsewhere on the Net who want to spread fear to the sheeple who will accept it. Didn’t think you were the “fear” accepting type.
Lets keep it real. Ok?
It’s too bad that you’re so ignorant about economics. You can’t keep printing massive amounts of currency without having hyperinflation. We don’t have hyperinflation yet but we will. In 1920s Germany they went from 4 Marks to the Dollar to 1 trillion Marks to the Dollar in just a few years.
Handy, Yes it’s about beans, rice, and bullets. Have you noticed the fragility of our JIT hyper concentrated food supply system? it has little or no food warehousing and limited throughput. Yet the sheeple buy only enough food to last three to five days. What happens when the public decides it is time to buy for two weeks or two months. The demand quintuples, far beyond the system capacity, hoarding starts and nobody eats. Nobody eats because equibibrium never come until a substantial fraction die off.. Yes it’s about beans, rice, and bullets. Wake up!
And Bill S you are right on man. The guy harshly criticizing is a dummy. The Fed has injected trillions into bank reserves, and only now they are being moved into circulation by the leverage effect of reserves to loans. This will vastly affect the money supply in absolute quantity and velocity. Hyper inflation is not just a way out proposition anymore. How do you expect us to actually PAY fourteen trillion of government debt. By devaluing the dollar of course. And the all the effects you predict. Good point Bill.
If somebody tells you they can’t get a jobe they are lying. I’m an old man and could get a decent job in a week or 2. I’ve put in for a couple of jobs and they are calling me already to interview.
Enought to raise a family?
Why would you raise children when all they are going to be is slaves to the neo-feudal aristocracy that owns humanity?
With all you know is happening in this world. With the creep of fascism and tyranny. You’d still bring children into the world?
Take them away from you and lock you up in the insane asylum is what I say.
It all depends on your skill set, King Crazy. There are all sorts of people without an education or a trade who truly cannot get hired by fault of geography or local economy.
Likewise, I was unemployed for 10 months because my field was not hiring and other professional fields had a wide pool of others with experience to choose from. When I tried to apply for more menial jobs, they wouldn’t hire me because I was “overqualified” and they were sure I’d leave as soon as possible. I kept track and applied for no less than 100 jobs a week within an hour of my home.
My worker at the unemployment office told me she wished that everyone tried that hard to get a job.
It’s kind of smug to think that people just aren’t trying – you don’t know their personal circumstances. While it may be true for some, generalization is a tool of the ignorant.
Very well said Daisy. People that are preaching from their soap box, are fortunate to still have a job. I guarantee they would change their tune if they worked as hard as you to find a job and still couldn’t. And why are we constantly judging the “unemployed” and not the culprits in Washington and the central banking cartels that have deliberately put us in this mess for their own selfish and greedy gains?!?!?!
Amen, SP.
BS…and I will call you on it. I am an educated, extremely work-oriented female.
I can not find a job even at Kmart–they want the young, the cute, the ‘in’ crowd…remember, the hiring is done by 25 year olds and they don’t care about granny’s work ethics, how accurate in math she is, or how pleasant she is to consumers!!!!!they are a ‘clique’ and I AIN’T PART OF IT!!!
And Daisy missed a very important issue—when you are overqualified, and at this point, every job I apply for, I am, (education degree, you also are looked at as ‘competition’ that just may take the interviewer’s job in the future–you think they don’t think like that??
Oh, think again!!
I have to agree.
My daughter interviews and pre screens applicants for a very large corporation. She gets frustrated sometimes when a young manager hires a “cutie” over a more qualified mature individual.
My theory on jobs:
1. They only want someone just smart enough to push the buttons.
2. Our whole society is based on debt (De facto slavery). Most jobs out there will pay you just enough to keep you in debt.
Agreed. I know for a fact I could get a job in just about any field within a month’s time.
The people that “can’t find a job” are people that think they deserve a 6 figure salary with their precious English degree. People that don’t really want to work, they just want a pay check in exchange for doing some very specific thing.
I’ll shovel shit if I have to. The rest of you are just lazy.
“The Forgotten Man”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ceiOHG_kGvI
I find it sad but true Dr. Prepper. I don’t think the New Black Panthers will take me and I won’t take them.
let’s look to rodney king – the great unifier. Can’t we all just get along? Breyers sells chocolate and vanilla in the same box right? Zebra’s cant change their stripes. We need to bond together and try to rise above our petty grievances.
Okay tittie babies. We all know that the economy sucks. I’m leaving the southwest to travel into ND to work in the oilpatch. The weather is minus fifty during the winters and the hours are long, but my family will be fed and clothed down here at home. Sheeple will not take care of themselves and we preppers cannot take care of them. Let them wallow in their “won’t happen to me excrement” and let’s keep pushing forward to do the right thing. Take care, and God bless…Ben.
P.S. By the way, I’m going to have some more money printed up in order to keep the United States from going deeper into debt. I know you’ll understand.
Good for you man. I hope they pay you well to work in those climes. I know some places in order to attract workers companies will pay anywhere from 1.5-3x labor costs. Russia’s Siberian oil patches for example.
No money left to employee 25M workers. Dickface Obama gave it all to his banker friends so they could buy yachts, mansions, cocaine, and whores.
You mean guys like Ben Shalom Bernanke?
J…j….j….I won’t say it; you guys know the connection is there.
Where do I start on this story? 20 million illegals, most of them working. They were bought in to displace not replace. The destruction of our currency ensures there will be less and less full time employment. More jobs will have to go overseas to escape the need for higher and higher pay of US workers just trying to stay even. 50% of the GDP is now provided by government spending. That is unsustainable. The government has already started laying off on the state and local level and soon the feds will start massive layoffs. The illegals are paid lower wages than Americans, but the government is picking up some of the difference with all sorts of assistance. But even this is not sustainable. The key thing to remember here is “NOT SUSTAINABLE”. Our way of life and our livelyhoods are not not sustainable. Survive the crash and be prepared to pick up the pieces afterwards. It’s not the end of the world, it’s just going to feel like it. NASA had to lay off people because of the end of our manned flight programs, the defense contractors will have to lay off many people pretty soon. There are a lot of good, educated folks that will be joining our ranks very soon. Keep a stiff upper lip!
http://www.globalanomalies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=557&p=7399
Navy is laying off sailors & Army is laying off soldiers!!
One post below:
My husband has been in the Army National Guard active duty for 18 years and is being told he has until September 30th to find another job. No retirement, no benefits. Family of 6 with major medical issues will lose everything. And yes, that is all there is to it. My husband has had impeccable service, multiple awards, worked up in the ranks, top physical condition, multiple deployments, and they said they can’t afford him anymore. Really? We were depending on this for the rest of our lives. He’s never had to look for a job in his life, he joined with the intention of a career when he was 17! Anyway, found this site when I was trying to find other soldiers affected cause I think legislators need to be contacted. You guys are looking for a link, I don’t have one, but I have our own experience as proof. It’s happening.
——————————————————————————–
Hmmmmmm….are we replacing these with illegals???
Nahhh.
people shouldn’t be looking for the tax payer to start paying their retirement after 20yrs at the age of 37-42 untill they’re 80-90 yrs old, that is what helped break this country.too many people sucking the same teat dry.
My cousin is a Marine and was going to make a career out of it, but when he looked to re-uping they actually dropped his pay substantially. So he has decided to get out at the end of his tour.
JJ
I for one, thank your husband for his service and you for keeping the home fires going. Our veterans are asked to do the dirty work for this country and seem to get the shaft on returning.
But what do I know – lost my SO in Viet Nam.
whoa…the “regular” military services are fixing to “rif” alot of folks, but your biggest problem here jj is the words “army national guard”…you will not be able to collect benefits from national guard until you reach retirement age of 63+ and only if you have the years served with the national guard. anyone who is counting on a military retirement and benefits should know this before they sign on…best to go active duty from the get go if you can.
The U-3 figures are only for those unemployed for 6 months. The more correct/accurate are the U-6 figures which put the number of unemployed at 50 million!
HAPPY LABOR DAY, BITCHEZZ!
You mean happy non labor day as no one is working anymore except illegals
Do not worry yourselves too much over jobs and such… you will ALL be serving a purpose soon enough.
Why are we celebrating Labor Day this year anyway? Most of us no longer have jobs ….. so there really isn’t any reason to celebrate!!!
Soon boys & girls ….. very soon! A “wild ride” doesn’t begin to describe what’s headed down the road in our direction. But at least the folks who congregate here have some idea of what’s going on and most sound like they’re taking steps to prepare and protect themselves and their families.
The EU could begin to disintegrate as early as this Wednesday then the German Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of German involvement in the Greek bailout. Please stay very alert to the events happening in the world around you. You will have a very brief ‘window-of-opportunity’ to act on getting your final preps in place once you see that things are out of control and really headed South.
God Bless & good luck to all. Oh, and by the way …… happy Labor Day to all!
The “illegals” aren’t taking the jobs. GWB gave the jobs away went he sent many of our factories overseas.
Where I live, the jobs that the “illegals”, as well as legal immigrants, take, are the ones that nobody wants. Scrubbing toilets, farmwork in the broiling sun, digging ditches. That work has to be done by somebody, and many of the Americans feel like they are “too good” to do them.
Why don’t we stop bashing on the immigrants and bash on Bush instead?
You must be a BO lover.
My personal politics are beside the point, Anonymous. We’re talking about where the jobs have gone – not about partisanism. I’m trying to redirect this away from rampant racism. Unless you are Native American, someone in your family tree was an immigrant too.
So called Native Americans migrated here too. What you seem to be saying is that we shouldn’t have a country. That we have no right to have a people. That we have no right to sovereign borders. How do you prep for that?
I’m not saying that at all, HS. I’m saying that complaining about immigrants isn’t going to solve any problems. It’s just about choosing a scapegoat. Then, I pointed out the ridiculousness of anyone in our melting pot feeling superior, since we ALL came from somewhere else. THEN, I mentioned that many many jobs were lost when our manufacturing plants were sold out and sent overseas, where folks work for pennies.
If you’re looking for scapegoats, don’t complain about the people doing menial labour that most Americans don’t want to do anyhow. Complain about big business, about NAFTA, about the banking industry, and about the crushing debt weighing down on the United States.
george bush did not sent any jobs overseas…jobs went overseas on their own steam because labor was cheaper and they wanted to spend less in taxes and tariffs. and racism had nothing to do with jobs going overseas either. and, if you apply for a job in the sweet potato fields here in mississippi the boss man is gonna tell you sorry but those jobs are strictly under contract for the mexicans.instead of reading or getting your facts from newpapers and cable…go out to the fields yourself before you start calling folks racists of anti anything.
Look at the calendar and catch up. At least look at your watch. What year is it? I know…
At the risk of agreeing with Daisy, racism is not the solution to the problem. Victims fighting victims is not the solution to the problem, BUT… nobody gets away with anything because of their race or religion. Something that happened to your grandpappy is no valid excuse to commit crimes big or small today. A clear understanding of history and current events IS part of the solution and IS essential to identifying the perpetrators.
We should do exactly what Iceland did—issue warrants for banksters and “international” financiers so that they may be prosecuted for economic crimes against humanity, same for ALL perpetrators of genocide. If they flee, they should be run to ground and extradited like Nazis. For at least five centuries the banking dynasties have been getting away with their crimes. If their crimes are to stop at all, we must stop them now. We must also prosecute their accomplices, even the accomplices in government and media who shilled for them. Like for the Nazis, no statute of limitations, no corporate shield for executives and directors, no government shield for bureaucrats, no pardons for “chust followink orders.”
Prosecute the guilty; leave the innocent alone—no exceptions for race, religion, wealth, or power.
Daisy, maybe you should be talking about why BO is not repealing NAFTA. I’d rather bash on you so you “might” understand who the president is now. I do not believe Bush is going to be able to make your world a flower garden mentally.
Caryn: one acronym for you: NAFTA. GWB signed off on it. That’s what allowed the expense of things being made overseas to drop to the point that it took away our manufacturing jobs.
Are the Mexicans in the country legally? Where I live, they get work visas and do summer farm labour. LEGALLY. I don’t love the fact that they do it, I don’t love the fact that we just give away those visas, but they are coloring within the lines and you can’t fault them for that. You can only fault the system that allows it.
actually bill clinton, the first black president signed that legislation. Point, and my serve.
John Q.:
Frighteningly, I agree with you whole-heartedly 😉
In regard to the bankers, they are no better than loan sharks. They lend money with full knowledge that the people they are lending to are borrowing well beyond their means. They don’t break kneecaps but they break hearts, families and lives. I believe that they often lend money fully intending to sieze the properties after people have already paid half the loan, thus profiting twice.
If I had a scam like that, I’d certainly be thrown in jail. They should be too.
Daisy: Immigrants are one thing; We are a nation of immigrants and their are laws for trhat process. What 70% of Americans object to are the 30 million illegal invaders who have infiltrated every nook and cranny of OUR country and cost the American taxpayer more than $300 billion EVERY YEAR.
That is enough money to provide for SSI AND health care for Americans. Worse these invaders do not want to be Americans. They want to be Mexicans living in and benefitting from America. They have no loyalty to America and they have demonstrated that fact repeatedly.
The intent of the PTB who have encouraged their infiltration of America is to make these Illegals “new Americans” by amnesty and have them vote in a Referendum to dissolve the US Constitution and merge into the North American Union with OUR rights under the auspices of the UN, rather than Natures God.
The are the greatest threat to America; not any terrorists. Read:
http://shtfillegalimmigration.blogspot.com
And GWB? He should be tried for treason!
Agreed! I have no problem with LEGAL immigration (that’s how my German ancestors got here) but it’s the ILLEGALS that are SNAFUing the system. And our gov is aiding and abetting them every step of the way. Shameful.
DK – that’s absolutely horrifying – truly. Thanks for the link.
I’m only commenting on the ones who are here legally and the people who are hiring the ones who are here illegally. Those who hire people without the right to work here are treasonous as well, IMHO.
Daisy
I was with you on your earlier post based on how hard you worked to get a job. Your experience is different then mine when it comes to illegals.
As a woman of color, I’m tired of the racist or racial attachment when discussing the illegals issue. It’s not about color, its about someone breaking our laws, invading our country, stealing our treasury and giving us the finger.
Being an American Citizen has meaning. You cannot have a country without borders, a common language to conduct commerce and rules and laws. That is what our Constitution is about.
We do have immigration and I support it. Legal immigration. And guess what, it’s not a novelty idea. Every other country, including the one we are being invaded by, has immigration policies. Try doing what the illegals here are doing, in those other countries.
I live in a sanctuary state. The illegals here are driving semi trucks of all types, highway loaders, graders, cranes, cement and rock trucks. They are working the construction jobs and there are several municipal and state projects.
They are working in city, county and state jobs (great pay)in Parks and Recreation, Public Schools (my friend is a lunch lady and the only other “citizen” there is the manager.) They don’t speak English and the city is offering them a bonus to take English classes which they will pay for – WTF!
They are the Waste Management fleet and snow plow drivers, then there are the jobs in the plant sorting and recycling, using forklifts. They are working in machine and welding shops. These are jobs American Citizens had been working to support their families.
Many jobs here now require bi-lingual skills and say that in the jobs descriptions and I’m not just talking private sector jobs, the government is now requiring it too. That’s wrong – plain and simple. Two companies I worked for paid $2 hour bonuses if you spoke Spanish.
Which I would ask those in support of illegals, why no outrage that they are jumping the immigration line? There are so many wanting to come into this country and willing to obey our laws and learn the language like the immigrants that were your ancestors. How come preferential treatment for these invaders???
I’m not supporting the illegals. I guess what I was trying to point out, perhaps awkwardly, is that many of them aren’t actually illegal. If someone has an accent lots of folks are ready to shove them into that category. I suspect that some of the less tolerant people here are quite guilty of that.
We do have immigration laws for a reason. I don’t like the idea of people “bucking the line”, so to speak. I agree with you completely on that.
How do people get the jobs you are speaking of, Lady Hawk, without a social security number? Where I live, I’m sure some people are illegal but the jobs they are getting are far below minimum wage, and horrible, menial jobs without benefits or safety measures. If they are here illegally, and being hired illegally, then that is definitely a huge contributing issue.
I searched for bilingual jobs in my area – The first one to pop up was TSA – then there were 288 on one site – jobs like customer service, tellers, teachers:
SLP Bilingual School job
…. Position is only for a bilingual Speech Pathologist in Spanish, 37.5 hours a week for the 2011-2012 school year. Caseload consists of Pre School aged kids, around 40-45 in the caseload. CFY’s are enc….
Bilingual Sales Management Trainee
…. Pay Rate: $33k Commission Benefits ABOUT AEROTEK! Since 1983 Aerotek has been providing the highest quality technical professionals to a wide range of industries….
Department: Leisure Services/Recreation
Salary: $56,500-$69,000 DOQ
• BA/BS Degree in Recreation, Business, Organizational Management or other related field.
• 5 or more years related experience at a supervisory and/or management level or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of recreation practices, trends and issues involving youth/teens, and “at-risk” populations.
• Knowledge and experience in administrative practices and procedures related to the planning, budgeting, scheduling, and coordinating of recreational programs, and the efficient operation of facilities and equipment.
• Skill in negotiating program issues and operational requirements with personnel inside and outside the department and City, as well as community organizations and participants.
• Spanish/English bilingual desired.
The above type job is not usually in the illegals league, but it shows the preference for hiring.
How do they get a job without a SS#? The state here opted out of E-verify and illegals can apply to IRS for a federal tax number, which is not a SS#, but used by the employer for the W-2. Or you buy stolen or forged SS# cards – No E-Verify.
It gets worse – here they can get state identification cards or driver’s licenses using a Marticula card as part of acceptable ID-.(A utility or phone bill is another) The Marticula card is issued by the Mexican Embassy for $75. It’s based on the information the person tells them, no back ground check. So we have no idea who the hell these people are.
The application lets you check a box to register to vote. Now you are an illegal with state ID, a tax number and allowed to vote.
By the way, the citizens of the state voted to change this and it passed, the governor did a end run using executive order.
~~~~I live in a sanctuary state. The illegals here are driving semi trucks of all types, highway loaders, graders, cranes, cement and rock trucks. They are working the construction jobs and there are several municipal and state projects.~~~
Truth–all of it–dh said many times when the year he was unemployed, he’d go to construction sites and they’d say there were no vacancies and on those heavy equipment were Mexicans…Illegal?? In ky, probably.
My mom worked at Electrolux for 17 yrs starting in the 80’s and made much more than the starting wage now…$7.50–know why?
Illegals have taken over the plant as the prominent employee…
Actually, it is about color. The Marxists have openly stated as much, going all the way back to the 1920’s. They said they would flood white countries with non-whites in order to destroy the west. Walk in a white mans shoes for a mile or so. 1965 I lived in a country 90% white, now it’s racing towards 50% white. Legalized discrimination against white males is still on the books. The commies euphamistically call it “affirmative action”. The government is trying to pass “hate laws” to stop people from even discussing this openly. In defeated Europe, white people are sentenced up to 5 years in jail for speaking openly about this. Some white guys aren’t able to articulate their point of view very well, so it comes out in a rather crude way. I recommend every one read up on Marxist history. Read about the Frankfurt School, Marxist Culture of Critique, etc.
Re LadyHawk’s comment about $2/hr. bonus for Spanish – I’m with ya. The last straw came for me several years ago when I called the Post Office – THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE – and a recorded message said, “For English, press one.” WHAT?!? UNACCEPTABLE!!!
Wrong–I applied for housekeeping at Opryland, 2006–I didn’t get a job!!!!
A lot of the people I work with at Home Depot are skilled workers who’ve lost other jobs. Some are full-time with a pay cut and others are part-time with the same pay cut and with fewer hours.
So what happens to the kids and young adults who would otherwise be employed there while these “oldsters” (late twenties to early fifties) are soaking up their jobs? Do they learn employment skills?
Also, how does a young person who’s never worked file for unemployment even if they’re looking hard for a job. Not that they should get unemployment, but they’re not counted on the books.
My guess is that true unemployment is around 40 million and if you factor in all the people who’ve taken less than what they’re qualified for, or fewer hours the true count is much much higher.
Based upon what I see around me, the numbers presented in this article are much more realistic than the laughable 9.1% officially tooted by the PTB. In the first depression, there were no food stamps, 99 weeks of unemployment, mortgage “reduction” programs and not a whole lot of food banks, etc. that could be used to mask the true picture in the economy/country. These are dire times, indeed.
Well put SNS, these are very dire times. The mask TPTB have put on the economic disaster happening here keeps the sheeple calm and quiet. Anyone with 2 firing neurons sees the train wreck things have become. The unfortunate thing is that I don’t think the train has stopped crashing and a great amount of destruction is still to come.
Bush left the borders open for 8 years, no wonder this country is jobless and broke.
Who here seriously believes the fairy tale that elections matter and the US President makes policy?
US Presidents are just middle-management for the banksters and “international” financiers who paid for their election.
Unless you believe that the charade of managed elections really makes a difference, why get wrapped around the axle about Bush or Obama?
They do exactly what they are told to do or else. That said, they are certainly culpable for “chust followink orders,” but let’s prosecute the real big shots!
And Bush lives in a border state, but being an ex-prez gets top-notch security 24/7 free of charge…illegal immigrants? Crime? Where? Ain’t none on me, boss…
The borders were open long before Bush.
And they still are.
So far today the European markets are down about 5%. The German people say no more bailouts. Here it comes. Wheee!
That’s the shit I’m talking about HS. The whole incestuous mess is so interconnected that if the EU goes then the US, Britain, Japan and the rest of the industrialized world goes with it. If the US goes then we take all the other countries with us. Ya gotta love it!
Pursue Agriculture.
I’m 52. Except for the Census I haven’t worked since 2008. Most likely I’ll never have a full-time permanent job again. I don’t even get calls for temporary clerical work anymore. It’s a good thing I’m self-employed now.
Labor Day weekend, everything in the U.S. is seems all fine and dandy. Curious to see what this week brings when those who have jobs, return to work. I have a feeling were going to see more magical remedies pulled out of nowhere from TPTB to “save the economy”, tell me I’m wrong?
Wife is harvesting beans/potatos,radishes,etc today and I got the canner out for her. I sure looks like the next two months could be the start of something BIG.
I hope things won’t get too bad but am very apprehensive/worried. I know I have done all preps that I can with limited income and being 64 doesn’t help. But I will be better off than most due to advice and ideas that have come from all the wonderful people here!
Thank you Mac and all. It is nice to know that I am not alone feeling as we do about an uncertain future.
Good wishes and God Bless, James
Notice you said “I got the canner out for HER…”. My sentiments exactly. Canning IS hard work.
Here in So Flo, my primary frowing season for northern type veggies won’t start for another couple of months.. boy, am I looking forward to it..
Growing season
@ Sam –
May I ask where is So. Flo.? Out towards Sunrise here.
Palm Beach
2012 Doomsday? Lost Civilizations Lost Continents Atlantis Egypt Lemuria Mu Mayan Calendar
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sarastarlight#p/u/6/-nNZOjDi_dQ
five years from now less then 2% of the human race will exist.
The jobs didnt just disappear overnight they have been leaving since the early 80’s. It is because of ALL politicians and their personal interest. The reason it so in our face today is because the SHTF is about to happen
True, C&B. Remember Billy Joel’s song from the 80s? “And we’re living here in Allentown…and they’re closing all the factories down…”
here we go, this happened in detroit not too far back, maybe two months ago
it happens in NYC and tuougher gun laws are pushed
chip away at the 2nd amendment stone, read where it says
New York has the toughest gun laws in the country, but Bloomberg said the city alone cannot stop the onslaught of shootings. “We need the federal government to step up,” he said.
Bloomberg is a co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns and has lobbied Washington repeatedly to beef up gun laws.
The mayor called on all federal politicians, regardless of party, to get on the same page
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/09/05/2011-09-05_bloody_weekend_24_shot_in_24_hours_prompting_mayor_bloomberg_to_call_for_tougher.html
Actually, the competition is a lot tougher than 25 million looking for work:
1) The current US population is about 312,000,000.
2) According to John WIlliams at Shadowstats, the current U3 unemployment number is at 23% of the population.
3) Therefore, according to that, there would really be about 77.5 million job seekers out there.
You can’t count the children, aged, and retired.
I went to the pocono outlet stores yesterday. It was so crowded with people shopping and the cash register lines were out the door. Same thing when I went to Walmart,Target and TJ Maxx today. It’s not like there were any good sales. Where are all the jobless people getting money to shop?
From you and other taxpayers. Plus many people are running up their credit cards, getting ready to file bancruptcy.
Seems like the “buy buy buy” mantra is still in full swing…re the outlets – how many London Fog raincoats can you wear at one time? The same with shoes, jackets, purses, boots, jeans, etc. I don’t get it. Outlet stores have never held any attraction for me whatsoever. Of course I grew up in a family who put their winter clothes away in cedar chests and got them out and wore them again NEXT year…hubby same background.
I think the vast majority of Americans, over the last 20 years or so got lazy and complacent. Maybe not those who post here, but those who began using their second mortgage as an ATM card (falling deeper into debt) and started collecting “quantities of belongings” that really didn’t serve any purpose other than to distract them from the meaningful things in life. At the same time, their job became a distraction, probably because their job didn’t provide them with a connection to something that truly inspired and motivated them.
My question is to them: Do you enjoy your work? If the answer is “No”, or “Not really” then I ask “Why do you do it?” If their answer is “To pay the bills” then I ask “If you could do anything out there, something that you really loved doing, and get paid for it, what would you do?” And when they give me their answer, I say “Then why are you not doing it?”
Imagine, if everyone loved their work, felt that is served an integral part in the Great scheme of things, by providing a service or a product that inspired those who used the product/service. Then imagine everyone feeling good about what they were doing and how that would influence the overall well being of the “collective.”
I believe the “collapse”, the transition we are presently traveling through is simply a process that has to take place because most Americans have lost touch with who and what they are, as a culture, and what appears on the surface to be a “bad” thing, that is, a period of upheaval and chaos, will really turn out to be a way our country wakes up to those things in life that support and uplift each other and the community. It is the proverbial “wake up call”. When Americans eventually wake up to their (spiritual) purpose as individuals and a culture, being the most creative country in the world, by participating in sustainable jobs (and I’m not talking Agenda 21’s agenda here) that help heal and maintain balance, their lives will flourish and give rise to a whole new renaissance in self awareness where, finally, it will be a joy to “work” for the greater good of the whole, while providing a means to live life individually in abundance and freedom, all done without being driven by the insatiable appetite for collecting more meaningless possessions. Simply performing the task out of service to help others will be what motivates.
Our planet and all the creatures big and small need major healing down time, right now. Too bad we have to go through some mind numbing chaos and destruction to get there. Ironical, huh?
America literally got fat, dumb, and happy. I also think it will all come out in the wash. Laundry day will probably be a real bitch.
My ex-wife talking to you about me again?
i worked a part time job for several years in the home building and supply business…as their only warehouse jockey who froze in winter and cooked in the summer..got laid off in december of 2008. i missed my job …for a little while. when i quit feeling sorry for myself, i looked at my life and what was going on around it with a wide angle lens…i sew and quilt well enough to win blue ribbons at the fair and to sell for extra cash..i bought two sewing machines with some of my savings. one is a fancy computerized machine and the other is a restored treadle sewing machine to use when the power goes out. now, i am in business for myself. yes, it is hard work. so what. with prepping for tshtf days, i have what i need and have something that i can use for trade and barter. do i want to go back to that warehouse..hell no…
You are my kind of woo man Caryn. Stay strong! Have been watching you##! You have it going!!!!!!!
Congratulations! I wish I had a skill like that.
No different then the nepotism before affirmative action. Just a different color, but the same game.
I was a first time affirmative hire into an all white male company. Still in business today and see advertisements daily. In two years I became Employee of the Year with the President of the company flying all the way out from the big city to give me the award.
How was that? – They had monthly awards – dinner for two at a really nice resturant, a week end get away – you get the picture. Well, I won them.
Didn’t go over well with my co workers who grumbled I was getting the easy assignments. So, they gave me harder cases. I still won. This went on until I ended up number one and the Employee of the Year. Oh, they made it so the EY could no longer compete for the monthly prizes.
Keep telling yourself we under perform. It’s the only way you can make yourself feel less inadequate.
Oh, that post was from another site..hence, the link…the girl wasn’t me–no kis, and we’re 61 and 63.
But, thanks…dh seved in Vietnam…,and I read him the truth about Gulf of Tonkin two years ago when it was the big topic.
Sad…very sad.
But, it opened his eyes to the atrocities committed by our govt–and on to chemtrails, etc..yeah, a real eye opener for him.
your personal success story hardly makes up for the systemic failure of black America or the drain it puts on the American working taxpayer. If anything you should be afraid of the ghetto rising-up and spilling out as well since they consider you a cocconut (dark on the outside and white on the inside) and a sellout.
WTSHTF….Go ahead and cast your lot with the underperforming hateful scum that is and always will be the lower 2/3 of black America… y’all look the same to me from a gunsite…
I’m sorry but that was funny? No, I’m not sorry and it was still funny……… Be you LH & flower child, I should be charging for life lessons! The doctor is IN!
All you gotta do is look at the headlines on Drudge or almost any news service.. we’re coming apart at the seams and not just us; its everywhere. The term “sorry, I don’t have the time..” is close to taking on a very real tone of fact, not of excuse.
Tombstone readings
Owen Moore passed away owing more than he could pay.
another tombstone said:
I told you I was sick!!
here is one more:
Cheer up. things could get worse.
I did and sure enough things got worse.
I don’t know about the others, but the one ” I told you I was sick ” is real. It is on the grave stone of a former hypochondriac in Key West Florida.
Gold closed on NY market at $1900. That’s 190 crisp mushroom bills for those of you without a calculator…not sure how many #10 cans that is.
Only partially fill the bottom of it, and loosly so… consider that $10,000 in 20spots is only 500 bills, so you will still have some space to fill 😀
graphic, i like it.
30 years of gas tank wealth to the arabs, china factories. Time to start a new gig folks.
Daisy – I’m liking you more and more! It’s good to see another woman outspoken, speaking her mind and standing up when something is just plain uncivil.
I’ve thought the same thing about Dr Pepper – his “stealth” comments on blacks are cowardly and says a lot about his character.
Daisey, Daisy & LadyHawks, Blackhawks are IDOTS, IDiotss, Idiots… you’re hearts are in the right place, but your minds need home work… You are what you are. You are in detention.
Your button just got pushed again!
MUSHROOM IS A SHILL FOR FED AND BANKERS, THEY WANT YOU TO KEEP YOU MONEY IN FIAT, SO THEY CAN HURT YOU REALLY BAD!!!
been out two weeks with bacterial pneumonia. boss was good and let me burn vacation.it almost drove me crazy with nothing getting done. how do you guys stand it?
and who says nothing is getting done? you would be surprised how much gets accomplished.
I’m retired and living in tall cotton in a rest home playing doctor with all of the “younger” women. What’s your problem?
Anonymous, what the HELL are you babbling about?
You two should get together and lay and bump some carpet to the corner. “My personal politics are beside the point” then why did you bring up previous (out of date) president? This is 2011. Hello! You probably voted for Uncle Al.
In my town jobs are hard to come by in a good economy, much less now. I’m hoping to get on at one of the local hospitals and then maybe I can get a part time job after that. Maybe between the two of them I can make half of what I used to make.
14 rooms not counting the foyer/hallway which have walls and floors too.
Get real– dust, clean baseboards, sweep, vacuum, windows, ceiling fans, 3 bathrooms, laundry, cook, dust blinds of 8 double windows, yard work/landscaping, clean outside vinyl, water plants outside/inside, prep/organize/acquire buckets, shop for preps, sweep garage, clean truck/cars, visit nursing home/senior friends/bake for nursing home…
And I ain’t finished.
What you mean…nothing getting done?? Hell, I did most of this with broken toes!!!
Friend sent me a notepad for birthday earlier this year with the heading: “Things to Do Today If the Maid and Butler Don’t Show Up.” Hard to get good help around here these days…:)
Spoiled “Rotten” Americans
My first prep goal was to build several online businesses. My total income (and growing) is about $15,000 per month now. These are solid businesses, off shore, with International reach. I can live anywhere now, and I do.
Once established with these alternative, self employed, incomes, I moved. I moved as far away as I could. Got a good size farm and continued with the typical prepping.
Still prepping after all these years.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903648204576552511067409414.html
nice, now instead of the drug cartels having a shit load of ar-15’s and ak-47’s that our government gave them..now they have genades too
so when do we send them sidewiders and patriot missles..huh?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903648204576552511067409414.html
game on people
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/exclusive-report-documents-indicate-atf-fbi-allowed-indiana-crime-gun-sales
My prayers go out to you folks in Texas, with the wild fires going on..
Anonymous – I brought up the previous president’s actions because those actions were relevant to the conversation, unlike your bumbling insults.
I’m sorry you’re feeling threatened – I can think of no other reason you would make such silly allusions that have nothing to do with the conversation. Consider me horribly insulted. *yawn*.
I don’t talk to blacks at all unless I have to…
Karma is a bitch dude and God seems to have a GREAT sense of humor. I’ve always thought it would be poetic justice if true haters, like yourself, come back as one you have targeted. No matter what the color, race or gender. That would truly be hell, wouldn’t it? LMAO
Dr P – Keep digging a hole. At some point you will cross the line that even Mac won’t tolerate.
The ONLY way out, if you want to call it that, of the kind of situation we are in, is war and/or dissolution, always has been, always will be.
It is not just the illegals…the fedgov allows millions of LEGAL foreign “guest” workers to come here and take tech jobs via the L-1, H-1, and H-1B visa programs. I have lost my job thanks to this program but the “guest workers” from India are still there making money. The feds love it because the foreigners pay the FICA and medicare taxes but will eventually go home and never collect – unfortunately when they go home, SO DO THE JOBS – FOREVER~! The next bunch I want to see become unemployed are the congress-clowns who came up with this crap.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are many funny people here!
Yeah, we’re a real riot, Alice…a real riot (the over-50 crowd will understand)
I have noticed over the years that my friends who are good looking have no trouble fininding jobs while those who have some sort of physical issue, like wieght, have a terrible time finding a job even though they are equally qualified.
Looks do play a big part in employment.
I have noticed over the years that some of those “good looking people” have the biggest “heads”.
Looks…hell, try being 61, wrinkles, gray hair…the seniors will not get jobs even if you can run circles around the young.
Noticed any seniors doing the hiring?? Bingo—they’re 25/30 yrs old…the clique doesn’t include us.
Please don’t hate me cause I’m gorgeous.. 😉
Me two!
Me three!
I’m not gorgeous but I’m hung like a mule.
The Baltic Dry Index shot up from about 1275 to 1750. Anybody knowledgable on this? Oil coming here? Military stuff going to Libya? Coal going outbound? Christmas stuff coming from China already? What’s up?
With our luck, it’s probably a boat load of nukes heading our way..
Probably a boat load of jobs.
Getting rid of the job stealing illegals here might be a bit of a help…..instead we roll out the red carpet for them, encourage them to have litters they cannot afford, and lavish them with “Obama money”.
“Doing the jobs Americans won’t do” just doesn’t fly anymore. I was in WY, ID, SD over the summer and it was ALL Americans working jobs in fast food, hotels (nice and not so nice ones)etc. Here in CA you can’t even get a job like that unless you are bi-lingual! INSANE!
Dr. Prepper:
Ignorance being bliss and all, you must be an ecstatically happy person.
Perhaps if we ignore you, you’ll go away, and please be sure to take your white supremacist bullshit with you.
Thanks and g’bye, now!
It just struck me, you’re lonely.
It’s closer to 22%.
The US Postal Service to cut 120.000 jobs and close many post offices.
Congress will probably come in and provide some funding (at nearly the last minute) but after some appropriate right sizing as PO demand has been shrinking due to destructive technologies. They could hybridize into a GSE, but that would make too much sense.
!
Illinois Governor Quinn (D), to cut thousands of state employees, including the correction department and mental health departments. I feel so much safer now.
Im thinking that she must have ment from the same department, they are mostly the same, so in her eyes shes only cutting one department 😉
but on a serious note: is it any wonder to you people out there in WTSHTF world..that these people in power and government are supposed to be of the highest educated, smartest , and best minds our Yale, Harvard, etc.. universities, with law degrees political science etc… and they cant even balance a fuckin check book? Come on WTF? huh?
I went to a Community College, and I have ben very financially smart..these people are supposed to be the cream of the crop, and they probably cant pour piss out of a boot if the directions were printed on the bottom of the heel!
How in the hell can these jack holes be this f-ing dense? and why are we still allowing them to lord over all of us? god dam sheeple ..its a fuckin epidemic i tell ya a dam epidemic of biblical proportions..
Clean sweep this next election, we dont need no BS voting booths that are rigged anyways..what this government needs is a dam enima..get them ALL out and hit the reset button
Pat is a he. He raised taxes and did -ZERO- spending cuts. He is using the police and mental health cuts as a tactic to scare the residents of Ill-anoys.
sorry , yes “He”
typical move, some people buy the scare tactic, the rest of us it just anoys.
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers VRF. Three of my friends of 30 plus years lost their homes to fires sunday.We all think it’s strange that we have endured 82 days of 105,or more, heat and drought then all the sudden 60 fires break out across the state.Some has guess mexican cartel setting them for distractions to move drugs or steal. Others think Gov. Perry’s goons set them so he can get constant media attention at no charge. I have talked with more than a few texans who have voted republican in the past who said they had recieved calls from Perry group asking for donations for his campaign. They all have told them “NO”. He isn’t liked in texas.You guys in wisconsin’s state capitol would get along great. Please,take him.
Yeah im in contact with some of my Texas friends, its not too good down their, i wish them all well.Perry is a pussy
SOON THEY WILL TAKE OVER THE HUMANS
A friend sent me this email:
JOE LEGAL vs. JOSE ILLEGAL
You have two families: “Joe Legal” and “Jose Illegal”.
Both families have two parents, two children, and live in California, Oregon and too many other states.
Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security
Number and makes $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.
Jose Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social
Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 cash “under the
table”.
Ready? Now pay attention . . .
Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or $52,000.00 per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe Legal now has $31,231.00.
Jose Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or $31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $24,031.00.
Jose Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $18,031.00.
Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps and welfare. Jose Illegal still has
$31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or
$14,400.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $9,631.00.
Jose Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy. Jose Illegal pays out that $500.00 per month, or $6,000.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month, or $2,400.00 for insurance. Joe Legal now has $7,231.00.
Jose Illegal says, “We don’t need no stinkin insurance!” and still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay
utilities, gasoline, etc.
Jose Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month.
Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work.
Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.
Joe Legal’s and Jose Illegal’s children both attend the same school. Joe Legal pays for his children’s lunches while Jose Illegal’s children get a government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal’s children have an after school ESL program.
Joe Legal’s children go home.
Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services, but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay.
Do you get it, now?
If you vote for or support any politician that supports illegal aliens, you are part of the problem!
shucks, It’s more than 25 million. Better wake up people. You’ll be next. We need a real plan to get out of this one.
I’m not afraid anymore!
The Revolution has started –
Read “Common Sense 3.1” at ( http://www.revolution2.osixs.org )
FIGHT THE CAUSE – NOT THE SYMPTOM
Here’s the problem; when I walk into a convenience
store, or maybe Goodwill, the Mexicans are always there.
None of them speak English. There’s always a baby in
the shopping basket, and two others running around. The
problem is, THEY DON’T WANT TO BE AMERICANS! They will
stare at you defiantly like, “Here I am, whatcha gonna
do about it?”. Ya know, it wouldn’t be so bad if they
wanted to assimilate and BECOME AMERICANS, but all they’re
doing is stealing our jobs, our tax dollars, and our
country. It’s like Amerexico, now. It’s no longer
‘America’, because it’s split up into ten-thousand
different cultures: Mexican, Muslim, Somalian,
African, etc. It just disgusts me and makes me sick.
You people who stick up for these marauders deserve
the world you’re about to get. Trust me, these invaders
don’t give one DAMN about YOU or our COUNTRY! They’re
here to take advantage of the great country we have
built. If these people are so fantastic, why in the
HELL don’t they make their OWN COUNTRIES wonderful
places to live? HUH? Maybe, just maybe, they’re
just really not …..oh what the hell, why go on…..
Yes, but you feel better, don’t you? A little rant now and then is a GOOD thing. I would venture to say most of us are right with you on the non-assimilation tendencies of some of these people. My hometown in the 1950s was a mix of Germans, Italians, Greeks, Slavs, Polish, Irish, Lebanese and others. Everyone spoke English and tried to get along with their neighbors. They kept their homes clean, their gardens tidy and their churches full. They flew the Stars & Stripes on Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July. Their children played together. When a neighbor was sick or laid up, the mothers brought food and the fathers mowed grass or shoveled snow. THEY WERE GRATEFUL TO BE HERE! The immigrants HM speaks of are a whole ‘nother breed. I’m glad my grandparents are not around to see what our country has become; it would break their hearts.
There are economic problems and there are symptoms.
The lack of well paying jobs that we’re at one time abundant is not a problem, it’s a symptom.
The high debt load is not a problem, it’s a symptom.
Crime rising, lower quality of education, layoffs of police and cutbacks of essential services are all a symptom.
All too often the public is confusing the pain for the disease.
Problem? The problem is the evisceration of wealth creating industrial capacity from Free Trade agreements with slave labor nations and the bait of too easy credit for the masses to hide the decline. Throw in the abandonment of Glass Stegall as icing on the cake and the recipe for US castration is complete.
This man knows what he is talking about. Its EXACTLY what I have been telling these people for 18 months.
The solution is to engage your government and raise bloody hell with your elected reps. NOW!
The economy has been stolen and shipped offshore to gut the middle class … thats you!
Illegals have been encouraged to invade America to gut the middle class … thats you!
Your taxes will be raised to subsidize the invaders.
Your taxes will be raised to subsidize the GB’s.
Your taxes will be raised to suibsidize Big Brother.
If you do not organize, participate, contribute, and become very, very vocal, you will become an economic slave living on a third world income with a third world lifestyle.
I got mine. Get yours. Engage!!!
Western civilization has been defeated by the Globalists and Marxists in a classic pincer movement. You can deny it, look the other way, pretend you can get it back, but it’s over. The only consolation is, there is no consolation. The demographics are the proof. You chose bread and circuses over the stuggle to victory. God helps those that help themselves. God is angry with the decadent west, and God is smiting us. There will be no heaven for us, only eternal damnation for failing to provide a future for our children.
What have you done to prevent all of this if everyone else is apparently part of this decadent failure you allude to?
Heaven is the sky, or space, the universe. Read the bible carefully. It is in reference to his (Elohim) “Many mansions”. Jesus mentions Enoch a time or so. Read up on Enoch, oops the the Council of Nicaea decided it wasn’t needed. Not that I merely place my faith blindly in the writings of other humans.
So everyone is damned because of this all applicable ‘we’ that you mention, have failed to provide a future for ‘our’ children. There are a lot of people my friend and I doubt you know personally or via stereotypical generalizations even 1/10th of 1% of the people living 100 miles from you. Don’t be so doomed, but fight for something. Struggle, and keep searching.
I like to stir the pot now and then. Just to get a good response like yours.
i just returned from getting more preps…sneakers for me, Aldi’s chicken was a great price, cereals on special…yep, cereals…
sooooo I’m waiting behind a couple with an EBT card and it’s 7:55 and Aldi’s closes at 8.
Her card didn’t have a balance to cover the food…she put back oysters…the balance still didn’t cover the food…she put back more oysters…each time the manager had to override for the cashier—and finally they’re gone.
I actually think this is a ploy–wait till closing time, buy more than your balance will cover…and the folks behind you will get soooo irritated, they will pay what you lack–if so, it didn’t work.
She just got my Tennessee, ‘I’m about to tell Bubba to push you outa the way’ stare…
Just kidding…but no charity here.
Yeah JJ,
I watched some guys blow a few hundred bucks on steaks, baby back ribs, and whatever else they needed for their BBQ/1st of the month party one day with a Louisiana Purchase card. They were rock dealers though, so they got the cards from the neighborhood fiends.
There will be gnawing and gnashing of teeth come the end of handouts. And that’s when we free people will be likely needing the guns and ammo we have been buying.
Oh, my sister, a drug user of 40 years, has been known to sell her card too(years ago, she swapped money for drugs)…
So sad, because her daughter, 40 years old now, and living with her and never worked ever, has had 2 brain tumors, and is also on SSI/welfare/EBT and is healthy enough to work, but doing what when your balance is questionable at times.
And her daughter, 11–a miracle in itself with all the radiation she had, also gets a check, one from welfare, and one from her deceased father.
What will happen to this family when TSHTF..and no checks come for 3 people from the govt coffers.
They both smoke like freight trains and no way can I live with that with sinus problems—and no druggies in this house. It’s just hard to even go through days thinking about it—
Prep, even when you have more than you need for those who don’t—the Lord will get the food to them if it is in the plan.
I have been saving a bag of clothes for the child, next size up, when I see a great sale–like $1 Hanes shirts from Dollar Tree–I bought 5.
You are kind but not a patsy. Excellent recipe for self preservation!
I am a long haul trucker, and American trucking companies cannot find enough drivers to fill their trucks! So the Federal Gov’t is going to let Mexican trucking companies come over the border to “help.” Help drive down wages for American drivers, that is.
Get the word out: There are good paying jobs in long haul truck driving!
Yes, it is a hard job, but it is a secure job. And the pay is reasonable. I have a B.A. and two teaching credentials, so don’t be a whiner baby that says he must use his college degree. You probably cannot find a white collar job anyway.
Come on, American unemployed: get into long haul trucking!
Fill the demand before cheap Mexican labor does!
I emailed McConnell about that about 2 years ago—his response(truly by his staffer)stated IT IS JUST A PILOT PROGRAM…I did email him once a week and told him I couldn’t wait to support anyone running against him in 2014—and I look forward to it.
ND was begging for drivers at the oil production company –wherever that was.
dh says cold weather now stopped them hiring, but I’d check anyhow if I was a driver.
Dh can’t drive outside the state or 100 miles from pickup—he lost vision in one eye with a stroke…poot!!!