I felt like this June is some kind of turning point in our economic future because June’s unemployment rate will tell us how we’re going, along with other indiciators. The stock markets had a rally since it’s low point in march and a lot of all kinds of people see what they think are green shoots. But green shoots of what plants? Some others are seeing green shoots turning into yellow weeds. So if they were weeds, they weren’t what we’d like to see growing anyway, I guess they mean.
And people have felt more hopeful the last couple of months, April and May, some polls say anyway. Some people I know have felt that way. Some days I even felt that way, more days, I haven’t. I’m interested in how the general perception will get more pessimistic from here . If this sounds sick, I’m sorry! I hope it doesn’t go that way, but if reality goes that way more and more general perceptions will go that way , too.
I’d like to deal with one day at a time, REALLY, one day at a time instead of having to think ahead all the times about everything! This means whatever preparedness stuff I want to achieve but mostly it’s had to do with my mom’s estate money and my own money. It’s very intimidating knowing what to do about these things normally but the atmosphere of fear and uncertainly for money these last few months has been incredible.
I haven’t put things in mattresses or strong boxes under the bed. I moved some money out of the stock market last week. I have a couple thousand left in another def comp fund I want to move.
The estate has 3 stock amounts that have some last paperwork (I hope it’s the last) to do to transfer everything and get it sold.
I’m sooo weary of dealing with money and really feeling it has to get out of the market as soon as possible. I’ve felt it every hour of every day since last October and it’s now getting better. At least the greatest amount of it is done. I can understand why people have been overwhelmed with fear and’/or inertia or denial in trying to do anything something with their money whatever form it’s in—stocks, treasuries, savings, CDS or whatever. Then there’s always the fear that wherever you put it, it will fail! Even owning gold has been a worry since gold bugs are worried about the amount of “real gold” coins or bullion is really available, really exists (!) Or are the dealers just selling paper shares that will never be back by the real thing.
Got some clouds on the horizons all around and it’s almost the 4th of July. This always cheers me up because we begin to turn towards the part of the year I like the most even if it’s two months away.
Peace to myself,
Shamba
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Juneth 25th, Thursday
HOORAY! Dr. B. says my right radial head is 85% healed! X-rayed r. arms and both knees for some pain in R. knee, also. Little beginnings of bone spur in r. knee (groan).
However, we discussed stretching for the quads, which are naturally tight anyway, and some anti-inflammatory crème. Also, I need to stop using my rocking chair so much for a month or so to see if that doesn’t help the pain/tightness in my knees.
I’m not supposed to “push or lean” on my right arm yet. Give that two weeks he says.
I’m going back in a month. Starting my arm exercises with 1 lb weights. I’ll see about doing some rotator cuff exercises with them. I have all the exercise plans that my PTs gave me from my two rounds of PT for arms and shoulder in the past 3 years.
Some preps over the past 2-3 weeks.
--Picked up latex gloves, and an old fashioned ice bag! I also found hot water bottles actually still exist at the local CVS (drugstore).
The latex gloves have been on my mind from time to time as I’ve cleaned up dead bird parts after the cats worked on them! Today I found a torn open pigeon carcass at the end of our building. My cats may have done it or not. But I cleaned it up and then had to go to the store anyway. So, I picked up the latex gloves while I was there.
--Got some more of the Neutrogena sunscreen I like so well.
--Got some surgical masks at a Fry’s. These are also good for when I clean up where the cat’s live on the front porch. Good for dust, leaves, dirt, cat or other dander, etc.
--Don’t need any more rechargeable batteries at the moment.
--Large Goodwill store near me has a very large and nice assortment of clothing that seems to be growing larger every time I go there. Didn’t purchase garments but I like to scope out the place every few weeks. More people are certainly using it these days.
--This store is also a good place to look for all kinds of dishes, cookware and household fabrics. The fabrics also include all kinds of fabric remnants and good sized pieces of cloth that can’t be categorized as bedding or towels etc.
--Went through clothes that need to be mended and realized I desperately want to sew something. At least I want to mend and fix the stuff that needs doing.
-- Found an older skirt that just needs it’s stretched out elastic waistband replaced. I realized how easy it would be to rip out the old one and do a new one; one of my old favorities when I was wearing skirts.
My heart is with doing sewing and fiber arts stuff. I‘d do someone’s ironing forever if they’ fix my food and clean up the kitchen afterwards! I actually like ironing. I’ve always liked the whole production process of creating stuff with fabric: laying out patterns, adjusting, pinning and cutting carefully (sometimes not cause I’m in a hurry) and the step by step process of seeing it come together.
--T. has moved to Payson and her handsome Nubs is now my 8th cat. She lived here 15 years and I will miss her. Plus we don’t have a clue who will live there now.
Other news these days: 19 state govts are on the edge of shutting down, including mine.
It just occurred to me this morning that fewer employees in state government means less money paid into the state retirement funds …. Ummm, yeah …. Maybe more canned tomatoes are in order.
Peace,
Shamba
However, we discussed stretching for the quads, which are naturally tight anyway, and some anti-inflammatory crème. Also, I need to stop using my rocking chair so much for a month or so to see if that doesn’t help the pain/tightness in my knees.
I’m not supposed to “push or lean” on my right arm yet. Give that two weeks he says.
I’m going back in a month. Starting my arm exercises with 1 lb weights. I’ll see about doing some rotator cuff exercises with them. I have all the exercise plans that my PTs gave me from my two rounds of PT for arms and shoulder in the past 3 years.
Some preps over the past 2-3 weeks.
--Picked up latex gloves, and an old fashioned ice bag! I also found hot water bottles actually still exist at the local CVS (drugstore).
The latex gloves have been on my mind from time to time as I’ve cleaned up dead bird parts after the cats worked on them! Today I found a torn open pigeon carcass at the end of our building. My cats may have done it or not. But I cleaned it up and then had to go to the store anyway. So, I picked up the latex gloves while I was there.
--Got some more of the Neutrogena sunscreen I like so well.
--Got some surgical masks at a Fry’s. These are also good for when I clean up where the cat’s live on the front porch. Good for dust, leaves, dirt, cat or other dander, etc.
--Don’t need any more rechargeable batteries at the moment.
--Large Goodwill store near me has a very large and nice assortment of clothing that seems to be growing larger every time I go there. Didn’t purchase garments but I like to scope out the place every few weeks. More people are certainly using it these days.
--This store is also a good place to look for all kinds of dishes, cookware and household fabrics. The fabrics also include all kinds of fabric remnants and good sized pieces of cloth that can’t be categorized as bedding or towels etc.
--Went through clothes that need to be mended and realized I desperately want to sew something. At least I want to mend and fix the stuff that needs doing.
-- Found an older skirt that just needs it’s stretched out elastic waistband replaced. I realized how easy it would be to rip out the old one and do a new one; one of my old favorities when I was wearing skirts.
My heart is with doing sewing and fiber arts stuff. I‘d do someone’s ironing forever if they’ fix my food and clean up the kitchen afterwards! I actually like ironing. I’ve always liked the whole production process of creating stuff with fabric: laying out patterns, adjusting, pinning and cutting carefully (sometimes not cause I’m in a hurry) and the step by step process of seeing it come together.
--T. has moved to Payson and her handsome Nubs is now my 8th cat. She lived here 15 years and I will miss her. Plus we don’t have a clue who will live there now.
Other news these days: 19 state govts are on the edge of shutting down, including mine.
It just occurred to me this morning that fewer employees in state government means less money paid into the state retirement funds …. Ummm, yeah …. Maybe more canned tomatoes are in order.
Peace,
Shamba
Saturday, June 13, 2009
June 11
Ok, 5 ½ weeks from stress fractured right arm—it’s healing well and I can use the arm except for carrying anything heavier than a full soda bottle (dr. agreed with this) bottle could be full of soda or other liquid—Also, I can’t lean on it at all. But my range of motion is really excellent. I didn’t expect that.
-I can drive again
-I can do my own laundry if I’m careful about the heaviness of items in the load.
During this time period d. and S. helped out a lot and one of my neighbors did, too.
After 2 weeks of way too hot temps for 2 weeks in May, our temps are now running between 90-100 degrees. We’ve had very overcast days and even 2-3 days of gentle intermittent rain in mid-May! We’ve had almost 4 weeks of these cloudy and under usual temperature days. It’s certainly very nice in the mornings and the AC doesn’t have to be on as much. I wonder how much longer it will last.
My food storage is depleted a lot since it was at the first of May that I fell and broke the arm and I usually make 2 trips at the first of the month to buy what I need. So, almost a month and a half has gone by without much except some daily trips to get what is absolutely necessary. Like healthy choice frozen dinners for a 2-three week period as a meal option. They looked best of all the possible frozen dinners at the time at the store in easy walking or driving distance.
-Friends helped me pull what I needed out of storage containers so I could have a small amount easy for me to handle to fix to eat as hand got better. This was on a weekly basis.
-Opening cans doesn’t work with one hand not working well! But an electric one wouldn’t have been any better. I have used those before. Friends had to open cans sometimes for me.
-Use paper plates/bowls! and of course, plastic utensils.
-Powdered milk is easier to use, measured out and then mixed with water for a glass or two, than handling milk containers of any kind.
-Soda bottles washed out are great for keeping water in the fridge, and easy to handle with one hand. They are light weight and don’t tip over as easily as glasses or heavier water containers. Also, Mariah (one of my cats) can’t drink out of them! She’s very fond of drinking out of cups or mugs. She always inspects what I’m drinking and sometimes drinks it herself (except for coffee)
-Have a store nearby you can walk to easily to get some things if you can’t drive! My store was only a quarter mile away one way. This also got me out of the house and it was easy to carry a few things in a medium to large tote bag. The first two weeks it was good for my spirits to do this if I could.
-Ended up adding to rechargeable battery supply on a shopping trip one day. AAA and AA batteries ins good supply now.
--Finally made appt with CFA I like at the CU. Goal: Move small IRAs now that the market has come up a lot from March lows I’m going to get everything out of equities that is left there! I didn't really plan to wait until the market hadn come up so much I've just been watching things as they've gone the past 2 months. I finally made the decision; this seemed a very hard decision to make.
Peace, Shamba
-I can drive again
-I can do my own laundry if I’m careful about the heaviness of items in the load.
During this time period d. and S. helped out a lot and one of my neighbors did, too.
After 2 weeks of way too hot temps for 2 weeks in May, our temps are now running between 90-100 degrees. We’ve had very overcast days and even 2-3 days of gentle intermittent rain in mid-May! We’ve had almost 4 weeks of these cloudy and under usual temperature days. It’s certainly very nice in the mornings and the AC doesn’t have to be on as much. I wonder how much longer it will last.
My food storage is depleted a lot since it was at the first of May that I fell and broke the arm and I usually make 2 trips at the first of the month to buy what I need. So, almost a month and a half has gone by without much except some daily trips to get what is absolutely necessary. Like healthy choice frozen dinners for a 2-three week period as a meal option. They looked best of all the possible frozen dinners at the time at the store in easy walking or driving distance.
-Friends helped me pull what I needed out of storage containers so I could have a small amount easy for me to handle to fix to eat as hand got better. This was on a weekly basis.
-Opening cans doesn’t work with one hand not working well! But an electric one wouldn’t have been any better. I have used those before. Friends had to open cans sometimes for me.
-Use paper plates/bowls! and of course, plastic utensils.
-Powdered milk is easier to use, measured out and then mixed with water for a glass or two, than handling milk containers of any kind.
-Soda bottles washed out are great for keeping water in the fridge, and easy to handle with one hand. They are light weight and don’t tip over as easily as glasses or heavier water containers. Also, Mariah (one of my cats) can’t drink out of them! She’s very fond of drinking out of cups or mugs. She always inspects what I’m drinking and sometimes drinks it herself (except for coffee)
-Have a store nearby you can walk to easily to get some things if you can’t drive! My store was only a quarter mile away one way. This also got me out of the house and it was easy to carry a few things in a medium to large tote bag. The first two weeks it was good for my spirits to do this if I could.
-Ended up adding to rechargeable battery supply on a shopping trip one day. AAA and AA batteries ins good supply now.
--Finally made appt with CFA I like at the CU. Goal: Move small IRAs now that the market has come up a lot from March lows I’m going to get everything out of equities that is left there! I didn't really plan to wait until the market hadn come up so much I've just been watching things as they've gone the past 2 months. I finally made the decision; this seemed a very hard decision to make.
Peace, Shamba
May 19th
Everyone–EVERYONE–should do food storage! Some kind of food storage.
2 1/2 weeks ago I fell and have a stress fracture in my right arm–I’m able to type today since it’s doing quite well.
Fortunately, the injury is not very serious and my trip through the ER went quite well and I expect to recover fully. I had cat food stored, food of my own and so the inconveniences of this whole thing were made easier by the supplies I had on hand.
I also had to get some frozen dinners to help out and someone had to open my canned goods and then we stowed them in the fridge for a day or so until I could use them with my good arm and hand. But I had the food on hand and hopefully in a week or so, after the dr visit tomorrow I will be doing much more.
Celery and carrots can be eaten raw by hand easily enough and bell peppers like apples, if you really need to.
Peace to All,
shamba
2 1/2 weeks ago I fell and have a stress fracture in my right arm–I’m able to type today since it’s doing quite well.
Fortunately, the injury is not very serious and my trip through the ER went quite well and I expect to recover fully. I had cat food stored, food of my own and so the inconveniences of this whole thing were made easier by the supplies I had on hand.
I also had to get some frozen dinners to help out and someone had to open my canned goods and then we stowed them in the fridge for a day or so until I could use them with my good arm and hand. But I had the food on hand and hopefully in a week or so, after the dr visit tomorrow I will be doing much more.
Celery and carrots can be eaten raw by hand easily enough and bell peppers like apples, if you really need to.
Peace to All,
shamba
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Ailr 17-29th Notes
As of April 27th we have a new player on the world stage, complicating just about everything--the Swine flu!--possible influenza pandemic. It's "swine"flu" which is really a DNA mixture of Avian and Swine and Human DNA, so It's a hybrid flu. I started to think on the first day we heard about it on eht MSM that it might be somewhat alarmist but I don't think so now. and who am I to say someone else is alarmist??!! LOL We want to be aware and prepared for possibilities but healths services have been preparing for possible flu pandemics for a few years now.
Started in Mexico and is spreading to all around the world. It can be mild and no worse than any regular flu but there are some deaths and very seriously ill people from this in Mexico and the US.
As of 29th, we’ve had an elementary school closed for seven Calendar days in North Central Phoenix as a result of a confirmed “swine” flu in a student there. Students were sent home at midday and sstate health officials had a press conference to talk about it and explain other flue preparations they’ve made. This seems to be developing very quickly. We certainly should be better prepared than previous possible epidemics or pandemic than in the past.
On Thursday, april 23, I had a great afternoon with Penny and Maura at Penny’s new place in Mesa. they will be returning to Montana for the summer and be back in October.
Economic news on the 23rd: 12th week in a row for huge employment numbers around 640.000 again .. broadcast NBC news is broadcasting more of the same/probably going to get worse message tonight. Actually, they’ve been broadcasting that essage for the past two months. Some nights it just sounds so much worse and other nights not so bad.
On April 29th, GDP shrank by 6.1 % first quarter 2009, it was contracting by 6.3% in last Q of 2008.
AIYIYIYIYIYIYIYIYIYI! On a positive note, I have all the guaranteed singatures for stock stuff to send off.
WASH YOU HANDS OUT THERE,
Peace to all, Shamba
Started in Mexico and is spreading to all around the world. It can be mild and no worse than any regular flu but there are some deaths and very seriously ill people from this in Mexico and the US.
As of 29th, we’ve had an elementary school closed for seven Calendar days in North Central Phoenix as a result of a confirmed “swine” flu in a student there. Students were sent home at midday and sstate health officials had a press conference to talk about it and explain other flue preparations they’ve made. This seems to be developing very quickly. We certainly should be better prepared than previous possible epidemics or pandemic than in the past.
On Thursday, april 23, I had a great afternoon with Penny and Maura at Penny’s new place in Mesa. they will be returning to Montana for the summer and be back in October.
Economic news on the 23rd: 12th week in a row for huge employment numbers around 640.000 again .. broadcast NBC news is broadcasting more of the same/probably going to get worse message tonight. Actually, they’ve been broadcasting that essage for the past two months. Some nights it just sounds so much worse and other nights not so bad.
On April 29th, GDP shrank by 6.1 % first quarter 2009, it was contracting by 6.3% in last Q of 2008.
AIYIYIYIYIYIYIYIYIYI! On a positive note, I have all the guaranteed singatures for stock stuff to send off.
WASH YOU HANDS OUT THERE,
Peace to all, Shamba
Saturday, April 18, 2009
April 7th and April 17th
April 17, 2009
Accomplishments for the week:
Taxes away! Or at least for another year. Last one for my mother; many years of tax return filings left for me.
I had to go to the brokers last week to pick up some stock papers from him to get them to the accountant before the 15th. His securities firm wouldn’t let him fax the information he had for Michael! Another folder of paper to store for a while. Ah, well ….
I get a good sized refund this year—that’s a surprise. And a small refund from the state.
Creditor’s info sent to the paralegal.
My Wells Fargo safe deposit box mystery is almost solved. Staff member found the listing in the computer and we went to look at where the boxes were. They have the box but I can’t find the key!
If I don’t’ find it in a week they have someone drill into open it. Twist is there are two boxes with similar numbers so it’s a tossup between which box is really mine. Key says, but I can’t find the key where it should be since last year. If I have to pay for two boxes to be drilled open, then that’s the way it will have to be. I have to get to the bottom of this box and what’s in it. I think there are silver coins that Dad gave me once and some documents. My passport, though, I have at home.
Have to do an inventory of Mom’s assets and estimated/real worth on the day she died.
Paid myself back to paying the first estate legal bill; payback is always good! Hehehehe
April 7, 2009
Okaaaay! After my online class I feel terribly informed but not sure what happens next … Where am I going from here with projects for the house, general preparedness issues and what will I do for the rest of my life??? A lot to decide in one hour, I guess
Summer will be here in 3-4 weeks, it will be May then already. Need to schedule tune-up for AC.
Waiting on tax information to send off. I may have to pay, and the deadline is midnight Wednesday, April 15, next week.
There are two unclaimed properties at the state of Arizona ... I think. I sent off for the met life stock and should get a letter back about that. That leaves the one certificate I have. I’d forgotten about it until the certificate fell out of a folder.
Pinnacle West stock stuff gets done tomorrow; Comcast has to send a current statement of the account before the CU personnel can do a guaranteed signature. I probably need that for PW stock anyway.
None of this stock is worth a whole lot under 500 each, maybe doesn’t even total that altogether.
Cheers,
shamba
Accomplishments for the week:
Taxes away! Or at least for another year. Last one for my mother; many years of tax return filings left for me.
I had to go to the brokers last week to pick up some stock papers from him to get them to the accountant before the 15th. His securities firm wouldn’t let him fax the information he had for Michael! Another folder of paper to store for a while. Ah, well ….
I get a good sized refund this year—that’s a surprise. And a small refund from the state.
Creditor’s info sent to the paralegal.
My Wells Fargo safe deposit box mystery is almost solved. Staff member found the listing in the computer and we went to look at where the boxes were. They have the box but I can’t find the key!
If I don’t’ find it in a week they have someone drill into open it. Twist is there are two boxes with similar numbers so it’s a tossup between which box is really mine. Key says, but I can’t find the key where it should be since last year. If I have to pay for two boxes to be drilled open, then that’s the way it will have to be. I have to get to the bottom of this box and what’s in it. I think there are silver coins that Dad gave me once and some documents. My passport, though, I have at home.
Have to do an inventory of Mom’s assets and estimated/real worth on the day she died.
Paid myself back to paying the first estate legal bill; payback is always good! Hehehehe
April 7, 2009
Okaaaay! After my online class I feel terribly informed but not sure what happens next … Where am I going from here with projects for the house, general preparedness issues and what will I do for the rest of my life??? A lot to decide in one hour, I guess
Summer will be here in 3-4 weeks, it will be May then already. Need to schedule tune-up for AC.
Waiting on tax information to send off. I may have to pay, and the deadline is midnight Wednesday, April 15, next week.
There are two unclaimed properties at the state of Arizona ... I think. I sent off for the met life stock and should get a letter back about that. That leaves the one certificate I have. I’d forgotten about it until the certificate fell out of a folder.
Pinnacle West stock stuff gets done tomorrow; Comcast has to send a current statement of the account before the CU personnel can do a guaranteed signature. I probably need that for PW stock anyway.
None of this stock is worth a whole lot under 500 each, maybe doesn’t even total that altogether.
Cheers,
shamba
Sunday, April 5, 2009
April 1-3 Update
April 3
The dryers were all full and still had about 15-20 minutes to go when I got my 2 wash loads of laundry this afternoon. I didn’t realize that all 4 were bull when I put my laundry in. So, I decided it was a good time to try the clothesline idea. Last summer sometime, I picked up a good sized but easy to carry folding laundry basket, clothesline and 2 packages of clothes pins.
I hung the pants and knit tops and shirts on hangars and hung them in the bathroom. I always hang better pants, capris and shorts, not jeans, inside. Other things, except for denim things, to in a dryer. Denim gets hung on the bushes in the front of the house until dark—they’re usually dry much sooner than that anyway. And it’s not so classy to have clothes hanging all over the landscaping for more than one afternoon.
Anyway, I tied up the clothesline and hung out the undies and socks and some prs of knit shorts went on the patio chairs. And no one will see them, unless they peek over the block wall. J
That didn’t take long either. And saved me 25 to 50 cents.
Oh, yes, unemployment is up after March figures to 8.5% and what was that about unemployment going to 9% by the end of 2009?? (Someone made that prediction even as late as the end of February) If we keep going this way it will be like 12% by the end of Dec.
Off to do something positive,
shamba
April 1 2009
Some latest Arizona Econ Info:
-On local HBC channel 12 on 6:00 p.m. news (3-31-09) leading story was that the average home price in Phoenix (area or metro incorporated area?) in March 07 was 255,000; in March 09 (now) it’s 150,00; a 53% drop. (I didn’t do the math I just wrote down what they said on air)
Some other US news: from various sources online.
-Manufacturing in the U.S. contracted for a 14th straight month in March as factories kept on cutting production amid the economic downturn that this month becomes the longest since the Great Depression.
-The nation’s gross domestic product was $14.2 trillion in 2008. President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Either met with the chief executives of the nation’s 12 biggest banks on March 27 at the White House to enlist their support to thaw a 20-month freeze in bank lending.
-“Companies in the U.S. cut an estimated 742,000 workers in March, pointing to no relief in sight for the labor market amid the longest recession in seven decades, a private report based on payroll data showed today. The drop in the ADP Employer Services gauge was larger than economists forecast and the most since records began in 2001. February’s reading was revised to show cut of 706,000 workers, up from a previous estimate of 697,000.Companies are slashing staff as tight credit conditions and shrinking household wealth cause sales to shrink. The Labor Department may report in two days that employers cut payrolls in March for a 15th consecutive month, putting jobs losses in the current downturn at more than 5 million, according to a Bloomberg survey. "The weakness is distributed across all components of the economy," Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers LLC in St. Louis, said in a conference call. "We are going to see several more months of serious bleeding before we see lesser job losses."
-"The pace of decline is slowing down, that’s important," David Wyss, chief economist with Standard & Poor’s in New York, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "It is too early to look for a turnaround, but maybe it is time to start saying that things are not getting as bad as quickly as they were earlier."
-The OECD predicted that world trade will shrink by 13.2pc in 2009. The forecast is worse than those from the World Trade Organisation and World Bank and indicates a faster and more widespread implosion of imports and exports than in any single year during the 1930s.
--The USDA said farmers intend to plant the nation's 21 biggest crops on 7.8 million fewer acres than last year, the biggest one-year drop since 1987, when the farm belt was mired in a debt crisis. The retreat is most dramatic in states like North Dakota, where farmers intend to plant 1.4 million fewer acres, and in Texas, where farmers could idle one million acres. Many growers still have time to change their plans for the growing season, which begins in mid-April across much of the farm belt. The USDA will survey farmers about actual plantings in June.
I’m waiting to see what M. says about my 2007 taxes before I decide what to do with the IRAs money.
Two more small stock transfers to do before I’m done with the estate stuff. Yeah!
Cheers,
shamba
The dryers were all full and still had about 15-20 minutes to go when I got my 2 wash loads of laundry this afternoon. I didn’t realize that all 4 were bull when I put my laundry in. So, I decided it was a good time to try the clothesline idea. Last summer sometime, I picked up a good sized but easy to carry folding laundry basket, clothesline and 2 packages of clothes pins.
I hung the pants and knit tops and shirts on hangars and hung them in the bathroom. I always hang better pants, capris and shorts, not jeans, inside. Other things, except for denim things, to in a dryer. Denim gets hung on the bushes in the front of the house until dark—they’re usually dry much sooner than that anyway. And it’s not so classy to have clothes hanging all over the landscaping for more than one afternoon.
Anyway, I tied up the clothesline and hung out the undies and socks and some prs of knit shorts went on the patio chairs. And no one will see them, unless they peek over the block wall. J
That didn’t take long either. And saved me 25 to 50 cents.
Oh, yes, unemployment is up after March figures to 8.5% and what was that about unemployment going to 9% by the end of 2009?? (Someone made that prediction even as late as the end of February) If we keep going this way it will be like 12% by the end of Dec.
Off to do something positive,
shamba
April 1 2009
Some latest Arizona Econ Info:
-On local HBC channel 12 on 6:00 p.m. news (3-31-09) leading story was that the average home price in Phoenix (area or metro incorporated area?) in March 07 was 255,000; in March 09 (now) it’s 150,00; a 53% drop. (I didn’t do the math I just wrote down what they said on air)
Some other US news: from various sources online.
-Manufacturing in the U.S. contracted for a 14th straight month in March as factories kept on cutting production amid the economic downturn that this month becomes the longest since the Great Depression.
-The nation’s gross domestic product was $14.2 trillion in 2008. President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Either met with the chief executives of the nation’s 12 biggest banks on March 27 at the White House to enlist their support to thaw a 20-month freeze in bank lending.
-“Companies in the U.S. cut an estimated 742,000 workers in March, pointing to no relief in sight for the labor market amid the longest recession in seven decades, a private report based on payroll data showed today. The drop in the ADP Employer Services gauge was larger than economists forecast and the most since records began in 2001. February’s reading was revised to show cut of 706,000 workers, up from a previous estimate of 697,000.Companies are slashing staff as tight credit conditions and shrinking household wealth cause sales to shrink. The Labor Department may report in two days that employers cut payrolls in March for a 15th consecutive month, putting jobs losses in the current downturn at more than 5 million, according to a Bloomberg survey. "The weakness is distributed across all components of the economy," Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers LLC in St. Louis, said in a conference call. "We are going to see several more months of serious bleeding before we see lesser job losses."
-"The pace of decline is slowing down, that’s important," David Wyss, chief economist with Standard & Poor’s in New York, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "It is too early to look for a turnaround, but maybe it is time to start saying that things are not getting as bad as quickly as they were earlier."
-The OECD predicted that world trade will shrink by 13.2pc in 2009. The forecast is worse than those from the World Trade Organisation and World Bank and indicates a faster and more widespread implosion of imports and exports than in any single year during the 1930s.
--The USDA said farmers intend to plant the nation's 21 biggest crops on 7.8 million fewer acres than last year, the biggest one-year drop since 1987, when the farm belt was mired in a debt crisis. The retreat is most dramatic in states like North Dakota, where farmers intend to plant 1.4 million fewer acres, and in Texas, where farmers could idle one million acres. Many growers still have time to change their plans for the growing season, which begins in mid-April across much of the farm belt. The USDA will survey farmers about actual plantings in June.
I’m waiting to see what M. says about my 2007 taxes before I decide what to do with the IRAs money.
Two more small stock transfers to do before I’m done with the estate stuff. Yeah!
Cheers,
shamba
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