Family Incomes Slipped In 1st Part Of Decade ("Rich getting richer" alert)

The Associated Press ^ | Feb 24, 2006 | MARTIN CRUTSINGER

[antaresequity]

but it's now at an all time high.

Only when you include appreciated real estate values.

Real net worth in terms of liquid or semi-liquid assets is down...

I am not a troll nor schill...and I do believe the American economy is in for one hell of a bumpy ride...

Speculation vs speculation...

Keep your eye on the yield curve...BUT...I FORGOT...THIS TIME ITS DIFFERENT!

[A. Pole]

[nopardons:] It's long past time for you to at least try to divest yourself of your COMMUNIST/SOCIALIST leaning. Or, you can just stop calling yourself a "conservative", because you aren't one.

I have something to confess. Before I left Poland and several years after I did believe in "free" market. Guys like you helped me to be cured of this delusion.

And I will tell one thing more, your doctrinaire attitude reminds me the hard line Commies I met under Communism. You would be happy there and then as the politruks.

[A. Pole]

[antaresequity to nopardons:] Why dont you point by point refute what I posted?

Very simple. He wasn't able to find the ready made answers in his training pamphlet.

[expat_panama]

...refrain from making any kind of comment about any of the markets...   ....whatever buddy.

The thing is that I would absolutely love to be convinced that stock prices were going to fall.  I could make millions on puts and short contracts.

I'm convinced that stock prices will be higher next year than last year; I'm convinced enough to put my own money on the line by putting my cash into stocks.  Mr, antaresequity, if by any chance you believe what you're saying enough to actually put your money where a bear market could make you rich, we'd all like to hear more about what you have to say.

[antaresequity]

lol...like I said...its speculation vs speculation...

good luck...

[Toddsterpatriot]

Real net worth in terms of liquid or semi-liquid assets is down...

Federal Reserve

I looked here, page 110 of 124. It looks like liquid and semi-liquid assets are actually up.

[Nowhere Man]

OK, I found it!!!! The computer was called the K-202 and was made in Poland around 1970-72. It ran at 1 million instructions per second, twice as fast as many American models.

Here is the link: K-202 PC from Poland



Unfortunatly from the storyies I've heard, after 30 units were made, the Communist "powers that be" didn't show a lot of interest in that. Shortsighted if you ask me, not so much the system but the people behind it because no matter where you go, you do encounter short sighted people. Playing Devil's Advocate putting myself in the shoes of a Polish Communist of the 1970's era, I would have promoted and encouraged the computer to be made just to show the world that Communism does work just as well. Maybe if he was in Yugoslavia, it could have taken off.

[expat_panama]

... real estate values.  Real net worth in terms of liquid or semi-liquid assets is down.   I am not a troll nor schill...and I do believe the American economy is in for one hell of a bumpy ride... 

Pulling ideas out of the air is easy and fun, but it's no way to manage our life savings.  

Real estate is less than a third of private wealth ($21 trillion), and that's before deducting outstanding mortgages ($10 trillion) -- check out the break down I got from page 102 of this fed report).   Home equity ($11 trillion --value minus mortgage) is even less than bank deposits ($12 trillion).   

We could try saying currency isn't worth any thing-- after all if everyone spent all their money all on the same day then the money wouldn't be worth as much.  Please let me know if you're throwing away your money-- I'll be happy to take out your trash.

Check out items 23 through 29 -- they're all based on stocks and they total more than homes and deposits combined.  

I'll agree with your point that yield curves are great at predicting stock market crashes.  In fact, inverted yield curves have predicted twelve of the last five bear markets we've had.

[expat_panama]

lol...like I said...its speculation vs speculation...  good luck...

I'll take that to mean you believe that market crash stuff when it comes freerepublic posts, but not when it comes to your family finances.   Thanks for the luck; it's always nice to have, but it's really don't need it when I simply deal with what is. 

The times I really need luck is when I'm trying to say one thing and do another --but I don't have the energy to keep up two realities like I did in my younger days.   Someday I'll have to tell you about my voting for McGovern..

[antaresequity]

I am short american eq mkts...in a broader sense... so no ... its not an alternative reality...

[Toddsterpatriot]

Even if your insinuations were right there is no Communist Poland anymore :)

Excellent.

"I left Poland because I was anti-Communist. And I was for the trade unions".

It looks like one of your main reasons for moving here has been fixed. You can go back now. Quick, before Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and the Walton family steal all your money.

Before you leave maybe you can explain how the wealth of those billionaires was "gained at the expense of the lower classes".

Please stay in touch. Let us know how much better the regulations, taxes, safety net, redistribution and trade unions are back in your native country. Make that socialism with a human face a success. As an example for the rest of us. Good luck, God speed.

[billbears]

I believe in a free market system. However what we currently have could not be considered free market in the least. Government intervention into the market through 'regulation', into the economy through the Fed (fiat money vs hard currency; and no the US dollar is not hard currency), and the activity of speculation (not just in real estate) has brought about a situation that we very well could be in for a bumpy ride.

The problem is that when this does happen, either political party in a ploy to pander for votes will intervene further into the economy (much like FDR in the 30s) only making the situation worse.

[nopardons]

Why don't YOU prove what you've been posting? I'll tell you why you can't....you post 1/2 truths, complete lies, and utter delusions.

Interest rates are still amongst the lowest of the low, that they have ever been. Mortgage rates are now even lower than what G.I.'s got at the end of WW II and those were part of the G.I. Bill; government mandated SPECIALS.

Nope, anyone who imagines that what you call a "spending spree" ( which it really wasn"t/isn't ), was NOT driven by property values. Not to mention the fact that the sale totals, for last Christmas, were *cough* higher than the previous year.

Are you talking about commodity prices, vis-a-vis the market, or as in what we pay for things? No matter......prices go up and prices go down; twas ever thus.

Gas prices are up a tiny bit, at the pump, but it's still way down from the high.

But since you don't specify WHAT commodity, but instead, go off into the wild eyed ravings of an uneducated, THE SKY IS FALLING doom&gloomer, please answer the following questions, so at least we are on the same page.

The supply of WHAT is decreasing?

The production capacity of WHAT is decreasing?

How are "the emerging markets" putting a strain on American ability capital and resources?

WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THIS CRAP FROM?

It is difficult to refute made up, disjointed, delusional mewlings, but I did refute, handily, some of the smoke and mirrors rantings, you pulled out of thin air. YOUR TURN. :-)

[nopardons]

I don't believe a word you've said.

But, if it is true, which I still doubt, then you never really understood anything at all about what a free market is. You still have a SOCIALIST mindset.

As to my being "happy" in the old Communist Poland, no, dear, I would not have been; especially since I've been a rabid anti-Commie since I was a tiny child.

[nopardons]

SHE, I am a SHE!

HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO CORRECT YOU ABOUT THAT? NO WONDER YOU'RE SO MESSED UP; SIMPLE FACTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO RETAIN.

[A. Pole]

You can go back now.

It is you who should move to a country where trade unions are illegal, you must feel horrible in post New Deal America.

[nopardons]

LOL....the DOW was up, yet again, today. Seat prices are through the roof. And here's one for ya...there is a brand new instrument, now available to be bought and sold, which looks VERY interesting and very promising. :-)

[A. Pole]

As to my being "happy" in the old Communist Poland, no, dear, I would not have been; especially since I've been a rabid anti-Commie since I was a tiny child.

If you grew up in Communist country you would be a hard line Commie.

[nopardons]

No, it's how American companies RAISE CAPITAL, which is something you have no comprehension or knowledge of.

[A. Pole]

SHE, I am a SHE! [...] SIMPLE FACTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO RETAIN.

Why should your sex matter?