Times are tough and there have been signs just how bad the economy is from Portland to Los Angeles. From the loss of jobs, to restaurants being less busy, to the increased violence. Mom received some gift cards to Shari’s restaurants for her birthday. Tuesday has been my care giving night. Last night we decided to use one of the gift cards for dinner out. We went to Shari’s. We got there a little after five. We were the only customer for a while. There was one cook (usually two or three are working), one waitress (usually four or five are working), and one manager without an assistant. It was obvious their business has declined. Nobody can afford to eat out. I guess the good thing is we were waited on right away, the dinner came fast, and the service was good even with a shell of a staff.
Usually in bad economic times violence increases. We saw signs of that in Portland, Oregon last week when in downtown Portland in front of a teenage night club Erik S, Ayala, 24, went on a shooting rampage killing two teenage girls and wounding seven. It has been front page news for several days now, here is part of the first sentence in one of today’s articles “Erik S. Ayala, 24, long estranged from his family was declared brain dead at 2.22 p.m. Tuesday…” After his shooting spree he turned the gun on himself. Would this have happened in better economic times? Read one of today’s Oregonian’s story here: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/2_dead_7_injured_in_portlands.html
We head about a thousand miles South on Interstate 5 to the Los Angeles, California area were a man killed his five children, his wife, and himself. In is a burst of anger reportedly caused by him and his wife losing their jobs, forty year old Ervin Antonio Lupoe roamed room to room starting Monday night and finishing Tuesday killing each of his children, his wife, then killing himself before the authorities arrived. While one of the police officers was quoted as saying “this is financially related”, it did come out that the husband and wife were being investigated by their employers for fraud. Would this had happened in good economic times? Read one of the LA Times articles here: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-children-killed28-2009jan28,0,240432.story
Are we going to see more of this type of violence until the economy turns around? I really hope Congress changes stream from partisan bickering and the parties come together to solve the country’s economic woes.
On a more positive note, Monday I went to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. It was a really good movie and because I like to see indie films do well I still hope it wins the Oscar for best picture. However, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if such high expectations hadn’t been created by everyone from movie critics to friends. Sort of like finally getting a date with the prom queen only to find out she isn’t much different than the studious nice gal sitting next to you in English class. I also wasn’t prepared for the violence against children in the movie. Still all in all I would still give the movie five footballs, for direction, for the script, for the acting, for the scenery, and for it being the ultimate love story.
Has the economy created more violence in your area? What are the signs of either an improving economy in your area or a declining economy in your area?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
To answer your question, I don't know if we'll see more and more violence due to the bad economic times. I wouldn't be very surprised to see more theft, burglary and the like. And I suppose there will be some people despondent enough to do away with themselves. I would only hope they had enough heart or sense or love or whatever it takes to not take their children with them, as the Lupo guy did, possibly with the connivance of his wife.
I look forward to seeing SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, and I will try not to go in with too high hopes after seeing your reaction to it.
The only sign I directly see of bad economic times is lots of stores closing. Big ones, and a small Greek restaurant I've been meaning to try and never did. I hear that several small businesses in town have closed, but have no personal knowledge of them.
What's getting to me is CD rates. It seems banks are getting the goldmine and savers are getting the shaft. I opened a CD a couple of months ago at 4.25%. Today, I'm trying to move an account of my mother's, and the rate the same bank quoted me was 1.65%. Another one advertised 3.10% yesterday and today it's at 2.8%. I wonder what it'll be tomorrow. It's really depressing.
At least I don't have a job to lose. I can't believe the numbers I'm hearing about layoffs, and I really feel for all those people. Even Microsoft, with all the money in the world, is laying off people. But I'll bet they're keeping their H21B (or whatever that number is) imported workers.
Statistically, bad economic times do tend to create more violence. In some cases theft and robberies, in other cases sheer frustration from job losses or not enough to pay the rent often leads to domestic violence of various levels. We've seen an increse in violence here, although fortunately not so much in the range of murder, over the the last three years that the mills have closed, affecting so many economically. Many worked the mills all their lives and aren't trained or prepared to take other positions.
Yes, there are some businesses closing, although whether the economy is to blame or whether the influx of big box stores into new areas has had an affect is a question in the minds of many. We don't eat out at "real" restaurants too often, but when we were in Ryan's a week or so ago, they had about half the crowd we've seen in the past. Parking lot at the Golden Corral seems to be always full, however.
Pat, I agree with you on interest rates on CDs and other investments. My IRA is not looking as good as it was (koff). The money market account has dropped its rate from the 3.8% of a bit over two years ago to 1.65%. I think what bothers me is that while interest earned is becoming pathetic, interest charged doesn't change on home or auto loans and the like and, based on notices from our credit card companies, they're raising their rates beyond usary level. Fortunately, we pay off our cards with each monthly statement, but those who carry balances are paying anywhere from 19% to 23% and, if they have a late payment, the rate in some cases goes to 29%, from what I've seen. There's something very wrong with this. Those on fixed incomes, relying on any investments, large or small, can no longer earn enough interest to keep up with the increases in costs of day-to-living expenses, like utilities and gas for their cars.
Yes, layoffs continue. I saw today that Boeing is laying off 10,000 people and I wonder if that will affect Mary W's husband's position. That's a lot of positions gone!
While I have work scheduled through March, maybe April, I'm seeing a lot fewer requests for information on editorial services, so don't know how it will affect my business, at this point. My services are a "luxury" item for most people, I suspect. If things begin to look grim, I'll definitely be looking at early SS. Thank goodness, I do have that option, which makes me more fortunate than most folks.
The bottom line, IMHO, is that everyone -- from neighbors to members of congress at the state and local level and members of city and county councils are going to have quit drawing lines in the sand and start working together for the best interests of everyone in this country and drop the greed and the power struggles and, for goodness sake, could some one round up all the lobbyists and special interest groups and put them behind barbed wire with no access to communication!!!
This has kind of turned into a rant page, hasn't it! DR, I agree totally on credit card interest. It is downright usury, and they should be slapped down. Like you, I pay off my credit cards every month, but many people are already in hock to them too far to pay them off. Yes, they were foolish, but should they get hit with 29% interest? No way!
I also agree with you that we need to start trying to work together to solve these problems. I love that Obama has appointed someone to look into government waste. I hope she is ruthless. Just locally, I read that the Los Angeles City Councilmembers have take-home cars, from 7 to 9 per office, so the staffers can use them, too. That should end. There's also some plan I just read of for a theater to be built for... was it the CA legislature or the CA Assembly, I can't remember now. For several million bucks. Those are only two of the many things that should have a good long look aimed their way. Heaven only knows how many others we haven't even heard about.
Hi Pst
When you go to SLUMDOG also be prepared for some disturbing scenes.
You str right on about there being more theft and the like. I also wonder if the number of homeless doesn't increase. My mom said that during the gread depression when the banks folded in the 30's a lot of people did commit suicide.
Lots of stores closing here too. There was a good thing yesterday when our state senate passed a plan designed to create 3,000 jobs to redo local roads, etc.
The cd rates are also terrible here, which relates to the loan interest rates. Nobody has a job so nobody can borrow money, so the banks don't have enough income to pay the higher rates.
Intel just announced layoffs here too.
I am hoping we get some good news soon and I hope that those in D.C. quit following the party line and start doing what is best for the country.
Bill
Hi DR
Domestic violence does increase during bad times. Sorry about the increase violence in your area but am glad it hasn't made it to the murder level. The loss of manufacturing and mill jobs is one of the tragedies in our country that has been going on the last sixteen years. We really no longer make things in our country. We do it all overseas.
My ira isn't doing anything but declining. Congress did pass a law that takes effect in a month that will prevent credit card companies from raising rates.
Let's start making a list of lobbyist to go after!
Bill
Hi Pst
I'm fine with this being a rant page! I hope also it is an informative and support page!
Some of the ones with credit card debt weren't foolish but had no other choice except to use their credit card for groceries etc. I know when I am in the line at grocery stores more people are using credit cards instead of debit cards.
We do need to reign in both pork belly spending and governement waste. We also need to start withdrawing troops for Iraq and put that money to better use here at home.
Bill
Amen to all your wishes, Bill. I, too, use a credit card at the supermarket these days. The total amount for my approximately once a week shopping got so high that I just didn't want to carry that much cash around. But I still pay it off, and now I have a better idea what I'm spending at the market.
Hi Pat
I do the same thing with the credit card. However, we are in the minority in paying them off each month!
Bill
Post a Comment