Comments on The Burd Report: Declining Fortunes by Deb O'Connor

Jeez.... Deb, go see a fortune teller, she will te...

2010-08-29T14:24:56.797-04:00

Jeez.... Deb, go see a fortune teller, she will tell you :

"You will have a reversal of fortune". I see lots of sitting, snorring, beer drinking, you will gain weight, you will feel depress. No work, no pay. You believe immigrants will do dirty jobs... this card tell me you suffer a lot... others in Town are the same..."

Deb O writes: "... the downward spiral is ...

2010-08-28T09:43:35.115-04:00
Deb O writes: "... the downward spiral is unlikely to stop, however slowly it all devolves."

The downward spiral is a mere pothole on the continually improving and ascending highway of human development. Perfect? No! Pessimistic? No!

There are a multitude of reasons to be optimistic and they all outweight the pessimism of doomsters, gloomsters and tombsters.

Oh it's so dark under that self-contrived blanket of pessimism that one can't see the light. What a pity!

Certainly I agree with Trying that many people jus...

2010-08-27T18:50:46.767-04:00
Certainly I agree with Trying that many people just don't think. If they did they would make more independent and sensible decisions about their needs, and obey the simple maxim that you can't spend more than you make. Not for too long, anyway.

But I sense the attitude that the consumer/citizen is held accountable exclusively, with no consideration of the role that corporations, government and the media play in sucking people into the quagmire in the first place.

It doesn't take much thought to realize that if we didn't all rush to the malls to buy the latest toys, the whole economy would collapse without our plastic dollars. The same result would occur whether we are motivated by thrift or environmental concerns; either way if we don't buy, corporations don't make profits, government revenue suffers too as job loss destroys families.

But it's a mistake to just blame average citizens for all this when we are only part of it.

After all, it is a systemic problem that requires a whole re-working of society so that our scarce resources are deployed properly and our processing of those resources done in an environmentally sound way.

Until that happens the downward spiral is unlikely to stop, however slowly it all devolves.

Throwing the money lenders and false prophets out of the temples wouldn't hurt either.

often, in these situations described by Pragmatist...

2010-08-26T15:03:06.248-04:00
often, in these situations described by Pragmatist, it comes down more to finger pointing than learning something important. Ever heard the words "how could THEY let this happen!" or "somebody(ELSE) should be held accountable for this situation" and so on.

And all the while, those same victims wait for things to "recover" and get back to the same style as was, never once thinking that this may well be the way it should have been in the first place and will now be for some time. So much for learning anything from it. Sorry Pragmatist, but that's a bit of a stretch.

Is it any wonder that the "signs of recovery" are rapidly dying and the call form the "unlimited potential" crowd is for yet more "stimulus". The only stimulus they seek is restoring the flow into their own reservoirs, and to hell with the rest of the suckers. They, my friend have learned a much different lesson.

People have been living above their means for a lo...

2010-08-26T08:31:03.533-04:00
People have been living above their means for a long time. It is sometimes frustrating -- as someone who will not resort to massive amounts of credit in order to live a lavish lifestyle -- to see what others can accumulate while seemingly making the same or less income.

Maybe this economic downturn will be a blessing in the end. Maybe it will teach people how to manage money and that if you can't sleep at night because of the money you owe, your massive fifth wheel/RV, ATV, Jetski, and boat might not be as much fun as you thought.

I take issue with anything that would put a weel k...

2010-08-25T21:01:15.920-04:00
I take issue with anything that would put a weel known restauranteur out of business. Work twenty years to build a business and then a bunch of whiny residents kill it - and they knew the bar was there before they bought

Interesting you decry the ugly subdivisions and Mr...

2010-08-25T20:34:31.177-04:00
Interesting you decry the ugly subdivisions and Mr. Burd takes issue with building high density housing on Queen St.

Julian Simon wrote, ""This is my long-run forecast in brief; The material conditions of life will continue to get better for most people, in most countries, most of the time, indefinitely. Within a century or two, all nations and most of humanity will be at or above today's Western living standards. I also speculate, however, that many people will continue to think and say that the conditions of life are getting worse."

In spite of a Great Depression, two of the world's most lethal wars, a decades long cold war, humanity at large increased literacy, education, increased food, provided cheaper food, extended life, decreased infant mortality, etc etc etc. This will continue despite occasional potholes on the road.

Mr. Chomitz, I apologise if my posting upset you, ...

2010-08-25T18:01:35.083-04:00
Mr. Chomitz, I apologise if my posting upset you, but at the same time I would urge that you not shoot the messenger.

Looking at my words again, I can say confidently that the post only contains facts, and then asks questions as to the outcome of recent developments. It doesn't say the world is about to end, or be destroyed, or anything else over the top. It just asks questions.

The reason I wrote it is to elicit opinions from other readers as to whether the world economy is facing a major downturn or not. That's a hot topic right now, and one many people are very interested in.

For instance, what do you think? You are an acknowledged expert when it comes to real estate, do you have any thoughts on the topic?

In closing, I must add that all North Americans need to be very aware of all this, and if changes need to be made, to make them now while we still can. It is certainly not too late to turn the Good Ship Earth around if we pay attention and act now.

one for one against I call that a good opinion

2010-08-25T17:52:00.500-04:00
one for one against I call that a good opinion

Very well written Deb O. Your points have nothing ...

2010-08-25T17:40:51.859-04:00
Very well written Deb O. Your points have nothing to do with darkness. The amount of pay day loans and pawn shops are acurrate.

People who once could afford lots of toys etc... are certainly feeling the pinch and worse.

I gotta tell ya - that was one depressing use of t...

2010-08-25T17:02:28.477-04:00
I gotta tell ya - that was one depressing use of the English language.

If all you see is darkness maybe you should pack it in.

I certainly will never read another entry to this blog with your name on it.

Dave Chomitz