“By a continuing process of inflation, government can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.” ---John Maynard Keynes “It is a way to take people’s wealth from them without having to openly raise taxes. Inflation is the most universal tax of all.” ---Thomas Sowell Prices are the exchange rates between money and goods and services. If rates of money growth exceed growth rates in the production of goods and services, prices will rise. Inflation refers to a persistent increase in prices. Inflation is caused by too rapid growth in the money supply. Since the Federal Reserve controls the money supply, inflation is caused by the Federal Reserve. When I was in graduate school in economics, this connection between inflation and too rapid growth in the new money was so theoretically and empirically well-documented by Milton Friedman and others that any student forgetting this relationship would have failed. Astoundingly, the current …
Post 9 – Grief
Grief has to be the least sought after aspect of this worldly experience, yet it hits us all. In A Grief Observed, the Christian writer C.S. Lewis documents his emotions and thoughts after the loss of his wife. The book documents his journey through his initial anger and grief to thankfulness for the time with his wife. My cousin and his wife lost their daughter in a car wreck when she was a junior in high school. I saw then that losing a child is the worst. In my last post, I told you about Ashley Fry and Henry Engel, and their unique positions in the Rett Syndrome community. Due to Richard Engel's presence on television, the public shared in the Engel's Rett Syndrome journey. Mary paid honor to this public by communicating her experience at the loss of Henry in document that is as emotionally charged as it is well written. I am sharing Mary's text with you. Grief is powerful when love is powerful. If you have not done so already, please first read the post about …
Post 8 – Ashley and Henry
Post 8 - Ashley and Henry Two “famous” people in the Rett Syndrome community are my daughter, Ashley, and the late Henry Engel. On August 15, 2019, Judy, Ashley, and I joined Richard, Mary, and Henry for an afternoon visit in Houston. The Engels were in Houston for research involving Henry. There is a bond between parents of children with Rett Syndrome. This meeting, however, had another element to it. It was a special celebration of two individuals with the dubious honor of being among the most well-known people in the world with Rett Syndrome. Judy and Richard Engel with Ashley Clifford, with Mary, Richard, and Henry Engel Judy, Mary, and Richard with Henry and Ashley Ashley Ashley was the first person in Texas to be diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, and one of the first in the nation, after Rett Syndrome became known in the U.S. Ashley …
Post 7 – Aggie Jokes and Aggie’s Jokes
I arrived at Texas A&M in the fall of 1963. I was 17 years old and the only one in my high school class in Kingsville that year to attend Texas A&M. At the time, Aggie jokes were common in Texas, and none of them were flattering. A friend of mine told me that some Aggie jokes were the same as Polack jokes up north, which derided those from Poland. However, some were too specific to Texas A&M to be shared by those from Poland. Aggies at that time came primarily from small towns, farms, and ranches. Most of the Aggies in my class had little money, so we differed from "teasips" in the elite fraternities at the University of Texas, which we affectionately referred to as "TU". However, we expected nothing from others, and we were used to hard work, and I know for many of my college colleagues that paid off well in life. Ol’ Sarge, a depiction created by Pete Tumlinson from the Texas A&M class of 1942, was a common image around campus. Ol’ Sarge was a …
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Post 6 – Dylan’s Nobel Prize
Bob Dylan and the Nobel Prize for Literature On October 16, 2016, the Swedish Academy accepted the recommendation of the Nobel Committee on Literature and awarded Bob Dylan the Nobel Prize in literature. They indicated that he received this great honor "…for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition." The award triggered diverse reactions. Some said, “It’s about time!” The Canadian poet singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, when asked his opinion of the decision, said, “It’s like pinning a medal on Mount Everest for being the highest mountain.” Others were appalled. Jason Pinter, author of the book The Fury, among others, responded, “If Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Prize for literature, then I think Stephen King should get elected to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame.” The award raises questions about the boundaries of literature. Can anything beyond a book or short story be literature? Can scripts for plays be literature? How about …
Post 4 – Is Your Ancestor a Monkey?
Why did I write a book? Inspiration of sorts, for sure.Since I am getting older rather quickly it seems, I thought it time to ask how I got here. If you go to church, what do you hear? You hear about a creator. If you go to some schools, what you hear? A creator is anti-science. We evolved from purely natural causes over millions of years. Since I go to church and to academia, I figured something is wrong somewhere. They both cannot be right. So, which is right? I began investigating and realized I could not keep in my head everything I was encountering. I wrote it down. Hence, the book.Are you created by God? Or is your ancestor a monkey? If you want to be able to explain your answer, give my book a chance. I was recently contacted by the Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture, which is housed on the University of Texas campus. The Austin Institute provides students and faculty there a place to discuss ideas outside of a classroom setting. Check out my …