Tell us all Americans and Europeans.....just how bad is it?

Last week i posed a question if the rest of the world new about the floods in Australia.

I would like to pose a question to all americans and europeans....we keep hearing in our news reports of the financial crisis that has hit you guys and continues to get worse. SO....this is your chance to let the rest of us know.....JUST HOW BAD IS IT?.

what are your personal stories, if you wish to share them. has your life changed due to this crisis? Have you lost your job or your house? has the value of your house actually dropped much in price or has your rent increased? from what i found after the last thread, if people hear it on the news, its usually just the tip of the iceberg so to speak that is being reported. This is YOUR chance to let the rest of us know just what is going on in your country.

It certainly isn't the most prosperous times in America but, it's still a million times better than being a starving African. That's what I try to keep on my mind.

I've lost my job and have yet been able to find a new one (minor office assistants aren't all that necessary when no one has the money ) but, luckily we still have unemployment insurance so at least I have enough cash coming in to eat, pay a couple bills, and still have a few bucks leftover. I'm positive there are people in this country (USA) that are much worse off than me. For instance, my Mother and Step-father lost their house that they paid on for many, many years. Fortunately, they make enough money to rent an apartment but, it's still a very depressing event to be forced from your family home.

I can only imagine how bad life is for the poor old men from Detroit who used to work in the factories. It's sad times but, at least the majority of us still get more than we need. We're certainly well-fed...

Aside from not having a bonus for the past 2 years, I have still had an above inflation pay rise and share options from my employer. Can't say, aside from rising prices, that I have really noticed any difference now than in 2007.

That said, I know some people who got put out of work in 2007/8 and it took them a while to find more work. Things are picking up now though.

EDIT: FYI, I saw your other thread but it was huge so didn't post in it. We have had plenty of coverage about your floods here in the UK and we feel for you guys!

Well it has not hit me bad because I have not much to lose in the first place..On the other hand how does paying 850.00$ a month for a 4 room apt., 5.00$ a gallon of milk , loud ignorant neighbors,3.50 gallon of gas etc etc.By the way im in Rhode Island USA and no im not Peter Griffin..2nd WORST STATE IN THE COUNTRY BEHIND CALI

its good to hear that you are still "living". i feel for your parents and i watched the michael moore documentary the other day "capitalism - a love story", and that seemed to be the same thing. mainly people who had been in their houses for a lot of years who were the one losing their houses. after watching that, thats when i started to think is this a true reflection of whats happening over there.....i am one of those people that just dont like taking one mans opinion and thinking its gospel. i would rather hear from the man on the street. thanks for responding

Originally posted by EarthwormJim
Well it has not hit me bad because I have not much to lose in the first place..On the other hand how does paying 850.00$ a month for a 4 room apt., 5.00$ a gallon of milk , loud ignorant neighbors,3.50 gallon of gas etc etc.By the way im in Rhode Island USA and no im not Peter Griffin..2nd WORST STATE IN THE COUNTRY BEHIND CALI

ok, if my conversions are right this is how we compare in australia. for a appartment say 1/2 hour away from sydney you would pay on average $1600 - $1800 a month, a gallon of petrol here would cost you $5.30 and i work it out that we pay over $10 for a gallon of milk...bloody hell can that be right?. we pay about $5.50 for 2L of milk.

The australian dollar is on par with the american dollar at the moment.

Here in the UK my pay has been frozen for the last two years, now entering a third. But the cost of living keeps escalating. Less and less disposable income, but i still thankfully have a job. Local authorities are receiving less funding from the government, consequently local services are being scrapped. Pot holes are appearing everywhere in our roads, along with many cracks. The next lot of sub zero temps will rip the roads to pieces, and, given that local councils have had their monetary quotas cut, they won't be able to afford to repair them! So, things are deteriorating steadily. As it worsens, which it will, i will be making various sacrifices, such as internet, phoneline, etc. The whole things coming down and we've just gotta make the best of it. There are people in far worse strife than I, Like no food or water to drink, so i am thankful for what i have.

reply to post by punterdeb


We are struggling, but okay for now. The hospital my husband works at has been on a pay freeze for almost two years now, and it has been teetering on the brink of closing for some time. Fingers crossed, but we shall see.

I am struggling paycheck to paycheck, but i do have a job at least.However, no one at my company got a wage increase for 2010, which kind of sucks...

From a European's perspective, I've possibly been having the best year of my 26 years to date.. What financial crises? Oh yea lol

The states involved in the "Current EU Financial Crises" amount to about 100 Million people out of 500 million in the EU.. And about 15% of those 70 Million are unemployed etc etc...

What I am sick of listening to tbh is the Media bulls*** about the collapse of the Eurozone and how China is poised to.. blaa blaa blaa.. Who cares.. The world has been changing since it began. Why do we deserve to be so rich and them not. Let them catch up. The EU & US aren't falling apart, its a global shift and will rectify itself over the coming few years.

I do feel for all my European buddies who are in hot water at the moment but to be brutally honest, being in hot water in the EU means you might only be earning 20k Euro's ($27k) per year, still have healthcare if you need it and can never legally go below the poverty line of your state/country... Its not exactly like being affected by the crises means anything more to 95% of EU people than not buying that new car or going on that extra holiday.. And for those 5% that it does affect. My sincerest condolences.

But Media do what they always do, profit through fear.

Yes there is a major transition period in the EU, either the nations that use the EURO will separate somewhat or else they will be pretty much a single nation within 5 years... After that, all this crap about our world falling apart around is is exactly that. Media forced Nonsense.

I see full blown collapse of the Dollar in the next 6 months but our media to out touch talking about what the actor and actresses are wearing at the Grammys. I would say 1% of America see what’s coming. I’ve never been so scared in my life.

You hear about the FEMA camps and UN soldiers training on USA soil for “Civil unrest” events for the pending crash. It’s scary. It’s to the point where it is mathematically impossible to not have a crash. Its just a matter of time and the only thing that is delaying the crash is the Euro getting all the news because its falling faster.

I see a controlled collapse of the USD, EURO, and YEN to make a one world currency. Then the rest is biblical after that.

reply to post by punterdeb

How bad is it? It's really, really bad over here in Greece. There have been drastic cuts in payment and equally drastic increases in prices, because of VAT rising. Personally, I am one of the luckiest, as apart from everything getting more expensive my pension has not been cut yet, but it already is the lowest possible and includes a welfare bonus to raise it to the wage of an unskilled first time worker (700 Euro). If they would drop that bonus in future, I would be struggling, too. Add to that that I don't have to pay rent, because I own the apartment I live in. The hardest hit for my income was a 25 Euro increase in medication bills, because some drugs that were for free before, now I must pay 25% of the total price myself. Housing prices, both for apartments, but more so for shops have gone really down, because in the case of the shops, many shops have closed, but no new ones are opening up. Yes, it could be much worse, like we could default on our debts and then we would have chaos at first and who knows what next. Many rights that the working people had fought for through the unions are now obsolete. We are talking of a "back to the Middle Ages for the working sector". We are disappointed and disillusioned with our politics and our politicians, who got us into this mess, and there's not much hope for the future. And that's probably the worst part, that we are daily loosing hope. The problem is that the cutbacks that were opposed on us by our lenders (the EU and the IMF), cut back on the actual economy, shrinking it, which makes matters worse for the time being with the hope that it will get better later (after 2013 or even after 2020, as some political analysts here speculate). I know one thing for sure: when enough people here don't have the means to feed themselves and their families anymore, they will take to the streets and riots and plundering will be an everyday occurrence.

reply to post by camaro68ss


Dear lord...

UN soldiers? The UN doesn't have any soldiers! Honestly, the level of paranoia in some people is scary in itself.

Don't forget the Brazilian floods. Over 500 people died within the last week.

as far as I'm concerned it's bad but the economy is only half the problem
I never thought I'd see the day when I would be strip searched just to travel on a plane or I would hear that everyone is a terrorist until proven innocent !The foreclosure crisis seems to have no end in sight people, that I know that were millionaires three years ago are barely getting by now and are unable to find work.

the state is ever more intrusive iin everyday life every legislative session adds more taxes and fees and makes more disclaimers about the inability of state local and federal governments to provide services for the people
corruption is at 100% and the foxes are in charge of the chicken coop

and I'm one of the lucky ones! I'm holding body and soul together can't find work but so far I'm getting by .

I f I had a job I'd be okay but all the rest would still be true

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by camaro68ss

 

Dear lord...

UN soldiers? The UN doesn't have any soldiers! Honestly, the level of paranoia in some people is scary in itself.

Dear lord,

The level of your ignorance’s is scary in its self

en.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by bargoose
As it worsens, which it will, i will be making various sacrifices, such as internet, phoneline, etc.

I agree with everything else you've said, I see things getting worse in my town. More small businesses are closing to be swallowed up by the larger corporations. The place is generally more scruffy. My pay has not changed in three years. Food and energy prices are rising.

But, the internet will be the last thing I cut.

The internet is the ONLY place left to gather unfiltered news. In the UK, SKY is obviously corporate and falls foul of advertisers. The BBC is clearly in the pocket of the government. We have no real printed press besides the very small minority of genuine papers.

If you want to keep track of what is really happening in your own country, you need the internet and access to the real thinkers who are not paid by government to repeat only the good news and distractions.

Originally posted by camaro68ss

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by camaro68ss

 

Dear lord...

UN soldiers? The UN doesn't have any soldiers! Honestly, the level of paranoia in some people is scary in itself.

Dear lord,

The level of your ignorance’s is scary in its self

en.wikipedia.org...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You are the ignorant one my friend. Go and look up how Peacekeeping forces are comprised, how their comanded and where the soldiers come from.. I would tell you, but I think looking yourself is a better educator. I gro weary of having to explain away this nonsense to foolish and paranoid Americans who, in all honesty, wouldn't know how the UN operates if it sat them down, gave a seminar, handed out a nice leaflet with easy to read print and took them on a tour...

Again, the UN has no Army, has no troops and is not about to assist FEMA in killing all you lovely Americans.

reply to post by stumason


you can stop the bashing and trying to get one on me. the UN is in fact a Peace keeping operation they keep the peace! So when America is all up in riots what would be a good method of peace keeping…..o I know the peace keeping UN troops.

please read the link i provided for you up top so you can learn something new today

reply to post by camaro68ss


Dude, you clearly don't have a clue how the UN operates and are merely buying into Alex Jones-esque paranoia.

The UN has no Army.

Peacekeeping operations are authorised by the UNSC, which the US is a veto wielding member.

All peacekeeping operations are comprised of soldiers volunteered by their nations out of their own standing Armies.

How on earth do you think that the UN could first get a resoltuion passed for a peacekeeping operation in the US and secondly, who would send the troops to effectively invade the US?

It is an impossible fantasy that, I am afraid, you have fallen into through a total lack of knowledge/

Anyway, this is way OT.