The Stars at Night are Big and Bright.......Deep in the Heart of Texas

Let's hear it for the Lone Star State!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1656315/will_texas_secede_from_the_united_states.html

Please Texas! be the first to succeed from the union. Have the courage to step up so that other states may follow.

WICHITA FALLS, TX—Calling it an essential step toward securing the Texas border and protecting his people's way of life, Gov. Rick Perry announced Tuesday the completion of a 1,953-mile wall designed to keep out millions of unwanted Americans.

According to Perry, the 75-foot-high barricade running along the northern boundary is the culmination of more than 160 years of escalating tensions between Texas and the United States.

The definition of deficit.....

Straight from the dictionary:

def⋅i⋅cit

1.	the amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required amount.

2.	the amount by which expenditures or liabilities exceed income or assets.

3.	a lack or shortage; deficiency.

4.	a disadvantage, impairment, or handicap: The team's major deficit is its poor pitching.

5.	a loss, as in the operation of a business.

Straight from the horses mouth:

Gov. David Paterson of New York said 43 states now have budget deficits totaling some $100 billion as tax revenues plunge.

"It's clear that the federal government needs to step in and jump-start the economy," said Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts.

Straight from my mouth:

This has been probably the toughest year for me and my family. My wife lost her job in December 2007 and it hasn't been the same since. I'm not blaming anyone for our hardships and I'm not asking for any government bailout. My point is; we had to cut back! Put on the brakes! Circle the wagons! We didn't spend our way out of a personal recession!

We are actually looking for ways to reduce household expenses. The thermostat stayed on 63 this winter, my daughter is learning to sew, we planted a garden this past summer and have plans to triple it in size and I'm learning to hunt. We are also contemplating on turning off cable and our telephone, keeping the Internet as our source of entertainment and communications.

We are the prime example of spending money and not saving enough during the good times. So how can spending more (money that we don't have) improve our situation? I'm confused, anyone care to help me on this one?

What do you plan to do in 2009? How are you going to make a difference?