Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Nine schools of economics explained

http://www.businessinsider.com/table-different-schools-of-economics-2014-6?IR=T

From the man who bought you "the shortest economic textbook in the world"; and "13 things Economists won't tell you", here is Ha-Joon Chang's ultimate pocket guide to the differences (and similarities) between all the economic schools of thought.

Read more: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-06-25/pocket-guide-understanding-different-schools-economics

The Shady Bunch

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Old, tired re-runs, pushing progressive/socialist ideas that have been failing Americans for 100 years.

The golf game wedding snafu in Hawaii

I think the biggest non-story this week is Obama's golf game forcing a military couple to change their wedding plans. I don't think much of Obama as a president, but are we really to believe he personally arranges his golf games? This is a matter of security, and lately his security has been very lax. And so was that of the golf course, which made the decision. Someone should be fired for not noticing the mix up before it became a news story. He should send them a nice gift—a phone call doesn’t do it.

With so many scandals to choose from, I hate to see conservatives wallowing in stuff like this that he had no control over. We had something similar happen at our daughter's wedding in 1993. The senior pastor decided he needed the kitchen of the church to feed Billy Graham volunteers for one of his crusades in town that week. We'd had the fellowship hall for the reception reserved for 9 months--paid up front. Fortunately we had a great Christian caterer, who managed to work the kitchen by preparing the food elsewhere and bringing it in. I was one unhappy Mother of the Bride and had a real melt down. I think Joanie Poynter, our niece and the maid of honor, was the peace maker, and it wasn't even her church. Always helps to have a cool head. And that wouldn't be me. Ever.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Rip Van Sanders emerges from Sleepy Hollow

Democrats haven't had a single new idea in 100 years, and Bernie's 12 points prove it. Democrats are old, tired, and running on fumes of slogans like "hope and change." They have no one on the bench except Hillary. No governors; no young exciting Senators.  They rallied around Barack Obama in 2008 and abandoned him in 2010 and 2014.   I've heard this my entire life-- improve infrastructure, raise minimum wage, throw a bone to the women (even though recent graduates out earn men), more education to keep the liberal profs employed, progressive income tax.  We have done it all, Rip Van Sanders, wake up. It's the 21st century.

 http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/12/bernie_sanderss_12point_socialist_plan_for_america.html#.

What would de Blasio tell Malik’s mom?

Gee, I wonder if de Blasio warned his bi-racial son about this, or are the police keeping his neighborhood safe for his kids?

“Sometimes he wants to go over to my sister’s house nearby, to hang out with his cousins, but he can’t because he has to cross gang lines and walk past all these gang members on some of those blocks. And all he ever hears on the news about our neighborhood is shootings, gangs and violence. Malik knows he’s not safe,” she said." (Chicago Sun Times)

I don't think Obama's letter to Malik will do much for the boy--" Please know your security is a priority for me in everything I do as President." He’s done nothing for blacks or Chicago in 6 years.  Instead,  Obama has invited race hustlers like Sharpton to the White House, and Eric Holder who thinks there are too many black criminals in prison is on his staff.

Losing our tech touch—Monday Memories

“Young people in Britain have become a lost generation who can no longer mend gadgets and appliances because they have grown up in a disposable world, the professor giving this year’s Royal Institution Christmas lectures has warned. “

It happens. I didn't know the simplest skills like plucking a chicken or cleaning the wick on a kerosene lamp or putting the bit in the draft horse's mouth that my blind grandmother could do with ease.  There was a time (in my teen years) when I knew how to change a flat tire.  I used to know how to thread a 55 year old sewing machine. And in my 50s, I could code html for a web page. I hope I don't lose my ability to make an apple sour cream pie--I've never written down the instructions. A German immigrant housekeeper who worked for my grandparents would make that for an after school snack for the children (my mom and her sibs) after the long cold walk from the country school, Pineview,  uphill both ways, carrying a cello (or so the story went).

 

Pineview

My mom, second from left, front row, and her brother Clare, second from right, back row.

BulletProof coffee—new word

It’s coffee with a dollop of butter. Supposedly energizing. These directions sound way over done.  But since I prefer Half n Half in my coffee, a bit of butter wouldn’t be a stretch.  I’ve even tried coconut oil. I use decaf, but might try this.  The blender idea sounds good. Remember when butter was demonized? Remember when white margarine came in bags, with a color button so no one would be confused that it might be butter.  As a child, that was my job to mix the butter—it was great fun.  Then came sticks and tubs; then came the warnings about how bad it was for us.  I switched to butter about 2-3 years ago. Everything tastes better.

5 Steps To Bulletproof Your Coffee

#1 Make coffee: Brew coffee as you normally would.  Make sure it’s the right kind of coffee. [ad for a type], read this post to find the best coffee in your area. Use a brown paper filter.

#2 Pre-heat blender: Boil extra water and pour it into a blender while your coffee brews to pre-heat the blender.

#3 Froth: Empty hot water from the now pre-heated  blender and add the brewed coffee, butter, and MCT oil.  Blend  until there is a thick layer of foam on top like a latte. A Blend-tec or Vitamix blender will do it quickly, a normal countertop blender takes longer, and a hand blender works ok if you don’t have a real blender.

#4  (optional) Add cinnamon, vanilla, dark chocolate,  or a sweetener like Stevia, erythritol, or xylitol (this is technically a sacrilege if you use awesome beans, but some people love their mocha…)

#5 : Put on a satisfied look and enjoy the high performance buzz from your creamy mug of Bulletproof Coffee as you watch your chubby, tired coworkers eat low-fat yogurt and twigs for breakfast.  It’s almost unfair.

178.4 miles to Indy

I'm on my way to Indianapolis to see my sister-in-law Jeanne on my exercycle. So far I've gone 13.2 miles beginning Thursday the day after Christmas.  I don't have a fit bit or chart, I'm just jotting down the mileage.

Driving

Powerspin 210

Spaghetti and meatballs—healthy in modest portions

“Thanks to the iron and protein from the beef, lycopene from the tomato sauce and energy-producing carbs from the pasta, this dish is a healthy trifecta. If you stick to modest portions and lean beef, you can enjoy its benefits without overdoing it. Limit yourself to three ounces of meat and a cup of cooked pasta per serving. Pump up the health benefits by using whole-wheat pasta and adding mushrooms to the meatballs to add fiber and cut fat.”

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This was on one of those ubiquitous internet lists, “10 foods that are healthier than you think.”  I thought I’d stop while I was ahead. Beef has become so expensive, it’s not difficult to “stick to modest portions.” With a nice green salad with lots of veggies, and maybe some garlic buttered bread,  this is my idea of the perfect mid-winter dinner.

Reminds me of some pets I know

Look familiar?

Sunday, December 28, 2014

There’s a reason for the perceptions—behavior

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw1lrfFN2HM#t=27

Jason Riley of the Wall Street Journal, who always has facts to back up what he says.

She had to face down a true believer at a social event

“At this point, one of the spouses, whom I’ll call Tiny Tim, announced that Obamacare would correct all this. Everyone, he said, will get better insurance and better medical care, all for a lower price, and there will be no more uninsured. (Hmm…. Where have I heard that before?) I rained on his parade by saying that many of the uninsured were not lining up to buy insurance. Instead, those enrolled under Obamacare were often previously covered people who had been forced onto Obamacare when they lost their own insurance. (See my discussion about that issue here.) Moreover, those who did not qualify for subsidies were seeing substantial increases in their premiums and deductibles, caused in part by increasing medical costs.

At this point, I offered not a statistic but an example: I know a woman from one of my conservative groups. She’s single, self-employed, in her high 50s or low 60s, and was forced onto Obamacare at the end of 2013. When I saw her at a luncheon about three months ago, she was livid. She’d liked her old insurance, which was affordable and provided the coverage the wanted. Her new policy after she lost her old one doubled her premium and her deductible, and saw her paying for a lot of things she didn’t need or want (such as fertility treatments).

Somehow this anecdote enraged Tiny Tim. He drew himself up to his full height of 5’2″ (I am not exaggerating), tried to lean over the table to get into my face (something you can’t do when your short), shook his stubby little finger at me and, with spittle flying from his mouth, announced that I was a liar. “There is no such woman. You’re lying! Lying!” Let’s just say he failed to intimidate me.”

Obama true believers can’t face it.

My run in with an Obamacare Fanatic. “Conservatives deal with facts and reach conclusions; liberals have conclusions and sell them as facts.”

Just good colors

Just looked at my FB photo--wearing the same sweater and scarf to church today. It's the reason I always ask my daughter for clothes for birthday and Christmas. Although she hasn't noticed the weight gain, so I had to remind her this year I no longer wear an S. I had to return the birthday outfit this year for a little skosh in the watchamacallit.

Later: I got so many comments and compliments.

Martha and me

If you wake up in the middle of the night (and can change rooms) turn on Martha Stewart. The other night she made a roux (white sauce) out of sour cream and flour. That was it. So I tried it on Christmas Eve, and it's so simple and tastes really good on hot vegetables. A bit more pizzazz. She said you can add it to hot broth (when making soup) and the sour cream won't separate.

I’ve checked the internet to see if this is listed, but didn’t see it. Really, it wasn’t a dream.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Quiz on heart disease—I got about 70%

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, killing more women than all forms of cancer combined. One in four women die of heart disease, while one in 30 die of breast cancer. Obesity isn’t the biggest risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 39.5% of Americans are at risk for heart disease because of inactivity. The percentages of U.S. adults with other key risk factors are: obesity, 33.9%; high blood pressure, 30.5%; cigarette smoking, 20.8%; high cholesterol, 15.6%; and diabetes, 10.1%.

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/rm-quiz-heart-myths

Internet users say they are better informed than 5 years ago

I'm definitely better informed about some rather specialized things than I was 5 years ago--my 2nd cousins once removed, Beyonce and the Kardashians, crazy scandals of the Obama administration, but I think I know less local stuff since we no longer get a newspaper. I did all my research for my new kitchen appliances on the internet, and they still are not properly installed and we're looking at January 2015 (purchased in September). I don't use a cell phone except to call my son, but I saw a woman at Kohl's this morning doing amazing things with hers that I didn't even know were possible. I'm using the internet more for recipes, and my own file less. Data isn't information isn't knowledge isn't wisdom, as the sign in my office used to say.

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Better off and better educated Americans are more likely to say the internet helps their ability to learn new things

http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/12/08/better-informed/

Report is based an online probability survey conducted September 12-18, 2014 among a sample of 1,066 adult internet users, 18 years of age or older.

Is this the worst Christmas song ever?

“Do They Even Know It’s Christmas?” is voted as the worst Christmas song ever by this writer at a Catholic site. It's from Band Aid 1984. He says it disrespects Africa and has images of neo-colonialism. However, efforts to end poverty or hunger always improve the heart of the giver, and rarely the recipient in the long term, in my opinion.

http://www.catholicismusa.com/worst-christmas-song-ever-po…/

Frankly, I didn’t remember it, even when I found it on the internet it brought back no memories.  But it must mean a lot to some because there were people defending it, believing they had made a difference.

http://thefederalist.com/2014/12/03/do-they-know-its-christmas-is-the-worst-christmas-song-ever/

http://www.acton.org/pub/commentary/2014/12/17/worst-christmas-song-ever

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was released in 1984 as part of Band Aid, an effort organized by Bob Geldof in response to a famine that struck the east African nation of Ethiopia. The song certainly captures the spirit of the season, as its charitable aims are noble enough. The problem, however, is in how these good intentions are translated into word and deed. The song describes Africa largely as a barren wasteland, “Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears.” It continues in this vein. Africa, the onetime breadbasket of the Roman Empire and home of the Nile River is a land “where nothing ever grows, no rain nor rivers flow.” The title question likewise plays into the supposed desperation of the continent. The only “Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom.” The response to this call is supposed to be charity from the affluent West, to “feed the world” and thereby “let them know it’s Christmastime again.”

https://medium.com/@magattew/stop-raising-money-for-relief-and-start-investing-in-africa-bd5c44a75557

In 1984, when Geldof’s first African Christmas song was released, no one thought of investing in Africa. Since then, China and India have already begun their path to prosperity.

Now some of the fastest growing nations on earth are African. Yes, Ebola is an urgent humanitarian cause that must be addressed, but we have long passed the point where it is legitimate (if it ever was) to re-enforce the stereotypes of a billion people when we have a very specific health crisis at hand.

Update on Miley the rescued Husky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guXVL-mMcbI

Includes a cute Chihuahua called Frankie in the story who became Miley’s friend. I watched an interview with her new owner today on Fox News.  Her dogs and her husband had died.  She was one of about 500 who applied to be Miley’s owner and says the dog has save HER.  She’s the one shown in the back ground taking photos and from the looks of her home, Miley is one lucky dog.

Maisie Dobbs mysteries

Maisie Dobbs

If I didn't belong to a book club, I'd probably never read fiction. But last year the group read "Maisie Dobbs," by Jacqueline Winspear, a mystery about the aftermath of WWI. For porch reading, my husband who reads less fiction than I do, picked it up this past summer, and liked it, so our daughter found 2 for him at a Marblehead (OH) used bookstore. I bought him 5 more for Christmas. There is another (the 11th) due in 2015 and I still need the 2nd and 3rd. http://www.jacquelinewinspear.com/novels.php

Much of our culture—books, movies, history—focuses on WWII.  We forget what a terrible tragedy WWI was—lives lost and countries realigned.  The series is interesting from that point of view.

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2007/03/3601-only-7000-dead-and-wounded-today-i.html

Biblical archeology—list of resources

Bibarch.  http://www.bibarch.com/

  Seems to be a list of sources and links. Biblical archaeology, with its concentration on the Levant, deals with the study of the archaeology of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Through biblical archaeology scholars gain a fuller perception of the events and the lifeways of the peoples described in the Bible. In biblical archaeology we reconstruct the lifeways of biblical peoples and learn of the cultural change, known as cultural process, in their civilizations.

Biblical archaeology review magazine  http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/magazine/

“Biblical Archaeology Review is a one-of-a-kind archaeology magazine that acts as a bridge between the academic study of archaeology and a broad general audience eager to understand the world of the Bible better.” Written for scholars and lay people, Christians and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, Evangelicals and main line members. I signed on for a free e-book, but not sure of its direction or slant; included with e-mail updates.  I think the church library at UALC has this.

American Schools of Oriental Research http://www.asor.org/ 

Digital newsletter archives at the site. Publishes The Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (BASOR)  “a leader among peer-reviewed academic journals of the ancient Near East.”  Digitally you can read table of contents, abstracts and preview of the first page.  I could read this on JSTOR (if I’d up date my OSU record). Latest issue (in Dec. 2014) seems to be May 2014, and there are 2 issues a year.  Other features like archives of photographs. http://digilibtest.bu.edu/sth/archon-asor/index.php?p=digitallibrary/thumbnails&collectionid=32

This will be updated as I find more that interest me.