Reactions to story from MSN

• 

  When The Walls Came Tumbling Down

  http://ronalbright.com/2008/10/13/when-the-walls-came-tumbli...
  51 days ago in I.M.H.O. (In My Haughty Opinion) · Authority: 1

  I have written on this topic before but, with the current meltdown of the U.S. (world?) economy, it seems altogether fitting and proper to take another moment or two to smirk at this country’s hubris, hedonism and sheer lunacy. And I, as always, am fully prepared to do just that. Disclaimer: I am, I freely admit, (almost) as guilty as the rest of America in my fiscal habits but, heck, if you can’t make fun of yourself (while smacking everyone else upside the head as well), then what fun is there in writing a web log? Once upon a time in America, there was a certain honor and dignity in frugality. It was seen, by most, as a virtue. "A penny saved is a penny earned", "save for a rainy day" and all the other quaint little Poor Richard’s Almanac sayings were actually believed in by the early Americans. We taught our children the fable of the grasshopper and the ant and how one saved for the harshness and depravity of winter and the other saved not. Preachers, who rode circuits from one little backwoods church to the next in those days and didn’t even imagine building mega-churches and tabernacles to gaudily proclaim how close to God the resident pastor was, sermonized on the almost spiritual nature of thrift and reserve. Even our government’s leaders at the highest levels were penny pinchers, Thomas Jefferson who died in bankruptcy being the most notable exception. Mark Twain, one of the wisest of Americans, thought his bankruptcy (from unwise investments) was so degrading that he spent the next 3 years of his life traveling the world, earning money to pay off every penny he owed. And he did just that. Once, long, long ago, we were a nation of, if not misers, certainly thrifty people. I don’t know exactly when we lost our much-heralded self-control or when thrift (recast as miserliness) began to be viewed as a negative trait but, probably, it began after World War II and was ushered in by the nation finding itself in a post-war employment boom. Everyone - women having joined the workforce to create the "two-income family") had work and America was cranking out goods and services for the nations of the world shattered by the devastation of WWII. Europe was in tatters; Asia, no less so. It was America, alone, who was not only untouched by the bombs of war but was at a level of Gross Domestic Product that equaled or exceeded the remainder of the world, combined. Jobs were plentiful, pay scales (and unions driving them) were on the upswing and goods were cheap. Life was good. In fact, life had become so good that our current President ventured that the best way to show the 9/11 terrorists that America would not be deterred by their assault was - and I am quoting now - "go shopping". Sage leadership and constructive guidance amidst tragedy apparently, died in America with Lincoln and, worldwide, with Churchill. Those who had survived the dreadful "Great Depression" never lost their sense of the importance of thrift. My parents both worked but, unlike the Escalade jockeys of today, they saved their money. My folks had absolutely no concept of credit and, if they couldn’t pay cash for something as essential as furniture for an empty house, they wouldn’t buy it until they had socked enough away to pay cash for what they needed. When their son reached 14 and was eligible for a "work permit" (required to have a job if you were under 16 years old), I got one, promptly followed by a job. I had one - a job, that is - every summer after that until I escaped to college. Even that happy time had its double-edged blade: the good news was that my parents were proud and all too happy to pay for my tuition and books. The bad news: I would have to get a part time job at the University to pay for my housing and meals. Well indoctrinated in the mindset of Depression-era parents, it really didn’t seem like a big deal to me. When I wanted to go to medical school, I made my parents profoundly happy when, struck by a full dose of independent spirit, I joined the U.S. Army and relied on Uncle Sam to pay all my expenses. Lesson learned. I was, looking back, lucky. I didn’t like it at the time but, then, some of the most valuable lessons I have learned over my years have, at the time, been painful. Most of the children of the post-World War II years (the so-called "baby boomers") and, now, their grandchildren (whatever generation you wish to call them though "Generation X" seems sadly apropos) were less fortunate. They, also, grew up in those golden times of excess and learned an entirely different set of values. Parenting under the popular mantra of the times - to whit, "I want my children to have it easier than I had it in life" - children were overindulged, spoiled and taught the wonderful Utopian concept of "entitlement". Our nation is, over the past, oh, 10-15 years, now stuck with cleaning up the droppings of the chickens that have now come home to roost. Before World War II, the savings rate of the average American was near 20 percent of their income; by 1980, that rate had fallen to 4 percent. Now, as if it could actually be possible, we Americans have a "negative" (which is to say, less than zero) rate of savings. I can only surmise that means that what little we have saved, we are now drawing out of the bank to spend. And, then, there is that wonderful development of the 20th Century we call the credit card. Today, Americans have an average of 9 credit cards per capita and carry a average debt (credit cards only) of almost $20,000 per person. We are, in brief, in hock up to our eyebrows and, with the latest recession upon us, show no evidence of ever crawling out of this fiscal quagmire. And, that beacon of leadership and guidance, the Federal Government, owes a budget deficit that encumbers each and every citizens drawing breath with another $20-30 thousand dollars. If you think that is not going to actually be paid by you, personally, think again. It will be and it will be in the form of higher taxes on income as well as higher sales taxes on the needless things you still buy little Buffy and Jody to keep them entertained and, not coincidently, not bothering you in the evenings after work. So, what are we to do, Mr. and Mrs. Spendthrift? We already are starting to see some of the coping mechanisms the ever-inventive American public has come up with. Perhaps, we should just shoot our family and ourselves in the head and just say "Sayonara" to the hard challenges of keeping a balanced checkbook. Similarly, when someone (say, your mortgage company) demands you pay your house payments, you might choose, instead, to shoot yourself (nonfatally, of course) in the hopes that they will forgive your debt. If you are really lucky, you might have a wacky enough Congressman plead your case in his esteemed assembly of like-minded buffoons and actually have your debt forgiven. [You can’t make stuff like this up, folks] Clearly, when it comes to financial responsibilities, my fellow citizens don’t have a clue as to what might actually solve the problem. For example, advising someone to "stop buying stuff that you don’t need" sounds like Mandarin gibberish to most. Of course, that sort of advice is so entirely alien it is about as likely to be followed as "stop breathing!" or "work two jobs, if need be" or "cease and desist from talking on a cell phone when you enter a professional office". Better still, "quit having children you can’t afford or can’t name the father of". Yeah, that last one will be taken to heart, I am quite sure. While it is only a start and will certainly only begin the process of regaining a measure of reigning in your runaway credit hearse, you can learn a new word in your parent-child dialogue. It is not a long word nor is it difficult to pronounce. While I have no reference to cite or documentation to fall back on, I would be willing to proclaim it is one of the oldest words in every language of the world - ancient and modern. It is, to those of you unfamiliar with it, the word "NO". It rhymes with "Oh". If you are a fan of Snoop Dog, Bow-Wow or 50 Cent (my personal favorite), it also sounds like "Ho". It is defined as a "negative response" as in: Child: "Mom, can I have twenty dollars for a new CD?" Mother: "No, you may not." At first, your family may respond with a quizzical, possibly blank and disbelieving stare. Remember, they have not heard this word either. They have only heard its antonym, the much more common "yes" which sounds like "best" (without the "t") or "guess". "Yes" is universally understood and much more commonly used. But, with practice and judicious repetition, you will become comfortable using it. Your children might not ever accept it, especially the first or second time they hear it, but, if you are consistent, they will begin to understand what counselors have been telling rape victims for years: "No means NO!" Hard lessons are often the ones that stay with you the longest. That, gentle reader, is where it all begins. Just as respect for others, a sense of family bonds and gentility begin at home, so does thrift. If America is ever to extricate itself from the current sinkhole, that is where the solution lies.
• 

  The World is Crazy, Here's Proof

  http://www.waynejohn.com/post.aspx?id=c90060ca-6a56-4936-b92...
  56 days ago in Wayne John - Blogger Help and Assistance · Authority: 48

  Just when you thought it was safe to wake up, have some breakfast and catch the news... The headlines in today's paper are not only showing how people are trying to cope with America's economic issues, but also how some people still cling to century old traditions that just seem...well, stupid. Here are some that caught my eye this morning. Upset over finances, man kills family, self - Exactly how bad does it need to get for one to shoot his entire family over financial issues? Here's a man that bought a handgun with every intention of finishing off the family. Did I really need to know this? How is this news to me? It's not. Mortgage forgiven for 90-year-old who shot self - After Fannie Mae purchased her mortgage from defunct CountryWide, Addie Polk shot herself as sheriffs grouped outside to evict her from her home. She's fine now, and feels that shooting herself was a bit over-the-top. Nepal declares young girl new living goddess - Here's a doozy. Take one girl with perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect everything and then put her through a battery of tests to see if she can be the next living goddess. Yes, it's every girls dream in Nepal to become Nepal's Next Living Goddess. At only three years old, this girl will have people bow before her and place their foreheads on the little girls feet as a show of high respect until she is an adolescent. She will live in some fancy place, and when puberty strikes, she'll lose her status as a living goddess. She'll be rejected and sent back home at which point she'll prove she really wasn't a goddess at all as she tries to adjust back to normal life. Hope the gods favor her social skills because this will probably make her one elitist bitch. Good going Nepal! 86 cats rescued from a 2 bedroom Colorado Condo - Yes, even though I may be a big fan of the pussy cat, 86 cats seems to be a bit much for a 2 bedroom home, and a condo no less! Saving animals is a big deal for me, but 86 of them seems to go a bit over the top. Apparently the cats were in need of a bath. Do you smell something? Government Warns of higher winter heating costs - From the desk of 'No shit?' comes this story about our government trying to warn those that use fuel oil to heat their homes to expect much higher prices. You would think they would leave the obvious for the mainstream reporters to cover, instead, here's our tax dollars at work informing us the obvious. Internet videos show kids how to get high - Just when you thought the Internet was safe to swim again, here's a wonderfully positive story about how videos are being used to show kids how to do drugs. Hell, they already get their sex education from the Internet, why not the next adult bastion of pleasure, drugs! Colon cancer screenings can stop at 75 - Being a single, elderly gay person has just become a bummer. Apparently, the benefits of being violated in the pooper just don't outweigh the risks anymore when you're beyond 75. One might ponder how one can get from age 40 to 75 without having to deal with a doctors finger up the ass. Hell, if the doctor is cute, perhaps I'd volunteer. That's all, I have to run off to work now and try to avoid any more news. It's a great feeling to be able to read the news and walk away from it extremely depressed and grasping for a bit of sunshine and positive energy. Thank you corporate mainstream media for making my day start off on the right foot. Bastards.
• 

  Falling Down

  http://blueherald.com/2008/10/falling-down/
  56 days ago in Blue Herald · Authority: 83

  What a sad story. And even sadder is the fact that we’ll probably be seeing more of this in the coming months/years. Upset over finances, man kills family, self Police say victims include man’s wife, three children and mother-in-law LOS ANGELES - An unemployed man with an advanced finance degree who was despondent over his own financial problems shot and killed his wife, three children, mother-in-law and then himself in an upscale home in a gated community, police said Monday. Officers found the bodies Monday morning after the wife failed to show up at a neighbor’s home to go to work, Deputy Chief Michel Moore said. The deaths occurred sometime after Saturday evening. [...] The notes attest to the man’s financial difficulties, and he takes responsibility for killing his family members, Moore said. Tags: wife, three children, mother-in-law, unemployed, shot, killed
• 

  Man Kills Himself And Family Over Finances

  http://filthyrag.com/blog/2008/10/man-kills-himself-and-fami...
  56 days ago in FilthyRag.com · Authority: 37

  People are panicking in the wake of our country’s financial situation: An unemployed man with an advanced finance degree who was despondent over his own financial problems shot and killed his wife, three children, mother-in-law and then himself in an upscale home in a gated community, police said Monday. Officers found the bodies Monday morning after the wife failed to show up at a neighbor’s home to go to work, Deputy Chief Michel Moore said. The deaths occurred sometime after Saturday evening. A handgun that had been bought Sept. 16 was found near the father’s body, Moore said. The father left two suicide notes — one for police and one for friends and relatives — and a will. The notes attest to the man’s financial difficulties, and he takes responsibility for killing his family members, Moore said. The family members’ names were not immediately released because police wanted to make sure the children’s schools had time to make grief counselors available. The children were sons ages 19, 12 and 7. The man had a master’s of business administration in finance, formerly worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sony Pictures, but had been unemployed for several months, Moore said. Moore did not specify what financial trouble the man had been in. He noted that the family did not own the home. PricewaterhouseCoopers spokesman Steven Silber had no immediate comment. Sony Pictures Entertainment spokesman Steve Elzer did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The gated community, called Sorrento Pointe, is among several developments along curving lanes and cul-de-sacs set on the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains in Porter Ranch, about 23 miles northwest of downtown. Ryan Ransdell, who lives across the street, said the house had been occupied by the family for about a year. “They didn’t socialize too much,” he said. “They kept pretty much to themselves.” This is happening while the CEO of Lehman Brothers gets his $484 million annual salary after he was one of the main players pushing for the bailout plan. SMH. Source
• 

  Upset over finances, man kills family, self

  http://www.apbnews.com/2008/10/06/upset-over-finances-man-ki...
  57 days ago in APBnews · Authority: 9

  Los Angeles police said six bodies were discovered Monday morning in a home in an upscale gated community.

Advertise on Technorati