Recession: Causes-Lack of Recovery

So.....listened to an economist (who worked with one of our former presidents) analyze the Great Recession we are currently enduring. (Frankly can't see a thing great about it! .....but.....

This is what he said whether we agree or not it gives food for thought and makes sense if you have listened to the news over the last 5 years. Both the cause and the lack of recovery are related to the disproportionate amount in salaries being paid to CEO's and the common middle class worker. Thus, in his analysis the total middle class who earn, spend, and thus support the economy have had less and less money to invest and / or spend. Therefore, nothing is moving forward. Even though this fact has been exposed over and over nothing has been done to correct this. One part of the middle class he cited as continually suffering from low wages for the amount of education and work required were school teachers. YOU GO MAN!!! YOU SURE GOT THAT ONE RIGHT!
But teachers are not the only underpaid middle class workers. There are many out there. And the overpaid CEO's were exposed in the beginning of this event as a part of the downfall of many bank and mortgage institutions which incidently the government propped up only to have them pay their CEO's more $$$$.

Now today comes further information uncovered in the census reports -- the gap between the haves and the have-nots has grown such that it is greater than it has ever been.
I have come to the conclusion that some people running this place have hearing problems and real deficits in making connections! How about you?

Two Delinquents and One Angel

Never in my life did I think I would be raising two delinquents. I remember once when my nephew was barely a toddler my sister and I took him to get his picture made. Of course, the worst of scenes would occur when he threw his little temper tantrum. I remember my sister's comment about how we make such fools of ourselves when they act out in public trying to get the situation back under control. I felt sort of that way when my girls ran off this week.

As you may know, we have a new addition to our canine brood. She has joined our pack and came fully packed with all of the energy and inquisitiveness a puppy could possess. Right away she figured out that she could squeeze through the pickets of the wrought iron fence that lines our back yard. Such was the case late Thursday morning. While trying to retrieve Princess Camelot I lost sight of Piper Kensleigh who had taken full advantage of my antics with the gate and off she trotted as if she was competing in the Kentucky Derby. Fortunately some kind souls were strolling the neighborhood and heard me pleading with these two delinquent canines to come back home with me and helped me lasso the two and reign them in.

And who should be back in the yard but Sassy Jane the Queen of our home. In the yard minding her own schnauzer business and obeying all of the rules. I have a feeling that both of the delinquents will always be exactly that. My Queen will always be as she is although she had her days when she "visited" the neighbors on Wild Orchid Trail. But in those days we did not even have a fence. As I recall she always came back when called, too. Still waiting for the other two to take a lesson from their older "non-delinquent" sister.

All Clogged Up

Gee, sheesh, I have heard several times on the news today that the leaves are coming after me!! They are going to jump in my gutters and clog them up so I need to run out and buy some gutter guards. Of course, then they say you can buy this "stuff" to make gutter guards for a small amount per yard and get it installed for one to five hundred dollars. But......if you buy a gutter guard system and have it installed you are looking at a bill up in the thousands. What else do I need to do? Oh yes, my grass is all clogged up, too. I need to get one of those "thingies" and punch holes all in my lawn and then sew the grass seed. NO, I think that is sow the grass seed -- oh heck, whatever the grass seed! I think that is because the soil in NC is good ole clay - more suitable for making bricks than growing grass!

Fall is expected to "fall" later this week, and daylight saving time will end the first weekend in November. From that point on the hours of daylight will evaporate until by December it is practically dark at 4:40 PM.

As I have gotten older that has really clogged up my thinking! Even the joys of the Yuletide season can't dull the effects of the lack of light for me. I will get slowly "unclogged" as the days start to lengthen in January. By January 31st I will realize they are at least thirty minutes longer. Convinces me that there is a God in Heaven. How about you?

Values

Some time some where many moons ago a set of parents labored with me their first child (but not their firstborn) to teach me the values that make up my character today. I am certain it was not always easy. Today as an adult I am grateful for their efforts on my behalf. They lived what they taught. I am not sure whether they were always perfect in their effort(s) but the values I admire today I learned in my home.

What I observe in the world around me gives cause for concern . What were other parents doing when my parents were "making me perfect?" What are young parents doing today about teaching values to their children? Have people my age forgotten what they were taught at their parents knee(s)?

Where is respect for others, their lives, and their homes? Where is honor? Where is responsibility for our acts and our part? What about love of God, freedom, and mankind?

I was raised in the south in a time when men opened the door for ladies and allowed them to walk in front when entering a building so as to assist them, and never on the outside when escorting them on the street. I guess I remember those things just because I am old. Because I am old those things no longer show respect, is that it?

Just the thoughts of an old person on an almost fall day.

Our New Princess

As of Labor Day weekend we have a new member of our canine family, Princess Camelot. We are calling her Cami. She is as cute as a button and as full of energy as the Energizer Bunny!
Her Mother's name is Guinevere thus the name Camelot. Her owners spelled her Mommy's name some other way but I am too dumb to remember. It has been a while since we had a puppy in our home. They drive me crazy! The last time I did this my brother-in-law took Piper Kensleigh and kept her for about six weeks just so I could regain my sanity. So you might want to keep watching this spot just to know when I finally trip over to the nut house.

Labor Day?????

Why do they call it Labor Day when it is a holiday and folks are off partying and playing because it is the last holiday of summer? Not many people are doing any real labor. That is except for those who work in the service industry. Oh well, maybe that is who Labor Day is supposed to be about -- the folks in the service industry. But shouldn't they have the day off to honor them?

This is getting rather confusing just trying to figure it all out.

Folks surely do look forward to this holiday --- not me. I Hate Winter!! So I have no love for seeing the days get shorter and the weather get colder. I hate short days. By November I am looking forward to the end of January when the days start to lengthen again.

Only one way to look at this thing, I guess -- To Each His Own!

Here We Go Again...

Have you noticed anything strange happening to the green "stuff" outside?? It is no secret that the leaves have sent that message to the plants on which they are growing. What was the message? Oh, the message said, "time to cut off the chlorophyll." "All done for this season."

So when the chlorophyll stops flowing, the leaves turn all colors and fall on the ground. In other words, dear friends, what I am saying is that trees and plants start throwing all of their clothes on the ground. Yes, the time for the season to change draws near and these plants have decided to "make bare." Just to clue you in, the seasons facing us will not be like this the hottest of all summers. Humans will soon start putting on more clothes. Does that give you any clue??

Now, as I have said before in earlier entries to this blog, what is it with trees? They seem to have it all backwards according to the humans on this planet.