No pressure at all

[giolucas]

Sw,

Look out for Ismael. I posted the following this moring and he did not like it.

Yesterday, was a very distrubing day and I first want to say that we all have pressures coming to us from all sides.  Some might worry about bills, some worry about health and some might worry about our family's well being.  But at times things can converge at the worst possible time and we might feel like we cannot take it anymore. Dealing with pressures as a farmer, as a business owner, as a trader or any other profession has its negative forces constantly putting the heat on and we must be well prepared to understand what we are doing and why we do it.  

Yesterday,  I was drivng my son to school just like any other day.  Suddenly a Fire truck comes barreling down the street and I moved to the side to let him by.  They parked right in front of me and the firemen quickly came out running with an inflatable.   Both my son and I looked around to see if we saw smoke or fire but soon realized that a women was on the ledge, 8 stories up.  I told my son to not look and I quickly went around the Truck and sped away.  Unfortunately, we found out later that the women actually jumped and did not survive.  

I just want to say that please have Faith that you can overcome any problem and talk things out with your loved ones or close friends and tell them what you are thinking and what you are going through.  Life is hard and it is good to lean on those that love us.  I don't see this kind of stuff everyday and I just wanted to tell you my current feelings.

[sw363535]

Gio(lucas),  I saw it on the business section.  There are days that sneak up on you and shake you into harsh realities.  They take many forms and most deal with the weakness and failings of the human species.  It is a shocking look at the "what if's" and the "potential mentality" we can put ourselves or each other into..

And sometimes it is the price we pay for what we believe or don't believe,  for life is for the most part, what we think it is.. no matter what circumstance we live in.

These are harsh times.   Discontent is promoted way too much.  ---- example,  those TV programs that show first timers buying half million dollar homes on basic salaries and promote that as normal...... that can depress anyone...and should..

 the stock market, banks, government employees and the big businesses may have avoided an economic depression since 2008, but way too many individuals in the US did not avoid it.

[Jim Meade / Iowa City]

It's been what, 20-30 years since the last big ag sector problem, although a few might have been touched by the 2008 housing bubble burst.

As times get better, it seems our standards of living go up and when times get tough, it's hard to readjust one's expectations.

Whern I look at the hundreds of dollars a month I spend on everything from TV to phones to subscriptions I wonder how bad off I'd be if I just flipped the switch.