The Economy

I have been, along with the rest of the country, concerned about the current economic situation.  I've made some attempts to understand the situation, and here are my thoughts so far.

I've lived in a socialist country-- the Netherlands (aka Holland).  Although people are people wherever you go, there are some clear differences between life in the Netherlands vs the US, caused by differences in government.

In the Netherlands people rely on the government to provide for most of their needs.  While this may seem lovely and charitable in a Robin Hood sort of way, the reality is that they have a disincentive to work.  Trying to find a plumber when your bathroom is spouting water can be a huge challenge.  Why?  After earning a certain amount each year, the rest is taxed 100%.  By the end of the year, most workers have earned all they are allowed to keep, so why work anymore?  For the common good?  Yeah, right.

If you need to go to the doctor, you have one choice only-- the doctor the government has assigned to your neighborhood.  (Think public schools in the US.  You go where you are assigned.)  Charming idea-- neighborhood doctors.  But what if the guy assigned to your neighborhood barely passed medical school? Oh well.  And since doctors are paid by the government a set salary, they have no incentive to actually cure anyone, no need to attract patients.  Whether you get better or not, they are paid the same.  And since their clients are assigned to them, nice bedside manners are completely optional.  (It may seem they are in the US, too.  But at least we have choices.  If Dr. One is a total jerk, we can go see Dr. Two.)  

So what does all this have to do with the US economy?

Well, I happen to believe that the government should govern.  Not run our lives.  Because I think things run more smoothly when the bureaucrats keep their paws out of the stew.  I don't want the government taking control of our companies, our money, and our lives any more than they already have.  In fact, if they'd back off a bit, I'd be thrilled.

If all this has been caused by debt-- families unable to pay their mountains of debt, homes going into foreclosure, companies failing because of too much debt-- then why would we want to pass this all along to our government?  If families, mortgage holders, and huge Wall Street companies can fall from excess debt, then so can governments.  And, flawed as it may be, I am rather partial to the US government.  I really don't want them to collapse financially.  And I really don't want to set a precedent for the government owning, and bailing out, private companies.  (Go ahead, say the precedent has already been set.  But if we've made a mistake in the past, does that mean we should keep making it?)

I'm relieved the $700 billion deal didn't go through.  To be honest, I'm disgusted with Bush's repeated grabs for more power.  An unnecessary war, NCLB, and now the government soaking up debt for private companies-- this has got to stop.  I think the $700B deal is an attempt to stop the economy from failing on his watch-- "Just patch things together long enough for me to get out of office, and then let them collapse."  We, as individuals, companies, and a country, have made some bad choices, and now we are facing the consequences of our actions. 

Rebecca

-who does, btw, support a resolution to the situation in Iraq.  We can't just destroy another government and an entire country and then go home.  We have to help clean up. 

  

Ok... one more thing...

Take a look at Sadie's blog-- linked at the right, a little down, under family sites.  (She's my sister, in case you don't know, and was recently seen in Saving LiZZy Fish, the hit movie.)  She has posted the cutest pictures of my girls at BYU!  And herself, too!  I have such cute kids and sisters!  Not to brag, of course.  I'm just stating the obvious.  

A slide show test run

But also...

My apologies.  I think I got a bit negative with that last post.  (And if you're reading this on the blog, you're reading the new post before the old post.  Forgive me.  Technology.)

Sometimes life is hard, that's true.  But sometimes it's also wonderful.

Sometimes your daughters call from college to tell you about a cool new dance, and just to talk, and you can tell they love you.  Sometimes your son gets to work on a historic ship right here in northern VA, without the drive to Jamestown, and it doesn't start to rain till he's done.  Sometimes the pharmacy is still open at night when your son really needs his kidney meds.  Sometimes not only do you get to visit with your friend, but your kids play nicely-- without fighting!-- right where you can see them.  Sometimes your daughter comes home from play practice bubbling with happiness and excitement.  Sometimes you have all the ingredients to make bagel pizzas for lunch, even all-natural pepperoni.  Sometimes your teen-aged son helps cook dinner for the girls at church, all of his own accord.  And sometimes your kids cheerfully take care of themselves and are kind to each other while you run to the pharmacy.

All in one day!

Yes... what's a girl to do?

After ranting on her blog about how hard life can be, she might just feel better and notice that life can also be pretty darn good.  

But she'll still take that Mom's Night Out.     

Sometimes

Sometimes life is just hard.

Sometimes the other kids snub your child.  You forget important appointments.  Your doctor calls to tell you your tests are all normal so there's nothing wrong-- even though you feel like you've been trampled by elephants.  It rains-- reminding you your car tires have No tread left as you skid on wet pavement.  You come home to that flooded-basement smell.  Again.  Your son's kidney stone is making him cry.  And when you finally reach your husband by phone at 9 pm, it's on his office phone.  

All in one day!

What's a girl to do?

My current ideas:

Tell those goody-goody tweens who snubbed your daughter that their jeans look ridiculous, and you're sorry about their Really Bad hair day.

You can avoid all missed appointments if you just stop making appointments!  Who needs appointments?

Pull that doctor's diploma-- frame and all-- off the wall, and hide it under a stack of those flimsy, too-short, paper gowns while he's chatting with the nurse.  Flatly refuse to tell where it is until he figures out what the heck is causing the elephant stampede.  (This won't be during an appointment, of course.  You'll be a walk-in.)

Just quit driving.  Since you've given up appointments, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.  Order out for groceries.

Move to Texas.  They don't have basements.  (Oh, yes.  hurricanes.  Move inland.)  

And finally, call the top generals at the Pentagon and let then know, in no uncertain terms, that the whole $7 billion Congress is debating won't be enough to cover your husband's overtime, but you guess you'd be willing to let them start there.  Assuming they let your husband deliver the check to you in person.  Tonight.

And finally, schedule a Mom's Night Out.

I have now revealed my list of things to do tomorrow.  And at least one of them I'm actually going to do.

I'll let you guess which.

 

Princess Ben

She's fat, somewhat of a slob, interested only in herself, and a princess.  And I finished reading the book about her in about 24 hours.  In fact, when I woke up this morning I laid there and thought, "...morning... yawn... should get up.... Princess Ben!"  And I was out of bed, flying to the shower so I could get in a minute of reading before driving the kids to violin.  I laughed and cried and reread sections thinking, "Did she just say that?  Ha!  She did!"  It's a fairy tale worth reading.  Five stars.

DNA

While researching ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, I came across a very bizarre, but somewhat useful website on the Sumerian pantheon.  While it had lots of useful insights to Sumerian mythology and connections to other mythologies and religions around the world, it also proposed a somewhat unusual idea:  That humans on earth are the result of a genetic experiment by aliens from other planets, and that the experiment will end in the year 2012.  My first thought was- "The presidential elections are even more useless than I thought they were!"  Compared to the alien genetic experiment ending, Obama and McCain are nothing.

Phew!  That's a relief.

This did present a whole host of other questions the web site did not address, like What will the aliens do with us when their experiment is over?  And, Are the experimentees who are aware of their fate planing to do anything about it?  Build a spaceship and leave?  Beg the aliens for a little more time?  Join them?  Hmmm...  so many possibilities to consider.

But I digress.  What I really wanted to talk about was DNA.  The above mentioned web site also proposed that the ancient symbol of health-- two snakes twined about a pole-- was actually a representation of DNA left behind by the aliens.  What an idea.

Perhaps this stuck in my head because I've been thinking a lot about DNA recently.  Have you ever considered the pros and cons of being built from DNA?  Pros: You are a composite of your ancestors' DNA, including (most likely) their health, IQs, food choices (which can alter DNA), toxic exposures, etc.  Cons:  You are a composite of your ancestors' DNA, including their health, IQs, food choices, toxic exposures, etc.

How is this a pro?  Well, for one thing, as a parent raising biological offspring, you know what ballpark your child will be in.  You may think they are in left field sometimes, but at least they're not in a different solar system.  If Johnny gets sick you know to consider Uncle Joe's diabetes and Aunt Edith's paranoia.  Suzy's IQ may floor you, but you're at least likely to be able to carry on a conversation with her.  

How is this a con?  Well, that toxic lab you or your parents worked in years ago may manifest itself in Johnny's health.  And Grandpa Smith's tobacco addiction may haunt your whole family for generations to come.  And like it or not, what ever is wrong with your DNA is likely to be wrong with your kids' as well.

Then of course, if you adopt a child there is no "insert new family's DNA here" port, so when Johnny is in the hospital with odd symptoms-- good luck!  And talking to Suzy may be like trying to discuss the baseball game only to find out she's playing in a hockey rink up in Siberia.

And what about evolution?  (Disclaimer: I am a creationist who believes in evolution.  While you'd think this would endear you to everyone, it actually just ticks everyone off.)  I am completely certain that God created the universe, and that he's still alive and well and running the show.  I also know that even the most die-hard anti-evolutionists can't argue with the fact that over-use of antibiotics has led to changes in the germs we're trying to avoid.  This is evolution right before our very eyes, folks.  I'm sorry, but you just have to deal with it.  It's real.

So, why is it still the Theory of evolution?  Why not the Law of evolution?  Like gravity? Because there are actually two parts to the Theory.  

1) Living organisms can change and evolve to better suit their environment.  Proven.  Again and Again and again.  The antibiotic example is only one of many.

2) Living organisms can change and evolve so much that they become entirely different living organisms.  Theory.  While it may follow (somewhat) logically from #1, we have no direct evidence for this type of evolution at all.  Forget the "missing link", we're actually looking for any links. 

But what about DNA?  Don't we share huge amounts of DNA with palm trees?  Doesn't this prove something?  

Yes, we do.  And undoubtedly it does.  But what, exactly?  Looking at it from a purely scientific standpoint, it is still Just A Theory.  We can like the theory all we want, but that doesn't make it real.  Because, like it or not...

truth exists.

It always has.  It always will.   

Galileo proposed that the earth went around the sun.  (Which was not a new idea, btw.  It was a very old one being re-proposed.)  This didn't fit with the current politically correct (or religiously correct) view point, but it was still true, and all the arguments against it couldn't change the truth.

And the fact is, God either did create everything, or he didn't.  He either exists, or her doesn't.  We either evolved from plankton, or we didn't.  We are either the result of an alien genetic experiment or we're not.  And all the wanting and wishing and debating in the world can't change the truth.  

Truth exists.

We can just do our investigations in hopes that we come know what is true.   Sometimes, like Galileo with the earth, we hit it right on.  Sometimes we don't.  Sometimes the world loves us for getting it right.  Sometimes it doesn't.  But none of that changes what is true.  Truth exists.

Which brings me to the question:  How do we really know something?  But that is a topic for another day.  (Go ahead-- sigh with relief.)  

Rebecca

who forgot to mention that you have DNA both in the nucleus of each cell and in your mitochondria-- and they are not the same.  Cool, huh?  And they are passed along in different ways, too.  But that is also a topic for another day.