Finding a Job, Holding On, and Planning For the Future

There are few things as discouraging as not having a job. It not only attacks the underpinnings of our economic security and peace of mind, but it can have effects on our level of self-esteem too. The current economy has put many hard working, dedicated and long term employees in some very trying circumstances. It has also made decision time a lot harder for upcoming college graduates. This article makes suggestions for different types of current and future workers, so some might be realistic for you to try, while other suggestions are clearly going to be better for others.

1. This May Be An Opportunity
It's been said that sometimes our greatest opportunities come wrapped up inside our most difficult problems. It is obviously very traumatic finding yourself unemployed, but there are some things in life we just can't control. The sooner you can face that, the faster you will be able to re-focus and the quicker you will get to where your future lies. It can make it a lot harder if you really liked your job and are going to miss it, but if you didn't like it, you still may have just stuck with it, thinking you had no other choice, or that there was too much risk in leaving it. Now you have a real chance to try to find something that may be far more satisfying to you.

As a result of the recession, there are going to be hundreds of millions of dollars spent on rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure of roads and bridges. Do you think that would have happened if we hadn't had a recession? When those projects are completed, our roads and bridges will be safer and we'll owe it to the recession. Losing your job might produce a similar silver lining in the long run for you and your family. Move forward in faith doing your best and it may happen for you. President Obama is setting a good model for us to follow, not sure of exactly what's going to work, but working at it and not quitting, until the desired result is achieved.

2. You Only Need One Job
No matter how high the unemployment rate gets, remember you only need one job. Don't let the statistics get you down. Just keep your eye on the ball. If there are two wage earners in a household, try to find work at different places. A number of workers faced more rapidly deteriorating financial conditions when they both worked at the same place and both loss their incomes and benefits at the same time. It's not a good position to put yourself in.

3.Stop The Bleeding - Cut Your Expenses To The Bone
You don't know how long you will have to tread water. Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best and stay busy working toward that goal. It's scary not having enough to pay your bills, including your mortgage or rent and car payments, and wondering how you are going to take care of others who are depending on you. The first thing is to slow the bleeding of expenses as best you can by finding any type of work that will bring money in, but that is also flexible enough so if you find something better, you can leave that job easily: jobs such as cleaning houses, cutting lawns, babysitting, selling telephone/cable contract packages, etc. Some money coming in from some kind of work, combined with unemployment compensation and living as frugally as possible can help keep you afloat. Here are some other thoughts:

- Shop differently at the food store. Get extra of whatever is on sale and use coupons to buy it. (Start a coupon exchange where you exchange coupons with other coupon collectors.) Look on the internet, as well as in newspapers and magazines for coupon offers. The goal is to always be eating what you bought on sale without having to pay full price for anything you eat. As you build up your stock, you'll be able to do this more and more.

- If you have a stock of things in the pantry, or frozen food that you've been keeping, now's the time to live off the fat of the land for a while. Food banks are also a possibility, but they have been hard hit by the crisis too. Try to minimize store trips. The more trips you make, the more you're likely to spend. Shop after you've already eaten. Shoppers buy more when they are hungry.

- Don't put anything on charge cards unless there is a desperate need to do so. You don't need interest on top of already existing debt. If you are in a bind with credit card debt, get credit counseling from your county or state government to help restructure and reduce your debt load. Be very wary of any offers that say they can eliminate your debt, particularly things you see on the internet.

- Make do with what you have. Keep the old New England proverb of thrift in mind: "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without". If you have to buy something, try used clothing or thrift stores, particularly those in or near good neighborhoods. I bought a used suit at one about five years ago for $15. It was a name brand suit that I had altered for about $20. I still wear it and it still looks good (I think). Other stores have similar bargains. You just have to be willing to do some hunting.

- Put the kids to work. If you have children who are old enough to work, explain the situation to them, and tell them you need them to help. When times are difficult, everyone should pitch it. It can also help teach children realistic facts of life that will encourage them to continue their education until they get their four year degree or better, or obtain training in a field that is in demand. (It's the most important thing I tell my college students each semester.) Younger children who can't work outside the home, can still help in it by folding clothes, making their beds, straightening up and the like. You need to delegate to keep the house looking good, while you focus your efforts on high order priorities.

- Cut your cell phone bill. Some carriers with basic service are as low as $20 a month. Switch to basic cable and drop the other cable upgrades to save too.

- See if you can make it with one car or take public transportation. In some states, it can mean a substantial savings in auto insurance.

- Pack your lunch. $5 a day for lunch, plus morning coffee, amounts to about $150 a month.

- Stop smoking: Your health will improve, and your car and your home will smell better. It will also eliminate second hand smoke that affects others. If a household smokes two packs a day at $6 a pack, that $12 a day x 365 days in a year for a total of $4380. That could come in mighty handy for someone who has lost his/her job. You'll have a better chance of living long enough to see the light on the other side of the mountain too because you will probably increase your life expectancy also if you quit.

- Free College Tuition: Paying college tuition for your college students can be very untimely if it is hitting you when you're facing an economic downturn in your household. One thing to try is to make your work perform double duty. Many colleges offer free tuition to dependents of employees, so if you have secretarial skills or have the necessary license to be a boiler operator at a college for example, you get paid to work and your children go to school tuition free. Just check first to make sure that is one of the benefits offered at the college you're looking into. You and your spouse may also take courses there too and that can lead to an inexpensive way to partially finance training and education to make a career change.

- Consider selling your home, if you can, and move to an apartment or move in with relatives or friends so you can share expenses. It doesn't have to be for life. You're just trying to get over a rough spot.

- Renting your home is also an option, but renting has problems of its own that you might not need to deal with on top of what you are already facing. If you do decide to rent, be scrupulously careful whom you rent to. Get a credit check, as much of a security deposit as you can by law, and references --- and not just from a prospective tenant's current landlord. They might give their tenants a good reference just so they can get rid of them, so always try to get references from current and former landlords.

4. Finding Work
- The Internet: Check Monster.com, state employment services, private employment services and other internet job sites. Don't just search your geographic area. Search under job title or category too and see where other openings might be in your field. You may have to move to stabilize yourself again. In any case, it gives you a better view of the employment landscape in the region and throughout the country.

- Network: Let people know about your situation and your need to find employment. Give others an opportunity to help you. If you are a member of a church congregation, let them know, as well as family, friends, and acquaintances. Anyone in sales can tell you that sometime a lead comes from the most unexpected places. E-mail to your e-mail list too no matter where the recipient is located.

We can't always get help, but we can always give it, no matter how challenging our own situation might be. In the process of looking for work for yourself, you might discover information that can help someone else you know. We always still have "the power", no matter how bad things might be for us. We just have to let ourselves use it. In doing so, we raise our own self-esteem, knowing we have done something good. That confidence boost can make a difference in our own efforts.

- Career and Job Fairs: These are held at colleges and at large venues advertised in major Sunday newspaper employment sections. There are also fairs for those in certain specialties, such as health care or computers.

There are also job fairs for minority hiring. If you are a minority person, recognize that companies have these fairs because they are looking to provide an appropriate minority representation in their work force. That can work to your advantage if your qualifications are otherwise good.

You might also determine if you would qualify for "minority status". The law provides specific definitions. It does not necessarily mean that someone has to be a minority only in the publicly viewed, traditional sense. Someone may be enough of a minority to qualify under the definition. There is nothing bogus about this. If the law says that someone qualifies as a minority because of their background, then they are one. An attorney, legal services or a human resources professional can provide advice to you in this area.

- Volunteer: If you can't find a job that pays, look for a place to volunteer where they might be likely to have a paying opening in the near future. The same with part-time work. Get your foot in the door, show them how good of worker you are and build up a group of people who will speak well of the quality of your work, your conscientiousness and punctuality. You can back into a job this way. Don't think the way everyone else thinks. 1000 people don't always have to go rushing trying to get one of 35 available jobs, as was the case recently with firefighting jobs in Miami. Think differently and try some different strategies.

- Try to get on the substitute teacher list for area school districts. (In my state, it requires a minimum of sixty college credits.) Once you get approved, when you're called by the coordinator in the morning, you want to always do a "reverse Nancy Reagan" - just say yes! The more you keep saying yes, the more you're going to get called. If you were a coordinator, calling all around at 6AM in the morning to find a substitute teacher, aren't you going to call the person who always says yes first and make your life easier? This can give you inroads and insights into a school district that could lead to a job as a teacher, teacher's aide or other position later. You are never in a better position than you are being on the inside of an organization to hear what is coming up or to see job postings internally.

- Support Groups: Churches and other organizations run support groups for unemployed workers. This can not only provide useful counseling advice, but can generate information from other participants that can benefit you.

- Outplacement Services: If your company provides services to help find a new job, that's something to take advantage of too. Use the knowledge of experienced professionals who have seen situations like yours many times before.

5. Assess Your Situation and Act Accordingly
Is there a chance you might get called backed to your company? Will you be able to find work in the same industry in your area or elsewhere? Are other suitable jobs available in your area? If you think that there is hope on any of these fronts, you may be better trying to stay where you are. Most people have family and friends in their area and they comprise an important support network in times of stress. They can also serve as a network of contacts that can lead you to another job. You don't have that working for you if you move to a new area where you have to make an adjustment, not knowing anyone on top of it. But if things look grim where you are, you need to consider some other choices:

- Have the major breadwinner move and keep the family in place. This way, the rest of the family can retain some degree of normality, the children can stay in the same schools and there isn't any culture or geographic shock caused by moving to another area, to say nothing of the hassle of moving. Perhaps driving 3-4 hours may produce some better opportunities or even commuting back and forth on weekends from greater distances. It's obviously not ideal, but as things improve in your home area, you can keep looking for something closer. If the new more distant job turns out to be a winner, you can move in an organized manner later to something better.

- Relocate: To take advantage of more distant opportunities, go where the work is. Naturally, this may involve uprooting others and having children attend new schools, but sometimes things are so bad in an area, and so many workers are out of work, moving can help stabilize you sooner with a regular income, rather than trying to stay and hang on where you are. You never know, it may even turn out to be a lot better in many ways, particularly if you move to an area that's not as expensive.

Try to make a positive adventure out of it. Ask yourself where you'd like to go if you could, then investigate opportunities there. My daughter and son-in-law, who are about forty, spent all their lives in Southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia. They had talked for a while about the rising rents and traffic and were thinking about moving - none of which I was aware of. One day my daughter called and said she had something to tell me. She said, "Dad, we're going to move to Montana." That's a long way from New Jersey, but she said they had talked about it and felt good about going. If it was going to be good for them, I was all for it. They're out there now and are very happy with their move and living a more inexpensive lifestyle too. Is there any place you've thought about moving to? Maybe now is the time. Do some investigation, check out the job market, make some phone calls, make an exploratory trip and see what happens. If you are a member of a church denomination that has a church in the prospective area, check through them too to try to get the lay of the land.

6. Make A Smart Move and Re-Train If You Have To
Your goal should be to find a job in a field you will enjoy, with decent pay and benefits, and one that is not readily outsourceable. You don't want to get a job, then lose it because it got exported. Any work that can be done more cheaply outside the US, or that can be digitized, should be viewed with caution. You don't want to have to go through being unemployed again. Naturally if you need a job now, take it, but keep your eye out for something more secure, with better long term prospects.

If you are in an industry that doesn't show much promise for the future, make sure your next move is to a field that offers more long term security. I've listed a number of career fields below that, at this time, show promise for the future. All of these aren't going to be suitable for everyone. Some may be more of an option for college students. While these fields show promise on a national level, check locally to see what the demand is in your own area. There can be regional variations.

- Registered Nurse: This is not just an occupation for women. More men are going into nursing and there is likely to be a continuing need for nurses in the future. It is also a portable skill. Registered nurses can find work in just about any state. Getting into a nursing program may not be easy, but investigate area nursing schools associated with hospitals and community colleges. It might not take as long as you think either. Many nursing programs are two year programs, but a university hospital in Philadelphia just announced a program where the holder of a bachelor's degree could quality to become a nurse through an 11 month program. Check for similar offerings in your area.

If you are a non traditional sex as an applicant, or for a position, it may work to your advantage, so think broadly. It might help. Nursing programs might want to have more male admissions. Engineering and technical programs might be seeking more females.

- Health Care Occupations - There's going to be continuing demand for many health care occupations. See what's in demand in your area. Check with your local hospitals and health care professionals to get ideas for what health care fields need people.

- Pharmacist: A very solid occupation in demand that pays well. To gain more insight, train as a pharmacy tech.

- Elementary and High School Teaching: Look toward areas in demand such as special education, mathematics and the sciences. Areas like English and history may be something you might enjoy more, but the competition for such jobs is fierce. Find out what school districts need. Colleges can tell you what you need to do to get certified to teach.

- Librarian: Professional librarians are not "book shelvers". That's done by student workers, volunteers or other library employees. Librarians today are information specialists. If you have computer skills, that can also be a plus. For the longer term, it's beneficial not to just get a Bachelor's degree in Library Science, but an MLS (Master of Library Science) too.

- Paralegal: Paralegals are in between a legal secretary and an attorney. They can perform functions attorneys perform, such as interviewing clients and preparing documents, but can't represent clients in court as an attorney can. Community colleges have paralegal programs that can be completed in a reasonable time. There will, in my opinion, be a continuing need for paralegals in the future. Law firms have cut down on the number of attorney hires. Some firms find it more economical to hire paralegals to perform certain functions, instead of paying an attorney. When businesses can save money, they are usually going to do it. While it is not essential to do so, attending a program with American Bar Association (ABA) approval is a plus. Ask an attorneys in your area for advice about it.

- Dental Hygienist: The hours are flexible and the pay is good. Don't forget to brush and floss too. (They made me say it.)

- Computers and Information Technology, Computer Maintenance: Seek the guidance of college professors, and from those working in the field, to advise you which areas to enter and which areas to stay away from. Some computer work is being outsourced and you don't want to get into those areas.

- Accounting: The long term goal would be to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

- Laser Technology and Other High Tech Occupations: Community colleges can be a good source of information. Their programs are also usually far cheaper than those of private technical schools. Don't take on some huge loan if you don't have to.

- Federal and State Government: Jobs can get cut here too, but government jobs often have civil service protection and if you are a veteran, you get a veteran's preference on tests for positions. Lists of such positions are readily available through your state, local libraries and the internet. The CIA is advertising for good candidates, particularly if you are knowledgeable in languages in need, such as Arabic. The FBI traditionally has a need for attorneys and accountants.

If you can speak a foreign language, it can be a great assist in finding a job. It helps separate you from the rest of the pack. Just determine what employers would be most likely to be able to use your language skill. If you speak French or Italian for example, contact companies from those countries doing business in the US. Spanish is a big plus with many companies. Hispanics are the fastest growing minority in the country. Companies need to be able to communicate effectively with this growing customer base.

- Military Service: The military makes cuts too, but they are also recruiting hard.

Keep your eye on internet news on AOL, Yahoo and other websites, and in magazines, for lists of hot jobs, as they can change from time to time and from region to region.

7. Career Areas To Avoid
This is purely my take on this, but I would avoid areas such as:
- Banking: (Continued consolidation eliminates jobs and the financial condition of a number of banks is not great. Additionally, banks don't pay particularly well.)

- Any Lower Level Manufacturing: High tech manufactuing may be fine, but anything at a lower level is consistently threatened by having the work done in countries with cheaper labor.

- Auto Industry: The comeback road will be difficult enough for those already formerly involved with the industry. The key for us is to make more cars with China and India here, putting our workers to work making them. We can compete on quality, but price is something else.

- Outsourceable Work: Any work that can be outsourced to other countries to be done more cheaply, including work that can be digitized. That's why jobs that require physical presence such as nursing, health care occupations and teaching are doubly good.

- Discretionary Spending Occupations: In times of economic trouble, spending for certain things comes to a halt quickly, such as for furniture, recreational vehicles and travel and leisure industries. While they can do well in a good economy, in a downturn they can be one of the first to be hit and to shed jobs.

8. Massive Re-Training and Re-Education
The need for this should have been foreseen and acted upon long ago. Was there anyone in Michigan, Delaware and many other auto states who couldn't see that the auto industry was headed for trouble, even before the recession set in and took matters from bad to worse. I see no realistic way that many of the laid off auto workers will be able to work for their company again, or even in the industry.

The best solution is to re-train for something that is going to be here for the future in terms of service jobs, high tech jobs and others. Re-training is difficult, particularly after many workers have spent decades in another industry, but doing it is going to prepare for a more secure employment future.

The federal government and colleges should have taken a far greater lead toward re-training a decade ago. It could have helped in minimizing today's current crisis. The sooner there is a recognition that it has to be done, and that action is taken to make it happen by the federal and state government, colleges and workers, the sooner the economy is going to recover. Determine where the future is and start re-training for it now.

9. Other Thoughts
- Do Work That Leads To Something Else: Working at a gas station may bring in some income, but it is not going to lead to anything. Working at Wal-Mart or UPS however might lead to an Assistant Manager position, on up. (I would only work in retailing if you think it could lead to something better in the company that pays better than most retailing jobs do. Retailing at lower levels offers notoriously poor pay.)

- Consider Getting A Real Real Estate License - This is an option for someone who does not have a desperate need for current income, but has the time to try to prepare for a future opportunity. This is not likely to be an immediate source of income. The market is slow, or dead, in many areas. It will come back eventually and when it does, you will have gained experience and be ready to handle an onslaught of buyers and sellers. This is not going to happen any time soon, but when it does you want to be licensed and ready to go, not sitting in a crowded real estate school wishing you had a license. Getting a real estate license should not interfere with getting a college degree however, or with working at something more financially lucrative now.

-Ask people for advice. It's not all going to be good, but you will probably make better decisions when cooler heads can give you some input to assist your thinking. Some networking like this can also lead to a job. Some of the people you want to ask for advice are those who are in a position to hire you or to recommend you to others.

- Borrow Money: I put this at the bottom of the list because it's something most people don't want to do, but if you really need money, borrow it from someone who will lend it to you. For anyone reading this who can do the lending, your ability to be there when someone really needs a hand up can make all the difference to a family or an individual trying to get over a rough spot.

10. Maybe You Can Help
President Obama correctly noted in his first prime time news conference that our economic problems are so great, that only government is large enough to make a substantial impact on them. But what has not been said is that there are many people who are not really affected that much by this downturn, who still have resources, a home, purchasing power and money in the bank and in other investments. Such people are also powerful resources to help the nation at this time by helping a neighbor or family member with a loan or by purchasing something now that they were planning to buy soon anyway like a new car, a home addition, vacation, new furniture, television or another appliance. If someone can't find a good deal now, they'll never find one. If those who have resources used them to give a little bump to the economy, it could help people keep working and others from being laid off.

Remember, you are never alone in your struggles. If you believe in prayer, it can help in difficult times like this. Prayer is not necessarily the solution to our economic problems, but something that can help give us the strength to get through tough times. Whether you have religious belief or not, if you need support, speak to trusted family members, friends and professionals who can help give you the support you need to make it through. Nothing lasts forever in life. That's a given.

If what you've tried so far isn't working, you need to try something else. If you keep doing the same things, you'll keep getting the same result. Talk with others and read to get inspiration. Basic self-help reading is important too to keep your self-confidence and attitude pointed in a positive direction.

Don't stay home either. Get out of the house and meet as many people as you can. You may have "chance meetings" with people who can be a help to you. That can't happen if you're inside all the time. Just keep moving forward step by step, trying to make yourself better today than you were yesterday and the future can start to look bright again.

Larry Danks is the author of Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice For Women. The Table of Contents and further information is available on: [http://www.FindingTheRightManForYou.com] The book is available through Amazon.com and all leading booksellers.

Future Visions of the Auto Industry and Automotive Advertising Based on What Was and What Is

Auto industry social networks all have different rules and protocols to create their unique identities in the auto industry and the inter-dependent automotive advertising industry. While there are differences in format, content and contributors they share the common goal to educate their community members by sharing best practices and insights with the concept that a rising tide floats all boats. To provide clarity and share my vision of the future of the retail auto industry and automotive advertising it must be framed it in the context of our changing geo-political and economic environment. Once the foundation of today is built on the broad picture of our world economy and politic, then the role of the Internet and related technologies can be applied to the one constant that we can all depend on -- human nature -- to help define tomorrow as I see it.

Any competitive business model must be built to accommodate tomorrow as well as today. Today is obvious. Sales volume, profit margins and inventory are down across all brands. Consumer confidence is falling as unemployment is rising even in the face of the expected temporary increase when the million plus census workers and various government employees -- such as the sixteen thousand IRS agents to police our new health care system -- are artificially added to the equation. Wholesale and retail credit lines are restricted by both natural business cycles and government intervention. Our economy is directly linked to the world economy along both monetary and political lines and the United States as well as our European trading partners are faced with excessive debt and unstable monetary systems. Our monetization of our debt -- basically the fact that we loaned ourselves the money we needed to fund our growing debt by printing more money, since no one else would lend it to us -- has insured the inevitable inflation of our dollar or some similar correction to our monetary system. This anticipated correction is already supported when observing the situation maturing in Greece, Portugal, Spain and other European Countries tied to the Euro and the International Monetary Fund, (IMF). No one has a crystal ball, so the only way to plan for tomorrow is to recap today's critical issues that didn't exist yesterday. It is these changes in -- what was -- vs. -- what is -- that will likely define -- what will be and the actions that auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies must take to remain profitable and competitive in unchartered waters.

The current administration was voted in on a platform of hope and change with the expectation that the promised transformation of America would take place within the confines of our constitution and in consideration of our established belief in a free marketplace. The redistribution of wealth was understood by most to reflect the giving nature of the American people as a moral and sharing society. Unfortunately, the transformation began in ways that could not have been imagined by the majority that voted for it with an agenda that is only now coming to light. The inherited financial burdens on our banking system that justified the need for change were matured across Republican and Democratic party lines -- as evidenced by the contributions of Fannie May and Freddie Mac to our mortgage crisis and the preferred treatment enjoyed by the unions, Goldman Sachs, AIG and other entities on Wall Street supported by the progressive political movement that is represented within both parties.

By way of disclaimer, I recognize that approximately 30% of our population believes in the collective -- We the people -- and the associated movement for the -- workers of the world to unite -- vs. the framers of the constitution that defined it as the individual -- We The People -- and the rights of the individual as a contributing member of the whole. That said, as the President has clearly stated, elections have consequences and I will attempt to limit my comments and future visions to only those actions that have or will have a direct impact on the auto industry and the automotive advertising agencies that are engaged to serve it.

The empowerment of the unions in the formation of Government Motors is already impacting the marketplace even while it is being challenged in the courts. The mandated consolidation of the retail distribution channels for General Motors and Chrysler preserved the interest of the unions over the guaranteed bond holders and independent dealers contrary to established rules of law. This precedence diluted expectations of both investors and corporations to rely on binding contracts and individual rights in favor of the collective we that our evolving society is expected to serve. Recent adjustments to the language in a variety of Federal powers have impacted previously accepted State and individual rights which must also be considered when projecting the future of the auto industry and automotive advertising -- if not our country as a whole.

For example, the change in the definition of eminent domain from taking personal property -- for public use -- to the new definition -- for public good -- has already resulted in private and commercial property being taken at distressed market values and given to other individuals that promised a higher tax base to the governing authority based on their position that the additional tax revenue was for the public good. Similarly, the ownership of water rights in the United States has been changed from the previous Federal ownership of all -- navigable waterways -- to include -- all waterways -- such as ponds, surface streams and basically any water that the government determines can be used for the public good. The potential impact on the farming industry and our food supplies evidence a shift in government control of society that must be considered when projecting the future of any industry -- including our beloved auto industry.

Given the government takeover of the banking industry, General Motors, Chrysler, Health Care and Student Loans that are now part of our history, the point becomes self evident. These single word changes and government takeover of entire industries for the public good dilute individual and corporate rights in favor of the rights of the collective. This is a basic step in the process of redistributing the wealth in accordance with Socialistic and Marxist principles. I am not judging the validity of any of these differing political philosophies since it would risk my ability to remain unbiased in my evaluation of present and pending opportunities in the auto industry. My intent is not to defend our previous constitutional republic over the shift to a Socialistic or Marxist democratic society, but rather to apply them when preparing a business model moving forward for my auto dealer / vendor clients and affiliated automotive advertising agencies.

For example, the recess appointment of Craig Becker as member of the five seat body of the National Labor Relations Board, (NLRB), suggests the intent of the administration to resume its push for the Card Check Regulation that is designed to facilitate unionizing all businesses in the United States. Recess appointments are an accepted practice used by previous administrations to bypass the Congress and the Senate to fill cabinet positions with individuals that are often blocked by partisan agendas. However, Mr. Becker was challenged in a bi-partisan manner based on his role as a senior attorney for the Unions including the CIO and the Service Employees International Union, (S.E.I.U), just before his appointment. The NLRB decides cases involving workers' rights which directly impacts larger issues between Democrats and their labor allies vs. stated Republican party interests and those of the corporate world When coupled with the intent of Card Check regulation to eliminate the right of workers to a private vote to determine if a business can be unionized, the likelihood that retail auto dealerships will be forced to become union shops becomes a real possibility. The regulation also allows the government to intervene in the event that an employer challenges a union take over with a Federal administrator enforcing the union proposals as to wage and other terms and conditions of employment pending a final determination. Based on reduced sales volume, profit margins and increased costs of doing business the inevitability of these privately held dealerships collapsing under the financial weight of union demands is painfully obvious to any auto dealer that understands his cost of sales line items and their impact on his shrinking bottom line.

Similarly, the administration's success in manipulating the processes in the Congress to pass its version of Health Care reform will increase expenses to auto dealers regarding insurance costs for their employees either in the form of forced coverage or penalties which must now be factored into projected operational expenses. These expenses may pale in comparison to other increases in the cost of doing business if the administrations' next stated goal to enforce Cap and Trade regulations are passed. This legislation promises to raise the cost of electricity and other costs of goods in America on many energy related fronts.

For those not familiar with Cap and Trade regulations, think of it as a tax on carbon emissions that would be collected by yet another government controlled body to pay restitution to third world countries who have been breathing our pollution and suffering from its impact on global warming. Of course the same scientists that collected the evidence that global warming exists which supported this legislation have since reversed their position while confessing that they manipulated the data. However, that revelation has not slowed the administrations' desire to move forward. In fact, they have empowered the Environment Protection Agency, (E.P.A.), to intercede and impose carbon taxes by claiming that carbon is a poisonous gas which they are authorized to restrict. Either way, the taxes will be imposed on American industry while other industrialized countries have already reversed their positions on imposing these same fees. This inequity in manufacturing costs will further reduce the ability for American manufacturers to compete in the world economy and will likely force the exit of many carbon producing industries to countries that do not impose these additional costs while taking their jobs with them.

Itemizing -- what is -- vs. -- what was -- has little value other than to cause panic when people realize that there is little that they can do to reverse the changes that they voted in. However, if properly framed in a problem solution format it can provide an opportunity for those that accept -- what is, forget -- what was, and work towards -- what can be. Now comes the good news!

The solution to surviving the promised redistribution of wealth from the perspective of auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies lies in their use of technology to reduce and even eliminate certain fixed and semi-variable expenses. Brick and mortar facilities are often financed with mortgage terms and/or rent factors that were based on now dated real estate values and anticipated sales volume and profit margins to carry the debt service. The commercial real estate bubble of over one trillion dollars coming due over the next eighteen months with no current resource of funds to replace maturing commercial mortgages promise to exasperate already reduced equity positions for auto dealers. The related unsustainable debt service demands a change in the ways that vehicles are sold in the United States; can you say Internet!

Similarly, current staffing needs are often related to processes that are labor intensive. The associated human resource expense and exposure is based on a business model that is antiquated in the face of potential union intervention and government controls; can you say Technology!

Tax consequences resulting from LIFO credits that impacted auto dealerships who could not maintain inventory levels projected in their annual computations due to issues beyond their control are eliminating annual profits. As a direct result of all of these cumulative issues, even captive lenders are balking on maintaining floor plan credit lines or real estate mortgages. Minimum working capital requirements for auto dealers faced with reduced sales, profits and equity to present as collateral for much needed financing has severely limited dealer options to acquire funds to maintain operations.

As already hinted, the solution lies in shifting the focus form brick and mortar facilities to new online virtual showrooms and other Internet based applications that provide more efficient selling processes. Of course real world facilities for sales and service are still part of the projected solution as are the people that will be required to staff them. All processes start and end with people and human nature has and will survive on the Internet. However, the allocation of these resources and the associated expenses must be reduced in the face of the changes already in place as well as those being contemplated to accommodate our new role in a world economy.

Today's car sales person must be educated to use new technologies and Internet based selling systems much like previous generations needed to be trained with the skills of a mechanized society versus an agricultural one. Computers are already an integral part of our culture so the transition shouldn't be as hard as some may perceive. Similarly, large central distribution channels that used to provide efficiencies for manufacturing and retail outlets have been replaced by more cost effective online linked resources across the World Wide Web that reduce fixed and semi-variable expenses in a shared manner that didn't exist before the Internet Super Highway.

Consumers have already been empowered by the Internet to bypass the auto dealer in both the real and the virtual world as the source for the information that they need to purchase a vehicle. Seeking the path of least resistance to satisfy a need is an established element in human nature. An auto dealers ability to accommodate their customers preference to be in charge of their vehicle purchase will be the key to their survival now and in the future. Online customer interaction platforms already allow a dealer to accommodate a two way video communication with real time interaction with the online shopper/buyer sourced from data on the auto dealer's DMS and linked to their CRM. The transparency of this negotiation process allows the dealer to crash through the glass wall of the Internet with the ability to push and pull the same material that they can at their dealership. The result is the opportunity to accommodate an online transaction with the inevitable ability to reduce staff and facility needs in the real world along with the associated expenses and increased profits.

Social networking is another technology based solution that capitalizes on human nature which promises to change the face of the auto industry and the resources available to automotive advertising agencies to help their auto dealers sell more for less in the future. Consumer centric inventory based marketing platforms fueled by social networking communities that provide word of mouth advertising to virally extend the auto dealer's branding and marketing messages represent the next generation of applied social media. C2C marketing messaging to social networking communities from the inside out vs. the now dated attempts to market to online communities with B2C messages from the outside in builds on established protocols in social media. Next generation platforms promise to monetize social media for automotive advertising agencies with integrated Ask-A-Friend / Tell-A-Friend features that allow online shoppers to solicit opinions from friends and family. Customer driven posts on their Face Book page drags the dealership and their vehicle into the conversation with the obvious advantage of the increased exposure and the associated viral coefficient to extend their message and online footprint for potential customers linked to the initial online shopper. Google agrees as evidenced by their weighted consideration of real time social media which quantifies the R.O.I. for the dealer with improved S.E.O. for the sourcing dealer's expanding virtual showroom.

Other technology based solutions that improve online marketing processes converts the pictures on an auto dealer's web site to professional quality videos with human voice placed on the auto dealer's site, all third party marketing sites and even the search engines through a dedicated API with You Tube -- further evidence the ability of auto dealers to expand beyond the limitations of their brick and mortar facilities and in-house support staff. Extended social networking platforms which allow an auto dealer to empower their sales staff to develop their own websites to market to their spheres of influence with management controls to moderate content and monitor use to prevent employee abuse exist today with the promise to be more widely used tomorrow to build the vision of what will be in the face of a challenging economy.

To extend my vision for the auto industry beyond the technologies that exist today requires a similar understanding that expenses and staff need to be consolidated beyond current expectations. Limited resources for consumers to purchase, finance and/or lease their vehicles won't eliminate their need for transportation. Future financial instruments that are a hybrid of a lease and a rental agreement could allow consumers access to a pool of vehicles in a convenient central location where their Drivers License could act as a key and a charge card to apply charges against pre-paid transportation credits deducted by their employers and controlled by the government to track personal activities and location along with socially accepted consumption of our limited resources. I recognize that the big brother flavor of that vision may seem foreign in the context of what was and is, but we are talking about what will be based on the new collective society that our country has moved towards.

As for the role of the OEM and the auto dealer in the future, it would be reasonable to accept that the government's existing control of the auto and banking industry will extend into the energy industry which will set the stage for the government determining which vehicles could be manufactured and/or imported and placed into the transportation pools with the locations determined by public transportation hubs that link to local distribution centers. The government currently owns 51 % of all real estate in the country through their mortgage interests in Fannie May and Freddie Mack and the pending commercial real estate bubble promises to shift a great deal more to public control. In addition. the government has recently changed the funding available to both organizations to be considered unlimited with the full faith and backing of the United States Treasury. That action coupled with the previously stated changes in eminent domain and the fact that millions of acres of resource rich land was recently acquired by the government to build additional -- national monuments -- suggests that land will be made available as needed to accomplish this community transportation system for the public good. Of course government employees will be needed to manage and staff these transportation hubs which would likely represent the auto dealer of the future.

Simply put, my future visions of the auto industry and automotive advertising is built on the past and the present with a recognition of what will be if we continue on the path that we have already chosen. I assume the constant of human nature and the role of technology in our evolution to date with the expectation that neither will change. Of course, there are consequences to elections so I suppose that I should update my projections after November, 2010 and the presidential election in 2012. In any case, the movement from the real to the virtual world has already started and will surely continue so that part of the vision should remain clear.

Philip Zelinger is a former auto dealer principal with an earned reputation as a nationally recognized automotive advertising expert specializing in the technology sector. His philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats motivates him to listen and learn so he can presume to teach. To that end, Philip shares best practices on the respected automotive advertising resource networking portal -- http://AdAgencyOnline.Net -- as well as the blog talk radio station featured on the site -- WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time -- http://blogtalkradio.com/adagencyonline.

For a complimentary consultation on your automotive advertising needs, or to share your wisdom and insights with the online automotive advertising community hosted by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C.. visit the portal and contact Philip Zelinger directly. To quote Philip, "Help is only a click away because -- after all, what are friends for!"

The Future is Here - What Are You Afraid Of? 11 Simple Steps to Release Fear and Move Forward

We are bombarded every day with information and images warning of approaching disasters. I'm not just talking about the collapse of the housing market and the world banks or fluctuating gas prices and rampant unemployment. While these are major disasters in and of themselves, they are minor compared to some of the things looming on the horizon.

Here are some of the challenges we may face in the near future:

The NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease - part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) conducts and supports research to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the myriad infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases that threaten hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Here's the short list of the diseases being looked at: anthrax, antimicrobial resistant, botulism, dengue fever, E. Coli, group A streptococcal infections, Lyme disease, SARS, salmonella, shingles, smallpox, tularemia, West Nile, botulism, plague (Yersinia Pestis), viral hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa viruses, hanta viruses, Ebola, tick borne hemorrhagic fever viruses, yellow fever, tick born encephalitis viruses, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, multi drug resistant TB, and influenza.

An article on the NIAID website for the C.W. Bill Young Center for Biodefence and Emerging Infectious Diseases notes that there are about 275 BioSaftety Level 3 laboratories in the U.S. Designed to conduct research on infectious agents. BSL 3's are specifically constructed to prevent scientists and the environment from being exposed to these agents. In addition BSL Level 2 labs are in place to study viruses and agents that effect humans and can be cured with treatment.

We have only to look to Hollywood to know that these concerns are not limited to the scientific community. Movies such as I Am Legend, Twelve Monkeys and Outbreak speak to our fears and feelings of helplessness when it comes to this invisible threat. Based on the information above, it's safe to say that our government is a bit concerned as well.

At the writing of this article, there are 6.874 billion people in the world and growing by 1 birth every 3 seconds. The increase in global population will strain all our shared resources specifically our food and water supplies. In April of 2008, we saw rice shortages threaten the lives and economies of Pakistan, India and China which set off a shoppers panic in the U.S. Sam's club had to limit the amounts of rice and flour members could purchase as a result.

According the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, "the World Bank reports that 80 countries now have water shortages that threaten health and economies while 40 percent of the world - more than 2 billion people - have no access to clean water or sanitation." At home, ground water in the U.S. is threatened by industrial, agricultural and household pollution, making it either impossible or too costly to purify for individual use. Fifty years ago household water came from wells dug on the home owner's property. Water was referred to as "well water" or "city water", the latter referring to water pumped into the city from a suburb or rural area. Today well water is no longer an option.

Megan Mansell Williams, in the January 9, 2008 issue of Discover Magazine, notes that male minnows possessing female characteristics had produced eggs as a result of the hormones from human birth control pills in their water. She also noted that the minnow populations in local waters studied at the Canadian Rivers Institute at University of New Brunswick were now extinct as a result of this pollution. We must also consider the impact on the larger fish, animal and human populations who ate these minnows before they died off. By the time the impact is discovered and measured it is already too late - the damage has been done. We have to wonder what we are eating today that will come back to haunt us tomorrow?

It appears as though our eco-systems have reached tipping points after decades of irresponsible actions and lack of protection from the fiscal bottom line. If we continue to act under the premise that it is less costly to be reactive than proactive, we will continue to see the consequences of those choices.

To this list of concerns we must also add all the catastrophic 2012 predictions circulating such as gravitational shifts, collapsing infrastructures, disturbed weather patterns, etc. These are also real concerns and have been addressed in previous articles.

So what can we do about all these fear inducing facts? We must first recognize them. Survival fears are the strongest. They will seek a place to anchor themselves in your psyche and urge you to take action. However, you may be thinking, "but what can I do?"

Taking action gives us a sense of control and empowerment; it eliminates the feeling of helplessness in the face of looming disaster. Take action by being prepared. Choose an area to begin with such as clean water, clean air, whole food, healthy body, positive mind. Make a list and focus on one thing at a time rather than trying to do everything at once. If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed, you'll give up and that won't help anyone.

Here are some guidelines to help you:

1. Begin an exercise regime that you can live with. Start small and stay with it. A healthy balanced body at any weight will have a stronger immune system. Your body will function more efficiently and you'll feel better too.

2. Invest in a personal water purification system, preferably one that works without electricity. Those living in densely populated areas or places prone to flooding will especially want to have clean water available to them in the event of sudden storms, etc.

3. Change diet and shopping habits to include foods that give more nutrition value for your dollar. Although cheap processed and sugar filled foods will fill you up but have little nutrition. I'm not saying live on sprouts and juiced vegetables alone, just make some substitutions. Experiment with your diet, try new things.

4. Start a garden in your yard or window box and grow your favorite food. Healthy unmodified seeds can be purchased on line so you won't be forced to use commercial products to produce the results you want. Get the neighbors involved and share your harvest, everyone loves home grown tomatoes and veges.

5. Create or update disaster preparedness kits for your locale. If you already have one, be sure nothing has expired and that your pets are included in your plan. Place insurance information and passports with cash in safe deposit boxes. This will speed the process up if you need to file claims and confirm your identity.

6. Invest in a healing modality that works quickly and effectively as a preventative against all those diseases. I recommend Soma Pi because I teach it and have used it for years. Find what works for you and then work it. You'll save money in the form of insurance co-payments and sick time at work as well as the costly medical treatments you won't need.

7. Use your intuition to determine whether or not you need flu shots or other vaccines. Remember that every medication has the potential for adverse side effects and will want to know if you are in the small percentage that will have them.

8. Strengthen your connection to your inner truth. Hone your intuitive skills to make correct decisions for yourself and help those you love with theirs. When you know what's right for you, fear goes away.

9. Develop a skill that will be useful to others like cooking, playing music, building, growing food, healing, singing, sewing, etc. Be of service to others. When you are helping others you become part of a greater community that in turn supports you. Share your talents and give without the expectation of reward and you'll feel better about the future.

10. Laugh fully and regularly - laughter is a wonderful way to dispel fear. It provides a vehicle to release all that pent up anxiety from the body. It is cleansing, healing and just plain fun. Besides who wants to survive the future with a dour sour mirthless person next to them?

11. Pray or connect with God daily. Without prayer and a connection to God we are floated helplessly throughout the universe with no guidance or safety net. When you are connected to God, you know that that you are safe and secure. Fear can't exist in the same space a God, so keep God in your mind and fear will be gone.

Remember that there will always be something "out there" that can get you. It is unproductive and crippling to worry about each and everything that comes along. Although the media works hard to keep us constantly informed of all the current terrible horrible life threatening possibilities just waiting to destroy us, resist the urge to buy in to that way of thinking and living. Start at the bottom on my list with prayer and work your way back into a fearless healthy life in community with others.

Susan Zummo is a highly motivated and qualified teacher of higher awareness. She is one of only three certified Perceptive Awareness Technique, Inc. (P.A.T.) facilitators and Soma Pi? healing teachers in the world today. Susan, an Integrated Awareness graduate with over 20 years of experience, has been helping clients connect with their Higher Mind through Intuitive Counseling sessions, P.A.T. seminars and healing workshops. Susan became a P.A.T. facilitator 9 years ago and has helped many students gain access to their intuition via soul contact. Her teachings have helped her workshop attendees to reinforce their belief in self and their connection to a higher source. Susan's workshop participants regard her as one of the most committed and positive spiritual teachers they have had the fortune to meet. Susan's professionalism and compassion are her trademarks. Most of her students come to her through the glowing recommendations of former students. For more information on classes and private sessions contact Susan by email: susanzummo@verizon.net; on line at: http://www.susanzummo.com

Is A Depression In Our Future?

Some say it is the declining value of the dollar; others blame drought, oil prices, and the mortgage crisis. No matter who or what you blame, the certainty is that the American economy is in crisis. Despite appearances and rhetoric, the depth of the crisis confronting Americans and the world go deeper than many are willing to admit. While economic pundits and politicians are finally using the word "recession," there are those who are beginning to think depression.

This past weekend we went grocery shopping at the largest retailer in the area, one that is the largest worldwide. What became immediately clear was that there were many wholes in the shelves which, on any normal Saturday morning, would have been stocked to overflowing. In addition to our normal bag of flour having risen from $2.99/5lb. bag to $4.99, it was clear that this commodity was in short supply. The same was true for rice, eggs, meats and many other staple products. The shelves were certainly not bare, but the gaps and low stock was clearly evident. While this could have been attributed to late deliveries, concern rose the next day when a friend went shopping at a different chain and found a similar situation; jacked prices, no flour, little rice and obvious gaps in product stock.

There is no question that rising fuel costs are having a dramatic impact on food prices and availability. Reports are aired everyday about the soaring costs of staples. The truck driver rally in Washington, D.C. could not help but go unnoticed by the media as the plight of drivers worsens. Still not sure how widespread and how deep this problem had reached; I conducted a very informal survey of various writer groups nationwide. Being an author and always watching the world around me for ideas, it seemed that members of such groups would also have their fingers on the economic pulse in the areas in which they lived. I sent a survey to numerous groups and asked what they were seeing at the stores in terms of prices and product availability; whether they were going alter their purchasing habits; if they were going to buy more or less consumer goods; how they would spend their "economic stimulus check;" the price of gas in their area and if they were going to change their eating, driving and shopping patterns. The results, which are being verified by growing news reports on the economy, are frightening. One cannot help but wonder if some of the events that led to the Great Depression of the 30's are being to be repeated. In the late 1920's there was overproduction, a growing gap between rich and poor, a large increase in foreclosures and large stock investments by those who were really on the economic margin. Does this sound familiar? Given attempts by the Federal Reserve, Congress and even businesses to try to stimulate consumer buying, are we in a situation where a silent desperation pervades those in the economic know?

The survey spanned the nation. Writers in both cities and rural areas from the East Coast to Alaska to the Mid-West responded. While I will not report every response, I will show the nature of most responses along with some interesting quotes and thoughts from those who sent in the survey. The following are typical responses (by the time this article is published I am sure the numbers will be a little out of date-I am sure they will all be higher):

"Yep, seen it, experiencing it here in farmland rural Pennsylvania where cow manure has become THE fertilizer - the only one that won't bankrupt. Feeding a household of five including two always hungry teens, it's glaringly obvious things are going downhill. Our cupboards are dwindling to the barest of bare necessities. Our veggie garden is doubling this year and I'm checking into a chicken coop. Has anyone seen the price of eggs? Eggs for crying out loud! They more than quadrupled in price in just a few weeks here.

I read somewhere that 25% of the US grain has been taken for alternate fuel possibilities - can't find it again and have to ask if it's true? If so, whose stupid idea was that? Don't take it from existing supplies, make it. I'm thinking maybe my hubby isn't so nuts in busting his behind running his mother's grain farm along

with his full time job this year. I may pitch in. I've got family in all areas, farming (grain and livestock), trucking, construction, and I've seen how all of it is being hit."

"I'm tacking on some things that worry me. I came from California where I made a decent wage. When we moved to TN a few years back, housing was much cheaper here than CA, but that was about all. Everything else was equal, food, clothing, cars, etc. Gasoline was still a little cheaper.

Wages here are 1/2 of what people make in California, and very few companies provide any type of medical or dental insurance. I was shocked to learn that the job I'd done for over 23 years in California required the completion of a master's degree in TN, which I do not have, yet the salary was 1/2 of what I made. They would not allow me to apply, even though my qualifications were a perfect match for the job."

"The typical wage here is $8.00-10.00 per hour. My husband is a truck driver for a local company and makes $14.00 which is considered high. Of course, his company provides no insurance or extra money towards such. I noticed today that gasoline has climbed another 2 cents to $3.57 and diesel is $4.72. Already my husbands company is cutting back on runs and trying to combine them, so we're very worried about our financial future. I wonder how people who make $8.00 can afford the fuel to get to their job. Basically they are working to buy gas to get to their job...where will the money come from for all their other expenses. It's very scary."

"It just ticks me off beyond belief that we are paying over a billion dollars a day for a war, borrowing money from China and our economy is going down the toilet, but President Bush, when asked will still claim that we're in good shape."

"I live in south central Kentucky where nothing is close. Driving is a necessity. If gas prices get much higher, we are thinking of getting an Amish cart and training one of our horses to be driven. It would take all day to get to town but we could go to the convenience store.

We still have good availability of products but the prices are going up in the supermarkets. I no longer buy beef. Instead I have a friend who raises Black Angus cattle and we split a cow. I have a friend who is raising sheep so I will probably buy a couple of the lambs. I shop at the Amish bulk food store in the county and save a lot over the supermarket prices. I will be eating fresh veggies all summer, grown in our garden or those of my neighbors. Gas prices are $3.59.9 for regular as of last Sunday. Over $4 for diesel! I combine errands and don't leave my farm unless I have more than one place to go in the same direction. We are eating out less. We are planning on saving the stimulus check. Just an aside, my daughter-in- law is in retailing in NYC and she says we are in a major depression. People are just not buying."

"In the Seattle area, wild salmon is going for $19.99 a pound, gasoline at

Costco $3.65 at the regular gas stations $3.79 a gallon. People here are

driving less, eating out less, and purchasing food at the lower end stores

such as Grocery Outlet and Cash and Carry. We were in a huge Asian market

one week, rice stacked up as high as an elephant's eye. Now just try to find

regular rice - many of the people here are purchasing rice to send to

relatives overseas."

"Unfortunately, I am a volunteer driver for Catholic Charities - IE, I haul people who don't have transportation to the doctor - so have little control over my gas consumption. I drive 700 to 900 miles a week so buy from 30 to 50 gallons a week. They supposedly pay us for our gas used, but are consistently six months or so behind in updating their prices and the past six months have been the worst ever."

The following are snippets of responses from around the country. It is evident that people are frustrated and even frightened. While products are available, the current trend in prices is continuing upward. Recent reports indicate that state governments are cutting back on budgets and employees; tourist destinations are already feeling the pinch and more and more storefronts are displaying "space for rent" signs. Since many plan on reducing driving, this summer does not bode well for that industry. Agriculture reports show late plantings of corn and wheat crops and who knows what summer weather will unleash. It is clear from U.N. reports that the food situation is rapidly declining in poorer nations as droughts and floods destroy staple crops. I am sure many of the comments that follow are a mere shadow of what is beginning to happen in your area as well:

I used to be able to buy a pack of chicken breasts for $3 or $4, now the same pack is $7.

I traveled to Spartanburg where gas was $3.29/gal (middle grade). When I got back to ATL to fill up, it was $3.49/gal. Last weekend, I paid $3.69, now it is $3.79 or $3.89.

Saturday is usually a busy day in Fayetteville, but there were no cars in all five lanes at one of the busiest intersections. Some of the independent stores had no cars in parking lot and it looked like they were closed.

How will you use your economic stimulus check? Put it in savings!

Gas $3.74 Rockford, IL.

Prices, though? Meowza! They are up, and rising! But am I buying what I don't really need? Not on your life. Not with heating oil where it is, and climbing. I'm trying not to take unnecessary trips, and I'm certainly not eating out very often. I'm using my old lawn mower, which I had thought about replacing this spring.

I haven't noticed any shortages except the "sale items," but prices have definitely increased.

I have received mine (stimulus check) as a direct deposit, and it will stay in the bank. I don't plan on buying anything new, just my usual necessities.

$3.89 for medium grade.

I haven't noticed a decrease in the availability of basics, but prices have risen considerably here in PA--this includes basic such as eggs, flour, butter....Eating and shopping will all be dependent on what I can afford. I anticipate, if the prices keep rising, having to forgo some of the necessities.

In SE Michigan. Prices, however, are another story. Eggs have doubled, milk, dairy products skyrocketing. Good beef cuts (steaks, prime roasts, etc.) are a rare buy in our household these days because they are so expensive. Fish/seafood products are also beyond reach as a steady diet.

Save those left-overs and use them as part of a creative low-cost menu for tomorrow's dinner.

Get caught up on a bill or two and treat ourselves to a gourmet (home cooked) dinner.

$3.65/gal.

Less frivolous foods, the munchies, you know. Bulk peanuts and fresh raw veggies make good inexpensive snacks. 86 all the packaged crap. Drive only when and where necessary. Make a list. Plan a driving session in a well-routed circle that accomplishes several chores in one outing. Planning for a vacation now includes high on the list, "how much will it cost in gas to get there and back?" Shorter trips/destinations if you are driving a car.

I've noticed the prices skyrocketing - quadrupling in a matter of weeks for some things like eggs... A lot of what I used to get I can't find local anymore.

It will go toward an alternate heating source, most likely a wood burner in the basement.

Last I looked, diesel was $4.59 a gallon and today's local report said low grade is now $3.62.

Anything we do over the summer will be local, no major travel.

Rural farmland in the mountains of Pennsylvania where the cost of living is very low and so is the average family income.

I am concerned about stories on the news about Sam's Club and others

rationing rice. Is there a rice shortage?

I live in Arizona in a town between Phoenix and Tucson. There is no real public transportation in my area, and, with summer temperatures going well into

the triple digits for about 4 months of the year, riding a bicycle really isn't an option.

Let's face it. The American people are getting hosed by greedy speculators who are driving the price of oil, (hence food prices) artificially high.

I don't blame people for not buying. Prices are going out of sight. Yesterday, gas here was $3.79 and I bet it's up from that today.

Food prices are up varying percentages, from 15-percent to nearly 50-percent on many less expensive cuts of meat. Hamburger (80 percent lean) has risen from about $1.99 per pound a year ago to nearly $4 per pound.

Overall, my daughter said the supermarket tab here for her family of four has jumped from about $130 per week to nearly $200. Also, shortages of some products are starting to become apparent, with some shelves bearing large gaps in mute testimony to lack of availability of rice and flour...

Hope that helps.

As to gas prices: Spokane, WA prices range from $3.50 to $3.70. I live in a small town where our one station is $3.87 for unleaded. More to the point, Diesel in Spokane that has more effect on food prices is about a dollar higher at $4.50 to $4.80.

Unfortunately, I am a volunteer driver for Catholic Charities - IE, I haul people who don't have transportation to the doctor - so have little control over my gas consumption. I drive 700 to 900 miles a week so buy from 30 to 50 gallons a week. They supposedly pay us for our gas used, but are consistently six months or so behind in updating their prices and the past six months have been the worst ever.

So what does all of this mean? The early warning sign are there and I would strongly suggest that people keep an eye on commodity report, climate calamities, and, of course, the price of fuel. There is little doubt that people will be tightening their belt, going out for meals less, traveling shorter distances and using their "stimulus" checks to keep their head above water this summer. Living in a region that depends on fuel oil, it is scary to hear that contract prices for hearting oil less winter will approach $4.00/gallon. This will surely collapse to the economy in the Northeast. If diesel continues to rise, truckers will be at a loss and food will simply not be delivered to stores. Already, many truckers who deliver saw logs are calling it quits. How long can fishing fleets absorb continued price rises? Summer employment looks bleak. The key is to be alert and be informed.

Is there is bright spot here? If you read my article, "The Mother of All Course Corrections," you will see that the consumer is now in a position to finally make intelligent buying decisions. You can affect what is produced with your valued dollars. If you stop buying the junk food, stop buying sodas, buy only healthy foods and cereals, the market will have to respond. This is your opportunity to finally make a difference in terms of what is produced and what you consume. Insist on quality and use your power to create a more sensible, sustainable economy. The time is at hand for choices, choose wisely!

Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. He spent several years working for local and regional and state government agencies. He worked on a White House Task Force and served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the FRCouncil of New England.

Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated / featured writer for The American Chronicle. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL was released by Cambridge Books, his third book, JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EARLY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION (Avatar Publication). He is author of the book, RAPING LOUISIANA: A DIARY OF DECEIT and his two most recent self-growth titles, the "MESSAGES" series were just released by Avatar. See his book titles at "theliteraryworksofphilipharris."

Aftershock: The Next Economy And America's Future by Robert B Reich - Current Affairs Book Review

America's economic Crash of 2008 was directed almost universally at Wall Street. In his September release, entitled, Aftershock: The Next Economy And America's Future, Robert B. Reich argues differently. He believes the real problem is structural: There's an increasing concentration of wealth at the top, while middle class Americans struggle to maintain a decent standard of living.

Reich served in three national administrations, most recently as Secretary of Labor under President Clinton. He's written numerous books, and is a university professor of public policy.

Three stages of modern American capitalism substantiate Reich's message. The first stage (1870-1929) was one of increasing concentration of income and wealth. Stage two (1947-1975), featured more broadly shared prosperity; and stage three (1980-2010) is one of increasing wealth concentration. Reich says it's vital for our future to begin a fourth stage where broad-based prosperity reigns.

Reich profiles Marriner Eccles, a business tycoon during the Great Depression. Largely forgotten today, Reich believes Eccle's analysis of the underlying economic stresses of the Great Depression are relevant to the Crash of 2008. His assumption of a quick national recovery proved wrong, as we know today. President Roosevelt summoned him to Washington DC to share his financial acumen which was based on logic and experience.

Eccles chaired the Federal Reserve Board from 1934 to 1948 (the Eccles Building on Constitution Avenue in Washington DC is his memoriam). History repeats itself today, as there's a vast accumulation of income among the nation's wealthiest people. The result is everyone else experiences reduced purchasing power.

The basic bargain gave workers a proportionate share of the fruits of economic growth. Average workers had enough purchasing power to buy what they produced.

The Great Prosperity years (1947-1975), found America as a whole, implementing the basic bargain. Almost everyone who wanted a job could find one with good wages or at least wages that were trending upward. The US government created the conditions for the middle class to fully share in the nation's prosperity.

Americans developed three coping mechanisms Reich says, to combat the growing concentration of wealth, which today are ineffective. They are:

Women move into paid work. Starting in the late 1970's, women began working to supplement family incomes and offset stagnant or declining male- earned wages. Today, the point of diminishing returns exists, as the cost of hiring outside help or childcare exceeds the apparent benefits of the additional income.
Everyone works longer hours. A growing number of people took on two or three jobs, each demanding 20 or more hours. Now, even if they can find more work, they can find no more time.
We draw down savings and borrow to the hilt. During the Great Prosperity, the American middle class saved about 9 percent of their after-tax income. In 2008, it slid to 2.6 percent. By 2008, the typical American household owed 138 percent of its after-tax income. Middle class consumers took on huge amounts of debt as a last resort. Median wages had stopped growing and the proportion of total income going to the middle class shrank.

The Great Recession officially began in December 2007. The biggest difference between it and the Great Depression is what happened next after the bubbles burst. The Great Depression inspired government policies that led to new economic order. Social insurance, improvements in the nation's infrastructure, schools, public universities, and other initiatives, created a more secure, prosperous and productive America. The Great Recession has produced no new economic order.

"Technically, the Great Recession has ended," says Reich, "But its aftershock has only begun." Reich says jobs will return over time, however they'll provide lower wages than Americans are accustomed to.

Globalization and outsourcing of American jobs overseas are often blamed for the nation's high unemployment rate. But, Reich reminds us, those factors don't tell the whole story. Automation is key too, as many service jobs including bank tellers and telephone operators are now extinct.

Based on current national conditions, Reich forecasts Election 2020. The platform of the Independent Party could triumph, with its "clear and uncompromising message." Included are zero tolerance of illegal immigration, increased tariffs on all imports and abolishment of The Federal Reserve Board. Its extreme agenda would be detrimental to US interests home and abroad.

Americans will become increasingly outraged if the US economic system appears outrigged to favor the rich. Among their concerns are Wall Street bailouts, hefty political campaign contributions by the wealthy to protect their interests, and elite educational opportunities for privileged children.

Reich proffers nine primary solutions to help restore the basic bargain to middle class Americans. He admits that some of his proposals are initially costly, but, over time, the benefits outweigh financials. Three highlights include:

A reemployment system vs. an unemployment system. Today, most job losers never get their jobs back, and long-term unemployment is high. Implement wage insurance. Here, any job loser who accepts employment that pays less than his or her former position would be eligible for 90 percent of the difference for up to two years. By then, many workers would have acquired additional skills, rendering the reward of similar past pay.
Public goods. Sizably increase public goods such as public transportation, museums, libraries and recreational facilities. Keep them free vs. the trend in "user fees." Public goods improve quality of life and help partly compensate for stagnant or declining wages.
Money out of politics. As inequality has widened, large corporations, Wall Street, and their executives and traders have distorted political decisions with their hefty donations. Recent Supreme Court decisions protecting campaign contributions as forms of free speech need to be reversed. In the meantime, all political donations should go through a "blind trust," so that no candidate ever know who contributed what.

These are challenging times for our nation indeed, as we adjust to the growing pains of globalization. Despite housing foreclosures, continued high unemployment, lower earnings, less economic security, widening inequality and soaring pay on Wall Street, Reich concludes on a voice of optimism.

He emphasizes that America, when faced with a depression, an enveloping war and other moral urgencies, has always risen to the occasion. "We will choose reform, I believe, because we are a sensible nation, and reform is the only sensible option we have."

To learn more about Reich's perspective on restoring the basic bargain to save middle class America, visit his blog at http://robertreich.org.

Timothy Zaun is a blogger, speaker and freelance writer. Visit him online at http://timzaun.com.

Raising Meat Goats - How Bright is the Future For Meat Goat Production?

In the United States, the meat goat industry has been enjoying a strong and growing demand for goat meat. Most of the world population (about 60 to 70%) prefers goat meat to any other red meat. Beef and pork are preferred only in the United States, Canada, and northern Europe, but the population of the United States is changing with many immigrants coming to this country from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe.

Prior to 1990 goats in the U.S. were raised primarily for the production of fiber or milk and for weed and brush control in pastures. Goat meat was a byproduct and most of it was exported. Since 1990 the demand for goat meat in the United States has increased faster than the goat population. We started importing more than we exported in 1993. During the late 1980s and the 1990s the governments of New Zealand and Australia were trying to eliminate their feral goat populations and most of the resulting meat was exported to the United States. Some was also exported to China, India, and other Asian and middle eastern countries. New Zealand was successful in eliminating their feral goats.

Today most of our imported goat meat comes from Australia. The Australian Government has successfully eliminated the feral goat population in some areas of the country, but in other areas they can only control the population. Their goal is to keep the feral goat population from getting any larger than it is today, which is estimated to be about 2.6 million head, with about 1.0 million head per year harvested for export. The domestic goat population in Australia is about 200,000 head with little interest among ranchers for increasing that number. By comparison the domestic goat population in the U.S. is about 3.1 million head. Currently about half the goat meat sold in the United States through normal retail channels is slaughtered in USDA inspected plants and half is imported, mainly from Australia. Many goats produced in the U.S. are slaughtered by the consumers or are slaughtered in non-inspected plants. No information is available as to how many.

Since the nations of the world that prefer goat meat to other red meats are developing nations, it can only be assumed that as their economies improve the demand and prices they are willing to pay for this meat will also improve. The supply available for export from Australia will probably not increase. The only conclusion one can draw from these facts is that the U.S. meat goat industry has a very bright future. It is the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, and will probably continue growing for some time.

Because there is a ready market for it among many ethnic cultures in the U.S., little effort has been made to promote the nutritional benefits of goat meat and to sell it to the ever growing number of people wanting to eat healthier foods. Goat meat is reported by the US Department of Agriculture to be lower in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or turkey. It is also higher in protein and iron than any of these meats. It is high in vitamin B12 and has balanced amino acids. Since goats are ruminants, goat meat is a good source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA,) a fatty acid that prevents and cures cancer and many inflammatory conditions in laboratory animals. Results of clinical studies with CLA in humans are still pending. There is a real potential for expanding the market for goat meat by promoting these health and nutritional values.

Ken Ziemer, author, has a bachelor's degree in agriculture. He started breeding dairy goats in 1962. His wife Candy was raised on a dairy goat farm and has worked with goats all her life. They have farmed and raised goats in northern Arkansas since 1967. They started breeding full blood Boer meat goats in 1999. They breed their Boer goats for hardiness, resistance to internal parasites, and efficient meat production on the rugged pastures of northern Arkansas.For more information on raising meat goats and on selling meat goats, check out Critter Ridge Boer Goats.

Kuala Lumpur: Ready for the Future

The number of impressive and futuristic hotels in Kuala Lumpur is not the only reason to say that the city is already prepared for the future. Driven by the continuous and undying pursuit to be more acclaimed worldwide, Kuala Lumpur has made sure that it will have enough features to claim that the city is worthy of being poised as the next big thing.

Designed to be a 'city within a city,' the 72-acre KL Sentral is one of the greatest manifestations that proves Kuala Lumpur is ready to move forward. It is one awesome destination that caters to all of the needs of everyone. Located in an area around Malaysia's largest transit hub, Stesen Sentral, this global city promises to provide good residential, business and entertainment spots for everybody.

The city is designed with a futurist-holistic concept. All skyscrapers are built under contemporary influences, producing a great view during the day and night. The avant-garde technology used in developing the city is definitely noticeable and it goes so well with the plazas, courtyards, sidewalk cafés, and restaurants around the place.

There are also luxurious 5-star Kuala Lumpur hotels established around, and their numbers are continuously growing, to provide lodging to temporary visitors. Those who wish to settle in the city may find units in residential towers, nearby their offices.

The KL Sentral also gives home to different green zones which serve as the oasis in this very modern world.

Indeed, the KL Sentral inculcates more and more people toward its investment opportunities, business expediency and high-class lifestyle. With it, people are made to understand that work, life and play can be done all at the same time.

Another proof of the city's continuous growth is the establishment of the Pusat Sains Negara.

Situated in the attractive and delightful environment of Bukit Kiora, the Pusat Sains Negara, or the National Science Centre, of Malaysia is hailed as a national landmark of the country. Visited by locals and foreigners alike, this modern structure is sure to provide a memorable science- filled adventure to everyone.

On November 29, 1996, the National Science Centre was opened by the then- Prime Minister YAB Tun Dr. Makathi. The structure displays a very unique architecture which is quite comparable to a dome, in which a truncated cone sits on top.

Such a design matches the aim of the National Science Centre to promote awareness, appreciation, interest and understanding of Science and Technology. It gives home to lots of exhibits which stimulate the desire of people to learn more about the world. The exhibits are displayed according to categories, and are presented with different themes.

To promote the centre more, it also created mascots by the names of Anstein (ant), PenyuCurie ( turtle) and Gajalileo (elephant).

Basically, the main purpose of this centre is to prove that science, environment and religion are indeed linked.

Kuala Lumpur may indeed appear like a history focused city, but it knows how to get along with the fast- paced world. Its effort in preparing for the near future is incessant.

To witness it, tourists may visit the city and stay in first-class Kuala Lumpur hotels. For assistance, visit HotelsinAsia.com.sg.

What's the Future of Organic Certification?

Some organic produce enthusiasts are cheering about its increasingly widespread availability. They say it's about time that huge retailers like Safeway, Costco, and even Wal-Mart have begun to add organic products to their shelves. With the market beginning to boom, some of the world's largest food manufacturers are beginning to jump on the bandwagon, as well, such as Kellogg's, Kraft, and General Foods. Isn't that good news for advocates of healthier food?The answer is a qualified maybe. It's a simple case of the time-proven law of supply-and-demand. The organic market has been growing steadily for decades, and once the numbers were there, it was inevitable that the big companies would step in to grab a share of the market. Some less enthusiastic organic foods advocates have expressed concern that having the giant retailers move into the market will ultimately weaken certification standards and hurt small farmers who have been able to capitalize on serving the organic niche market in order to survive.The market share for organic produce is still miniscule, accounting for less than 3 percent of U.S. retail food sales in 2005, but the numbers are still impressive: $14 billion in sales and increases of 16 percent for organic produce, 24 percent for organic milk, and a whopping 55 percent rise in organic beef sales over the past year. Certified organic products typically sell at a 20-30 percent premium over similar non-organic ones. Given numbers like those, it's not surprising that the nation's mega-retailers are beginning to get excited by the possibilities for future growth. However, there is growing concern that as factory-style farms move into the organic area to fill the demand from giant retail chains, the certification process may be lessened to allow those huge farms to meet the specifications. Those fears were given some credence when a recent report by the Cornucopia Institute discovered that two of the largest organic dairies in the nation keep their cows primarily in huge feedlots with little or no chance to graze on pasture. At the moment, the demand for organic milk outstrips supply, but if the trend continues (and there's no reason to believe it won't), it could cause genuine problems for small farmers, who have been all but squeezed out of nearly every other phase of agriculture, but managed to find a market niche that allowed them to stay in business. One of the biggest effects on the market will be retail giant Wal-Mart's demand for considerably lower prices. That means smaller profit margins for suppliers, but it could also mean a further loosening of certification standards in order to meet the demand and the low prices Wal-Mart would expect.

Where will it all lead? It's too early to tell, but if the current trend continues, it would appear that the consumer cost of organic produce and meat is going to become more affordable. However, it's yet to be determined how much loosening of the certification guidelines will take place in order for that to take place. Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher teaches environmental interior design. For more information about Environmental Psychology and 5 ways you can change your home environment, visit http://environmentpsychology.com.