From the prestigious journal of economics and social commentary … Cracked:
No Middle-Class Family Can Live Like ‘The Simpsons’ Anymore, Census Shows
Over the past 36 seasons, The Simpsons has given us episodes about elaborate monorail scams, gun-toting babies and aliens from the planet Rigel 7, but in 2025, the most implausible aspect of the show just might be the family’s comfortable lifestyle.
Homer and Marge are able to raise three children on a single income, all while maintaining two cars and a house so massive that they’ve hardly set foot in one of the rooms in nearly four decades. Not to mention how the family is able to take spontaneous vacations to exotic locations and ultra-violent theme parks.
But, according to Australia’s ABC News, the U.S. census data from 2025 illustrates that the show “no longer represents ordinary America.” For one thing, when the animated series first premiered back in 1989, “the ordinary American family household was comprised of 3.16 people — typically two parents and up to two young children.” But in the “decades since, those numbers have slowly been declining as American families have chosen to remain smaller.” Although, to be fair, the Simpsons didn’t exactly plan to have so many kids.
…
And the Simpson family’s financial situation is harder to swallow than a jagged metal Krusty O. “For a patriarchal father of a family to be able to provide for (his family) have a double-storey home, take the family on holiday, buy a new car every few years — that was normal for many white, middle-class Americans and that is no longer the case,” Taveira added.
This was already becoming a thing of the past when the show debuted. “It was decreasingly the case in 1989 and even less-so now,” Taveira suggested. “While the median income of families has risen, inequality means that fewer people have that amount of money.”
Doh!!!
Rats!
Will be interesting to see the impact the student loan default collections – approximately 5.3 million loans in collection, another 4 million currently late and headed for collections. 9 million is a pretty sizable number, roughly 3-4% of the adult population.
Not sure what the typical amounts look like, but I’ve got to imagine it represents at least a slight economic headwind.
And the Simpson family’s financial situation is harder to swallow than a jagged metal Krusty O. “For a patriarchal father of a family to be able to provide for (his family) have a double-storey home, take the family on holiday, buy a new car every few years — that was normal for many white, middle-class Americans and that is no longer the case,” Taveira added.
It’s no longer the case because it’s human nature to crave more. Your neighbor has “xyz” so you need to have it, too. And your neighbor’s neighbor did the same, etc. The onslaught of the internet propelled it like nitro to an engine and so… here we are. Anything and everything to increase our comfort is presented and thus, that level is never reached.
DOW futures are +750.
Unacceptable.
“mmentary … Cracked:
No Middle-Class Family Can Live Like ‘The Simpsons’ Anymore, Census Shows
Over”
Our economic system was designed by the Boomers. El Salvador prisoners didn’t create it. Our system has been designed by conservative, southern, republican Senators.
Neoliberalism, Globalization, Private Equity, International Trade,
a system designed and imposed by University of Chicago, US Senators, Republican Conservative Boomers
“DOW futures are +750. Unacceptable.”
Just making back what President Flip Flop lost when he threatened to fire the fed. Today, he has changed his mind, and probably his diapers too. Sure showing a lot of signs of uncertainty. Maybe senility?
War off, war on (times 2). Fed gone, Fed back. Tariff off, tariff on. Doge on, Doge off. Invade Greenland/Canada. Nah. Invade Denmark. Nah. Pay each Dane 10K a year to go with the 10K a year every American is going to get from his DOGE savings.
I mean, just read that paragraph. 100% true, unlike your missives of success Gary. 100% pure MAGA idiocy.
Sample ballots came in the mail today. Gators and my BILs arrived. The Republican ballot, I’m still waiting for. As usual.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ceo-gloom-rivals-financial-crisis-093000332.html
“Not since the financial crisis has Corporate America been so downbeat about the state of the economy in earnings calls, an ominous sign for investors trying to figure out how much more pain Donald Trump’s trade war will inflict on the stock market.”
Today’s microaggression will be… (drum roll)…
Dark Wokeness!! Yes, you too can pepper language with four-letter anger and occasional violence presented as edgy and provocative. The leader of this brilliant strategy is lead by that ghetto barbie, Jizm Crockett… the low rent version of AOC.
Identity politics is out and focusing on solutions… (snicker)… is in! Yes, combative rhetoric will make you comply or they’ll sic one of their “undocumented” citizens on you.
“DOW futures are +750. Unacceptable.”
Guess who made the money? Not you who is long.
Now think hard and guess who made the money again. Did it strike you yet?
My 401k! My 401k!
Oh, wait.
Trump media up to $25.50 per share.
WTF?
Down from $80. But apparently, if you purchase enough shares, your tariff will be lowered.
Any of you guys buy AutoNation?
Looks like another smart pick.
How’s the air in north jersey? The winds are supposed to shift and blow the smoke from the south Jersey wildfires over New York City today.
If tariffs are so great why cut them?
Ahh of course, 5d chess, forgive me
No wonder his wife has leashed him. He is a walking dicc with a raging hard on that sticks it into any hole he can. Being a cheater herself, she is keeping a tight leash on him. She was married when she monkey branched herself into his life.
Republican Church Values, or RCV. Such moral creatures aren’t they? We should all follow their lead and bang each other spouses. It’s fun!
Hegseth’s need for discipline is nothing new.
His first marriage to his high school sweetheart Meredith Schwarz ended with her claims that he serially cheated on her, including with Samantha Deering, the woman he married soon after and with whom he had three children.
That second marriage then ended after Hegseth hooked up with Rauchet, a producer on Fox & Friends.
She, too, was married at the time – to real estate executive Dennis Rauchet, with whom she has three kids.
She got pregnant with Hegseth’s baby soon after he transitioned from making frequent appearances on the show to co-hosting it in 2017.
The daughter they share, Gwen, was born shortly before Hegseth was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman while attending a Republican women’s conference in October of that year.
A police report in Monterey, California, shows that his accuser was having champagne with co-workers when things got ‘fuzzy’ and she later found herself in a room with Hegseth.
Although he claimed the encounter was consensual and no criminal charges were filed, he decided to pay the woman $50,000 rather than fight her allegations in court.
HMB,
All my windows are open (for a change) and no sign of smoke whatsoever 12 miles West of the city. Wind is from the northwest, so that probably explains it.
All my windows are closed. The tree pollen is killing me today. Oak, birch, and maple trees pollen everywhere.
Very Stable Genius says:
April 22, 2025 at 4:23 pm
BREAKING!
Tesla reports 20% drop in auto revenue as first-quarter results miss Wall Street estimates
——————————————————————————————————-
Since your report came out Tesla is up 42 points in two days, no wonder you lose money all the time. Think like an investor, buy low sell high LOL
Jim with his masterful investment advice.
looks like Dr. Evil has upped the ante. Austin Powers, heyyy Baby
The same criminal group behind the DOGE Big Balls ransomware attack has just upped the ante. A newly updated ransom note sent to victims is now trolling Elon Musk and DOGE with a demand for, are you sitting down, one trillion dollars.
Dark: Hegseth was an absolutely terrible choice for Secretary of Defense, he is a joke. And zero principles and morals, serial cheater.
Dark: I saw a news reel of an old white guy defacing a Tesla dealership with spray paint. I figured he would be on the golf course or doing Silver Sneakers.
Student loan debt collection is restarting.
Don’t forget the Clintons. Nobody got China/globalization more wrong than Bill. And I don’t think he even got any Chinese tail out of it. Just money.
https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Full_Text_of_Clintons_Speech_on_China_Trade_Bi.htm
“Supporting China’s entry into the W.T.O., however, is about more than our economic interests; it is clearly in our larger national interest. It represents the most significant opportunity that we have had to create positive change in China since the 1970’s, when President Nixon first went there, and later in the decade when President Carter normalized relations. I am working as hard as I can to convince Congress and the American people to seize this opportunity.
Of course, we’re going to continue our efforts not just to expand trade, but to expand it in a way that reinforces our fundamental values, and, for me, the way the global economic system must move. Trade must not be a race to the bottom, whether we’re talking about child labor or basic working conditions or the environment. The more we avoid dealing with these issues, the more we fuel the fires of protectionism. That’s why we’ll continue our efforts to make the W.T.O. itself more open, more transparent, more participatory, and to elevate the consideration of labor and environmental issues in trade.
But most of the critics of the China W.T.O. agreement do not seriously question its economic benefits. They’re more likely to say things like this: China is a growing threat to Taiwan and its neighbors; we shouldn’t strengthen it. Or, China violates labor rights and human rights; we shouldn’t reward it. Or, China is a dangerous proliferator; we shouldn’t empower it. These concerns are valid, but the conclusion of those who raise them as an argument against China W.T.O. isn’t.
China is a one-party state that does not tolerate opposition. It does deny citizens fundamental rights of free speech and religious expression. It does defend its interests in the world, and sometimes in ways that are dramatically at odds from our own. But the question is not whether we approve or disapprove of China’s practices. The question is, what’s the smartest thing to do to improve these practices?
I believe the choice between economic rights and human rights, between economic security and national security, is a false one.
Membership in the W.T.O., of course, will not create a free society in China overnight or guarantee that China will play by global rules. But over time, I believe it will move China faster and further in the right direction, and certainly will do that more than rejection would.”
“Neoliberalism, Globalization, Private Equity, International Trade,
a system designed and imposed by University of Chicago, US Senators, Republican Conservative Boomers”
3b – So they had a five year pause on student loan debt payments. Can’t say I had that privilege.
They should have saved some money or was it squandered on Netflix and Apple iPhones?
All my windows are closed. The tree pollen is killing me today. Oak, birch, and maple trees pollen everywhere. All my windows are closed.
Must be why my allergies are crazy and my head is wailing.
WSJ says another flip flop on Chinese tariffs coming from Trump.
Anti-Harvard
https://nypost.com/2025/04/23/us-news/cornell-university-disinvites-anti-israel-performer-kehlani-after-wave-of-backlash/
Juice: I guess I’m the end, they don’t want to pay them.
So, Musk is going to pivot back to his companies while the DOGE team takes over. Hopefully, the waste, abuse and fraud will filter back in so that we can pass the burden on to our kids and grand kids as we were doing. No way this Naz1 dude is going to upset our apple cart. Fuck that. Carry on boomer. Chub up like locusts in a corn field. Kick that can and look the other way. Remember, debt is the new wealth.
I dunno. He was a first mover. Musk.
I’d rather go with a real automaker.
Hope his company shuts down and takes Twittter with it.
He bought Twitter with Tesla Stock. Fuck that guy.
When people actively campaign for your downfall, your QA is shut and your card and trucks are butt fucking ugly. You deserve to failZ
Libturd and juice
Thanks. My parents in south jersey told me how smoky and hazy it is but the winds are supposed to shift and send the smoke over New York City today.
Capital One Discover merger approved. It will make Capital One the largest credit card issuer in the U.S. I never really heard much about either one of these companies, and now Capital One will be the largest cc issuer.
That Tesla SUV I see prowling around the streets of Bergen Co, is just butt ugly. What was Musk thinking with that hideous design.
Lorax,
No one is perfect. You got to give Elmo credit for the engineering, marketing and industrialist side. The same character markers that allowed him to accomplish these feats are the ones that you don’t want dealing with social issues that are most of any governments problem as he does not have the empathic sensibilities required to act faithfully.
OrangeTurd is going to be a disaster in 7 dimensions. It will force us as a country to stare into the abyss long enough to know that is not what we want. But this moment was needed and only a nepo baby ADHD, impulsive with mood disorder surrounded by a falange of power hungry self righteous ideologues would get us to that point.
The answers will get at the resolution point might not be pretty or hopeful. What if we really are a country of nasty, self righteous, cheating, greedy, selfish aholes? Within a few years will know if your fellow Americans are a stand up people or a bunch of aholes meeting their fate.
3B – they’ve spent billions building the Gigafactory in Texas where that truck is made, they only sold 50,000 so far but planned to build 200,000 a year or about 4,000 a week. Seems like 1/2 of them are on the road around here, I see them all the time, Black wrapped, Orange wrapped and stainless steel etc.
Next move for Tesla is to pivot the production line in Texas to the new cheaper Tesla that is coming out the new model A. Switchover of their production line is quite fast, they say several weeks.
Plan is to have the Model A in production this June.
We really are a country of nasty, self righteous, cheating, greedy, selfish aholes. I learned this in 2007. You are a dummy to play by the rules. Immorality rules. Just look at our leaders. They all certainly get it.
WSJ says another flip flop on Chinese tariffs coming from Trump.
Art of the deal.
How many dimensions of chess are we up to now? I’ve lost count.
It’s complicated. But yeah, rule by the idle rich or even just “the rich” kind of sucks.
Trump golf’s more than anything else. He’s on record criticizing Obama for that very deeed.
We really are a country of nasty, self righteous, cheating, greedy, selfish aholes. I learned this in 2007. You are a dummy to play by the rules. Immorality rules. Just look at our leaders. They all certainly get it.
“Little by little the look of the country changes because of the men we admire.”
– said by Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas) in the movie “Hud”.
Willard: “They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound.”
Kurtz: “Are my methods unsound?”
Willard: “I don’t see any method at all, sir.”
-Art of the Deal is more like Apocalypse Now
Lib: You are right, we are a bunch of nasty, selfish, self absorbed, self righteous assholes, whether on the left or the right.
A little something for you Colts Neck folks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1udRumrtkc
Some comments from the video. It appears America runs on Booze, not Dunkin’
“She looked at first to be a nice lady. Who knew what a monster was inside
Was concerned they were being too hard on grandma, until grandma said, “Let’s go. Let’s rock n roll.”
“What a Nasty Witch. Omg. Hope she gets the Maximum Penalty Allowed by Law.”
“Grandma is feisty today….”
Be careful towing with your CyberTruck. Great design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsnYvAU3kfA
I’ve said for decades, there’s no way out of this. We dug the hole too deep. China holds too many cards. I remember 15 years ago people on this board saying, “when you owe someone a trillion dollars, it’s their problem, not yours”. Didn’t quite work out that way.
China has always held the cards as long as we became dependent on their cheap goods. Now, I question whether we are dependent or just addicted. We could destroy China by simply boycotting their goods. It would be very difficult at first, but a smart POTUS could incentivize manufacturing here. But not while trying to limit immigration simultaneously. Our debt problem can be solved in many more ways than just cutting government spending. But most of them close the flow of the political gravy train. For some reason, no politician seems to want to do that.
Boomer is too comfortable with current situation.
They just want cheap stuff, free universal healthcare, on Fox News all day
Libturd says:
April 23, 2025 at 2:49 pm
China has always held the cards as long as we became dependent on their cheap goods. Now, I question whether we are dependent or just addicted. We could destroy China by simply boycotting their goods. It would be very difficult at first, but a smart POTUS could incentivize manufacturing here. But not while trying to limit immigration simultaneously. Our debt problem can be solved in many more ways than just cutting government spending. But most of them close the flow of the political gravy train. For some reason, no politician seems to want to do that.
Lib re: “Our debt problem can be solved”
Have been hitting up the Emerald Tea Supply in Bloomfield?
So tell me Sorcerer Lib what magic do you know of so in our lifetimes we can solve this debt problem so we don’t pass it down to grandchildren?
I think there are two major parts to it. One is to make the government efficient. After you stop laughing, I’ll explain. This does not mean firing 20% of the federal workforce all willienillie, to placate your devoted fanbase. Which by the way, I heard from my BIL, that very few of those who were laid off have yet stopped being paid. Now, they are being paid to stay home. Another great DOGE/Trump achievement. But getting back to efficiency. You create government auditors who are actually paid based on their savings found. The entire federal workforce needs to be converted to a profit-based model. One where efficiency is awarded and laziness is punished. I am certain we can cut the federal workforce by 80% in this manner and still make it more effecient than it is today. The second part is to eliminate borrowing. Make a constitutional amendment that bans borrowing, except in extreme circumstances, such as if over one million boots are on the ground. Not in the case of an immigrant invasion. Stop laughing again. Of course, it all starts with the elimination of campaign finance and the lobbyist model and ends with making it illegal for politicians to serve on corporate boards post any political career.
Of course, all of this makes complete sense, would increase revenues tremendously and would usher in a golden age like never seen before. But buy some DJT instead. It’s up nearly 30% this week alone. I absolutely guarantee it is serving the same purpose as the Clinton Foundation did when HRC was SOS and running for POTUS. Of course, there is noone to check. Party on MAGA.
Lib – I was told years ago by a high school teacher that we we would eventually be putting pillows over the heads of seniors citizens as they sleep.
$1.5 trillion on Social Security and $848 billion last on Medicare last year alone and increasing. That is 36% of the outlay, just a tad bit less than the annual borrowing..
That seems more achievable way to cut spending than making the government efficient in any way.
Social Security is a joke. When you see what you contribute, how poorly the government grows it, and the beans you get back when you are old…it would make you sick. Agtain, efficient, safe investing of it could grow it significantly. Bring in Berkshire to consult. Warren B., would do it for free. Medicare is fraught with fraud and overspending.
I was told years ago by a high school teacher that we we would eventually be putting pillows over the heads of seniors citizens as they sleep.
Dark Phoenix and VSG would love it! I hope to get 30 years of s0cial security payments before you try it on me! I’ll have a Beretta by my bedside in case anyone tries to get funny!
I knew you had a thing for Sammy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNWhVXcjV8&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
BREAKING!
Chipotle misses revenue estimates,
gives more cautious outlook as it sees ‘slowdown’ in spending
PUBLISHED WED, APR 23 2025
3:34 PM EDT
UPDATED 11 MIN AGO
thumbnail
Amelia Lucas
Actually, I think that Taiwan is cooked. They just found out that the US is not coming to their rescue.
The China tit for tat tariff slap fight, showed that we need China more than they need us. So this tit for tat is a dry run of what a war full trade stop would look like.
Strategically is best for China to delay any tariff descalation to find out our time based pain points and reactions. How many weeks until Walmart and Home Depot are empty?, what is the public, financial market and political reactions?.
Just waiting it out for China sends a great message of what will happen if you try to rescue Taiwan.
This is why authoritarian system always are economically poor. Goal is power. Power requires loyal lackeys. Loyal lackeys are incompetent lackeys 99.9% of the time. 99.9% incompetence guarantees failure.
Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wednesday reported weaker-than-expected quarterly revenue after its same-store sales declined for the first time since 2020.
Chiptole is opening its first store in Mexico soon. They have high hopes Mexicans will embrace it. Why would a Mexican in Mexico eat American Chipotle?
White Trash Eddie: 30 years? Are you expecting to go at 95??
65 and older are lucky to have Universal Government Sponsored Healthcare
Maoist socialism at its best
3b says:
April 23, 2025 at 4:43 pm
White Trash Eddie: 30 years? Are you expecting to go at 95??
3b,
Conservative estimate. I’ll go for 45 years. 110 years old sounds about right.
3b,
Never underestimate the power of a microdosing C suite. You got to be tripping balls to think that your industrial kitchen corporate goo is going to beat grandma’s local cuisine in a place like Mexico which values it’s very large and regional High Desert vs Gulf/Caribbean vs Pacific Coastal culinary tradition and they are on par with Italians and Indians in that they treat it as art
Parador is an excellent Mexican restaurant in NYC. It’s been there since 1956, and the decor is exactly the same.
We are still cleaning up the toxic waste sites from the capitalist manufacturing sites from over 50 years ago. Plenty of superfund sites still drenched in chemical toxins from boomers that decided dumping toxic waste would cut into their profits a bit too much. Boomer greed from years ago came in the form of dumping barrels of nasty forever chemicals into the ground, claiming bankruptcy after pocketing the cash, then letting taxpayers foot the bill for the cleanups right until this very day.
Greed here has always been a problem.
Libturd says:
April 23, 2025 at 2:49 pm
China has always held the cards as long as we became dependent on their cheap goods. Now, I question whether we are dependent or just addicted. We could destroy China by simply boycotting their goods. It would be very difficult at first, but a smart POTUS could incentivize manufacturing here.
So many smart people here.. and a majority of them voted for the biggest scam artist of all.
A start:
Shut down and close all foreign military bases.
Seize all of the assets of anyone who has more than 5 million worth.
Tax everyone at the rate it was in 1950.
Capital gains taxes to 70%.
Make boomers pick vegetables, berries, and corn.
All funding to all foreign countries comes to an instant stop.
Let Musk and Bezos flip a coin, winner gets to pick which spaceship they get a one way ticket to Mars on. Don’t care which.
Juice Box says:
April 23, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Lib re: “Our debt problem can be solved”
Have been hitting up the Emerald Tea Supply in Bloomfield?
So tell me Sorcerer Lib what magic do you know of so in our lifetimes we can solve this debt problem so we don’t pass it down to grandchildren?
Oh,
Dox every venture capitalist and private equity manager, find out who each and every one of them are, and tax them until they are begging for a pair of used underwear.
Bring manufacturing back to America. Hehe:
https://youtu.be/AahliiO5kyI?si=ouXNZ6ZuzNjPuMUv
The Passaic River in New Jersey is sometimes red due to high concentrations of certain pollutants, particularly dioxins, heavy metals, and PCBs, that have accumulated in its sediments. These pollutants, primarily from industrial discharge and the manufacturing of chemicals like Agent Orange, have left a lasting mark on the river’s water quality, particularly in its lower 17-mile stretch
I’m down in Redbank right now in Monmouth County. You can definitely see the smoky haze and smell the smoke.
That’s not stopping the dinner crowds it’s packed.
Need to have Americans working there, white boomers would be great. Then Mexican Karens could pick on them and threaten to send them back over the border if they don’t make the tamale the way they want it.
3b says:
April 23, 2025 at 4:42 pm
Chiptole is opening its first store in Mexico soon. They have high hopes Mexicans will embrace it. Why would a Mexican in Mexico eat American Chipotle?
Pigs have no problem eating at the trough 30 feet from where they will be slaughtered. Wanna see something sexy, zoom in on those Redbank faces while they are eating, then set the speed of the recording at 0.25.
Juice Box says:
April 23, 2025 at 7:08 pm
I’m down in Redbank right now in Monmouth County. You can definitely see the smoky haze and smell the smoke.
That’s not stopping the dinner crowds it’s packed.
Southern Monmouth, first time I’ve smelled the smoke just now when I let the dog out. I was outside for a few hours late this afternoon doing yard work too. Wind must have shifted.
Dark: I think the U. S. might be the only country with the Karen syndrome.
Juice: Dinner crowds on a Wednesday evening. I guess they ain’t worried about the stock market. Or, maybe they are and they don’t care.
Dark Phoenix now fantasizes about being America’s next Pol Pot. Screw your nihilism. Chinese rivers aren’t dirty?
After a roller coaster, yet positive day, I feel the market will be hammered on Thursday. Any takes?
China returns America’s boeings and more dictatorial EOs signed to attack colleges. The only reason market survived today was that Bessent gave a grown up image to the WH.. only to be decimated when the orange head popped up again.
It’s funny how y’ll are saying all the doom and gloom stuff is good for us. I want Sleepy Joe back.. I mean seriously. What a train wreck!
The the spirit of an independent fed, maybe Powell can step down and become treasury secretary.
I got into it with a Tesla A$$hole in Teaneck Bagels this morning.
I’m behind the Tesla as we pull up to the store. Lets say there are six parking spots outside the store. Spots 1,2 &3 are taken and 4,5,&6 are free. I’m right behind him as we pull up to the store. He stops in spot 6. I tap the horn, as in please move up. He gets out of the car, ignores me and walks to the store. At this point I have to reverse back to get past him and reverse into the spots in front of him.
I walk into the store and call him out for not being considerate in pulling up. He comes back with “This is America, I’m entitled to park however I like!”. I shot back with “It doesn’t entitle you to be an inconsiderate prick” . He grabs his bagel and shouts at me to lose some weight. I shot back with “Get a hair transplant or a better haircut.” He had that Krusty the Clown look, black curls to the front and comes out horizontally at the sides, but with a big bald spot that he probably usually hides under a baseball cap.
I bet he votes Trump!
On a brighter note, one of my kids starts Orientation at a Costco store tomorrow. That will be a nice gig to carry them through the rest of college.
I am not sure what it is, but it is definitely a thing where Tesla drivers are the most inconsiderate drivers.
But Fab – it is never worth it to get into a road rage argument. Just not worth it. There are more worthy causes – like picking on the stupid brags here.
“Why would a Mexican in Mexico eat American Chipotle?”
For the same reason El Pollo Loco and Baja Fresh are everywhere in Mexico.
Burritos are hardly common in Mexico anyway. They may do well.