Viewpoints Host Terry Bradshaw filming a segment

Not for Sales

America is land of sales for everything. No holiday goes unnoticed without some kind of car or department store sale. But Memorial Day is the one day a year we need to change. This is the day we honor those who lost their lives serving our country in the military. Veteran and memorial parks across the country will have services and special speakers on this day. Viewpoints TV with Terry Bradshaw encourages all readers to take time on Monday, May 27 to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice – their lives.

A Briefs History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day since people would visit the graves of those who died and decorate them with American flags. It started after the American Civil War to commemorate those who lost their lives on both sides of the defining event. It later extended to all wars – domestic and international. America has lost many men and women who served their country honorably throughout its history. Let’s honor them by spending time at a nearby Memorial Day service this year.

The Overall Job Market

We are feeling much better about the job market now than we did 2 years ago. More than 54 percent of people who were laid off during the Great Recession in 2010 feel it would be easy to find another job now than then. Less people lost their jobs in 2012 than in years before and less are applying for first-time unemployment assistance. This is good news for Americans in general and for its economy. When people feel confident they will not be out of work, they tend to spend their money more. And when they lose a job, they are not feeling as desperate as they were two years ago. Employers are hiring again. In 2012, more than 2 million jobs were added to the workforce. Viewpoints TV sees that we feel good about the jobs we have and feel strong knowing that if we lost a job, we could find another fairly soon.

Americans in General, Their Finances and Viewpoints TV with Terry Bradshaw

This news also brought word that more of us classified ourselves in the lower economic class. This has not occurred since 1972 when the last Recession hit. While we may feel good about certain factors in our lives, we feel that our children may not be as financially well-off as their grandparents. When we are not working, we feel less a part of society and our self-worth declines. Every cent is budgeted and stretched. When we have a job, more of us remember those very lean days and do not over indulge when shopping. Of course, tax refunds give us a reason to go out and get something big or more modern. But more often, we are putting that check into debt reduction, child college funds or paying off mortgages. All of this is good news. Viewpoints TV Show with Terry Bradshaw reminds everyone to be strong no matter what the financial situation at home is. It usually gets better. Even if it gets better slowly.

The New Middle Class

Who is the new Middle Class? They are people who believe the most elusive thing they can have is economic security. The former Middle Class had more job security, better homes, secure finances and confidence they could reach upper levels of financial security. We do not feel that way now. We feel as though the rug could be pulled out from underneath us at any time. We now think that being in the Middle Class means holding a steady job while not incurring more debt or falling behind on expenses. We want to be able to think that life will get better and we will be able to feel strong again. We are not there yet. The Viewpoints TV show with Terry Bradshaw knows we will get there and be okay. It is a struggle to make ends sometimes but more Americans feel better about the job market, their jobs and the economy overall.

Calories and Fat Content

Most fast food restaurants include the calorie and fat content on the menus beside the price. This is supposed to make us more nutritionally aware as we decide what we want to eat. In fact, most of us could care less about that and just want that speedy burger and fries to satisfy both our hunger and taste. It is often hard to read the small print on the wall behind the order counter. And even though the same nutritional content is on the restaurant website, very few people take the time to go there and read it. We already know that the food is not that healthy for us. We just want it.

Viewpoints TV Show Asks How Long?

How long do you have to walk at a brisk pace to work off that burger and fries? About two hours. Is it worth it? Maybe. A research team from a Texas university ran a study which included three groups of people: one group was given a menu with no information except the standard fast food choices, the second group received the menu with calories and fat listed and the third group got a menu which listed how long it would take to walk off the meal items. The result was that the third group ordered meal items which were a mere 100 calories less than the other groups. The point is would you order something at McDonald’s if you saw a notation about how long it would take to walk it off? According to this study, very few would and it really did not matter.

What Do You Want?

Fast food is sometimes the easiest option for a meal. While many of them are now offering healthier items on their menus, many of us still go for the quick meals they offer. If we take a close look at the calories and fat on both the healthy menu and children’s menu, we will find those too are chock full of fat and too many calories. The Viewpoints TV show wonders what is left to eat at fast food places. What we want to eat sometimes does not agree with what is best for our health. What is on your plate today?