Saturday, July 19, 2008

I read the New York times almost ever day.

I always pay most attention to their national news, especially those simple and stright forward slide shows The times new decision to dive into online multimedia is an intresting approuch at gaining readers, or more retaining them.

Today they launched:

"The Debt Trap"


A new look at Americans Debt, how it got there what has caused it and what can be done to solve it. Using all kinds of bells and whistles, video,audio, graphics and a very wel written beginning article. In my Initial reading i really was fond of their way of addressing an issue i have heard around the water coolers of finance.

The seeming low savings rates amount Americans, why is that? Debt? lack of simple education of savings.

According to a Washington post archive from 2004 the Average American family has $3,800 in the bank, that is according to the Federal Reserve. Who knows if those numbers have changed but i think the problem relates to the seemingly inept ability of the schools (public and private) to teach what is most important to my generation; the idea of the easiest ways to have savings ready for the most dire of times.

I don't have a solution in this short tirade but i think the first is realizing the place that we have fallen into as a country. An electro-shock to get the wheels on the rails to get out of the mess that has begun.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Zac,

When I read your reflections on why our country is in this current dire economic situation, I can only agree with you. Not only do the schools not teach the basics of savings for a rainy day, but we are constantly bombarded by advertisement telling us to buy more---and even our current leaders have been telling us that we're not good American unless we go out and "shop till we drop."

I would be completely pessimistic if not for the fact that I have met at least one member of the younger generation who understands the need for a fundamental reorientation and who has shown the kind of leadership skills that will help us get back on track--his name: Zac Russell! Love, Claudette