At the end of many articles on the Internet, a majority of websites offer a comment area for readers to post any thoughts they may have. It’s a nice, interactive, real-time way to engage the audience and create a forum-type atmosphere for everyone to share opinions.

Problem is, no matter what the topic is about, many of the comments will be harsh attacks on the story, the author, and even other commentators. Some laced with curse words and immature personal insults.

Whether it’s an article about who might win the next presidential election or a heartwarming story about a young girl’s battle against a rare flesh-eating virus, eventually several mean-spirited, back-and-forth battles will ensue. (Although more so on anything politically related.)

As a psychological test of Internet behavior, I decided to read several articles on Yahoo.com and post my own comments. In an effort to gauge just how negative and cynical people can get in this world wide web of our’s, I made sure every comment was as supportive and up-beat as possible.

It didn’t matter if I was defending Mitt Romney, President Obama, John Edwards, Chris Matthews, Cyndi Lauper, or the Catholic Church – each comment garnered at least one reply that criticized my viewpoint or my intelligence.

In 10 comments, I received 12 thumbs down, two thumbs up, one positive statement, one neutral, and several harsh attacks.

In my defense of Chris Matthews’ apparent horrible performance on celebrity jeopardy, after I wrote the talk show host did a good job trying to answer convoluted questions under intense pressure, I was called a “dumb ass.”

It ended with an “LMAO!”

Considering I had to look that acronym up, maybe I’m no Einstein (or just not a texting teenager). But I kind of figure I’m a tad smarter than your average, run-of-the-mill donkey. Chris Matthews certainly is, so maybe I should feel proud to also have been called as “moronic as Matthews.”

The test I conducted was far from scientific and greatly lacked any statistical conclusions. Thus, I won’t be sending in my results to Nature or the American Journal of Psychology any time soon. It does, however, make you wonder.

Is the animosity one sees from readers online a true barometer of what exists on the streets of everyday life? Does the fact that people post anonymously, from the comforts and obscurity of their home, make them a bit more prone to go the extra cantankerous and salacious yard in order to prove a point?

It certainly is easier to call someone a “dumb ass” through the interface of a computer than it is face-to-face.

It takes motivation to go out of your way to sign-in and post a comment. After reading an article, particularly a political one, that usually comes in the form of emotion.

If it’s a positive emotion that is generated, most probably go about their day feeling good and don’t feel compelled to comment. If it’s negative, we want to get rid of it right away; we want to get it off our chest. The best way to do that is to vent and let the world know how we feel. So, we hit the keyboard and type a scathing remark in that little comment box.

Perhaps that in and of itself is why the commentary meter tilts heavily toward the negative side. FWIW, if people are laughing their asses off while also making belittling and nasty comments, maybe there are just a lot of oddballs out there.

Whatever the reasons, maybe one day soon the rhetoric will calm down and people, including Moriarty,  will “start saying things a little more righteous and hopeful for a change.”

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With nothing but coverage of the latest news and highlights of national and global action, SportsCenter is an exciting, popular show for sports fans everywhere. For some reason, however, that has changed recently, leaving fans scratching their heads as to why it is now a “total talking network.”

Instead of letting athletes do the talking (i.e. showing highlights), viewers are forced to listen to the “experts” tell them what happened and why.

Case in point was the day after Ohio State beat Syracuse during March Madness to advance to the Final Four of NCAA’s collegiate basketball tournament.  Billed as the “greatest tournament” in American sports, one would expect countless highlights of the game.

ESPN showed one – a dunk by the Buckeyes big man Jared Sullinger. It flashed the final score and then quickly jumped to an in-studio discussion of the game by a panel of former coaches and players.

Apparently, the producers thought hearing from past athletes was better than seeing current ones.

Just the other morning, despite a slew of NBA games and four NHL playoff games the night before, the one-hour SportsCenter show was filled with people talking about the latest action on the court, field, and rink. Here’s just a few who graced viewers with their presence: Tim Legler, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Steven A. Jackson, and Mark Schwartz.

They were followed by “On The Clock,” a segment dedicated to hearing the opinions of Trent Dilfer, Chris Mortenson, and Mel Kiper (again) regarding different NFL scenarios. If that weren’t enough, along came a roundtable discussion regarding the NBA with Magic Johnson, Mike Wilbon, and Jon Barry.

In between not one highlight.

No offense to any of the aforementioned players as most of them were fantastic in their respective sport, but who wants to watch former players opine behind a desk in suits and ties when there is plenty of real sports out there to view first-hand?

Sure there are events, such as the NFL Draft, that require an expert’s analysis and a thorough breakdown to get the audience ready for what will soon transpire, but when it comes to actual games, viewers want to see what happens before some talking-head tells us.

There is an old adage in the writing industry that states: “Show, don’t tell.”

While most of us scratch our heads on exactly how to do just that in our work,  it is definitely something that can be applied to the broadcast industry as well.

And as long as ESPN continues to air opinions and analysis over real-life action, it’s pretty evident the “E” stands for “exasperating.”

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After 19-plus years of waking up to the morning news show, it’s time for a (channel) change.

As one prepares for work each day, it’s imperative to get top headlines, weather, traffic, and a quick sports update if possible. While Katie Couric, Bryant Gumbel, Al Roker and Matt Lauer  - occasionally Ann Curry – have been entertaining hosts over the years, there is far too much entertainment.

Somewhere along the timeline, “The Today Show” became less of its former self and more of an Access Hollywood. There is only so much Sarah Palin, Lindsey Lohan, Ann Coulter, Snookie, and other self-absorbed, self-making celebrities one can take in the morning.

A perfect example of this is the popular NBC show’s obsession with the Duggar family.

My wife and I were first introduced to the ever-growing Arkansas clan several years ago when all its members stood inside Studio 1A to announce the arrival of its 16th member. Like clockwork, the over-exuberant group returned each year to unveil #17, #18, and, yes, #19.

For whatever reason, the producers at “Today” decided to extend the family’s 15 minutes of fame by a minute for four consecutive years.

If having to sit through such trivial reports on national television weren’t enough to force someone to leave for work a little earlier than normal, the blatant glamorization by a network on how absurdly large a family can get, most certainly was.

Instead of doing an in-depth story on the countless couples in the world who can not conceive, those in charge of the number-one rated morning show would rather subject its viewers to shallow updates on two self-absorbed parents who can’t help but show the world how extremely efficient they are at baby-making.

The check-ins became much more frequent, and much more solemn, after it was announced the mother had a miscarriage. In the weeks after, there were a number of segments informing the public as to how Michele Duggar was coping with the loss.

While indeed tragic, there was no mention of the 19 beautiful souls she had by her side to help comfort her – 19 more than millions of other couples out there who have gone through the same heartbreaking event.

Which is why, unlike the Duggars, we have decided to call it quits after 19. As of tomorrow, there will be no more “Today,”

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While a bit harsh, even to the occasional “potatoe” head who gets appointed or elected to a federal government position, when it comes to sending completely biased, nonsensical political emails, that statement certainly rings true.

The divide between the left and right has always been a fairly wide center, but somewhere along the line it has eroded into a Grade Canyon-type abyss. Every day on television, the radio, and the Internet we are hearing extremely harsh, noxious discourse.

Detroit - Not Quite Dead and Derelict

The general public is now following suit in large numbers. For those that don’t think this is the case, just go to any message board or forum after any political online story and randomly read a few of the comments.

It doesn’t matter if the story is a fun one about top holiday recipes of US Senators or a heart-warming update on the recovery of former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords, a high percentage of comments will veer off topic and turn to ignorant statements about socialism or how President Obama is to blame for the country’s ills.

This is no more evident than in the ridiculous emails that continuously get sent to family and friends.

What compels intelligent people to send outrageously false propaganda is dumbfounding. The goal of convincing someone to vote their way in the next election apparently offsets any embarrassment they may feel for sending such rubbish.

It worked for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth many years ago as they attacked John Kerry in his bid for the presidency, so I guess others feel it might be worth a shot. Ironically, while the organization claims to seek out the truth, “swiftboating” became an official word meaning “an unfair or untrue political attack.”

Despite that fact, people must feel it’s OK to spread obvious misinformation just as long as they get what they want because the number of ludicrous political emails continues to go up.

The one that claims Barack Obama is actually a member of Al Qaeda may be the best.

The viral email was first seen about four years ago as Obama was running against John McCain and it stated if elected he was going to help the terrorist network destroy America. To further try to make his or her point, the author “mistakenly” referred to the current president as Barack Osama throughout the message.

If it wasn’t so sad that people were actually forwarding blatant Manchurian Candidate plagiarism in the hopes of scaring a few votes the Republican’s way, it would be rather comical.

The latest attempt at attacking the president, and more so liberal members of the US government, is an account of how the welfare system is destroying the country. While there may be some sound, reasonable arguments behind abolishing or restructuring the system, it’s far from supported in this popular, yet foolish electronic mail.

In a comparison of two cities in completely different countries, Hiroshima is depicted as a sprawling hub of booming commerce and technology, while Detroit is nothing but a dying, decaying ghost town. The reason for this: the US welfare system.

Through a few photos – professional still shots of Hiroshima and amateur, grainy photos of Detroit – it concludes that the federal government has done much more damage here at home in the past 65 years than an Atomic Bomb did abroad so long ago.

The account is reminiscent of a late-night “info-mercial” that shows “before” and “after” photos in an attempt to get people to buy beauty products. The advertisements always have the person looking disheveled, haggard and sad in the first close-up, while the “after” depicts a happy, smiling consumer in a professionally air-brushed, soft-lit photo.

All pictures aside, the email completely fails to make a case as to why welfare is to blame – and it jumps a Grand Canyon-type abyss in assumptions and conclusions. Yet, like thousands of other politically asinine messages, it successfully continues to make its way around cyberspace to millions of Inboxes across the country.

The simple reason – people put the goal of the message ahead of the message itself. While they are smart individuals, they opt to forward puerile, illogical emails to their friends and family members rather than doing the sensible thing, which is to send to the trash.

Stupidity may not be a handicap in politics, but when it comes to forwarding absurd political emails it certainly comes in handy.

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With millions of Americans thinking about walking away from their houses simply because they are worth less now than when they were purchased, there is apparently a lot of heartless people out there.

While it is disheartening to know the monthly mortgage payments are higher than what they would be for the same house in the current market, when did it become more of an investment and less of a home?

“We just got some really bad news,” a family member told me the other day in a very solemn voice. “We had our home appraised and it is much less than what we thought it would be. We’re not sure what we’re going to do now.”

That is not news anybody wants to hear, obviously, but considering how much her family loves the home and the neighborhood – not to mention the school district for her children – I wasn’t sure how to respond. I mean she plans to be there for many years to come, so is the fact that her home is “underwater”  really “bad” news?

Maybe I was just naive, but growing up I don’t remember my parents ever talking about our house in monetary terms. I’m sure they may have always kept an eye on the market, but the goal was to simply find a nice community and place to raise five rambunctious kids.

Basically, over the next 25 years, the house was praised – not appraised.

Today, however, there seems to be a different mentality. For some reason, people are less concerned about living the “American Dream” and more concerned about their potential “Underwater Nightmare.”

Of course in many cases this is warranted. There are those who have lost their jobs or for whatever reason can no longer pay their mortgage. For them, foreclosure and walking away may be the only unfortunate solution.

For people, such as one particular member of my family, who are thinking of leaving their submerged homes in the hands of the banker despite the fact they can still afford them, it may be time for a change of heart.

In the end, it’s important to remember that while an investor may claim it is of less value than you want it to be, when it comes to raising a family, a home is priceless.

As the saying goes “home, the spot of earth extremely blest. A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.”

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Tim Tebow

While it may be nice to see a celebrity openly share his spiritual communion with God, before people start regularly kneeling down to emulate him, it might be nice to first find out what it all truly stands for.

The frenzy surrounding Tebow has been astonishing. Yet, while the fourth-quarter comebacks are thrilling, it’s just as much the overpowering Denver defense and the play of others as it is the quarterback. While kudos are certainly due, no other one player in recent memory has received so much credit for leading his team to victory than Tebow has.

After the win against the Chicago Bears, despite the fact that the 59-yard field goal was much longer than Tebow’s “pivotal game-winning drive,” the media thrust all responsibility for the outcome onto the quarterback’s shoulders.

The praise is like no other seen in the National Football League (NFL). Not even experienced veterans such as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady have received such lofty acclaim for a successful outcome without mention of other teammate’s valuable contributions.

One of the reasons for the extraordinary attention may be because many pundits have called Tebow a sub-par thrower at best and, thus, the outcomes have them scratching their heads and eating their words. The NFL, however, is filled with excellent quarterbacks, past and present, whose skill sets out of college were never expected to garner them an iota of success at the professional level.

In the end, it is his success coupled with his public devotion to God that has “Tebow Mania” firing on all cylinders. Since his actions and feelings are extremely popular in an overly pious world, the media knows it can exploit this and greatly raise ratings by expanding into an otherwise untapped viewership.

The networks are businesses, so the constant mention on the radio, television, and online is understandable. What is extremely perplexing, however, is how the world has responded. All because a young football player likes to stop, drop, and have a quick one-way converstation with God, he has become beloved by the masses.

“I really like Tebow,” said one of my friends during the recent Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game. “All the experts wrote him off and I like a good underdog story. Plus, the NFL is filled with thugs, it’s about time a good guy got some attention.”

When I inquired as to why he believes Tebow is any better of a person than all the other guys playing professional football, he quickly and excitedly retorted: “Come on! He prays! Of course he’s better!…What a ridiculous question.”

While the energetic reply was surprising, the statement was anything but as it is the same feeling shared by millions of others worldwide. Despite not knowing much about him or what he’s requesting of God each time he drops to one knee, viewers are enraptured by him simply because he’s taking the time to request it.

When Tim is “Tebowing” as Matt Prater lines up for a potential game-winning field goal, is he asking the Almighty for world peace or to help end world hunger? Or is he requesting his aid in the hopes that a tiny oblong “pigskin” soars through two yellow posts down field?

Since we’ve seen him jump to his feet all smiles and full of joy after the football sails over the 10-foot cross bar and in between the 18 1/2-foot separated uprights, the answer is most likely the latter. Even though people continue to struggle to make ends meet and others are dying of starvation, cold, disease, and at the hands of evil despots across the globe every day, Tebow is begging the Lord for his help in a little old game of American football.

And the world loves him for it.

There is probably little doubt that Tim Tebow is a good-hearted person. His track record of charitable work throughout his young life is most likely reason enough to root for him. It is also refreshing to hear and see someone without barbed wire tattoos all over his body clearly put together a non-selfish interview without the use of curse words or double negatives.

While everyone has favorite sports players and we’ll all continue to root for them, to support someone emphatically simply because he prays may be more “ridiculous” than my initial inquiry.

The bottom line is before people start having regular conversations with God by “tebowing,” it’s important to first take a stand on what really matters in life.

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In his famous poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost writes about an autumn traveler who comes to a fork in a path and has to decide which one to take. While a meaningful and metaphoric poem regarding life and the path we all choose to follow in it, it could easily apply to our modern-day housing situation as well.

“I blame Bill Clinton and Janet Reno for this whole mess,” a friend of mine blurted out the other night as we talked about all the foreclosed homes in his neighborhood.

When asked why, the reply was: “They set the ill-guided policies that led people to get in over their heads.”

In times of incredible wealth and profit, it is the duty of our leaders to make sure all Americans have the opportunity to share in the economic gain. It is what separates the great United States of America from your common oligarchy.

The bottom line is we the people care less about polices that will help us 10 or 20 years from now and more about what will help us in the here and now. After all, it’s all we know – it’s what’s real and tangible.

Policies that seem ideal for today may actually prove otherwise come tomorrow. It’s just the nature of the financial game all our experts play, conservative or liberal, which we all hope balances out to economic growth in the end.

In terms of the current housing crisis, for argument’s sake, let’s say everything my friend said is true. In their grand desire to help every citizen share in the American dream, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Janet Reno were the ring leaders who paved the way for the creation of private financial institutions that ultimately allowed unqualified individuals to buy homes they can’t afford.

Are they still to blame? Are polices that make it much easier to qualify for a home loan really the core issue of the current housing crisis?

The answer is no.

As Gordon Gecko states in “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps: “It’s greed that makes my bartender buy three houses he can’t afford with no money down. And it’s greed that makes your parents refinance their two hundred thousand dollar house for two fifty. Then they take that extra fifty and go down to the mall.”

While technically it does boil down to greed, it’s also a power issue – a “Keeping up with the Joneses” mentality that is intrinsically woven into our fibers. Thus, before my friend and others start pointing their angry fingers at our past leaders, they need to point them at the nearest mirror.

And I at my own mirror.

About 12 years ago, I received daily calls from another friend of mine. The call always came in soon after the stock market closed. The conversation was usually quick, he would update me on how much he made as a day-trader, then hang up. I remember one day in particular because it was the day I opened up my own E-trade account. The excitement he displayed after announcing he had “earned” $8,000 was the final straw that broke my back.

Over the course of the next several years, as I followed his tips on “dot coms” I never heard of and nobody else ever will as they all folded, I lost close to $40,000. I was, to put it mildly,  ”upside down” on my investments. Yet, these were investments I could not simply walk away from. The money was gone and not coming back.

In my effort to keep up with the Joneses, or the Dougs to be more specific, I lost almost my entire life savings.

When it comes to the current housing situation, perhaps it’s true our past leaders set “ill-guided” policies. Yet, simply because the credit authorities allow us to buy a second home, a boat, several plasma TVs, etc., doesn’t mean we should.

In the end, our own common sense needs to prevail and we need to realize our income coming in has to equal – or be greater than – our expenses going out. That $400,000 house that was supposed to be flipped for $600,000 but is now worth just $250,000, is not the fault of Carter, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, or our good friend – it’s the man or woman in the mirror.

As I told my friend the other night, just because a path is smooth and worn down by much use, it sometimes pays to take “the one less traveled by.”

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The next day at lunch, the same family member, as she wolfed down a medium-rare cheeseburger, uttered, “Now, that’s tasty.”

The situation dripped with irony. Along with a little grease.

How someone could conform to two such contrasting principles was baffling. As dumbfounding as the double standard was, however, it actually epitomizes society’s mindset on the matter perfectly.

If given an open, unrestrained tour of a modern-day slaughterhouse in operation, almost nobody would make it to the end without cringing, gasping, screaming, crying, and in many cases puking. It would be a downright horrific experience for most.

Yet, a tour of an American restaurant would reveal red meat laying on a majority of its patrons’ plates.

Prime rib, rump roast, filet mignon, tri-tip, London broil, hamburger, roast beef, Philly cheesesteak, Salisbury steak, meat loaf, pastrami – the bovine-based popular menu options are endless. As are the chicken- and pork-based dishes.

It might be easier for some to watch the head of a chicken or pig get sliced off rather than a cow’s, but most would still go running straight to the closest trash can to involuntarily rid themselves of those chicken fajitas or that ham sandwich they had for lunch.

So, why do most Americans continue to live by such contradictory standards when it comes to the way they eat?

Is it because it’s what their parents ingrained in their heads? And their parent’s parents before them? Is it because the taste offsets any remorse one might have for taking the life of another living creature? Maybe it’s simply the fact that it’s easy not to think about such things. As the popular saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.”

Words such as “organic,” “grass-fed,” and “free-range” certainly make it easier since it invokes a warm feeling that the animal lived a happy, carefree life roaming the endless, beautiful pasture before its sudden and timely death.

A popular belief is God – or Mother Nature – created these lower intelligent animals only as a food source for predators, such as humans, higher up the food chain. Thus, if Mankind can raise and kill these slow-witted beasts to nourish its existence, by all means go for it since that’s the whole higher-power intent.

While that may have some merit, even those who cling to that theory still can’t bring themselves to kill these “inferior” creatures – let alone watch someone else do it.

But, for whatever reason, if it’s done behind closed doors, it’s tolerated. And once it’s skinned, shucked, deboned, fried, or grilled and finds its way onto the dinner plate, it’s relished.

There is, obviously, a faction of society who can kill certain game without regret. Whether one agrees with it or not, those who hunt legally for the purpose of feeding themselves and their families – and not just for sport – have earned the right to serve and eat their bounty.

While the truth may not be as tasty to swallow as a cheeseburger, the reality is anyone who finds the slaughtering of cattle disheartening should refrain from wolfing down red meat.

Otherwise, the “sad” and “gross” conveyor belt events will only continue to occur. And the irony – and bloody animal fat – continue to drip.

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It was only my second time ever to the popular shopping destination, but I was immediately struck by the massiveness of the store. It was the size of a football stadium with rows of product as far as the eye could see. From produce to televisions, it really provides anything a consumer needs.

If you want it, you can bag it at Walmart.

As I stood there in line struck by the whole scene, it was hard not to notice how smooth and efficient the cashier was operating. In order to keep the flow of customers moving at the fastest pace possible, Walmart management installed a fantastic, easy-to-use plastic bag system. Resembling a lazy Susan, the carousel device has three separate locations in which open plastic bags hang. All the cashier has to do is drop the items into the closest open bag, twirl the unit, and then start filling the next one.

As the cashier spins the unit, the circular motion brings the bagged contents to the customer so he or she can easily put it in the cart. Once removed, another open plastic bag is revealed underneath, which comes right back to the cashier be filled with the next batch of goodies.

The invention is extremely basic, yet marvelous – a cashier’s and customer’s dream. But also an eco-nightmare.

As the woman started ringing up my order, I politely said I didn’t need a bag. She must not have heard me as she went through her motions, dropped the three items into a bag, and spun it right over to me. I quickly plucked them out.

“What are you doing?” The lady asked with a confused look.

“Oh. I don’t need a bag. Thanks though,” I replied.

I nodded and smiled at her, but it was returned with a quizzical and angered stare. It was if I was breaking some unwritten law or going against the creed that might shut down the whole well-oiled plastic bag Walmart machine.

She finally rolled her eyes as if I offended her. Perhaps she thought taking out the items she went out of her way to bag was disrespectful. Although that is highly doubtful as she can bag in her sleep thanks to the innovative carousel.

Upon my departure, I turned around to take in the whole Walmart operating system one last time. Check-out aisles up and down the huge indoor coliseum, all twirling and dumping bags into waiting shopping carts. At a stand right in front of me, an elderly woman won the gold medal for utilizing the invention the best. She placed each and every item into its own bag, forcing the customer to plop a whopping 22 plastic bags into his shopping cart.

It truly was unbelievable. One item per bag and when the rather rotund gentleman headed for the door, his cart was overflowing in plastic. In just 5 minutes of standing by the exit, more than 20 carts filled to the brim with bags pushed past.

While I personally avoid big stores because of the crowds and the extra time needed to finish shopping, the efficiency displayed at Walmart was quite impressive. The company receives lots of negative press on a variety of different issues, but never do we hear about the positive, amazing inventions, like the Lazy Susan Plastic Bag Dispenser, that make the lives of its employees and the shoppers so much easier.

Maybe that will change as we see more bags blow across our roadways and fly high like company flags in our treetops above.

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It is reported that the economic downturn is, in many regards, worst than the Great Depression. Considering the decline of the 1930s took 11 or so years before America started to seriously rebound, is it really any surprise that the country is still in the midst of stagnant growth? On top of that, since the economy was in a downward spiral when he took office, can we honestly and without equivocation find the president culpable of the present-day inertia?

By doing so, we are erroneously blaming someone for simply inheriting a horrendous situation and not having the miraculous, magic pill to remedy it. Sure we can voice our displeasure on how he may be handling things since he took over, not that most of us have a clue when it comes to the complex inner-workings of capitalism, but to flat-out blame him for the economy’s continued torpidity, is ignorant of us.

It’s the equivalent of a child dropping his lunch tray and spilling food all over the floor, then turning and blaming the cafeteria manager for the accident. It’s one thing to expect the lunch-duty teacher to clean it up, but to accuse him or her of making the mess in the first place? Well, that’s just childish.

The analogy doesn’t stop there because it turns out the kid who dropped the tray was simply following suit. For various reasons, those that went before him in the lunch line unwittingly spilled their milk and food all over the place, too, basically leaving the cafeteria in shambles.

Translation: When it came to managing our money, we basically behaved liked spoiled children. And the current disarray that we are in is not Obama’s fault. As some liberals would like to believe, it’s not George W. Bush’s fault either. It’s our fault.

It’s mine for refinancing the house for that remodel project and vacation. It’s my neighbors fault for buying that boat and jet ski on credit. It’s my friend’s fault for thinking he could flip that home on near zero budget. It’s my colleague’s fault for purchasing that Lake Tahoe vacation condominium without having the salary to cover two mortgage payments.

Bottom line, this economic stagnation was – and is – caused by the actions of every one of us. It is a simple, true fact. It’s not one we need to beat ourselves up over, though. While sad, it’s human nature to want to live the high-life and ”keep up with the Joneses” as they say. After all, back in the late 1990s the Joneses, Smiths, and everyone in between were making money hand over fist.

Or so it seemed.

Back then, my brother’s “dot com” was trading at a whopping $175 per share. My friend’s company went from $8 to $50 per share in just two months. Both were millionaires – on paper. Another friend sent daily email updates letting me know how much money he earned as a day-trader. With so much net worth out there, it’s no wonder everyone went a bit nuts and started purchasing second homes, cars, boats, and other items with their invisible money.

I mean everyone else was doing it, so it must be OK, right?

Well, all things that go up, must come down. And that’s just what happened. Unfortunately, since we were all living in the stratosphere when it came to spending, when gravity finally took over – aka reality – the free fall back to earth was extra far and hard.

The current economic situation is unfortunate. Yet, while it’s easy to point fingers, the only finger pointing should be in front of a mirror. Once we’ve confidently done that, the next step is to help our leaders clean it up and remember to be a little more careful in the future.

After all, as one famous moonwalking singer once said - ”If you really wanna make this world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make that change.”

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