We hear and see news in all the media that makes us wonder what has gotten into people.

There is hardly ever a news report that has no reports of violence. Beatings, knifings, shootings, rapes, robberies, kidnapping, arson and much worse fill the news.

Police blotter listings reveal only slightly less serious behaviors like DUIs that often become felonies with the loss of life, limb and property.

Mankind has always had lawless criminal types, but it seems to me that they have become more numerous since the end of World War II, at least here where we live in northern California.

During the Depression of the 1930s we didn’t lose a lot by thievery, but after we moved to Shasta County in 1960 we lost an outboard motor from our boat and even a registered puppy I was raising for sale. Both items were taken from our fenced yard while I wasn’t home. Other things disappeared, too.

I fear for what may happen if the U.S. doesn’t get the economy in this country on a more solid footing.

People are going hungry now. I shudder at what people who saved nothing will do to feed their families. I have watched people for years.

Even people who did save, find the money they were able to poke away for that rainy day buys little because of inflation.

People must stretch their incomes to cover their family’s basic needs.

The demands of druggies to feed their habits increases the outlawry. Those people have no compunction as to how and where they get their money.

People turn to the government to feed them, a dead-end street when people don’t have jobs. Without jobs, people pay no taxes. Without taxes, governments can’t function.

They can print more money, yes, but it’s not worth much without something of solid, recognized value to back it. And that seems to be where we’re headed.