Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

[jkust]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Not not just your little corner, things are tough the world over in case you haven't been paying attention. Fortunately we in the US are faring far better than most. As to governmetn regs on small businesses, I own three (more or less at the moment) and sure there are times I would like to cut corners but for the most part, the regs are there for a reason, usually because someone did something excedingly stupid and caused lawmakers to address it.

Don't know about you but I've been at this a long time and well remember the time before OSAH, the EPA, the National Labor Relations Board, etc. existed and I sure don't ever want to go back to that and most assuredly not to put another buck in my pocket. I do not need to be "on the dole or benefiting" to understand I live in a society of human beings and we all have to compromise for that society to exist. The other alternative is move to an island in the middle of no where and eat raw fish I guess. But um, you won't be making much money doing that either, in fact none at all.

I agree with comment about the world over but, that's not what I'm discussing. It'd be another good topic though. I couldn't disagree with you more wholeheartedly about the regs and laws though. Your comment suggests that you've not been paying attention at the egregious, disgusting number of laws that have been enacted over the past decade much less the more onerous regs or that possibly you prefer others do the thinking for you. I agree it would be an easier path to take. We will have to agree to disagree on that point. Pretty sure there are alternatives somewhere along the continum of the current situation and island living though island living doesn't sound bad.

 

[mscher]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

LOL

Ah, America, It's all about us and "our" problems.

I listen to 'World Radio Network" on Satellite radio every day, which carries daily newscasts, from countries everywhere.

Top Stories - in Poland.

A depressed housing market caused by speculation and problem loans.

Childhood obesity, because parents don't have the time to prepare nutritious lunches.

Government corruption at various levels.

Chinese contractors, taking on huge public works programs and can't perform.

Sound familiar?

News from Africa, is a real doozy, too.

Quote an old saying "things are tough all over"

 

[QC]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Guys... I was being lighthearted, but we are serious about no politics here. Going over the line.

 

[mscher]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

I agree with comment about the world over but, that's not what I'm discussing. It'd be another good topic though. I couldn't disagree with you more wholeheartedly about the regs and laws though. Your comment suggests that you've not been paying attention at the egregious, disgusting number of laws that have been enacted over the past decade much less the more onerous regs or that possibly you prefer others do the thinking for you. I agree it would be an easier path to take. We will have to agree to disagree on that point. Pretty sure there are alternatives somewhere along the continum of the current situation and island living though island living doesn't sound bad.

Are the increase in regs, just an excuse for failure, or inaction?

I'm seeing new business - of many types, opening everywhere. New Immigrants can't wait to open their own business in America. They are using the same "reg" book, as everybody else.

The trucking industry, has literally a "truckload" of strict regulations - many of which are new, yet there are more trucking company start-ups now, than any time in U.S. history.

The company I work for (petroleum refining), is kept on a short-leash - bit time, by the EPA. We follow the mandates - some quite costly and all of the regulations - to a tee. We're doing all right.

What's the deal?

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Remember the good old days with 99 cent gas?

Remember the good ol' days when gas was under $3. It's been a loooooong time for us. Currently sitting at $3.69....

 

[FlaCowboy]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Remember the good ol' days when gas was under $3. It's been a loooooong time for us. Currently sitting at $3.69....

I paid $2.97 a gallon 3 weeks ago in Bushnell Fl....it is back up to $3.33 now.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Back to the original post, I have observed that the most stressed out people are also the ones that watch the most news programming.

 

[jkust]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

if you would give me an example of a law holding your business back we could discuss it.

Um, island living won't help you gain weath and that was you complaint wasn't it?

PPACA, it's complex beyond the easily sellable talking points. If I wasn't in the position I am in, it may sound great. We've made lemons out of lemonade in my company but it has dented many clients and my wife's business has been hit systemically. Years of work and effort doing what I and my wife does (in her company) wiped out as clients leave the industry of otherwise are not viable any longer. Both our our clients are Health Insurance Companies just dealing with them in different aspects. They have historicaly been one of the most heavily regulated industries and PPACA is going to be bad for all but the biggest household names and train-off-the tracks-bad for consumers down the road.

As for island living, it was tounge in cheek.

 

[jkust]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Guys... I was being lighthearted, but we are serious about no politics here. Going over the line.

10-4

 

[jkust]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

You should have seen it from the other side of it. My buddy had a small gas station and I helped him on the weekends. People were CRAZY! It was a Vickers station which I think was pretty much a mid-west company and the home office had my buddy changing prices two or three times a day and it got to where the crowds were so ugly he had a couple guys watch his back when he went out and changed the signs and pump prices.

The thing I didn't understand (and still don't) is why if the gas in the storage tanks is paid for did why we raise its price? I fully understand why the replacement fuel would cost more, the company paid more for it but that has nothing to do with current inventory. Sort of like Ford saying, next years new car model will cost more so were raising the price on all current inventory.

Because they can. Here in the twin cities, a couple chains dictate prices and all follow mostly. Commodities...

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

I paid $2.97 a gallon 3 weeks ago in Bushnell Fl....it is back up to $3.33 now.

The consensus in my neck of the woods is, we don't ever expect to go below $3 again. With a 34 gal tank I do care about gas prices. It can cut into my bottom line in a real hurry. Especially when I can go thru 3 tanks in a couple days. Granted, that's not the norm....

 

[sasto]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Relax before you get committed to a hospital vacation!

Yup, Bob, Never sweat the small stuff!

 

[aspeck]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

The consensus in my neck of the woods is, we don't ever expect to go below $3 again. With a 34 gal tank I do care about gas prices. It can cut into my bottom line in a real hurry. Especially when I can go thru 3 tanks in a couple days. Granted, that's not the norm....

You need to get a bigger gas tank, then you will only have to fill up once every couple days. There you go, less stress. Easy fix. I am there for you, Musky. Or just catch a 50 incher. Then you will be stressed over the taxidermy bill and not worrying about the price of gas!

 

[jkust]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

"PPACA, it's complex beyond the easily sellable talking points."

I agree, but WHY did they make it so complicated?

Consider Medicare/Medicaid and the massive fraud it has always carried. If an industry refuses to correct it's own issues you can pretty much expect the lawmakers will and it will be complicated to try and gain more checks (regs. & compliance) and there by gaining more control over the bad players.

To be sure it can be a hammer blow to some of those caught between a rock and a hard place but the medical industry has known this was coming for at least a couple decades and did little or nothing (beyond lobbying) to change practices and correct the issues or prepare for the new paradigm that was going to come from legislation. Not being a hard ankles and you don't have to answer but with your being in the industry didn't you see this coming and haven't you been talking to others in the industry about it for a long time and make preperations?[/QUOTE]

Well a little background. Health insurance and insurance in general is complex beyond your wildest dreams. Jaw droppingly complex. The people who you would have wanted involved in any reform where the viability is concerned are called actuaries. To become an acredited health actuary you are known as an FSA. It takes as long to become an FSA as it does to go through college and med school and you will have zero life in those years. Suffice it to say there are literally a handful of FSA's on the planet as compared to how many MD's there are. Even the smartest of the smart don't make it.
The folks who put the disperate law together leading to even less sensical regulations (Lots of folks don't realize that laws are one thing but out of a 2700 page law will be tens of thousands of pages of regulations) put the words on paper without a modicum of understanding of how insurance, and the suprisingly complex product functions. That is completely ignoring any of the social and economic things that are publicly debated all the time. The writers went ahead and attempted to perform a full on complex, brain surgery but never studied medicine.

The law and even more onerous regulations can't work - strictly from an insurance point of view -
As for preperation, there is a thing called leverage trend in the industry. Basically the increase in what are know as excess losses above an insurance companies net retention or simply stated the amount of an individual claim they pay before a reinsurance contract kicks in and pays the rest. Underlying trend or the amount that you the consumer sees as a rate increase in your rates pales in comparison to the much higher leverage trend in the cost of reinsurance that almost all insurance companies are required to buy to be in compliance with the States as well as ratings agencies. leverage trend has been ever increasing for years at a clip of nearl 20% yearly. All these numbers vary however in the real world. Of course then we recognize the leverage trend increases much less the underlying trend has gone up for years. Where the cost of insurance is concerned then the fundamental problem of cost was not addressed. Insurance only pays the bills with a roughly 2% profit margin on fully insured medical business. The providors and an entire other stratosphere of issues were not addressed as should have been.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Just seems to me that we live in a world of nothing but bad news these days. I know times have been tougher in the history of the world but in this day and age of the worldwide 24/7 news it is in your face all the time. Not all hype either but very real. We are being hit from all angles of the spectrum:

Fuel prices. Just when you think they are going down, they shoot back up for no apparent reason. Ten cents higher per gallon in the past week here. Really hard on the boating and driving budget

Grocery prices skyrocketing. I thought they were high. Now they are going higher because of the Midwest drought and heat wave. Some idiot thought it would be a good idea to turn food into fuel.

Massive extreme heat wave all summer long for much of the country. My home AC is running non stop$$$$! 100 degree boating fun?

And on and on. I am about to spend a large amount of money(for me anyway) on a home improvement job that really should be put off until there is better economic news. But if I put it off then who knows how much it will cost next year with prices jumping like they are?
We consumers are the economy but all this bad news makes me and probably many very anxious when contemplating spending any money that we don't have to.....

I am just really bummed out these days and have a sense of impending doom in the back of my mind. I cut out watching the news talk shows on Sunday. I try and avoid any news but that is nearly impossible. I used to be a news junky. But now there is so much bad news that effect us directly, that I really don't need to add Europe's etc bad news to the mix--which effects us too in many ways but still...
No wonder many people are cracking under the strain. I just have to go boating every week no matter the gas prices. Boating is my therapy . I know I will have to stop that soon with the way they are letting the precious water out of the dam......ugh!!!

Hey...don't get too down about all of this. If you are currently working enough to afford a renovation (expansion) to a home you own in North America you are currently ahead of 95% of the world's population....and that ain't bad.
Sounds like some perspective and reflection might be needed on what really matters (friends, family, health) and what really doesn't matter (renovations, flat screen technology, stainless appliances, fuel injection, Iphones, twitter,etc).
As for gas and energy prices.....check this out: Canada currently supplies the U.S with over 60% of its energy, including Oil (not the middle east). Right now the energy agreement Canada and the U.S has us currently supplying the U.S with Oil at a lower price than the world $ set points per barrel....basically at a loss to us. When this agreement ends any Oil then shipped to the U.S will return to the current average cost/per barrel and relative pump price at the time....so hang on to your hats guys!!! Right now in Canada we are paying about $1.24 per litre for fuel (more for '91') and this equates to about $5.00/gallon....so believe me, it could be worse.
Again, this might be a time for some perspective and to put some meaningful changes to work that restore an outlook thats a bit rosier. In my very humble opinion the only way to do this is to simplify things....and get out of the 'consumer' lane of using shopping as an entertainment outlet. For me this activity just becomes a 'stresser'.....now the big trick, is 'uptraining' the wives!!!
My two bits.
BP

 

[FlaCowboy]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

you need to get a bigger gas tank, then you will only have to fill up once every couple days. There you go, less stress. Easy fix. I am there for you, musky. Or just catch a 50 incher. Then you will be stressed over the taxidermy bill and not worrying about the price of gas!

lol

 

[rbh]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

When some people are yelling the ski is falling, its usually just raining out.

(How many times has the earth supposed to come to an end over the last few years and it did'nt so the morons just changed the date)

 

[QC]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

Do you guys realize we have some of the cheapest fuel in the world? The exceptions are kind of obvious, but look at the ones higher than us:

http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/

 

[QC]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

If you mean defense costs then OK. But that cost is in the barrel of oil and is even around the world. I always thought that was disingenuous comparison as we kind of have defense for other reasons too

Yes, I see how easily it is to touch on politics. Yes, I see the irony. Yes, I am human too

 

[duke33]

Re: Is Anybody as Stress Out as Me?

You guys are smart, granted. Maybe, such as in my case, ignorance is bliss. I do not watch other than the local news, mostly for the weather. Gas prices are what they are. Politics....go figure.