1 and 10

First blog of my 4th year begins today, the purpose of which seems to be self-stimulation. Ten billion appears to be the revenue of spas in the United States. Body pampering has reached the heights of essentials like botox and alpha hydroxy. One in ten also appears to be the number of Americans (31 million) that have benefitted by federal food stamps, freebies that shall not be bypassed. Mike Huckabee, former Republican presidential hopeful, might have written a book called "Do the right thing," but few seem to heed his call. Carly Fiorina, former head of HP (Hewlet-Packard) points out an America that experienced the dot com bust, the collapse of Enron now wallows in the current financial crisis because business people, politicians and CEO’s do not ‘do the right things.’ Going forward, how many relevant individuals will heed her warning?

The data above seem to indicate that the ignorant and greedy are many, but do-gooders are few. The efficacy of spas has always been nil; they are expensive placebos. The need for food stamps has always been nil (even though government has been soliciting recipients vigorously); they are theft from one’s neighbor. As radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, likes to point out frequently, especially in these ‘tough economic times’ ( in reality a media blitz covering up years of governmental, union and leadership misconduct) - "ignorance is America’s most expensive commodity."