Infastructure Bailout!

    It’s hard not to be thinking about the economy these days.  What with home sales down to there lowest since the mid-eighties, new job layoff announcements on almost a daily basis, a stock market the bounces more than my old Super-ball, and the news broadcasters reporting and hyping each tidbit in the process.  Then we got to hear about some of the worlds largest banking firms receiving billions of dollars in bailout money for which we have yet to hear how it was spent. 

   So there’s now more bailout money being sent out to individual states, reportly to be used for infrastructure rebuilding.  I am not sure if all this bailing-out is good or bad.  But, having read the reports of the condition of our bridges throughout the country, it’s seems like spending some money to replace many of them may be a very good idea.  At least there will be something visible left afterwards that we all will be able to see where the money went!  And in the meantime, it could help provide a real and visible jump start by providing new construction jobs, which right now are badly needed.  Though not the ultimate answer by any means, it will provide a starting point that all can see and perhaps help them to see past the present and once again into the future. 

   Though things could get worse before this year ends, I prefer to believe that things will get better.  Better is not that I will get rich, for in many ways I already am.  I just do not have the money to prove it.

DHL – Business or International Politics?

Is DHL aka Deutsche post’s decision to pull out of the USA a Business or a Political decision?  You have to wonder why a company with almost two (that’s a 2) Billion dollar bottom line would pull out of one of the worlds largest business countries. 

Is it because they were not making a profit in this county or does the reason go deeper?  One thing to keep in mind is that DHL was one of the three major express package delivery companies in this country.  It is also a foreign based company.  Though I am not against foreign investment into business in this country, it does point out the vulnerability of a company totally controlled by one.  It is every businesses right to make a decision to close out part of their business base, for what ever reason they feel is needed. 

The difference in this case, is the reason does not take into account any concerns for the thousands of American employees whose livelihoods depends on those jobs being eliminated.  Would things have been different if this were an American company with an international base of business.  Based on history, how many American company’s have closed their US based operations and remained in business in only countries outside the USA?

As we move forward in this Global Economy, we do not want to be isolationists and do need to continue to conduct business with other countries.  But, I would ask the question, does our government need to do just a little bit more negotiating when “We the People”, let them in?

The Economy. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

So they say the Economy is bad.

But there are those that are telling everyone that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I have to agree. There is a light. Hopefully it’s not the light of the train entering from the other side!

We have a new President.

  Well it’s official, we have a new President.  There are some who are ecstatic, there are others who still harbor bitterness that their candidate did not win.  Hopefully those who are ecstatic, will move forward always watching, listening and providing feedback through their Representatives, on how they feel things continue to move, both good and bad. 

   For those who feel the best candidate did not win, they have to face the realization that our Republic and it’s Democratic process selected This President and he now needs their support as well.  Again this means providing continued feedback on the good and bad through our local and state Representatives. 

   Many stood on different sides of the fence, but they must realize that like many neighborhoods, there can be two fences with a commons area in-between.  We all need to open the gate on our fence and meet in the Commons where we are free to talk, discuss and make decisions.  

   The greatest presidents were great because of the people they did their best to help lead.  Will this President be great, only time will tell.  But, without the efforts of the people working toward the common goal of a better country for us all, we cannot have either a great president or a great country.

Good luck Mr. President Obama.

Running, or at least I used to.

   I used to run.  I can still remember what it felt like to be able to go for a run without a destination in mind, nor a time limit imposed by the limitations of my body.  It’s not that I cannot still run, as I can.  It’s just that today, I run at seven miles an hour, where I used to run at nine to ten.  I used to run for no less than an hour nonstop at top speed.  Today I need to slow to a walk half way to thirty minutes, soon after which I need to stop all together.

  I do not expect anyone to feel sorry for me, as I can still run.  I just cannot run like I used to.  I do not feel sorry for myself, I just miss going out and running without limits.  I was never the winner in a road race, though I ran in many.  I never finished in the top ten in a marathon, but I made the top fifty. 

  Though I maybe cannot run without limits anymore, I can still run, which in and of it self, can help make my day.  Not being able to do, does not mean not doing.  Remembering what was, does not mean forgetting what can be. 

   I think I might just try to go for a nonstop thirty minutes.  Even if I have to slow down just a little bit.

Bowling makes my finger hurt.

   Did something this weekend I have not done in about ten years, I went bowling.  The family wanted to spend a weekend afternoon seeing just how many pins we could leave standing.  It ended up being a good excuse to dig through the closet and find the old bowling bag, ball and shoes.  

   Well the first good news was the shoes still fit.  At least my feet have not gained any weight over the years.  The first couple throws were a little rusty, but after a bit, things started to click.  In my case, clicking is hitting a score of over 150.  My old average was a modest 158, so getting close was a confidence builder.  In the next game I almost hit 180, which being over my old average, was a very nice treat after so many years. 

   As much fun as it was to throw the old ball again, it was more fun watching the grandson get just a little bit excited about rolling the ball down the bumper protected gutters, at speeds that well surpassed the quickest turtle you can find anywhere.  Of course it is hard to compete with the new Play Station he has at home, so getting more than seven frames of excitement was an obtainment to be relished.

   As you might expect, there is no way to do something you have not done in may years without your body providing a certain degree of payback.  In my case, the payback was a ring finger that felt like it had been dislocated and or injected with a pure dose of arthritis.  If that is what arthritis feels like, I really hope I never get it.  But, all in all, not a bad outcome for having so much fun.  I might just try doing this again before the next ten years slip away from me.