Ryan Kazinec has been a consistent contributor here on 7daybuzz and his opinion is something we value.  Ryan is the founder of JealousBrother.com, an author on The Official JealousBrother Blog and on his personal blog GetToKnowTheCEO.com.  When Ryan has something to say, it will be thoughtful with a heavy dose of common sense.  Without further ado…

Planning for the Worst Case Scenario

I didn’t live through the “Great Depression” and was only eight years old when the savings and loan(S&L) crisis took place so it’s safe to say I haven’t experienced anything remotely close to as serious as the crisis the United States (and World) is currently facing. We’re all hoping for the best but are you preparing for the worst? The economic distress becomes more obvious each and every day. A simple drive home from work uncovered several more businesses closing their doors, neighbors foreclosing on their homes, and news on the radio of more companies going under with a horrendous amount of jobs being lost. In times like this it can be dangerous and borderline reckless to be overly optimistic.

Instead of looking at it as a glass half full or empty would it not be wiser to look at it as a glass that you will do everything in your power to keep from running dry, tipping over, or cracking? If you’re anything like the wife and I, you may live comfortably, pay all of your bills on time with a little extra money each check. The unfortunate thing is our relatively smooth situation could take a sudden and prompt turn for the worse if either one of us became unemployed. I’ve actually been forced to think about the “what if’s” and come up with the “would do’s.” For example, priority one would be to keep a roof over our heads at all costs, so that means luxuries like satellite television, telephone service, and internet would immediately have to go along with other wants like eating out, pricier foods, and unfortunately the beer would have to go as well. Sure filing for unemployment may buy us some time but I’m also forced to consider the dwindling job market and this is where the worst case scenario begins.

The situation I described isn’t a delusion, or a rare occurrence, its happening daily. If things keep getting worse how bad can it get? It’s hard to imagine our current society reduced to animal like behavior forced to cheat and steal in order to keep food in our stomachs but then again people did stomp a man to death in Wal-Mart on black Friday over slightly discounted merchandise. To further define the “worst case scenario” we need to take a look at the past. According to Wikipedia, “The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement.” Sound familiar? Well that’s a small portion of a description of the Great Depression; much like our current situation it is nearly impossible to isolate a sole cause for the downfall in the economy but the affects are eerily similar. Is it a stretch to compare our current situation to the Great Depression? Sure, but then again I’m writing about the worst case scenario.

A lot in our society and country has changed since the 1930’s like the invention of the television, computer, and internet but something that stands out as even more significant is our inability to self sustain. It would seem with our constant advancement in technology as a society we have forgotten how to rely on ourselves. Considering the worst case scenario what would you do if you couldn’t afford groceries or even worse what if groceries weren’t available? Have we forgotten that our ancestors actually lived off of the land? They grew crops, raised the animals they would later have for dinner, and made their own clothes. We have become so reliant on others to provide our goods and services that in the event of our luxuries disappearing we might find ourselves helpless and confused.

A recession is no laughing matter and a depression is a pure nightmare. The U.S. unemployment rate has been consistently growing since January of 2008 and is showing no signs of letting up. At a current rate of 6.7% of Americans unemployed the U.S. is approaching a milestone we’d rather not meet. (Source) Aside from the Great Depression where at times unemployment reached nearly 25% the second highest rate of 9.7% was hit in 1982 which the U.S. is getting dangerously close to. (Source) I think it’s realistic to assume that there isn’t going to be an abundance of jobs created any time soon that will lessen the blow of the hundreds of thousands of jobs that are being lost on a monthly basis.

We’re a long way off from the staggering unemployment numbers of the Great Depression and unemployment is only one of many statistics used to measure an economy’s performance but let’s not be naive. Isn’t it always better to be safe than sorry? How hard would it be to start preparing for the worst even if you’re certain things will be okay? There are a lot of little things you can do now that will only benefit you if the unthinkable occurs. Learn how to garden and purchase plenty of seeds, learn how to can foods and gradually stock up on canning jars/lids, keep extra water around, and you can even dehydrate food and vacuum seal it. I’d be lying if I said I’ve taken all of these precautions but I am being honest when I say the thought has crossed my mind and there will be a boiling point when I will be more proactive in preparation. Optimism is a wonderful quality to have but be careful; being too confident in some circumstances can be a very poor choice. I’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions, views. Leave a comment here and then come express your opinions on our website where we have a rivalry involving a very similar topic. Very Scared/Worried vs. Everything Will Be Okay

Ryan Kazinec

CEO - JealousBrother.com

JealousBrother Official Blog

Personal Blog

Let me be the first to stand up and admit, I am a cruiser.  I love to take cruises!  I thnk they are the best value for your vacation money, especially in the current economy.  I first went on a cruise in the late 90s and have been cruising every since.  My husband and I went on a cruise for our honeymoon.  I have to say, my husband was not initially sold on cruising.  He thought he’d get bored after a couple of days being on the ship.  But, let me tell you.  After our honeymoon, he is a convert!  I think he loves to cruise more than me.  I say all this to discuss the value of cruising in our downtrodden economy, as well as the safety of cruising.  I have never thought going on a cruise would be unsafe.  It never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t make it back home.  In fact, I’m going to make a huge assumption that other cruisers feel the same way as I do.  But, in the last couple of weeks, there have been two reported incidents on ships that may make me re-think my position on the safety of cruising.

A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that a woman went missing while cruising.  It was later discovered, via video tape, that she fell overboard.  The ship and the Coast Guard loooked for her body for a few days, to no avail.  It is believed that she committed suicide.  Today, I read that a cruise employee fell overboard yesterday, off the coast of Florida.  This incident is believed to be an accident.  Once again, the Coast Guard and the ship searched for the fallen victim, to no avail.  I’m not even going to mention the present-day pirates trying to hijack cruise ships overseas - oh wait, I did mention it.  I say to you, what is going on with cruising?!!!!

In my travels on a cruise ship, I remember two different incidents of people falling overboard — in the middle of the night — and their bodies never being found.  It happened in the late 90s when I went on a cruise with my cousin.  The guy’s body was never found.  Then it happened again when my husband and I went on our honeymoon.  Again, the body was never found.  In defense of the cruise ships, there are all sorts of security measures in place, especially surrounding the rails when you’re out on deck.  In my opinion, really, the only way a person can end up in the ocean while cruising is:  a) someone throws you off; b) you jump; or c) you climb up on the rail trying to re-enact Leonardo DiCaprio’s scene in the Titanic, screaming, “I am on top of the world!”  My suggestion to you is, don’t do it!

With everyone trying to get every penny squeezed from a dollar in today’s society, I truly believe cruising is the best value.  Think about it, in addition to your room, all of your food is included.  Beverages are included, but that’s limited to coffee, tea and lemonade.  All of your entertainment is free (i.e. Vegas- type shows, ice skating rink, wall climbing, putt-putt golf, etc.)  Now that I’ve given my two cents on cruising and its safety, I would like to know what you think about crusing.  Do you think it’s the best value for a vacation - especially in today’s society?  Do you think it’s safe?  If you cruised before, I would love to hear your adventures in cruising.

“A year ago, the mere thought of forces withdrawing from Iraq was considered a dream,” Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told reporters January 1, 2009. “The dream that no one had the right to think about became true.”  al-Maliki made these statements because this historic day - a day Iraq may make a holiday - will go down in history as the day the U.S. formally transferred control of the Green Zone to Iraqi authorities.  From what I can gather, this would be similar to another nation policing the Washington DC area around the capital and White House - a thought really hard to imagine.

The transfer of control, and the official ceremony, comes after a dramatic fall in violence over the past year.  Before you pop the champagne, let’s not forget the 314 U.S. soldiers who lost their lives in 2008 and 4,221 U.S. soldiers who have died since the war began in 2003.  We must also realize that insurgents still stage daily attacks and could try to expand the fight now that U.S. troops can’t take action without permission.

Speaking of permission, the transfer of power also means the Iraqi government must approve American troops’ actions; they also [...] Continue Reading…

Hey everyone.  Happy New Years!  We, at 7DayBuzz, hope you all have a blessed and prosperous year.

2008 was an event-filled year, wasn’t it?  I thought I’d compile a list of the 10 stories that caught my attention the most.  I’d love to hear about the stories that captured your attention!  Okay, here goes:

10. Heath Ledger’s Death
I was not really a fan of Heath Ledger’s movies.  But he played the heck out of the joker in Dark Knight.  Such a terrible waste.

9. The Pregnant “Man”
This is so disturbing to me.  “He” was born a woman but is living his life as man, thus the media called him the pregnant “man.”  Even Oprah interviewed him!  Just a mess, in my opinion.

8. Michael Phelps and the Beijing Olympics
Yeah, the security measures were newsworthy, but Michael Phelps was THE story!  He took home 8, yes 8, gold medals.  Amazing!

7. Jeremiah Wright
He was Obama’s pastor  But he has uttered some very debatable statements, like “Blacks should not sing ‘God Bles America, but God Damn America.”  He also believes that the U.S. brought on the 9/11 attacks because it (the U.S.) has performed terrorists acts of its own.

6. Hillary Clinton
She began the presidential run as [...] Continue Reading…

OK, I’m making this post right before the new year and this is one that will make you sick.

Some of you will doubt the information in this video and rightfully so.  However, do we really think things that go on in the government are totally above board?  Having lived in the DC area I can say NO, they are not!

I’ve always felt like I was a modern day sharecropper.  :D  I’m joking (maybe).  “Land of the Free…”

OK, this one is a doozy for sure.  Flirty Girl Fitness is a new “Workout” program - we saw the commercial on TV today.  This is nothing more than a workout consisting of provacative movements.  Yes, the “Flirty” part comes from the moves that help you get fit.  Well, we (Kim and I) were sitting there and we said they should just go all the way and add a (stripper) pole.  Sure enough, right after it came out of our mouths they showed someone getting fit using a pole!  ARE  YOU  KIDDING  ME ?!  They should have just cut to the chase and advertised it as getting fit by being a hoochie and/or working the stripper pole.  Click on the link above and [...] Continue Reading…

If you watched the following scene on a television program, what would be your initial thoughts?

The boss tells the employee to greet customers with “Happy Holidays.”  The employee, a devout Christian, ask for permission to say “Merry Christmas” instead.  The boss tells the employee, ”No.  You have to greet the customers with Happy Holidays.”  The employee says, “I just simply can’t do that.  That just goes against my religious beliefs to secularize Christmas in the time of this season.”  The boss responds with, “You’re Fired!”  The employee then collects his/her belongings as the boss picks up the phone to call the police.  The boss’ final words to the employee are, “Now, we’re going to have a Merry Christmas.  What about you, now that you no longer have a job?”

Would you think something along the lines, “that couldn’t happen in real life.”  Also, would you ask yourself the question:  Can an employer fire an employee for insubordination IF what he or she is asking infringes upon the employee’s religious beliefs?

Guess what?  It just happened to a lady in Panama City, FL!  Isn’t this just flat out wrong?!  Seriously, what (or who) would it have hurt to just allow the employee to wish someone a Merry Christmas?!  I feel this was way too [...] Continue Reading…

I’m not old enough to remember when Pong first came out, but I’m definitely part of the generation that enjoyed countless hours playing Destroyer, Space Invaders and Centipede.  For those of you too young, or too ashamed, to admit to knowing about these video games of years gone by, this is what an old Atari system looked like.  As you can tell, these systems had simple controllers: a joystick with one button.  I had to go to my friend Tony’s house to play, but boy did we have some fun.

Current game systems, sometimes called next-generation systems, play games much, much more complicated than those we played as children.  In fact, current game systems aren’t just for kids anymore.  Connecting one of these systems to a high-speed data connection to play online or receive updates is a given.  They do so much and vary in their specialties to the point of asking what we would do without them.  Oh, what would we do without them? 
Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii seemed to come out of nowhere.  It wasn’t taken seriously at first due to Nintendo’s recent failures at console systems and the offerings of Sony and Microsoft.  But when it [...] Continue Reading…

It is Sunday and my task for today is to clean out the office closet.  Sounds like fun huh?  Before I bury myself in a mound of things I haven’t used in months/years, I wanted to talk about something that has been on my mind for a while.

The New York Yankees are the worst team in all of sports!

Yes, I know the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) and the Detroit Lions (NFL, 0-15 with a last chance to get a win today) are downright bad teams as far as records are concerned.  I also know that the beloved Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots are fighting for their playoff lives today, but that isn’t why the Yankees, in my opinion, is the worst team in all of sports.

The reason I believe the Yankees is the worst team is because the check book is open - in fact it has always been open.  I can’t give totally accurate stats, but the four highest paid players in baseball are on the Yankees.  I think their salaries average at least $20 million per year each…at least!  What is more amazing is the fact that this has been met with little surprise.  Sportscasters and [...] Continue Reading…

OK. We all know that our economy is in the dumps and we need to reverse this thing somehow. I have an idea: why don’t we band together and do away with small, meaningless, things that cost money?

Sometimes I notice some things that are meaningless, but I know somebody had to spend some money on it. Maybe Big Brother, I mean the government, should step in and give those businesses/individuals some kind of “you just spent some money on something that doesn’t matter tax.”

Look at this picture:

See that little star-looking thing on the top/left of Kevin Garnett’s uniform (he is the player in the green jersey)?  That is where the NBA logo normally goes and on Christmas they had a snowflake on their uniforms and the logo was on the snowflake.  Now, I know they had to spend money to get the snowflake logo and I would bet some money they didn’t put them on used uniforms.  These jerseys were produced for 8 teams - on a side note, Cleveland and Washington didn’t wear the special jerseys because the Cavaliers wore uniforms that matched LeBron James’ new shoes…really.

What if the money used for this was put [...] Continue Reading…

There are some unfortunate people in Covina, California who didn’t have a pleasant Christmas.  Actually, there are at least 7 people who didn’t even live to see Christmas this year.  Crimes of passion seem to be more and more common in our society, but come on!

Bruce Pardo, 45, had no criminal record and no history of violence, according to police, but he was angry following last week’s settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year.  The divorce was supposed to be amicable.  Uh, I don’t think that is an accurate description of this divorce!  He was so angry in fact that he went to his in-laws’ Christmas Eve party dressed as Santa Claus and opened fire.  He is believed to have killed at least 6 with gunfire and/or a fire he set with a homemade device.

Can you imagine being related to someone who went to this party and will never live to see another day?  It is hard to imagine someone dying for no reason at all like this.  I’ve already said a prayer for the families involved and I would ask you to do the same.

Perhaps the worst part is he did what many [...] Continue Reading…