It's Your Move, Kimberly

I have wondered what it would be ike to watch three generations of spoiled rotten Americans to feel a little real need.Just for you liberals out there-need is basic food,shelter and clothing-period.Your view of hard times is not being able to by this years version of xbox.Daddy paid four hundred bucks for last years model,but little Joey next door has this years.Conveniently all the latest games can only be played on the new xbox-at 50 bucks a pop.I have five grandkids and every one of them has a six or seven thousand dollar ATV or snowmobile or both.My father had one of the highest incomes in the town I grew up in and the toatal he spent on me in 18 years is less than a thousand bucks.My high school graduation present was an empty suitcase and a handshake.It was the best thing that ever happened to me in retrospect.At that age you never realize what tough love is.What it is means self esteem and self reliance or you go hungry.Of course they would never let it get that far,but lessons learned from the school of hard knocks beats algebra lessons every time.I look forward to the new school of hard knocks after decades of PC pandering to our children,run by a nanny state,and paid for by tax dollars.There will be much crying and gnashing of teeth!

what we needed was a Great Depression. Having suffered through the Nixon/Carter debacle, I learned what lessons I needed to learn and I hope the Yners can learn as quickly as we did. Somehow I doubt it though.

You certainly did not spare any words this time. I hope that your niece will thank you someday for speaking the truth. My parents always believed that there will be another Great Depression and that my siblings and I had best be prepared for it, and we were trained to be ready when it hit.

Now, whether or not we will need those skills remains to be seen. My father taught me how to hunt, fish, shoot, and to use tools, plus how to garden. Mom showed us how to can food we grew, or game that we dressed.

My father passed away a week ago. I can only express my gratitude for the many things that he patiently took the time to teach us. I hope that we won't need to use it all, but thank God that I had a father who cared enough to teach us. We were always told that it was not a disgrace to be poor, but it was to be dirty. I have difficulty understanding what passes for education these days.

Her mama sent her to me because she needed a dose of cold water -- everyone else had coddled her and given her sympathy and that encouraged her in her delusions. I was the last straw for her. :) She has enrolled in night school already.

Sorry to hear of your loss; I hope you are doing all right. I have lost my Daddy too and I find myself quoting him frequently in these perilous times. And yes we were taught, too, that there was never an excuse to be dirty or untidy -- and that there was a difference between being poor and being broke. The latter meant that right now you had no money; the former was forever.