The Great Depression 2.0

Ame: I'm picking up what you're putting down, and an alarm system is certainly a great way of protecting your belongings when you're not home. An alarm system is only as good as the response time from your local authorities, my home owners' policy gives home owners' insurance 'breaks' if they have an alarm system, understandably.

But it does no good in the case of a break-in while you're home. The only thing you're going to give a shit about is getting them OUT and protecting your well-being. That is YOUR home, the only sanctuary you have in this world and it is your right to protect it at all costs - how dare anyone intrude unwanted into your home - I have no sympathy.

Regarding the economy, I am definitely no expert here only to say that after 9-11, when everyone withdrew their investments, I left ours alone only to be rewarded greatly later. I will keep my eye out like I did before, but I believe we will withdraw overseas assistance before we let ourselves dissolve. I think it's bad, but I don't think it's as bad as the media will have you believe.

Very interesting dialogue people

YAY for our corporate masters!!! They'll never feel a moment of want, nor should they for they are richer and therefor more moral, smarter and more deserving than any one of us mere humans. They truly do deserve to be bailed out for this small correction. (snark off)

I hate this bullshit with every fiber of my being. I hate it more that I don't get the pleasure of seeing even one wall street asshole suit getting frog marched to assrape prison. Wall Street Asshole Suits never have to go to assrape prison.

"It truly is the one commonality that every designation of humans you can think of has, there's at least one asshole."
--Me

This has been an interesting and scarey thread to read.
I am not comfortable with guns. Since I live in the uk now, I suppose that is just as well.
All this talk makes me glad that my loveable, cuddly dog...is a doberman/rott.
I have a question for those of you who work in law enforcement,etc if any of you have the time and dont mind sharing your opinion...how highly do you rate having a semi-large dog in the home as a deterrent to burglers, protection, etc?

This thread is spooking me OUT.

What's next? Hungry cannibals sniffing around for some warm human flesh to feast on because of NO food available?

I shoot (and also have a CWP).

I encourage you - and everyone else here - to give thought to acquiring a gun and learning how to use it. The police are NOT responsible for defending you, your home or your spouse, etc.

You are.

I recommend, at minimum, a small revolver in .38 caliber. Revolvers are simple, durable and - in .38 caliber with +P hollow point rounds - very suitable for personal defense.

Taurus makes several high-quality/affordable pistols - both revolvers and semi-automatic.

I shoot (and also have a CWP).

I encourage you - and everyone else here - to give thought to acquiring a gun and learning how to use it. The police are NOT responsible for defending you, your home or your spouse, etc.

You are.

I recommend, at minimum, a small revolver in .38 caliber. Revolvers are simple, durable and - in .38 caliber with +P hollow point rounds - very suitable for personal defense.

Taurus makes several high-quality/affordable pistols - both revolvers and semi-automatic.

Following up on my earlier post on the gun subject...

For home defense, a shotgun is an excellent choice. You need not become very accurate, for one. For two, many shotguns have high-capacity. For three, they are devastatingly powerful - and will end an encounter very quickly, if the need arises.

Look for a short barrel, combat-style shotgun with pistol grips - for example, the Mossberg Persuader.

With regard to handguns: Nothing smaller than a .38. Avoid the 9 mm. (It doesn't have much stopping power.) I carry a Sig-Sauer .45 semi-auto. The .45 is a great round for repelling maggots of all types and descriptions.

At least someone got punched in the face...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/3150319/Richard-Fuld-punched-in-face-in-Lehman-Brothers-gym.html


Richard Fuld, the disgraced head of Lehman Brothers, was punched in the face in the office gym amid the bank's collapse.

By Jon Swaine
Last Updated: 9:14AM BST 07 Oct 2008

Mr Fuld, who has been testifying on the financial crisis before the US House Oversight Committee, was attacked on a Sunday shortly after it was announced that the banking giant was bankrupt.

Following rumours that the incident had occurred, Vicki Ward, a US journalist, said "two very senior sources - one incredibly senior source" had confirmed it to her. "He went to the gym after ... Lehman was announced as going under," she told CNBC. "He was on a treadmill with a heart monitor on. Someone was in the corner, pumping iron and he walked over and he knocked him out cold.

"And frankly after having watched [Mr Fuld's testimony to the committee], I'd have done the same too."

"I thought he was shameless ... I thought it was appalling. He blamed everyone ... He blamed everybody but himself."

Lehman Brothers, which was particularly badly hit by "toxic" mortgage debt, filed for bankruptcy last month. Its assets were later bought up by Barclays.

In a robust performance in front of the committee, Mr Fuld said that he would wonder "until they put me in the ground" why the US government had not rescued the 158-year-old firm. He said that regulators were fully aware of its plight well before its collapse.

Mr Fuld said: "I want to be very clear. I take full responsibility for the decisions that I made and for the actions that I took based on the information that we had at the time."

However he faced angry questioning from the committee's members. Henry Waxman, a Democrat, asked: "Your company is now bankrupt, our economy is in crisis, but you get to keep $480 million (£276 million). I have a very basic question for you, is this fair?"

Mr Fuld said that he had in fact taken about $300 million (£173 million) in pay and bonuses over the past eight years.

"It truly is the one commonality that every designation of humans you can think of has, there's at least one asshole."
--Me