Sucks to be poor

According to a new study out of Carnegie Mellon University, it really does suck to be poor.

In a groundbreaking new study, researchers found that having no money is directly related to higher levels of stress.

It reminds one of author and journalist Bill Vaughan's quote, "It would be nice if the poor were to get even half of the money that is spent in studying them."

According to the study, being poor coorelates to high levels of stress hormones, which can lead to health problems. Since the poor don't have health insurance, they get more stressed out, and have more health problems, in a downward spirial.

What can you do about stress? According FamilyDoctor.org, "the first step is to learn to recognize when you're feeling stressed." Check your bank account, it is a pretty good indicator. "One way is to avoid the event or thing that leads to your stress." In other words, just become weathy and you won't be stressed any more. Alternatively the website suggests meditation. On the November elections, perhaps.

Indeed, who would not have thought that being poor would make you stressed out? One the wealthiest men in America, apparantly, George W. who is busy making increasing the ranks of the impoverished and uninsured a hallmark of his eight year tenure.

In true dramatic irony that defines his speaches, in 2005, comparing a G8 summit meeting with the London Subway bombing, Bush remarked, "On the one hand, you have people working to alleviate poverty and rid the world of the pandemic of AIDS and ways to have a clean environment and, on the other hand, you have people working to kill people."

The Bush Administration has increased poverty, cut funding to Aids programs and still doesn't believe in global warming, which begs the question, who is killing who?