The Ant and the Grasshopper...a new twist...

NOT FUNNY AT ALL. THE PHYSICS OF GUILE. JOHN PAULSON,S WILD RIDE FROM OUTWITTING THE CRASH TO BEING PARTLY BLAMED FOR IT.  NOT FUNNY AT ALL.

Well....... Parental advice...Work hard while your young as its harder when you get older and what you accumlate when your young has to tide you over in old age. Answer...we "worked" night an day most of the first 12 years we were married trying to get ahead. Lay an nest egg aside.

Reality....income we made were most the time we paid $25,000 an year in income taxes of some kind along with Social Security...we lost that some years back and hubby was forced into an new job, making far less, they claim we now work the first 100 days just for taxes only every year...and we had to use part of his IRA pension plan to exist on in the debts, ash is forced retirement by the previous boss came ans an compeltel "surprise"...not to mention the added medical costs of our heatlh these days with an projection we will get not even enough to make an months' livablity lving here as it is now by the time we retire...ou rhouse is paid off. So ar eour used cars, but we still are estimated to be spending some $1,000 an month to much...which seems impossible to me.  We now have no nest egg, I just "Maxed" out my first credit card in my life, we have no savings and owe medical billls up our "bugaloo"...having an "flu bug" cost us better then one months entire wages in health care...for one afternoon sitting in emergency...reember we didnt' have it,,as it probalby went for "income taxes" before we really even saw it.  We feel we will be lucky if we are allowed in our old age to not have to divorce each other...and still be able to "live" in our house. Our kids moving in to help us, didn't work out, they don't earn enough money...from lack of enough hours themselves. Once in-an-while they help buy an few groceries, and pay one utility bill...if they do that now.

Comparison... In the meantime, Kenny Lay whom raised our electric bills 40 per cent the night of  9/11, and the next several years...and made Billions, paid this state $3 in taxes...in claiming his "profit" after investments. We fight 5 out of 10 children in this state going to bed hungry every night, for the most part the state and the Federal Govenment is now feeding our kids twice an day through the school system...we now have the highest or near highest unemployment rate in the country. Stores like "Walmart" in our rural areas have gone to donating goods and food to the state because the people have no money to buy their goods with even if they wanted them. Employers cut down hours and wages also...and the state is paying unemployment for lack of full hours also in this state to families in need. Many of the people that were considered poor prior...they have now made each other's relatives thier kid's new " foster" parents so they can be raised with state help, if they don't have adequate jobs. Who is "Making it"..(1) Drug Cartels moving in to grow drugs for California, control out hispanics...and places across the USA (2) anything that is "nationally" owned and out-sources to foreign countries that are in development stages (Bush helped to take everything to South America or Asia) (3) people whom retired 15-20 years ago (LIke Bush' s parents) ...(4) anyone connected to the Federal Government.(5) Large Hospitals that can "write off" their expenses if someone can't pay them, (6) CEO's with big business bonuses and investments from the past,(Such as bankers/Boeing)  Much of the really poor have grouped together and moved into Washington State around Longview (city name) along the Columbia River...esp the hispanics... 2 out every 3 new jobs are state or federally funded usually. 20 years ago we had an influx of Californians seeing dire times ahead..they moved to "cheaper" Oregon and have since moved into places like "Idaho" state now and northward slightly...they for the most part are trying to "live off the land" the best they can...anywhere they can also...with what money they have left.

American Dream for us since the 60's..."Gone down the tube"

Parental advice...Right now it doens't matter how hard you work, in some ways your education either...though don't buck working any job you can..it's whom can help you and will...what you can share with others also...particularly if your young these days.

 Most amazing....the number of people I know now that when they were working were running businesses for others most their lives, sucessful ones also, that have basically lost it all or are barely hanging on...and most of them are "white" raced people...what were called higher middle class and "entry" management types...they were the first to lose jobs. This biggest blow to the economy has hit the $50,000 to $75,000 an year income worker. Now if your married and both are working..should be suviving pretty good without the thrills right now, such as luxury vacations, big expensive cars, housing over $300,000.. etc. That is what is really being setlled out there right now, this down grading things to affordabilty. Did "Bush" do us any good.."no"...has "Obama" done us any good...not that I can "see" as of yet. Who has helped us the most..the State Govenor...when he gave us back our "kicker checks" ..for us, it meant having "Christmas" that year. (Kicker checks are when we pay to much in state taxes in one year and some of it has tobe given back...though the schools want to "hog" it all now, so we may not have it in the future)

Wow Shirley, and some in the UK think they have it bad, lol

I think the UK people should really open their eyes and see what they have before they risk loosing it. NO-ONE here in the UK is overtaxed, its all proportional, the more you earn the more tax you pay and lets face it the top earners employ accountants to avoid paying too much. Its good to know that should anyone (and everyone) that qualifies as a UK resident, fall on hard times, there is a safety net there to help them. how many times do we see 'failed' businesmen/women, actors, and others who have inherited money or land squander their wealth through mismanagement, foolishness or just plain recklesness, fall back on the 'State' for support.   Some, most, managing to 'bounce back! We have no medical bills to pay, even the wealthy have free medical bills, for God sake and are entitled to benifits the same as anyone else. They even claim State pension when they retire, even if they are on a very good  'company' pension. They also claim child allowences, getting the same amount as those not so well off.

Believe me the UK resident is far better off than lots of countrys, thanks to the fairness of its past social policies, we cannot afford to loose or cut them, or we'll end up a the situation simular to the United States, as described in the post above where the rich are super-rich and the non-rich live in poverty .