The Recession is Over? Who are These Clowns?

The recent headlines and most major news outlets reported from a panel of "experts" recently that the recession in this nation is now over. Strange, but from our neck of the woods it's the exact opposite. Who are these clowns trying to get one over on? From these "experts", our President, and others in Washington, we are to believe that the tough times are almost over and sunny days are just ahead. But from the view of ordinary Americans struggling to find a job and to earn a decent living, things have gone from bad to really bad. Jobs are continually being cut, wages and hours are being cut, and it is increasingly harder to put food on the table, gas in the tank, and shoes on our feet. A relative of mine recently had to postpone a much needed trip to the doctor due to being short of cash. Carrying on as well as is humanly possible for a majority of Americans has become so unnerving that some are resorting to suicide! The anger level for those who are hurting economically has reached epidemic proportions. You can bet that we will hear more horror stories of suicides and rages associated with job-loss as time progresses.
Another symptom of this economic nightmare is the rise in thefts. Now we won't likely hear of this in our media, but I have heard of it going on locally. Who of you are like me and have gotten totally fed up with watching these fabricated news reports on how well we are doing? I am totally done with watching the phony news reports, I am to the point where I will rarely watch the news. The economy is doing great for those who are not hurting, for those who have a job, for the fat cats in Washington and on Wal-street. It's always been this way. In the midst of hard working Americans who are struggling to survive, we hear of the first Lady's lavish trip to Spain which was rumored to be between $250,000 to $375,000! The anger has only started folks. We've seen a lot but we haven't seen anything yet! We have been duped by the bail-out, our current President, our previous President, and our Congress as well. I am coming to believe that those in power in our government are all working for the big banks and for those who will line their pockets once they get in office. People try to do the right thing by earning a decent living, keeping the lights on, and feeding their children. What do you think the end result will be when those decent people constantly look around and see all of the pillaging and shenanigans going on in our nation? It won't end well. There is a destruction of our Nation on the horizon and it's been a long time in the making. We are told in the Bible about those who are called the "Kings of the Earth". These are the very ones who pull the strings, they are enormously wealthy and they will never suffer lack like us common folk. These are the very ones who want to destroy our Nation and other Nations for their own profit.

We can read more about these "Kings of the Earth" in James 5:1:

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted , and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold , the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud , crieth : and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

These rich of the earth care nothing of their neighbor. They could care less for others. They only care about riches and their own well-being. Truth is, we are seeing more of this in our Nation than at any other time in history. It is a joke to tell someone who is losing everything to just "hold on", which is essentially what those in our Government have been spouting for the past year. Rest assured that someday those who could care less about those suffering and struggling in our jobless recovery will suffer loss but until then, things will carry on as usual. We will get more news reports on how "well" we all are doing. We will hear about how many new "government" jobs have been filled. Meanwhile, I go to my local Wal-Mart and for the past month I have noticed a real change there folks. There are very few shopping. The cashiers are up toward the front standing around wringing their hands and looking for something to do. This whole recession stuff will get worse. The only question is how much worse?

Unemployed Are Lazy? Think Again

Checking out my local message board, I ran across plenty of comments on unemployment numbers and the topic of extending unemployment benefits. It saddened me to run across many
on that board who were calling those who receive Unemployment benefits "lazy". Those getting benefits are NOT lazy people who are sucking money out of our system. I've read so many comments of those who say they believe that if a person has been on unemployment benefits for over 40 weeks, they would have surely found a job by now had they really wanted to work.

Those who say such things only prove to me that their time of hardship is coming. Their pink slip is right around the corner. Isn't it easy for those of 
us still working to judge those who are not? My friends, these ideas are wrong. The Bible teaches
us that we should take care lest at any time we should fall from our own steadfastness. At the
precise time we are so sure that our income could never stop flowing in and our ability to put food on the table is
not in jeopardy is the same time out of left field WE will find ourselves in the unemployment line.
It only serves to show me the stupidity of those who trust it will never happen to them. Folks, this
has or will happen to all of us at one time or another. And those of us who are blessed to have a job now should 
spend some time praying for and helping those who are less fortunate. But instead what do we do? We have a tendency to bash them and to
judge them. I am truly sorry for the millions who are in dire straights because their benefits are about to run out. Those who
are going to have to move in with family long term because they cannot make the rent or house payment anymore. 
Those who must decide what to do for dinner tonight are many and those who cannot afford to put gas in the tank are growing every
single day.


Here are only a few examples of the negatively charged posts on one particular board:

"Like this is a big shocker! There ARE jobs out there along with a lot of folks who just don't want to work! I see hiring signs all around the city. I so agree with putting them to work for the State. Let them earn the unemployment checks! It would be a Win Win for all involved".

"You just said what the problem is. Some people stay on unemployment because they get more money on unemployment than if they went out and got a job! That is exactly what is wrong with the system. I do not care what kind of a job they had before. Things change. Many of the old jobs are never coming back. They need to go get a job. Any job and take responsibility for themselves. There are statistics that show that when peoples benefits are ready to run out they get a job either the week before or within one week after. So extending the unemployment benefits just extends unemployment. How long are the taxpayers going to have to support these people? And it is the taxpayers if they are on the extended benefits. Nobody owes these unemployed a check for life. There is also a thought out there that after the first benefits run out the extended benefits should have to be paid back. I like that idea. Why shouldn't they have to pay it back"?


I found an excellent example of Christian encouragement on these boards in reply to "unwanted's" post:

unwanted wrote: 
""I am so glad your optimistic but I guess your not receiving UI. I was laid off and I have a MA and 20 years behind of field experience and I have not been able to get a job for the past ten months. UI was the only thing I had to avoid bankruptcy. If the bill is not passed this Monday, I would have to sell my furniture to pay the rent and file bankruptcy. I am already $40k behind bills, not including student loans which are never forgiven due to the recession. I would even accept a state job at a pay of 30K if they would take me, but their are no jobs and most of the university students are used as interns so employers do not have to hire someone or pay an intern"".

reply below:
 
"Hang in there hon, things will get better. It's tough I know but believe me when I say there are a lot of people who feel your pain, myself included, and we are praying for all of those on unemployment who really do want jobs. Even people like yourself who have a decent education can't even get a job so what should that tell people!! Good luck w/ everything and keep your head up, lean on God and he will pull you through this".

Now this is how we are supposed to encourage and support those who are struggling with tough economic times.


Now look at the desperate actions some have taken in order to make money in this struggling economy:

"are we all insane...........................
there are millions of us here without a job
we all can not be that bad that we can not find work. 
It is amazing that my friend that is 50 years old, chemist, is now selling porn online.
amazing, every night he lies to his wife and children
another friend has sold her body just to pay bills......and she was a general mgr of a all clothing company.
the problem I see is getting everyone together ...most people just will not respond any longer.

Unheard of for a person to sell their body to make a living? No. This will quickly become the norm if drastic measures are not taken quickly by our government and each and every one of us to help out the unemployed. A thought came to me a week or so ago about starting a food and clothing pantry out of my home. I have no idea if I would need a license to do this or not. I could never undertake something like this on my own but would ask all of my friends and family to help donate if possible. I feel as though this is what God would have me to do instead of doing nothing. It is said in the bible that it is not enough for us to tell a hungry person to depart, be warm and fed, etc. Telling them this without supplying what we can to those in need is hypocritical and is of no value. God help us, because what is coming is going to be far worse than what we have witnessed so far.

More Mortgage Re-Sets Through 2012

Today I stumbled upon a troubling article from Karl Denninger. I had heard that the ARM *adjustable rate mortgage* mess was not over yet no matter how rosy a picture those on CNBC try to paint for us. The fact is; we are not out of the woods yet in relation to the mortgage meltdown we've been dealing with since 2007. The Alt-A, but more incredibly, the Option ARMs mortgage payments are going to be resetting (jacked-up) starting this year and if we think the Sub-prime was bad, we haven't seen anything yet.

Just think of it this way: Your mortgage payment you took on 5 years ago has been $900.00 a month UNTIL May 2010. Starting at that date your mortgage payment will now be $1900.00! It's been verified that on average the rise in these mortgage payments will reflect an eye-popping $1000.00 more a month!

Now I don't have a mortgage but that doesn't keep me from telling you what I would do if I did have one and was up against such a dower prospect. I would WALK AWAY! Yes folks, I would walk away and not fret about the situation nor look back. I would rent because that is all I suspect I would be able to do after having stopped paying my mortgage payments. Well, I would hope so at least. I hear of many sad stories of previous home owners walking away from their homes only to be turned away from renting due to poor credit that was directly attributed to the former.
How many can say they would be able to pay that large of an increase on their house payment? Not many I suspect, especially with so many in our nation out of work.
My heart goes out to all of my readers who have struggled to make ends meet. Many are those who have done without basic necessities in order to put food on the table and gas in the tank. Countless hours have been spent at the job you really don't like because you knew that it was the only way to keep your head above water and your family off of food stamps. Dealing with unappreciative employers, low wages, lack of insurance, and not enough vacation days. If this describes you, a prayer in my heart and a thank you on my lips goes out for you. You have sacrificed much and you love much and now you are facing the worst time of your life dealing with layoffs and possibly losing your home and even much, much more. In these times you cannot go wrong if you turn it all over to God and expect him to come to your rescue.

As for this recent continuation of the mortgage mess? What else can I say but this is just another spoke in the wheel of our recent economic nightmare that at one time was our American dream.

Unemployed Benefits in Jeopardy: Thanks Senator Bunning!

Good morning friends. I have been watching C-Span again and have come across something that I felt I should comment on. 

It seems that Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky has been playing a game of keep-away with the nations unemployment benefits. Many of our unemployed Americans were due for their benefits to run out the last day of February 2010 and Bunning was not in favor of extending them, folks he was the sole objector! It seems sad and ridiculous that one person in the Senate can stop the extensions of benefits for millions but sadly this is the case. I hear that he cannot continue this for long though, he is just stalling the inevitable. But here's the real story here: Bunning's stall game  is the unemployed workers worse nightmare. Those workers as well as their employers both paid toward future need of drawing out those benefits so it is certainly not like they are unworthy to collect them. Surely Bunning feels he has nothing to lose by doing this to the American citizens as he is not up for re-election. Unemployment benefits are hardly ever equal to a regular pay check and are only enough to keep a family's head above water so why on earth would one man in the Senate object to doing the right thing? There is only one answer to this question and it is that Senator Bunning has a cold heart and cannot relate to the needs of average working Americans. Tell me what else it could be? I know all about Paygo, etc. But there was certainly enough money for an unjust war with Iraq wasn't there? There was certainly enough money when Bush and Bunning and the others were pushing tax cuts for the rich wasn't there? Sure there was.. and now that the common men and women of America are in need of unemployment extensions this scoundrel is going to object? Give me a break.

Bunning no doubt receives a salary upwards of 200,000. He is not worried about having health-care and surely does not worry about retirement. Contrast that with the average American worker who is laid off and has lost their health-care, hopes of retirement and a weekly paycheck!

Why do we have our Senate set up like this where one person can object to extending benefits? It is utterly obscene that one person can cause the pain and suffering for so many. Surely this morning those in the Senate will continue their wrangling and silliness but I don't think anything they do will end up in favor of extending the benefits for another week or so. One or two weeks of late unemployment checks can totally devastate a family. Mark my words, there will be long drawn out repercussions of Bunnings actions upon the laid-off citizens of our country. Now they are speaking about Medicare payments being in jeopardy because of their recent actions.

You can read more at the Huffington Post: Here are related articles and I find the comments from readers interesting to say the least.

Jim Bunning Impasse Puts Federal Employees Out Of Work

Bunning Objects to Extending Unemployment Benefits...Again (Video)

Libby Escapes Prison Stint: Some Good Ole Boys are Above the Law

I wish I could say I'm surprised that our President has commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence, but I am not. I figured the President would pardon Libby. As it happened, Libby had already been given his prison number which was 28301-016!

Yes, a prison stint was nipping at Libby's heels and he was feeling the heat (or was he)? Then out of the blue, wa-la! Bush stepped in and saved the day for Libby. This is nothing but favortism at it's highest level. Although Libby broke the law, he will not be held accountable by serving the prison sentence which was handed down to him by the courts.

Here's the facts:

• Libby was found guilty of Obstruction of Justice and was to serve 30 months in prison.
• There was a hefty fine as well but our President has said that the fine will stand.

Like that's going to make a difference. Libby's friends and family can have a few cocktail parties and raise the money for his fine of $250,000.

Since yesterday's act of our President, Libby will not have to suffer the consequences of his lawlessness. President Bush has said that the jail sentence handed down by the courts was "excessive". But I say that the President and his cronies ability to dodge accountability is excessive.

Cheney In The Spotlight
These people are unbelievable. And as if Libby dodging prison via his friend, President Bush isn't enough, vice-president Dick Cheney recently theorized that he is not part of the executive branch!

According to the Courant, "Vice President Dick Cheney's penchant - no, obsession - for secrecy reached a new low recently when he claimed that he doesn't have to obey an executive order issued by the president because the veep "is not strictly part of the executive branch."1

If you want to read more on this, there is an article entitled "When the Vice President Does It, That Means It's Not Illegal". Who knows? perhaps these people think they aren't accountable to God himself. So, what does this say of the morals and values of those in our present administration?It says that President Bush and his friends who serve in Washington are above the law. It says that they use their power to show favortism. It says that Libby and others who break the law won't be held accountable as the rest of us would under the same circumstances.

Democrats Do It Too

For those who may think that this administration is the only one which leans toward croneyism, Bill Clinton did this sort of thing as well. Here is a list of those clinton pardoned while serving as president.

This nation is a mess and I don't believe that the next President is going to be able to salvage it.

1. http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-cheney.1.artjul02,0,1936531.story

The Exposure of Ted Haggard

The following is a warning against hypocrisy:

Luke 12:

1 Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

These words of Jesus came to pass in the life of prominent and popular mega pastor, Ted Haggard recently. Along with this unveiling, we are once again reminded of the reason why we as Christians are to be humble and watch ourselves at all times: Because those who tend to ride their high horse long enough will ultimately fall off it. And this is what we now see in the life of Ted Haggard. He fell off his high horse. And what a mighty fall it was.

Here is an excerpt taken from an article I wrote last year: Swimming with Sharks: The Hypocritical Christian: It never ceases to amaze me how we overlook the sin inside of us that we should be focused on, yet we are all too ready to focus on another's sinful ways. Sometimes the sin that is within us appears to be small and insignificant, but in reality it can be a huge beast of a problem that must be conquered.

What is it in man that leads him in such a downward spiral from the highest heights to the lowest depths?

There are several things but primarily pride, selfishness and fear. He probably felt as though nobody could touch him, not even the male prostitute who accused him, Mike Jones.

What we know right now

The pastor has confessed to buying drugs (meth) more than once, as well as getting a massage from the person in question. But what Christian preacher would go to a known male prostitute to get a massage? Well, that is a can of worms that I will close back up for now. Here’s my take on everything for now: I feel that we will find out more in the near future, and this is why I am hesitant to write much on this news story at this time. In another week or so, we should know more, and I will do a follow up article at that time. One thing is clear; Haggard led a secret life that many people who knew him never witnessed, including his family.

Ted Haggard is a perfect example why you are not to follow or put your full trust in mega preachers or in any man period! They will let you down and disappoint you every time. We have had other prominent men of God who have done the same, remember Jimmy Swaggart? Too many of us have had our eyes averted from the one true God, yet we still have the wherewithal to place our trust and devotion in a man, even if that man is a man of God. And Haggard is a man. He is not above you or me.

Brought Low

Haggard needed to be humbled, this is a given. But what a price he has paid already and will continue to pay in the future. He has surely been brought low.

Now perhaps he will talk a little softer and stay off his high horse when preaching to others about the very things he neglects: morals, self control and self respect. Drugs and homosexuality are two issues he preached against. Due to his recent conduct, he now needs to be preached to regarding these things.

This world is being shaken

This world and the people in it are getting shaken up my friends. And the shaking has only begun. Those who are trusted to get the truth of the gospel out will be shaken as well. And remember, they will be judged more harshly because of the gifts they have been entrusted with. We are told this in the bible:

Luke 12:48

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Warnings

Since I am writing this article from a Christian perspective, you may think I am somewhat biased. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have warned for years on mega churches and their ways. I have sounded the alarm long ago that many in the body of Christ were being swayed in a way which is not good.

Besides the gay prostitute and Haggard, did anyone else know what was going on? Yes. And I can tell you who knew, God knew. And because of this pastor’s stubbornness and refusal to repent and turn from his sins, they are now being broadcast to all of us. Had he turned from them earlier, most likely it wouldn’t have come to this. But the stubbornness of man will often bring to light things that we would have rather kept hidden. But Haggard evidently thought he could get by with what he was doing and keep it hidden. This is where the arrogance comes in my friends. Arrogance will take you further than you ever imagined possible and cost you more than you are able to pay.

Don’t put your trust in man

Don’t put your trust in me. Don’t put your trust in any man or woman on this earth. Put your trust in the one who made you and created the heavens and the earth. This way you won’t go wrong. When I was younger and Jimmy Swaggart had his downfall, I was shocked and saddened, but I didn’t let it knock me for a permanent loop. I realized then that man will fail you, yet God never will. Man is not above sin and debauchery, even those preachers and teachers of the gospel. But don’t judge all of them by a few bad ones. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. You might be asking yourself right about now, where are the true Christians? They are all around you, living their quiet lives and bringing joy, love and help to others just as Jesus told them to.
More on this topic will be available at a later date.

Politics as Usual and Election Day Overload

The irritating and non-stop candidate commercials I have endured for weeks are going to be over in a few short days. That is a good thing because my current unpleasantness has grown over the past three. Every time I am watching a program that interests me, I know that approaching commercial time will be filled with endless mud slinging and grand claims that those in the political arena are well known for. We are hearing a myriad of claims by those who want to get elected. But how many of those grand claims will come to fruition once these candidates get into office?

The bragging and mud slinging is at an all time high right now. I have to confess that I often laugh at the silliness of some of these commercials, many of them are very comical. I wonder who makes these things up. They remind me of being at a circus in which all of the clowns are being marched before us and we are being pressed upon to pick our favorite.

Such is the way of the world we live in that consists of men who make our rules and laws. These politicians make decisions that affect all of our lives. Yet they are far removed from what our lives are really all about.

How many of these politicians have to choose between eating and buying medication?

How many of them search under couch cushions to scrape up enough change to buy a few gallons of gas? Not one of them.

How can we know the true views of those who make such grand claims? If they get elected into office, they have accomplished what they set out to do. In the days we live in, people will generally say anything it takes to get elected. There are no limitations and the gloves are off when it comes to all things political.

Many do not vote

Many have no faith left in the political candidates whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. It makes no difference what they “say” to you about what they stand for. What do they do? Those who have been in office and are seeking re-election you can pretty much figure out and pin down by their record, but what of those newcomers? In my opinion, the newcomers are a lot better than the ones we've had because we cannot tolerate more time out of those who have almost succeeded in sinking our ship.

Good ole boys

Many who are in office got there by pulling the wool over the eyes of the American public by claiming to be a “Good Ole Boy”, they know that the common man will relate to this proclamation and that is why making it will ensure them the votes. But know that most of these people are appealing to you with their great words absent of substance.

In my last article right before the Presidential election, I mentioned that I did not agree with either candidate. Many may not understand nor agree with me but I have to vote my conscience and when the candidates are for this unjust war we are waging in Iraq, I will not join myself with them. We have to take a stand for things we believe in. The problem today in America is that we go with the flow. We follow those who are lacking discernment and wisdom. Why don’t we open up our bibles and dig into the truths it offers us so that we can gain these things?

The Common Man

The political world is made up of patting each other on the back and lobbyists gone wild. In the world of politics, with the exception of a very few, we see it is essentially made up of profit, power and prestige. What do these three qualities have to do with the common man who is working like a slave in order to take care of his family?, nothing whatsoever. How many of you have great power in this earth? Not many. How many of you are making vast profits and walk around with a great name? Not many. See how the world of politics is so very distant from the world which most of us know?

Everyone seems to want something from us and the world of politics is no exception.

The warped and wacky world of voting machines

I don’t trust a machine to take my vote. If there is no paper trail, I don’t trust my vote to be counted fairly. How many times have you went to the store or pharmacy and been told that their computers are down? There have been too many to count. Now imagine that our most important event in America, that of voting, is being controlled by computers. This is the reality that we now face in America my friends. It is foolishness in the extreme. The machines can be controlled in whichever way those who program them desire. Don’t think for a moment this is not possible. There will be a special on HBO soon that will address this issue. Days before the election, state officials have learned that California's most widely used electronic voting machines feature a button in back that can allow someone to vote multiple times . The yellow button places the machine in “manual” mode. People could vote repeatedly and nobody would know. This is only one vulnerability among many others in the wacky world of electronic voting.

To read more on the return to paper ballots, click here .

Blast Off – Rush Limbaugh’s Mouth Once Again on The Run

I was appalled by Limbaugh’s latest. My thinking now is that perhaps the man suffers from a mental disorder or perhaps has no shame and no compassion for anyone. I certainly hope that he is not back on drugs again. On his October 23 radio show, Limbaugh stated that Fox is "moving all around and shaking" and declared: "And it's purely an act".

Whatever possessed Limbaugh to make this accusation? I have no clue, I don't even want to venture a guess. I only know that his radio listeners should sit up and take notice as to who they are so fervently following and giving their ear to. His blatantly false accusations toward Michael J. Fox left me outraged and saddened. Compassion is the very essence of Christianity. I suppose that Mr. Limbaugh either doesn't know this or he doesn't care. Those who have this disease face a struggle everyday that many of us will never know.

If you have nobody in your life who suffers from Parkinson’s, you have no idea what it takes for for them to just live life. Getting up in the morning and facing another day is not an easy task for those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease because there is no, “springing up out of bed” as there is for those of us who are not stricken with it. Trying to control tremors which you really have no control over becomes monotonous and tiring.

Michael J. Fox has met these struggles head on from the get go. Those who suffer with this disease do not want our pity, they only want to live life. These are very courageous people. They are an inspiration to me and forever will be in my thoughts and prayers. My view of Michael J. Fox has not diminished over the years since we’ve found out about his disease. I don’t see him as less than what he was since he has been diagnosed. I think I see him as more.

Anyone can blast off at the mouth such as Limbaugh has, but not everyone can live life with such courage when facing a mountain in life such as Michael J. Fox has since his diagnosis. Mr. Fox is a rare and precious person. I hope and pray that this would all die down.

That is until Limbaugh targets his next victim, and starts that mouth of his on a collision course again.

To visit Michael J. Fox's Website on Parkinson's Disease, click here .

Television: Turn off that Tube

Sometimes I feel like unplugging my television set. Increasingly ridiculous commercials, lost in a sea of reality shows, it makes me want to unplug from that chattering box permanently. In fact, around two months ago, I decided to leave the set off all day. The silence did wonders for me.

Television for Americans is a way of life. We switch our sets on when we get up in the morning without thinking about it. Some of us leave our sets on overnight.

What would we do without television?

We would have to do other things with our spare time instead of tuning into the tube and tuning out of our real world. We might have to communicate with that neighbor we never talk to. Or we might have more time to do work outside or inside our home. We might spend more time talking with our children or spouse. I believe we would be shocked at what we could get accomplished if we disconnected from the tube once in a while.

We have people who are so taken with television that they sit like zombies absorbing every word and vision they see on the tube. This is the very essence of turning it on and tuning everything else out.

I believe our culture is obsessed with television. I remember as a girl visiting my grandmother. Here's what her day consisted of: Making breakfast, doing yard-work, feeding the livestock, cleaning house, preparing three square meals a day. You get the idea. She hardly ever watched television. Her main program of choice was the news at 5:00 p.m. Had she been even a third as obsessed and addicted to television as most of us are today, she couldn't have possibly been as productive as she was.

Commercialism and Consumerism

Television, it is believed, was created to inform and entertain us. But I am convinced that the television serves a dual purpose. And the ones who profit most from those of us who are T.V obsessed are those who profit from consumerism. We seem to see more commercial time than ever before. Big business cannot hope for a better money maker than that of commercial air time. This is the dream of those who want to sell their products and services. We see an item or service via commercial and many of us speed out the same day to purchase it. We believe we must acquire these things we see advertised. Most of the time, we tire of the product we just “had to have”, the same week we get it.

The Increase of Big Pharmaceutical Commercialism
There are so many of these pharmaceutical giants that have splashed their commercials on our screens encouraging consumers to “ask their doctors” about prescribing for them a particular drug. These drug companies that pay for commercial advertising are already making a killing financially off of their drugs. This advertising that you and I are getting progressively disgusted over just makes them more rich. In these days we now live, there is a pill for everything. Less is always better. Remember that goes for medication as well. If you don't have to take it, then you are probably better off without it.
I have tried to post a link or two on the Ambien and Vioxx lawsuits and backlash but am not able to. Don't ask me why, but every link I try to put up identifies them as invalid.

The News Media

The news media molds and shapes our beliefs and thought processes. Don't think for a moment that they don't serve that purpose. Watch CNN or FOX NEWS for an hour and then tell me that you are not influenced by what they put out there.

The news media was created to influence us and not merely to REPORT the NEWS.

We must all take care that we are not influenced in the wrong direction. People that work for the news media are paid big dollars to say what they are told. Money seems to make the world go around and the news media is no exception. The view they wish us to hold will first be blasted over our television screens. Those who don't believe this must wake up and face facts.

The majority of our news media is biased. Those who claim to be, “fair and balanced” are anything but. They are not balanced, and they do surely have a slant, especially FOX NEWS. And this slant can be noticed so easily it is ridiculous. Just because a particular news agency claims to be fair doesn’t mean anything. We hear those words, and most of the time that is all they are, empty words.

They control what we will hear and see. Do you think that you are getting all the facts and all of the news reports that are vital to you and yours by tuning into the mainstream news? Don’t be this naive. There are news stories that you will never hear from our mainstream media. If you want to find out all the news that is pertinent to you, don’t choose the mainstream media. You must go online to get it.

The news media attempts to mold and shape our viewpoint. What is the vehicle they use to get this accomplished? Our television sets.

If you want to have a sweet reprieve from the chatter you continually get from that box sitting in your living room, I encourage you to switch it off and enjoy the sweet silence that you may have forgotten was possible.

They Have Us Over A Barrel

Today, oil prices hit a record high. Closing price: $76.70, and our pain at the pumps is not expected to ease anytime soon. Why does this not surprise me? While the gas gouge is in full force, the oil and gas producers are making record profits.

Obviously, those who are responsible for this gouge are not losing sleep over what they are doing to us. They are laughing all the way to the bank. They know they have us over a barrel (literally) and don't seem to mind.

What is the alternative to buying gasoline? In all honesty, in the days we live in, there is none that I can think of.

Simpler Times

Try to think about how differently we live now than our ancestors did. They scrounged around for what they had to have and bartered for many or most of their daily needs. They lived in more humble abodes and didn't absolutely have to own an automobile. They rode horses, bicycles, or walked wherever they went. They lived off the produce that came from their own gardens, they milked their own cows, they were skilled hunters. Whatever else they may have needed, they foraged for. They didn't have mortgages. And their teens college tuition was not keeping them awake at night.

Their jobs didn't include running a company, flipping burgers, or telemarketing. They spent much of their spare time, if they had any, lending a hand to a neighbor in a jam.

As a result of this laid-back lifestyle, they had less need for anxiety medications or head shrinks. Day after day there was hard physical labor for one and all, yet most went to bed at night without suffering from insomnia. They would never have needed ambien or nytol. I have heard the stories first hand as I am the granddaughter of a sharecropper. In those days I have been told that work was done at one's own home and within the confines of their own property.

There were gardens to grow in the spring and winter. There was wood to chop. There were cows and horses to tend to. There were eggs to gather, cows to milk, and bread to be baked. There was canning that my family had to do if they wanted to get through the winter with meat still on their bones come springtime.

An apple tree or peach tree was a pot of gold to them!

Now we visit our local supermarkets and pick out choice fruit to be scanned and paid for.

People were less lazy in those days because they had to walk everywhere they went! There were no television controllers that they had by their side, they had to get up off the couch to change even one channel. They had 3 channels if they were lucky, now we have 153!

There wasn't time to ponder on what they wanted to "do" with their lives. They didn't have time to "find themselves", they had to make it through today and on through the next.

There was survival on their minds at all times. This was hard wired into them. This one thing stayed constantly at the forefront of their very existence.

They never knew of those things which we now take for granted.

I often think of my grandparents and what they would think of the things we now have at our disposal. Some of these gadgets and luxuries would blow their minds. I can just see my grandmother running a bread machine.

Our current unpleasantness

Why am I writing these things? Because it is evident that we've come a long way baby. We've come so far from those days that it is incredible. And along with this change has come an abundance of technology. Along with our changing times has come a type of slavery. Yes, it's true that I am increasingly feeling like a slave to the oil and gas producers. We are all burdened down with the current unpleasantness of high gas prices. If you want to get back and forth to work, you must have transportation. If you want to buy food, you must jump in your car and drive to the store. Fueling up is a must for us all.

Those who make laws and oversee our Government dealings are remaining mostly silent on this issue with the exception of a few. Senator of North Dakota, Byron Dorgan has raised the issue more than once on behalf of the American people. Will he be able to shake those around him? I hope so. I don't know how much longer we Americans can take this gouging that's going on.

More on the gas gouge in upcoming articles.