People who think credit cards are necessary, are the same types of people who typically cannot be "good" every month and pay it off. Its better to not have the temptation at all, and keep your money and spend it wisely than have the temptation to over-spend what you can't pay for the next month. My parents have never owned a credit card, and they own free and clear: 9 acres, a house, 2 barns, 2 brand new vehicles, older vehicles and a brand new John Deere tractor. Don't tell me credit cards are required.
Its all about priorities. Most people I know or have come into contact with are extremely childish with their personal finances. I've actually seen people in Walmart agonize over a brand new stereo and being able to afford the gallons of milk to feed their twin infants. I just wanted to smack them upside the head.
We didn't have a problem getting a $180k house a year ago at a 6% interest rate. Both of us being 24. My husband earned over $80k last year alone, me a measly $10k.
Most of our credit came from revolving accounts that aren't credit cards. Car loan payments, rent, utility bills, student loan payments, etc.
Its amazing how many "Debt Relief of America" and similar company commercials you see in a given night compared to just 10 years ago. The average savings rate for Americans is 0%, the WORST in the world. We're over-spending our arses and not saving for a rainy day. Most of us my age and a little older are pretty sure Social (In)security isn't going to be there when we get to the age of retirement. I've long since stopped trusting the government on how to spend my money for every day things, let alone saving it for me. It should be my job to do that. Back when the original colonies were founded, you didn't see them hoarding pigs of another person for that person's winter rations. You had to prepare things for yourself, you can't expect other people to do it for you. Social (In)security spoled a lot of people into thinking the government was all good and well and could do it for you. I can't even trust the President into making rational decisions about information that was obviously false, or Senators/Representatives continually voting for their own pay raises...while most of America squanders. If America was a business, we'd be going bankrupt. =(
We went through a Dave Ramsey course last fall for 3 months. Totally paid for by Toyota (husband's employer) and it was a real eye opener. We've actually been able to live on a budget, set money aside, and occasionally splurge on those random late night Walmart ventures. If you can take one of his classes or hear him speak locally, it is well worth the time and money. He doesn't ask you to buy anything, its not a get rich scheme, its about being mature and making choices. And in one year, I can see the difference he's had in our monetary lives. He's also on local radio broadcasts around the country, and is very entertaining to listen to.
http://www.daveramsey.com/
I think Texas has a lot of those fenced game ranches, now that's something that is like shooting fish in a barrel, no matter how big the barrel. It just seems inherently wrong.
The bison hunt doesn't really bother me whether they're smart enough to run or not. Half of the deer around here don't flinch when you mow the yard 20ft away. I could have had several before hunting season even started.
I've also read in a few local papers/articles, that its only certain herds that annually leave the park in the winter, not all of them in the park. So the ones that get hunted when they left if they became wary of humans, I don't think it'd be a drop in the bucket to the lazy ones pooping all over the geyser flats all year long for the tourists to stop traffic for hours over.
After driving through Yellowstone multiple times, they could use a reduction in numbers, to be honest. Everything seemed over-grazed, a good idea that isn't so good in the long run. Then again, I'm an "outsider", so what I feel doesn't really matter, or so the cattle barons say.
For the amount of wildlife that Yellowstone contains, its in a very precarious balance. It'd be nice if C.U.T. would sell or be forced to sell their huge track of land adjacent to the park. Nothing more creepy than a white pickup with 3 men following you for miles on the back roads. =P
Personally, it'd be nice if the ranchers adjacent to the park would ranch bison, instead of domestic cattle, and be done with it. I get so sick of hearing about wolves or bears attacking cattle, and the ranchers wanting to shoot the predators who're only doing as they're intended.
Well who in their right mind wouldn't attack a cow? They're dumber than a creek rock and stand there and stare while animals eat their newborn. At least bison have a built in fear of wolves and bears and can better withstand that threat as well as the exteme climate in the area. Not to mention, bison meat tastes SO much better than domestic cattle.
I can't blame the predators for trying to get into my chicken pen. I only shot the coons I found within the pen with chicken in mouth. But now that the pen is rebuilt better than Ft. Knox, it doesn't bother me that they're "window shopping".
As for the brucellosis thing. I'm not entirely familiar of it or its vectors of transmission, but how can bison/elk/deer live with it...yet we're afraid of it getting to cattle? Are the cattle unfit to eat after contracting it? Do they die quickly? Sometimes I have to wonder if trying to stave off every pathogen is a good idea. Its going to happen one day sooner or later, you can't avoid it. Best to try to breed brucellosis resistant cattle in the meantime (and no, not genetically altered cows).
If you have animals in a clean-room environment, pretty soon something that is normally minor is going to cause havoc. I read an article in a science magazine a couple of years ago that has said that humans wouldn't be what we are today had it not been for the viruses and pathogens, us evoloving to deal with such things. Like sickle-cell anemia being a benefit in malaria prone areas of the world.
Ok, I'll end my rant now. I return you to your regularly scheduled argument. =)
