Slash and Burn ...

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> Yes but the real question, why would Spirit go to McD's and not order a Double Big Mac instead? <<

Thanks a lot avromark! Now I'm going to have dreams tonight about a delectable Big Mac.
That's the trouble when you get older. When I was young I would dream about fast cars, and fast women. Now it's about a Big Mac.

 

Originally Posted By avromark

I'm just sick of corporate culture these days. Yes companies exist to make money. However despite what they want to believe you can't just sell a name and a marketing campaign. Disney isn't the only company guilty. A hotel wants me to belong, my shoes just want me to do it. But when you discuss your WDW trip how many people go "yeah, I went to do my Celebration. I told them just what I'll Celebrate?" Or "Boy the year or a million wishes, wow! It was like wham bam, and I was like having like so much fun like you know". Last time I checked I hear things about the actual experience (and a company told me once you "you just don't stay at Sheraton you have an experience" No. I have a hotel stay. I'm sorry I'd much rather talk about my time on the River Walk. I think you're more likely to hear about the sassy waitress at Prime Time or about how your Roller Coaster rocked. Or how bumpy space mountain was or how short pirates were or about those rubbish bins.

Ask the average person where POTC they might not say DL or WDW but they'll probably say Disney. Now ask a person what the marketing theme was 7 years ago. All but the most ardent of Disney fans would look at you funny.


Yeah I know its awesome to make record profits, but you can't raise prices expect people to line up and make cuts to your product and service to boot. Also when you pay crap, you find people have less pride. Ok except for people like our wonderful em.

 

Originally Posted By avromark

^^ who is nice no matter what, except when faced with avro

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

***Oh and Mr. X since you asked the $3.56 is the cost of a grande (that's medium to all you non-Starbucks drinkers) icded latte at most South Florida locations.***

I see.

Still a good bit cheaper than a "tall" in Tokyo (USD $4.08 as of today), but America is certainly creeping up price wise!

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

<<And of course NONE of these people had ANY IDEA that they would never be able to pay their mortgage>>

They never intended to. They were going to either flip the house for a profit, or use it as an ATM, serially refinacing into yet another loan with a 1-2 year teaser rate.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

<<What's scary is that a local Realtor told me the houses are now being sold to a lot of folks from China... soon they will own us>>

They already do. That's where the money for the mortgages was coming from (amongst other places).

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

^^ And wait until those Chinese buyers get a taste of Florida living, including gangs, hurricanes, sky high Florida homeowners taxes and insurance premiums.

Actually, I doubt it will happen. The whole "the foreigners are coming" is just wishful thinking on the Realtor's part. Why buy a house on the other side of the world in a place you will seldom visit? Its much cheaper to stay at the Grand Floridian for those two weeks than to buy a house that is almost certain to depreciate. Rich people didn't become rich by being knife catchers.

 

Originally Posted By kennect

Spirit, I guess there is a lot more to all of this than any of us can even begin to grasp since our own government either can't also or they are so smart they just truly screwed us over...But that doesn't seem to be an advantage for them...As if that made sense...

Still, better question...How many actual store fronts does Federated operate here in states? We have malls like Chinese restaurants...One on every street corner...The only problem is Chinese food seems to be more popular than malls at the moment...Still how many of these things can one town have even in good times? Around here high strip centers are the rage and I am sure somewhere down the road that will change...

 

Originally Posted By barboy

//And wait until those Chinese buyers get a taste of Florida living//


Again, am I the only one who is outraged over foreigners(non permanent residents and non US citizens) laying claim to US soil?

Come on over and visit us, we love you, but stay away from our real property. You can buy or lay claim to our Harley bikes, Levis, Jacuzzi tubs/baths or Jack Daniels but keep your paws off our lands and residential spaces like condos.

 

Originally Posted By avromark

How about those born in a foreign country with only one American parent? Should I sell my American real estate?

 

Originally Posted By avromark

And should Americans be allowed to own real estate in other countries?

 

Originally Posted By Skellington88

<<The stock market bottomed about thirty days ago. Yes, it lost a HUGE amount. But I think we've seen the worst.>>

hahahahahahaha

your in the right place cuz your living in fantasyland.

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

***And should Americans be allowed to own real estate in other countries?***

I was thinking the same thing.

I'd hate to think that I should be barred from buying that lovely villa on the French Riviera someday, just because I don't reside permanently in that country.

Weird line of thinking, that...

 

Originally Posted By barboy

//How about those born in a foreign country with only one American parent?//

So you're part of that group?

What are you doing to me? You sure don't make this easy but here it goes:

I need to know when you were born......US Congress has created different requirements based on if you were ***GENERALLY*** born before 1934, between 1934 and 1941, 1941-1952, 1952-1986 and post 1986.

I'll go with after Nov. 13 1986 just for fun.....

if your one US citizen parent lived in the US for 5 years before you were born but at least 2 of those years the parent was older than 14 then you're good to go.....buy all of the US land you want I say.

Now, if you were born(no judgment from me by the way) out of wedlock it gets complicated fast depending on whether your bio mom or bio dad is the citizen--- yes, different laws apply depending Mom or Dad.

 

Originally Posted By barboy

///And should Americans be allowed to own real estate in other countries?///

I can't answer for other states---- if a state says no foreign land ownership so be it. I have no problem with that since I fully believe in state sovereignty and denounce extraterritoriality.

 

Originally Posted By barboy

///Weird line of thinking, that.///

---not weird; actually very consistent if one believes in isolationism and nationalism... like me.

Globalist theory truly frightens me and is exactly why Japan will catch a financial cold when the US sneezes..... or visa- versa.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

< I have alot of friends who work for Disney, including one Imagineer who was recently laid off, and some are not sure they will still have a job after to first of the year. <

Much like most American's. 2009 is going tobea bad year,I havesaid that before,and if interest rates start rising( will happen sooner rather than later ) - the cfredit crunch will closemore companies andmore jobs willbelost. My sister is in the middle of refinancing ( get rid of adj rate mortgage ) -and one of the questions they asked her employer was " what are the odds she will have a job in 2009 ". We know this because she is an office mgr for a doctor who told her. I was stunned so I talked to someone in the mortgage industry and they told methey askthat question often now.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

<I've always tried to be optimistic, and I still do. But the doom and gloomers have won. They have everyone totally scared of spending anything and put us in a downward spiral that doesn't seem to end. Nothing like self-fulfilling prophecies, huh?
<

hard to spend when there's nothing left to spend after paying the bills- I'd hardly call those people doomand gloomers - and that is the majority of people now- no disposable income and nocredit line left - and what they had left beingreduced by the CC companies ( who were just bailed out) - there's your selfful filling prophecy...we give money to those paying huge salaries and bonuses - who are supposed to infuse the credit marketwith money so peoplespend,and they are cutting credit lines and doubling interest rates eventothose who pay on time if their balances are too high..

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

>>>When you start cutting back like that, you never know if you're turning the future repeat visitors away for good.<<<

What, you mean like me? Indeed.

I would have thought at this time, the best thing Disney could do is build. Labour and materials are cheaper, they are supporting America that way (pull on the political strings). And economically it makes it seem worth while to stop going to Star Bucks and McD's all together to save up to spend what little money is available with the mouse. Make WDW the only game in town rather than discount it to death.

It makes me sick frankly.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

<You haven't seen anything yet.

I went to my local Starbucks for my $3.56 iced latte today. I'm down to one a week from 3-4 for most of the past 3-4 years.

Couldn't help but notice the lineup of cars at the local McDonald's ... why? because in my very affluent community 49 cent hamburger/59 cent cheeseburger Sundays bring in folks who are splurging ... these are people who used to go and drop $200 or more on a weekend dinner just a year or two ago.
<

it's the same here.....in Pleasantville as they used to call my town....

but here's another reason - the Iced Coffeee there is actually pretty good- I prefer the sugar free vanilla icedcoffee - also takingbiz fromStarbucks ( although I was not impressed with McD's latte's )