In the event you may not have noticed, I endeavor to not take life too seriously. Some consider me an eternal optimist and others a confused pessimist. Either is fine with me as long as my glass remains half-full (preferably with an oaky Chardonnay). However, as I pen this article, it is early October. Why so early, you ask? Because for reasons unknown, Editor Tom Peric' insists he needs it that early. Nevertheless, at this time, I am having an extremely difficult time trying to find something optimistic or even slightly humorous to write about. Some would probably say the latter has never been a problem for me, but so be it.
Since this is the December issue, let me refresh your memory as to why I am seemingly having a problem. These are a few current events:
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Our politicians just passed the $700 billion Economic Stabilization Bill, which no one is sure will work.
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The two main candidates who ran for president are highly regarded politicians, as all of them are, in spite of the fact they can't get higher than an eight percent approval rating. In their recent debate, they totally ignored the fact they both had just approved a $700 billion bill, full of earmarks, that might not work, but each is confident they will be able to spend at least twice as much to make everyone happy again. I wonder when in a politician's career do they begin to forget where the money they spend comes from.
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One in six U.S. homeowners owes more on their mortgages than what their homes are worth.
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Curly, my pet caterpillar and traveling companion, is miserable with a very bad cold.
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The Fed just dropped interest rates one-half percent and announced they would bypass banks and lend directly to U.S. corporations for the first time since the Great Depression.
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Countries worldwide are moving to stabilize their financial institutions to avoid a global meltdown. What's more, they blame all the problems on the U.S. subprime mortgage fiasco.
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The stock market fell to its lowest level in five years, and I will have to work only 25 more years.
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Iceland is nearing bankruptcy, and nobody seems to care.
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Credit is tightening very quickly, and most experts expect it to remain so for at least a year.
OK, enough is enough. Now, if I can just get this fork out of my eye, I'll be able to continue. There! Ah, now I can see there are some things on the bright side.
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The election is over for four more years.
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We have a fresh new president to blame everything on.
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The government is going to pay off all mortgages and bad debts, and rule all borrowing illegal.
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Because of previous excesses, corporate executives will be paid only minimum wage and be thankful to get it. Pay will be commensurate with the leadership.
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The U.S. government will exile Barney Frank to Iceland as punishment for the subprime mortgage fiasco.
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The economy will recover just as fast as the media took it down.
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Research will prove that if your nose runs and your feet smell, you're built upside down.
Keep smiling.
Don Frendberg,
Executive vice president / COO