Silvan responds:

Knothead wrote:

You retired at 40? Not for physical reasons I hope. I keep looking at my
ss statement from da gubmint and they keep telling
me how much I'll make if I work til 70... Damn

Gonna be hard to live on $12.41 a month innit? Especially in 2042 when a
new econobox with a 2 cc engine will cost $147,300, a 2,000 sq. ft. home
will cost $397,000, the economy lunch special at Burger King will cost
$175.81, oh, and gas will be $24.82 a gallon.

Or maybe I'm being pessimistic.

You think? My father went nuts when I bought a new Chevy convertible in '57.
Just under 3 grand. That was the 283, dual 4s, close ratio column 3 speed and
absolute **** for brakes and gas mileage, though that sucker would fly. He had
bought 2 new cars when he and my mother got married in '34: under a grand, well
under, and one was a car I'd kill for today, a rumble seat Ford coupe.

Of course, there are people today who will just about kill for that '57, but
that's a "been there, done that" and scared myself spitless a few times with
the handling and brakes. It was wonderful at 19, but not now.

Comparable car today? $45,000? Better, sure, but...

Charlie Self
"One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above
that which is expected." George W. Bush