Originally published in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, October 17, 2005.

Let me be honest -- most of the time when I'm drawing an editorial cartoon, I have no intention of being helpful. I mean, I would think that this is pretty self-evident, but I wanted to state that explicitly in case I have -- somewhere along the line -- misled any of you into thinking that I was a problem-solver or an axe-grinder or a go-getter or, you know, somebody who is attempting to somehow save your soul. I really don't need that kind of responsibility. I've got a job, a family, a house, and two cats who need a good scritchin' several times a day. I'm full up.

So I typically draw comics like this week's comic, which I would categorize as a Pasquale Gatti comic. Pasquale is Jane's Italian cousin who we visited several years ago. Pasquale was our guide and interpreter and, more often than not, teacher. He would often explain things to us like why the train broke down or why the steps were so uneven or why it is never a good idea to ask a gypsy to use your camera to take a family picture (okay, that's an easy one -- they'll take your camera).

But for other questions when the reasons were not so simple he'd give an overview, delve into some details, and conclude with, "It is what it is. What are you gonna do?" And then he'd give a slight shrug the way only Italians can, and we'd go back to eating the best food on God's green earth and life was good.

So, yeah, in this week's comic I'm only trying to frame the issue for you to draw your own conclusions. It's a global economy now, and it's moving relentlessly in that direction, so it seems advisable to try to run along because stopping or attempting to move the other way looks brutal. I don't necessarily like it. I don't necessarily hate it. It is what it is. What are you gonna do?