Everyday Ruralty and Economics 101

Patrice and Wendell, or is that Wendell and Patrice?, over at Everyday Ruralty have a blog hop on Tuesdays. They call it Chats on the Farmhouse Porch and ask five questions. 
1. What's the last thing you baked? Bread and have almost given it all away. Each week I bake and then hand out the results to folks. Some weeks it's shortbread, other weeks it's bread, sometimes it's brownies or cupcakes. Anything to put a smile on someone's face or to say "thank you" for a kindness they've done for me. Tonight is our volunteer fire department meeting and I'm baking cookies and brownies to share.
2. What's your favorite thing about fall? The cool temperatures and the colors. Both are so welcome although I do love that acid green that screams growing things. The heat bothers me so the coolness is most welcome.
3. What's your favorite room in the house? This is a toss up between one of the porches, the sun room or my bedroom. The porches mean the weather is wonderful and I'm sitting on a porch with hand work, a book, a lap top, a drink and a pair of spy glasses. I'm easily entertained -smile-. Last night I watched as a doe and her twin fawns grazed the pasture behind the house; such a delight! The sun room means I'm having morning devotions or eating a meal and the bedroom means I'm sleeping...ahhh...wonderful, restorative, restful sleep!
4. Who handles bill paying in your house? Ummmm, since Dave died, that would be me. I paid bills the first half dozen years we lived here and then he took over. Maybe this is a good time to plug my upcoming book...Getting Your Affairs in Order is the working title but that's apt to change. There are so many ways to prepare now for losing a loved one later. So many ways to, legally, keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket and home as opposed to paying death taxes. I've learned via the School of Hard Knocks and want to share my information with others. It doesn't matter what your marital status, your gender or race; one thing we all have in common is death. It will come, eventually, and it's best to be better prepared than not prepared.
5. Tell whatever you like to share with our chatting friends. Well, my post today was going to be on economics, specifically the economics of the US of A. Just you try handling your personal affairs like those folks in Washington handle tax payer slave dollars and you'll be in jail lickety split! Someone sent the following and I thought it worth repeating.
LESSON NUMBER ONE
*US Tax Revenue: $2,170,000,000,000.00
*Federal Budget: $3,820,000,000,000.00
*New Debt: $14,271,000,000,000.00
*Recent Budget Cuts: $38,500,000,000.00

Now, let's, remove the eight zero's and pretend it's your household budget:
*Annual Family Income: $21,700.00
*Money the Family Spent: $38,200.00
*New debt on the credit card: $16,500
*Outstanding balance on Credit Card: $142,710.00
*Total Budget Cuts so far: $3.85

Any questions?

LESSON NUMBER TWO
Another way to look at the Debt Ceiling: After a long, exhausting day at work, you come home to find there's been a sewer back up in the neighborhood or your own back yard.There's raw, stinky, nasty sewage all the way up to your ceilings!
What do you think you should do?
Raise the ceilings or pump out the crap?
Your choice is coming November 6, 2012; choose wisely.

Blessings ~ Wendell ~ Patrice ~ Everday Ruralty ~ economics ~ wise choices ~ home baking ~ volunteer fire departments ~ sun rooms ~ porches ~