In the past two days, I have twice heard the US referred to as or being associated with being a third world country. In both cases, they were referring to a recent report published in PLoS Medicine, completed apparently by experts at Harvard and other institutions. The report states that there is a concerning decline in women's life expectancy across this nation. Fewer counties across the nation showed declines in men's life expectancy.

Both sources (The Today Show and the local paper, Omaha World Herald), stated that "declines in life expectancy typically are associated with Third World nations." The findings were compared to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the collapse of the health care system in Russia. A lot of emphasis is also placed on income as playing a role in this decline. Rural areas may have poor (if any) employer based healthcare. Low income, worse diets, unaffordable healthcare... failing economy, ALARMING increases in STDs and drug resistant illnesses, natural resources deminishing... Are we less a "developed" nation with all of these communities where the life expectancy is closer to those of underdeveloped or developing countries?

I wanted to see what the AMHD community thinks about this... could America be the richest third world country?

could America be the richest third world country?

I think we have a way to go yet. We're #8 on Most and Least Livable Countries: UN Human Development Index, 2006 (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778562.html). I'd consider third-worldness to encompass both low life quality and expectancy. Also the term applies to lacking economic or industrial advancement, which we don't, or alignment during the cold war, in which case we are by definition a first world country so it depends on what ideas you are trying to express with the term "Third World."

U.S. National Debt Clock (http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/)

We are not there yet, but our politicians are working night in day to make it a reality! Since Dubya got re-elected I think we are at about 1.5 headed to 2, shortly. Would not surprise me that if McCain's elected that will jump to about 2.5 in four years and then hit the 3rd level, if heaven forbid he was re-elected. Most of this I say with tongue in cheek. :) To answer your question about the States sincerely though, "yes" we have serious problems that need addressing. I actually have another home in a third world country located in SE Asia and it's starting to look better all the time.

Pure, unadulterated, BS. What is "PLoS Medicine"? A recent survey from the American Medical Association indicated that they are "in favor" of a national health insurance scheme. More, pure "BS".
1) Doctors already object to insurance companies telling them how to practice medicine; but insurance companies don't arrest doctors, or anyone else, and put them in jail. Think about Uncle Sam telling your doctor what he can do or not do.
2) How few doctors belong to the AMA in the first place.
Propaganda; that's all it is.

US life expectancy stagnates, declines for many women and poor people | Spartacus Lives! (http://www.spartacuslives.org/node/19869)

US Life Expectancy Shorter for Many
By MedHeadlines

"Statistics on longevity in the United States have indicated an increase in expected life span that began in the 1960s and rose steadily until 2000. Now, newer statistics, gleaned from a study conducted over an extensive period of time, reveals that not all Americans can expect an extended life and still others are facing death at an earlier age than their counterparts in other parts of the country.

life expectancyThe study, conducted by Harvard School of Public Health and University of Washington researchers, indicates a decline in the life-span for 4% of American men and 19% of American women. Where there is no decline in life expectancy apparent, the life expectancy rate has stalled, neither declining or increasing.

Researchers point to a long-held view that inequalities in the US healthcare system can be tolerated as long as the health of the nation in general is improving This study shows that not everyone is improving and that in some areas, life expectancy is actually shorter than it was in the recent past.

The research team used National Center for Health Statistics' mortality data and US Census Bureau data for 1959 through 2001. The researchers analyzed their data on a county-by-county basis, making this the first to explore mortality per county over such an extensive period of time.

The areas that show the greatest decline in longevity are Appalachia, the Mississippi River Valley, the Deep South, the southern part of the Midwest, and Texas.

These areas of life expectancy decline represent a large segment of the population that lives in economically depressed areas while, at the other end of the spectrum, the most affluent areas report a continued increase in life expectancy.

The discrepancy gap between men in affluent areas with the longest life expectancy and those with the shortest was 9.0 years in 1983 but the gap had expanded to 11 years by 1999. The discrepancy for women was 6.7 years in 1983 and 7.5 in 1999. On a global basis, affluent countries have seen an increase in life expectancy almost without exception.

Life expectancy is one factor universally associated with the quality of health care and social systems within a country. A decline in life span in places such as Eastern Europe and parts of Africa point to healthcare systems that have failed. Christopher Murray, Director for the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations who is co-author for this study, points to the declining life expectancy in the US, as revealed by this study, to be a sign of a system needing “serious rethinking.”

The research team determined that diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and no improvements against death associated with cardiovascular diseases have attributed to the decline in life span in many areas. Men are at increased risk of death due to homicides and HIV/AIDS.

Researchers identify the significant role of smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure as contributors to shortened life spans, saying that these issues can be addressed at low cost but with high efficiency if ours was a healthcare system dedicated to closing this ever-widening gap in life expectancies within the US.

The April 22 edition of the journal PLoS Medicine carries more details of this study."

Public Library of Science link: PLoS ONE : Publishing science, accelerating research (http://www.plosone.org/home.action)

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

Your conclusion is not complete enough for me, only in part. And that would be the constant need to reform the welfare system so it's not seen as normalcy. We all want, I hope, that our neighbors are above poverty, and which in some cases this is related to economics as well as individual responsibility. Some government programs are actually productive for our future generation's benefit. Genetics, heredity, diet, lifestyle, ability to afford healthcare, are all factors. Include what medicines may end up being tainted, poison, or detrimental in the long run, also changes the dynamics of life expectancy. No doubt we have to be careful with our choices. However I know wealthy people that don't care of themselves, but that's not because they lacked a choice or money. For example: poorer people, below poverty guidelines, qualify for a program such as WIC (http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/) providing their child the opportunity to be healthier, than without.

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

You forgot to say "FREE MARKET ECONOMY." Only big block traders are making profits these days... and for a reason.

Every year thousands upon thousands of people try to legally and illegally immigrate to the United States . Amazing that they would try to flock to such a sucky place.

Why is it so amazing tom? All their cousins are here.

Rural areas may have poor (if any) employer based healthcare. Low income, worse diets, unaffordable healthcare... failing economy, ALARMING increases in STDs and drug resistant illnesses, natural resources deminishing... Are we less a "developed" nation with all of these communities where the life expectancy is closer to those of underdeveloped or developing countries?

True, rural healthcare is a problem, they are under served by the medical community, and true the cost of healthcare is out of control - but nobody has to go without medical care in this country. But, I'm amused at studies such as this and even more so by how it's portrayed.

First of all it's ridiculous to plant the idea in the reader's mind that what we have here correlates with "third world countries." Last year life expectancy (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004393.html) in the US was 78 years - in Angola it was less than half that, 37.6 years, 39.5 in Zimbabwe and 40.9 in Mozambique. There is no comparison.

Why do we have ALARMING rates of STDs? It certainly isn't a failure of abstinence education, it's the culture created and endorsed by the same people who complain of alarming rates of STDs. Sex in every aspect of our lives, movies, TV, print media, selling 13 year old girls shirts that read "I Know what boys want" or "Spank me, it's my birthday." What do they expect?

Don't worry though, after the complete ban on tobacco, trans fats and fried food we'll have mandatory exercise programs to whip everyone into shape and the rate will rise again.

Why do so many seem to want universal health care operated the fed govt? Can't they see the disaster that federal aid to education has been? And just who mismanaged (stole)the Social Security Trust Fund? If what LBJ and the Dems did to SS had been done by private corporations, the executives would have gone to prison. We have spent Billions to eliminate poverty without any success. I'm voting against anyone who promises me more government. Point being that we should have stayed with the Constitution where federal government was LIMITED. Yeah, I know. It ain't going to happen.

I'm voting against anyone who promises me more government. Point being that we should have stayed with the Constitution where federal government was LIMITED. Yeah, I know. It ain't gonna happen.

You must of hated Bush. He expanded government so much he's trying to run two countries.

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

I agree with George 1950
We are headed for third world country and I believe it is mostly because the liberals will not allow us to drill our own oil for one. Also with the inconvenient lie it is being set up so that they can control our economy by using carbon footprints as an excuse collapse our economy.
Just for one we have to find alternative fuel so cotton fields, rice paddy's and other crops are being ditched so more corn can be grown.
Eventually these things along with the globalization Bush has put in motion we are going downhill and will eventually wreck.
The Euro dollar and Canadian money being worth more than ours is just the start.
Communist Russia had the elite rich OR the very poor and that is where we are headed and 'the programs' George mentioned never brought anybody out of poverty or fixed anything.
The more government is involved the worse we get. That is ONE reason I do not want the medical coverage Hillary is pushing and I am one of the very ones in the NO medical coverage statistics.

There's actually plenty of oil in Mexico and other parts of the world not so distant. It takes extra refinery process measures. But it's not just a liberal deterrent to drill in Alaska. Even Republican President Bush and candidate McCain aim to get us less dependent on gas. That was one of the few Dubya initiatives that I agreed with him upon when he originally took office.

I agree but if the liberals hadn't started with the don't drill things may have worked out different. Now the global warming advocates don't want us getting tar sand from Canada for our fuel because it is bad. global warming and canadas tar sand - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=global+warming+and+canadas+tar+sand)

That would had only delayed or reduced prices marginally. We would have to be totally dependent on our own oil to get complete benefits at the pump. Mexico don't use our oil either and look at there prices!

Nation & World | Gas prices fueling fill-ups in Mexico | Seattle Times Newspaper (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003722977_mexgas26.html)

I think the whole thing is (Dem or Rep) political lies to line their pockets and ruin us any way you go about it

That's a good argument! Some have said that we have the technology already, but it's a business to keep us coming back only to pay more. Others say that the mid-east country's know it's only a matter of time before our dependency on oil is over, so they are pricing the oil to get what they can while they can. I got to go. Have a good evening. :)

I do know that the government paid people off years ago when they tried to patent corn oil for fuel or carburators that got 30 or more miles to a gallon because they said it would be bad for the economy. Just like many things they make them cheap so that we have to keep buying them over and over. Like I remember a broom lasting years in the sixties and now a broom is falling apart within months. Now it is not convenient for them economically to burn gas so fast and it is still not convenient for them to build a carburator that gets such good gas mileage because then they wouldn't have an excuse to spend billions in researching.

I would like to revise and extend my previous post insofar as the U.S. is approaching third world status in at least one activity: education. U.S. falls in education rank compared to other countries | The Kapio (http://kapio.kcc.hawaii.edu/upload/fullnews.php?id=52)
NEW STUDY FINDS U.S. MATH STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY BEHIND THEIR PEERS AROUND THE WORLD (http://www.air.org/news/documents/Release200511math.htm)
Mandate for Leadership: 15. Improving Education (http://www.heritage.org/Research/Features/Mandate/2005/topic.cfm?topic=15)

The LA Times reports Los Angeles is on its way to becoming "a third world city (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immiglabor21apr21,1,5499431.story?track=rss)."


"The question is, are we going to be a 21st century city with shared prosperity, or a Third World city with an elite group on top and the majority at poverty or near poverty wages?" asked Ernesto Cortes Jr. Southwest regional director of the Industrial Areas Foundation, a leadership development organization. "Right now we're headed toward becoming a Third World city. But we can change that."

I don't know about "third world" but every time I've been to LA it has been a "different world." :D

These are the "REAL" facts. Not the FAUX facts.

“…the still-unfolding banking solvency crisis has confirmed the Fed's and the U.S. government's willingness to spend whatever money they have to create in order to keep the financial system from imploding.”

“The circumstance envisioned ahead is not one of double- or triple- digit annual inflation, but more along the lines of seven- to 10-digit inflation seen in other circumstances during the last century.”

“The historical culprit generally has been the use of fiat currencies — currencies with no asset backing such as gold — and the resulting massive printing of currency that the issuing authority needed to support its system, when it did not have the ability, otherwise, to raise enough money for its perceived needs, through taxes or other means.”

“The United States is no exception, already having obligated itself to liabilities well beyond its ability ever to pay off.”

“Hyperinflation: Extreme inflation, minimally in excess of four-digit annual percent change, where the involved currency becomes worthless. A fairly crude definition of hyperinflation is a circumstance, where, due to extremely rapid price increases, the largest pre-hyperinflation bank note ($100) becomes worth more as functional toilet paper than as currency.”

“The current economic contraction is about halfway towards being classified as a 'depression.'”

“Official CPI could be running in double-digits by year-end 2008.”

“The U.S. economy has been in a recession since late-2006, entering the second down-leg of a multiple-dip economic contraction, where the first down-leg was the recession of 2001 that really began back in late-1999. Annual CPI inflation currently is running around 11.6%, again, facing further upside pressures.”

“The evolving depression quickly will move to great-depression status, when the hyperinflation hits. It will be extremely disruptive to the conduct of normal commerce.”

“Ongoing M3 currently shows a record annual growth rate of 17.3%.”

“In the near future, dollar selling should build towards an extreme, with heavy foreign investment in the dollar fleeing the U.S. currency for safety elsewhere. With the domestic financial markets and U.S. Treasuries so heavily dependent on foreign capital for liquidity, the Federal Reserve — now touted as the formal financial market stabilizer — will be forced increasingly to monetize federal debt. That process will build over time, given the federal government's effective bankruptcy.”

“Again, the current circumstance will evolve into a hyperinflationary depression, then a great depression. Although such is not likely much before 2010, or after 2018, the financial end game for the current markets will tend to come sooner rather than later and will break with surprising speed when it hits.”

“2008 will favor an incumbent party loss, i.e. a victory for the Democrats.”

“What promises hyperinflation this time is the lack of monetary discipline formerly imposed on the system by the gold standard, and a Fed dedicated to preventing a collapse in the money supply and the implosion of the still, extremely over-leveraged domestic financial system.”

“The limits to the unlimited abuse of the debt standard are particularly evident in the GAAP-based financial statements of the U.S. government, which show the actual federal deficit at $4.0-plus trillion for 2007 alone, with total federal obligations standing at $62.6 trillion. With no ability to honor these obligations, the government effectively is bankrupt.”

“Although the U.S, government faces ultimate insolvency, it has the same way out taken by most countries faced with bankruptcy. It can print whatever money it needs to create, in order to meet its obligations. The effect of such action is a runaway inflation — a hyperinflation — with a resulting, full debasement of the U.S. dollar, the world's reserve currency.”

“Oil prices are near historic highs, the dollar is near historic lows, and money growth is at an all-time high. The near-term outlook for all three is for new record levels and for extremely strong upside pressure on U.S. inflation. … gold prices should continue setting new historic highs.”

“The difference is in accounting … for unfunded Social Security and Medicare liabilities.”

“Put into perspective, if the government were to raise taxes so as to seize 100% of all wages, salaries and corporate profits, it still would be showing an annual deficit using GAAP accounting on a consistent basis. In like manner, given current revenues, if it stopped spending every penny (including defense and homeland security) other than Social Security and Medicare obligations, the government still would show an annual deficit.”

“U.S. federal obligations are so huge versus the national GDP that the country's finances look more like those of a banana republic than the world's premiere financial power and home to the world's primary reserve currency, the U.S. dollar.”

“The effect of this structural change has been that most consumers have been unable to sustain adequate income growth beyond the rate of inflation, unable to maintain their standard of living. The only way personal consumption can grow in such a circumstance is for the consumer to take on new debt or liquidate savings. Both those factors are short-lived and have reached untenable extremes.”

“From the Fed's standpoint, it can neither stimulate the economy nor contain inflation. Lowering rates has done little to stimulate the structurally-impaired economy, and raising rates may become necessary in defense of the dollar.”

“By the time hyperinflation kicks in, the economy already should be in depression, and the hyperinflation quickly should pull the economy into a great depression. Uncontained inflation is likely to bring normal commercial activity to a halt.”

Hyperinflationary Great Depression

“In the United States, the printing presses have not been revved up heavily yet, but the commitments are in place, as seen in the annual GAAP-based deficit running on average more than $4.0 trillion per year. That amount is far beyond the ability of the government to tax or the political willingness of the government to cut entitlement spending. While the inevitable inflationary collapse, based solely on these funding needs, could be pushed well into the next decade, actions already taken likely have set the stage for a much earlier crisis.”

“It is this environment that leaves the U.S. dollar open to potentially such a rapid and massive decline, and dumping of U.S. Treasuries, that the Federal Reserve would be forced to monetize significant sums of Treasury debt, triggering the early phases of a monetary inflation. In this environment annual multi-trillion-dollar deficits rapidly would feed into a vicious, self-feeding cycle of currency debasement and hyperinflation.”

“Given the extremely rapid debasement of the larger denomination notes, with limited physical cash in the system, existing currency would disappear quickly as a hyperinflation broke. From a practical standpoint, however, currency would disappear, at least for a period in the early period of a hyperinflation.”

“Barter System. With standard currency and electronic payment systems non-functional, commerce quickly would devolve into black markets for goods and services and a barter system.”

“Gold and silver both are likely to retain real value and would be exchangeable for goods and services. Silver would help provide smaller change for less costly transactions.”

“In such a circumstance, gold and silver would be primary hedging tools that would retain real value and also be portable in the event of possible civil turmoil. Also, at some point, the failure of the world's primary reserve currency will lead to the structuring of a new global currency system. I would not be surprised to find gold as part of the new system, in an effort to sell the system to the public.”

“I still look for U.S. stocks to take an ultimate 90% hit, peak-to-trough, net of inflation, during this period.”

Ruff Times subscribers who accept John's scenario have no downside! At the worst, if Scenario number one occurs, they will make tons of money in gold and silver, then we will eventually put out a sell order and the world will return to relatively normal. If I and John Williams are right, it will literally save your current lifestyle, and perhaps even your lives.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Howard J. Ruff, the legendary author and financial advisor, has re-edited and will re-issue his 1978 mega best seller, How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years, still the biggest-selling financial book in history, with 2.6 million copies in print. He is founder and editor of The Ruff Times Financial Newsletter. This article appeared in the April 18, 2008 issue of The Ruff Times. The newsletter is much more comprehensive and deals with a broad spectrum of middle-class financial issues and includes an Investment Menu from which you can build your portfolio. You can learn about it here). The Ruff Times has served more than 600,000 subscribers – more than any financial-advisory newsletter in the world.

And yet, the first quarter GDP still grew (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/economic-report-us-economy-grows/story.aspx?guid=%7B410DA41A-314E-4BBF-8722-342BCCFCE75B%7D&dist=hplatest). Looks like the recession preachers will have to spin this one - oh wait, al-AP already has... "Economy grows by only 0.6 percent (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jsanM66tszKz1zFq0LOG4XvWS7zAD90C6O4G0) in first quarter." And, oil is down, supplies are up, gasoline demand is down and the dollar got stronger (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12400801/).

Steve you are ruining a perfectly good narrative. Don't you know we are already in recession ? Everyone says so .

Steve you are ruining a perfectly good narrative. Don't you know we are already in recession ? Everyone says so .

Sorry tom, I don't know why I always have to have to have such a negative attitude. :D

... "Economy grows by only 0.6 percent (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jsanM66tszKz1zFq0LOG4XvWS7zAD90C6O4G0) in first quarter."

Headline should read : 'Economy Grows Much Faster Than Expected' . Or 'Economy Exceeds Expectations'

Also gold prices are going through a "correction " and have dropped almost $150 /oz from it's high last month.

Headline should read : 'Economy Grows Much Faster Than Expected' . or 'Economy Exceeds Expectations'

also gold prices are going through a "correction " and have dropped almost $150 /oz from it's high last month.

Reuters was more positive, WRAPUP 1-U.S. first-quarter growth stronger than forecast (http://www.reuters.com/article/economicNews/idUSN3045699020080430) - as was Xinhua: Wall Street higher on upbeat GDP data (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/30/content_8084346.htm). Come back home though and you get this:

LA Times: GDP grows just 0.6% for second consecutive quarter (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-econ1-2008may01,0,27392.story)
Preliminary Commerce Department data confirms predictions of an economic slowdown for 2008. A drop in personal consumption is a big reason for the slump.

CNN: Economy: It could have been a lot worse (http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/30/markets/thebuzz/?postversion=2008043010)
It's hard to get excited about 0.6% growth but at least GDP didn't fall in the first quarter. But can the economy avoid a drop in the second quarter?

Or even close to home, Canadian Economic Press - U.S. Preview: First Quarter GDP to Come in Flat (http://www.economicnews.ca/login.php?page=reportsDetails&newsid=76297&prevview=&view=details&country=&plimit=0&category=All%20Economic%20Reports)

Not so fast Cowboys. George "Dubya" Bush has made some blunders in two terms, but he knows the writing on the wall when he sees it and that's why his stimulus package (that he supported) went through Congress. The overall numbers and direction that brought to light this issue happened in late February and has trended through March. March being the last month in the first quarter and that's why your president of choice, the congress, the Feds, and numerous economists are concerned.

GDP Says Economy Grew, Avoided Recession | Market Features | BSC FNM FRE GS JPM LEH MER - TheStreet.com (http://www.thestreet.com/s/gdp-says-economy-grew-avoided-recession/markets/marketfeatures/10414480.html?puc=googlefi&cm_ven=GOOGLEFI&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA)

""The Fed is still looking for a weak growth profile for this year, and everyone is just waiting to see whether the stimulus from fiscal and monetary policy will bring growth back to trend or not," says Pandl [Lehman Brothers].

Tax rebates, which are the centerpiece of the government's $168 billion stimulus package enacted in February, are now going out the public in an effort to boost consumer spending and confidence. It remains a question mark whether the rebates, which range from $300 for individuals to $1,200 for couples, can stimulate the economy.

"The GDP report does confirm that the economy overall remains very weak with overall activity flat if not declining outright," Pandl says. "We continue to believe that the early part of 2008 will go down in history as the start of a mild recession."

On Tuesday, Standard & Poor's reported that its Case-Shiller home price index of 20 cities fell by 12.7% in February versus last year, the largest decline since its inception in 2001. Seventeen of the 20 metro areas reported record annual declines.

Also, the Conference Board said that its Consumer Confidence Index, which declined sharply in March, fell again to 62.3 in April, down from the revised 65.9 last month and 76.4 in February. The consumer sentiment index, tracked by the University of Michigan, has also dropped to its lowest levels in over a quarter-century after the U.S. recorded three-straight months of declines in the job market.

Meanwhile, the components of Wednesday's GDP report from the Commerce Department did show some worrisome signs. Consumer spending, the nation's chief engine of economic growth, rose by just 1% for the quarter, down from the 2.3% growth rate in the previous quarter, which was the slowest reading since the second quarter of 2001."

Yeah they are not satisfied with the growth of the economy. 0.6 % is almost flat but it is not the recession which all the pundits predicted .

yeah they are not satisfied with the growth of the economy. 0.6 % is almost flat but it is not the recession which all the pundits predicted .
One of the info-babes was obsessing over Bush's refusal to use the "r" word while discussing the U.S. economy during the newsconference earlier this week.

Hello I:

Buy gold. It's cheap now.

excon

yeah they are not satisfied with the growth of the economy. 0.6 % is almost flat but it is not the recession which all the pundits predicted .

They? That would be the President, the Congress, the Feds, numerous highly educated economists, and a country of people that have endured job loses, record foreclosures, and inflation. I think they should be moderately skeptical. I'm giving out my address to those that want to send me their stimulus checks. :)