climate change or lack of economic freedom?

There is a rumor that the Syrian crisis is being caused by climate change.
OK...sure...but there is more context than that.
Things change...right now around the world the price of oil has dropped and some nations are close to ruin because of that change.
CONTEXT
some nations can't take change because of rigid structures imposed by the government...
Syria has a socialistic economy...as does Venezuela...
That type of economy does not do well with change...
Why not? That is a long and short story...
mostly...government control prevents the reasonable allocation of the factors of production.

so...don't point the finger at weather when the real cause is bad government...

money would fix it...no food? buy food? to buy food you need money? how do you get money? TRADE
you must have something to sell...something other people value...
but government tends to stand in the way...taking a cut...and the cut finally reaches the bone and the heart and kills some people...
the right way to fix the world is to stop trying to fix it...get rid of all the obstacles to trade...the rules and regulations...the subsidies and price controls...the rewards for failure and the punishments for success.

Stepping In Poop

STEPPING IN POOP

Assume our goal is to make it through each day without stepping in poop.

Ways to do that

1. do not walk at all

2. check thoroughly for poop and pick it all up or remember where it is and avoid it.

3. be constantly vigilant for poop and avoid it

4. never walk in the dark or step where you cannot see

5. never assume there is no poop

6. in spite of your best efforts every once in a while you will step in poop

7. don't walk around places where you know there is a lot of poop (if you must go where there is a lot of poop be extra careful)

8. if you are doing a lot of things all at once you are more likely to step in poop

9. if anyone tells you there is no poop, don't believe them

10. you may discover that you have a perverse desire to step in poop. You need to work on that.

11. go ahead and step in it you can probably clean it up

Tax The Billionaires?

Don't!
I think Bill Gates does more good with his wealth than the folks in Washington would do with it.

In fact...people almost always do more good with their own money than the government does when it taxes it away from them.

More Successful?

I'm doing a Spoon River for an acting class.
The teacher told us to imagine what question we are answering.
I thought that the question might be...
"WHY HAVEN'T YOU ACHIEVED MORE?"

my son observed that a good answer to such a question would be...
"WHY ARE YOU AN ASSHOLE?"

Strength From Weakness

"My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather glory in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Cor. 12:9

One of my resolutions for 2015 is HUMILITY. Like all these good words...the meaning is vast and yet very simple.

Most of our trouble and pain and suffering is the result of selfishness. In the sense of putting our attention on ourselves.
Most of our joy and happiness comes when we put our attention on something else...a cute baby...a glorious sunset...a delicious meal...a smile....
Humility is when we forget ourselves with the understanding that we are weak and not in control of the cosmos. When we look and see how wonderful the world is...a world we did little to create.
When we are grateful for what we have been given...not resentful about something we want.

And the miracle is that as we approach a state of humility...a power will come in that helps us to do good deeds.

So remember what power is and strength and weakness and sufficiency and gladness and forget yourself and your selfishness and be glad in this day that THE LORD has made.

hot stuff

not really

Big Lie Continues

Can you believe anything our government says?

EBOLA

I am not worried about it. But our big CDC guy has kept saying things that turn out not to be true
That is sort of pitiful

So, we have a guy with Ebola, he sort of snuck in. He gets treated in Texas and dies.
But now TWO health care workers who took care of him are testing positive for the virus.

OK
WE were told it is not a problem here for us because our procedures are so good.  yeah....
So our guys underestimate the risk
and the consequences are not good

we just don't know what will happen and we can't trust our experts

WOW
what a revelation
YOU CAN'T TRUST EXPERTS!!!!