Bush is an idiot for going begging to the Saudis to increase oil output.

The obvious question, the one that looms over this nation like a solar eclipse, is : WHY ARENT’T WE INCREASING PRODUCTION?

Because of the stupid ass Democrites and their Environutball allies.

You apparently wouldn’t know a recession if one bit you in the arese.

Were you alive in during the gas lines of the early 1970s Sasha? I suspect you weren’t.

And now Bush is slamming negotiation rather than indiscriminate warfare against old family foes. Yeah… the repugs are something else all right.

They’re phucked.

No one was expecting the lights to go out in August of ‘03 (anyone recall that big blackout?), and that had nothing to do with severe weather. A lot of people and merchants had freezers full of meat go bad.

I was there. I saw it. I know of what I speak.

After the inital investment in the equipment and long term operating cost in energy, my investment will still out grow yours in the stock market over the short term. I will get a minimium 10-14% over the next year. The equipment does not appreciate in value (I know about depreciation and amortization as I deal with some $30 million in company internal assets on a weekly basis), however the meat itself does gain value as prices increase. When you will be paying $3.00/lb for hamburger, I will have paid less than a dollar per lb. Not only that, for every dollar I spend now, those dollars will be worth more than the dollar that you will spend in the future for your meat as the value of the dollar continues to plummet. The cost of meat during “meat sales” is still over twice as expensive.

I grasp the subject well Pam. It isn’t my fault that you don’t. I would suggest to go back and read the thread where I explained the diffrence in GDP vs. GNP and how GDP is a false indicator because it allows inflation to fasely indicate a growth in the economy. I haven’t gone into detail regarding the changes made in the early 80’s as to how inflation was figured, but I can do that if you’d like.

Were you even aware of these changes?

And Ted, you going into detail is to no avail because you don’t grasp the subject.

Uhm…no.

The savings of the meat from purchasing the side of beef and the projected growth in cost when taken into account the yearly energy cost and the average life of the appliance is far, far better than what you will earn in the stock market especially when taken in consideration the shrinking value of those dollars you earned.

7.

As grossly speculative as that is, your scenario falls into the “slim to none” chance of happening.

“As for myself, be it the future, the economy or the weather, I don’t worry about things I can’t control.”

Sure, but standing in the middle of a tornado is fool hearty. Preparing for that tornado with a light, a safe area in the basement and a weather radio is different.

It isn’t a matter of control, it is a matter of preparation.

Regarding numbers, I am a corporate accountant so I understand them and realize what you say is true. Numbers can be made to say what ever you want. However, deception is still deception, and numbers can still misrepresent what they portray. That is exactly what the Fed’s report does: it misrepresents economical conditions such as inflation and growth.

By any real standard, we have begun a recession. The numbers have been misrepresented (and I can go into how if you wish, but I have done that here before), but it is to no avail. The first quarter in negative economic growth by this devious standard will occur this summer, as oil futures will only continue to go up. We will see today’s crude oil prices reflected then, as what we are seeing now is from 2-3 months ago when futures we at $100.00/barrel. because futures will continue to rise over the summer, that will spark the 3rd quarter’s negative economic growth.

Ted, I look at it all as a matter of whose cow is getting gored. You can buy a walk-in unit, freeze a side of beef and have your power go out for a week or two when a tornado blows through. So much for that investment.

As for myself, be it the future, the economy or the weather, I don’t worry about things I can’t control.

In truth, numbers can be made to say anything you want if you have an agenda and proper motivation. If they change the method of measuring economic growth, then it’s apples and oranges to compare one method to a previous one. I don’t like the metric system because I’m only 1.95 meters according to that system and I just don’t feel as tall.