Thursday, December 18

Tag! I'm not it...sorry...

To the two of you who have tagged me to open my files and show photos, that sounds like an easy enough quest I know. But the sad truth is...I don't have a file to open and share. I would if I did I promise. I am so frustrated with the most basic of these technologies that I have given up. I don't even take pictures with my digital camera anymore because;
a. I can't find it
b. I could never get all the pictures to come off the disc.
c. when I attempted it the disc would get stuck in the computer. Then I would push and pull and ruin the card and have to buy a new one.
d. repeat "c'.
e. I've given up. It's safer for everyone around me.
f. I rely on my children to record my life story in pictorials now.

Go tag my daughters. They're both phenomonal photographers!
Did I mention Annie won first place in the photography show at the Cambridge Art Center? She also sold two of her three photos displayed there. (and not to me or any of our friends... total strangers who loved and appreciated her work bought them!)

Wednesday, December 17

The Loss of Liberty

I've just come to the shocking realization that I must now be living in, perhaps, Nottingham England, where the sheriff is taxing each windowpane. Or perhaps, this is good ole Boston in the 1700's, and that crazy King George is taxing my tea with the stamp act. I wonder this as I've just read that NYC is starting to tax 88 new venues in the coming year, including ipod downloads, non-diet soda, sporting events, radio, cable tv, taxi rides, bus rides (that'll show those poor folks who clean homes or businesses for a living, or wait on tables or behind shop counters and just maybe live above the poverty line and use mass trans!). If it starts there it's just a matter of time before it's here...
Have we gone insane? Or better put, have the people who run our towns, cities, states and country gone insane? Where is that little brain wave known to most as common sense? But then, as a nation, we didn't argue against the politicians when they taxed the rich and the big businesses to give us free everything, because we thought we deserved these riches. I'm really not comfortable with that free use of the word "we". Many Americans have been appalled by the generosity of the government's spreading wealth through programs. But we let political correctness rule the day (again with that "we"). This train isn't stopping. It will be de-railed though; will you be ready to get a new car on the track?
Please, please, stop and think and read and listen. Are you putting goods away now? Maybe you have a bit of savings which can be converted into gold or silver coins....because if devaluation of the dollar hits home (and I believe it will shortly) your savings isn't buying for you then what it could now. Just load up on lightbulbs, shampoo, soup, toothpaste and things you normally use. It's not wasteful if you use it anyway and it's really a comforting way to live. I like never running out of toilet paper and soap. There's always plenty of dish and laundry detergent on hand here. I buy bulk when it's on sale and never need to make emergency runs in a panic. (I actually learned this from my mother-in-law as a new bride. She always had backups of everything. I remember the first time I saw a load of toothpaste and lightbulbs in her hall cupboard. I laughed at it all. Then she took me to my first savings club store in Delaware, I think it was a Costco...Wonder!)
But back to life in America...
This party, I believe, is over. I think the government is stalling the economic collapse as long as possible. President Bush said yesterday he gave up his principles of a free market to save the principles of the free market(?) and the economy, regarding the big three auto-makers. Well, do you really think bailing them out is going to work? Or will they be begging for more in 3-6 months? Their riviters get up to $78.00 an hour with 7 weeks paid vacation and full benefits. For zapping a screw into the side of an auto! How long did they really think that could be sustained? But they have no plans to stop that and start over at $8.00 an hour with one week vacation.
South America just held a global crisis summit where they excluded America and invited Cuba. They have brought Cuba back into their fold; meanwhile Russian warships are now enroute to visit with Cuba. The same warships which just visited Hugo Chavez in Venezuala. Does anyone feel good about this? The Pentagon is giving a show of laughing at the Russians for their antiquated ships. The key word there I think, is "show".
I have a friend who prints money for a living (legally) and he said they printed 331 billion dollars more in the month of November than last year. This is not money connected to the emergency bailout (ha!). This is cash that the Federal Reserve demanded as they had no $100 dollar bills if there were a run on banks, because China is holding $100's. So all printers were on mandatory overtime to print. The printers were all scratching their heads saying, "this ain't good".
Start connecting the dots. Start looking at a big picture. Just think about ways to be prepared if we were to have any sort of monetary collapse to any degree. When the government releases information don't take it a face value. Dig deeper. They have finally admitted we're in a recession and have been since last year. We already knew this! If they're admitting this it is much worse. Just multiply all they tell us. Why are they putting 20,ooo military troops into our cities? They are preparing for something....What?
Wouldn't it be grand if just one politician had read and understood our Constitution and stood up for it. Thomas Jefferson said that within two to three generations if we weren't careful we'd lose our rights. We've lasted a fair bit longer, but it started to deteriorate within those generations. They started giving away our liberties and once that door was opened there was no one strong enough to stand up and close it. Pity.
I'm not putting my faith in our government to fix this. That's just not going to happen. We are living in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged now. It's here. It is that dire. So my number one suggestion for me and my family and you and yours too.....Get on your knees and PRAY for wisdom and guidance....