How can we possibly have a happy Thanksgiving.
The world is aflame — Ebola is still killing in Africa, the murders in the Middle east don’t stop, China is on the move, Russia is invading, Europe is an economic basket case, then there’s Ferguson plus scandals at the IRS, Secret Service, GSA, NASA, pick an alphabet agency. Our immigration policy is in shambles, no one is happy with it. 3M has closed its parking division, and to top it all off, the streets in my neighborhood still haven’t been repaved.
We are bombarded daily with ‘if it bleeds it leads’ headlines. One disaster after another. Hurricane here, earthquake there, poverty and hunger everywhere. Everything is dysfunctional, whether its the President, Congress, the Judiciary, your local school system or even the pipes that bring water to us in LA (They keep breaking and flooding neighborhoods). There’s global warming, or is it global cooling or is it climate change, or is it simply the weather. Even the climatistas can’t make up their mind. What’s a poor stupid voter to do?
Yet, in spite of all that, life expectancy gets longer every year, even those who live on the most modest incomes and in the most modest homes live better than the so called ‘landed gentry’ of a century and a half ago, and the price of gasoline is under $3 a gallon.
We live in a country of abundance — Just walk down the aisles of any grocery store, shopping center, or Costco. You can find anything at almost any price you want. This is not true in most of the world. Airlines take you wherever you want to go and at arguably the lowest price evah.
I don’t even have to mention technology. Virtually everyone has a smart phone and is in constant contact with friends world wide (I’m not so sure this is a benefit, but that’s for another column.) Automobiles last longer than ever before and cost less per mile to drive and maintain.
The great plains and California’s central valley produce food in such abundance we not only feed our citizens, but much of the rest of the world.
Even with all their problems our universities are second to none and are flooded with students from across the planet who beg, borrow, or steal to come here to learn.
My suggestion is that you consider the last few graphs, turn off the TV news, use your newspapers to line your bird cages before you read them, and give thanks for all the goodness, wonder, bounty and freedom we enjoy. And why not — there’s nothing much you can do about the rest anyway.
A most Happy and Grateful Thanksgiving to your and yours from the entire Parking Today, PIE, Parknews.biz and Bricepac family.
