Poll | 11/20/2008 12:00 am

What causes you the most stress lately?

Read more about: Love, Money, Psychology, Relationships, Stress

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For GM, it might be. They’re operating on very low cash reserves that are projected to run out by January. One would think they could borrow a month’s worth of money, though, considering what Obama has promised. In other words, Obama and Congress will pass this thing through by Feb. 1st.

By James the Game on 11/23/2008 9:17 am

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The Right Wing (and many Republicans in Congress) is pushing for them to file Chapter 11… of course, in order to break the Union contracts… because you do KNOW if we can make cars with slave labor the Auto Industry will be just fine. In fact, if the whole middle class would just stop fighting it and realize our economy, per the Right, depends upon a strong slave labor force, everything would work out just fine for the only people who matter.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/22/2008 8:53 am

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The problem with Mitt Romney and the Republican viewpoint on that, DeB’, is nobody’s going to buy a car from a company that’s gone bankrupt. They would be concerned about warrantees and service on their vehicles. I agree with you that the $14-an-hour wage made at GM (not $28, as some erroneously report) wage is a fair one for hard, industrial work. The autoworkers have made numerous concessions the past few years, including health benefits. The only part of the UAW contracts that is totally out of line is the legacy pensions. The Big Three owe ENORMOUS money to retirees, because they signed off on ridiculous contracts during more booming times in the 1980’s, when the UAW had them over the barrel. At that time, I would agree, the UAW had taken too much control. I’m not saying that the workers don’t receive quality, fair pension money, but the automakers owe them many millions yet in the years to come. We simply need to level the playing field with foreign countries. Demand that industrial wages and benefits are more closely aligned, so that there is no enticement for manufacturing companies to leave the United States in order to make higher profits. Let’s incentivize the current industrial base to stay in the U.S., and also incentivize foreign automakers to come here. See this article I wrote a few years back: http://www.mibiz.com/absolutenm/templates/default.aspx?a=2299&template=p…

By James the Game on 11/23/2008 9:28 am

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Had all these huge industries NOT fought against universal healthcare during the Clinton years, they may all be in better shape today as far as a fair playing field.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/23/2008 9:55 am

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Very nice article. And that was written in 2005, and I doubt that anything was done since then right?

By DeBúrca obj on 11/23/2008 9:58 am

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Thanks. Actually, that was written in 2004, and the only thing that’s really changed is that Bush finally complained to the WTO about China’s unfair trade practices, which he failed to do for six years. That damaged America beyond comprehension.

By James the Game on 11/23/2008 11:16 am

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My girls are 50 and 48 but young Bob came later in life when we lived in Southern Spain, all that wine will do it, he is 36.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 11/20/2008 2:24 pm

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Jeannot….Am so very sorry for your son and the angst I can imagine you feel. My adorable son is a Rob too and tends to be quiet…and is a one woman man also, as was my brother. My husband died at 36 in a flying accident….so I know this will be with your son for the rest of his life. I think it’s harder for men because they always want to be the heroes. I hope he can find some measure of peace soon.

By Delete This on 11/20/2008 2:54 pm

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Carmel-by-the-Sea, I am a suicide survivor. There are no words I can express for to help you understand the ‘suicidal mind’. Many here have shared their heart-felt sentiment for you and your love ones … far better than I ever can. What I DO know is that family members suffer un-nameable pain following the loss of a love one from suicide. What helped me and my love ones more than anything was family counseling … and being willing to talk about the pain and grief following a suicide attempt. Also, I found solace through writing. I wrote a hundreds of poems and articles about coping with life’s problems, and about the ideation of suicide, and the disease of depression. I’ve shared a few of the poems on this thread. I need you to know that I understand your pain, and I wish you all the very best. Maizie

By Maizie James on 11/20/2008 2:40 pm

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Carmel- As you know I’ve been through this too. It will be 10 yrs on the 24th of November, and though we slowly move past it (I know that seems almost unthinkable at the moment) the confusion about it never really goes away. It just doesn’t feel as pressing to figure it out anymore. I also understand exactly what you mean about not wanting your brother’s suicide to define you.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/21/2008 11:20 pm

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Suzanne, You grab onto any little thing that floats by………..hang on, each day you build more strength………one of these days you’ll have the strength to swim ashore. You are such a gifted writer……….I hope you are keeping a daily log and expressing your feelings on paper. I’ve gone back and read some things I wrote over thirty years ago when the terrible tragedy happened in our family, I’m amazed how far I’ve come…………..I was really in a bad place for a very long time. Might I suggest, since your parents won’t talk about your brother with you, Write them a letter, share some of your thoughts and feelings. Sharing with those you love in any form is so healing. Perhaps it will open them to be able to talk about it with you. It’s 2:39 AM……….I just got a phone call from my Daughter in law. Her Mother died about an hour ago and she is devastated. I’ve lost so many loved ones and know that terrible pain. It’s still hard to hear the fresh raw pain in someone’s voice when they are in that terrible place. I think of you every day Suzanne and wonder how you are doing with your pain…………..what you are doing to ease your burden. I know Your brother is wanting you to know that he doesn’t want you to be in such pain. He’s doing great where he is. I’m feeling very sad right now for the loss of my daughter in laws Mother, so I think I will try to get some sleep or at least some rest. Take care of yourself, you have a lot of good friends here on Wow.

By Dona Howlett on 11/20/2008 4:51 am

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Dona, I am so sorry for the loss of a family member. How we would like to hold on to every one around us. My prayers and good thoughts are with you. Take care of yourself.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 11/20/2008 11:49 am

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Hi, Dona. I hope your daughter-in-law is hanging in there.

By James the Game on 11/20/2008 1:32 pm

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Dona….Your poor daughter-in-law….I speak with my mother everyday can’t even think about that loss. She’s so fortunate to have you, not that anything replaces what is lost but it’s good she has support. Dona, Jennifer, Maizie, Kelly x2, Diana, Susan, Jeannot, Phyllis, Beverly, Carol, Shirley….thanks for your kind words. We all have something to deal with…and I do pretty well most of the time for it being just 4 months….still unbelievable….but alongside of it is awareness that am not starving to death like 2 billion people, or living in a war zone, or in a Nazi concentration camp…Carmel is the best place for me and need to find a way to do something positive with this. Am grateful for my brother’s note and can’t let his terrible decision in a lifetime of good ones define him or me. Just takes time to think it all through. Dona, I know what you said is true, “I know Your brother is wanting you to know that he doesn’t want you to be in such pain. He’s doing great where he is.” Am going to focus on that.

By Delete This on 11/20/2008 3:21 pm

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I am still trying to get the 24 hour politics out of my head. My husband is a political junkie and so we had it going night and day. It would be nice, even though we are thrilled with the new President Elect, to have a quiet holiday season with friends and family and NO screaming heads. So many people are hurting right now and we hope 2009 will start to get better for everyone.

By judy smith on 11/20/2008 5:46 am