Whohooo!!

A big congrats to Erica Pratt, the 7-year-old from Philadelphia who had been kidnapped from outside her grandmother's house. The enterprising young girl chewed through her bonds while left alone in an abandoned house. She broke a window, shouted to some nearby children--who helped her climb out--and then alerted authorities. They're still looking for the two men who took her, but she's reunited with her family. And here's to stupid criminals!

Other things striking my mind this morning...

There is perhaps no greater thing than for me to see my dog, who is nearly eleven, take a leisurely roll in the grass every morning. She cavorts with such abandon. She looks so, so silly, and yet at the same time, you have to admire animals' unselfconscious enjoyment of life. She has to have her roll every time she goes out. Part of it is a long-time problem with itchy skin in the summer, but part of it is the sheer enjoyment. (And I think she likes to find the stinkiest bit of grass she can). We can learn a lot from animals.

I suppose if I had children, I'd have similar moments with them. I made a decision long ago not to bring a child into the home when I was married--and to get out myself--because it was an abusive, tangled relationship where I was considered worthless and I think children would have fared even worse. But my dog has been the best of companions. When I was at my lowest levels of depression, her rolls would bring a smile to my face--a small time where I could almost feel happy. Even though that lasts only a few moments, when they start to build up to a greater part of the day, you suddenly realise you're getting better.

I'm saddened to see that author Chaim Potok has died. I always admired him a great deal.

I am appalled by the scope of agression that Israel used in assasinating a member or Hamas. Let me just say for the record that I'm also appalled that the Palestinians would send young people to blow themselves and others up. I just wish people could find non-violent solutions to their problems. I think there's a simple way to end war (okay, maybe not simple, these issues really AREN'T simple)--if all victims of warfare could sue the agressors--and win, so that the families or victims had to be completely funded for the rest of their lives by the government that harmed them, then maybe it would be too expensive to wage war.

Speaking of expense, I glanced through the headlines of the Wall Street Journal this morning and I was reading about the people panicking about the scandals in the news and their effects on the stock market.

Hello, 1929, anyone?

You knew that the Bull Market was going and going, but eventually it would fall. Even the Energizer Bunny has to replace his batteries sometimes. Now, I can say that, because I have a grand total of $1600 in my retirement fund (actually less by now), never got anything out of the roaring 90s (I was mostly underemployed), and haven't lost my life savings, etc. I remember the gas crunch of the '70s, the recession of the '80s, and let me tell you, they made an impression. There's a simple word for the cause of the current problems.

Greed.

Greed on the part of CEOs and other corporate cronies who bled companies dry, leaving nothing for the little guys. Greed for people who had never considered playing the market who slipped over to websites to do a little trading online on their lunchbreak. Greed in politicians who took big money to look the other way. In some ways the '90s were truly the 'me' generation. It's our giant SUV, giant house, best of everything for our families, even though we don't spend any time together way of life.

So don't go whining about Bear Markets to me.

One thing I've learned recently, is that the only way to get something is to work for it. Oh, there are always the people who win the lottery, but they're far and few between and probably wind up miserable, anyway. No matter how much or little you have, there is always someone else who has more. We're never satisfied, and we want a quick, no-toil route to success. It's spawned a huge number of infomercials and an embarrassing use of resources for generally selfish reasons.

Times like these are meant to give one a little perspective about moderation. Sure, the market tends to produce profit over time. OVER TIME. No quick pill, no quick fix. Maybe it's not for those who are easily flustered by numbers. I know I'm not up to it. But only an idiot would put everything into one sector of stock (i.e., tech stocks). That's what other types of investment are for, even if they don't produce the big numbers all the time (at least they're steadier when things go bust).

Okay, that's my diatribe for the morning. :)