The father of a friend of mine has been flying for American Airlines for over 30 years. Though this pilot will only be turning 60 this November, he has decided to take an early retirement. He has some very foresightful reasoning for doing so.

Knowing that his pension is linked to the stock exchange, this man took the chance a year or two ago to lock in his retirement income amount to what the stock market was doing then. I'm not sure of the logistics, but this lock only lasts a couple of years. Rather than retiring in a few years as planned, he has decided to take advantage of his good position now instead of working until the lock expires, and then having to work a few more years just to get his retirement back to the original position.

I've got a couple decades left until I can retire at the standard age, but this gentleman's actions got me thinking. The news reports all this market volatility as bad news only. In reality, there are many opportunities afforded by this investment market that wouldn't have been available a few years ago.

In the meantime, I'm resolving to continue thinking creatively to see how I can make the most of less than ideal times. It just takes a little outside-the-box thinking.

"9/11 was big. This is bigger."

Seven years ago, President Bush addressed the nation in order to shore up confidence in US strength and supremacy after the 9/11 attacks. This last month, the President addressed us again to try to quell growing fears about the financial crisis that is rocking the nation.

According to an article (with the same title as this post) by David Rothkopf published yesterday in the Washington Post, the crisis we are facing today is not only bigger in scope than the 9/11 crisis, but it may signify the end of an era. America is the main global superpower and has been singing the praises of a free market economy since the start of Reaganomics. But with the passage of the bailout bill, Congress has essentially spit in the face of free markets and begun what is likely to be a series of government intervention in the economy.

My whole life has been lived in a free market. Every course I took to achieve my business degree focused on the importance of the free marketplace and Adam Smith's invisible hand. It's essentially the only thing I know.

The basis of the free market is that each individual who goes into the marketplace with the intent to make earnings for himself will also end up taking actions that are good for the whole economy. I wonder, in formalizing this system, did Reagan and Smith underestimate the inherent greed of human nature? It seems that people did go into Wall Street to earn for themselves, but took it way beyond normal limits, leading the system to shudder under all the tricks and scams that were used to cheat the system and earn more money.

I understand that life has to change, and the economy has been in constant flux since it was born. The problem is, my position on the political spectrum leads me to cringe when I think of the government becoming more involved in our lives financially.

Do you think this is the end of the era? Or do you think this is a blip in the constant growth of the US economy?