Category Archives: Rambling

November 25, 2008

Are Americans Thinking Their Way Into A Recession?

My husband and I had an argument the other day because someone on one of the forums he frequents said that we are not in a recession, we just think we are. I agreed with Mr Anonymous, hence the argument. So to clarify for my husband and anyone else who cares to listen in, here are my thoughts on the subject.

” If you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.”- Henry Ford

This one sentence describes exactly what is happening to this economy right now. The television tells us the economy is bad, the DOW is down (who is this Dow guy and what does he have to do with me anyway?), retailers are quaking in their boots in anticipation of a bad holiday season . So what can we do but hold on to the money we have for the “just in case scenario”?

  1. Just in case we join the ranks of the jobless
  2. Just in case we are unable to pay holiday bills
  3. Just in case gas prices go up again
  4. Just in case our 401K continues to decrease in value

And what does all this just in casing (yes I know that’s bad grammar but bear with me) lead to? Retailers don’t make any money so they don’t hire as many seasonal workers, they pay less than they did last year to the ones they do hire, and they will definitely let people go when January rolls around.

Did I mention that they probably don’t order anything from their manufacturers, who then don’t order from their suppliers, who have to cut costs probably via layoffs and so on, and so on until our deepest darkest fears become reality and we have to take a pay cut or join the ranks of the unemployed.

Bottom Line – Our thoughts and beliefs, decide our fate. If we think that we live in an abundant world then we do. If we focus on what we fear the most, then it will come to pass.

Go out and spend some money on toys and clothes and stocks and jewelry. It will boost the economy and cheer you and someone else immensely!

November 16, 2008

Words Have No Meaning When You Don’t Know the Meaning

I’ve been spending way too much time in the blogosphere and on the internet in general. In my travels I’ve read a lot of political stuff that was linked to by folks who were scared by the ideas put forth in these articles. I thought I knew what some of the scary words  meant, but , just to double check myself, I thought I’d whip out my Lincoln Writing Dictionary for Children (copyright 1988) and look up some stuff:

Conservative- 1. wanting to keep things as they have been; against change. In politics people who are conservative generally believe that the government should hold to the values of the past and take a limited role in human affairs. 2. not taking chances; cautious or careful. 3. Following a modest style, not showy.

Liberal – 1. wanting to make changes in something with the goal of improving it; in favor of change. In politics, people who are liberal generally believe that the government should take an active role in human affairs and create new laws and programs tha will solve social problems. 2. willing to give freely; generous 3. not exact or strict

There was no definition for Marxism, maybe I need a grown-up dictionary for that one.

Socialism – a system of economics and government in which the factories,land, businesses, and other means of producing goods are owned by the government rather than by individual people or companies.

Since I’m in the dictionary already I am curious about the definitions for capitalism and communism:

Capitalism – a system in which individual people and companies rather than the government hold and control the money, or CAPITAL. Under capitalism, the things needed to do business, such as land, factories , and goods are privately owned and are operated to make money for the owners.

Communism – an economic system in which all property, goods, and services belong to the government rather than to individual people or private companies. Under communism all people are supposed to share equally in what is produced.

Very simplistic and yes I could have found more complicated and up to date definitions on the internet (and maybe I will another day), but I wanted a Sunday afternoon take – easy.