[quote author="skek" date=1216105567]Graph, I know you are a snarky bastard but I didn't read your post as making fun of senior citizens. Your posting of the picture just provoked my initial reaction -- I dunno, maybe the old guy in the picture reminded me of my late grandfather, maybe it was the realization that people who didn't have anything to do with the housing bubble are being hurt by it, maybe it was the fact that our "greatest generation" deserves better than to have to live through another Great Depression and all that entails. In any event, I just wanted to express some sympathy for folks like the gentleman in the picture. The "making fun of senior citizens" started after my post.</blockquote>
Eh, I just wanted to be clear about what my intentions were, not only to you but everyone else. I also wanted to add my rant, which I think adds to your point. I [strike]think[/strike] know there is some serious lack of financial understanding going on in society today, and I would hate for younger generations to be pushing the Kool-Aid onto their parents. Some of those people remember what it was like to have real bank run, or at least vividly recall the S&L;crisis. I remember my dad taking me to the Lincoln Savings to withdraw the savings account he had set up for me after the FDIC had taken them over. I wasn't that young, but he wanted to teach me a lesson from his mistake, and show the teller who their customer really was. Many people do not have that kind of memory in their head, but I do and I would never have put my money into an IMB account even if their interest rate is twice what my bank's rate is, and I wouldn't let my mom either.