Yep, looks like we want to capitalize profit and socialize debt - a good deal for the wheeler dealers. The top end tax cuts plus a huge expensive war, being paid for by borrowing from the Chinese and Arabs, have left the government broke, while years of deregulation and "let them alone"(I forgot the French) has given the bright-but-not-too-ethical financial players free rein. AND, as even Barach says, we really have no choice. Hopefully this thing is structured so that when the now worthless securities recover their value, we will get the money back in the Treasury instead of someone's pocket, but who can tell because there are so many pages including a billion of pork tacked on by the Senate. By golly, we DO need a change!

Glad I got these instructions too late to do serious damage to my liver. Sans instructions otherwise, I needed only one glass of wine to admire how she slid effortlessly into the nearest talking point. Joe was good, though

I agree with your Obama comment - now wish I had some smart money; seems a lot of our money has gone for taxes that pay for an unnecessary war (not smart at all) - hopefully that will change. The problem is, and the weight the Obama Change advocates have to drag, is the newly passed $700 Billion bailout. It will be years before we get that money back and in the mean time the resulting deficit (added to the huge war debt) will have to slow potential changes for the better - conclusion: you are RIGHT

Good analysis

You make me feel guilty - a lazy bum who can sleep at anytime even with coffee. This morning we slept in until 9 and that is the norm these days. I kind of miss sunrises though after 45 years of work and up at 6 each day

I agree. Even John McCain agrees - that is a laugh (who told him to say that?). Where was he before? Pushing deregulation that's where.

Update on my friend, the CEO - whom I gave the book: I got the following email yesterday:

"Joe,
I wanted to write you and let you know that the Shack was great. Fictional or not, the author touched many issues that so many of us question about God and about why things happen in our lives. What I liked was the conversational style. I could just picture me right there is those situations. Then, later how things linked in a way that I never thought of. I pride myself in being forward thinking and seeing things many steps ahead of where we are. Yet, I was constantly surprised and the explanations and the links in life's happenings.

Thanks so much. I am not really a book reader but I could not put this one down. I read it while traveling to HTRI, at the conference and on the way back. I shared it with people on the plan and several others at the conference and at home and work.

Take care. I think the reason why you ended up in Houston was not for the video. I think you were here to bring me a way to help in my spiritual growth.

Regards,
John"

This is some of the best stuff I have ever seen all in one place (well, maybe the Bible if you look REAL hard) - so good I stole it for later use - To whom do I atribute it? - you, I presume. Thanks for posting it

A fishing trip was cutting across the field behind the house, catching grasshoppers on the way to use for bait.

Spiders do it for a living