Sour economic notes have dominated the news for years now. Sure signs of our harsh economic climate are all around.
Just take a look at your neighbors and folks you meet every day and you'll see it.

A prime example of that feeling is the one shown by one resident of neighboring Newton County who became irritated last week because his neighbor was having a graduation party and the music was being played too loudly.

Instead of being satisfied to just to complain to the neighbor and then to report the noise to police, he fired a gun into the crowd. Luckily, the only casualty was the air conditioning unit. You can read this story at covnews.com.

Unfortunately, such short tempers are all too common these days.

How many times have you sat at a stop light for one more second than the driver behind you thinks is necessary, and he blasts you out of your car with his horn?

And how many special hand signals have you been given because you did something that was less than perfect behind the wheel?

This past week, two plane passengers got in a fight because one put his seat back. The plane was forced to land with a fighter escort because of the ensuing melee.
These are some examples of the true economic mood of our country. It's dark, and it's very foul.

Everyone feels the stress. You can see it in people's eyes in their talk and in their walk.

We don't know when things are going to get better. We doubt whether any of our so-called experts do, either.
What we do know is that we need to stop taking our frustrations out on each other.

We suggest that instead of sticking up a finger of disgust when someone doesn't please you, you smile and wave. And if a neighbor is doing something to irritate you, talk it out; don't threaten to kill him.

If a store clerk irritates you, walk away and do business elsewhere.

We don't have to reduce ourselves to the level of incivility because times are tough. We can help each other, care about one another, and we might even want to ask the Good Lord for his help and blessings, too.

We have much to be thankful for, after all.