Army Thread 11th.October

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

Army Thread 11th.October

pingu1997;1191236 wrote: Playing, Sibelius which I adore. Very good for body, mind and soul. I come back high as a kite every week.. who needs wine when you have a violin?!?
How lovely

mario;1191238 wrote: Ktab will that/can happen here ?

Doubt it very much but these days who knows what is around the corner.

stirly-girly;1191241 wrote: K - if I remember well, you mentioned some time ago about when you were building your house that the bank was only too glad to hand over lots and lots of money. The problem, IMHO, is that they were giving money to people (and I don't mean you personally, here) without doing a detailed financial check on them to see if they would really be able to pay back the loans. Then of course, people are given the loans and start over-spending and it's all downhill from there.

Spot on. Thing is though it is human nature to want nicer things and a better standard of life for our families so we will take what is offered. People are like sheep we see others doing it and we follow suit without thinking of the consequences properly. Then there is just plain greed, of which I hold my hand up to and yes I do hold the bankers greed to make enormous profits somewhat to account too. But when all is said and done I owe a huge amount of money today and nobody signed my name on the loan form except me.
There is no easy answer to this for anyone bar battening down the hatches and trying to live within our means, hopefully paying back what be borrowed but will never see it again because of negative equity in most people's homes, which is our biggest asset/chain around our necks.
I do understand the anger and fear of people because we dont know how much worse this could get and it could get way way worse. In addition the anger at the bank bail outs using taxpayers money when schools, hospitals and all sorts of services are being cut to the bone is totally understandable but can any of us imagine the anarchy if the banks were forced not to open their doors tomorrow?

[stirly-girly]

Army Thread 11th.October

Well, it's just all a mess. We, as a family, haven't felt the crunch yet. I mean our immediate family, Mr. Stirly and our sons. We have our family business which is still up and running in spite of the financial crisis. Older son is self-employed and is still doing well. His girlfriend recently got a new job at a higher salary. Younger son works in the private sector and makes a decent salary as does his girlfriend. The apartment they live in is hers so they don't pay rent. He told me recently that he's managed to save about 8,000 euro which I find very commendable since they did a lot of fixing up in the apartment last year, painting and such and have bought some new furniture as well, plus several trips abroad. We paid cash for our house when we bought it a few years ago, so no loan payments there. Mr. Stirly and I cut up our credit cards years ago. If we can afford something, we buy it, if we can't we don't. But we are the exception to the rule and I am fully aware of that. However, I have no way of knowing how long our business will continue to do well and if the kids' jobs will still be there tomorrow. And we are also worried about what will happen to our savings if the banks start to falter. It is all very worrisome, even to those of us who are financially "safe" at the moment.
I too, understand the frustration of having your salary or pension cut and especially what you said about people being angry when the banks are being bailed out while the schools and hospitals aren't running properly due to lack of staff and equipment. And there have been new taxes levied and I expect more to come. It's all very frustrating for the average Joe who has been asked over and over again to tighten his belt, especially when you consider the number of very, very rich people in this country who don't pay the proportionate amount of taxes that they should. Anyway, enough of that. We'll all do what we can to get through this financial shite and hope we come out on the other side smelling sweeter than we do right now.

[Recluse]

Army Thread 11th.October

Good morning, army

KTAB;1191194 wrote: Morning folks, I would happily take 32 more years, some days I feel very old.
Expat I don't think the facts have sunk in with many people yet that all the taking to the streets isnt going to change the facts. Dont we realise that the standard of living enjoyed by most people in the EU is never going to get back to the levels they were at, at least not for decades if at all. All the protests and strikes aren't going to change the fact that we collectively over consumed and broke the system. There is a seismic shift in world order happening before our eyes.
KTAB;1191197 wrote: Or maybe I am just talking through my hat.....

No, you got it right first time round, ktabs. There's nothing the politicians can do about it now, except maybe kick the can down the road for a little while longer. And nobody seems to be paying attention to "peak oil" either. It's not that we don't have enough oil, it's that it will geologically not be possible to get conventional oil out of the ground fast enough to meet increased demand from China etc in about a decade or so. Cue big increases in oil prices and another crisis.

Wow, that must have been a big shock to your BIL, stirly. You might also have mentioned that the government overspent massively too. This is what politicians do, they spend money their countries don't have for political gain because they know it will eventually be somebody else's problem to deal with the mess. As someone so eloquently put it, for years and years we have been borrowing from the future to pay for the present, but now the future has arrived. Ok, I'll get off the soapbox now and hand it back to ktabs.

Edit - Xpost ktabs and stirly.

[JackieClaire]

Army Thread 11th.October

Good morning Tippers, Zenners, Cinders, Expatty, KTabbers, Whizzy, mario, Pingu, cirly wirly stirly girly, Molly and Reccybear.


................sneaking into barracks late again after another long night with the sleep fairy


Had a bit of a smile to meself about all this talk about retirement, here I am at the grand old age of 29 and a half about to start on a new career with a Drug and Alcohol team. I'm hoping that volunteering may turn into something that may pay real Engerlish pounds.

[Recluse]

Army Thread 11th.October

JackieClaire;1191255 wrote: Good morning Tippers, Zenners, Cinders, Expatty, KTabbers, Whizzy, mario, Pingu, cirly wirly stirly girly, Molly and Reccybear.


................sneaking into barracks late again after another long night with the sleep fairy


Had a bit of a smile to meself about all this talk about retirement, here I am at the grand old age of 29 and a half about to start on a new career with a Drug and Alcohol team. I'm hoping that volunteering may turn into something that may pay real Engerlish pounds.

Morning Jackie

Might have to join you in starting a new career. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go back to work, but with all this blooming inflation, it's looking increasing likely that I will.

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

Army Thread 11th.October

Hey ho, I used to say 'work is the curse of the drinking man', cause it got in the way.....

[Recluse]

Army Thread 11th.October

KTAB;1191263 wrote: Hey ho, I used to say 'work is the curse of the drinking man', cause it got in the way.....

Yep, ktabs, there is such a thing as having too much time on your hands.

[stirly-girly]

Army Thread 11th.October

:hallo: JC and Reccie.

Reccie, it's all very scary and especially what you said about the oil situation that awaits us sometime in the future. I worry about our kids and all of the younger generation, and how they will manage through times like that. They are at the age now where they've gotten married over the last couple of years or will be over the next couple of years, wanting to or have already started a family and now they're treading on uncertain ground wondering what the future will hold and if they can really afford to have a family. There is a young family in our apartment building who work in the public sector and so far their income has been cut back by 4000 euro a year and they expect more cuts. They bought their apartment just a while before we did and so have bank payments to make for probably the next 15 to 20 years. They have a little girl who's 2-1/2 and want to have another child but wonder if they will be able to afford it. Another couple in the building decided they simply can't afford a second child and that was that. In fact they are seriously considering emigrating to the US where the wife has family. And they are only two examples of the people that are really feeling this crisis.

Anyway I've gone on and on again and didn't really mean to. I've got to get to the shops and to one bank so have to get out of here ASAP.

Hope you all have a productive day.

Jackie, about time you dragged yer arse out of bed... Glad you got a good night's sleep. You must have needed it.

Laterz, luverliez.....

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

Army Thread 11th.October

Indeed Reccie. The devil makes work for idle hands or so the christian brothers used to tell us.

[JackieClaire]

Army Thread 11th.October

Ach it's time I start paying my way. I've worked in all sorts of jobs since I was 16 and these last 9 years haven't sat comfortably with me.

I'm off to a computer skills class this afternoon to see which level they'll start me at. So I'll have a luvverly certificate to add to me CV.

[expat3]

Army Thread 11th.October

Hello again! Quick stop by before I head off . I have been "de-cluttering" too Pingu! It is rather satisfying-to see all the crap that builds up going out!
I've read back and it seems we are all in our different ways worried about the state of things going on. And how ironic that just after posting this morning about the strikes, fear, anger going on in France--what do I find in the letter box but a letter from my bank (who is in deep shite themselves) threatening me with turning over my case to the Banque de France if I don't get myself out of the red toot sweet. Luckily, I have a rather understanding bank lady who said they would "hold off" cancelling my account for the moment. Yes, I have been "tightening my belt". But as many said-these days it is not just excess spending but the basics like--food, electricity, rent, new shoes for the kids....:upset:
By the way, I do not drive (no car, no petrol use), telly broke and still not replaced. We are not going hungry though. I am trying to stay positive. But as one of my student's said the other day-"We work to stay poor". Well, my mother who was born in the 1930's and obviously lived a life that my generation can not imagine-but are starting to!!! I think I'm going for a walk to clear my head. :l
I'll read back later. At least my electricity bill/internet shite has been paid this month so I still have access to you. xxx

[Recluse]

Army Thread 11th.October

expat3;1191276 wrote: Hello again! Quick stop by before I head off . I have been "de-cluttering" too Pingu! It is rather satisfying-to see all the crap that builds up going out!
I've read back and it seems we are all in our different ways worried about the state of things going on. And how ironic that just after posting this morning about the strikes, fear, anger going on in France--what do I find in the letter box but a letter from my bank (who is in deep shite themselves) threatening me with turning over my case to the Banque de France if I don't get myself out of the red toot sweet. Luckily, I have a rather understanding bank lady who said they would "hold off" cancelling my account for the moment. Yes, I have been "tightening my belt". But as many said-these days it is not just excess spending but the basics like--food, electricity, rent, new shoes for the kids....:upset:
By the way, I do not drive (no car, no petrol use), telly broke and still not replaced. We are not going hungry though. I am trying to stay positive. But as one of my student's said the other day-"We work to stay poor". Well, my mother who was born in the 1930's and obviously lived a life that my generation can not imagine-but are starting to!!! I think I'm going for a walk to clear my head. :l
I'll read back later. At least my electricity bill/internet shite has been paid this month so I still have access to you. xxx

Hi expatty. Out of interest, do you TEFL?

I drive (have to, living out in the sticks), but my car is 13 years old and I'm not planning to replace it any time soon. As long as it gets me from A to B, that's all I care about.

My mother was born in the 1930s too, in the middle of the great depression, and I believe we are in the early stages of another GD, only I think it's the next order of magnitude up. When all's said and done, by far the most important player in the global economy is the US. In the GD, they had soup kitchens - but today 44 million Americans are on food stamps - same thing really. Total consumer, private sector and public sector debt in the US is now a lot higher than it was at any point during the great depression (relative to the size of the economy) and it's heading in the wrong direction. How can this all not end in tears?

Ok, as you may have gathered, economics and the financial markets are my hobby horse, and I know it's a gloomy subject at the mo so I'll try and shut up about it until, ooh.....at least tomorrow.

PS, I'd mention that I'm trying to tighten my belt too, expatty, but I'd be too worried about what you might call me!

[betty boop]

Army Thread 11th.October

:hello: lovelies,

I have quickly read back, and like Stirly I am feeling myself lucky to have a family business too but it's a scary time!!!

Have I missed anything exciting while I've been awol???

Mum and dad finally stepped away and I've been working really hard!! everything is good though!!!

[Recluse]

Army Thread 11th.October

Hiya betty! :l

Good to see you. Does this mean you're running the shop all by yourself?

[betty boop]

Army Thread 11th.October

Recluse;1191299 wrote: Hiya betty! :l

Good to see you. Does this mean you're running the shop all by yourself?

Great to see you too Reccie, :l:l

My hubby is the transport manager and we have a lady in the office with me, soon to set another one on too!! and mum and dad are only a phone call away!!!