Staring Unflinchingly Into the Abyss

I'm encouraged that BusinessWeek concurs with my opinion regarding our economy:

The great job bust of 2008 is being felt keenly in communities across the U.S. Few may be suffering more than Greensboro, N.C., one of the South's most scenic and livable cities and no stranger to disruptive economic change. Greensboro's local economy has been stress-tested by global outsourcing since the early 1990s, when jobs tethered to its two once-dominant industries, textiles and furniture, began to move to Asia.

Of course, anyone who's been paying even the slightest attention around here knows this quite well. Do not miss the comments. Hat tip to Ed Cone.

One of the cool things about going down the drain as a country is tax revenues will wither and grand monuments to conventional wisdom such as downtown GSO and the Aerotropolis shall go unfunded.

Another is watching the local Trustafarians twist in the wind as their portfolios disappear. I expect to make a good living after the apocalypse showing them how to do such things as tie their shoes and find their car keys. Be warned: stumble at all and child services will be right there to remove your children.

Speaking of which, you simply must read Tim Ilderton's plea for a bailout in today's N&R. I'm sure it strikes Rice and Vann York as strange. Face it, Timbo, you gambled and lost. We don't need the overpriced, badly marketed crap you purvey. Go away and starve quietly, please.

As the bottom approaches, let's not forget that gov'ment red tape also got us here. The last year Tom Ferguson made glider rockers in Stenchville and we perfected his computer system, I remember him lamenting that employing 75 people required one full time person just to deal with the Employment Security Commission.

The Wife was not amused that my therapist shuttled me off to a less experienced colleague. She got on the phone and found a heavy hitter who was NCBCBS approved and didn't work out of his home. We all know by now that I'm completely insane - as current circumstances require. The diff between you and me is I recognize and celebrate my condition. I'm going to fuck my new therapist like a $1000 hooker. Maybe I'll podcast the sessions for your entertainment. My last psychologist is currently in therapy to deal with anecdotes I related to her.

If my new therapist is not married, it will be a short visit. The reason I am insane is due to my Wife. She is a wonderful person, but happens to be a woman, and that is the problem. I do not blame her for it, as she can't help it. Still, her resolute ability to face the dark corners of life cause me much pain and embarrassment, the worst of which is that she is right.

My daily visits to the dermatologist, periodontist, endocrinologist and psychologist bring a rain of BCBSNC itemized statements, usually costing no more than the co-pay. The Wife brings her laser-like focus to bear on each and invariably gets on the phone to dispute at least one charge. It is a horrible thing to watch and I must stay nearby and play quietly as she asks me for particulars of the visit. Maybe she should start going with me. I'm 48 years old.

I could never make a payroll. When faced with a Christofascist prospective employee, I'd violate their rights by rejecting them for abject stupidity. I made a tour of the old industrial haunts around here recently and all I found were churches. Sorry, but Jesus ain't coming.

I knew that God didn't exist the moment I realized in the bargaining phase of grief for my Father that if there were no Heaven, I'd have to invent one to deal with the pain. Again I apologize, but this journey is unavailable to sociopaths, and from what I can tell, that's most of you.

Face it. For a lot of you, the end of everything is approaching. There will be no redemption. The only thing beyond this poisoned planet is the cold vacuum of infinity. All we have is each other. The sooner you deal with it, the sooner we can begin the journey back.