The Way We Live Now: Nursing ourselves back to health. Slowly and painstakingly, we're seeing signs of life in our most precious damaged institutions. Like Wall Street bonus pools, and bank fees, and the Hummer corporation. Revival is for everyone!

Thanks to the glory of god and the money of taxpayers, Wall Street bonuses are up by 17% this year. Let us pray that our nation's Wall Street bonus pools are never again forced to suffer an unpatriotic momentary dip.

One would think that after the troubles of the past year, we as Americans would be on bended knee, begging to do whatever we can to ensure the health of our irreplaceable financial sector. Alas, our compassion is not so perfect. Banks are assaulted by demands to stop charging the very fees that enable them to fairly compensate their top 30 executives. Consumers openly tell pollsters that they are losing confidence. How do you think that makes the people who sell things feel? And what have you done to ensure that the glorious Hummer brand is able to continue as a Chinese company?

Not much, we'll venture to guess. You, the consumer, feel you have a "right" to everything. You think that "all the money you pay" entitles you to an MTA with a sufficient number of employees to run properly. You think that "the government" should tell businesses how whether they should or should not have safe gas lines after every little Slim Jim factory explosion. You think you should be able to find a "bargain" home in Las Vegas simply because every home in Las Vegas has been foreclosed upon.

News flash, jerks: Banks and other economic "winners" aren't here for your benefit. It's the other way around. Show some respect. And some pride!