March 13, 2011

COLUMBUS: With the gigantic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, most of the world has stopped worrying over their own minor headaches to offer the Japanese prayers and help.

Here are two noteworthy comments from Will Rogers: “That Japanese earthquake, in addition to being the greatest calamity in the history of the world, according to newspapers and experts, has not reaped half of its destruction yet.” Sept. 1923 (the Shinsai quake killed 142,800; damages totaled $2.8 Billion)
“Well, here we are at Managua, Nicaragua. They tell you pictures don’t lie, but the ones you saw of this earthquake did, for they didn’t tell that eight days after it happened there is from one to three hundred bodies still under those ruins. Naturally what they need is money. The government or the people haven’t got a cent. The Red Cross combined with the relief organization here has done great work as usual and still is.” April 8, 1931

Just as years ago, send your donations to the Red Cross (or Salvation Army) to do the most good. Controlling the nuclear meltdown is the most crucial immediate problem, but millions of injured and homeless people need our assistance. Japan is just as broke as we are, so they will appreciate any aid, including from China and Korea.

The budget crisis in Washington continues to get worse. You can’t compare it to a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan, but unless the President and Congress cut spending, we’re headed for a financial jolt that could be even worse. Senator Durbin admitted we have a serious problem, borrowing 40 percent of what we spend. But he added, “We cannot solve this problem in six months.” Well, that’s like a drunk admitting he has a problem, but refusing to give up whiskey until he empties every bottle in the house.

No one is expecting them to save $14 Trillion in six months, but Mr. Durbin says that even a $10 Billion reduction (one third of one percent) will harm the current budget.

The President acts like this “financial drunk” we’re on can last forever, or at least until after the 2012 election. Oil and gasoline price increases are crimping personal budgets, but more offshore drilling is out of the question.

And airline ticket prices have jumped. I think they estimate how much it would cost you for gas to drive the distance you’re flying, then tack on that amount.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“There is one rule that works in every calamity, be it pestilence, war or famine: the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The poor even help arrange it.”   Oct. 31, 1929

“There’s as much money in the country as there ever was. Only fewer people have it.” Radio broadcast, Oct. 18, 1931