'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just isn’t happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ‘‘what are we so unhappy about?''
Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and
Provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The President that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The Commander-In Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it...are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about 'how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way'...Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your birdcage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

'With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

Jay Leno
2007

---

http://boinc.mundayweb.com/teamStats.php?userID=14824

I'm unhappy that you couldn't do the tiny bit of research to figure out that this was not written by Leno...

snopes

I'm unhappy that you couldn't do the tiny bit of research to figure out that this was not written by Leno...

snopes

You are right. Only the last paragraph was by Leno (apparently part of a 2005 monologue). Otherwise, who cares who was the author? It is the sentiment that counts.

I'm unhappy that you couldn't do the tiny bit of research to figure out that this was not written by Leno...

snopes

You are right. Only the last paragraph was by Leno (apparently part of a 2005 monologue). Otherwise, who cares who was the author? It is the sentiment that counts.

Perhaps the "sentiment" counts, and perhaps this is an innocent thing, but let's say somewhere out there a very anti-[insert group here] message was sent in email that was supposedly from you. Imagine having to defend yourself...

False attribution can really damage people. It is not all "feel good" stuff... I have read stories where people's lives have been damaged by the "pass it on without checking" crowd...

Besides, the title asks a question. I provided an answer... ;-)

Who says that? I say that...

-Brian, aka "your local grump"

The people of the United States do not know how well we have it in this country.

The people of the United States do not know how well we have it in this country.

I have to agree. We really do not understand that no matter how bad you think you have it there is always some one that is worse off than you.

---

We really do not understand that no matter how bad you think you have it there is always some one that is worse off than you.

And that is about 85-90% of the global population...

Most are unhappy because they are afraid they are going to lose something they have or are afraid they won't get something they want.

---

Klatu barrata nicktoe.

Most are unhappy because they are afraid they are going to lose something they have or are afraid they won't get something they want.

I think it's the latter.

I'm unhappy about our present way of living:
That there has to be competition instead of cooperation in every tiny aspect of life. That there has to be greed instead of sharing. That money and material goods have become nowadays' idols.

---

Account frozen...

I'm unhappy about our present way of living:
That there has to be competition instead of cooperation in every tiny aspect of life. That there has to be greed instead of sharing. That money and material goods have become nowadays' idols.

. . . well put Thorin (sad state of affairs eh) - Hope you are Well Sir!

---

BOINC Wiki . . .

Science Status Page . . .

I am unhappy that the US is heading toward being a 3rd world nation. A few will be rich, the rest will live in poverty. Yes, we have it reasonably good NOW. But Globalization can only mean DOWNWARD income for the mass of working people (in the USA). So enjoy your middle class life for this generation. Your children will live in mud huts (or they will never leave your home).

I'm unhappy I didnt win the last 20 million lottery. I didnt have a ticket, but thats besides the point!

Sariously, I am unhappy about the way politicians think they speak for the people, but in fact they simply look after their own self-interests, and not the good of the people. Here in NSW (Australia) we need serious $ spent on public transport, health, electricity & water, but instead the government look like going through with a tax cut in July this year.

I'd rather see that 30-odd billion get put into national healthcare, transport, roads, and education. My childrens school just got a $50,000 grant to get new computers, a network to connect them together, but were given an internet connection that included 200MB worth of downloads a month, and after that the connection gets cut off (no, not shaped/slowed down, or extra fees for additional downloads - it gets cut off totally!).

Um, 500 kids, 200MB - you do the maths!

3 parents now pay for a 50GB plan for the school, and that seems to have worked out well - they use 30 to 40GB a month. Why should I pay for access for 498 other kids, but if I didnt, then the kids have access for 1 or 2 days a month

[/rant] :)

---

'They' offer you the world but forget to mention that it's running out of air...

'They' are happy because they've stockpiled the remaining air for themselves...

Then, 'they' have the audacity to ask you why you're so unhappy... ;)

(Feel free to replace the word 'air' with 'commodity of choice'.)

---

It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

I'm unhappy about our present way of living:
That there has to be competition instead of cooperation in every tiny aspect of life. That there has to be greed instead of sharing. That money and material goods have become nowadays' idols.

. . . well put Thorin (sad state of affairs eh) - Hope you are Well Sir!

I couldn't agree more. In the UK we seem to be plagued by the young who have no concept of responsibility of any kind - they seem to want everything, take everything and do nothing else. Yes, a very sad state of affairs - its getting more like Mad Max, every day!

---

Don't take life too seriously, as you'll never come out of it alive!

In the UK we seem to be plagued by the young who have no concept of responsibility of any kind

Who raised them? ;)

---

It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

In the UK we seem to be plagued by the young who have no concept of responsibility of any kind

Who raised them? ;)

To answer with a quotation:
"The denunciation of the young is a necessary part of the hygiene of older people, and greatly assists the circulation of the blood." ~Logan Pearsall Smith

---

Account frozen...

I unhappy that the lords of wisdom in the American Military Brass "accidently" sent parts of nuclear missiles to Taiwan. And they want us to believe they can win the war against terror? LOL! They can't even keep track of our nukes! No need to fear the terrorists they are US.

I'm unhappy about our present way of living:
That there has to be competition instead of cooperation in every tiny aspect of life. That there has to be greed instead of sharing. That money and material goods have become nowadays' idols.

When our fascist / socialist 'friend' says here that he wants "cooperation" that means you slaving for his interests and as he sees fit. When he derides "money and material" it means he wants YOUR MONEY AND YOUR MATERIAL....

i.e. You work for HIS ends. This is why Neitzche called altruism absurd. It requires you to relinquish your self interests for HIS.....

How long will you let him pull this scam? It's the kind of scam that gets people murdered...LITERALLY. Because it demands the sacrifice of you, me, us, your loved ones in the name of his sick dream.

Speak up.

---

Founder of BOINC team Objectivists. Oh the humanity! Rational people crunching data!
I did NOT authorize this belly writing!

If \\'Globalization\\' means free trade among nations and limiting this will lead to prosperity why not advocate NO trade among even states in the USA? After all, if we stop those trades then each state should prosper....Hell, why stop there!? Stop commerce between counties and neighboring cities......

We can all go back to sewing our own sexy night stockings.

Alot of times people that have a voice shouldn\\'t use it. It just helps to hurt everyone.

---

Founder of BOINC team Objectivists. Oh the humanity! Rational people crunching data!
I did NOT authorize this belly writing!