Atlanta VS Charlotte

[Andrea]

I hear a lot of that too and I guess compared to Atlanta or Miami it is conservative (but that can be said for a lot of cities in the U.S.). But I've always found Charlotte to be a very progressive city. But it's the same thing with Greenville. There are people convinced Greenville is run by fundamentalists simply because of Bob Jones University.

It may be a city vs. suburbs thing. Atlanta within the city limits is fairly progressive on cultural and political issues, but many of the suburbs are staunchly Republican. I've seen that in several other places, too.

[Pillsbury]

It may be a city vs. suburbs thing. Atlanta within the city limits is fairly progressive on cultural and political issues, but many of the suburbs are staunchly Republican. I've seen that in several other places, too.

Yeah, I agree. I think that red state/blue state divide is more of a city/suburban divide for the most part. I remember when I had a Kerry sticker on my car and people used to joke around and tell me to stay out of Cobb County.

[Andrea]

Yeah, I agree. I think that red state/blue state divide is more of a city/suburban divide for the most part. I remember when I had a Kerry sticker on my car and people used to joke around and tell me to stay out of Cobb County.

Yep. All you latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, lefties can just confine yourselves to the city limits.

[monsoon]

Yeah, I agree. I think that red state/blue state divide is more of a city/suburban divide for the most part. I remember when I had a Kerry sticker on my car and people used to joke around and tell me to stay out of Cobb County.

I saw Newt Gingrich on TV this morning. (Isn't he from Cobb?) In any case I get the impression that even he is pulling the Bush sticker off his vehicles.

[derrickskugler]

Why is it that half the threads on this forum result in bashing Bush? It has nothing to do with urbanism, big buildings or anything else...

[Andrea]

Why is it that half the threads on this forum result in bashing Bush?

Gee, it seems very rare to me that anyone ever mentions President Bush at all.

[monsoon]

Why is it that half the threads on this forum result in bashing Bush? It has nothing to do with urbanism, big buildings or anything else...

Well I am only commenting on what Gingrich said about what Bush is doing. If he, the leader of the Republican Revolution, is critical of Bush, is that bashing?

[Pillsbury]

Yep. All you latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, lefties can just confine yourselves to the city limits.

Right on. I'm going to have to use that in the future

I saw Newt Gingrich on TV this morning. (Isn't he from Cobb?) In any case I get the impression that even he is pulling the Bush sticker off his vehicles.

Yeah, him and Bob Barr both.

[shanthemanatl]

Why is it that half the threads on this forum result in bashing Bush? It has nothing to do with urbanism, big buildings or anything else...

Because George Bush is the Antichrist and should be bashed at every opportunity, even if we have to manufacture opportunities in this forum in order to do it.

[Go Gators]

Yep. All you latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, lefties can just confine yourselves to the city limits.

Bush supporting Republicans can drive Volvo's too! They make a fine SUV. (I know your kidding, it is meant lightly! )

[Go Gators]

Actually, Im going to start a new thread for the above post, respond to it there so this thread gets back on topic. Thanks!

[A2]

I have to throw this in and then I will let in go.

I voted for Bush and can say with the utmost sincerity that it might be his misteps in leadership and fiscal discipline that change our forum from discussion of skyskrapers to sorrow. Atlanta should know this well. Forclsures in the ATL are amongst the highest in the country. There was a special on Nightline last night that put the spotlight on the bubble in Housing and ATL was in the crosshairs of the reporters since it boasts one of the highest rates of forclosures in the US.

This is not only concerning, but revolting considering the fact that our President and his administration have done everything in their power to fluff up an otherwise deteriorating economy. Tax cuts to the wealthy and deficit spending might just scrap a lot of projects in our beloved cities. Interest rates are soaring and the National debt is the highest it has ever been. (including consumer debt). The dollar is falling apart, inflation will become a familiar word, and we are on the brink of a meltdown with the Iran issue.

The Iraq war was only an excuse to jack up a failing economy. The markets are slowly starting to unravel at the seams. When it is all said and done this administration will be looked at as one of failure IMO.

We all have to be forgiving and learn from our mistakes , so please forgive me for voting in what might be our demise as a Economic powerhouse in the world.

Say a prayer for our country and remember that in the end mass transit trains, skyskrapers, sports, restraunts, and retail shops are not what makes a city, WE ARE. Love your brother, bear one another burdens and hope and pray that our country thrives and pulls through what I can only explain as a severe depression. I can say pesonally as a person in the field of Finance that what we might witness in the coming months and years is going to test each and everyone of us. I can't stress enough to be thankful for simple things like your health, clothing, shelter, a walk with a loved one, and food. We are getting ready for will be a rough ride.

Fellow UPer saying God Bless and Good night,

A2

[ironchapman]

After all this time, I'm still supporting Bush on most issues.

[A2]

I hope the administration and FED will come up with something and quick. The markets and economy are getting ready to go into a tail-spin and all out collapse. I hate to bring fear into a thread of development, but we serously all need to be praying that we make it through what is coming. It is going to be nasty. Think bigger than just a recession, think 1929. As crazy as I know some will call me, I am just a messanger of what is coming. In the next few years I do not think skylines are going to be on the lips of people, but rather where are we going to get our next meal.

Please do not throw stones at me, but I am being totally serious. The markets and the US dollar have been coming apart these last few days and this is only the start.

What needs to happen is that the FED throws the brakes on printing money that is losing worth and then put the dollar back on a Gold standard. This will hurt for a while, but it is better than a full blown depression. If action on our sliding currency is not stopped quickly we will see the dumping of US bonds and Greenbacks dumped by those who hold most of them, FOREIGN COUNTRIES (esp China).

Here is an article for those in Finance that understand the shell game that is going on with our Total Monetary system. This is just one tidbit. There are many more I could post, but really want to avert depressing people. Optimism is the way to live life. But just like the Boyscout motto says:

BE PREPEARED!

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm

BTW, whether you support Bush or not, you should neve ever be naive enough to trust or believe them. This is true for anyone in public office.

A2

[monsoon]

The last President that I actually trusted was Jimmy Carter who was from Georgia BTW.

[Go Gators]

I hope the administration and FED will come up with something and quick. The markets and economy are getting ready to go into a tail-spin and all out collapse. I hate to bring fear into a thread of development, but we serously all need to be praying that we make it through what is coming. It is going to be nasty. Think bigger than just a recession, think 1929. As crazy as I know some will call me, I am just a messanger of what is coming. In the next few years I do not think skylines are going to be on the lips of people, but rather where are we going to get our next meal.

Please do not throw stones at me, but I am being totally serious. The markets and the US dollar have been coming apart these last few days and this is only the start.

[Go Gators]

The last President that I actually trusted was Jimmy Carter who was from Georgia BTW.

Jimmy Carter...great man, awful president! lol

[monsoon]

Hmm, maybe that is the reason he was/is trustworthy.

Jimmy Carter did have a comprehensive energy plan that would have ended our dependence on foreign oil if we had stayed on his plan. As it is, we are re-learning the lessons that were already learnt during his term in the 70s.

[RiverwoodCLT]

Looks like Atlanta and Charlotte has one thing in common. Bush

[Go Gators]

Hmm, maybe that is the reason he was/is trustworthy.

Jimmy Carter did have a comprehensive energy plan that would have ended our dependence on foreign oil if we had stayed on his plan. As it is, we are re-learning the lessons that were already learnt during his term in the 70s.

I agree on the oil statement. But foreign policy and economic policy were not his strong points. Plus, he had no control over his Congress'. Makes for a rough four years. Great man though, a lot to be learned from him.

[A2]

Praying will help. ^^^^The Bureau of Economics while it looks very informative is totally wrong as it is produced by a country that is accountible to NO ONE ! The numbers can and are fixed. It info comes from the US dept of Commerce.

http://www.bea.gov/

The looming economic crisis comes from the unsustainable US external debt. For more than a quarter-century, we Americans have been buying more from the rest of the world than we have been selling it, and borrowing from abroad to make up the difference. The resulting trade deficit has been a major engine of global growth. But common sense and simple arithmetic tell us that even the United States cannot go on much longer spending more than it is earning.

I agree with you that China needs us, but when their investment is on the verge of collapse they dump it. Does anybody realize what the BIGGEST expots of the USA are ??

Answer

Debt, jobs, and trade deficits.

India is the new US. They currently have 200,000,000 middle class citizens and growing (they could easily replace us over time) China does have a problem in letting the US fall, but to be quite honest they do not like us and would rather look to their own than an arrogant, Republic half the world away.

I also agree that you can trust SOME public leaders, but these days that is a rarity.

On the DOW:

It is a representation of 30 stocks the S&P is a broader interpretation of what is going on and t is DOWN and fo the the Nasdaq whch is always paintng the picture. Well, It is down nearly 10% in one month.

http://stockcharts.com/gallery/?$COMPQ

200 day moving average was sliced like a hot knife through butter.

Now concerning your Dollar.

http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24USD

You tell me what you see.

Gold and Silver are up double digits along with every other commodity. The DOW is flat for the year and the NAZ is DOWN YTD. (but every analyst says we are in the BEST economy they have ever seen )

Huh?

Do not believe the guys on CNBC (or shall I say Bubblevision)

The US debt is at nearly 9 TRILLION (the largest in our County's history)

The US consumer is tapped out with the most debt they have ever had to wressle with.

Forclosures are skyrocketing.

Middle Class is fading away.

INFLATION,INFLATION,INFLATION

Oil at 70 bucks a barrel is just a stopping point before 100-120 bucks a Barrel

IRAN, RUSSIA, VENEZUELA, CHINA and INDIA are already plotting against us.

I also agree about cycles. However, They are not 3-7 years, but more like 20 where commodities and equties invert their relationship. The last Bull Market lasted from 1980-2000. In this time the commodity market fell into a 20+ year Bear. Now the Bear has woke up and GOLD going up 200 bucks since the first of the year should tell you something about the fear brewing. It always will, since it is the only money that can be trusted. Your dollar is purposely being driven down by the G7 and most in the world are sick and tired of havng a US$ based system.

Just so that everyone knows the FED has now hidden the M3 money supply from ALL pubic eyes (I wonder why?)

And one other insider note, many LARGE US banks have now been instructing all employees what to do if there is a massive run on the banks. The feds have ordered the banks to first report all transactions to Homeland security. They will be in TOTAL control over distributing people's assets as well as anything within their "saftey deposit boxes" .

So tomorrow go ask your fellow banker what steps they have in place if you want to access your Precious Metals if their is panic. BofA is deeply involved in preparing.

As for Economics, I have my Major in it. Not to mention I study Technical Analysis and Market cycles about as much as I study this UP website (daily). I work for a large Financial firm consulting around One Billion dollars where to "go". Specifically my services are dedicated to the retired in, you guessed it, Atlanta! BTW, that will be another impending factor of the Crash to come. Question, what happens when the largest segment of our popluation beging to retire???

Answer:

They pull the bulk of their money out of equities and put their hard earned retirment dollars into safer havens (ie Bonds/Cash/CD'/Annuities) That is a TON of money getting ready to "retire" (leave) from the market. That same population was the one reason their was such a boom in the US economy, since they were the largest group of people plowing cash into 401k's and stock Mutual Funds.

As for Depressions, we are due. We have hit the max debt load and rates are rising and the US can't simply print more money to get us out.

What we are facing, if we are lucky, is a recession, but all that I see is MUCH worse. I have personally been out of the market for the last month. Until then I invested every dime of my retirement in US Equities and Bonds for the last decade. I am very concerned for our country and for my fellow man. Do yourself a favor and pray some more and while you are at it, find some land, buy it. Then buy some silver and gold and hide it.

I am just letting all of us know that their is coming a time when all of the *hit will hit the fan, and I think that the best thing to do is hedge yourself and let your buddies know. (and that is what I am doing)

I am not a fortune teller, but I do have technical and COMMON sense.

Some famous last qotes before I go:

http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=10684

A2

[Go Gators]

I dont have time to reply to this whole thing right now. I have a major and master in economics as well, and if you say you do, Im just wondering how you can say some of this stuff?

[A2]

I dont have time to reply to this whole thing right now. I have a major and master in economics as well, and if you say you do, Im just wondering how you can say some of this stuff?

As a nice guy I am not going to take offense to you asking this question, since I can shread about anything you throw at me in this dept. All the statements I made are facts, not opinions. All I want to do from this point is try to stay positive and get back to topic. I am going to restrain myself from being negative and live life for today. felt really bad for being a "downer" on this thread last night and almost esrased my comments, since they have nothing to do with our topic. As I sidestep this issue,I want to leave anyone who is interested in learning about the FED , and their manipulative corrupt practices, a website. Take time to read it since it is fairly complex. (esp. if you are not well versed in Econmics and the termonology used)

Please underastand GoGators that I am not arguing or debating with you, but rather trying to get people to understand that things are not as great as your gov't would lead you to believe. That is all.

http://www.silverstockreport.com/essays/Ma...ary_System.html

and now back to topic.....

(and GoGator I am seriously not trying to upset you or anyone else. I consider all of my UP posters friends )

A2

Debt to the penny. Please don't view if it makes you as sick as it makes me. We have to turn this around.

http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdpenny.htm

[Newnan]

as long as our country remains prosperous peaceful and stable, I really don't care if India becomes the new US. Heck, that'll take some of the pressure off of us. We're not always going to be in the number one position and I'm okay with that. Hopefully our next president can clean things up.

Also, our country's been through plenty of tough times even in the last century. ( WWI WWII Great Depression Cold War) Our country is in better shape than it was then. You might be right about things taking a turn for the worse, then again you might be wrong. But whatever happens, I believe we'll pull through just as we have in the past.

PS. Do yall realize how grossly decadent our lifestyle is? If anything is going to ruin our country it will be the effects of Eating McDonalds every freaking meal and watching 10 hours of TV a day. It wouldn't hurt for us to cut down.

[A2]

as long as our country remains prosperous peaceful and stable, I really don't care if India becomes the new US. Heck, that'll take some of the pressure off of us. We're not always going to be in the number one position and I'm okay with that. Hopefully our next president can clean things up.

Also, our country's been through plenty of tough times even in the last century. ( WWI WWII Great Depression Cold War) Our country is in better shape than it was then. You might be right about things taking a turn for the worse, then again you might be wrong. But whatever happens, I believe we'll pull through just as we have in the past.

PS. Do yall realize how grossly decadent our lifestyle is? If anything is going to ruin our country it will be the effects of Eating McDonalds every freaking meal and watching 10 hours of TV a day. It wouldn't hurt for us to cut down.

^^^I agree 100% with all you have said.

10-4 over and out fellow UPer,

A2