Just wanted to let everyone know that I have not fallen into a deep hole and forgotten. This past weekend I made an unexpected trip to Texas to visit family. My step-father had heart surgery last week, but I am now back at home….and exhausted. Not from my the step-father, but from my brother…whewwww. It was a whirlwind of a trip.

Just a quick sharing moment. DH came home with THREE loaves of bread today. Two of the same stale bread…at a great discount….and a nice fresh loaf for sandwiches. When asked if he thought it was a bit of an overkill, his response was….”NOT if you are going to make some more bread pudding!”  He even brought home another box of raisins.

With all of the devastating financial issues surrounding us, many people are concerned how they will feed their families. I came across something interesting in a blog post at Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church Chanitz.  The post shows photos of families from around the world displaying the amount of groceries they consume in one week, along with the money spent.  This was my first time to visit this blog, but the entry was definitely an eye opener.

Food Consumed by Family Shown in One Week & It’s Expenditure!

Okay, I admit it, I rarely read forward emails….even from the best of my friends. Another thing that I rarely do is “talk” politics. I was raised to feel that politics is something you keep to yourself…but today…for at least this morning (I may decide to delete later), I am going to share an email forward about the bailout.

I expect to get “flamed”, but before any harsh words fly, please realize that I am just sharing this….as a form of entertainment.  I did not write it nor do I even slightly pretend to know the real answer to the problem. I don’t acknowledge which one of my friends/relative shared this email with me, so as to not embarrass. This will demonstrate why I do not speak my mind many times…for fear of having “egg” on my face…as you will soon see with the simple mathematical error  that has occurred in the equation below.

“makes ya think….

Subject: A Plan that WILL WORK for Americans

I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
 
Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in
a We Deserve It Dividend.
 
To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000
bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.
 
Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman
and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..
 
So divide 200 million adults 18+  into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.
 
My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a
We Deserve It Dividend.
 
Of course, it would NOT be tax free.
So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%.
 
Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.
That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.
 
But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife has $595,000.00.
 
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – it’ll be there
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth
Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else
 
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+  including the folks
who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company
that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
 
If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out
a puny $1000.00 ( ‘vote buy’ ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.
 
If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
 
As for AIG – liquidate it.
Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.
 
Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.
 
Sure it’s a crazy idea that can ‘never work.’
 
But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!
 
How do you spell Economic Boom?
 
I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion
We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC .
 
And remember, this plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned
instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.
 
Ahhh…I feel so much better getting that off my chest. 

Kindest personal regards, 

Jerry
                             

PS:  Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it’s either good for a laugh

or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!”

While the intent is well-meaning, the math just isn’t there…and THAT, folks, is why I do not often debate matters of politics or economics with anyone. Just a couple of misplaced 0’s or decimals makes a HUGE difference!

P. S. I have NO clue who Jerry is!

i have been absent lately…absent minded…not present…otherwise engaged…

~take your pick~

in addition to busy-ness of general life back in school….volleyball games…additional college courses…and the constant remodeling going on at our house….

we have also had to contend with …

…illnesses, injury, physical therapy, a friend/doctor finding that she had a tumor in her kidney and said kidney being removed a few short days later,  mom in law in the hospital, chasing down lost eBay packages, and….. DD2’s college athletic scholarship for next year suddenly being pulled (on her birthday no less)… 

…..and today’s dilemma????….

…my house is filled from one end to another with garage sale items… for tomorrow’s city- wide sale …and we are receiving glorious rain….and are expected to continue with on and off thunderstorms through tomorrow…but you see?… i don’t have a garage…that is very low on the to-do list around here….

so…

… my gratitude is sincere for the rain…we have gone so long without any….

however….

what in the world do I do with all of these boxes?