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<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>Yes, I have to hit the delete key on many
OT</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>s and then go to my mail and delete those =
again.
What does all this have to do with a piano list</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=sarah@graphic-fusion.com =
href="mailto:sarah@graphic-fusion.com">Sarah
Fox</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, October 31, 2004 =
2:34
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Larry: OT =
Political --
PLEASE HIT DELETE KEY</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Larry,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>>>Sarah, there has been two stock market crashes. One was =
in the
late 1920s. I don't think you lost anything in that one. The other one =
was in
the mid to late 1980s. Are you of the opinion there was a third one?
</DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You've asked me this question twice now, so with apologies to the =
list, I
will answer it. Those who are not interested in the economy or =
the
election, PLEASE delete this email. Do not read!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----------------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>NUTRITION LABEL</DIV>
<DIV>Ingredients: sad story, economic stuff(ing), sour =
grapes, 1
small graphic file, natural humor and seasonings</DIV>
<DIV>Calories: approx 30 kB/serving</DIV>
<DIV>Fat: 10%</DIV>
<DIV>BS: 12%</DIV>
<DIV>OT: 34% of RDA</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>------------------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So Larry, I was apparently mistaken. Here's a chart of =
what
has happened in the Nasdaq over the past 5 years:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 =
src="cid:002001c4bf51$04349e70$78c229d1@DALLY"
align=baseline border=0></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What we see here is apparently an exceptional period of =
sustained, rapid,
negative growth, throughout which investors retained over 20% of their =
initial
net worth, resulting in a market of unprecedented opportunity.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(Don't y'all yell "BULLSHIT" at the same time, OK?)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>All BS aside, the market went from a high of about 5000 to a low =
of about
1100, representing a 78% value loss over 30 months. By =
comparison, the
stock market crash of 1929-1932 took the S&P 500 from about 300 to =
about
50, representing an 83% loss over almost exactly the same time =
period.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It's hard to know how to compare apples with apples. It's =
true that
the S&P 500 declined to only about half its value in the crash of
2000-2002, but of course the 1929 S&P 500 and the 2000 S&P 500 =
were
not the same basket, and in modern times, worthless stocks are retired =
out of
these indices, replaced by other stocks (so the crash doesn't appear =
quite as
bad as it otherwise would). Also, while the S&P 500 was =
probably the
best index for the 1920's reflecting the average investor's portfolio, =
the modern investor's portfolio is better reflected somewhere =
between the
Nasdaq composite index and the S&P 500. The average investor =
lost
approximately 2/3 of his/her portfolio value. So yes, the =
1929-1932
crash was somewhat worse (by maybe 15% loss), and numerous other =
contributing
factors resulted in a much worse depression (Republicanspeak =
"recession"). However, the crash of 2000-2002 left us hurting =
pretty
badly, with people's retirement savings virtually wiped out.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Of course this is not really a "depression," because there is not =
the
same extent of "job loss" as currently defined. That's because =
in the
1930's, when you collected bottles for change to buy a loaf of =
bread, you
weren't counted as an entrepreneur. Back then, a job meant =
9 to 5
(or later), and it brought in real money. People like myself =
wouldn't be
counted as "employed." However, modern redefinition has taken =
care of
that problem, and people like myself are now success stories that the
incumbent president can boast about:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You see, I spent the better part of my life preparing myself for =
a career
in neurobiological research, receiving my Ph.D. during the early =
1990's, in
the decade Prez Bush Sr. declared the "Decade of the =
Brain,"
meaning that neurobiological research was considered extremely high
priority. So of course Mr. Bush slashed funding, and many of us =
had to
close down our labs, for lack of ability to put food on the =
table.
(Scientists have to eat too, contrary to popular =
belief.) So I went
into the private sector as an "entrepreneur." After three =
failed
ventures, I'm now on the fourth. I've "retrained" myself =
with the
latest in digital imaging technology, and I'm trying to make a living =
as a
photographer. After a couple of weeks in business, I've brought =
in $50
from one sale. Extrapolating out, that would give me =
an income
of $2400 over the next year, which would not offset my initial
investment. (I anticipate business will pick up, but I don't =
exactly
expect to strike it rich.) So I am (self) employed now, in the =
great
American entrepreneurial spirit of private enterprise, having =
left the
bad ol' big-government-funded world of the academic sector. Yes, =
I am
one of Mr. Bush's millions of success stories. (Someone yell =
"BULLSHIT,"
OK?)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Looking at the bigger picture, if you were to compare the number =
of fully
employed individuals nowadays (i.e. working full time at their =
pre-"recession"
pay rate or better, with the same benefits, and in the same field) =
with the
number of fully employed individuals in the early 1930's, you might =
see a very
different picture and might be inclined to use the "D" word to =
describe our
current situation -- a situation in which Ph.D. scientists are =
working as
photographers, substitute teachers, exterminators, and painters, if =
they're
working at all (to draw from the examples of some of my
colleagues). Granted, it's nothing like the 1930's, but neither =
is it
anything like what Bush portrays.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Do I blame this mess on the Bush administration? Only
somewhat. I really put the blame on rampant corporate fraud =
and
corruption. Participating in that fraud and corruption were =
Bush
and Cheney, but they were only the tip of the iceberg. Martha =
Stewart
was a but a snowflake in this whole mess, but she got a lot more jail =
time
than either Bush or Cheney. To my knowledge, neither Kerry nor =
Edwards
cheated a single investor.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Anyway, Larry, that's my honest assessment of what has
happened. Don't you dare tell me it didn't happen; I've lived =
it,
toots!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Having said all that, this horrible economy is honestly the =
least of
my concerns. I've always voted for social policy, energy
policy, and foreign policy. This year, the preservation of =
our
Constitution is my number one concern as a voter, and even
gay/les/bi/transgender (GLBT) rights take a back seat. =
(This comes
from a former GLBT activist, folks!)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Peace,</DIV>
<DIV>Sarah</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PS Only three days left in the Graphic Fusion Eight Inch
sale. All eight inch prints available at half price to those who =
have
posted on this list over the past year or two. Sale ends on =
election
night. (Come'on all you Republicans, give "W" one more =
success
story to boast about!) <A
=
href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com">www.graphic-fusion.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PPS Apologies, again, to the list, and especially to those =
outside the
US. However, remember that we are ALL affected by the outcome of =
this
election in the most powerful, arrogant, and =
imperialistic country
in the world. What happens on Tuesday should interest you. =
I won't
say another word, though, unless one of you persistently goads me for =
a
response, like Larry did.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>