Barefoot Running and Macroeconomics

Are we making any progress?
Sometimes I find myself wondering, as a whole, have we really made any progress?


I was listening to the radio the other day when I hard an interesting story about economics.  I know you're thinking, "How can economics be interesting?".  It was about a TV producer that was listening to a pod cast on economics and the financial melt down that we have been slugging through for sometime now.  The producer really liked how this econ professor was explaining things and wondered why more of the media did not present things this way.  Then, realizing that he was the media, he decided to contact the professor and start a project together to present economics in a more modern and enjoyable way.  This video was the result.





More information on their work together can be found at econstories.tv.

If you take the time to watch the video and listen to the lyrics.  The entire economic meltdown and bailout by the government has been debated for over a century.  And this is as far as we have come...

So how does barefoot running come in?  Well, I'm a runner.  And again, I was listening to the radio and a story about barefoot running came on... so right away I was paying attention.  The story was about a study that had been done showing how the human foot is really designed for barefoot running and when we run in running shoes, we run less efficiently and may be more likely to cause injury.  They are going to study the second part of this next.

So here is my point.  I know that we have developed many great inventions, and done all sorts of amazing things.  But are they really helping us?  Did the invention of the shoe and the subsequent development of running shoe technology make us bad runners?  Did years of debating macroeconomic theory make us any less likely to plummet into recession?  Well... I guess not.

A friend of mine posted this quote the other day that really made me think about this...

The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to ... work, instead of living on public assistance.  Cicero - 55 BC

If we really have any hope of really making progress, maybe technology and economic theory are not the right things to look to for guidance.  Maybe we need to really start looking somewhere else...

The Silent Witness

Today's post is in contrast to, but meant to go hand in hand with this post about our words having power.

The Silent Witness

Not a single word left his lips, but his actions spoke volumes.

Go and tell the world – let them know the truth
Show them through your actions everything you are

He told us everything he could – but never spoke a single word
He told us all – he told you and me…
But I never spoke to him.

- think about what you do
- His eyes are watching you
- your actions have consequences

You scream at them but they will never hear your words
Because your actions are more deafening and visible to all.

Remember, not only do our words have power, but so do our actions.  Sometimes our actions speak much louder than our words.

With words like bullets...

...who needs pens and swords.  Our words have power.  Everyone has heard the adage "The pen is mightier than the sword", but often we do not realize just how powerful our words can be.  It is so much more than the words we choose.  There is also power in how we say the words.  Our tone, the volume of our voice, the words we choose not to say, when we say something...

This idea was the origin of my blog title.  Through out my life, I have come to realize the importance of words - spoken and written.  With our words we have the power to build people up and we have the power to tear people down.   I think that we often do not hold this power in high regard and in turn we destroy relationships and also give people bad opinions of us.  And try as we might we can not take back our words or erase the moments when we could have reacted differently.

Whether it is how we talk to our kids, or the careless words that slide out when we are with friends, or the promises we make but never keep.  Our tongues can be powerful and destructive instruments.  OR... if we are careful and show compassion we can try to tame this instrument and spread kindness and love.

Let's all try and use our words carefully.

His name is...

If someone that knew everything about you
All the good and the bad
Loved you so much
Unconditionally
That they took a bullet for you
And died so that you wouldn’t have to

Would you love them back?
Would you do one simple thing for them?

If this person was always there for you
Whenever you needed someone
Always reassured you
Showed you through
Any troubles big and small
With no strings attached

Would you love them back?
Would you put your trust in them?

I know someone who has done this for me
He is always there for my every need
He died for me even though I didn’t deserve it
And all he asked in return was that I believe in him
And share his story with others
And try my best to live by his example even though
I will never be good enough to deserve the things he has given me
But by his grace he will continue to give and give

Would you like to know him too?

L'Union Fait La Force

The Haitian national motto is "L'Union Fait La Force" - Unity Makes Strength.

Unity makes strength, what a beautiful concept.  The US national motto used to be "E Pluribus Unum" - One From Many.  But we seem to have forgotten how to act as one.  Whether it be congressmen arguing like preschoolers over important issues like healthcare, or churches arguing over the right way to worship.  We just can't seem to act as one anymore.  Unity does make strength, but you first need unity.  With out unity we all will individual fall.  Together, the things we can accomplish are great.  This togetherness is colorblind, borderless, forgiving, holds no grudges, has no political party, plays no favorites, shows amazing grace, and would be incredible if we could ever make it happen.

I used to write a lot...

I used to write a lot.  I would write about all kinds of things - love, politics, religion... deep things.  I like to think and when I would get fired up, I would write.  Well, I used to get fired up about things because I was upset about them.  Then I fell in love and got married and have two kids.  I don't get that upset anymore. So...  I quit writing.  I used to also write songs.  Well... I'm back (at least I'm going to start writing again, the music will be back sometime).

So, welcome to my blog.

About me...

Everything you ever wanted to know about me...
Well, maybe not everything.  I never liked to write about myself, so I'll keep this short.
I have an amazing wife, Jodi.  I love her so much.  I have two awesome sons, Dylan and Lincoln.  I am an engineer for Evenflo designing child restraints and performing dynamic finite element analysis.  You are probably bored reading that last sentence... so here is some more fun stuff.  I like to read and really have a passion for learning.  I enjoy writing even though I have not done that much for a few years.  I play a handful of different instruments and write music.  I have played in several bands and probably will play in more.  Also some day I would love to talk to you about a man I know that died for me and you.