Two giant mortgage companies get into hot water over risky investments. The government steps in to throw them a lifeline should they need it.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans buy homes more expensive than they can afford. Congress approves a rescue package.

Troubles erupt at a Wall Street investment firm that made bad bets on mortgage investments. The Federal Reserve steps in and provides financial backing for the company's takeover.

Meanwhile, tens of millions of people pay their mortgages on time, don't max out their credit cards and put money into retirement funds. They may even save a little extra on the side.

In return, they get rates on their savings that don't even keep up with inflation. They also are witnessing the horror of their nest eggs shrinking as the value of their homes plummets and the stock market tumbles.

Washington policymakers seem more focused on rescuing those who behave badly by putting at risk taxpayers who've played by the rules and shunned the get-rich-quick schemes of Wall Street croupiers.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1542486~Washington_offers_no_relief_for_savers.htm l

In other words, the federal government has one word for people who are responsible with their money and don't overextend themselves on stupid mortgages and purchases: SUCKERS!

I never thought that the retirement-savings plan (IOW: the deferred life plan) was particularly smart or inspired. Inflation's a bitch, and all that money you're saving would be much better put to use elsewhere. Retirement accounts should be used for one purpose and one purpose only, tax shields. If you've got more money than you can spend usefully, put the excess into a tax deferred retirement account. Otherwise, find ways to legitimately enhance your life with it. Save it up for a round-the-world trip, put it into an emergency fund, take six months off from work here and there and pour it all into your dream to become the best kung fu fighter in the known universe.

People who save crass amounts of money for retirement these days are incredibly unimaginative and as far from far-sighted as the people they look down upon. There's too much to do, and the risks of long term savings are far greater than the rewards.

I never thought that the retirement-savings plan (IOW: the deferred life plan) was particularly smart or inspired. Inflation's a bitch, and all that money you're saving would be much better put to use elsewhere. Retirement accounts should be used for one purpose and one purpose only, tax shields. If you've got more money than you can spend usefully, put the excess into a tax deferred retirement account. Otherwise, find ways to legitimately enhance your life with it. Save it up for a round-the-world trip, put it into an emergency fund, take six months off from work here and there and pour it all into your dream to become the best kung fu fighter in the known universe.

People who save crass amounts of money for retirement these days are incredibly unimaginative and as far from far-sighted as the people they look down upon. There's too much to do, and the risks of long term savings are far greater than the rewards.

Money being a medium of exchange,has NO personalty on its own.
For money to be crass suggest that it seldom is used for good,or even
normalcy of need.
A lesson you might be wise to consider.There are many in this Land.
from the old school of thought who may appear as little old ladies or
just normal seniors living very normal lives,even to appear poor.
But just look at their Net Worth,and you'd be stunned to find
hundered of thousands of dollars in equity or land or even savings.
For money to have crassness,certainly is a trait democrats love to
exploit.Kinda explains why they { Big Government Democrats } want
it so bad { High Estate Taxing }.
Which is also a real conundrum come Election time.High taxation never
comforts those,especially who have saved,scrimped their entire lives.
Is all.

People who save crass amounts of money for retirement these days are incredibly unimaginative and as far from far-sighted as the people they look down upon.
People should do what makes them happy.
Some people wouldn't enjoy the instant gratification of a luxury item if they are the type to worry about the rainy day.

And I wouldn't say they are unimaginative, they just require less to be content.
In that sense I feel much worse for the other people.

That "requires less to be content," line is something I might have bought before I took my two month long trip to Colombia. "Content-ness," to me is a sham, an insidious crime against self that perpetuates itself through a series of rationalizations. Contentness shoulders excitement out of the way like a football player does a nerd who dares to get in his way; and paves the way for an unfulfilled life, the paving stones made up of the discarded dreams of youth. Doing exciting, inspiring things should be the main aim of anybody living in a Western society. People justifying their decision to chase a safe, secure existence at the expense of excitement will claim that they are "content." These people don't fool me, and are usually the first to hang on my every word when I describe to them a recent adventure I've had.

Another thing, there really aren't any more "adventurous types" anymore who could care less about safe security and are wont to say "fuck it" and ride off into the sunset. Most everybody is the type to worry about the rainy day, after their brain finishes developing and their risk-taking tendencies die down. Modern society virtually forces it on you. And instant gratification with luxury items wasn't what I had in mind. Positive, uplifting experiences. Indulging an archaeological bent by signing on to volunteer for a dig, for example. Some people really want an Aston Martin DB9 to be happy, but I think that if they're honest with themselves, they could find something more within their financial reach that will make them more happy. Paragliding in the Andes, perhaps. (I had the opportunity to do just that, but I opted against it. Maybe next trip.)

Napsterbater: That "requires less to be content," line is something I might have bought before I took my two month long trip to Colombia.
And needing more is something I might have bought before my kids came into my life.

"Content-ness," to me is a sham, an insidious crime against self
It's extremely relative. People who are more daring than yourself might consider your activities to be safe and consider you "content".
Respect the contentness of people less exciting than you lest you want greater thrillseekers to judge you similarly.

Doing exciting, inspiring things should be the main aim of anybody living in a Western society.
Exciting and inspiring to whom?
If I rebuild half my house I feel more excited and inspired than if I spent my Summer cliff-diving.
And years later others can see the fruits of my labor rather than hear my moldy stories.


But if I could describe my boring life with your writing style you might find it pretty cool!

Travel with your kids! There is no more greater an educational experience to be had! Thousands of people do it, and the risks exist much much more in your head than in reality.

Sometimes I wondered in my Colombia trip, "Why am I not doing this or that, why don't I have tons of stories to tell?" The reality is, getting to that exciting point in your life is a journey. I don't expect to get there on just this trip, and I won't let the judgments of those who would project their own wishes on my trip concern me. The stories came in time, and your own excitement and zest will evolve. Contentness, however, is death.

Exciting and inspiring, to who else but yourself? If they excite and inspire you, other people will be excited and inspired when you talk about them. Moods like those are infectious. If they aren't, then you're not excited enough, and are probably just fooling yourself.

Napsterbater: "Contentness, however, is death."
Being contented just means you're satisfied with your life, doesn't it?
If someone goes hang-gliding and is sipping a cocktail later and thinks to himself "life is good", he's contented.

If they excite and inspire you, other people will be excited and inspired when you talk about them.
If they are of similar interests.
An IRS accountant could fascinate a colleague by describing how he uncovered a specious business dinner. Do you want to hear about it?
Put me in a room with Tony Hawk and Dale Jr and I'd happily leave to get them coffee.

If they aren't, then you're not excited enough, and are probably just fooling yourself.
I think that if one's exploit choice is partially based on exciting others then one should find more satisfying activities.
That's when one stops fooling himself.


About fifteen years ago my sister got divorced, was unhappy here and moved to Mexico. Not where American tourists go - she went in deep.
She knew about two people there and didn't speak spanish.
In my opinion, that's courageous and adventurous. I think too many people confuse courageous and adventurous with risk-of-death.

On a tangential point, many people who do things some would consider adventurous claim to be adrenaline junkies so in a sense can't help themselves.
So by their own claim they are not making a particularly courageous choice, or even a choice at all.

Being contented just means you're satisfied with your life, doesn't it?
If someone goes hang-gliding and is sipping a cocktail later and thinks to himself "life is good", he's contented.
True, but there's a difference, and you know it.

If they are of similar interests.
An IRS accountant could fascinate a colleague by describing how he uncovered a specious business dinner. Do you want to hear about it?
Put me in a room with Tony Hawk and Dale Jr and I'd happily leave to get them coffee.

I think that if one's exploit choice is partially based on exciting others then one should find more satisfying activities.
Not exactly. If the stories are dry and the personalities involved are dull, then yes, they will only appeal to each other. But when you live an exciting life, it effects changes on your personality. Your demeanor becomes looser, freer. I'm told, when you gather a group of Hollywooders into a room together, they talk about traffic. Just because you have a life other's might consider interesting, doesn't mean you have an interesting life. And you're right, it's time for them to stop fooling themselves and do a little soul searching to discover what would get them excited.

About fifteen years ago my sister got divorced, was unhappy here and moved to Mexico. Not where American tourists go - she went in deep.
She knew about two people there and didn't speak spanish.
In my opinion, that's courageous and adventurous. I think too many people confuse courageous and adventurous with risk-of-death.

On a tangential point, many people who do things some would consider adventurous claim to be adrenaline junkies so in a sense can't help themselves.
So by their own claim they are not making a particularly courageous choice, or even a choice at all.
I never confused adventurous with risk of death. My stay here in Colombia has mostly been dull. Over the last few weeks, it's gotten exciting. But what I did do in the first few month has been really cool and neat, for me. I took a few two hour long guitar lessons, a week's worth of Spanish, and basically moved from town to town, staying in one hostel, talking with other travelers, trying to work on my Spanish. I've seen most all the big cities of Colombia, getting to know the rhythms and idiosyncrasies of each. But if you ask me what I did hour to hour, it would sound mostly boring. "Sat on bus for twelve hours, took taxi to hotel, checked in, walked around city, laid on hammock for two hours, went to grocery store, cooked dinner." That sort of thing, repeated for a whole month. But to me the country was alive. I might have three conversations a day, but they were pretty interesting, as conversations go.

Napsterbater: True, but there's a difference, and you know it.
No, I don't think there is. Everyone wants to feel satisfied in their life.
Everyone wants to find their own balance between routine and uncomfortable risk, but the desired destination is the same.

But when you live an exciting life, it effects changes on your personality. Your demeanor becomes looser, freer.
This is definitely true unless you are determining what constitutes "exciting" for someone else.
If you are satisfied with the Andes paragliding thing, someone who cuts a vein and swims with sharks may call you dull and content.
It doesn't mean you are, you're just more easily contented.
Everyone strikes their own balance.

Sat on bus for twelve hours, took taxi to hotel, checked in, walked around city, laid on hammock for two hours, went to grocery store, cooked dinner.
I might have three conversations a day, but they were pretty interesting, as conversations go.
Now that's what I would consider interesting and fulfilling.
Years from now you'll remember that vividly, whereas with skydiving you'll remember that you did it, but the rush was fleeting.

No, I don't think there is. Everyone wants to feel satisfied in their life.
Everyone wants to find their own balance between routine and uncomfortable risk, but the desired destination is the same.
I'm not so sure. I think quite a few people, through indecision and failure to act, allow security and safety to overrule their lives. It's true, people do require a modicum of routine in order to stay grounded, but the mind is a flexible and adaptable beast. Your thirty minutes every three days at the gym can easily be moved to fifteen minutes in every morning of calisthenics and push-ups. However, most people wouldn't think of making such a change, even when the benefits of doing it one way would far exceed the benefits of doing it the other way. Similarly, they allow themselves to be locked into careers and marriages and such where they're not happy or fulfilled, but instead trick themselves into feeling "content."

This is definitely true unless you are determining what constitutes "exciting" for someone else.
If you are satisfied with the Andes paragliding thing, someone who cuts a vein and swims with sharks may call you dull and content.
It doesn't mean you are, you're just more easily contented.
Everyone strikes their own balance.
Having known several such adventurous types, I would say you're wrong. These sorts of fellows generally know that what they do is extreme and dangerous, and that generally the reason they do them is because they're adrenaline junkies. They may often desire a quieter life, but the thrill always calls them back. Balance is an important thing to consider when designing your own lifestyle, yet that balance can come from whatever you want it to come from. 30 minutes of yoga in the mornings can cut it. And you aren't determining what constitutes exciting for someone else, I just suggested that you use objective, rather than subjective indicators for how excited you really are with your life. The reason is that the mind often fools itself. In all your life, anybody's life, your worst enemy is yourself. The mind will throw up illusions, false concepts, that will always threaten to keep you safely inside your comfort zone 24/7. It doesn't have to be how other people think your stories are. You could just be honest with yourself and ask yourself how long it's been since you've been truly a hundred percent happy with everything going on. Let that figure go past a week, and you know you're doing something wrong. My own limit is around three days.

Now that's what I would consider interesting and fulfilling.
Years from now you'll remember that vividly, whereas with skydiving you'll remember that you did it, but the rush was fleeting.
For a person who has never done such a crazy thing in their life, and likely never will, a week-long skydiving course would do wonders for their state of mind. My own trip has been more of an experiment than anything else. I was testing my own theories of how mind works as well as what author Tim Ferriss writes about mini-retirements. I hypothesized that six weeks to two months of relative inactivity would liberate your mind from all of your concerns and worries from the past and allow you to reorganize your priorities according to how you really want to live life.

My experiment has been fantastically successful. I don't think I'll remember this trip much in detail five, ten years down the road as vividly as you say. But I'll always remember that this was the trip that erased all my self-limitations and self-doubt, solving the dilemmas I was struggling with back home, as well as the event in which I set into motion the project to better define and plan all my subsequent pursuits. Simply allowing myself enough time for the old worries to fade and think clearly and accurately was enough.

Napsterbater: I'm not so sure. I think quite a few people, through indecision and failure to act, allow security and safety to overrule their lives.
You are still in the mode of judging what is fulfilling to others.
If someone is scared of the water, going on a rowboat would be an extreme activity full of fear and excitement, but some would consider that rather safe.

....but instead trick themselves into feeling "content."
You and I have different definitions of content. I should have said fulfilled.
Whatever you call it, everyone has a level of risk they'll assume. Any fulfillment sought beyond that boundary will eventually have diminishing returns.
For example, if a sole breadwinner is worried about dying and not providing for his family, that would really really really take the enjoyment out of the activity.

Having known several such adventurous types, I would say you're wrong. ... the reason they do them is because they're adrenaline junkies. They may often desire a quieter life, but the thrill always calls them back.
They really shouldn't enter into the equation.
They feel satisfied for a while and then NEED to get that feeling again.
I'm not comparing them to rapists and serial killers, BUT that cooling off period is extremely similar.

The mind will throw up illusions, false concepts, that will always threaten to keep you safely inside your comfort zone 24/7.
I think you aren't considering which factors are used in creating one's comfort zone.
The need to live and provide for others, for example, alters it.
I don't consider that to be any trick of the mind.

I hypothesized that six weeks to two months of relative inactivity....
I'd love that if I were an heir, a kept woman or a dependent child.

But I'll always remember that this was the trip that erased all my self-limitations and self-doubt...
I'm just theorizing but is it possible that the type of person who finds it difficult to find fulfillment might be the type more prone to self-doubt?

You are still in the mode of judging what is fulfilling to others.
If someone is scared of the water, going on a rowboat would be an extreme activity full of fear and excitement, but some would consider that rather safe.
I might not be able to judge what another person would find fulfillment in, but I can tell a fulfilled person from an unfulfilled person. It's pretty easy. Most people are unfulfilled. They constantly complain about this or that. When they're not complaining they're escaping reality by talking about the various escapes modern society has to offer, movies, TV shows and the like. Even the ones that aren't look like zombies most of the time. They compensate by creating drama in their lives where none existed before. I never believe such a person when they tell me they're fulfilled. It's a cop-out.

You and I have different definitions of content. I should have said fulfilled.
Whatever you call it, everyone has a level of risk they'll assume. Any fulfillment sought beyond that boundary will eventually have diminishing returns.
For example, if a sole breadwinner is worried about dying and not providing for his family, that would really really really take the enjoyment out of the activity.
The dangers of life are greatly over-exaggerated. When I talk of taking risks, I'm talking merely about getting outside a comfort zone, not doing something only the young and stupid do. Believe me when I tell you that traveling the world is NOT dangerous. And that's just one of the things a person could do. Putting together a small business selling fried ants (or whatever) to people over the Internet is not threatening to your way of life. Just don't let your life savings sit in a bank waiting for the day when you're finally free of your hated career. Put it to something worthwhile.

They really shouldn't enter into the equation.
They feel satisfied for a while and then NEED to get that feeling again.
I'm not comparing them to rapists and serial killers, BUT that cooling off period is extremely similar.

I'd love that if I were an heir, a kept woman or a dependent child.

I'm just theorizing but is it possible that the type of person who finds it difficult to find fulfillment might be the type more prone to self-doubt?
Eh?

Most people are unfulfilled. They constantly complain about this or that. When they're not complaining they're escaping reality by talking about the various escapes modern society has to offer, movies, TV shows and the like.
But how can you say that someone doesn't find their own fulfillment in movies and TV?
That's for them to decide.

Others might say world travel is a cop-out.

You cannot find your own fulfillment by watching movies and TV. Life is not a spectator sport.

Well why are people with tons of money always complaining about problems? You can never reach a full 100% fulfilled life. Money definitely doesn't do it, and peace of mind with yourself makes you realize how good you actually have it, and just how f'd up the world is.