2 months Doc visit

Lily had her 2 month doctor's visit. He weighed in at 11 1/2 lbs at 23 1/2 inches long. She had 3 awful shots but she did very well and is now finally resting. We are glad to have a healthy and cute baby girl!

No Inflation if....

...if you don't want a roof over your head and you don't want to eat. I just learned that the CPI, the governments way of calculating inflation does not include the price of housing (up to about 15% a year until now) and the *core* CPI which does not include food or other energy related items. So it makes me wonder if they include 286 computers in the CPI, which I'm sure have negative value by now. Any one want to buy some gold?

On a related note, Danielle has reported that hot dogs at Walmart are up 100% from a buck-fifty to $3.00.

2 Months with Lily

Today Lily turns two months! She is growing very quickly, soon Danielle will be sorting out clothes that she is too big to wear. I have to say that God has blessed us with a beautiful baby girl. She sleeps through most nights and she love to smile and her mommy and daddy. I often times find myself rushing home to see her. I think perhaps that my favorite times with her are when I get to rock her to sleep and pay silently for her and for wisdom as a parent. I added a few more pictures to her online album.

Lily

Capitalism without failure is like religion without sin

"Capitalism without failure is like religion without sin" is my new favorite quote of the day. Danielle told me that she heard this on the news tonight. This is in reaction to the billions of dollars the Fed *Pumped* in the banking system. As far as I understand it, many banks came up short on their balance sheet at the end of the day. This was due to basically over lending to people who cannot pay back their loans. Normally when this happens banks will borrow from another bank, however this time a *panic* occurred and banks were not so willing to lend each other money. So then Fed *loaned* (*Pumped*) the banks money to cover where they were short at low interest rates around 1% and sometimes the Fed does not require the banks to pay them back. As we all should know the Fed doesn't really have the money it *pumps* into the banking system, so this money is really created out of thin air. Anytime money is created out of thin air it causes prices to go up -- inflation. So when you see then price of food goes up or college tuition goes up you can thank the people who bought houses they could not afford. (Along with a crazy powerful banking system.) Ron Paul is right, inflation is a tax on the middle class and the poor.

Rachel and Patrick

Well after nearly 1000 mile round trip to the wedding we are back home. Major congratulations to Rachel and Patrick! Enjoy the Pictures. Lily was a great little traveler!

2007.08.12 Patric and Rachels Wedding

Jim & Marisa and the Wii

WE had a good visit with Jim and Marisa. We played Ticket to Ride. I beat Jim in Football on the Play Station 2. We went to the outlet mall. Brian also let us come over and play on his Wii, ... Yeah I really want one... Enjoy the pictures.

9/11 Report

I made it through, yes I read the 9/11 commission report. I have to say I not nearly as bored out of my mind as I thought I would be. The book for the most part was very well written and very informative. It is a book that most of us should become familiar with before voting next year. I few things I will remember from the book. The inability of the government to communicate was very problematic and adding more layers of bureaucracy and is not going to help. America's foreign policy of intervention does have unintended consistences. Most importantly Americans by and large are very heroic and we must honor and remember the people who gave their lives to save others that day. Please remember to be in prayer for our nations' leaders and they have very hard choices to make in the next few months.

Gov't Credit Card Maxed Out?

National Debt Clock

Once again the United States in close to running up against its debt limit of $8,965 Billion. The Debt currently stands at 8,947 Billion and increases at a rate of 1.43 Billion a day. So in about 2 weeks the Federal Government runs out of money it can borrow. Congress must pass a law to raise this limit in order to prevent a shutdown. Since no congress person wants to be on the record of voting for more debt and since a new limit must be passed it become quite the political show down. Last time the Democratic minority forced the Republicans to vote for the debt increase. This time since the Republicans are the minority, it looks like the Democrats will have to vote for the increase of the debt limit. It could be quite the show. Also of note the federal budget for Fiscal year 2008 in due at the end of October. Since the Democrats are not getting along with Bush we have yet another opportunity for the government to shutdown if not budget deal is reached. Yeah for gridlock. Here is an interesting essay by Ron Paul back in 2004 about debt limits.

Very Happy Baby

Lily enjoys smiling and laughing. Danielle took a bunch a great pictures Enjoy!