Keynes Not Able

I just finished this book, Where Keynes Went Wrong. I bought the book in hopes that it would delve into this mysterious universe of Keynesian economics. The title of course gives away the fact that the author feels the Keynesian influence and virtually every government in the world is not good for the long term health of the economy. This is a great book. I didn't think it would be as lively and vital as it is. It reveals the man behind the curtain whose influence and doctrine has caused the pulling of all of the crazy levers of monetary policy and government policy that does much more harm that it can possibly do good. It is not a vindictive book. Having studied macroeconomics and microeconomics in college, I think it is safe to say that many people believe in Keynes because that is what is taught. The Austrian economists are rarely discussed. Our current economic troubles may be somewhat satiated but the long term prognosis is terribly malignant and there are no therapies that can correct it if we continue to believe that government stimulus will increase demand, decrease unemployment and increase wealth for all. Government has no long term plan, and it's short term goal is the next election. Get it. Read it.

Adelaide Vivian Jones

This morning at 5:29 AM MST, our first granddaughter was born. Her brothers were fairly indifferent, just another day I suppose. She was 8 lbs. and 10 oz., bigger than her brothers were. Of course to my eyes I don't have the foggiest idea who she looks like. My wife and daughter are certain that she looks like her little brother Elijah, but with dark hair, and quite a bit of it. So I guess we'll watch and see how she turns out the next 20 or 30 years before we are done here. Happy New Birthday Addie!

Marriage Disappears

When we look at the woes of our nation I do not think it can be argued that the strong nuclear family is not disappearing. This study lays out to the reader why it is so bad. This is all so obvious that for many of our citizens it must be a mystery.

15 Years

I didn't think about it until just now, but 15 years ago today we moved into our home here in Farmington. It has been a great place to live. We have had our ups and downs. 9 July, 2001 it rained 1.75 inches of rain in 20 minutes, the water ran down the hills above us, putting 4 feet of water in our basement in 10 minutes. No insurance for that one and the city was no help. We have had great family experiences like most families do. Our street has a good steady group of neighbors. Houses don't go up for sale too often. We feel lucky, blessed, fortunate, you name it.

Our first Christmas was interesting. Boxes, the smell of fresh paint, a make shift Christmas tree, but it was Christmas, just as much as any other year. The kids have grown and married, we look older, but we still cannot wait for Santa Claus.

Your Read Stores Like This and Wonder

I came across this just now. You read this and think there has to be more to the story, but realize that there probably isn't.

Book of the Week

Matt Ridley does a yeoman's job here describing why we need and should be optimistic towards civilization in the next century. He describes his theory of how ideas have sex and multiply and grow. He discusses how apocraholics constantly get in the news but are always wrong, yet still seem to keep their bona fides. He talks of most of the panic buttons we are working on now. Africa, climate change, technology, environment, politics. It is full of good information from a zoologist who describes the behavior of our species pretty accurately and fairly. I recommend this for anyone who would like to tread in this topical clime and do so with a scientist who understands the development of species and their behavior. One can also see him interviewed here by Peter Robinson. People say and believe a lot of things, adding Mr. Ridley's thoughts in the mix will be a help.

UPDATE: I think this excerpt from the book, page 280 is of worth.

A constant drumbeat of pessimism usually drowns out any triumphalist song of the kind I have vented in this book so far. If you say the world is getting better you may get away with being called naive and insensitive. If you say the world is going to go on getting better, you are considered embarrassingly mad......When Bjorn Lonborg tried it in the 2000s, he was temporarily 'convicted' of scientific dishonesty by the Danish National Academy of Sciences....If on the other hand, you say catastrophe is imminent, you may expect a McArthur genius award or even the Nobel Peace Prize. The bookshops are groaning under the ziggurats of pessimism....I have listened to implacable predictions of growing poverty, coming famines, expanding deserts, imminent plagues, impending water wars, inevitable oil exhaustion, mineral shortages, falling sperm counts, thinning ozone, acidifying rain, nuclear winters, mad-cow epidemics, Y2K computer bugs, killer bees, sex-change fish, global warming, ocean acidification and even asteroid impacts....I cannot recall a time when one or other of these scares was not solemnly espoused by sober, distinguished and serious elites and hysterically echoed by the media. I cannot recall a time when I was not being urged by somebody that the world could only survive if it abandoned the foolish goal of economic growth.

VDH Rides Again

The incomparable Dr. Victor Davis Hanson give this piece. I wonder if my California friends can validate some of his observations.

The World Does Get Smaller

During the Spring of 2007 my wife and I found ourselves for the second time in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. We were with a wonderful group of people doing dentistry, humanitarian work, audiology screening and other things. It is quite a deal to be involved in one of these things. It is constant work during the day into the evening. Sundays we typically go to an outlying town, usually smaller in population for worship services. We take with us duffles full of things to give, kind of a Sub for Santa thing in the Spring.

This particular year we went to a little town called Tatumbla. We met there a sharp looking, articulate family the Buitragos. We have kept our acquaintance since that time. The father told me that he wanted his kids to go to BYU. It was kind of his goal in life in some ways. Well, his daughter Valeria came up a year and a half ago, roughly. His other daughter Marcela appeared on the scene this past summer; she is attending LDS Business College.

I bring this up because yesterday I received the accompanying picture in the mail, along with an announcement of a wedding. Evidently Valeria has captured the heart of a guy, which would be pretty easy to do. That day in 2007 I found myself seated next to her during the church meeting. I asked her name, etc and was impressed with her maturity and her sweet smile. Marcela, her sister, and her younger sister Raquel have the same characteristics, you can melt when they smile at you.

Anyway, I guess this guy, lets call him Stephen, has decided that his life won't be complete without her, so they are having a wedding during this Christmas season. Her family is going to come up from Honduras, it is going to be a whirlwind time I'm sure. We wish them all the best and especially a very Merry Christmas during this special time for them all.

An Interesting Stossel

Everytime I go to a third or second world country I think about the theme that is discussed in this article by John Stossel. It is interesting that the countries that have improved from my observations seem to be taking to heart the message of this article.

Dandy Don is Gone

In some ways it is the end of an era. This shows the beginning of a legendary show, Monday Night Football.

Multiculti Blues

This editorial comment from The American Thinker is spot on in my opinion. PC and Multiculti nonsense should be thrown on the ash heap and let to rot.