What the market could bear.

I haven't chimed in for awhile because like many others out there I've been too busy soaking my investment statements in tears as global markets crash. I'm sure mattress manufacturers are rethinking their new lines and toying with the idea of putting a zipper in the side so people can stuff them with cash to keep it safe.

Actually, I rarely look at my R.R.S.P. portfolio. I just keep throwing money in there hoping that I can live long enough to see it put to good use and pray that some future Liberal or NDP government doesn't get into power and decide that my savings should be 'shared' with someone less fortunate that didn't save a nickle.

But back to the global market crunch.... I think it has been unavoidable for years. All that was needed was a couple of triggers in the U.S. economy to cause everything to go into the shitter.

The reason I felt that way was because business was getting too greedy. Just like drug dealers that keep it under the radar for years, but they try to make too much money too fast and they get burned.

Just like you, I had been wondering why everything has been getting so expensive. Every time I open my water bill, or electricity bill, or my cell phone bill I wonder how much more are they going to try and squeeze out of me. the price of gasoline kept going up, the price of diesel suddenly rose above regular unleaded and no one blinked. All these things kept rising and the one answer I kept getting to why this was happening was that they were just charging what the market would bear.

I must be honest and say that I figured if they raised prices too high, they would notice sales drop and roll them back. The problem was that nobody did. Then the tipping point was reached.

All the people who have been living beyond their means in the times of easy credit couldn't pay anymore. Specifically, the harshest reality was in the U.S. where it was policy to give mortgages to people who didn't deserve them. Those people just couldn't pay anymore and gave their houses back to the bank. This wouldn't have been so much of a problem if the banks didn't hand out so many of these mortgages. If a handful of reckless people lose their house, there is always someone else who can afford to buy it. If too many people lose their houses to the banks, noone can afford to buy them and the banks can't afford to keep them.

Then the big panic started, and the fear of a economic slowdown in the U.S. caused people to sell their volatile stocks and put the money in something more stable (like mattresses).

Once something like this happens, it's like yelling 'FIRE' in a crowded theatre. everyone rushes to get out and alot of good people get trampled and die.