Rail Paul Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 The working and lower middle class individuals-small business owners,the people I've grown up with,workers who've make neighborhoods work are being priced out at a faster and faster rate.Manhattan is losing it's soul,and I'm holding on to my rent stabilized apartment for dear life...when I look at the prices and seemingly endless supply of expensive housing going up,I keep wondering who all these people are,and what do they do for a living,and where are all the people who serve them supposed to live. But this is happening everywhere. Yes, who are all these greedy people without souls? Slaves' quarters "out back" and serfs living within the castle walls were better kept and probably led less stressful lives. Until they died of plague or other micro-organisms, of course. I can hear the Mods bristling, "Watch it, sister, you are straying into forgidden territory." I'd suggest checking some stats on life expectancies, infant mortality rates, working hours, prevalence of television sets, cellphones, cars etc. across lower income strata, then and now. (as a hint: the bottom 25% in income in the U.S. barely works at all...the top 25% -- 45+ hours a week -- with many working far more -- source: the Department of Labor) you're so wrong you're not even wrong. The DOL statistics are likely to underestimate most of the underground / cash economy as well. I recall a Federal Reserve study on the use of cash, specifically $50 and $100 bills, in metropolitan economies. NY, LA, and MIA were off the map when compared with the other Federal Reserve districts on a per capita basis. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
g.johnson Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I took it as saying that the lower economic classes were worse off in the past than today....which simply isn't the case. Sorry? Is this a typo or are really arguing that life expectancy, etc., have got worse? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I took it as saying that the lower economic classes were worse off in the past than today....which simply isn't the case. Sorry? Is this a typo or are really arguing that life expectancy, etc., have got worse? i'm completely confused now. I'm saying that all such indicators are better. what the original post was saying is now a mystery to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
g.johnson Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I took it as saying that the lower economic classes were worse off in the past than today....which simply isn't the case. Sorry? Is this a typo or are really arguing that life expectancy, etc., have got worse? i'm completely confused now. I'm saying that all such indicators are better. what the original post was saying is now a mystery to me. That's not what you said in the above, unless I'm being particularly dense, which is always possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilfrid1 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Nathan has been saying that they are better off today - which is surely right. I think he got it back to front momentarily. Me, I say you just have to make the best of it. We used to stand around the piano and sing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
g.johnson Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Looxury. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilfrid1 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I say "piano". It were more a cardboard box wi' lid propped up. But it were a piano to oos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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