A little early for BLACK FRIDAY isn't it?

[joedog]

I'm sorry, I guess this is a BLACK SATURDAY sale.
And it doesn't get any BLACKER than this!!!!!
http://www.farmandfleet.com/promotio...l.aspx?fid=682

Has big business gone INSANE?
Not even Halloween yet and the Christmas sales are starting.
No lie, there is a crowd waiting outside this store starting at like midnight the Friday night before.
In the store they have literally 1/10th of the store behind curtains where they are setting up the toys. The store is huge!
Got their Christmas trees (artificial) out and ALL the rest of the Christmas trimmings ALREADY displayed.

Sorry but this type of thing really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. A real SH**TY TASTE!!!!

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”

~ Bob Hope
Quess we don't Bob.

Everyone have the very best pre-Christmas sale week you possible can, PLEASE!

[bassboogieman]

I HATE CHRISTMAS, well actually I don't hate the real Christmas, I despise the commercialization of the "CHRISTMAS SEASON". As you said, it seems every year the "Christmas Sales" begin earlier. It used to be (yeah, decades ago now) the the Christmas Season started right after Thanksgiving - with good 'ol Santa making his seasonal debut in the Macy's Parade. But today the Christmas decorations, promotions and sales begin just after the Halloween displays come down. By the time December 25th rolls around I am totally sick and tired of hearing about it and I can't wait for it to be OVER. It's really shamefull.

So, when are we starting the SECRET SANTA sign up?

[WTL]

Nobody talks about it much, but one huge problem with our economy right now is that we spend for no damn reason on stuff we dont need that adds no value to our lives.

Sometime in the past 10 years people got the idea that running up credit cards to get clearer TVs is what fuels economic growth. Uh, big mistake.

[bassboogieman]

Sometime in the past 10 years people got the idea that running up credit cards to get clearer TVs is what fuels economic growth.

Well it sure did wonders for a few ASIAN economies.................

[nofearengineer]

There are only three real products that fuel economic growth: food, energy, and anything which facilitates the more efficient production of the first two.

Everything else is simply breaking windows to keep the glass maker busy, no matter what your union buddies tell you.

[bassboogieman]

Bryce you forgot the FASHION industry - how could a "CLOTHES HORSE" like yourself ever forget that? We don't have fur, so we need something to keep us warm other than a naked, opposite sexed member of the same species.................

[WTL]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

There are only three real products that fuel economic growth: food, energy, and anything which facilitates the more efficient production of the first two.

Everything else is simply breaking windows to keep the glass maker busy, no matter what your union buddies tell you.

I think that is true, but more basically, what fuels economic growth is productivity. It is really the same thing that fuels personal economic growth, hard work. People succeed when we work hard. Countries succeed when they work hard. Do we still work hard? No. We pontificate on the internet.

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by WTL

People succeed when we work hard.

Hard work is certainly part of the recipe of wealth and success. But hard work can still be wasted; i.e. producing boondoggle wind farms, electric cars, etc.

Work has to go towards something productive...not just trading a month's rent for the newest phone from Apple when you only make $18,000 per year.

If we all keep selling each other intangibles, while no real wealth is produced, the system eventually grinds to a halt, strangled by no input of energy. At that point, hopefully we'll realize that we traded our intrinsically valuable gold for worthless junk.

My analysis of the welfare/entitlement/nanny state issue is based upon the same principles. I would be in favor of it if it actually worked. Instead, we offer our wealth to those with none, and in return they simply produce more people who demand more of our wealth, rather than producing any of their own.

Eventually, someone has to produce more wealth for everyone to consume, or a lot of people will either starve or learn/decide/be forced to produce their own. I don't hope for this, or get any enjoyment from the thought...it's simply inevitable.

Another cheerful day in an engineer's world.

[WTL]

You are pretty much correct.

[joedog]

So you anglers are thinking I should SKIP the sale?

[Marty]

Has big business gone INSANE?

No, it's the public that's gone insane. The people, collectively, have bought into this early stuff, otherwise it wouldn't exist.