What’s it Worth Melted Down?
Stuff I hate, work September 16th, 2008
More importantly, is it enough to save my retirement account?
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This work by Kathleen M. Frederick is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
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September 16th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
It might just be enough - or pay for a trip to Paris ;O)
Babs - beetle’s last blog post..Who is this man?
September 16th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I have to ask. Where is that bull located? It is hmmmm….impressive.
carol’s last blog post..Getting From Here to There: A Vision for the Future Part 1
September 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
New York City -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Bull
Jaffer’s last blog post..Whose Scattergory is it anyway ?
September 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I heard on NPR today that an employee of Lehman is keeping his stock certificates so that he can use them to heat his apartment this winter. As much as I despise my job sometimes, at least I have one to despise…..
September 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
wow i know its a bull but what is it made out of and how much is your goal for your reiterment account
September 16th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Yeah, that bull kinda got slaughtered. Ouch!
chatblanc’s last blog post..A new game plan
September 16th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Carol - The bull is on Wall Street near the NY Stock Exchange. I think it is bronze.
Cheers
September 16th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Hm.. I know where this bull is located but I’m not proud to say that I don’t know what it stands for or what you’re talking about. Can I assume it something to do with the Lehman brothers thing that’s all over the net/news?
fragileheart’s last blog post..Monday Madness: Let’s get serious for a minute
September 16th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Kathy:
It sounds like you’re confusing B with BS. Don’t go there. Maintain the faith. I suggest that you save, invest wisely, and don’t rely on any other retirement system other than your own. Should you have any problem with that concept, then I suggest you visit this page: http://4homeless.hypermart.net/soup.html#shelters
Happy trials
Swubird’s last blog post..SPARE THE ROD - SPOIL THE CHILD!
September 16th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Let’s see, it’s around 7000lbs and today’s copper prices stand at $3.1203/lb
With those figures, I’d doubt it would last you more than a year.
Jaffer’s last blog post..Whose Scattergory is it anyway ?
September 16th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Whoa. 7,000 pounds? That’s a load of bull.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I think it should be left as public art. People can get their photo taken sitting on it and pretending they are at a rodeo. I’ll go buy a pink John Deere shirt from the Tractor Supply store.
TheSnackHound’s last blog post..Jobs that Don’t Expand the Waistline
September 17th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Patience…patience…patience…and prayer.
peace,
mike
livelife365
Mike Foster’s last blog post..How To Survive an Election Year Financial Meltdown
September 17th, 2008 at 1:25 am
indeed. dark days we’re in. i only hope that the next administration can find a way out of this mess.
kouji’s last blog post..captivating Capiz, a haiku poem
September 17th, 2008 at 3:08 am
I should really have some thing very witty to say here - uhm, just give me a minute
Hang On
Nope, it ain’t happening. Have a good day.
Beamer
Beamer’s last blog post..Tree at Night
September 17th, 2008 at 4:35 am
Babs beetle — Ha! At least a trip to Paris would take my mind off the mess that is our economy.
carol — You can click the picture, which will take you to the Wikipedia entry for the “Stock Market Bull.”
ann of the cellphone bag — Oh, that’s rich. Yeah, you’re right though. Thankfully there’s a job to hate.
brooke — It’s made out of copper. My goal for retirement? More.
chatblanc — I love how it’s supposed to be a symbol of optimism and prosperity. Not feelin’ it so much.
Daniel — It has an interesting story. Click the picture for more information. BTW, I’m lucky I got a clear shot of it. Had to wait a while until people climbed off of it. Crazy tourists!
fragileheart — Your assumption is correct. Click the picture for its history and meaning.
Swubird — Yeah, but would I have to still pay real estate taxes on my cardboard box?
Jaffer — Starting to think I should save my money under my mattress now. At least I’d still have it in a year.
Musing — That was my alternate post title! Bull it is.
TheSnackHound — The day I took this shot, it was raining. And yet, people were crawling all over it, including children sitting on its head. Not every day you see a 7,000 pound animal in the middle of a street. Guess it’s hard to resist.
Mike Foster — Prayer, and more prayer, indeed.
kouji — Let’s hope. But then again, hope doesn’t pay the bills.
Beamer — That’s OK. I’m not feeling very witty OR funny these days. You have a good day yourself.
September 17th, 2008 at 5:26 am
I don’t mean.. but it’s funny..
Dhimas’s last blog post..Tarling atau “Tarling”?
September 17th, 2008 at 6:09 am
My son works for a company who’s main customer is Lehman. Not sure how it will pan out yet but we can guess. Sad for a lot of folks that are out looking for work in a bad market.
The bull is being sarcastic.
September 17th, 2008 at 6:13 am
sad, sad, sad. i thought greed was good. maybe not.
muskrat’s last blog post..a meme from avitable
September 17th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Bears a striking resemblance to my last girlfriend.
Cleaning up the patties she left behind was the worst part.
The best?
Free milk.
Mike’s last blog post..The Truth of Lead
September 17th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Isn’t the market crazy right now?
Nevertheless, I do not prefer any type of government regulation or intervention. Simply let the market correct itself.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Invest in Mike’s last girlfriend’s patties…
September 17th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I just figured out how to deal with the current financial mess in this country. I’m going to start a home for destitute bloggers! We won’t live high on the hog, but there also won’t be a lot of bull!
September 17th, 2008 at 9:03 am
It will work out. Long term will probably make for a stronger economy.
Joe’s last blog post..Caption This One for Fame and Prizes
September 17th, 2008 at 9:53 am
It’s funny you chose that photo of all photos BECAUSE people come to that statue to rub the balls for good luck and make money. I am down here on Wall St. this week and the mood isn’t that horrible. You’d have thought it would be more somber. Hmmm.
Lauren’s last blog post..Is This PRO Feminist?
September 17th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Hi Kathy. What’s going on in your part of the world, is not only a worry there but here as well. The mere thought of losing ones retirement or superannuation fund is enough to scare the heck out of anyone. Anyway, enough of my negative thoughts. If you do need a hand, I can organise to pass the hat around to make up any shortfall.
Peter McCartney’s last blog post..My Bucket List
September 17th, 2008 at 10:50 am
I have often seen the statues of the Bear and the Bull, and I assume they are somewhere on Wall Street. Since the Bull bares a striking resembelance to the Merril Lynch logo, I was always curious if they paid for it. The news was stating that Lehman Brothers contributed as much as 10 million dollars to Barrack Obama in the past year. Like I always have to remind my wife, there is a small sect of people in this world that play Monopoly with real money and buildings……and we aint one of them.
Bruce’s last blog post..Day Dreaming
September 17th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Oh hey, don’t worry. It can always be melted down and remade into a golden calf. B. Hussein Obama will be down from Mount Sinai with new tablets soon anyway … after he gets done parting the waters he walks on.
Jenny’s last blog post..That’s A Lot O’ Open Wah-Uh
September 17th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Kathy, I got a great email today, about our economy. Good that we can find something to laugh at in it. One of the jokes was the queen working in McDonalds - caption “Will one be wanting fries with that?” ;O)
Babs - beetle’s last blog post..Who is this man?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
A few random comments. I worked at Lehman years ago, and have my own personal story related to this:
My Role in the Collapse of Lehman Brothers
http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3180
The other question I have is how do the current turmoils on Wall Street make everyone feel about the possibility of privatizing Social Security?
aldon @ orient lodge’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
September 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I was thinking we should take the geniuses who thought up the financial scheme that caused all this out of their big comfy black leather chairs, and plunk their fat, greedy butts, one at a time, down on the bull’s horns.
Oh goody, my wife’s retirement fund is managed by AIG, and now they are getting a 85 gazillion dollar bail out.
Thanks Wall street. Why don’t you guys serve yourselves up a nice fat serving of pavement? They won’t be going hungry, but the little people will.
Chris (Casey)’s last blog post..Today’s lesson in Gym Etiquette
September 17th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
It’s interesting that Lauren says the mood isn’t that somber on Wall Street. Hmmm. I wish that bull were made of chocolate.
JD at I Do Things’s last blog post..I Get Free Stuff so you don’t have to
September 17th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
For the first time, I’m actually glad I don’t plan on retiring for 15 more years. Hopefully my 401K will be reinflated by then.
Jeff’s last blog post..Let your kids try things
September 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Boy I hear ya. The last time this happened we lost a bundle and only recently really recovered what we lost and now down she goes again. A deperessing depression.We will never retire. I agree with you Jeff!!! (um but I am already retired..sorta…maybe) but hubster is not.
windyridge’s last blog post..Fox Tales Close To Home!
September 17th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Hmm, do you think they woulod notice if it just went missing overnight, then some lady showed up at a bank the next day with change that’s made out of exactly the same material? Hmm, I don’t think they would be TOO suspcious. I’ll help you with it as long as I get at least a 1/4 of the profit.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Well, I’ve got 27 more years to work, so I figure either things will bounce back or we’ll be living on the side of Armenia Mountain dressed like extras from a Mad Max movie and I’ll have a nice little side business welding cowcatchers for the front of french-fry grease powered vehicles so drivers can fend off gangs of marauding copper thieves. If that happens I’m definitely getting that nose-piercing I’ve been wanting.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..The Day After
September 17th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Don’t want to dampen spirits, but its probably hollow.
AV
argentumvulgaris’s last blog post..OMG - it’s Wednesday
September 17th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Data Entry Services — Sorry to hear that. Hope for the best, right? Yes, the bull is being sarcastic. I want to slap it upside the head.
muskrat — That’s exactly why I’m so disgusted. There are people behind those companies. People who are sittin’ pretty and here we are. Again.
Mike — Thanks for the chuckle. I needed that.
PaulsHealthBlog — I don’t know. I used to say that. Until now. Where is the oversight?
BabaBooey — Yeah, they’re HUGE!
Lee — Speaking of bull, I was going to title this post BULLSHIT, which is what this is. No two ways about it.
Joe — I hope you’re right. And I’m glad I have some years to go in the workforce. But what about all the ones looking to retire now? I really feel sorry for them.
Lauren — Hmmm, they rub the balls, too? Thought it was just the nose. Hell, I’d rub the whole thing from head to toe if I thought it would help.
Peter McCartney — Without a doubt, it has global repercussions. I think I heard only the Australian market didn’t budge much afterward. Maybe I’ll move there?
Bruce — Interesting about the Obama contribution. If he’s elected, will he come through on his promises of reform and better regulation? Can’t wait to see. It kills me that such a relative small number of people control such a huge chunk of wealth.
Jenny — Second that. I have zero faith in either potential administration to fix this.
Babs beetle — Beautiful!
aldon at orient lodge — Thank you for sharing your story. I’ll read it in a moment. My feeling about SS has always been “I’m not counting on it to be there.” I’ve always worked my portfolio such that it’s not even part of the equation. If anything is there come 2027, it’s gravy for me.
Chris (Casey) — I’m up for a good ‘ol fashioned impalement. I love how bailing out AIG to the tune of $85B is viewed as a good thing. Imagining a worse scenario makes my stomach turn.
JD at I Do Things — Agreed. Does it mean they have confidence in the future, or is it a sign of “business as usual?” Hmmm. Chocolate heals all wounds. Get me a knife.
Jeff — That’s the only good thing about this. But for now, I’m not even looking at my statements. Too painful.
windyridge — It’s tough for those soon-to-retire. I fear I’ll be in that same boat. Careful planning and massive savings is my only hope.
Regan — I’d need a very big smelter. If you can help me, I’ll share. Promise.
Shieldmaiden96 — Oh, woman, I love how you think!
September 17th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Mmmmm..Chocolate..it probably is hollow, just like all those Easter bunnies I bit the heads off of.
But what if it was filled, like a Lindt truffle…
Mmmmm…
Wait, was there another point to this post> LOL!
shadowsrider’s last blog post..Airport rules
September 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
it’s always the regular people that get hurt in these kind of situations…example Nortel..thousands lost thier retirement while the CEo who is now retired has a mulit million dollar estate down the road from me and is not hurting at all
robert bourne’s last blog post..The Night and Days
September 17th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
If the bull was made of Dark Chocolate, especially the dark chocolate made by Lindt, I’d be lassoing that bull and dragging it back to Trexlertown for Mrs C. She loves that stuff. Personally, I’m a milk chocolate man myself.
I’m with you Kathy, I turn 65 in December 2026, and I’m thinking the retirement age will have been raised to 75 by then. So I’m screwed, but it’s okay, with all my bionic parts, I’ll still be able to get around. I’m sure I’ll have an artificial heart/colon/stomach/lung or whatever by then, to go with the titanium hip and urethane elbow I have now. Just call me “Tin Man”! LOL!
Chris (Casey)’s last blog post..Today’s lesson in Gym Etiquette
September 18th, 2008 at 4:27 am
The other bull (the pickled one) from Damien Hirst went for 9 million dollars!
I love your sense of humour and to link the melt down to this bull was a stroke of genius.
lvs’s last blog post..IT Education In Need of a Reboot
September 18th, 2008 at 5:29 am
shadowsrider — That’s OK. I’d rather think about chocolate anyway. Chocolate calms the savage beast.
robert bourne — Honestly, I don’t know how they sleep at night. Probably able to compartmentalize the suffering of others. Easier to do behind the walls of a compound, I guess.
Chris Casey — OK, I gotta get me some Lindt chocolate. Don’t know if I’ve ever had it. About your parts, you better pay for all that while you’re still working and have insurance. That, or never stop working. My biggest fear is that I’ll have to work til I drop.
lvs — That’s incredible. Or, shall we say incrediBULL? Yeah, ‘meltdown’ felt real appropriate.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Yeah I was always told to rub the balls. I have seen people taking photos doing it too. Heck I did it!
About Bruce’s comment and your reply, I actually heard that Obama’s top economic advisors, the ones that also helped him pick his VP are former (recent) CEO’s from the very Wall Street firms that recently “folded” and got government bailouts.
Lauren’s last blog post..News From Around The World
September 18th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Heh, like our economy doesn’t already seem like it’s pitching us a lot of bull…
Jenn’s last blog post..Power to the Quirk
September 18th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I know a guy who had that bull tattooed on his arm. I wonder if he has an appointment to get it altered into something else or if he is hoping for some of the buyout to trickle down to his “advertising space”?
Claire’s last blog post..PALIN’S VOTING RECORD - SHE’S PRETTY - NOW WHAT?
September 18th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
There’s an award for you over at my place!
Lora’s last blog post..Get Cash For Gold!
September 18th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Not much. Could make a nice paperweight, though.
feefifoto’s last blog post..When You’re Bored …
September 18th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
argentumvulgaris — It might as well be hollow, since we’re feeling so empty.
Lauren — I remember seeing some young lads hanging around the rear end of it. Amazing what counts for entertainment. As for Obama, et al, doesn’t surprise me. They’re all in bed together.
Jenn — I stopped reading articles about the meltdown. I can only take so much slung at me in one day. Too depressing.
Claire — Cool (I think!) He should get it altered with tears streaming down its face.
Lora — Thanks so much! {blushing}
feefifoto — And maybe that’s all it’s worth, huh?
September 19th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Back in high school, I knew a few football players that would’ve taken that bull and done some pretty crazy things with it…..hmmmm……probably would have shon up on the 50 yard line one morning!
KFJ’s last blog post..Political Humor at Its Best
September 19th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
KFJ — And I’m guessing it’d be wearing a dress and lipstick!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
[...] Notes: istan What’s it Worth Melted Down Orbital [...]
October 1st, 2008 at 11:33 pm
[...] time on Twitter tonight. First, Kathy kept me company talking of various things - especially about the Wall Street Bull and his balls. Then later, Drowsey Monkey and I were chatting away about the election during the [...]