Ending 2008 - What is it Like Being American and Not Feeling Like You Are Number One

Over the past three months I have watched my retirement nest egg, handled by TIAA, Lincoln National, and Wachovia do the unespected, decline. Yes I am paranoid, wondering how long I will live and still have money and reading FT, NYT, Wall St Journal, watching all of those CSpan hearings with big CEOs lambasted by congressmen and commentators. I have read newspapers, bought and read a few books and am generally getting paranoid.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2008/12/16/-the-10-dopiest-business-and-economy-leaders-of-2008.html

A blog has identified these four men as some of the worst bad guys. Ironically they are feeding back into the Obama administration.

And what am I observing locally. The Wolf Camera shops at Peachtree Mall and Underground have closed, the Dalton bookstore at Peachtree Mall is closing. One of the Peachtree office buildings on the hundredth tallest building in the world is almost empty. I wonder if my health club will hang in there.

My granddaughter says quit reading and watching all of this negative stuff. She is right, but I seem to be addicted.

This is what the grand downstairs of Macy's on Peachtree looks like now. It was sold sometime ago and fortunately they have not yet pulled down the chandaliers or removed the balcony. Its wonderful holiday windows used to be part of Atlanta's downtown Christmas. All gone, all gone. Where are we headed.