DirecTV To Raise Rates > DIRECTV, I 'd b carefull

DIRECTV, I 'd b carefull

In other words, what you are saying is that you are having to make some personal choices. It's natural and really is not something that is 100% hand in hand with any recession that is coming.

American's have this notion that they should be able to have a home, a car, all utilities at whim, cellular phones, cable tv, high speed internet, phones with all the long distance they can have, the ability to eat out all the time, travel, go to amusement parks, have the latest HD tv, etc.

In tough times, people have to make choices and cut backs. Will this affect discretionary spending? SURE! ABSOLUTELY! This is what happens in a recession - and it WILL hurt businesses in a time of recession where they ignore that there even is one.

In a recession, a GOOD company will align themselves, tighten up, and run their business to where they won't even notice there even is a recession. You are right, this is a dumb move on DirecTV. HOWEVER, in this case, based on the large customer base they are dealing with, raise the price $5 or not, they are still going to lose customers anyway... so "DirecTV had better B careful" in this case is irrelevant.

reply to fiberguy

reply to fiberguy
Ok!. If we are in the middle of a recession and is all about sacrifices, what about CEOs getting millions of dollars in bonuses. Last year most of the CEOs got ridiculous amount of money while employees go cut backs, reductions of benefits and miserable pay increases. The only reason they increase prices is for the top execuTheif to keep their lucrative life style and recuperate personal Real Estate Losses.

reply to fiberguy
This is personal and discretionary spending - well said.

Many have been jumping through the hoops with all the gadgets that they can get.
HD, multiple cell lines with data/messaging plans, new cars, Wii/PSP3, new PC, 20Mbps/5Mbps internet, etc.

There's a LOT of discretionary spending there, and that doesn't include the cost of extras, and utilities to go with it.

If many knew the 'true' cost of these items, they probably wouldn't spend on half of them.
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Canada = Hollywood North

reply to bobny1
bobny1,

I think what you are getting at is that a recession should affect everyone equally. The simple fact is that recessions affect people differently at different levels.

Is it a fair that a CEO makes what they do? Maybe.. maybe not, .. BUT, no one said like was fair, equal, or going to pan out for everyone the same. What we are guaranteed in life, in this country is for the pursuit of happiness. Some people have it more than others.. and, if you think money makes everyone happy, it don't.

I measure life on different levels that many people do. Having fought and won a nasty battle with cancer several years back, I tend to look at life a little different afterwards.

Do I have a comfortable life? Sure.. is it the money that makes me happy? No! Absolutely not! Does it help? Maybe.. at times.. and in some cases. But, to be honest, I could easily go back to where I used to be when I was really young and still enjoy life.

It's really hard to sit here and think that a CEO is going to make a sacrifice to the same level that you and I may have to. However, how do you know that some of these CEO's didn't already make those sacrifices? News flash - not every CEO was handed their job on a silver platter. SOME of them actually scraped up money working a job or two and put themselves through college. They didn't have iPods, cell phones, nice cars, multiple computers, HD Flat panel TV's.. etc. like many here do. What they had to "sacrifice" was the ability to go on vacations, travel, go out and have drinks with friends all the time.. have fun toys.. etc. SOME people actually put their youth days into college and made something of themselves to be where they are at today.

When I was starting out, and I did so at the age of 16, I worked THREE jobs, STILL attended high school, and paid my own bills. At age 17, I took the California High School proficiency Exam, passed it, and went to college as a high school Jr. (the CHSPE exam allows you to graduate early for college) So while many of my friends were out having a good time, I sacrificed a lot in order to have a life that I do today.

Am I a CEO? No.. am I doing well? Yes. Is the recession going to hurt me? in some ways - it will.. it will slow me down in my growth. Will I feel the pain that others here are? not really..

So for you to sit here with an uneducated look at others, looking through glass windows and calling every CEO a thief, why don't you take a course or two on the economy and how it works. It's the JOB of the CEO to cut back on the lower end labor in tough times. It is a fact of life that it happens. If the CEOs didn't make these cut backs then there may be no company left for anyone to work at... so to be honest, many of the CEO making those millions deserve their pay.

Lucrative life style? Sorry to say, that's a sour attitude looking in and I don't agree with it in a blanket fashion.

Re: FIBERGUY,