Thank Heavens – At last, a balanced, well written, factual article on “Alternative Energy”.

Useful data that was clearly well researched and presented in an unbiased manner that is nearly possible to pull off these days with this heated topic.

Congratulations to Mr. Silveira for providing a reference I will save and use for some time to come.

Dave
Katonah, NY

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I just have to comment on your online article The path to another Depression by John Silveira.

I live in a small farm in central Alberta and my husband and I have discussed the automaking industries woes many times, as the situation here in Canada is the same as south of the border for the auto industry.  We have both said many times – “let them go bankrupt, it’s the only way they’ll get the unions out and truly become competitive in the world market”!  We have opened from scratch (& without bank financing), grew our small business to 5 times it’s original square footage, and maintained it and turned a decent profit every year for 13 years (then we sold it), so I feel that we have the right to say this.  Business owners MUST have the ability to cut costs, cut people, change suppliers, etc. as needed to keep their company profitable – unions null and void this ability on many fronts.

Over and over in government, it’s individuals who have no ‘real world’ business skills who are in power.  Could they, on their own, open and run a successful small business in a competitive industry? I believe that for most of them, the answer would be no.  If they can’t manage a small business successfully, how can we possibly expect them to manage an entire country?

This is the first time I’ve come across your website and must say – so far I’m very impressed with the common sense advice that is being given!

R. Dixon
Alberta, Canada

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Hi Editor,

I love the article by John Silveira, If you don’t like it here why don’t you move to another country?

This article so aptly expressed what I so often feel – if people want to live in a country that is different than the USA then by all means move there, but leave us freedom loving Americans alone and stop trying to turn this country into something that is was not intended to be. As I see more and more liberties being under attack or taken away I become disheartened and wonder if anyone else feels the way I do. This article answered that for me and I knew I wasn’t the only sane person left in America!

Thanks for your great magazine, I found a copy at a health food store over 10 years ago and have been a fan ever since. I’m glad I’m not alone in my views and frustrations as of late.

Sincerely,

Anna Colbert

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Everyone should read this article, whether you are struggling in this economy or not.

I know many families losing their houses. Three of which are close friends. I remember wondering how they where going to make the large mortgage payments or home equity loan payments with their incomes. But who am I to judge? The banks know better than me right?

Well here we are and until some of them figure out what they are going to do next, my property is starting to look like a compound. That just means a bigger garden and more hands to help with it! We may end up having to use the local food bank. But many of us will be donating time and plants to the new garden being installed there this year. I live in a small community and in the last two years the number of families using the food bank has nearly doubled.

Back to John’s article, thank you for writing this in a way everyone can understand. Instead of trying to explain it myself I just hand them my magazine. Works great.

Sandra Housego
Whidbey Island

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John,

Having received this issue a few weeks back and finally getting a chance to read the Last Word from this issue I was struck by the simplicity that could have prevented the current meltdown.

I have a 14 year old stepson. He is given a set amount each weekend that is enough money to pay for his school lunches for the week and give him a small amount of pocket money. If he goes to the mall and spends it all on something, that is not my problem. The money was there. If he could not be responsible with it, when it is gone it is gone. I refuse to bail him out by giving him more money. If it costs more then he is willing to spend that is what saving your money is all about.

If governments acted like a tough love parent and kept their hands out of our pockets this could have been avoided. Yes the less efficient companies would have failed. So what? They’re in what is called business not what is called bail me out. Show the backbone I show to my stepson when someone comes whining for more. Suck it up companies, your mommies are not in government.

Jamie Allen
Sacramento, CA

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