The average person doesn’t have a clue what is in store for him or her when oil is going to either rationed by the Feds or by price. I am definitely cutting more wood for the upcoming winter and planting more potatoes with my brother. This summer’s project is to build a root cellar.

Henry, I agree with your point of view especially health care and nationalizing the big banks. I say let the banksters all rot and bring all CEO pay back down to earth. I can’t believe they make so much money when banks are writing off so many bad loans.

Now that the bubble has popped the people who gained power organizing the dream hunts are reluctant to direct the world to do anything else. They are going to print cash and throw it on the banking bonfire they have created until the populace demands they do something different en masse.

The ‘free market’ hasn’t created jobs in years; government action has. The free market runs mergers, fires half the staff and spends the savings gambling on derivitives. We are nowhere near capitulation of the political and financial elites to new realities. Everyone is pretending things will go on as normal.

With any luck this swine flu scare will just be a scare. If it truly is a pandemic we’re truly deep in the manure pile with a pickle fork.

Here’s to being fit, healthy, and having a strong immune system…possibly the best rate of return of all.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8018356.stm

Heading out to stock the larder (if I can call my apartment’s closet a “larder”).

Sharon, I am so glad to hear someone else saying this too. While it’s not a popular view at present, in real terms this is so true. Allow me to explain,

When I received last year’s stimulus, I was able to pay down some outstanding household debt. Sadly, so far, those funds were the last extra (meaning non-necessary to actual existence) dollars I have seen since. And my situation is by means unique.

Many other folks I know used their Bush funds, not to go shopping for big screen televisions or vacations but to get medical/dental care and prescription drugs. Most felt at the time this might be their last opportunity for a while and most have been correct. For an increasing number of adults, the choice of taking care of their health is being edged out by other more pressing demands such as food, shelter and energy.

I personally find it ironic that the financial crisis is blamed (in large part) on the massive over-indebtedness by the consumer. Yet, all talk of solutions focus exclusively on encouraging further borrowing. In fact, the consumers ability to pay this debt gets squeezed tighter each passing day.

If the problem the banks really face is the specter of massive consumer default, then why (oh why) is not the entire machinery focusing on making sure the consumer can pay down the debt (instead of actively working against this)? Would not this seem to be the best way for ensuring everybody wins? Consumers pay off existing debt, *voila* no loan default crisis. Once no longer over-extended, they will within a couple years be ready to resume major purchases to replace aging merchandise, etc.

If the problem the banks really face is that the golden goose cannot lay eggs at ever-increasing speeds, it’s certainly no excuse for choking it to death.