Free Money!

[CarpeyBiggs]

Sorry, that was my best attempt at a bogley style thread title. Not really free money, depending on your perspective, but perhaps "unexpected" money for some of us...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,325192,00.html

[rockgremlin]

YIPEE!! Hooray for the impending "recession!" :roll:

Someone enlighten me...who decides when our country slips into a recession? I don't really see any apparent financial hard times in my neck of the woods. If I didn't read the headlines between January 1st and now, the impending "recession" would have come and passed unnoticed.

For those of you living outside of Utah...are you seeing any apparent financial hard times? Not trying to flame here, I'm being sincerely curious.

[Jaxx]

the cost is 100 billion dollars!!?!?!? Of course I will be smiling all the way to the bank.

[trackrunner]

YIPEE!! Hooray for the impending "recession!" :roll:

Someone enlighten me...who decides when our country slips into a recession? I don't really see any apparent financial hard times in my neck of the woods. If I didn't read the headlines between January 1st and now, the impending "recession" would have come and passed unnoticed.


Since I graduate recently in economics I am qualified to answer this question. A recession is defined by two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. The problem is that it takes time to add and quantify the stats. Analyzing stats is like analyzing a picture (picture was taken in the past). But real life is constantly moving and economists do not know sometimes what has happened after the stats (picture) taken. This requires another stat (picture) to analyze again taking time. In other words there is no real way to find a recession as it happens, its best educated guesses in real time motion.

A problem can arise in some instances a recession happens and passes and when the stats are finally added up we

[Jaxx]

Nice! Way to put your education to work. Thanks for the explanation. The internet isn't a total waste after all. Who knew?

[rockgremlin]

WOW! Thank you for the thoughtful and insightful reply!! Interesting concept.

[madsjim]

GDP is the measure of what is sold as a final or end product (cars, houses, hamburgers) within the United States. Basically it measures the total income from production. Any negative growth or loss of income would come from a company deciding to produce 1 car instead of 2 from the previous year.

All this media hype is pure speculation based on spikes within stock exchanges. While these exchanges can indicate the general mood of investors, it is not a good indicator of actual numbers. The stock exchange in reality is liking placing a bet on sports, what people 'believe' will happen with the hope that they win.

Real indicators of recession are increases in unemployment, decreases in worker productivity and general downtrends in price or deflation. If inflation is experienced with negative growth, then we have stagflation.

Of course all these indicators have caused the Federal Reserve to lower their interest rate, which is a good sign that something may come. The economists at the Fed are pretty smart about these things, even more than CNN analysts may think they are.

I personally don't see anything big coming yet. Growth slowed down in the last quarter but did not go negative. When it goes negative, we should worry.

Economics rarely has a right or wrong answer. What looks like a recession may turn out to be nothing.

[accadacca]

Yep, interesting. Tks.

[Cirrus2000]

With unprecedented speed and cooperation, Congress and the White House forged a deal Thursday to begin rushing tax rebates of $600 to $1,200 to most tax filers by spring, hoping they will spend the money just as quickly and jolt the ailing economy to life.

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

Just me? OK.

[stefan]

With unprecedented speed and cooperation, Congress and the White House forged a deal Thursday to begin rushing tax rebates of $600 to $1,200 to most tax filers by spring, hoping they will spend the money just as quickly and jolt the ailing economy to life.

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

Just me? OK.

... but ... but ... i ain't got no consumer debt :ne_nau:

should i save? or should i get that computer upgrade i've been holding out for?

[James_B_Wads2000]

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

Just me? OK.

HEY! That kind of talk is Un-American

[Cirrus2000]

... but ... but ... i ain't got no consumer debt :ne_nau:

should i save? or should i get that computer upgrade i've been holding out for?
Well... you should save, but aw, why not. Upgrade! :nod:

- admittedly non-American - but not anti-American - Kev

[Iceaxe]

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

I have no consumer debt bitches.... therefore I have a big problem...

Drinking Tequila shooters off a strippers ass.....

....or...

Keg party with Ice Luge....

:2thumbs:

[Cirrus2000]

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

I have no consumer debt bitches.... therefore I have a big problem...

Drinking Tequila shooters off a strippers ass.....

....or...

Keg party with Ice Luge....

:2thumbs:
Ice Luge sounds chilly. Tequila much better.

Damn, I think I'm going to open a "How to spend your refund" consulting service!

Yup, being debt free is a very nice feeling!

[Iceaxe]

Anyone else around here done an Ice Luge? I learned to do it in Boyscouts.

All you need is a block of ice, a towel and a big grass hill (sugerhouse park is always popular).

You climb to the top of the hill, put the block on the ground, put the towel on top of the block and then sit on the block. Push off and slide down the hill.... you go like a bat out of hell....

At the bottom of the hill you take a shot from the other Ice luge.... which is a block of ice with a course carved in it for the shot to flow down.

http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper275/stills/1jo34pqa.jpg

http://www.goldendaysmovie.com/art/waterfront4.jpg

[stefan]

Anyone else around here done an Ice Luge? I learned to do it in Boyscouts.


hell yeah ... goes down nice and smooth.

y'know, a couple friends had one at a wedding reception, it was pretty elegant i must say. as the night progressed everyone was into it. i never expected to see the older, well-to-do folks getting in on the action. but they sure did!! thoroughly amusing. lotta fun.

some then carried it back to the hotel room for the late night festivities. heavy sucker it was

[trackrunner]

Anybody else think that people should consider paying down their out-of-control consumer debt, rather than blowing their entire wad on, like, a TV?

Just me? OK.

Yes but its not just consumer debt also government debt, especially debt and interest on that debt not being paid to US Citizens or businesses but to China, Saudis, etc, etc.

[RugerShooter]

I will believe it when I will get the check in the mail.

[stefan]

Rebates In Hand By May?
AP/JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS

(Washington)