Happy days are here again (remember the last depression?)

[Omaha Steve]

W will be on unemployment next January!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESr9D5Gd7A


http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/happydays.htm


So long sad times
Go long bad times
We are rid of you at last

Howdy gay times
Cloudy gray times
You are now a thing of the past

Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again

Altogether shout it now
There's no one
Who can doubt it now
So let's tell the world about it now
Happy days are here again

Your cares and troubles are gone
There'll be no more from now on
From now on ...

Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So, Let's sing a song of cheer again

Happy times
Happy nights
Happy days
Are here again!

[Donnachaidh]

1. BUT he'll have a PENSION, Medical Coverage, and Secret Service Protection

And yes, I'm pissing on your cornflakes Steve. Sorry, but I know too many people who are NOW on unemployment who have NONE of those perks, and are struggling mightily to keep their bills paid. They also own TOO MUCH (mortgaged home, a couple of cars, etc.) to get help locally. And by the time Bush is out of office their piddling unemployment will be GONE.

If we can sing Happy Days to the tune of a funeral dirge - I think that would be more appropriate.

:rant:

[Omaha Steve]

6. That is the juxtaposition

Look at all he will have. His party will try to continue on the same path of destructing the little guy (poor and middle class). The soup lines are coming. (Reagan gave us cheese) The ultra rich are getting tax breaks. Will enough people wake up to vote against the way America has been run for the last 8 years? Can we avoid an all out depression, or are we there already?

[Virginia Dare]

2. Perhaps we'll have another Golden Age in Hollywood..

I was watching a program last night about the history of Hollywood musicals. It seems they were invented as a way for Americans to escape from the Depression.

I also recently read a quote from Leonard Malten where he said that a bad economic turn won't hurt movie box offices. People will still be willing to shell out $7 or so to see a movie.

[trof]

3. As long as they can affored the $5/gal. gas to get there.

[Virginia Dare]

5. That's true, there wasn't any suburban sprawl back then..

and most people could still hoof it to the movie theatre.

[trof]

12. And you could ride the streetcar.

Or the bus.
The automobile companies bought up all the streetcar companies and closed them down.

There was a bus stop a block from my house when I was a kid.
For a dime I could ride downtown and get off within a block of 4 or 5 theaters.
And I'm sounding like a geezer again.
;-)

[Donnachaidh]

7. $7 a ticket? WHERE?

They are at $10.50 a pop here in NW Atlanta. And then add gas to get to the multiplexes, etc. Leonard Malten is out of touch, too.

[Virginia Dare]

8. The matinees are still $7 around me..

but a first run prime time movie is definitely not $7. Maybe they'd have to drop their prices a bit. Movies were probably a dime back in the 30's. I've read where movie theatres mostly make their money off concession sales anyway.

[Donnachaidh]

10. Movie theatres have to pay upfront for the first-run movies

And the only profit they make is from concessions. I'm dating myself, but I worked for a small 2 screen theatre back when Platoon came out. The theatre owner had to pay 10K upfront to get a guaranteed 6 week run for her area. That was a crapload of money for a Mom and Pop theatre to have to fork over. IIRC tickets were in the 3 dollar range then.

I took the job because the hours worked out for me - and the FREE passes each week for movies. But the salary was minimum wage. And I learned how to change those huge film wheels. :silly:

[Virginia Dare]

11. My grandparents met working at a movie theatre..

during the early days of the Depression. My grandmother sold tickets and my grandfather ran the machine.

I case I take comfort in the fact that people were able to find happiness during those times obviously. Money wasn't everything to them back then like it is now.

[Javaman]

4. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

Harburg Gorney

They used to tell me I was building a dream.
And so I followed the mob
When there was earth to plow Or guns to bear
I was always there Right on the job.

They used to tell me I was building a dream
With peace and glory ahead.
Why should I be standing in line
Just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, Now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower up to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime.
Once I built a tower, Now it's done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, Gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee doodle dum.
Half a million boots went sloggin' through hell
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say don't you remember, they called me Al.
It was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal.
Say buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, Ah, gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee doodle dum!
Half a million boots went sloggin' through hell
And I was the kid with the drum!

Oh, say don't you remember, they called me Al.
It was Al all the time.
Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal.
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

[Virginia Dare]

9. Will people still be willing to feed hungry strangers who show up at the door?

I know my grandparents did that quite often, and they were dirt poor too.

[Javaman]

13. I believe so. Once everyone is in the same boat. nt