So back in Economics 110 Dr. Wimmer mentioned that there was once a book called The Population Bomb. In this book Paul R. Ehrlich claims that due to overpopulation that there would be mass starvation "hundreds of millions would starve to death" in the 1970's and 1980's. His book was a best seller, although now people who bought the book would be called "suckers" or "Members of the Sierra Club". But there are still people who are very concerned about the population and the effect it will have on our limited resources. (To prove that Ehrlich was full of hot air Julian Simon wagered with him to show increase in population will be to our benefit)
Dr. Wimmer said that he wanted to write a book called The Real Population crisis. I am sure had he done such he would have been a laughing stock (at least by the members of the sierra club on their way to buy The Population Bomb). But it looks like years latter The Economist would be siding with him.
P.S. Look to see who has been winning the debates.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Rush-ed reply
I found it interesting that the day after I interviewed Abinadi about his interest in talk radio host Rush Limbaugh a flood of articles were written about him. (and you thought no one reads this blog).
Actually they were about the new attempt of Senator Kerry to reinstate the fairness doctrine. It's times like this that I am glad I voted for Bush. (the times are rare, so I have to enjoy them when they come).
Also in response to Abinadi's comments about Ron Paul. My feelings about him and talk radio host are summed up best by something my brother Gardner sent me in a recent email. When talking about Paul he wrote "oh and Sean Hannity doesn't like him-that helps". I don't even think Rush Limbaugh could have put it better.
Actually they were about the new attempt of Senator Kerry to reinstate the fairness doctrine. It's times like this that I am glad I voted for Bush. (the times are rare, so I have to enjoy them when they come).
Also in response to Abinadi's comments about Ron Paul. My feelings about him and talk radio host are summed up best by something my brother Gardner sent me in a recent email. When talking about Paul he wrote "oh and Sean Hannity doesn't like him-that helps". I don't even think Rush Limbaugh could have put it better.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Love him or Leave him. He's Abinadi
I have decided to start including several interviews with distinguished guest on this site. The first of such interviews was conducted with Abinadi Ayerdis.
Abinadi Ayerdis is a 27 year old student at the University of Texas in Austin where he studies computer science. His grandfather immigrated to the United States from Honduras when his father was child. His parents hard work ethic that raised them out of poverty has had a strong impact on his life. He is a lover of family, freedom, and America. Today we take a look at several of his views on politics and economics and where those views stem from. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Abinadi.
You have called yourself a “ditto head”. When did that start, and why did you start listening to Rush?
I cannot remember the exact date, but I had heard about him in high school, from friends who were into politics. So I asked my dad about him. My dad would listen on occasion and he told me a little about him. So I started tuning in and every once and a while I would listen in. And he really helped me form many of my political ideas. I have been listening over ten years now. I have read his books, I am a member of his website, and I can’t get enough of Rush Limbaugh.
It’s not like the news, you don’t tune in to hear what’s happening. You want to know the conservative spin on what’s happening. It is entertaining…it’s about the news it’s not the news. He is so good at it. It is easy to see why he is the number one talk radio host.
What had the biggest influence on you becoming conservative? Rush, your Family, or another source?
Definitely The way I grew up. Being raised in a conservative household, a conservative family, church, and area. Which isn’t said that I wasn’t exposed to liberal ideas especially in my education. But those early years played a big part. Talk radio spoke to those core beliefs that I already had.
You, like me, grew up in a relatively poor family. How does that effect your life now; economically, politically, and socially?
I was thinking about this today. I think growing up poor sparked a desire in me to not be poor. The thing was I think in my family I am 2 generations removed from extreme poverty, something you rarely see in the US. I still consider my family poor, but it is nothing compared to what my grandparents grew up with. I was able to see that my grandparents worked hard to provide a better life for there kids. And how my dad worked hard to make a life better for me. I saw my family move from poor to lower middle class.
1. I was never taught about how money works. The extent of my financial education was 1 pay your tithing 2 live within your means. But there is so much more to money. How it works, and how it can work for you. Rich families have that as a huge advantage, I think that is why poverty is such a cycle, and why it is so rare that you can break out of that cycle.
Socially, I understand poverty. I am not afraid of it and I don’t look down on it. I have friends that empathy with it and other don’t. But that is neither here or there.
Economically:
I make more money now than my dad did when I was a kid.
Politically, I don’t think money is a bad thing. I don’t look down on people with it. If you have it great. In this country anyone can make it. I really believe that. Others have done it and I think I can. So I have sought to educate my self to learn how money works, and how I can make it.
There is sort of a reverse pride that poor people take in being poor. There is nothing wrong with being poor, but some think that having money is bad…perhaps a really liberal perspective, they excuse themselves from having money. I don’t share that perspective at all. Money is not inherently good or evil…it is how we use it…it’s a tool.
You mentioned that you have sought to educate yourself. What is your take on education, how much you one should get, and how valuable it is. Is your view any different than that of your families?
My family values education. I think I have a different perspective than I do. My dad has a masters degree, he is the highest educated in the family. My generation might have post graduates and graduates. My mother has an associate’s degree and is working on a bachelors now. My family is working class. You go and get an education and then go get a job. You pay the man and then work for the man. This has worked in the past through us history. Here is how I see education. Education is paramount is so important it is everything. However education is a means to an end. In the immortal words Samuel Clemens, “you should never let schooling get in the way of your education” I think you should figure out what it is you want to do and then educate your self to do it and then go do it. It doesn’t matter how you educate yourself. If that means you go to Harvard, or the community college, you just need to learn what you need to learn. It doesn’t matter if you graduate or if you get a PhD. What matters is your ability to execute. Experience and performance outshines any degree of education. That is the bottom line. Once you wrap your head around that then you can get over yourself academically. We don’t push what you need to know. That said I don’t think the public school system doesn’t teach as well as it could. There are things worth learning that aren’t being taught.
The years following graduation can be pivotal on paving your lives path. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I would like to be a business owner. I would like to start my own business. I am trying to learn about the industry web programming and web development. I am trying to grasp that in the next couple years, and then launch a business in 5 years. Make it grow and get some cash coming my way.
Is that your dream job running your own web development business?
Yes and no, it’s a dream to own my own business, that it be a web development is happenstance. I have fallen into. I enjoy programming, the web side of programming just happened to work out for me and I don’t think it would be too difficult to launch. Ultimately I would like to own several business and real estate. I would like to be independently wealthy. So I can spend time with the family and helping people.
You mentioned spending time with your family and helping people. In what form would you like to help people once you become wealthy?
I think I would start with my family. My immediate and then my extended. I have so many strong opinions about what I’ve learned. On family and also about economics or finance.
First nothing is as important as family…nothing. I would like to share, with my family. I don’t want to be a miser; I don’t have a strong desire to have a big house or lots of land, though that will come with money. I have a desire for security and keeping my family close to me. I can see my extended family will need a lot of help. Part of that is economics, they have made poor decisions, and I would like to help them. There are lots of people who are struggling, and as conservative I need to reach out and help them. Because the liberals won’t…they just want the government to help.
In the immortal words of Ronal Reagan “the scariest thing is to have some one come to your door and to say, “Hi we are the government and we are here to help””
"Nothing is as important as Family". You are also single in a church that is very family oriented. Is getting married something that you worry about, or that you have set as a high priority?
I do not worry about getting married. I think it is very important. Considering how important I think family is. I think it is crucial that one is careful whom he picks, who he should spend eternity with. That said, I am picky. I am also not in a rush. I don’t think I am ready for marriage. I think about it and I work on it. I don not think it is right or fair to expect something from my future spouse that I don’t have. If I want a top quality life I need to be a top quality man. Not fair to want a skinny beautiful wife with a six-pack if I am corpulent.
There is a presidential election coming up. What is your opinion of the job our current president has done? And what things would you like his successor do?
Here is how I see it. I think our current president has done a fair job. Although he isn’t perfect I have a lot of issues with him, he is an important president. Since 9-11 the game has changed. Because it changed on his watch he is important. He could have done a better job, but he didn’t so what are you going to do. The important thing is to win the war, how is a topic for another discussion.
Domestically is where my problems with Bush shine. He has these views of neo conservativism that I don’t like. He spends like a liberal; he is all about big government. Especially about immigration and tax reform.
Immigration, there is something he dropped the ball on. Instead of this guest worker nonsense, if he would have taken a hard line against illegal immigration, he would have raised his numbers. He is giving liberals what they want but they can’t accept it because it’s from him. He is a good man. You know what the man stands for. Come what may you know what he is going to do. He wakes up and thinks how can I kill me some terrorist today. His poll numbers are horrible he is below 30%. So what, I am going to do what I got to do. You always know where he stands. Whether or not you agree with him is another matter.
I support him, especially in the war in terror…overall I support the war on terror.
I would like a president that is a strict constitutionalist someone who believes in the free market and capitalism. And is not afraid to vigorously pursue those ideals.
Do you think that Ron Paul is that type of candidate?
In a word yes, however like any one else. He isn’t perfect he isn’t a perfect president. I would worry about his policy on war on terror. I support him, but I don’t know how I feel about his stance on that. He would stop us from being the world police, there might be something to that, but I haven’t decided. By and large he is just the medicine America needs. You got to love him; you Gavin Gee have to love him, getting rid of public schools, Medicare, every beaurocratic monster. A reverse new deal.
Abinadi Ayerdis is a 27 year old student at the University of Texas in Austin where he studies computer science. His grandfather immigrated to the United States from Honduras when his father was child. His parents hard work ethic that raised them out of poverty has had a strong impact on his life. He is a lover of family, freedom, and America. Today we take a look at several of his views on politics and economics and where those views stem from. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Abinadi.You have called yourself a “ditto head”. When did that start, and why did you start listening to Rush?
I cannot remember the exact date, but I had heard about him in high school, from friends who were into politics. So I asked my dad about him. My dad would listen on occasion and he told me a little about him. So I started tuning in and every once and a while I would listen in. And he really helped me form many of my political ideas. I have been listening over ten years now. I have read his books, I am a member of his website, and I can’t get enough of Rush Limbaugh.
It’s not like the news, you don’t tune in to hear what’s happening. You want to know the conservative spin on what’s happening. It is entertaining…it’s about the news it’s not the news. He is so good at it. It is easy to see why he is the number one talk radio host.
What had the biggest influence on you becoming conservative? Rush, your Family, or another source?
Definitely The way I grew up. Being raised in a conservative household, a conservative family, church, and area. Which isn’t said that I wasn’t exposed to liberal ideas especially in my education. But those early years played a big part. Talk radio spoke to those core beliefs that I already had.
You, like me, grew up in a relatively poor family. How does that effect your life now; economically, politically, and socially?
I was thinking about this today. I think growing up poor sparked a desire in me to not be poor. The thing was I think in my family I am 2 generations removed from extreme poverty, something you rarely see in the US. I still consider my family poor, but it is nothing compared to what my grandparents grew up with. I was able to see that my grandparents worked hard to provide a better life for there kids. And how my dad worked hard to make a life better for me. I saw my family move from poor to lower middle class.
1. I was never taught about how money works. The extent of my financial education was 1 pay your tithing 2 live within your means. But there is so much more to money. How it works, and how it can work for you. Rich families have that as a huge advantage, I think that is why poverty is such a cycle, and why it is so rare that you can break out of that cycle.
Socially, I understand poverty. I am not afraid of it and I don’t look down on it. I have friends that empathy with it and other don’t. But that is neither here or there.
Economically:
I make more money now than my dad did when I was a kid.
Politically, I don’t think money is a bad thing. I don’t look down on people with it. If you have it great. In this country anyone can make it. I really believe that. Others have done it and I think I can. So I have sought to educate my self to learn how money works, and how I can make it.
There is sort of a reverse pride that poor people take in being poor. There is nothing wrong with being poor, but some think that having money is bad…perhaps a really liberal perspective, they excuse themselves from having money. I don’t share that perspective at all. Money is not inherently good or evil…it is how we use it…it’s a tool.
You mentioned that you have sought to educate yourself. What is your take on education, how much you one should get, and how valuable it is. Is your view any different than that of your families?
My family values education. I think I have a different perspective than I do. My dad has a masters degree, he is the highest educated in the family. My generation might have post graduates and graduates. My mother has an associate’s degree and is working on a bachelors now. My family is working class. You go and get an education and then go get a job. You pay the man and then work for the man. This has worked in the past through us history. Here is how I see education. Education is paramount is so important it is everything. However education is a means to an end. In the immortal words Samuel Clemens, “you should never let schooling get in the way of your education” I think you should figure out what it is you want to do and then educate your self to do it and then go do it. It doesn’t matter how you educate yourself. If that means you go to Harvard, or the community college, you just need to learn what you need to learn. It doesn’t matter if you graduate or if you get a PhD. What matters is your ability to execute. Experience and performance outshines any degree of education. That is the bottom line. Once you wrap your head around that then you can get over yourself academically. We don’t push what you need to know. That said I don’t think the public school system doesn’t teach as well as it could. There are things worth learning that aren’t being taught.
The years following graduation can be pivotal on paving your lives path. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I would like to be a business owner. I would like to start my own business. I am trying to learn about the industry web programming and web development. I am trying to grasp that in the next couple years, and then launch a business in 5 years. Make it grow and get some cash coming my way.
Is that your dream job running your own web development business?
Yes and no, it’s a dream to own my own business, that it be a web development is happenstance. I have fallen into. I enjoy programming, the web side of programming just happened to work out for me and I don’t think it would be too difficult to launch. Ultimately I would like to own several business and real estate. I would like to be independently wealthy. So I can spend time with the family and helping people.
You mentioned spending time with your family and helping people. In what form would you like to help people once you become wealthy?
I think I would start with my family. My immediate and then my extended. I have so many strong opinions about what I’ve learned. On family and also about economics or finance.
First nothing is as important as family…nothing. I would like to share, with my family. I don’t want to be a miser; I don’t have a strong desire to have a big house or lots of land, though that will come with money. I have a desire for security and keeping my family close to me. I can see my extended family will need a lot of help. Part of that is economics, they have made poor decisions, and I would like to help them. There are lots of people who are struggling, and as conservative I need to reach out and help them. Because the liberals won’t…they just want the government to help.
In the immortal words of Ronal Reagan “the scariest thing is to have some one come to your door and to say, “Hi we are the government and we are here to help””
"Nothing is as important as Family". You are also single in a church that is very family oriented. Is getting married something that you worry about, or that you have set as a high priority?
I do not worry about getting married. I think it is very important. Considering how important I think family is. I think it is crucial that one is careful whom he picks, who he should spend eternity with. That said, I am picky. I am also not in a rush. I don’t think I am ready for marriage. I think about it and I work on it. I don not think it is right or fair to expect something from my future spouse that I don’t have. If I want a top quality life I need to be a top quality man. Not fair to want a skinny beautiful wife with a six-pack if I am corpulent.
There is a presidential election coming up. What is your opinion of the job our current president has done? And what things would you like his successor do?
Here is how I see it. I think our current president has done a fair job. Although he isn’t perfect I have a lot of issues with him, he is an important president. Since 9-11 the game has changed. Because it changed on his watch he is important. He could have done a better job, but he didn’t so what are you going to do. The important thing is to win the war, how is a topic for another discussion.
Domestically is where my problems with Bush shine. He has these views of neo conservativism that I don’t like. He spends like a liberal; he is all about big government. Especially about immigration and tax reform.
Immigration, there is something he dropped the ball on. Instead of this guest worker nonsense, if he would have taken a hard line against illegal immigration, he would have raised his numbers. He is giving liberals what they want but they can’t accept it because it’s from him. He is a good man. You know what the man stands for. Come what may you know what he is going to do. He wakes up and thinks how can I kill me some terrorist today. His poll numbers are horrible he is below 30%. So what, I am going to do what I got to do. You always know where he stands. Whether or not you agree with him is another matter.
I support him, especially in the war in terror…overall I support the war on terror.
I would like a president that is a strict constitutionalist someone who believes in the free market and capitalism. And is not afraid to vigorously pursue those ideals.
Do you think that Ron Paul is that type of candidate?
In a word yes, however like any one else. He isn’t perfect he isn’t a perfect president. I would worry about his policy on war on terror. I support him, but I don’t know how I feel about his stance on that. He would stop us from being the world police, there might be something to that, but I haven’t decided. By and large he is just the medicine America needs. You got to love him; you Gavin Gee have to love him, getting rid of public schools, Medicare, every beaurocratic monster. A reverse new deal.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Mormons in the News.
About a week ago I told Brother Simmons since moving to texas I had seen about 10 articles in the NYtimes, Economist, and Time about Mormons. Well I have been paying closer attention lately and realized there is an article in one of those syndications almost everyday. Here are few recent ones from NPR.
Richard bushman on differences between mormons and christians
Romney's battle with evangelicals
Mormon professor at Notre Dame take on Romney
and of corse the PBS documentary. Which I might add was very well done, and listed as a must see in my book (or at least on this blog).
And not only is he a mormon, he is also a Gee
Richard bushman on differences between mormons and christians
Romney's battle with evangelicals
Mormon professor at Notre Dame take on Romney
and of corse the PBS documentary. Which I might add was very well done, and listed as a must see in my book (or at least on this blog).
And not only is he a mormon, he is also a Gee
Monday, July 02, 2007
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