Here is my latest pet peeve. People saying with all sincerity that "we are a democracy".
NO! WE"RE NOT!
Were these people sleeping in history class? We are a Constitutional Republic. For ages I have refrained from correcting people because I didn't want to, well, I don't know what I didn't want to do, maybe embarrass them...
If we still said the Pledge of Allegiance to our American Flag in our schools, perhaps people would have no problem remembering this simply by having the words ingrained in their memories. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.....
A democracy represents mob rule. MOB RULE! No thanks! I prefer my Republic where the government is meant to protect my rights under the Constitution, not grant me rights. Those rights, according to the wisdom of our founding fathers, have been bestowed upon me by God. The government has no authority to grant me anything. It would seem that they and many people of this nation have forgotten that.
But that really shouldn't be surprising. Last night Thom was sharing a poll with me from a magazine he was reading that did a "man on the street" poll. Apparently 23% of Americans believe the sun rotates around the earth. And 18% didn't know and didn't care. These were people who vote for the people who run our country.
Scary.
Monday, April 13
Wednesday, March 25
contortion can be good
Until yesterday, I hadn't taken a yoga class in 6 or 7 years. I looked for every excuse not to go yesterday morning, but my body kept screaming to be quiet and just go. I'm achy too often and much too young to be so. Excercise is needed.
So I pulled on my now very tight excercise wear and walked into the 9 a.m. class across the street from my shop.
I bended and contorted my body into positions it hadn't seen in quite a while. Some of them used to be normal and now seemed torturous( like sitting on the floor cross-legged, which used to be the simplest).
At the end of the first hour and 15 minutes the instructor strapped us up by tying belts from around our hips through our thighs and around our folded calves. Then pillows were put under our outstretched arms and a very large block was put under our backs. It sounds strange I know, but it was so incredibly comfortable. I remember thinking that the sleep number bed company should figure a way to make all these bumps and lumps built into their system so a bed could be pumped up to these strange dimensions.
I slept deep last night for the first time in along time. I know me. Thursday morning I'll be complaining about going again...but I'm going!
So I pulled on my now very tight excercise wear and walked into the 9 a.m. class across the street from my shop.
I bended and contorted my body into positions it hadn't seen in quite a while. Some of them used to be normal and now seemed torturous( like sitting on the floor cross-legged, which used to be the simplest).
At the end of the first hour and 15 minutes the instructor strapped us up by tying belts from around our hips through our thighs and around our folded calves. Then pillows were put under our outstretched arms and a very large block was put under our backs. It sounds strange I know, but it was so incredibly comfortable. I remember thinking that the sleep number bed company should figure a way to make all these bumps and lumps built into their system so a bed could be pumped up to these strange dimensions.
I slept deep last night for the first time in along time. I know me. Thursday morning I'll be complaining about going again...but I'm going!
Monday, March 23
M3
I've been hearing about the M3 the past few days and its dissapearance from the public view by the Fed. I had no idea what the M3 is, but apparently it's the anniversary of the day they(the federal reserve) decided to save 1.5 million dollars by calling to a halt public disclosure of it. I think I read $1.5m would be the equivalent of less than .065 % of the annual income of the Fed so that seems a bit of a story.
Anyway, if you should stumble upon this story here is the M3 explanation from Fund My Mutual Fund.....
First what is M3?
So what is M3? To understand what M3 is one needs to know what M1 and M2 are as well.
M1 - Money supply that includes all coins, currency held by the public, traveler's checks, checking account balances, NOW accounts, automatic transfer service accounts, and balances in credit unions.
M2 - Money supply that includes M1, plus savings and small time deposits of depository institutions, overnight repos at commercial banks, and retail mutual fund money market accounts.
M3 - Money supply that includes M2, plus large time deposits, repos of maturity greater than one day at commercial banks, institutional money market accounts and Eurodollar deposits of US banks held at foreign branches and at all offices in the UK and Canada.
**********************
More interesting - why is M3 suddenly gone?
Some of the reasons we have seen floated around are as follows:
History has shown that only failing economies e.g. Soviet Union keep data secret (Financial Sense - Toni Straka - Unpleasant M3 Trend, November 12, 2005). An interesting premise and a theme we saw woven amongst a number of writers is that they have something to hide. The claim is that the Fed should be transparent and by not publishing the number the Fed now lacks transparency.
The end of publishing of M3 in March 2006 coincides with the start of the Iranian Oil Bourse. The premise here is that the with the oil bourse trading in Euros there will be a rush out of US$ into Euros and that M3 could drop sharply. A sharp drop in M3 would of course presage a recession as falling M3 is a characteristic of weak economic periods.
M3 is a measure of inflation in the economy. A somewhat unproven rule of thumb is GDP + inflation = M3. Will be able to properly measure inflation going forward if we don't know what M3 really is.
We are about to enter a period of hyperinflation and by eliminating M3 we will not know how much liquidity the Fed is pumping into the system. Remember the Fed doesn't really print money it is the banking system that expands money supply. But the Fed influences it through open market operations. We will have to watch daily Fed repo action very carefully irrespective of whether they are going to publish Repos (RPs) as noted in the bulletin above. The Fed doing repos puts money into the system and the Fed doing reverse repos takes money out of the system. Of course as well this is the exact opposite of the collapse in M3 premised with the oil bourse above.
Further on the theme above a period of hyperinflation would occur as the Fed tries to save us from a collapsing housing market and softer consumer demand. The Fed adds more and more liquidity to the system to stave off a sharp economic decline. By not publishing Repos (RPs) as noticed in their bulletin above the Fed again is hiding what they do on a day to day basis. This will make it difficult for both currency traders and equity traders to know what the Fed is up to.
The conclusion is that the Federal Reserve will be hiding a debasement of the US$.
Just thought I'd share!
Anyway, if you should stumble upon this story here is the M3 explanation from Fund My Mutual Fund.....
First what is M3?
So what is M3? To understand what M3 is one needs to know what M1 and M2 are as well.
M1 - Money supply that includes all coins, currency held by the public, traveler's checks, checking account balances, NOW accounts, automatic transfer service accounts, and balances in credit unions.
M2 - Money supply that includes M1, plus savings and small time deposits of depository institutions, overnight repos at commercial banks, and retail mutual fund money market accounts.
M3 - Money supply that includes M2, plus large time deposits, repos of maturity greater than one day at commercial banks, institutional money market accounts and Eurodollar deposits of US banks held at foreign branches and at all offices in the UK and Canada.
**********************
More interesting - why is M3 suddenly gone?
Some of the reasons we have seen floated around are as follows:
History has shown that only failing economies e.g. Soviet Union keep data secret (Financial Sense - Toni Straka - Unpleasant M3 Trend, November 12, 2005). An interesting premise and a theme we saw woven amongst a number of writers is that they have something to hide. The claim is that the Fed should be transparent and by not publishing the number the Fed now lacks transparency.
The end of publishing of M3 in March 2006 coincides with the start of the Iranian Oil Bourse. The premise here is that the with the oil bourse trading in Euros there will be a rush out of US$ into Euros and that M3 could drop sharply. A sharp drop in M3 would of course presage a recession as falling M3 is a characteristic of weak economic periods.
M3 is a measure of inflation in the economy. A somewhat unproven rule of thumb is GDP + inflation = M3. Will be able to properly measure inflation going forward if we don't know what M3 really is.
We are about to enter a period of hyperinflation and by eliminating M3 we will not know how much liquidity the Fed is pumping into the system. Remember the Fed doesn't really print money it is the banking system that expands money supply. But the Fed influences it through open market operations. We will have to watch daily Fed repo action very carefully irrespective of whether they are going to publish Repos (RPs) as noted in the bulletin above. The Fed doing repos puts money into the system and the Fed doing reverse repos takes money out of the system. Of course as well this is the exact opposite of the collapse in M3 premised with the oil bourse above.
Further on the theme above a period of hyperinflation would occur as the Fed tries to save us from a collapsing housing market and softer consumer demand. The Fed adds more and more liquidity to the system to stave off a sharp economic decline. By not publishing Repos (RPs) as noticed in their bulletin above the Fed again is hiding what they do on a day to day basis. This will make it difficult for both currency traders and equity traders to know what the Fed is up to.
The conclusion is that the Federal Reserve will be hiding a debasement of the US$.
Just thought I'd share!
Sunday, March 22
wonder
I rather feel that Mark Twain put my own curiosity quite nicely;
“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on….or by imbeciles who really mean it.”
Mark Twain
“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on….or by imbeciles who really mean it.”
Mark Twain
Wednesday, March 18
Amelie
I'm standing in the shop right now with the 'Amelie" soundtrack playing. It is so sweet and whimsical and happy with mists of melancholy running through here and there. Well, that just makes sense, since it's from the movie beloved by my daughters and myself for those very traits.
If you've not seen the movie or listened to the soundtrack by Yann Tierson, may I suggest that you make it a priority in your life this month?
Truly, it will make you smile....
If you've not seen the movie or listened to the soundtrack by Yann Tierson, may I suggest that you make it a priority in your life this month?
Truly, it will make you smile....
Thursday, March 12
a golden birthday
March 13 is Jedd's golden birthday.
13 on the 13th.
We have strands of golden beads and golden streamers and golden plates and in my opinion we are redeeming friday the 13th to an un-superstitious day.
As usual, the lad doesn't want a big party. Just family. He's requested the usual giant chocolate chip cookie baked on a pizza stone in leiu of a traditional cake.
Annie is picking him up from homeschool co-op and taking him to Salisbury to pick up Chick-Fil-A nuggets for his special dinner.
Thankyou Lord. We treasure this boy and are grateful that you've trusted him with us in our family.
Happy Birthday Jedd!
red wine
This is my brain at 2a.m. after red wine with dinner...
Staring out my second floor bedroom window, sleepless, listening to the whistling wind, and thinking how barren it looks with no leaves on the tree tops, I ponder that the night is brooding and cold.
hmmm....barren...and broody. Odd. One can relate to a childless woman, while another can relate to a woman deeply desiring children. And they can certainly be both at the same time.
A cold, empty night...barren and broody.
An empty woman...barren and broody.
There you have my brain in the middle of the night.
At 2 a.m. this seemed somehow noteworthy and important. Not so much in the light of the day.
I am exhausted today.
Is it any wonder?
No wine tonight.
Staring out my second floor bedroom window, sleepless, listening to the whistling wind, and thinking how barren it looks with no leaves on the tree tops, I ponder that the night is brooding and cold.
hmmm....barren...and broody. Odd. One can relate to a childless woman, while another can relate to a woman deeply desiring children. And they can certainly be both at the same time.
A cold, empty night...barren and broody.
An empty woman...barren and broody.
There you have my brain in the middle of the night.
At 2 a.m. this seemed somehow noteworthy and important. Not so much in the light of the day.
I am exhausted today.
Is it any wonder?
No wine tonight.
Wednesday, March 11
sceptical
Just call me a skeptic or even a conspiracy theorist. But when the curators of the Smithsonian opened Lincoln's pocketwatch yesterday for the first time ever, on rumor that the jeweler in the mid-1800's had inscribed a secret message, and found "Thank God we have a government!" in it....well, sorry, I'm not buying it. I would have believed, "thank God you're our president!" But Government? Nope!
In this time of economic turmoil when so much of America is starting to feel angst and anger against this stimulus package, and towards our politicians double standards on taxation, and taxation without representation,and further stripping of rights for the unborn, the list goes on and on and on.....The government is stripping us of our rights to the pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness on a daily basis....How very convenient to have Obama's hero president's watch opened with a loving message about "government"...
Like I said, just call me a skeptic....
In this time of economic turmoil when so much of America is starting to feel angst and anger against this stimulus package, and towards our politicians double standards on taxation, and taxation without representation,and further stripping of rights for the unborn, the list goes on and on and on.....The government is stripping us of our rights to the pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness on a daily basis....How very convenient to have Obama's hero president's watch opened with a loving message about "government"...
Like I said, just call me a skeptic....
Monday, March 9
pressie hints
I'm a bit like a jellyfish right now in this chair. I couldn't be more relaxed. You see I've just returned from the Stillwater Spa where I was massaged and oiled and steamed and cleaned and dried and buffed and sent on my merry way.
I've booked another session for May, so if anyone would like to inform my husband that a gift certificate to the spa would make a perfect Mother's Day present for the woman who birthed all three of his progeny....please feel free to do so.
I've booked another session for May, so if anyone would like to inform my husband that a gift certificate to the spa would make a perfect Mother's Day present for the woman who birthed all three of his progeny....please feel free to do so.
Sunday, March 8
Slumdog Millionaire
The girls and I saw Slumdog Millionaire today after church. I wasn't expecting too much or too little. I was going to take it at face value.
It was wonderful! I had read so many reviews that had said it was extremely depressing. Yes, depressing, true. But it was balanced with perfect hits of humor as well. And for all those who said it was an "unbelieveable" storyline, as a Christian I saw nothing unbelieveable in it. God has worked out many stories more "unbelieveable" than this one, that are in fact, amazingly true. I could see this happening with no problem at all. (with the small exception of the wonderful scene at the very, very end. That just brings to film, my love of a good Bollywood movie. That's it. No juicy review today. Just a suggestion that you go decide for yourself while it's still out on the big screen.
It was wonderful! I had read so many reviews that had said it was extremely depressing. Yes, depressing, true. But it was balanced with perfect hits of humor as well. And for all those who said it was an "unbelieveable" storyline, as a Christian I saw nothing unbelieveable in it. God has worked out many stories more "unbelieveable" than this one, that are in fact, amazingly true. I could see this happening with no problem at all. (with the small exception of the wonderful scene at the very, very end. That just brings to film, my love of a good Bollywood movie. That's it. No juicy review today. Just a suggestion that you go decide for yourself while it's still out on the big screen.
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