Yes, I think we're in for a world of financial hurt.

The country is bankrupt, the government and financial institutions are corrupt, the politicians are printing and/or borrowing money by the warehousefull and giving it to those who caused the problem in the first place, and, I think, absolutely guaranteeing a worsening financial scene. But . . .

Are we making it out to be worse than it's going to be? Is this the END? Is this the new Y2K?

Just think of the thrust of humankind throughout history. There's been some pretty gruesome things that have happened, don't you agree? World wars, famines, plagues, depressions, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and yes, even Y2K. Remember?

Did we get through it?

Did we survive?

Were we better off for having gotten ourselves through it?

Sure, SOME may riot in tumultuous times. SOME may turn to thievery. But Man is a socially inclined species. Socially inclined people don't hole themselves up in a cave with ammo and guns to protect their stash of food from the "inevitible" maurading hords. One thing socially inclined people do in the face of castrophy is pull together. They work with each other to overcome it because they know that we're all in we're in this together, whatever happens, mess or no mess. But ESPECIALLY when there's a mess.

I've personally seen it in earthquakes. Fires. Floods. People don't scatter to the boonies with their personal stash and "to hell with everyone else" when faced with a crisis. People pull together, they share, they figure out what to do, they face it and they do what they gotta do to handle it. Hey, look at history. THAT'S WHAT US HUMANS DO! It might include a rebellion or two in the interim, or, who knows what. But we'll get through it. Then, when the work is done and order is restored, the scaredy-cat loners can come out of their caves and enjoy the fruits of the labors of the true heros: The people who face up to the challenge, who isolate and eliminate the corrupt and treasonous culprits, who run the enemies of productive people out of town on a rail, who organize and inspire and bring about REAL change. Change where we all wind up better off than before.

Sorry (NOT!), that's my rant for today. Just had to say it. I don't care how bad it gets or may get. I ain't runnin' for the hills. I ain't going to look at my neighbor as the enemy. I'll cast my lot with my fellows.

How about you?

---- Hugh