[Marilyn]

It's just going to get worse, ladies. I work for a very large company. Our division headquarters is in Orlando, FL. Our IT department was there and when we needed any help, we would call and talk with Jeff or someone who was very nice they would connect to our computer and fix the problem. It still basically works the same, but the person you are connected with is not Jeff, it's someone in India where it's 2 a.m. and he or she is trying to understand and fix our problem.

My hubby is hard of hearing and has a Dell computer. Their support is also in India, and he cannot understand them no matter how hard he tries. One of our daughters has to call them for him.

In my work I communicate with people globally and with many foreigners who are over here, so I have learned to listen well and understand them. Also, I am not afraid to ask them to repeat themselves and repeat back to them what they said until we both understand.

You would be absolutely amazed if you really knew everything that is coming from Asia and Indonesia these days, way beyond the normal consumer goods you see day to day at Walmart. I don't know what the future has in store for our country. I do believe that our generation and perhaps the one immediately following will be the last to be able to afford the quality and size of housing and other goods that we have been taking for granted.

Sorry this is so long, but I could really get on my soapbox on this issue. I see it and work with it everyday. The evolution of our economy, goods and services is so accelerated right now.

It's no wonder the price of domestic service and all domestic service related industries is going up. The high paying factory jobs are going away. More and more people are in the service industry in jobs that traditionally have been lower paying. These jobs must now support families, so the wages and the cost of services has to go up. Think about it.....