Cut your quote down, hope you don't mind. We also have to remember that corn production has been affected by ethenol research and production, wheat production goes outside the US, and the oil industry is shutting down pumps and rigs all over the place. A good friend of mine in the oil industry told me the other day that his company closed like 80 something rigs in the last two weeks.

I can tell you that in my history classes the facts are not liberal tainted and the students leave my class knowing about who our allies are.

I too was appalled by the way Britain's PM was treated. However, I am even more appalled at the way the "Bailout" and "Stimulas" money has been thrown out without any checks or balances. To think that my current and future tax dollars are being given as bonuses for failure---that just erks me. And to think, I am getting audited right now because the goberment thinks that my tax claims for education expenses are bogus---why can we not audit them without having to wait 4 years?

Yes, the bailout money for "bonus" failure payments is happening over here as well....the former head of one bank is soooo well off on his retirement package...it has gone to a parliamentary enquiry....he get's tens of millions....they worked it out at £30,000 per week!!!!! To retire on!!!!!!!!

He just took £2.7m AFTER TAX....from the bank...as a lump sum!!!!£5m before tax!!!

He was asked to retire after "bankrupting" the bank!!!!!! I mean....WHAT is going on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to see him in the Sandpit.....earning his money the hard way....

In fact...I had better make a cup of tea before I say what I really feel should happen to people like that...

I understand your feelings Peter, believe me!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

Is it just because I am getting old, or do things seem to change more frequently and with more intensity than they once did? Things seem less predictable and more chaotic with each passing day. Almost nothing surprises me anymore. The recent economic mess is just one aspect of this tremendous rate of change that seems to be occurring all over the world. Well, enough of my foolish esoteric ramblings. Do any of you have this feeling of some un-named force of rapid change in all areas of human endeavor?

HD, I'm young and wow have things changed fast! Within the last year, give or take, I went back to my old highschool to get some information for a job. Apparently, my college transcript wasn't enough. Anyway, what a freak show, the "kids" looked way different than when I went.

Like today, I read where the Fed "created" a trillion dollars out of thin air. Won't that make all the dollars in circulation be devalued? That was a Herald Tribune story.

What are we going to DO about or situation? Some of us tried to vote in a solution, some of us voted in a problem. What are we to do?

I wish I knew. My real income drops every time the Fed increases the money supply. Maybe buy some gold? Sure don't trust the stock market right now. And who can say that McCain would do any different. He was always courting the favor of big spending democrats anyway. All this bailout stuff worries me. Personally, I am building up a supply of canned food. I hear of some serious crop failures all over the place due to draught. Food prices continue to rise. I don't care for chicken that much, but beef is super high and going up. I can get a whole chicken for under $4.00 and just bake it. My kids like it. I rub olive oil on it and then lemon pepper. Serve with rice and it's still a cheap meal. It's much cheaper than buying a cut up chicken. And I have a knife! I think storing up rice and dried beans might be smart. Maybe I'll grow some tomatoes.

Wow, beef is real low by us. Heck, ranchers can't give it away. You could buy a 400 pound heifer for .78 cents a pound. You don't waste muc meat to bone and hide on beef like deer and elk. Domestic breeding makes them get a much higher yield these days. That would be alot of steaks and hamburger if you have the freezer room.

I bet they are selling it cheap now because they can't afford to feed the cattle. Isn't there a severe draught in Texas now? Beef is high here.

we bought a house today


stimulate the economy ...right?