so far its still alright.. For some reason people are always crashing there cars so it keeps us in bizz. The day people stop crashing im screwed!!

Shit I wished more people were crashing around here 

I'm making exactly half of what I did last year, higher gas prices= less driving

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080926/ts_nm/us_washingtonmutual_jpmorgan_news

This is a solution to a problem .

-beerjet-

Nearly 70% of our sales are to Europe and Asia.  The weak dollar is helping us continue growth (>25% this year) while increasing prices (and profits) against our European competitors who are dying right now.  Our direct customers and vendors are seeing the same growth as we are.  It helps to have an end clientele that is pretty much immune to "normal" economic issues. 

Our biggest problem in continuing growth is hiring.  I ran an add in the OC Register this week and haven't had a single call or resume submitted yet.  Hopefully I'll get a response from the weekend editions.  Does anyone even read the paper anymore, or is Monster . com and the like where most are at?

BTW, if you're a BSEE or BSETE and looking around please PM me.

Regards, Mark

My Buddy Greg sent me this today :
I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.  Let's label it "WE DID"

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.
 
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a WE DID.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.

What would you do with $297,500 to $595,000 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads.
Put away money for college – it'll be there.
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs.
Invest in the market – capital drives growth.
Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improves.
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else.

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.  If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG – liquidate it.  Sell off its parts.  Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate.  Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.  Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'  But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!
 
How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion WE DID more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Family plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards, A Creative Guy & Citizen.

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a Laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!
 
Perhaps a few more creative minds in Washington and a few managers who can manage would serve the American people from getting into such dire positions. Make your vote count in placing some new blood in Congress. Time to turn over the controlling party politicians and elect those that can act in the interest of all Americans. Thought this is a creative idea to help Americans.
 
 
NOW consider the new $700 BILLION bail out that is being debated.  [/b] [/i]

Just did the math, it would be $297.50 per person, not 297,000 per LOL

pay attention people !

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081001/financial_meltdown.html

-beerjet-

you got to spend money to make money everyone is freaking out  if we stop spending we stop making

i might not have a job come january   gotta start look through the help wanted adds... oh wait no one else is hiring either....

I'd be lying if I said I wasnt worried. 
I'm terrified for my kids as they are just getting started with thier lifes and I'm also concerned for myself. 
I have 30 years into this company and have started at the bottom and made it a long ways towards the top, and now it looks like we are likely to be bought by a consortium of Australian and Candian firms and I'm not sure where I'll end up...... Oh well, Karma I guess.......hang in there everybody and keep the faith....john


Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. - The state Utilities Commission is holding three days of hearings this week on the proposed sale of Puget Sound Energy to a group of international investors. The Bellevue-based PSE is the largest private utility in Washington with more than a million electrical and 700,000 natural gas customers in Western Washington.

The utility buyout offer of $7.4 billion is being made by Australian investment bank Macquarie and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

Well the wife wasnt laid off, but 4 others were. They waited over a week and then lowered her pay over 6k a year..Shes Pissed!  But at least she still has a job(for the time being)