What Truckers Are Saying Along I-65 in Kentucky

James---a long haul trucker from Oxford, MS---has been in the trucking business for 43 years and says it's the only profession he knows how to make any money in. He's hauling a load of fertilizer from Canada to Mississippi.

He's about to pay $1,200 for 280 gallons of diesel fuel here at PETRO Truck Stop on I-65 in Southern Kentucky. "I burn about $3,000 worth of fuel a week," he says, "and I honestly can say I don't know what's going to happen to my business if prices go much higher. I've never said that before in all these years in trucking."

I ask James how long he can last in this enviroment? and he shoots back, "Until the bank comes after my truck. At the moment, I'm one payment behind."

He has a wife, three grown children and six grandchildren he 'likes to spoil the dickens out of.'

"Mind you I'm not complaining because somehow we'll make it through this. But I've never seen anything like this in my life. Washington is digging us a grave we may never get out of."

I press him on his presidential candidate. He responds, "I like McCain, but don't trust him. Like Hillary okay, but don't trust her. I'm very afraid of something bad happening to Obama if he ever gets in. Don't even want to think about it."

And then he finishes by saying, "This country has enough oil right here without going to the Middle East to last us for over 200 years. I know because I haul fuel all the time and I know the ins and outs of that business. Unless we start using what we have here and off our shores, we're in a heap of trouble. I mean a heap."

Amen, brother James.

Kentucky trucker Darryl says he just paid $611.24 for147 gallons of diesel fuel. And that's only for one tank, half his capacity. He predicts gas at $6-7 by late summer. He supports Hillary, and thinks we need to get out of Iraq and "take care of our own first."

He fought in the first Gulf War and agrees with the way we went in, got the job done and then got out. "We freed Kuwait and did what we needed to do."

"I have three boys and the oldest just got out of basic training and will get his education through the Army. Education is everything."

Yes, Darryl, and isn't life sometimes a pretty good education for real life too? Some of those PhD eastern elites may be out of a job long before you are, Sir.

Sam is based in Elizabethtown, KY and thinks gas will go to $5-6 a gallon soon and that we're in tough times. He thinks the independent truckers, like him, will be squeezed the most and many will go out of business, while the big trucking companies like J.B Junt, Werner and others will drop their prices and be able to stick it out.

He's paying $900 for gas today, and says his company has a $900 cuttoff per refill at the moment. But, they'll have to up that soon, he emphasizes.

I press Sam on his politics.

"There's not one candidate I really care a thing about. Huckabee was my man and I really wish Mr. Slick Hair, what's his name? oh yeah Romney would have stayed in. I guess I'll have to vote for McCain, but I don't care that much for him. There's no question that Obama is too far in left field and anti-American."

Sam is most concerned about taxes and is crazy about the idea of the Fair Tax.

Kentucky trucker and entrepreneuer William owns seven trucks but can now only afford to run two of them, including the one he's currently driving. He has a wife and four children, but he and his wife of many years are adopting two more homeless kids this summer.

He's running from Louisville to Louisiana today and says he now has to take longer trips to make it worthwhile. "Family comes first always," he adds. "I hope I can stay in business during these hard times."

God bless you, man. I do too.

Florida trucker Alberto is running from Tampa to Chicago with a huge load of new Toyota gas efficient cars. The round trip will cost about $3,500.

**********

These guys keep us in all sorts of things we take so for granted. There's not a class of workers in this country that I like more than these fellows. They deserve for us to get our energy act together so they can keep us in the manner that we spoiled Americans are accustomed.

God bless them all. God bless America. Pass the hot sauce and start drilling!

Think You Got Problems?

Try being a tractor trailer trucker at the pump today. With fuel tanks holding hundreds of gallons of diesel, these guys often have to cough up over $1,000 for a fill-up. And believe you me, They. Are. Not. Amused.

I'm on the Interstate now, and will try to stop and talk to some of these big guys in person later.

I plan to continue this How We Got Here series soon.

How We Got to $4/Gal Gas and Rising: Reason #1---Taking the Dollar off the Gold Standard in 1971

(This may take a few days, but let's start with one of the most forgotten and obscure, but major reasons the price of oil is high again today, as it was in the 70s.)

WHEN THE DOLLAR FLOATS SOUTH, OPEC GLOATS

REASON 1: Getting the US dollar off the gold standard. Oil prices began to rise inordinately after President Nixon untied the American dollar from the gold standard in 1971. This was a monumental economic mistake and caused the value of the dollar to plummet while sending commodity and gas prices through the roof. John Tamny explains it well here

When the dollar began to float in relation then only to other currencies, commodities started to float upwards and fluctuate wildly. Inflation was directly proportional to the falling dollars. It was the beginning of OPEC having any teeth at all.

While it's probably impractical except as some sort of partial reserve, if we really want to see the price of gas stabilize in the mid to long run, then we need a president who will put the dollar back on some kind of basis with the gold standard and let it stabilize accordingly. OPEC will suddenly find itself with much duller teeth, maybe with no teeth at all.

Today the dollar is at historic lows, commodity prices, including gasoline, are at historic highs and it looks like we're going up the creek without a paddle, as OPEC can yank our chain and pull our whiskers.

Oh yes it can.

God and the Unfairness and Trials of Life

From the Winning Your Battle series, Rice Broocks talks about taking every thought captive in the inner battles we often attempt to struggle with alone and in secret. All sin is first and foremost inward, appearing as thoughts, then becoming deeply held beliefs and terribly painful emotions which grow and fester in isolation from the godly influences and community of others and God's Word which can replace dark thoughts, beliefs and feelings with the Good News of The Gospel.

FROM CHUCK SWINDOLL'S LITTLE TREASURE OF A BOOK, PERFECT TRUST:

What if we do believe in God and his Son, Jesus Christ, yet remain in the midst of trials we can't understand? And what about the times we are trusting in God and difficulties, even disaster strikes? We are tempted to doubt and ask why? We ask, "God, if you are really my safety, why am I in this awful situation? Why do I feel so terrible?"

Helen Rosevere was a British medical missionary in the Congo years ago during an uprising. Her faith was strong and her trust was confident in God, yet she was raped and assaulted and treated brutally. Commenting later, she said, "I must ask myself a question as if it came directly from the Lord. 'Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience even if I never tell you why?'"

A profound thought. God has trusted each of us with our own set of unfair circumstances and unexplained experiences to deal with. Can we still trust in Him even if He never tell us why?

The secret to responsible trust is acceptance. Acceptance is taking from God's hand absolutely anything He gives, looking into His face in trust and thanksgiving and know that the confinement of the hedge we're in is good and for His glory. Even though what we're enduring may be painful, it's good simply because God Himself is allowing it. Acceptance, and peace, is resting in God's goodness, believing that He has all things under His control---even people who are doing what is wrong. Even wrongdoers.

Christianity is learning to trust Christ, not self. Most people are trying to reach God, find God, even reject God, through their own efforts. But perfect trust is resting all of one's weight on something else, not on self.

We learn to lean on Him as our strength. Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." In other words, strength comes from proper perspective.

Elton Trueblood put it this way, "Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation."
Strength comes from choosing to fully trust, pray and praise. Our circumstances may not change, but in the process, we change.

Annie Johnson Flint wrote:

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
Pressed so intently it seems beyond strength.
Pressed in body and pressed in soul;
Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;
Pressure by foes, pressure by friends;
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod;
Pressed into knowing no helper but God.

Jesus Christ stands at the door. He holds out his hands that are scarred. His feet are pierced, and He bears in His body the marks of death. He says, "I know the pressure you're under. I understand the strain. I know the unfair abuse. But let me offer you some encouragement. Don't be afraid. Look at life through my eyes! Stop letting life intimidate you! Stop running scared and helpless! Trust Me!"

In every one of life's circumstances, it's why we have the gift of Christ's finished work on the Cross and an empty tomb. No one forces us to accept this free gift. But turning to God and His Son Jesus Christ is the greatest transforming gift we will ever accept. Nothing compares in good times and bad. With a relationship with Christ, we can do and bear all things, without it, we can do nothing that really lasts.

Cramer Sets Matt Straight

UPDATE: OOPS, I MAY HAVE UNDERESTIMATED MY PREDICTION BELOW.

WEBUTANTE'S PREDICTION: GAS PRICES @ $6 PER GALLON BY FALL. YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE BANK.



Matt Laurer is a part of the planetary emergency hysteria-glass always half empty-crowd, and it's refreshing to hear Wildman Jim respond to Matt's rhetorical questions on food, housing and gas prices. What to worry about and what not to take so seriously. Of course, all of us know the real reasons gas prices are so high and rising, don't we?

Answer hint: It's not all about Bush and it goes back decades.

A Blessed Event in Many Lives

A simple traditional wedding ceremony in a wee Scottish Presbyterian Church officiated by a wonderful and godly man who said the following: "Put your relationship with Christ first above all else and let it be the foundation of everything that follows with each other; after that, make your relationship with each other the most important."

I couldn't agree more. God bless these two and their marriage.

And away they go into the night and their future together! May the Lord bless them and keep them and make His face to shine upon them and give them peace always. Amen.

Am dead dog tired from too much fun, crying too many tears of joy and from seeing and hugging and laughing with too many friends and relatives--new and old---over the past few days. Truly we are blessed.

Taking a few days off to catch up on sleep and travel to the Isle of Mull. God bless.

Walk About Perthshire

SPRING IS LATE THIS YEAR IN PERTHSHIRE

Left to my own devices and unsupervised, I'm a hopeless wanderer. Much of my time here in Perthshire is happily not my own this trip, especially as family and friends from the States began to dribble in late Tuesday afternoon. Still, I made the not-so-hard decision yesterday to forego a small family meet and greet dinner in Edinburgh Tuesday night, so that I could get some of the wanderlust out of my incurable system ahead of festivities. I was not disappointed. The cool breezes and fresh air did my soul much good.

A Good Night's Sleep

I was met Monday morning as I landed in Edinburgh after a fitful and short night's sleep flying over the Atlantic, by my soon-to-be lovely daughter and son with a big hug and a cup of black, hot coffee. It just doesn't get any better than that.

As the wonderful day wore on greeting and even hiking with new family members, I tried in vain to hold my eyes open. In the end, the call of the bed triumphed early last night and I fell into a deep slumber which must have lasted 11-12 hours.

What I can say this morning unequivocally is that a good night's sleep is one of the greatest joys in life and so necessary for mental/spiritual health and well-being. We live in such an age of restlessness and hyper-caffeination. And to be able to sleep regularly, fully, deeply is a gift beyond measure.

And now for a full day of discovery in a new/old land. The weather is crisp, cool and sunny and daffodils are blooming everywhere. Baby lambs are in fields of green in Perthshire.

Beatrix Potter, Victorian Artist, Naturalist and Wildlife Conservationist

In Dunkeld, so far, by far my favorite town in Scotland, childhood home of Beatrix Potter. A simply wonderful part of the world. Too jet lagged to write more today.

Off We Go!

Actually watching both these videos simultaneously is a trip.

God bless.

Tim Keller: On The Bible's Exhortation to Engage Culture

Each month I receive NYC Redeemer Presbyterian Church's newsletter and enjoy reading it from cover to cover. In the current April, 2008 issue, head pastor Tim Keller writes on the whys and hows Christian believers should engage our culture. I quote extensively from a portion of his article below:

"At Redeemer we encourage Christian 'cultural engagement,' but there are critics who say that we should instead simply work at 'being and building up the church' and avoid any efforts to change or renew culture. I'd like to offer a few Biblical texts that serve as a starting point for Redeemer's approach to this issue.

Loving your neighbor

First, Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan teaches that we are not only to love our brothers and sisters in Christ but also our neighbors (Luke 19:25-37.) In Jesus' day, the idea of 'neighbor' and 'brother' was the same thing. Love and support were to be only shown to one's own tribe, race, and faith. By making the two main figures in the parable to be a Jew and a Samaritan, however, Jesus drove home the fact that a Christian must consider anyone at all, especially those of other races and classes, as my neighbor, even if he or she is of another faith. Paul follows up with the command to "Do good to all men, especially the household of faith."(Galatians 6:10). Here Paul clearly tells believers to serve the interests of their non-Christian neigbors. The word 'good' includes giving material benefits (as in the parable of the Good Samaritan) out of love and desire for a person's well being in every way. Thus Paul calls Christians to consider and work for the 'common good' of their neighborhood and city.

It is no wonder that Christians seeking to obey Christ and Paul have over the centuries worked to abolish slavery, repeal child labor laws, and open voting rights to all citizens, as well as to begin thousands of programs and ministries that help the poor and needy."

*********

Lon Solomon of McLean Bible Church in Tyson's Corner, Virginia tells of his amazing conversion experience from Judaism to Christ.

Late Afternoon Wildflower Walk Between Thunderstorms

Raul Gets A Grip, Or How One Little Putt Forever Changed the World

WHEN COMMUNISTS PLAY GOLF

Ever wondered why Castro gave up the game of golf? You know you have, maybe even for decades.

The answer to your conundrum is near: It's Che Guevara above in putt mode, with Fidel intently looking on from behind.

Rumor has it, Castro went on to lose the round of golf with Che that day in Cuba over forty years ago, and in a fit of rage and very bad sportsmanship, threw in the towel, gave up the game and turned Cuba into a communist dictatorship. Then had all the caddies in the country beheaded. (a joke.)

Every golf course in Cuba---with the exception of the Havana Golf Club---fell into massive disrepair. Golf clubs everywhere morphed into plowshares and life in Cuba generally went downhill very fast.

Now you know the rest of the story of how one little putt forever changed the course of world history.

But alas, Fidel is no longer wielding his tight grip of Marxist power there, and we know a softer, gentler Cuba may be on the way.

Why? Because Castro's baby brother Raul, now the presidente de Cuba, has an idea to bring golf back to his decaying little kingdom. In an attempt to shore up the economy that Fidel wrecked---and kept on wrecking for decades, as he remade beautiful Cuba into his communist playpen and pig sty---Raul hopes to bring a few of those gringo dollars/pounds back into the moribund Cuban economy. It seems people there continue to be starving to death and Cuba needs to get its economy back up on the first tee.

If you want to know more about the day golf may return to Cuba, then read on.

And remember, where there's golf, there's hope. Communism and golf (and a sense of humor) are mutually exclusive. Who knows, maybe when Donald Trump finishes his big golf development in Scotland, he'll turn his sights down Raul's way. Raul meet The Donald, Don meet baby brother. I can certainly see some possibilities in this.


Then Raul, how about opening up some of those marvellous bonefish fisheries down on the southern coast of Cuba? I might even drop a few Gringo dollars down your way, if you do. And after that, you Communist guys might learn how to take a joke.

Talk Radio Host Steve Gill Writes at Pajamas on Failures of Liberal Radio

Wonderful piece on Air America's lower and lower ratings written by a tremendously successful Middle Tennessee radio talk show host who knows the business well. Nashville's Steve Gill, a true conservative ideologue, writes a great piece for Pajamas this week.

From Pajamas: "Air America's rock-bottom ratings (28th in San Francisco!) offer a valuable lesson: attempting to fill the left's void of ideas with F-words and ad hominem attacks will not fool the listeners for long."

A portion of Steve's conservative concerto:

"Critics of conservative talk radio often accuse the hosts of preaching from “talking points” because the analysis of political and policy matters is often similar. But the consistency of commentary that sometimes occurs is not traceable to some mysterious and widely dispersed “talking points.”

"Rather, it is a shared ideology — a belief in getting government out of the way, off our backs, and out of our pockets; a commitment to freedom, independence, and self-reliance as the best route to prosperity and property; an understanding that rights and responsibilities must go hand-in-hand; a recognition that a government founded on morality and pursuit of justice is preferable to one built on “anything goes” and special treatment; and a world view that America represents the best the world can offer, not the worst — that produces conservative analysis that can sometimes resemble an echo chamber.

"Liberal theology, as expressed by left-wing talk hosts, has no apparent ideological consistency. Groups that are linked only by their hatred of President Bush don’t really share a commonality of thought or policy goals. That is the real problem for liberals/Democrats. A coalition of those who support the unlimited and unrestricted abortion of unborn children, labor union activists, gay and lesbian groups that oppose traditional marriage, open-border proponents who see illegal immigrants as political and economic pawns to be played on the national chessboard, race-oriented activists, gender-oriented activists, conservative southern Democrats who remain linked to the party simply because “great-granddaddy” was a Democrat, the Code Pink crowd that wants America to retreat and cower in the face of terror, and all the other constituencies that make up the unholy alliance that has become the modern day Democratic Party is not a coalition of conscience. The only common link is a desire for political power."

....and detesting everything Bush, I might add.

Home run, Steve. With all the bases loaded. (May I use this as a talking point?....just a little joke.)

The Gill Report here. But Steve, you forgot to mention how Al Franken first wrecked Air America and has now gone on to the demotion of running himself for U.S. Senate from Minnesota....ugh.

I'm Shocked!

You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

No really.

I've always seen Colin Powell as weak, but now, I see him as nothing less than U.N. material. Well meaning. Innocuous. Nice. Neville Chamberlain-like in his demeanor.

********

Great story on John McCain and Mo Udall on Slate via Pajamas Media.

Another Reason Not to Drive in D.C.

Ever received a traffic ticket in the mail from a camera that nailed you at a time and in a place you can't even vaguely remember being? On a street you could swear you've never heard of?

I have. In D.C. last year. And the situation is getting direr and direr.

Unless you've lived or driven there and had this experience, you haven't really lived. (This is on top of the granite curbs that Lady Bird Johnson put in all over the District. Granite will blow out your tires quicker than a jack rabbit if you swipe it. I'm used to the much more forgiving limestone curbs that your tires bounce off of. Anyway, hitting a granite IED happened to me in front of the French Embassy years ago, and I can tell you that a blowout there is an adventure magnificque, and yes I made the spelling up!) But back to traffic cameras.

This, in my opinion, is something useful that the ACLU can spend its time on. But realistically, we live in a camera ready world, far, far beyond our control. Only time will tell where this will all end.

Time and countless lawsuits.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3....

UPDATE 1: I have to disagree with Vanderleun on this one. Watching this for longer than a minute or two is about as interesting as watching grass grow. The anchors have to be attractive---and they certainly are chattily attractive----complete with keyboard sounds of typing, busy-with-important-things fingers---no one would give this kind of nonsense the time of day. There's no real substance here IMO unless there's a crisis unfolding in which case I would go somewhere else, or unless I'm trapped in an intensive care unit. I simply don't have the time for this kind of distraction and noise and frankly addiction. Maybe it's a woman thing. Who knows. I guess men love to look non-stop at women even if what they're saying is drivel. If I were to watch any live feed like this for long, it would be financial news and commentary, I suppose.

PLEASE NOTE: I think this is a technology that belongs on your desktop, but not on a blog because it assualts the viewer with constant noise, or non-noise, like having the television on all day. This is, for me at least, a situation of TMI, too much information. There is a way to turn it OFF if you'll experiment. Think it's an interesting innovation worth mentioning, and will leave it up some of the day.

(Can't take it any longer. Deleted it from this here blog. If you want more of it, then follow the link below and put it on your desktop. Gerard will have to bring me along slowly on this one.)

ORIGINAL POST:

Something sort of of interesting I saw at American Digest--- where else for the latest in Internet technology and cutting edge news sourcing? It's live and according to Gerard, it's the future of news. Bye, bye, Diane, Charlie and Katie? For fun, I'm putting this up and seeing what happens today. If I like it, I'll let it be, for a while. I just don't want it making too much noise.

LiveNewsCameras is here. It's all live, except in the wee hours of the morning.

Alan Greenspan's 'Reputation Tarnishment' Tour Continues

Over the past year or so, I've become more and more interested in financial reporting and commentary. To wit, I recently linked to two new sites on my sidebar: RealClearMarkets an aggragator of financial analysis edited by John Tamny, and a financial blog called The Big Picture.

A recent post by Barry Ritholtz at TBP on Alan Greenspan caught my eye, and I can't disagree with a thing he says about Greenspan's dwindling reputation.

Wish I had more time to comment, but for now, consider getting acquainted with both these sites. Fascinating stuff in my opinon.

Another article via RealClear is this on why Hank Paulson's plan won't work.

And John Tamny writes today on market corrections in ways that, well, guys can best understand.

Magnificent Spring

Please note: My blogging will be light and intermittent over the next few weeks, as my family and I prepare for our son's imminent marriage to a lovely English woman in Perthshire and our travel and sojourn in Scotland. All weddings and marriages are exciting and stressful. This is no exception. I proceed soberly, prayerfully. Please, ocassionally send up a little prayer, if you're so inclined. Thank you and God bless.

Cool temperatures, tons of rain and resplendent, flowering fruit trees are everywhere here.

18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

-----Proverbs 12:18

The Singing Revolution

When we think about political protest, revolution and overthrowing repressive Communist regimes, do we ever think about.........singing? I know I don't. Until now. Maybe it's time we did. It happened in Estonia. The bravest human hearts will always their find way to freedom. Freedoms we must jealously guard in our country today, which many would have us erode away.

This new documentary film by James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty is about Estonia’s struggle to end Soviet occupation and tyranny and is currently opening in New York and Washington, with a special screening at the Heritage Foundation next week. This is truly an example of soft power at its best. Soft force stronger than any bomb or brigade.

The New York Times review is here. This is high on my list of 'to see' films this spring. The kind of inspiration I go to the movies to expereince.

Remember, freedom is never free. And it ain't over till the fat lady sings. Start singing.

Michelle Malkin in IBD

......THE WAILERS AND SCREAMERS of the sub-prime mess. Talk about taking victim hood to new and disgusting depths, starring victim rights-without-responsibilities, loans-without-collateral Bruce Marks.

Don't know anything about Bruce Marks, you say? Go to the link above to read about his new form of terrorism in a town or company near you.

John Tamny on Bush's Abysmal Economic Interventions

NOBODY SAYS IT BETTER:

"President George W. Bush, a Republican, has overseen a massive increase in the size and scope of government on his watch, and did so in conjunction with a collapsing dollar that has surely marginalized by now any of the gains enjoyed from the tax cuts he signed into law in 2003.

"Still, if any of us had been secluded for the past seven years, a description of the Bush years without attribution would likely have had most any Republican assuming a Democrat had been in control. Is there an explanation for this?

"The first one would be that all politicians disappoint. By definition. Beyond that, given the statist direction taken by the Republican party in this decade, it’s fair to ask if it any longer represents laissez-faire growth. Many would point to the even harsher anti-growth views held by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but it seems a lot of their stances at present are pure politics.

"Even if they’re not, it would be hard to find an administration in modern times that has been more interventionist than the present one. That in mind, stinging losses for the GOP may be just what the doctor ordered. Indeed, maybe the pain of being out of power will force them to look inward, and in doing so, perhaps understand that when a Democrat runs against a Democrat, a Democrat always wins. "

"There's no doubt about it: President George W. Bush, whom I voted for twice, has spent money like a drunken sailor and furthered the nanny state---especially now in the arena of the economy---like never before. It will all come back to haunt us. Quick fixes never work in the long run. Nor do bigger and bigger government regulations that weigh down the system.

Read the whole thing by Tamny, and weep.

Ah, Scotland, We Did Not Know Ye

Woodrow Wilson once said, "Every line of strength in American history is a line colored with Scottish blood."

Tartan Day, first declared by a 1998 resolution sponsored by Senator Trent Lott, celebrates its 10th anniversary on April 6. The day is meant to commemorate the singing on April 6, 1320, of the Declaration of Arbroath, frequently called the Scottish declaration of independence. It was a letter from supporters of Robert the Bruce to the Pope, seeking papal recognition of Scotland. According to Senator Lott's resolution, the Declaration of Arbroath was an influence on the signers of the American Declaration of Independence. It was a radical 14th Century document that introduced principles such as the king's responsibility to serve the people and the people's right to replace him should he become tyrannical.

Two signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, John Witherspoon and John Wilson, were Scots and other Founders had Scottish heritage. Many U.S. Presidents also had Scottish heritage, including Ronald W. Reagan; the "W" being for Wilson, an old Scottish name.

--Heritage Institute

April 6, Tartan Day

Who Is This Man and Why Should We Care?

......one of President George Bush's greatest enablers.

Hank Paulson: A New York social liberal now showing up as an economic/fiscal liberal, in the role of Secretary of Treasury. Hank wants to engineer a big government quick fix for global markets and the sub-prime challenge. I say sub-prime challenge because it's only a challenge until big government gets into the act. Then it becomes a sub-prime crisis, deeper and more prolonged.

Pipe down, Hank. Take a breather then go back to The Big Apple, Goldman Sachs or the Nature Conservancy, from whence you came.

Why should we care? Because he's sewing the seeds of even our even greater economic destruction, down the road. No big ego like Hank can ever stand back and do nothing. Big egos always need to do something, be the center of attention, rather than kick back and let problems sort themselves out on their own, especially in democratic, free financial markets.

Hank, best thing you can do right now for our country is stay calm and do nothing. Stop medicating your need with an adrenaline rush.

Be a non-anxious presence. That's everything; that's enough.

Spring Beauties

Spring and early wildflower season seem right on time this year. Want to photograph more on my daily wildflower walks, as my crowded time allows. For today, this is the earliest sign of spring here inthe mid-South. I love seeing them springing forth amidst the decaying red oak leaves. What a wonderful sign of new life and rebirth at this Eastertime season!

******

On another subject, there goes the neighborhood. But it was great fun while it lasted.