This is my new favorite song. It's not a "Christian" song or even written by people who profess to be Christians. However, there is a tremendous amount of truth in the song. You can listen to it for free at GrooveShark http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Where_Is_The_Love/525611

Where is the Love? Lyrics
What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach

http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=134

Even though the majority of retail stores are seeing a very noticeable decline in sales, it appears that dollar stores are an exception to the rule. The Top 3 dollar stores are seeing increased sales and are actually opening over 950 new stores this year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tc-biz-dollar-store-0513-051m...

"Even though the economy is going to turn around eventually, I think it is safe to say that there is going to be a new consumerism, and that saving money is going to be fashionable for a very long period of time."

http://randomquotes.org/quote/8888-it-is-not-the-man-who-has-too-little-...

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. ~Seneca, Ancient Roman Philosopher

Can you relate to Susan's observation?: "People who have the least to give are very often the most generous givers."








http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=289753&src=

People who want to can find any excuse for not giving to others. The people who have the least to give are very often the most generous givers. I think that this is because they know how it feels to be in need and have someone offer them help and hope. Many say that the world is in this dire state because of greed.

I take heart in Dr. Martin Luther King's words, "I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, other-centered men can build up."

Companies are spending their advertising dollars on promoting value-oriented brands rather than luxury brands.

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2009/04/ads_go_down_the_food_chain....

"In this 'Great Recession' economy, companies are not simply changing the messages they place in their ads. They are doing something much more substantial,... They are fundamentally changing the products they promote."

Companies are moving their ad dollars from gourmet or frivolous items to pantry staples and traditionally ho-hum household goods.

"I like the messages out there. It's less focused on consumerism and buying the best," said Andrea Beck, a 39-year-old stay-at-home mother of two from South Orange.

"People are willing to settle for value-oriented products," Greening said. "It doesn't have to be the best; it just has to be the best for the value of the money."

How to Give Up Shopping (Or At Least Cut Down) by Neradine Tisaj
http://www.howtogiveupshopping.com/

Read any finance book and it will tell you to spend less and save more. But a financial planner telling an over-shopper to simply ‘save money’ is like a marathon runner telling a morbidly obese person to just ‘exercise more’. Where do you start? How do you go from finding refuge in retail therapy to being able to walk past the shops with your savings intact?

Stressed, time-poor and addicted to the buzz of a newly purchased item, Neradine Tisaj had a definite shopping problem. But when she decided to try to save, no one could offer her advice that related to her lifestyle. One book told her to find a husband and live off the one salary. Another told her to stay in each Saturday night and eat boiled eggs.

Determined to both enjoy life and save money, Neradine devised a plan to find a way back to conscious, healthy spending – without forgoing a social life. Packed with truly helpful tips and anecdotes, How to Give up Shopping is a call to anyone who would like to save but also live.

I love it when the light switch goes on.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/public-baulks-at-spendthrift-ways-2009042...

"People are asking themselves, how can you solve a problem that has been caused by rampant consumerism by encouraging rampant consumerism?"

My point exactly.

On Wednesday, the Pope addressed the economic crisis by encouraging us to resist the spirit of greed. My paraphrase: "Having stuff is not the highest good."

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0901819.htm

"It is precisely greed that insinuates to us that having is the highest good"

"There are many different ways to live, but people, including the rich, must fight against greed, against the desire for appearances, and be against the false sense of freedom," which leads people to think whatever they desire is at their disposal, he said.

Just imagine... What if governments and economies drew it's support from a volunteer workforce rather that employees supported by taxpayer money? Can you imagine the trillions of dollars that could be completely eliminated from the federal budget, and more importantly, our deficit?

If 1 million New Zealanders can produce $3.31 billion dollars of measurable worth through volunteer efforts in one year; then 300 million Americans could produce nearly $1 trillion dollars of worth in 1 year. That's over 1/3 of our federal budget!

Bottom line: We need to be a nation of producers, not consumers.

http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/promoting-giving-and-generosity-crucial-d...

ComVoices, an independent network of more than 20 Sector organisations, is calling on New Zealanders to think about how they can give during a time when many communities are struggling.

"Giving both time and money is about making a choice; it doesn't require people to be rich, or to have more spare time than others,"