Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> Remember (ad nauseum, but is seems necessary to keep repeating it)  there 
> IS no acutal money in the SS surplus, it depends on taxing people (or 
> borrowing money which has to be paid back by taxing the people) during the 
> year that the funds are needed.  No incomes, no taxes, no SS.

Well, from that tired perspective, there is no actual money in the United 
States government. Period. Never has been. All government monies come from 
government levies, primarily taxes. So what's new? Let's move on.

> We've been buring the energy candle at both ends and the middle for a 
> while now.  Yet we have become so used it that I think a lot of people 
> would rather kill themselves than live as many of us grew up.

I can't think of any good reason to live as I did growing up unless it 
becomes necessary. My homesteader mentality is to be prepared to deal with 
all potential problems if they arise, but to enjoy what we have while we 
have it. To focus on the negatives is to lead a negative life with a big, 
dark cloud overhead where there might be sunshine.

Seems to me that we are falling prey to the mass media mania menu. Most 
Americans do not live with tsunamis, devastating earthquakes, massive 
mudslides, volcanic eruptions, giant fires, plane crashes, drownings, rape, 
murder, or other awefulness. Yet we consume such a diet daily and it 
poisons our perspective. In many ways we create our own reality. My reality 
is a future with intermittent and enervating challenges but, ultimately, 
infinite opportunity.