<VV> Interesting Article ... (no Corvair)

[henry kaczmarek]

Jim

Interesting, not surprising.
In the 90's I watched a lot of military people retire, and then go bankrupt 
immediately.
Couldn't figure out how that could happen. Then my wife retired.

We had about a little less than a 10th of the Detroit Autoworkers debt. NO 
house, NO car payment, but more CC debt than we could pay with my wife's 
reduced circumstances. We DIDN'T go bankrupt. We ruined our credit rating 
for 5 years + by
credit counseling. But we DID pay back what we owed.

Trust me, the average " Rodenta Chevroletus" living in the Buffalo area has 
the same problem.  Home, 2 cars, Motorcycle/Boat/Snowmobile payment, Hunting 
land/Cabin/Beach Cottage/Vacation home Payments,  Kids in college/Private 
School bills, it runs the gamut. And I have watched them go bankrupt from 
time to time over the years, even when times were good.


  Many of those retiring now rembember being laid off from 1980-1982 or83 
when things were very bad in the Auto Industry. They delivered Pizzas, sold 
Tupperware, whatever they had to do to make ends meet while awaiting 
callback .
Think they would have learned to live within their means after they lost 
their cottages,boats,corvettes/Harley's in the 80's??? Nah, they just worked 
harder to get all of that back.

Sure, I'd like to have some of the things that they do, but acceptance of 
the fact you won't always get everything you want needs to take a front seat 
sometimes. I find it easier to be happy about the things I do have, Like a 
good wife and a healthy self and family, and a Corvair or 2 to putter around 
with. Good and understanding friends are a gift as well, and I have dozens 
of them because of my hobby and VV.

Sounds like autoworkers need more than debt management classes, they need to 
be taught to take a look at the way they live.


HANK


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Burkhard" <burkhard at rochester.rr.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 11:39 PM
Subject: <VV> Interesting Article ... (no Corvair)


>I wasn't going to join the "what is wrong with GM & the US auto industry" 
>fracas, as it's a topic that hits me a "bit close to home", but here is an 
>article worth reading that ran in the Detroit News this past Sunday.
>
> http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0509/19/A01-318432.htm
>
>