Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just wanted to say to the world, “Bite me!”? Usually when that happens you can’t think of a good line. Let me help you out here with some great lines you may want to remember and tuck into your mind-pocket for when the time is right.

How about Cher’s line in “Moonstruck”?

Or what about the great Jack Nicholson line from “A Few Good Men”?

Then there is the great Robert De Niro

And if you are really stuck in trying to get your message across, this line from “Cool Hand Luke” is a good one to remember.

For giggles with a straight face, “I’ll have what she’s having.” No, it doesn’t pertain to me but I love the lady observer’s line.

Or for that uptight person in your life (not MY husband), there is Carol’s comback to Shrevie in “Diner.”

So, it’s been a “Bite me!” week. Hope I’ve helped you out here. I feel much better!

—cher

“Let the games begin”  was the rallying cry made four days ago by top U.S. and South Korean military commanders, as the two nations engaged in high publicized, joint military exercises along Korea’s east coast.  Although the  exercises were touted as routine military drills, the message sent to North Korea was clear and unambiguous; the United States is ready, willing and able to counter any acts of aggression initiated by Pyongyang.   An equally clear message was delivered to South Korea concerning the United States government’s resolve to support them should North Korea launch an attack.  There is little doubt among politicians in the U.S. and South Korea that it was time to let Pyongyang know that further acts of aggression (similar to the torpedoing of the Cheonan) will not be tolerated.  However, there is plenty of doubt that the joint military exercises will have any impact at all on North Korea’s plans to  further develop nuclear weapons capabilities.

In a  sense, the United States and South Korea have engaged in the same kind of “saber rattling” as North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Il.  In fact, North Korea initially made threats they would intervene militarily if the U.S. and South Korean conducted  the joint exercises off the east coast.  Like most threats from Kim Jung Il, his words  have proven to be empty rhetoric.  It is yet to be seen whether or not U.S. and South Korean forces would actually retaliate if another minor (or even major) provocation occurred, or whether, in fact, the U.S. is doing some saber rattling of its own.

Lying slightly below the surface of simmering hostilities on the Korean Peninsula, are the Chinese and American spheres of influence.  The Chinese support of North Korea, both economically and politically, is not likely to waver as long as Kim Jung Il refrains from taking actions that would be counter to Chinese interests.  Time and time again, the Chinese have blocked severe U.N.  Security Council sanctions against North Korea, including a resolution blaming them for the torpedo attack on the Cheonan.  Consequently, Kim Jung Il will not make a serious military move, including the use of nuclear weapons, without the consent and approval of the Chinese.  Likewise, the South Korean military will not make a serious military move against the North Koreans (even a retaliatory strike) without the approval of the U.S.

The joint military exercises among the U.S. and South Koreans amount to nothing more than another shot over the bow in the “war of words” going on in East Asia.  Most likely, the rapidly growing economic relationship between the U.S. and China will help to ensure that a military conflict in Korea doesn’t ruin the chances of continued economic prosperity for both countries.   In the meantime, China will not alienate North Korea with sanctions or words of reproof; they will simply keep the North Koreans isolated, hungry, and dependent.

Rich

Robert E. Lee once wrote, “The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right.” I have been grappling with the issue of honesty these last several years, both from a business perspective and personally. On more than one occasion I have heard people say, “This country is going to hell in a hand basket.” It is an old canard, but when I hear that phrase, I have to wonder why we seem to have lost that proverbial moral compass. In my mind the answer is a lack of honesty, a word closely aligned with integrity.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines honesty as “the capacity or condition of being honest; integrity; trustworthiness; not lying, cheating or taking unfair advantage.” In our daily endeavors, however, lying has become mainstream. I am not going to delve into the political realm on this because that is merely a reflection of our own character and what we have become conditioned to accept as the norm.

Within our business settings and in our personal lives, a lack of honesty is a complete detriment to our growth as individuals and can have devastating repercussions. In one of the businesses I have owned, for example, I nearly lost much of my financial investment because those in whom I had placed my trust, sold goods “out the back door.” I had an antique shop which was open 12 hours a day; six days a week. There was no way I could possibly be in the shop all those hours. I had to value estates that were being sold, and then hold the sale, orchestrated with security and attending personnel who worked for me so that eyes were everywhere. I had to hunt for antiques, and attend auctions. Somewhere in between, I needed to refinish any antique furniture I had purchased in order to pay my employees, pay taxes, advertise and make a profit in a highly competitive market.

So while I was running hither and yon taking care of business, I hired a sales person to run the shop. All they had to do was sell items in the shop, keep all receipts and act in a friendly but professional manner, as they were a representative of my business. My reputation was on the line, so the latter was extremely important. When one is in business, reputation is everything.

The day came when I realized that I had been cheated and lied to by an employee whom I had hired because we had been friends for a number of years. I trusted her with my shop and with my reputation. But she had sold valuable merchandise “out the back door,” which meant there was no receipt and no paper trail of any transaction. She had kept all the money from the sale giving customers ‘deals’ if they paid in cash. By the time I realized that my trust in her had been violated and that she had not been honest with me, a business in which I had invested my heart, not to mention my money, nearly closed. I terminated her employment and that of several others. Her dishonesty cost not only me, but innocent by-standers.

“In innocence there is no strength against evil,” wrote author Ursula K. Lee Guin. I had innocently placed my trust in a friend who nearly ruined my business and completely ruined our friendship. It was an evil deed. To say that I was chagrined or disheartened does not convey that wrenching feeling of betrayal I felt. That was the most devastating of all. And it all comes down to one word: honesty, a most elusive character trait.

—cher

In traveling the blogging trail, there are times when we come across a blog that is so profound in it messages and is written with such depth of passion, that I want to share it so that many, many more will visit and enjoy. It is fine dining for the mind. Such is the case with
Barkha Dhar’s Blogs On Social Issues
This writer has a depth of passion for social activism on women’s issues that is unsurpassed. Her latest entry is “Women’s Rights Should Not Be Ostracized.” The following is a brief excerpt from that post:

“So if you are a man and you see a women being expelled of her rights……

• Stand up against violence. You shall be more of a man in doing so
• Care for other women as you would care for your own
• Learn to respect femininity. It may not seem as powerful as masculinity but without it your machismo certainly is incomplete
• Be an advocate to stop ostracism against women. Talk to peers, family and friends or whoever you think is the smallest dust particle that causes such offense.
• Everybody says that it’s a man’s world. Is it or isn’t it? is not the question. The real quest is to make this world a better place for everyone to live including every woman you meet in your lifetime, irrespective of her role or abilities.

If you are the King, she is the Queen, so treat her like one. You will be a torch bearer for others”

She also uses the most powerful videos in furthering her message. In her post entitled “Peace of Mind,” she has used this video to emphasize her message. It will stay with you for a long time.

Please visit this amazing site. Give Barkha Dhar your support and let us all be thankful that good people like this are treasures in our blogosphere.

—cher

Reacting to threats by the European Union to strengthen sanctions against Iran, President Ahmadinejad continued to “rattle his saber”, and expressed his usual contempt for those countries that stand in the way of Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions. Ahmadinejad’s bellicose behavior comes as no surprise to either the EU or to the United Nations, both of which have repeatedly threatened to punish Iran for it’s uranium enrichment program. The unfortunate truth is that sanctions are unlikely to work over the long run because of Russia’s and China’s reluctance to push too hard against a country they view as friendly to their own self-interests in the region. In the short run, sanctions will not be effective because the government has repeatedly shown its willingness to allow its people to suffer from shortages and deprivations in the pursuit of nuclear weapons. In the end of the “development period”, which is coming soon, the Iranians will have constructed and deployed nuclear weapons in spite of world-wide condemnation.

As Iran enters its final phase of nuclear weapons development, the issue of economic sanctions becomes more and more of a moot point. Although sanctions may continue to be used to “punish” Iran for bad behavior, they will have failed in stopping the Iranians from acquiring “the bomb”. Once Iran has accomplished its objective, there will be few options available to the U.S. or its NATO allies to curtail the Iranians from pursuing more expansionist objectives. In his testimony before the U.S. Senate, General James Cartwright concluded that the U.S. may not be able to permanently stop Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions from happening unless it is willing to occupy the country. Given the unlikelihood that the Obama Administration would seriously consider putting “boots on the ground” in Iran, a more likely scenario would be that the U.S. and NATO nations learn to live with a nuclear Iran.

At this point in time, it is almost “unthinkable” that there would be the political or moral support within the U.S. or anywhere else in the world (except Israel) to engage in a bloody and brutal ground war in Iran. The unintended consequences of such an action would be to boost the life-expectancy of the Iranian leadership, end all chances of internal political pressure taking hold, and risk a regional conflagration as surrounding nations jump into the fray. Iran has deliberately set in motion a course of events that will take it out of its “age of innocence”, and into the world of the “big boys”. In a sense, Iran has made itself a much bigger target for the powerful countries of the world, and has upped the ante immeasurably. Only time will tell if Iran is ready to wear “long pants”, or if its ambitions will ultimately lead to its destruction.

Rich

In the late ‘80’s I was a social worker and did some photography on the side. A friend of mine was a radio talk show host at KDKA in Pittsburgh and had an interview scheduled in-studio with Muhammad Ali. He asked if I would like to be there to be there to take photos for him during the interview. I couldn’t get the word “Yes” out fast enough! My friend invited a cadre of associates who also wanted to be there to meet “The Great One.”

I checked and re-checked my 35mm camera and finally the evening of the interview arrived. The group of friends sat in the green room awaiting the arrival of Ali, swapping stories about him, many of which included Howard Cosell. When security called to say that he had arrived at the station, the host asked if I would go to the lobby to greet him. Me? Sure!

I took the elevator and my heart pounded in descent as much as it rose in anticipation. The doors opened and there he was, the Great Muhammad Ali. I was taken aback by the beauty of his face. Not a mark on it. He was tall and stately looking. I introduced myself to him and to his entourage of black-suited, tie-clad businessmen who had accompanied him. I later learned they were some of his Muslim brothers.

We went to the green room and waited till 9:00p.m. when the interview was scheduled to begin. In the interim, I offered Mr. Ali coffee and we chatted about Pittsburgh. His mind was sharp and his body not yet as debilitated as it would later become. I admit that I was completely star-struck. But it was more than that. His manner was that of a gentleman and had I not seen him and his strength in the boxing ring, nor known of his prowess at the sport, I may have thought him to be a spiritual leader in some high capacity or an astute businessman without a hint of arrogance. He was humble and so unlike the persona who would “float like a butterfly; sting like a bee.”

We entered the studio at 9:00 and I introduced him to the host. Quick exchanges were made and the host, known for his sense of humor, ended up bested by Ali who one-upped him with barbs, as he leaned back in his chair laughing. I sat discretely in a corner of the studio snapping shots as quickly as I could. The interview was raucous with stories and laughter.

After the show, we went into the green room and all eyes were lit with delight as Mr. Ali kindly consented to have me take his photo with each person there. He may have been the most gracious person I have ever met. I have thought of him often in the years since. I wonder if he knows the indelible impression he made that night, not only on me but all who were there. He truly is “The Great One.” May his days be filled with comfort and his heart at peace with the knowledge that he is a good man.

—cher

As the lazy, hazy days of  Summer tick away, and Congress nears its August recess, both of the major parties are staking out their political territories for the  battles that will be fought this Autumn.  There is little doubt that the biggest issue of all will be unemployment, and the inability of the economy to create enough jobs to move the unemployment rate from a level of around 9.4 %.  When election day occurs in November, a stubbornly high unemployment rate, where there is lots and lots of pain and suffering  across America,  will bring great joy to the Republicans.  They will blame the Democrats for a lack of economic progress, conveniently forgetting that the job-killing recession was a legacy passed down from George W. Bush, and that it was their own Republican Party that tried its best to kill every job-creating initiative brought before Congress.

A perfect example of the Republican’s all-out effort to crush any chances of job creation before the elections,  is their recent efforts to block a bill that would expand government lending programs and grant a variety of tax breaks to small businesses.  The $30 billion measure would make credit available to small businesses through local banks by providing loan  guarantees, rather than funds from the U.S. Treasury.  In addition, the bill would provide $12 billion in tax breaks for small businesses.  Of course, the Republicans  have no problems with the tax breaks, but reject the loan guarantees as a mini “bailout”.  The irony of this position is that the Republicans have consistently touted “small businesses” as the engine that will power the recovery, and  the greatest creator of jobs across America.  In other words,  Democrat-sponsored measures to potentially create millions of jobs is a good thing, as long as it doesn’t happen before election day.  I would have expected nothing less from the “Party of No”.

It is highly doubtful that any further legislation proposed by the Obama Administration will see the light of day after the Summer break and before the November elections.  Political “heels” have been dug in, and the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, will not give the Democrats a chance to pump up the economy or create much-needed jobs.  The pattern of putting politics before people (namely the middle class) has characterized  Republican behavior since the disastrous (for them) 2008 elections.   The “Party of No” has done a great dis-service to the American people over the last two years by seeking revenge for their embarrassing defeats in 2008, rather than trying to work with the Obama Administration in making our country a better place to live for all of us.   For this, they should be ashamed!

Every day we receive email from Democrats in high places.  During the presidential campaign, we even responded to several and donated money for the cause, which was getting Obama elected.  We gave willingly to something we strongly believed in. Since that time, we have become inundated with political emails, and I have been duped into opening them for the sake of learning more about their (our) concerns. Vice President Joe Biden ostensibly sent us a few. Wow, the VP is interested in what we think! Not. At the end of each of these “show us your support” emails, invariably there is a request for a donation. We have been marked.

Yesterday an email came in from Donna Brazile, a person whom I hold in high regard. I opened it and read the following:

“We’re about to see benefits for the jobless expire in a period of high unemployment — for the first time in 50 years. And Republicans are the only ones to blame.
It isn’t just wrong — it’s wrong-headed.
Conservatives in the Senate have been at this for weeks — abusing the rules to block Democrats from passing legislation. Their filibuster means millions of people lose their unemployment checks, and the entire economy suffers because of it.
All the polling suggests that the American people overwhelmingly support extending benefits and doing it now. But the conservatives aren’t getting the message. So I’ve written a letter that calls for them to stop their obstruction and let the Senate vote on benefits for the jobless — will you sign with me?”

Well, the letter piqued my interest. Sure, I’ll sign. I care about the jobless and I want my voice added to this issue. So I foolishly continued reading, signed what looked like a petition, which then took me to another page requesting a “donation.”  I attempted to send my sympathetic voice sans donation and the damn thing wouldn’t send! Honestly, it’s like those letters in the mail we used to get from Ed McMahon saying we were going to win the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes! Truth be told, I actually fell for that once, ordering magazines and anxiously waiting for Ed McMahon to show up at my door.

Well I have about as much chance of Donna Brazile showing up at my door as I do the now deceased Ed McMahon. But what about my voice? Do I need to donate in order to be heard? Hey, I gave at the office, okay! I gave money, wrote posts and gave the Dems my solid vote. What do I get in return? Junk mail, that’s what. Up the ante, why don’t you? Send us an invitation to one of those lavish White House dinners and thank us in person for our support. We’re out here in the trenches for heaven’s sake. At least invite us to dinner.  Maybe that’s why that couple crashed a dinner there. Maybe they felt entitled. Maybe they gave at the office too!

So until we get an invitation, I am not opening anymore emails from people in high places, even from my own Democratic Party. Does the word ‘recession’ mean anything to you people? Go on with your State dinners. I’m cooking on the grill tonight.

—cher

Alright, I’ll admit it!  There are times when reading the news (on-line and off-line) and listening to the TV  and radio broadcasts can be downright depressing.  It’s not that I spend the entire day totally immersed in learning more and more about the ills of this troubled world.  I mean, I do have plenty of other things to keep myself occupied.  It’s just seems to me, on occasion, that things over which I have no control just keep getting worse.  Some people would say that “ignorance is bliss”, but I don’t  think that being uninformed is necessarily “blissful”; especially when the world around us seems to be hell-bent on destroying itself.

This morning’s headlines are a good case-in-point.  After twenty-five years of research and educational campaigns, the number of HIV cases are reaching epidemic proportions in many poor, mostly urban areas in America.  Free needles for drug users,  free condoms for high school kids,  and free educational programs for everyone else don’t seem to be worth “squat” when it comes to stopping the spread of HIV.  How could so many people care so little about contracting an incurable disease?

The daily terrorist bombings continue in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and now Uganda.  Hundreds of innocent civilians are being murdered “en masse”  every single day, as the world powers fight over oil and minerals and land and religion and all the same things they have been fighting over for the last three thousand years.  In the meantime, the U.S. troops remain in Iraq to provide advice and lots of weapons, and they also remain in Afghanistan to provide plenty of “boots on the ground” to blow holes in any Taliban operative who is unwise enough to challenge their authority and “right” to be there.

The situation in Mexico gets worse by the day, as drug-lords with armies of loyal followers and tons of sophisticated weapons (including plenty of grenades) do battle with the police and the Mexican political establishment.  The death toll this year, after only seven months, has exceeded 26,000; many of which are women and children who just so happened to be in the line of fire.  The Mexican government says that the blame for the carnage rests squarely on the backs of the Americans, whose insatiable appetite for illegal drugs makes almost any risk worth while.  In the meantime, the U.S. government has done little to nothing to secure the porous border, and done equally little to stem the tide of high-powered weapons (legal in all fifty states) from flowing into the hands of drug-lords.

On the domestic political front, America is tearing apart at the seams with partisan bickering, name-calling and legislative gridlock.  The stock market is faltering, unemployment benefits are being slashed, municipalities are going bankrupt, and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico are being fouled by 100 million gallons of crude oil.

As they say in the Army, everything is SNAFU (situation normal, all fouled up).  Well, I guess I’m through complaining for today.  Oh yeah, there’s one more thing;  I’m leaving the house in about an hour to go to the Dentist and get a root canal.  Have a nice day!

Rich

Oh Sarah, Sarah, it is so gosh darn good to have you back! No one inspires such happiness as you with your “Hopey, changey” quotes. Gosh darn, Sarah we missed all that folksy charm you got. Ya know, I heard that you have become a Constitutional Law scholar. Well, I’ll be! Did you know that the President, that would be Obama, taught Constitutional Law? Well, that’s what his resume’ says, but golly gee, remember the business about his birth certificate? That’s right; you and the “Grizzlie Girls” had somethin’ to say about that one, you betcha!

And whoa! You said that making BP pay for the oil spill in the Gulf “would lead to Nazism.” Well, we sure as heck don’t want that. Think of all the Tea Parties it would ruin! I was just wonderin’ if you knew that a law had been passed before this spill? It says something like, (oh golly gee let me get this right), any oil company that causes a spill must pay. Yep, that’s what I read. So BP went and put 20 billion dollars on the table for starters. But we sure as heck don’t want that to lead to Nazism, so why don’t we good ol’ Americans just foot the bill for all that mess?

Sarah, I gotta say that I have missed you, girl. You sure do give me somethin’ to think about every time you talk that talk. Now, what can ya tell us about this Bristol of yours marryin’ that pin-up guy?

Signed your friend,

cher

Alleluia!  It looks like the Federal Reserve policy makers and most  of America’s leading economists are finally coming  to the same conclusion about the future of the U.S. economy.   They aren’t saying that we are headed for a “double-dip” recession, or that somehow the economy will plunge into another “Great Depression”;  and they are not warning us about an impending crash in the stock market, or an end to American life as we know it.  What they are saying is that the U.S. is headed for an extended period (perhaps ten years or more) of very slow economic growth.  Much like Japan in the decade of the 1990′s, the U.S. may suffer through a period  that will feel to many people like a never-ending recession, where the economy does not grow fast enough to recoup jobs, and investments in  stocks and homes will continue to lose value.  The sad truth is that an anemic growth rate of 1% , or even less, is not out of the question.  The robust economic growth experienced in the past was built upon unsustainable deficit spending,  by the government and by households across the country, and the next ten years or so will be spent “paying the piper”.

As the smoke from the frightening economic meltdown of 2007/2008 continues to clear, there will emerge a new “economic landscape” over the horizon for America.  The landscape will be characterized by continuing high unemployment (between 9% and 10%), a significant reduction in Social Security and Medicare,  and a stagnation in consumer spending.  Borrowing restrictions will be much greater for businesses and consumers, and the “buy it on credit”  binge of earlier decades will be a thing of the past.  Services provided by state and municipal entities will be cut to the bone, or eliminated altogether, as government at every level struggles  to cope with shrinking subsides from the U.S. Treasury.

To be sure, America will survive its  “lost decade”,   just like it has survived even greater challenges in the past.   Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done to avoid this prolonged period of “economic adjustment”.  The effects of past excesses must now be addressed and “paid for” by a recession-weary public, and federal government will no longer be able to borrow its way back to good economic times.  The “die is cast”.  Just ask the Japanese; they’ll tell you what it feels  like to lose a decade.

Rich

Recently Pittsburgh was listed by Forbes magazine as one of the best cities in the country in which to live. Having lived here most of my life, I could not agree more. I have watched this city evolve into a cosmopolitan region which has built up its support of the arts, emerged relatively well from the economics crisis, and has some of the best medical facilities and universities in the world. We have a young Mayor in Luke Ravenstahl, sometimes referred to as the “boy mayor,” but his vision for the city is youthful and daring in its expansion for the city’s future. He has a verve which I like. Still, I look back with some nostalgia at times and places in the city which have changed or gone by the wayside in a natural evolutionary process.

I grew up in Sharon Hill Manor, a suburb outside the city but going “into town” was a great adventure for us as children and young adults. People “dressed to the nines,” as they used to say. My mother, always in high heels and wearing gloves; my father always in a suit. Every Christmas it was tradition for us to go into town, have dinner in one of the best restaurants, then walk through the city admiring all the department store window displays, animated with moving santas and elves. It was magical!

My mother had decided that every young woman should attend charm school, learning the most proper etiquette, mannerisms and carriage. She enrolled me in a class in the city to be attended every Saturday, and I enlisted my friend Annie, who reluctantly agreed to do the same.

The first stop we made was the hallowed marble floors of the Jenkins Arcade, one of first indoor malls. It was filled with exclusive shops and one store which sold only buttons. Women sewed in those days. I never did, and still don’t. I always had a distaste for it, so I have learned where all the best tailors are located. But the show windows in the Jenkins Arcade of finery shops made our eyes glisten with dreams of shopping there…someday. Expensive luggage which we would purchase for our many travels; glassware and porcelain statues we would buy to decorate our homes; and furs to be lavishly draped around us when we became women. This was the stuff of which dreams were made.

Next we would walk to the KQV radio station on 7th Avenue, where DJ Chuck Brinkman did his rock ‘n roll show from a studio which faced the street in a large glass pane window. Teens crowded around to actually see the DJ we all listened to from our radios at home. For us he was a celebrity and we loved this vicarious treat.

After our charm school class, Annie and I would go back to the Jenkins Arcade and have lunch at Palmer’s Restaurant. We felt so grown up and full of charm as we ordered. Still, we were a couple of giggling teenage girls, sharing many stories and dreams during those luncheons. After lunch we would go to Joseph Horne’s posh department store and buy a new purse or sweater. Horne’s was lavish in its look. Crystal chandeliers glistened; women at the counters were beautifully dressed; and there was a sense of class above all else. It was our dream store.

All these places are gone now. Evolution is inevitable and mostly welcomed. No one can take away our memories though, and those days in the city are some of my fondest. Oh yes, about that charm. I still walk and sit like “a lady” but I have learned a few things along the way. My daughter, for example, whom I did not send to charm school, taught me the word “beoch.” She calls me this endearingly, the bitch! I should have sent her to charm school.

—cher

In the 1980′s and the early 1990′s  I worked in the International Banking Division of a large regional bank in Western Pennsylvania.    A large part of my responsibilities was in the area of  “foreign exchange” purchases and sales.  Because of that experience, I have found particular interest  in the fate of the relatively “new”  European currency, the euro.  Prior to the  time of the euro’s creation,  Western Europe had risen from the ashes of the Second World War, and had become an inter-connected, economic powerhouse comprised of many small nations.  These sovereign nations  knew that their ability to compete with external economic powers, such as the United States and Japan, was dependent upon a free flow of capital and labor between their borders.  They also knew that their ability to co-operate and to compete was being hampered by the need for each individual country to maintain its  own separate currency, its own separate Central bank, and its own separate fiscal and monetary policy.  Out of pure economic necessity, the euro was born, and the sixteen nations comprising the newly created EU, agreed to scrap their individual currencies and to use the euro as a common “currency of exchange”.

Although all the nations of the EU  knew the hidden perils of sharing a currency while maintaining their own national sovereignty, most economists thought that the benefits of expanded economic activity brought about by the euro would outweigh the loss of  flexibility in maintaining separate currencies.  Over the last twenty years or so, the economic prognosticators have been correct;  Europe has flourished.  The deep, world-wide economic recession, starting in 2008, however, has put a strain on the EU, and consequently on the euro, that no one had anticipated.  For the first time since the euro was created, many economists are beginning to think the “unthinkable”; that perhaps the breakup of the “euro zone” may be the only way for the strong nations within the EU to survive.

Well known and highly respected economic analyst Roger Bootle, from Capital Economics,  recently said that the threatened breakup of the euro zone, which many people see as a potential disaster, would actually open the door to renewed economic growth, not just for the weaker members of the zone, but for Europe as a whole.  For example, Greece’s  debt crisis has driven down the euro and forced governments from Spain to Italy to institute austerity measures, significantly clouding their outlook for recovery for many years to come.  On the other hand, an abandonment of the euro would help Germany restore a strong Deutsche  Mark, which would expand its ability restore economic growth.

Although it is yet to be seen whether the euro will be scrapped, the notion of a common currency among a group of sovereign nations will remain  fundamentally flawed.  In a sense, the euro, like socialism, looks good on paper, but will not work over the long run.  Just like socialism, the poor will eventually sap the vitality of the wealthy.  I say good riddance to the euro; let each nation stand or fall on its own merits, and benefit or suffer from its own economic policies.

Rich

Given the highly-charged, political atmosphere in Washington these days,  it is somewhat surprising that President Obama would approve of Attorney General Eric Holder’s lawsuit against Arizona and its controversial  new immigration law.   The main thrust of Arizona’s new law is that it allows the police to ask  questions about people’s immigration status, based on reasonable suspicion that someone is in the country illegally.  In fact, Arizona lawmakers have repeatedly cited federal immigration law as the basis for their own state regulations.  Stranger still, is the fact that the Obama Administration has simply charged Arizona with preempting existing federal authority over immigration, but has not proposed new federal legislation to clarify the vagueness of existing law.   In other words, President Obama wants to challenge the legality of Arizona’s new immigration law,  not on whether or not is is good legislation and in the best interests of the people of Arizona, but because it encroaches on the turf on the federal government.  This is a bad move on the part of the Obama Administration because it is sure open the “Pandora’s Box” of immigration politics, and may ultimately undermine comprehensive immigration reform.

From a purely political viewpoint, the Republicans are hoping that reaction against the federal lawsuit will generate more support for Republican candidates, who can claim that the Administration has done absolutely nothing to promote comprehensive immigration reform and, in fact, has tried to stop states from protecting their own “turf”.  The Democrats, on the other hand, are hoping that the lawsuit will solidify support among Hispanic voters in key Congressional districts, and in gubernatorial races.   Since the vast majority of the Hispanic community have supported Democrats (including Barack Obama) in the last election, it is difficult to see what Democrats really have to gain by challenging Arizona law, but not so difficult to see what they have to lose  ( i.e. millions of Democrats and independent voters who are sick and tired of paying the ponderous cost of  twelve million illegal immigrants.)

To a very great extent, immigration reform is a non-partisan issue.  Both major political parties have vested  interests in changing the existing federal statutes.  What almost nobody wants is to maintain the status quo, which is exactly what the Obama Administration has attempted to do with its ill-conceived lawsuit against the State of Arizona.  All attempts at immigration reform will be utterly futile until the federal government gets serious about securing our country’s borders, and can demonstrate that illegal immigration has been contained.  Until that happens, the Obama Administration should stop trying to preserve the status quo by interfering with individual state’s regulations, and should also forget about introducing comprehensive immigration reform while border security remains a national disgrace.

Rich

So much has happened to our brothers and sisters in the Gulf region. We hear stories, snippets on the news, but do we truly relate to how devastating this BP oil spill has been to those individuals and businesses in the Gulf region? I am asking that anyone there who is willing to share their story do so here. They must be legitimate accounts of how you have been impacted and what you are seeing. You can use a different name if you choose, but this is too important to have anything but the truth. That is what the country needs to hear. Real stories; actual people; real impact. Perhaps then bloggers can begin to properly address your issues. There may be ways we can help, if only to raise awareness. Send your story through this post in comments, or you can use the contact page.

—cher

This love for coffee started with my grandmother who began serving me coffee at the age of 5 during my many visits with her. She was a comfort in her own way, always a giving and loving soul. Her home was the gathering place for our extended family every Sunday during my childhood. I spent so much time with her that she was like a second mother to me. She awoke every morning at 5:00 a.m. and the first thing she did was to brew coffee in one of those old glass pots. The aroma would waft to my second floor bedroom where I was safely tucked under one of her homemade down comforters. Off came the comforter and downstairs I would go to join my grandmother on the sun-porch as we watched the dawn break  in silence together.

And so my lifelong love affair with coffee began. It is my comfort food and never lets me down.  Unlike lovers, it is always there when I need a pick-me-up and is always there when I need warmed in my soul. These days I have my own ritual. I bought a coffee maker that grinds the beans and then drizzles 10 cups of delicious comfort into the pot. In it I put flavored creamer and two packs of Splenda. Most importantly, it must be in a porcelain cup, delicate enough for me to hold for long lengths of time. The first pot is made in the morning and another 10 cups around 4:00 in the afternoon. This lasts me through the evening. Caffeine long ago lost its ability to keep me awake at night or give me “the jitters.” Other life issues may give me the jitters, but certainly, never coffee.

I will also confess that at one point in my life I used to put in a shot of Apricot Brandy. Ah, the comfort. I quickly realized that it was getting good to me—too good. I stopped with the Brandy and went back to straight coffee. Now it is with me wherever I go, even while driving. I will sometimes make a stop at Starbucks for a Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato or perhaps Mickey D’s for their own good version of iced caramel coffee. Such simple luxuries make life wonderful.

My parents loved coffee too, so there is no doubt that sweet memories are associated with this addiction. My parents would often sing together. They harmonized beautifully, a gift they failed to pass on to their daughter from the gene pool. Still, I can hear them singing the Java song from their era. I smile, lift my cup and toast them and my grandmother for the good memories. And while I sit at this computer, you can be assured that coffee in a porcelain cup is beside me, offering inspiration and comfort as I hit the spell check key.

—cher

The old adage about  how “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”  has never applied more to the U.S. Congress than it does today.  As most Americans are enjoying the Independence Day  weekend, Congress is set to begin its mid-summer break, and won’t be returning to Washington until July 12.  It’s not that a holiday from work, even for elected officials, is such a bad thing;  it’s just that 1.7 million non-elected Americans are left wondering how to makes ends meet,  now that their unemployment compensation has expired.  As payments rapidly grind to a halt, the unemployed will spend at least the next two weeks worrying about when or if an extension will be forthcoming.  As usual, the Congressional Democrats and Republicans are pointing at each other for the failure to pass an extension bill before the break, and both parties are claiming the high ground.

Speaking for the Republicans, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he really does believe that an extension is necessary in an economy with a 9.5% unemployment rate.  He does, however, oppose increasing the federal deficit to fund the extended benefits.   In fact, the majority of Republicans have agreed to support extended unemployment benefits if the extension is paid for with unused stimulus money; a stipulation that the Obama Administration and most Democrats have vehemently opposed.

Harry Reid, speaking for the Democrats, accused the Republicans of abandoning a large segment of unemployed Americans at a time when government help is most needed.  He went on to blame the Republicans of approving every single tax break for the wealthy during the Bush Administration, but not caring about ordinary, working people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.  And so “the beat goes on”, and the finger pointing continues as the “fires” of unemployment continues to destroy the life savings of the middle class.

Over the last several weeks the economic data, and the capital market’s reaction to that data, have shown that the economic recovery in the United States is still very fragile.  Consumer confidence is  very low, the real estate market remains in a deep slump, retail sales are sluggish, and good jobs are hard to come by.  Regardless of the ballooning national debt, the country remains at a critical stage where additional stimulus programs are desperately needed to bring the economy back to good economic health.  Although we all worry about the future effects of continued deficit spending, the continuation of support for the unemployed is one area where funding must continue.  Not only must Congress pass the unemployment extension bill without further delay, but it must assure Americans that compensation will continue until specific, national  economic criteria are met.  Balancing the budget, or at least reducing the budget deficit, can not and should not be done on the backs of the unemployed.

Rich

Please remember our Veterans on this day.

—cher

Diana Krall may be one of the finest vocalists around. She has a gentle passion which is pervasive in her music. There are times when we become distracted by the seemingly frivolous things in life. When that happens, we lose moments which are meant to be shared and savored. Don’t let the train move so quickly and enjoy the quiet nights and thoughts of giving and loving and enjoying that which is truly purposeful and meaningful in your life. To do less is to lose the essence of beauty in heart, mind and spirit.

—cher

We’ve all heard the dire predictions about the future of  America’s Social Security System.  We’ve heard about how the year 2010 marks the first time in the history of social security that the agency is actually spending more money than it is taking in.  In fact, the economic pundits and sooth-sayers have warned the American people that future government deficits will rise by many trillions of dollars if  things continue along the current course, and if changes are not made to put social security on a more sound financial footing.  There are many different reasons why the social security system is in deep financial trouble, including the advent of the “baby-boomers” reaching the traditional retirement age.  Over the last sixty years, or so, the payment of social security has been an “unbroken” contract between generations of Americans; a contract that has remained essentially unchanged from one decade to the next.   However, many Americans are now beginning to question whether this “inter-generational” contract should be significantly altered  (i.e. modernized) to reflect the fact that Americans are living longer, and to confront the reality that the country can no longer afford social security under its present form.  Most of us agree that something must be done fairly soon to stave off an impending disaster.  Exactly what actions should be taken has become a major “bone of contention.”

In a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, House Minority Leader John Boehner suggested raising the retirement age to 70, for those people with at least 20 years until retirement.  In addition, Mr. Boehner said he would favor tying cost-of-living adjustments to the consumer price index,  rather than basing it on wage inflation.  Most importantly, however, Mr. Boehner wants to limit social security payments to those who need them.   Although raising the retirement age is certainly not a new idea, changing social security from an “entitlement” system to a new form of “elder welfare” is both a new idea and a disturbing one.   Even more disturbing was Mr. Boehner’s  statement that ensuring there’s enough money to pay for the war in Afghanistan will require reforming the country’s entitlement system.  In other words, Americans must give up their social security entitlement, forget about reasonable unemployment benefits, forgo medicaid and public assistance, and depend upon “trickle-down” economics so the country has plenty of available cash to fight lots of nasty little wars.

As usual, Mr. Boehner, the leader of the Party of No, has shown his total disregard for middle-class America.  It is no secret that changing the retirement age to 70 will disproportionately effect many segments of the population who are struggling to stay physically able to work until age 65, let alone until the age of 70.  Even more absurd is the notion of somehow “means testing” retirees to determine whether they are poor enough to deserve receiving payments from a system they supported with their taxes over a lifetime.   In typical fashion, Mr. Boehner wants to see the problem of social security solvency laid on the backs of the middle class and the working poor, rather than see social security taxes raised on the rich and the corporations, and rather than see the social security tax rate applied to all earned income, with no limitations or ceilings.

In the years to come, the American people will have to come up with solutions to the pending crisis in social security that are fair to those who paid into the system all of their lives, yet doesn’t bankrupt America in the meantime.  We can, and we must, come up with better answers than Mr. Boehner’s mis-guided suggestions.

Rich