Sushi Money 寿司的钱

So now we read that many consumers are spending their tax rebates to cope with the soaring cost of living ?   No kidding!  It should be no surprise to anyone that inflation is taking an enormous chunk out of the typical family’s monthly budget.所以现在我们看到许多消费者消费退税，以应付高涨的生活费用 ？没有开玩笑！它不应该感到意外，任何人都认为，通货膨胀是一个巨大大块出典型的家庭的每月预算。

In some areas we are cutting back and spending less money.  But the real problem for consumers is that we’re spending more money and getting less for it than ever before! 在一些领域我们是削减开支和更少的钱，但真正的问题，为消费者的是，我们正在花费更多的金钱和越来越少，因为它比以往任何时候都！

I haven’t run the numbers, but I know we’re paying a lot more for basic needs this year, and it really has changed our driving and consumption behavior.我并没有运行的数目，但我知道我们正在付出了很多，为更多的基本需要，今年，它真的改变了我们的驾驶执照和消费行为。

Joseph LaVorgna, chief US economist at Deutsche Bank, thinks at least half the rebate money may go toward energy costs alone.约瑟夫拉沃格纳，首席美国经济学家在德意志银行认为，至少有一半回扣的钱可能走向能源成本。

“It’s not going to give you the bang for the buck as originally envisioned,” he said. “这不是去给你帮为推卸责任，作为最初设想， ”他说。 “The odds of it having a longer-lasting impact on the economy are less. “的赔率，它有一个较长的持久的对经济的影响较少。 … People were not planning to use so much of it on energy and food.” …人不打算使用这么多的资讯科技，能源和食物“ 。

Diane Swonk, chief economist for Mesirow Financial in Chicago, also estimates that consumers will spend more than half of the rebates — but much of it on the higher cost of living, citing evidence of a “very stressed consumer.”黛安swonk ，首席经济学家mesirow财政在芝加哥，亦估计，消费者将花一半以上的回扣-但大部分是对成本较高的生活水平，引用的证据是“非常强调消费者” 。

Although the government formally says inflation is under control, you don’t have to walk very far to find people who are paying for huge increases in food, transportation, and services.   We are seeing “fuel surcharge” on receipts and big ticket items more frequently.  And when we head to the airport next week to visit relatives for 10 days, we may have to pay for our checked baggage.虽然政府正式表示，通胀受到控制，你不用走很远，找人谁付出的巨大增加，在食物，运输和服务。我们看到了“燃油附加费”的收据和大项目的门票更经常。当我们去机场下周来港探亲10天，我们可能要付出我们的托运行李。

There’s supposed to be multiple investigations taking place in the commodities markets. It’s never that simple, but maybe the government will close a few loopholes and change the laws that allow rampant speculation in the energy markets.还有的是为了多个调查正在发生的商品市场，这是从来没有这么简单，不过也许政府将关闭数的漏洞和变化规律，使猖獗的投机活动，在能源市场。

If you are younger than thirty-something, you probably haven’t given much thought to Medicare or what kind of long-term care insurance you’ll have in your senior years.  For many of us, our first experience with the bureaucratic maze that is Medicare comes in our forties or fifties when we are helping aging parents navigate their health care options.  That can be a sobering experience as we realize that someday we’ll be facing those same challenges.  And for those looking ahead or living in retirement, the questions about general healthcare and medicare become increasingly important.如果你是年轻的比30 -一些东西，您可能没有多少思想，以医疗保险或什么样的长期护理保险您可以在您的高级年。对我们许多人，我们的首次经验与官僚迷宫认为，是医疗保险来在我们的四十或五十年代，当我们正在帮助年迈的父母浏览他们的保健方案。认为可以是一个发人深省的经验，作为我们认识到，总有一天，我们将面临同样的挑战。对于展望未来，或生活在退休，该问题的一般保健和医疗保健变得越来越重要。

It’s no surprise that healthcare issues are so confusing.  Most of us are still trying to figure out our financial retirement needs let alone examine how much we might need for health care in our senior years.   That’s why Long-Term Care is such an important financial planning issue.  Have you really looked at long-term health care insurance plans yet?  Most of us have not.这是毫不奇怪的医疗保健问题是如此混乱。我们大多数人仍试图弄清楚我们的金融退休需要，更遑论研究有多大，我们可能需要的医疗在我们的高级年，这也是为什么长期照护是一个如此重要的财务规划问题。你真的期待在长期的医疗保险计划，但？我们大多数人却没有这样做。

What is Long-Term Care? 什么是长期护理？

In general, long-term care insurance provides financial assistance with physical and/or emotional care for a person who is unable to perform routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, preparing meals, walking, using the bathroom, staying safe in the home, managing the home, etc.  This type of care is continuous and may be due to illness or normal aging conditions.在一般，长期护理保险提供财政援助，与身体和/或情绪上的照顾一个人谁是无法执行例行的日常生活活动，如洗澡，穿衣，准备吃饭，散步，使用浴室，在下榻的安全，在家，管理家，等这类型的服务是持续，并可能因疾病或正常的老化条件。

What sets it apart from other forms of care is that it is required and necessary, and is usually due to illness, disability or some other chronic health care problem.  Long-term care typically involves a person living in a nursing home or other assisted living care facility that provides specialized medical, social or physical services.  But long term care can also be temporary due to a specific need, and is very often provided by relatives or other caregivers in the home because that’s the traditional way we help family members.  Sometimes it’s the only help someone has.什么集，它除了其他形式的照顾是，这是需要和必要的，通常是由于疾病，残疾或其他一些慢性保健问题。长期护理通常涉及一个人住在护理之家或其他辅助生活医疗设施，提供专门的医疗，社会或物理服务，但长期护理服务也可以是暂时的，由于特定的需要，很多时候所提供的亲属或其他照顾者，在家庭，因为这样的传统方式，我们可以帮助家庭成员有时，它是唯一帮助有人。

The vast majority of us live at home in our senior years and have relatives or friends as caregivers when we need help with something.  But at some point, many people do need long-term care and it is very expensive.  Formal long term care costs often range from $30,000 to $60,000 a year or more.  According to AARP , the average US costs for long-term care are:绝大多数的我们住在家里，在我们的高级年，并有亲戚或朋友作为照顾者，当我们需要帮助的东西，但在一些点，很多人确实需要长期护理，这是非常昂贵的。正式的长期护理费用往往范围从$ 30000 ，以六万美元一年或更长时间，根据美国退休人员协会 ，美国的平均费用为长期照护是：

• $5,566 a month for a semi-private room in a nursing home 5566美元一个月为一个半私人空间，在护理之家
• $6,266 a month for a private room in a nursing home六千二百六十六美元一个月为一个私人空间，在护理之家
• $2,968 a month for care in an assisted living unit二千九百六十八美元一个月为照顾在一组辅助生活
• $19 per hour for a home health aide 19元，每小时为家庭健康助手

Those numbers can really add up, and that’s the reason that many financial planners believe that without long-term care insurance, you really don’t have a financial plan. If you’ve planned for most financial contingencies except for long term care, then what happens when you end up spending your life savings to provide care for a spouse or family member? If you haven’t planned for that possibility as well, then your financial plan may have holes in it.这些数字真的能加起来，这就是原因，许多金融规划者认为，没有长期护理保险，你真的不有一个财务计划。 如果您计划在大部分金融突发事件，除了长期护理服务，然后会发生什么当您结束了开支，节省您的生活提供照顾的配偶或家庭成员呢？如果您有没有计划为这个可能性，以及，那么你的财务计划，可能有它的洞穴。

Why should you plan for Long-Term Care? 您为什么应该将计划长期照护？
Because, at least 70 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some point in their lives.  And, contrary to what many people believe, Medicare and private health insurance programs do not pay for the majority of long-term care services that most people need - help with personal care such as dressing or using the bathroom independently.  Planning is essential for you to be able to get the care you might need.  Source: National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information因为，至少有70 ％的人年龄超过65岁将需要一些长期护理服务在一些点在他们的生活。和，所说的相反，许多人认为，医疗保险和私人医疗保险计划不支付对大多数的长期长期照护服务，大多数人的需要-帮助与个人护理产品，如敷料或使用浴室独立。规划是必不可少的，你可以得到照顾，您可能需要。资料来源：国家交换为长期照护信息

Admittedly however, not everyone needs or can afford to purchase long-term care insurance .  Lets be realistic: Long-term care insurance itself is very expensive.无可否认，不过， 不是每个人都需要或可以负担购买长期护理保险 。可让现实：长期护理保险本身是非常昂贵的。 With annual costs around $2000 to $3000 for a basic policy in the early years, those cost may increase as a person gets older.  And it’s not designed as forever care. Long-term care insurance typically covers a certain period of time, for example a three to five year period.  But it can provide longer care, even over the course of a person’s liftetime, but that will be very expensive.   When do most people get long-term care insurance?  Most financial planners advise looking at it in your early to mid-fifties.  But if you wait until your sixties or seventies, the costs may become prohibitive.  The fifties provide a balance of cost of insurance versus affordability based on income and retirement planning needs.每年的费用约为2000至3000美元为一个基本政策在最初几年，这些成本可能会增加一个人得到老年人和它的设计并不作为永远的照顾。长期护理保险通常包括在某一段时间，例如一个三到五年期，但它可以提供较长的照顾，甚至超过的过程中一个人的liftetime ，但将非常昂贵。什么时候大多数人获得长期护理保险？大多数的财务规划提供意见，看它在您的年初至年中-五十年代，但如果你等到你，六十年代或七十年代，费用可能成为令人瞠目的地步。五十年代提供一个平衡的保险费用银两的负担能力的基础上的收入和退休规划的需要。

But it’s important to shop carefully and make sure you knowing what type of long-term care policy you are agreeing to.   From an historical perpsective, long-term care insurance is relatively new.  So are the laws and regulations that govern its use, and practically we are just beginning to see how it works out for people.  The concept is sound, and the need is real.  But as with other insurance products, it may be best to get a second opinion in the early years.但重要的购物小心并确保您知道什么类型的长期照护政策，您同意。从历史perpsective ，长期护理保险是相对较新的，所以是有关法律和法规的管辖，其使用，切实我们刚开始看它如何工程为人民。概念是健全的，和所需要的是真正的，但由于与其他保险产品，也许最好让第二种意见在最初几年。

For those who can afford it, long-term care insurance is just that.  Insurance to provide financial assistance in times of need.  Like many other people, I am learning how hard it is to face these realities.  When you’re in good health in your forties, fifties or sixties, it’s hard to rationalize spending a good chunk of money each month on long term care that you only might need.对于谁能够负担得起的，长期护理保险，只是保险提供财政援助，在需要的时候。象许多其他市民一样，我学习如何努力，这是要面对这些现实。当您的健康状况良好在您的，四十岁，五十或六十年代，很难合理化开支一个良好的大块钱，每个月的长期护理服务，你只可能需要。

But long term care insurance provides valuable coverage for specific life needs, just as auto or home insurance protects a family from catastrophic financial loss due to accident or disaster.  Long term care insurance protects that same family from catastrophic financial costs due to health care factors that many adults face in their senior years.但长期护理保险提供了宝贵的覆盖面为特定的生活需求，正如汽车或家庭保险保障的家庭从灾难性的经济损失，由于事故或灾难。长期护理保险保障同一家庭从灾难性的财务费用，由于卫生保健的因素许多成年人在面对他们的高级年。

And the crux of the issue is that Medicare is not going to take care of most long term care needs.  What does this mean exactly?  Well, Medicare by itself will not meet long term care (LTC) needs because Medicare only covers some home health, skilled nursing and hospice care, all of which have degrees of meaning and definitions.  Medicare does not cover custodial care such as cooking food, cleaning a home or providing nursing home related care.和问题的症结是，医疗保险是不会以照顾大多数长期护理服务的需要，这是什么意思到底？以及，医疗本身将不符合长期照护（凌特）的需要，因为医疗保险只涵盖了一些居家健康，熟练的护理及善终服务，所有这些都程度的涵义和定义。医保并不包括监护 ，如烹调食物，清洁家园，或提供相关的护理之家护理。

Medicare will help pay for home care in certain situations such as:医疗保险将有助于支付家居护理，在某些情况下，如：

• A doctor certifies that a patient is homebound, meaning it takes considerable effort to leave the home, and一位医生证明病人是在家，这意味着需要相当大的努力，离开家，和
• The individual needs skilled physical, speech or occupational therapy services, or skilled nursing on an intermittent level (less than 7 days a week) or part-tim (less than 8 hours a day) basis.  If the medicare recipient only needs skilled nursing, they must either need it fewer than 7 days a week (even as little as once every 60-90 days) or daily (seven days a week) for a short period of time (usually 2-3 weeks), and个别需要熟练的身体，言语或职业治疗服务，或以熟练的护理对间歇性的水平（少于每周7天）或部分添（少于每天8小时）的基础上，如果医疗收件人只需要熟练的护理，他们必须要么需要少于7天内一个星期（甚至只有一次， 60-90天）或每天（每周7天）为短的时间内（通常为2-3周） ，
• The doctor certifies the need for home care, and医生证明需要居家照护，和
• The individual receives care from a Medicare-certified home health agency (HHA).个人获得的照顾，从医疗认证的家庭健康机构（ HHA的） 。

What about other situations where Medicare does help with long-term care?   Well, if you qualify for the home health benefit, Medicare may cover the following types of care:如何看待其他的情况下，医疗帮助 ，与长期照护？好吧，如果你有资格申请家庭健康福利，医疗保险有可能包括以下类型的照顾：

1.     Skilled nursing services. 1 。熟练的护理服务。 Medicare pays in full for skilled nursing, which includes services and care that can only be performed safely and effectively by a licensed nurse.医疗自付在充分熟练的护理，其中包括服务和照顾，只可以执行安全和有效地由持牌护士。 Administration of medications, tube feedings, catheter changes, observation and assessment of a patient’s condition, management and evaluation of a patient’s care plan, and wound care are examples of skilled nursing.政府当局的药品，管进食，导管的变化，观察和评估一个病人的病情，管理和评价病人的护理计划，及伤口护理的例子熟练的护理。 Any service that could be safely performed by a nonmedical person (or one’s self) without the direct supervision of a licensed nurse is not covered.任何服务可以安全地由一个nonmedical人（或一个人的自我）没有直接监管的持牌护士是不在保险范围内。
2. 2 。    Skilled therapy services.熟练的治疗服务。 Medicare pays in full for physical, speech and occupational therapy.医疗自付在充分的体能，言论及职业治疗。 Physical therapy includes exercises to regain movement and strength to a body area and training on how to use special equipment.物理治疗包括运动，以恢复运动和力量的机构，地区和训练如何使用特殊设备。 Speech-language pathology services include exercises to regain and strengthen speech and language skills.演讲语言病理学的服务包括演习，以恢复和加强的讲话和语言技能。 Occupational therapy helps you become able to do usual daily activities by yourself, such as eating and putting on clothes.职业治疗可以帮助您成为能够做到平常的日常活动由自己，如饮食及把对衣服。 Medicare will pay for therapy services to maintain your condition and prevent you from getting worse; you do not need to have the potential to improve.医疗保险将支付治疗服务，以维护您的条件及防止您越来越差;您不需要有可能改善。
3. 3 。     Home health aide services.家庭健康助理服务。 Medicare pays in full for a home health aide if you require skilled services.医疗自付在充分为家庭健康助手如果您需要技术服务。 A home health aide provides personal care services including help with bathing, using the toilet, and dressing.家庭健康助理，提供个人护理服务，包括协助洗澡，使用厕所，和更衣。 If you ONLY require personal care, you do NOT qualify for the Medicare home care benefit.如果您只要求个人护理，你没有资格获得医疗保健家居照顾受惠。
4.     Medical social services. 4 。医务社会服务。 Medicare pays in full for services to help you with social and emotional concerns you have related to your illness.医疗自付在充分的服务，以帮助您与社会和情感的关注，您有与您的疾病。 This might include counseling or help finding resources in your community.这可能包括辅导或帮助寻找资源，在您的社区。
5.     Medical supplies. 5 。医疗用品。 Medicare pays in full for medical supplies provided by the Medicare-certified home health agency, such as wound dressings and catheters needed for your care.医疗自付在充分用于医疗用品，所提供的医疗认证的家庭健康机构，如伤口敷料和导管，需要您的照顾。
6.     Evaluation services. 6 。评估服务。 Medicare pays for evaluation services if performed by a skilled nurse or therapist.医疗保险支付的评价服务，如果由一个熟练的护士或治疗。
7. 7 。     Durable medical equipment.耐用医疗设备。 Medicare pays 80% of its approved amount for certain pieces of medical equipment, such as a wheelchair or walker.医疗自付80 ％的核准数额为某些件医疗设备，如轮椅或沃克。

Obviously it is best to thoroughly research your situation, talk with an informed health care provider, and seek counseling assistance if necessary.  Did you know that your State Health Insurance Program has representatives available to discuss Medicare related issues with you?  If you have questions or concerns, you can call a toll-free number at this Medicare page and speak to someone within your State about Medicare issues .  These counselors will help you meet a local representative to answer questions if necessary.显然，这是最好的彻底研究您的情况，跟一个知情的卫生保健提供者，并寻求辅导协助，如果必要的。您知道您的国家健康保险计划提供给代表讨论医疗保健相关的问题与你？如果您有任何疑问或关注的问题， 您可以拨打收费免费号码，在这个医疗保健网页和发言，有人在您的国家关于医疗问题 ，这些辅导员将帮助您满足本地代表来回答问题，如果必要的。

For more information please see the Medicare.gov site on Long-Term Care or the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information .为更多资讯，请参阅medicare.gov网站上的长期护理或国家交换为长期照护的信息 。

We had a quiet weekend at home for Memorial Day, and spent the time catching up and visiting with family.我们有一个安静的周末在家中阵亡将士纪念日，花的时间赶上和来访的家庭。 Did gas prices keep us from traveling?没有天然气价格让我们从旅行？ No, not really, although we are driving less.不，不是真的，虽然我们驾驶的少。 It was just time to enjoy being home and getting some things done that we’ve been putting off.这只是时间去享受家庭和取得的一些事情，我们已经拖。

We did change our travel plans for the summer however.我们没有改变我们的旅行计划，为夏季不过。 Instead of driving across the country in a small RV, we’re now flying.而不是开车横越该国在一个小的RV ，我们现在的飞行。 It wasn’ta hard decision- we actually found round trip airfare for less than a third of what it would cost to drive the same distance.这不是很难的决定其实我们发现来回机票不到三分之一的会怎样的成本驱动器相同的距离。 So this way we’ll have more time once we get there, and save money as well.因此，这种方式我们将有更多时间，一旦我们得到有，并节省金钱，以及。 Up until a few weeks ago the price was comparable either way.直到几个星期前的价格比较，无论哪种方式。 But as gas prices have risen, driving became more expensive.但由于天然气价格上涨，驾驶变得更加昂贵。 Then we found some really cheap fares to fly, so that made it an easy decision.然后我们发现了一些真正的廉价票价飞，以便使其成为一个容易作出的决定。

I would like to have driven though- and stopped at different towns across the country to see how folks are doing out there.我想有驱动的，虽然和停在不同的城镇整个国家，看看如何乡亲正在做的出来。 Some of our relatives have been on the road for over four weeks and said people seem busier than ever.我们的一些亲属已在道路上为超过四周，并说人似乎比以往任何时候都忙。 But reading the news this morning it seems that consumer confidence has dropped to a 15 1/2 year low as reported by the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index .但读的消息，今天上午似乎认为，消费者的信心已下降到15 1 / 2年来的最低点据会议委员会的消费者信心指数 。

The Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a representative sample of 5,000 US households.消费者信心调查是基于一个代表性的样本5000个美国家庭。 Says Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center:林恩佛朗哥说，主任会议委员会消费者研究中心：

“The Consumer Confidence Index now stands at a 16-year low (Oct. 1992, 54.6). “消费者信心指数目前停留在了16年来的最低点（ 1992年10月， 54.6 ） 。 Weakening business and job conditions coupled with growing pessimism about the short-term future have further depleted consumers’ confidence in the overall state of the economy.削弱营商和就业的条件，再加上日益悲观的短期未来的进一步枯竭，消费者信心在整体的经济状况。 Consumers’ inflation expectations, fueled by increasing prices at the pump, are now at an all-time high and are likely to rise further in the months ahead.消费者的通胀预期，刺激增加汽油价格，现在正处于一个所有的时间高并有可能进一步上升，在未来数个月。 As for the short-term outlook, the Expectations Index suggests little likelihood of a turnaround in the immediate months ahead.”至于短期展望，预期指数表明，不大可能出现转机，在眼前的未来数月“ 。

Consumers’ appraisal of current conditions grew more pessimistic in May.消费者的评价对当前状况的增长较为悲观，在5月。 Those claiming business conditions are “bad” rose to 30.6 percent from 26.5 percent, while those claiming business conditions are “good” decreased to 13.1 percent from 15.4 percent last month.那些称当前商业环境“糟糕”上升到30.6 ％ ， 26.5 ％ ，而那些称当前商业环境“良好”下降到13.1 ％ ，从15.4 ％上个月。 Consumers’ assessment of the job market was also more downbeat.消费者的评估，就业市场也更悲观。 The percentage of consumers saying jobs are “hard to get” was virtually unchanged, 28.0 percent versus 27.9 percent in April.百分比消费者称工作“难找”是大致维持不变， 28.0 ％ ， 27.9 ％在4月。 Those claiming jobs are “plentiful” declined to 16.3 percent from 17.1 percent.那些称工作机会“充裕”的下降到16.3 ％ ，从17.1 ％ 。

Last week the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey fell to a 28 year low .上周，密歇根大学消费者信心指数调查，下跌至28年来的最低点 。 Not since 1980 have consumers felt so negatively about the economy.不自1980年以来，有消费者认为，这么负面的有关经济。

It’s not hard to understand why with the challenges we’ve faced over the past year.这不是很难理解为什么与挑战，我们已经面临的在过去的一年中。 And with gas prices posting record price increases for over 20 straight days , it makes you wonder what’s really going on.与天然气价格张贴纪录价格上升，超过20天 ，它使你不知道什么的，实在正在进行中。 It’s like there’sa buying frenzy taking place… kind of like the dot-com boom except this time with oil and energy commodities.这就像有购买的狂热正在发生的…种一样，泡沫，除了这个时候与石油和能源商品。

But for most of us it is what it is.但对我们大多数人，这是是什么。 We’ll have to deal with it until the government figures out a workable response.我们将要处理它，直到政府公布的数字指出一个可行的回应。 Over the past few months, US drivers have indeed cut back on driving, but it hasn’t put a dent in gas prices yet.在过去几个月里，美国的司机确有削减对驾驶，但它并没有提出一个凹痕，在天然气价格。

But the Fed is reporting that the credit crunch is easing, and even home sales actually increased a little in April .但美联储的报告认为，信贷紧缩趋向缓和，甚至新屋销售实际上增加了一点，在4月 。 But sales activity is still very slow and the price of single-family homes has fallen quite a bit over the past year.但销售活动仍是十分缓慢和价格单家庭已下降了不少位在过去的一年中。

Do you lie in bed at night worrying about home prices?你的谎言在床上，晚上担心房价？ Most people don’t.大多数人并不。 We live in a house, and usually plan to be there for a while.我们生活在一个房子，和通常的计划存在了一段时间。 For me it’sa decade or longer asset, and not something we plan to borrow money from.对我来说这是十年或更长的资产，而不是我们计划借钱。 But if you’re trying to move or sell a house, it must be a difficult time.但如果您尝试移动或出售一所房子，它必须是一个困难时期。

The economic challenges will continue to affect most of us for some time.经济的挑战，将继续影响我们大多数人了一段时间。 Unless energy prices moderate soon, it’s going to get a lot tougher out there.除非能源价格温和很快，它将会获得了很多强硬的存在。

How long are the elected leaders within the US going to let OPEC, oil companies and investors determine the price of oil and the price of gas that consumers across the country pay to put in their cars?  Oh, well maybe that’s the way the free market works.多久是当选的领导人在美国去，让欧佩克，油公司和投资者确定的石油价格和汽油价格，消费者该国各地的薪酬把他们的车呢？哦，以及可能的方式自由市场工程。

But when the price of oil doubles over the last year , there’s something wrong with the free markets.  Maybe they’re not so free after all, and between the oil producing nations, the giant oil companies and enormous investment and commodity trading practices, consumers are paying a premium that just doesn’t seem fair.但是， 当石油价格的一倍，在过去一年中 ，这里有些不对劲，与自由市场，也许它们不是免费的 ，所以归根究柢，和之间的石油生产国，石油巨头公司和庞大的投资和商品交易的做法，消费者付出的保费，刚才似乎并不公平。

So now the politicians continue to blame the oil companies for these problems, wringing their hands over what to do.  Of course there’s enough blame to go around for everyone it seems, even those of us driving gas-guzzling vehicles that cost a fortune to fill at the pump.所以现在的政客，继续指责油公司 ，为这些问题，捶胸顿足，他们手中有超过做些什么。当然，这里还有足够的责任推到四出为大家似乎，即使我们这些驾驶耗油量大的车辆成本的财富以填补在泵。

But the Congress itself is also to blame, even though they recently passed the symbolic NOPEC law targeting the OPEC nations for potentially monopolizing oil. Some journalists have astutely observed that Congress is really doing the same thing that they have accused OPEC of doing:但国会本身亦是咎由自取，即使他们最近通过的象征nopec的法律定位，欧佩克国家的潜在垄断的石油。 一些记者有敏锐指出 ，国会是真的做同样的事情，他们曾指责欧佩克的做法：

“This [law] is designed to make OPEC’s activities illegal. “本[法]是旨在使欧佩克的活动是非法的。 But here’s the problem: All that talk about “limiting the production of oil” could apply to Congress just as much it does to OPEC.但这里的问题：所有谈论“限制石油生产的”可申请向国会一样，它欧佩克。 Thomas Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, comments :托马斯派尔，总统研究所能源研究， 评论 ：

“The Congress itself is guilty of committing the crimes outlined in this legislation. “国会本身就是承认犯下的罪行概述了在这方面的立法。 In fact, it is a repeat offender.事实上，这是屡犯者。 The only difference between the Congress and OPEC in this regard is that OPEC is willing to produce oil for its citizens and its economies.唯一的区别国会和欧佩克在这方面，欧佩克愿意在石油生产，为公民和其经济。 The US Congress, unfortunately, is not.”美国国会的，不幸的是，不会“ 。

“Pyle is referring to Congress’s refusal to lease more public lands for oil and natural-gas exploration. “派尔所指的是国会的拒绝契约更多公共土地用于石油及天然气的勘探。 His group receives substantial funding from the oil industry, but he makes a point that even an environmentalist can appreciate.他的组获得了大量资金从石油业，但他作出了一点，即使是环保可以欣赏。 Congressional Democrats, together with a few moderate Republicans, have killed repeated attempts to open America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration, and Congress has barred states from deciding whether to allow drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the eastern Gulf of Mexico.国会的民主党人，连同少数温和派共和党人，杀害了多次试图打开美国的北极国家野生动物保护（ anwr ）为石油勘探，和国会已禁止各国从决定是否容许对钻井外大陆架在大西洋和太平洋海洋和东部墨西哥海湾。 All these actions were taken, in part, to limit carbon emissions.所有这些行动都采取了，这在部分上，以限制二氧化碳排放量。 But if NOPEC somehow managed to reduce oil prices (which it will not), it would do so by pressuring OPEC to increase oil production.但如果nopec有点管理，以减少石油价格（即它不会） ，它这样做是由施加压力，欧佩克增加石油产量。 And any OPEC increase large enough to lower prices would cause far more carbon emissions than any potential increase in American production.”和任何欧佩克增加足够大，以较低的价格会引起更多的碳排放量，比任何可能增加在美国生产“ 。

But what about the oil companies?  If the oil companies are guilty of something, it’s their ignorance and hubris at failing to understand how oil prices are affecting the American economy and consumers. Instead of defending their profits, which of course is the goal of any business, oil companies should be working with government to solve both the demand questions and the speculative investment concerns.但对于油公司？如果油公司承认的东西，这是他们的无知和傲慢，在未能了解如何在石油价格是影响美国经济和消费者的利益。 而是捍卫自己的利润，这当然是目标任何业务，油公司应与政府，以解决双方的需求，问题和投机性投资的关注。

So is the price of oil running up purely because of fundamentals with demand and the price of the US dollar?   From a long term view there’s little doubt that the fundamentals and global demand have determined the prices we pay.  But the debate regarding the influence of investment speculation is valid, especially in recent years.因此，是石油价格的运行起来，纯粹是因为基本面的供需和价格的美元？从长远的观点存在的，毫无疑问，基本面及全球需求决定了我们所付出的价格，但就辩论影响投资的投机活动是有效的，特别是最近几年。

Some have cited that it’s not like other commodities such as corn or wheat.  No one is “growing” more oil, although they could be doing more exploration to find it.  In the face of increasing demand however, and managed (aka OPEC) production, prices are generally going to head up. Paul Krugman looks at it as a consumption versus supply storage issue , and hence prices influenced by those dynamics.  Is it that simple?有些人举例说，它不像其他商品，如玉米或小麦，没有人是“成长”更多的石油，虽然他们可以做更多的探索，以找到它。在面对日益增加的需求，但和管理（又名欧佩克）生产，价格一般是去头。 保罗克鲁格曼看来，在它作为一个消费银两供应的储存问题 ，因此，价格的影响，这些动态的，是这么简单吗？

I guess it depends on how you look at it.  If consumer demand decreases, we would like to think prices at the pump would fall because inventories would rise.  But what if the oil companies also do not demand enough oil purchases from producing entities?  In other words, rather than store excess oil,when the oil companies see reduced demand they simply don’t buy more oil from OPEC and inventories actually fall.  When inventories fall, supply is reduced and prices are going to head up.   So are the oil companies to blame?我猜想这要看你如何看待它，如果消费需求下降，我们想认为汽油价格将下降，因为库存将增加，但如果油公司也没有足够的石油需求，购买生产实体呢？换言之，而非储存过剩的石油，当油公司看到需求减少，他们根本不买更多的石油来自欧佩克和库存下降，其实，当库存下降，供应减少和价格去头，所以是石油公司的责任？

Maybe the oil companies don’t manage demand per se, but they do influence inventory and refinery production immensely.  Are they making money at the expense of the American consumer?  Sure looks like it.  But so are the investment banks and hedge funds.也许油公司不管理的需求本身，而是他们的影响，库存和炼油厂生产，极大地。是他们赚钱，不惜牺牲美国消费者呢？肯定看起来像，但因此是投资银行和对冲基金。

Are we in a speculative bubble with oil prices too?  Probably.  But unfortunately, the long term view indicates the fundamentals of supply and demand will be the primary driver governing oil prices.  Without more oil, and greater oil and gas refinining inventories, we will continue to pay higher prices.我们在一个投机泡沫与石油价格太？可能，但很可惜，长期的看法，显示基本面供应和需求将成为主要推动力，执政石油价格，没有更多的石油，和更大的石油和天然气refinining清单，我们会继续支付更高的价格。

So what else could government be doing?  The politicians could provide incentives for building new refineries, and open up regions for drilling both in Alaska and off the coasts of the nation.  One of the oil company executives made a pretty good statement when replying to one of the politicians in congress:因此，还有什么可政府在做什么？政客可以提供诱因，为建设新的炼油厂，及开放地区的钻井无论是在阿拉斯加和小康的海岸国家，其中油公司高层作出了一个不错的声明时，回答1对政客在国会：

“This is the only country in the world that denies its citizens access to known reserves of oil and gas.” “这是唯一的国家在世界上否认其公民获得已知的储备，石油和天然气” 。

Think increasing drilling won’t help?  Actually it would help incredibly, but takes time.  For the past decade too many people- mostly politicians- have argued against it, rather than doing something about it.认为增加钻探将不会帮助？其实这将有助于难以置信的是，但需要时间。在过去十年里有太多人-大部分政客-有反对它，而不是做一些有关情况。

“If the nation set a goal of increasing domestic production by 2 (million) to 3 million barrels a day by opening up new sources of exploration and production, we could demonstrate to the world that we are in control of our own destiny,” Shell Oil Co. President John Hofmeister told a Senate panel. “如果国家订出一个目标是增加国内生产由2 （万元）至3万桶，每天开辟了新的来源的勘探和生产，我们可以向世界展示我们是在控制自己的命运， ”空壳石油公司前总统约翰hofmeister告诉参议院小组。

It would probably be a lot more than that.  From the National Review article above,它可能会有很多不止于此。从国家审查条以上，

“The amount of oil we could produce is not negligible. “数额石油，我们可以产生是不容忽视的。 Take ANWR, just one of several untouched sites that contain known oil supplies.采取anwr ，只是其中的几个原封不动的网站包含已知的石油供应。 Based on figures from the Energy Information Administration , ANWR alone could produce enough oil (in 2004, the EIA estimated 900,000 barrels per day by 2025) to make 6.4 billion gallons of gasoline annually.的基础上的数字，从能源信息管理局 ， anwr仅可以生产足够的石油（在2004年，环境影响评估，估计90.0万桶，每天，到2025年） ，使六十四点〇亿加仑汽油每年。 Because producing and refining five barrels of oil requires energy equivalent to one barrel, this translates to a net energy gain of four-fifths that amount, or 5.1 billion gallons of gasoline annually.因为生产和精炼五桶石油需要的能源相当于1桶，这转化为净能量增益的五分之四在这一数额中，或五十一万点零零万加仑汽油每年。 That is enough gasoline for 13 days of American consumption at the current rate.这是足够的汽油为13天的美国消费在现行费率。 Moreover, Uncle Sam would make somewhere between $150 billion and $300 billion on ANWR leases over the estimated life of the oil deposit.”此外，山姆大叔会令某处之间的1500亿美元和3000亿美元，对anwr契约，超过估计的生命石油存款“ 。

That’s actually a lot of oil production, and would offset and compete with the prices for imported oil.这其实是一个很大的石油生产，并会抵消和竞争的价格进口石油。 What about off-shore drilling?什么离岸钻井？ We could expand or build new refineries if we really wanted to.我们可以扩大或兴建新的炼油厂，如果我们真的想。 I wonder if we’ll reach that point… more importantly, we need to develop an energy plan for the next 50-100 years for the nation.我不知道，如果我们将达到这一点…更重要的是，我们需要建立一个能源计划，为未来50-100年为民族。

If our elected leaders would simply throw politics aside for a moment (!), maybe we could get off the Blame Train and have that Energy Summit and start working on a way forward for the nation.如果我们当选的领导人只会扔政治预留的时刻（ ！ ） ，也许我们可以下车归咎于培养和有能源首脑会议和开始工作就前进的方向，为民族。

One of these days we’re going to find ourselves not needing quite as much oil with highly efficient vehicles running around the roads.  I believe technology and the stark economic realities will foster the transition to new types of alternative fuels and the demand for oil will drop over time.  Maybe there will be some cataclysmic event or technological marvel that revolutionizes transportation.  Can you imagine what would happen if we discovered something that effectively negated the need for oil-derived fuels for public transportation across the nation?   Energy independence!之一，这些天来，我们要去发现自己并不需要相当多的石油与高效率的行驶的车辆周围的道路，我相信技术和严酷的经济现实，将促进过渡到新的类型的替代燃料和石油的需求将下降，随着时间的推移，也许会有一些灾难性事件或技术奇迹革命运输。你能想象会发生什么事，如果我们发现了一些有效的否定，需要石油衍生燃料，公共交通在全国呢？能源独立！ What a great concept.什么是伟大构想。

Whatever the future holds, the OPEC nations won’t always be showered with US dollars as we buy endless barrels of oil.   Indeed, OPEC really should get smart and start pumping more oil .无论将来举行，欧佩克国家将不会永远showered与美元作为我们购买无休止的桶石油。事实上， 欧佩克真的应得的智能，并开始抽水更多的石油 。

One trend that a lot of people have returned to is growing a garden at home.  With gas and grocery prices skyrocketing, it’s not hard to see why a backyard garden is a great idea to help the family budget.一趋势，有很多人已经返回，是日益增长的花园的家中。气体和杂货的价格暴涨，这不是不难看出，为什么后院花园是一个伟大的构想 ，以帮助家庭的财政预算案。

“It’sa trend that started slowly several years ago, spurred by concerns about food safety, food quality, and global warming, say garden mavens. “这是趋势，开始慢慢地数年前，带动关注食品安全，食品质量，和全球变暖，说花园mavens 。 But this year’s gasoline and food price spikes have had what could be called a “Miracle-Gro” effect on the backyard garden movement.但今年的汽油和食品价格尖峰有什么可称为“奇迹-网上论坛”效应对后院花园运动。 This year, 39 percent of people with backyards told the Garden Writers Association they planned to grow vegetables this year.今年， 39 ％的人的后院告诉花园作协，他们计划种菜今年。 That’s up 5 percent from last year, after remaining relatively stable with only small increases for much of the past decade.”这是增长5 ％ ，从去年后，余下的相对稳定，只有小的加幅大部分在过去十年“ 。

When the prices of Cows, Corn and Chickens are all heading up, we look for ways to cut back or become more budget conscious, and a garden is really not that hard to start.  It does take a little effort to keep growing, but it is so amazing to pick your own tomatoes, corn or cucumbers.  It’s not only more healthy for you, it also saves on gas and time at the store!  Of course it takes a little time at home.当价格的奶牛，玉米和鸡都是标题，我们寻求削减或变得更加预算的自觉，和花园是真的，不是努力的开始。但这需要花上一点时间的努力来实现持续增长，但它如此惊人的挑选自己的西红柿，玉米或黄瓜，它的不仅是更健康的为你，也节省了气体和时间在商店！当然，这需要一点时间在家里。

But can you think of anything that is more rewarding and that would provide a great experience and teaching tool for the family?  It can be a healthy and instructive way to add a little extra food at home, but there’s more to the story.但你能想到的事，更有价值的，并且会提供一个具有丰富的经验和教学工具为家庭？它可以是一种健康的和有启发性的方式添加一点点额外的食物在家里，但是有更多的故事。

…like other garden experts, Ms. Koivula believes there’s also something more powerful and less tangible coming into play. …像其他园林专家，科伊武拉女士认为，也有一些更强大的和少的有形未来发挥作用。 “There are a lot of different reasons to garden this particular year, but I do think there’s also this innate desire in all of us to actually put seed in the ground because that’s how we all fed ourselves years ago,” she says. “有很多不同的原因，以花园，这特别的一年，但我认为也有这种先天的愿望，在我们所有人，其实种子，在地面上，因为这是如何，大家都美联储自己多年前， ”她说。

Back in Killingworth, Francis Barkyoumb couldn’t agree more.早在killingworth ，弗朗西斯barkyoumb不能同意。 He’s been gardening since he was a little boy, with his father and his grandfather.他一直在园艺，因为他是小男孩，与他的父亲和他的祖父。 “Just growing stuff, being outside, nature, getting your hands dirty, teaching the kids about getting their hands dirty, being one with the earth generation after generation: That’s why I garden,” he says. “刚刚成长的东西，正在外面，性质，让您的手脏，教学孩子们获取他们的手脏，正一与地球一代又一代人：这就是我为什么花园， ”他说。

This year our son wanted “his own row” in the garden, so we helped him plant it.  He needs to learn how to keep the weeds down and the plants watered.  With a little luck and help from us, he’ll see how the plants grow and produce vegetables, and get to eat “his own” food.  It doesn’t take much room to put in a few vegetable plants, and the rewards can be incredible.今年我们的儿子要“自己行”在花园里，所以我们帮他厂。他需要学习如何保持的杂草和植物浇水。一个小运气和帮助我们，他会看到如何该植物生长和生产的蔬菜，就可以吃“自己的”食物。它没有考虑很多空间提出在未来数蔬菜植物，以及奖励，可令人难以置信。

With or without children it’sa nice way to spend some time outdoors.  Amid the hustle and bustle of our days, working in the garden is somewhat meditative.  Taking care of the plants and the soil seems like an extension of taking care of ourselves.  Our bodies and our spirits benefit in far greater measure than our wallets.  So come on!  What are you waiting for?  It’s only May, and there’s still time to get a garden in the backyard this year!有或没有子女这是很好的方式，以花一些时间在户外。中的喧嚣与繁闹，我们的日子，工作在花园里是有点冥想。照顾植物和土壤好像的延伸，照顾自己。我们的身体和精神有利于在更大程度远远超过我们的钱包，所以加油！你还在等什么？它唯一的可能，且有的还有时间来得到花园，在后院今年！

Spring sure feels good after a long winter, and now getting ready for summer. I find myself heading outside more often to enjoy the fresh air, clean up the landscaping and garage and ponder the various barbecue dinners for those warm summer evenings. I don’t know why, but then I start tinkering around with and trying to improve a lot of things both inside and outside the home.  That’s not so bad in itself, but then I start making a list of things we need from the store that will help fix or improve those things.春天肯定感觉很好，经过漫长的冬天，和现在准备夏天，我发现自己的标题以外更经常地享受清新的空气，清洁环境美化和车库，思考各种烧烤晚餐，对于那些热烈的夏天晚上，我不要吨知道为什么，但后来我开始与周围的修修补补和设法改善了很多事情内外家园。这并不是那么差，在本身，但后来我开始做清单的东西，我们需要从商店将帮助修复或改善这些事情。

Too many of us go shopping for a host of reasons other than finding something we really need.  We crave adventure and excitement, and it’s fun to buy things.  But after looking around the house and closets, we’re just buying junk that doesn’t help our family’s economic well-being.  If we’re not careful, we end up caught in viscious cycle that I call The Spending Loop .太多了，我们外出购物为东道国以外的原因找到了一些我们真正需要的，我们渴望冒险和兴奋，它的乐趣买东西，但后，环顾房子的壁橱，我们只是认为，购买垃圾不利于我们家庭的经济福祉。如果我们不小心，我们最终陷入viscious周期， 我称之为消费循环 。

So there I am, wandering the aisles of the nearby big-box store filling up the cart with all kinds of stuff.  It’sa self-fulfilling spending loop that I’ve created from both a real and a perceived need to buy “things we need.”  Nothing wrong with that if spending is balanced against needs versus wants. But too many of us don’t consider the difference.  When I head to the store to buy something, I’m half excited to be getting things that I think will help spruce up the house and keep it looking good.所以，我游荡商店附近的大方块存储填补车与所有种的东西。这是自我实现的消费循环我已经建立了从一个真正的和知觉需要购买“的东西，我们需要“没有什么不妥，如果开支是平衡的需要银两希望，但太多了，我们不考虑差异，当我去商店买东西，我一半高兴能够得到的东西，我认为将有助于云杉了众议院并保持良好的期待。

Yet sometimes, for all the good intentions we may have, a lot of that newly purchased stuff just ends up sitting on a shelf, and we don’t get around to finishing the projects we were really motivated about a few weeks earlier.   And if we’re not careful, that shopping and “sprucing up the house” can take on a life of its own, until it becomes a habit that takes real money out of the bank account over time, and we’re caught in that spending loop, piling on enormous debt over time. Honestly when I look in the garage and all the closets, I wonder if we really ever need anything else again!  Even the food pantry is too well stocked, but somehow I feel more secure with that.但有时，为所有的良好意愿，我们可能有，很多新购买的东西刚刚结束会议上的架子，和我们不绕开整理项目，我们真的动机，约几个星期前。如果我们正在不小心，购物和“ sprucing了家” ，可以采取在一个自己的生命，直到它成为一种习惯，采取真正的钱出来的银行帐户随着时间的推移，我们正在陷入在这方面的开支回路，打桩对巨大的债务超过的时间。老实说，当我看到在车库和所有的壁橱，我不知道如果我们真的以往任何时候都需要其他任何一次！甚至食物茶水是太清楚了库存，但在某种程度上，我觉得更安全的这一点。

While acknowledging my impulse to head to the landscaping store to find just the right tool or hardware item, I’ve made an effort over the last few months to avoid shopping for the sake of shopping and really think about if we need something or not.  The shopping aspect has never really been a problem, but I just realize that I’ll buy things that I don’t really need sometimes.  So while I still make lists and think of things we need to buy to help finish this project or that, I’m now trying not to rush right out and buy what I think we need right away.   After a few days, some of those items don’t seem so important anymore, and the impluse to go shopping is not as strong.虽然承认我的冲动，前往美化商店，以寻求公正的权利的工具，或硬体项目，我已经作出了努力，在过去数月，以避免商场为购物和真的想，如果我们需要的东西或没有。商场方面从来就没有真正被一个问题，但我只知道，我会买东西，我并不真的需要 ，有时，所以虽然我仍然名单和认为的东西，我们需要购买，以协助完成这个项目，或，我现在想不急于权利和购买什么，我认为我们需要正确的距离。几天之后，一些这些项目似乎并不那么重要了，和impluse外出购物没那么强烈。

Maybe it’s part of modern society and our conditioning.  When we shop or buy something at the store we feel like we’ve “done” something and that simple act of buying something will help our situation.  Too often all that we’ve done is decreased the cash in the bank or gone deeper in debt on the credit card.也许它的一部分，现代社会和我们的空调，当我们店或购买一些在商店一样，我们觉得我们已经“完成”和一些简单的行为，购买的东西将帮助我们的情况。往往都表明我们已这样做是减少现金在银行或在经历了更深的债务对信用卡。

If you recognize that smiley face above, it seems to imply a certain level of satisfaction or happiness.  Combine that with a shopping environment, and it’s no wonder why the smiley face was chosen to be associated with price comparisons.  Many of us crave adventure, excitement and something “new.”   And whether we admit it or not, we try to fulfill many of those cravings by going shopping, getting a good deal, or finding something “special.”  Let’s face it, sometimes it really is fun and exciting, especially if you’re buying something you really want.如果您认识到，笑脸以上，这似乎意味着某种程度的满意度或幸福。相结合，与购物环境，和它的没有，不知为何笑脸选择要与之关联的价格比较。我们许多人所渴望adventure, excitement and something “new.”   And whether we admit it or not, we try to fulfill many of those cravings by going shopping, getting a good deal, or finding something “special.”  Let’s face it, sometimes it really is fun and exciting, especially if you’re buying something you really want.

But it’s short-lived satisfaction for the most part.  The experience and the excitement is momentary.  Far better to seek adventure and excitement in healthy, practical ways such as working outdoors, gardening, hiking or playing sports.

So while I’m in the midst of a host of spring cleaning chores, I’m working on getting all those other things accomplished that don’t cost much extra money to undertake.  If I really think about it, sometimes my desire to go shopping for “stuff we need” is a disguised effort to procrastinate or improve something else so I don’t have to deal with the stuff I don’t want to finish right now.

I’m no psychologist, but I’m sure there’sa host of other dysfunctional reasons that we go shopping, spend money and buy stuff we don’t need.   Sometimes it’s just plain fun.  But it’s too darn easy to go through money like crazy, much to the delight of the retail store business.    I’m still looking at the shopping issue, and trying to educate a child as well.  Even with kids, their eyes light up when they have a chance to buy something.  So we need to find balance and a healthy approach to spending money when we need to, and avoid the cycle of spending money for no reason at all.

Are there other strategies we can use to structure our shopping needs?  Credit and debit cards are really too easy to use.  Is something like the household budget really an effective tool to prevent binge shopping, or buying stuff we don’t need?   Not for me, at least a lot of the time.   Do you see a better way?    It’sa continuing issue for so many of us, and without really looking at the issue within the family, a lot of people are going to struggle financially while remaining stuck within the spending loop.  But it’s time to break free, to be a little more honest with ourselves, and to begin restructuring our goals toward positive, long term financial outcomes.

Have you had enough of recession-talk yet?  I’ve finally reached the point where if we are in a recession, or if we will be in a recession simply doesn’t matter.  US economic growth has slowed down in many areas.  It may slow even more, or it may pick up a bit.  In either case we’re muddling along looking for new ways to grow the economy.  It’s really not that bad statistically, and yet even with mild economic data, the nation’s mood is gloomy .

“If you compare where the economy was at the end of March [2008] with where we were at the beginning of the year, there is no question the economy is down by just about every measure,” said Martin Feldstein, the former chief economic adviser to Ronald Reagan who now heads the National Bureau of Economic Research, which formally “declares” US recessions.

Many folks are worried about the job market and are struggling with the worst housing slump in decades. But it also seems that talking about what’s wrong with the economy is like a sport or play-by-play event for the media these days. Everybody’s asking, “Are we there yet?” while some people proclaim that the recession is just beginning.

“Even if the capital markets crisis resolves, it does not mean that this country will not go into a bad recession,” said JP Morgan Chase CEO James Dimon, whose bank saw its first-quarter profit fall by half due to the recent collapse of the US mortgage market. “The recession just started.”

Well, okay.  That’s all fine and dandy.  But while the media keeps looking for a story to spin, one of these days people are going to tire of all the negativisim and look for more positive, constructive approaches to daily life and rebuilding the economy.

It is an election year of course, and the politicians will continue bashing each other for what’s wrong with our current situation.  But they had better start thinking about 2009.  Whoever wins the election this year is going to have their work cut out for them.  I don’t know about you, but come next year I want all the problems solved!  Lower gas and food prices, a growing economy, a rising stock market, and peace across the world.  A little unrealistic to be sure, but sometimes we need to step back and gain a little perspective.

It could always be a lot worse, such as for the more than 18,000 people in China or between 60,000 to 100,000 people in Myanmar who have perished in recent weeks.  Katrina was pretty bad, but was not even comparable to what these nations are dealing with.  In Myanmar the government is barely acknowledging the devastation and not allowing humanitarian aid to reach the people who need it. And while the people of Myanmar wait desparately to get help, their government is keeping the food for its own purposes .  That’s one of the problems with dictatorships . The numbers of human lives affected are staggering to consider, and what is left for the living will take years of rebuilding.

From the context of natural disasters, most of us are doing pretty well.  Regardless of how gloomy one feels about the US economy, it’s really pretty darn good compared to most places around the world. We’ve talked about recessions before , and what’s important.

But on an individual level I submit that what you call it really doesn’t matter .  What matters is what we are doing individually and collectively to improve opportunity and economic well-being for ourselves and our families.

Nobody enjoys paying so much money for gas, or cutting back spending in a lot of areas just to get by.  But this is where we are, and I find myself looking for ways to appreciate and improve our lives regardless of the challenges. We the living must continue to grow and build our lives and families.  When the economic news starts getting tiresome, a little perspective goes a long way.