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["Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>]

> Lynn, when we were young, and even after that, a man could have one 
> regular blue collar job and support a family, including buying a house and 
> having health insurance.  Soemthing has changed, and it has not been an 
> improvement

Except the health insurance, you still can. When I was young, we didn't have 
McMansions, cable TV, computers, cell phones, SUVs, lots of eating out, and 
all the other things people consider 'essential' today. My parent lived 
through the Depression, and my mother is horrified at the way people live 
today (that woman can really pinch a penny). She lives on a small pension, 
and puts most of it into savings.

Today I live (with the exception of computer/internet) pretty much the same 
way I grew up, and I live (with two teenagers) on less than $20,000/year. I 
could live on farm income and a minimum wage job (if I could find one). Even 
when I lived in the city, I lived very cheaply. It's expectations that have 
changed...people think they are entitled to every luxury whether they can 
afford it or not.

Lynn Wigglesworth
Tioga Co. PA