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The year is 1907. One hundred years ago. Here are some of the U.S. Statistics for the Year 1907 : ************************************************ The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years. Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub. Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars. There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower ! The average wage in the U.S. Was 22 Cents per hour. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year . A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year. A dentist made $2,500 per year. A veterinarian $1,500 per year. And a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year. More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at HOME . Ninety percent of all U.S. Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.' Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound. Most women only washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo. Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason. Five leading causes of death in the U.S. Were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet. The population of Las Vegas , Nevada was only 30!!!! Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet. There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day. Two out of every 10 U.S. Adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' There were about 230 reported Murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. ! Just try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years !!!!!!! IT STAGGERS THE MIND !!!!!!!!!

WOW! I have the feeling that a 100 years ago is SO different from today, but 200 and 300 and 400 years ago all seem the same. Like nothing happened then. Of course it did but. Yeah, never mind.

If we could travel back in time to a city like London or Paris, I don't think you'd still think that Ace. A 100 years ago many major cities had electricity, automobiles, skyscrapers (in the modern sense), photography, telephones, refrigeration, telephones and record players. In a few, you could listen to radio broadcasts and see an occasional airplane. Men wore suites that were similar to those worn today and a typical hair cut then would go unnoticed today. And some woman's fashion from back then would still fit in today. But in 1808 you would find none of the inventions mentioned above and while they were rapidly on their way out, you could still find men and women in Europe wearing the fancy wigs and clothing that had been worn in the 18th century and before. And the world of 1708 would be even more alien to your eyes. This is a time before The Enlightenment, before the Industrial Revolution, and before the American and French Revolutions. On the other hand, I do think you could successfully argue that toOUR EYES, the worlds of 1708 and 1608 and 1508 would look much the same.

and tell me- what will the next century look like here on earth? what will have changed? will we even be a human race? or an a.i. phaedrus?? anyone? i personally have no idea!! i expect an expanded consciousness- where anything is possible!

Or a very large and quiet black smudge.

I'm a bit scared. We're going in the wrong direction as it is. . .

Given those rates of inflation, we're phlucked. Economists words come to mind."volatitlity" HIGH!!! "consumer confidence" LOW!!! "financial stability cone" INVERTED!!! and my favourite. . . "negative growth". They're SO addicted to growth that they can't escape the term. . .like a cancer. Ah yes 1907, pre Jekyll Island and the coming monopoly of the American currency via the not so "federal" reserve. No more "federal" than Fed Ex. We'll take the power away from the govt., the "people", and strip them of their regulatory powers. THEN!!!! We'll loan to them what THEY themselves have the power to create and regulate!!! AND. . .we'll charge the little F***ERS INTEREST!!! There's a reason why it's called "currency". Computer modelling has now allowed for the wizards of high finance to create an unprecedented credit bubble. . .and that bubble's lifespan is now coming full circle. And MOMMA!!!? She's a gonna; POP!!! :-]

The Borax thing is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth. But NOW Andie Mcdowell gives that tired, toss of her hair and reminds women. . ."that you're worth it!!" or for men, "it's as good as it gets. . .it's like having an angel rub nectar over you. . .you've never been smOOther. . .this is it!!!" and what are they selling? razor blades! yeah, consumerist society has a twisted genius to it. The satisfaction that Mr Jagger is STILL looking for is always just around the corner, or in the showroom, or the altar. or the new neighbourhood Alas, it never arrives. . .which keeps the hunt for MORE alive. . .just "one" more. . . but hey! don't take it personally. The overlords of high finance are just as addicted, in fact, MORE SO!!