"It's Crazy Dog"

In my opinion, every day that I wake up breathing is a good day...

With that being said, I wake up nearly every morning (breathing) and say to myself, WHAT? The problem is; I'm retardedly confused by the issues that are put before me. It would be too easy for me to rant about the MSM (Main Stream Media), but I'm talking Ads, Facebook, pop culture. It's like watching Idiocracy. WHAT?

I watch the same Brian Williams-Katie-Couric bull as everyone else to know what it feels to be "infotained" and have my heart warmed with a "Eye on America" moment. I watch Jon Stewart to see everyone get satirically pelted equally. I watch the NFL, and like stories about pirates as much as the next guy, but WTF?

We as a culture, must have ADD and poor math skills or something. Suddenly conversations are 140 characters chunks floating down my screen in real time. The shorter the dismal U.S. has-been news stories, the more time to focus on "The Tot Mom Killer." We can get on with forgetting more quickly, we can forget about yesterdays news, a terrorist, a war, an economy, our future. The quicker we can forget.

The other day, a buddy said "I hope people start waking up." You can't imagine the contrast in our ideological views, but looking past those views, we often share the same feelings underneath. However, self-serving echo chambers on every side of an issue seem to work together from the top to divide and conquer. My friend mentioned the "tea parties" taking place around the country. This is primarily seen as a conservative movement, but I felt for the cause. I'm pissed about how my tax dollars are being spent. Spent under Bush, and Obama. Suddenly conservatives are pissed though? Where were the conservatives over the last eight years? Nevertheless, now that everyone is on the same page, maybe get something done?

What did we forget?

We forgot how much we should pay for a home compared to what we earn. We forgot about the conflict of interest in home appraisers being hired by bank salesmen. We forgot to call B.S. We forgot how much debt we - as a country - should take on, compared to what we take in (hint 1:1 isn't good). We forgot the cost of our entitlement obligations compared to what we take in (hint 5:1 is scary). If we operated the U.S. like a company...with a decent margin...It would take about 50 years to pay that off with no interest, and no new debts. Nah, forget that.

So look, I'm going to lay this out... You can call B.S. if you like and say I'm being extreme (people did a year or so ago), but hey.

The U.S. owes a lot of money. Like...get your legs broken kind of money. The Chinese are even slowing their lending to us. They're worried me might not be able to pay up. The issue is, they're probably right. If they bail now, they lose a lot. If they bail later, they might lose more than what they've put down so far. So we have two choices. As a country, we'll either collectively decide to stiff them, or print what we need to pay them and everything else we owe. Again, WE OWE 5 TIMES OUR YEARLY REVENUE. So far, we've just printed it as we need it, so i don't see why we wouldn't stay the course. But, you see, China and India, don't need us. China can make all that cool crap that we buy, remember? So...If they stop lending us money to piss away, and start spending it within China...think what might be possible. What does the U.S. have to offer at this point? Our sterling beacons of hope - failed financial service departments, failed automakers, and over-priced real estate? Yeah. So, unless something like technology can pull us out of the hole, we'll spend our way out, and into the world's working poor. Think about it... Right now, you're being lied to about everything is getting better. You think "the worst crisis since..." is going to be over in a few months? How will record breaking unemployment affect foreclosures and failing retailers? If you said positively, you're an idiot. Perhaps someone will lull the world and the U.S. into thinking it's OK again. Just shout from behind the curtain to go away... I doubt it. The cracks are starting to show, now wait till the ice freezes. Unemployment is about to start hitting prime mortgages, credit cards, retailers. More banks will fail, more retailers will fail. Our 70% service economy will spiral in on itself as our spending slows.

My tip to you? Your kids are cute, but quit taking pictures of them and think about their future. Tell me, and others what you're doing to preserve it. No, really? What have you done today to make their lives better tomorrow? Soccer practice doesn't count, but that's still your obligation too. You might not believe it now, but it's a brave new world. Did you know China graduates more HONORS ENGINEERS that we do engineers period. Think about how that affects little Johnny! Hell, the stock market may even go up because a rising tide raises all ships. However, it'll only be an illusion caused by inflation. If you leave your 401Ks and little Johnny's 529s in American companies, and American cash while you jerk off to American Idol, you're done! Stop taking quizzes and adding apps that no one is reading. Let's talk about something than one of the pre-defined quiz answers you were segregated into, or your five top whatever, and post some news, some real links....and tell me why you're right when you do damn it.

Here, I'll get you started. Mint.com - This site is awesome, it automatically tells you exactly how you piss away (or save), your money. Next, google this and get some free cash when you open your new Roth IRA, Johnny's 529, or savings, account. Lastly, invest in something like this so you don't end up poor.

Don't say I didn't tell you, but remember me when I need to borrow some. :)
Josh