Memories. . .

You've seen the articles and email about the 'good ole days' like:

". . . I remember the simple days of growing up in the 50's and 60's.
Remember cars without seatbelts?
Remember riding a bike without helmets?
Getting excited to see the milk-man
bringing fresh milk to the back porch?
Sitting on the front porch and knowing our neighbors!
Praying in school?
Being spanked by our parents! ( yeah it was ALLOWED! )
Getting "licks" in school. ( the great board of education! and it worked!)
Being a ONE car Family! you know the one dad used to go to work in!
The smell of sheets on the bed from being hung on a clothes line!
When we used empty food cans with string to talk to our friends ( before we even knew what cells phones were!)
Oh the simple days.....

And...with all our progress...
don't you wish...just once...
we could slip back in time and savor the innocence,
the respect, the slower pace...
and share it with the children of today? . . ."

I'm not one to get lost in the past and certainly believe MOST of what I have today is better that what I had in the past, especially technology and my own maturity.  

But. . . "Budoir Photo Packages" and "Pole Dancing Lessons" give one pause regarding the progress we've made as a society.

What do YOU think?
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More, More, More . . .

. . . it's never enough. . .

 (from NPR http://www.npr.org/2012/04/27/151456319/is-moderate-growth-good-for-the-economy)
'The U.S. economy hit the recession exit ramp nearly three years ago, but it's been lost on the back roads somewhere near Recoveryville ever since. Growth rates have been modest at best compared with the 4-plus percent growth in the years well before the U.S. began slouching toward its worst post-World War II recession. On Friday, the government reported that the economy grew at a 2.2 percent pace in the first quarter, down from the 3 percent rate at the end of 2011. The Federal Reserve this week said it expects growth to "remain moderate over coming quarters and then to pick up gradually. "Common sense says high growth rates are good and slower, more modest ones are not so good. But is that always the case? After all, the "irrational exuberance" of the early 2000s helped bring on the recession as people borrowed and spent their way to prosperity. Economists say growth will remain low and consumers will be cautious as long as unemployment stays high. Last month, the jobless rate stood at 8.2 percent. We asked four economists for their take on the growth rate and whether it has triggered any permanent change in consumer behavior. They are Chris Christopher, a senior principal economist at IHS Global Insight; William Dickens, an economist at the Brookings Institution; Gary Hufbauer, a senior researcher at the Peterson Institute for International Economics; and Ken Matheny, senior economist at Macroeconomic Advisers. . ."

It's time we re-examine our expectations and our standards.  Let us redefine 'growth' and calibrate our expectations to a more realistic and natural level. Paraphrasing Dylan Ratigan in "Greedy Bastards",  short term greed is practiced by greedy bastards;  the largest  payback as quickly as possible.  Long-term greed is what capitalism is all about.  Provide a good or service of value and reap a profit over a number of years . . . yes YEARS;  a concept quite foreign to U.S. business.

What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

 
Also download your
very own copy of
AMBIENCE & WINE
by Ray Jozwiak

Please visit
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