From the recession front
We may or may not be at some cusp of a recession becoming terrible to less terrible. That translates into more job losses in the coming months and then relief by the end of the year. Barring a disaster, what will happen, as carmakers are producing now half of the just the replacement number of cars and trucks that are projected to be needed, deferred durable goods replacements must eventually be addressed, and houses need to be repaired and junked, all of which is spending, is that 2010 is the year that year over year increases in spending, housing starts, and used house purchases will expand as well as all house productive goods, because 2008 and early 2009 numbers were so terrible.
The recession now is producing on the ground changes. My local plumber, a family owned business, got a call this morning, from me, a customer of at least 15 years, concerning a potentially serious but not short term problem. Accustomed to two or three days delays for such a request I was asked if an hour from when I called was ok. YEAH. Everything fine, as always dollars for the plumber were more than I anticipated(as was another legal bill today that was jaw dropping on another subject---why do attorneys fees somehow act like college tuition payments, up and up), but we got what was needed done. Despite that, however, the young and seemingly honest plumber was telling me that they only worked every other day now, that people in general were taking into their own hands or getting unlicensed workers to do work, the price did not drop, just like the attorney whose price rose 25% for less work 6 six years ago.
Am I imagining this, or is this all just chipping away at the prosperous portion of the so-called middle class as it is taxed away(including sales tax, property tax, state tax), undermined away eventually in means payable adjustments to social security and medicare, and undone by a system that supports escalating costs that do not adjust with any downturn for education, healthcare, and many professional services from legal to home repair.
That said, it was a productive day some might say, one of the best as I found the finest Manhattan low key Szechwan restaurant possible near 5th west of 40th, inexpensive and elegant and spiced food that is done stand up and right, no good words to describe this place because so many other Chinese eateries follow some standard script. Eight giant shrimp in multiple peppers and asperagus, hot, white rice, hot and sour soup, $10.95 in midtown.
Back to the plumber, which along with the lawyer is not a financially thumbs up story. The plumbing business we have worked with for so many years is, as mentioned, a family owned business with four trucks that services an area between the just barely middle class Mineola and Hempstead to the affluent North Shore and Garden City communities. They are now down to just working every other day. In response they are not cutting rates but in fact seem to be raising them for people that can afford their service. They said that many people are deferring maintanence, deferring new installation, and even putting buckets under problems in houses that are in ostensibly affluent areas.
The recession now is producing on the ground changes. My local plumber, a family owned business, got a call this morning, from me, a customer of at least 15 years, concerning a potentially serious but not short term problem. Accustomed to two or three days delays for such a request I was asked if an hour from when I called was ok. YEAH. Everything fine, as always dollars for the plumber were more than I anticipated(as was another legal bill today that was jaw dropping on another subject---why do attorneys fees somehow act like college tuition payments, up and up), but we got what was needed done. Despite that, however, the young and seemingly honest plumber was telling me that they only worked every other day now, that people in general were taking into their own hands or getting unlicensed workers to do work, the price did not drop, just like the attorney whose price rose 25% for less work 6 six years ago.
Am I imagining this, or is this all just chipping away at the prosperous portion of the so-called middle class as it is taxed away(including sales tax, property tax, state tax), undermined away eventually in means payable adjustments to social security and medicare, and undone by a system that supports escalating costs that do not adjust with any downturn for education, healthcare, and many professional services from legal to home repair.
That said, it was a productive day some might say, one of the best as I found the finest Manhattan low key Szechwan restaurant possible near 5th west of 40th, inexpensive and elegant and spiced food that is done stand up and right, no good words to describe this place because so many other Chinese eateries follow some standard script. Eight giant shrimp in multiple peppers and asperagus, hot, white rice, hot and sour soup, $10.95 in midtown.
Back to the plumber, which along with the lawyer is not a financially thumbs up story. The plumbing business we have worked with for so many years is, as mentioned, a family owned business with four trucks that services an area between the just barely middle class Mineola and Hempstead to the affluent North Shore and Garden City communities. They are now down to just working every other day. In response they are not cutting rates but in fact seem to be raising them for people that can afford their service. They said that many people are deferring maintanence, deferring new installation, and even putting buckets under problems in houses that are in ostensibly affluent areas.
posted by John Borden at 9:10 PM
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