Banking it.... Or rather paying off some bills...

I have a unique opportunity while my new job is ramping up and my old job is ramping down to have "two jobs" for a while...

Guess what we're doing? Paying off debt as fast as we can. The goal is to have our credit card/fridge/computer/dryer stuff paid off on the extra money.

I told my wife last night that I think this (lower pay environment) is a long term thing and that we need to be prepared to live on about 50-60K a year (combined) in future years. Much less than that, and I've got to move to a smaller house (or a trailer) with 3 kids to feed and clothe. The wife and I fuss quite often about "entertainment" for the kids, because I don't believe in it, but she does.

I've wondered about getting rid of the cell phone and other extras to save the money.

Gym, swimming lessons, baseball camp. It all adds up. However, if I can get my son a copy of JBuilder Personal or Delphi, then maybe he can start helping the family earn a living in a year or two. A couple more years, and I'll recruit my daughter, too. Besides, once I'm 45 or 50, noone will hire me (because I'm too old).

I guess I'm a stick in the mud, but for centuries, kids worked alongside their parents in the fields, in stores, in blacksmith shops, etc. I think a lot of what is wrong with kids today is that they have to be "entertained". Unfortunately, the U.S. is rapidly going from being a "rich" country to a 3rd world country. Mainly because of the greedy rich bastards running the place, who don't believe in letting anyone make an honest day's wage.

Unfortunately, I think we're entering a period of prolonged "hard times", where it may take all four of us to keep our house and get us out of debt. Japan isn't as far away as you think.

Glen Austin

I believe you are correct. Also near-enough re the (now Huge) greed-swing which I place as beginning ~ the time Ronnie R first uttered that piece of doggerel about greed being OK. Floodgates opened because: they Knew Ronnie'd make it So. (There seem to be several variants in how he phrased it, but that it gave carte blanche for the already wealthy to become Obscenely So - appears unarguable). Then there's always QED.. in a pinch.

Personally, I know of no litmus test I trust re divining the depth of corruption in any given org. Today I merely presume the ancient Truth expressed re metaphysical matters, as above, so below.

Our corruption is manifest most clearly at The Top (biz or politics), but it's present in almost every 'transaction' -- incl. the singing ads to get you to get your 'doctor' [your insurance co. actually..If you Have Either One] to Buy This New Drug! for this Attractive New Disease. (We also have stuff to drug your kid, for her not wishing to sit at a desk for 4 hours straight without moving)

Hard times then? Yes - what is anyone else's projection of the amount of "suffering energy" required to counter the kinetic energy of Full Greed?

- to first slow the decline; then turn-around, then gradual acceleration towards a decent, honorable society wherein The Mandatory Corporate lie: is no longer a mantra you must mouth, merely in order to feed self.

I (merely) suppose that there is a kind of 'conservation of energy' principle applicable here: that the screwing of the actual working people, the manic excesses of the Yuppie-clan and its millions of wannabes -- all this entrenched and intentional 'class' distinction has created {whatever you like, if you don't like} karma which must be erased by good(er) deeds. The Hum-Vee is the perfect symbol for the Fuck You, I Don't Care if it Crushes Your Car crowd.

I hope that enough? Muricans shall have grokked this soon and thoroughly, before the present end-game destruction is completed by this renegade cabal, now racing forward, heedless of all 'debt' - financial and the Other Kind.

As to decency: the Christian variants on that aren't a bad start. No monopoly there, but at least even the non-Christians will have little to grouse about in the definitions, IMhO.

Ashton
If we don't revolt pretty soon - we shall continue to be / be seen by most others as, revolting.

Revulsion: that's what {ugh} means.

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