Robert C Green II .com

Lew Rockwell interviewing Ron Paul. If you want the truth about our economy, listen.

Click Here

http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=477k3d8mh2wmtpc4b6h07p4hy9z83×18

This morning I had a rather invigorating meeting regarding my 401(k). This wonderful meeting stirred up some thoughts on the subject of saving for retirement.

Is it not odd that you cannot simply save money and grow wealthier because you have worked and saved and earned? In order for any of us to gain real wealth we have to stash our money away in a place where we cannot touch it (some type of retirement fund) where it will hopefully (cross your fingers) gain a substantial amount of value (hopefully more than inflation) over our lifetimes. Basically, we all invest to hedge against inflation. Wouldn’t be nice if this wasn’t the case? Oh, wait, historically it has always been the case that saving meant you were gaining wealth. This is always the case until governments start debasing currency.

That’s right – in the olden days it was mixing copper with gold, zinc with silver in order to make every coin worth less than its face value. Now it’s the printing of massive amounts of currency by central bankers. Now simply think about this – every time a new dollar is printed, each dollar in your pocket is worth less. Why? This is basic supply. The more of something there is, the less each unit is worth.

So there are my thoughts. Savings should equate to wealth. Inflation equates to robbery of your money by central bankers. Investing in retirement funds is a nuissance forced on us becuase of government intervention.

Hard work no longer pays off. It’s only if you get lucky that you actually get to keep your own money.

http://www.ideasonideas.com/2008/12/how-to-save-detroit/

Absolutely true…

Last night I watched the end of a movie called Rendition with my girlfriend. In this movie’s final scenes a young man is entering a town market with explosives attached to his body (he is a suicide bomber). As he enters the square, those who have instructed him to blow himself up in order to kill a government official are watching. At the same time his girlfriend enters, screaming his name and begging him not to do it because the government official is, surprise, her father. The boy hesitates, his superiors shoot him, the government official escapes, and the boy and his girlfriend are blown to pieces along with anyone in the surrounding area.

Now, as sad as this scene is on the surface, it makes me feel a much deeper grief. Why? This boy had found himself on this path because a government had killed his brother. Sound familiar? Governments have this tendency to kill people left and right. And while they are killing folks they have a tendency to send their own citizens to their deaths. No wonder the world hates the American government. How many sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandmothers, and grandfathers have we killed? How many sons and daughters have we embittered and filled with rage and hate? And it’s not just us. Governments all over the world do this constantly.

I love this country. I love its people. I just wish our policies were war as a last resort. I’d rather live in peace. I’d rather talk and trade with my neighbors. I’d rather have peace.

I read a very interesting article this morning by Gary North. It was called “The Top Layer of the Cake” (here). This article caught my eye for a number of reasons. The first of those reasons is that I am currently in the middle layer of the cake. I got promoted when my last living grandfather died in December 2007. Since I am now in the middle layer of the cake it would seem that I need to begin working on my legacy. The second reason is a bit more complex.

In May of 2007 I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University. I was all set to head to Virginia Tech to finish my PhD, but that never happened because, well, I was totally burnt out from pushing so hard the last few years. So time passed, I went through couple of jobs and now work as a web developer at a full service communications firm. I’ve also become a Deacon in my church and have been given the post of Technical Director at the same church. I have a good girlfriend and great community but, truth be told, I am unhappy and this has recently come out in a number of ways. The most obvious of which has been my recent battle with anxiety and anxiety attacks. (It’s funny that God always knows exactly how to get your attention) A result of this has been my re-discovery of who I am and where I should be in order to fulfill God’s will in my life while satiating the desires that He has placed in my heart. In other words, it is time for me to pursue my legacy. The only legacy that I can imagine leaving behind is one that is built around the passions that Christ has placed in my life. Thus, in order to shape my legacy, I must know my passions. What are these passions?

The first of my passions is knowledge. I am a reader. I read ferociously and ravenously. I gather, sift, and sort knowledge constantly. I always attempt to move knowledge into wisdom. I believe in truth above all things and value truth above almost all things. I have no fear in exploring new ideas. I am not afraid to speak the truth when it hurts myself or others (I am trying to get a little more tactful at this ). I believe in knowledge and wisdom and I pursue them with passion.

The second of my passions is education. My passion for knowledge is expressed through sharing. I love nothing more than speaking and writing about what I know. I do not do this to force my opinion upon others. No, I do this in order to make people think. I do this in order to make people question me as well as their own beliefs. I am not afraid of being wrong. I welcome criticism. I want truth, I want it to be known, and I want it to be shared with others. I also believe that education is the single and most powerful means of setting people free or enslaving them. I think we see both of these things in our times. Some set people free through education and knowledge. Others enslave people through half truths and lies. This must stop.

The third of my passions is technology. Let’s be honest – computers are just cool. Programming is just fun. The best thing about technology is applying it to solve new problems in order to help people, further knowledge, and improve society. I will say that I work with technology everyday, but the business world allows little freedom for research and education. My job is sucking me dry. It brings me no pleasure. Work is simply using a cookie cutter approach to produce the same result over and over in order to make the people who pay me some money. This is not my cup of tea. Sadly, this is a passion that I will always have, but I also find it constantly waning in my life.

The fourth passion that I have is economics. Why? Economics effects our lives at every level. It is complicated, it is messy, but there is also a severe amount of truth in economics and these truths are not just simple truths. These truths give us insight into everyday life and how Christ intended this earth and its people to function and interact on a day to day basis. Sadly, this is an area where we have all been lied to for years. Thank you John Meynard Keynes for filling our minds with lies. I truly believe that real economics falls in the realm of Austrian economics and I believe that this type of economic thought must be taught in order to save our society and our world.

Now how do these four passions combine to define a legacy? My legacy will be simple and I believe it can be summed up in a small credo: To Seek, To Teach, To Lead. I will seek the truth always in all things I do. I will not settle for lies and I will not be content when truth does not win out. I will not be silenced but I will speak truth boldy and without fear wether it is in the classroom or in the street or in the workplace. I will always seek more truth and I will not be content to simply know something. I will seek understanding. I will seek to share what knowledge and wisdom that I have with others on any occassion that I can while using as much discretion and tact as is possible.

How does pursuing this legacy translate into real world action:

1. Taking some basic course in economics
2. Being politically active on a continuing basis
3. Continually writing on this blog in order to share ideas, teach others, and to generate debate
4. Attempting to educate church members in Economics
5. Going back to school to finish my PhD (Computer Science, Economics, or Both)
6. Teaching and Researching while in graduate school
7. Teaching and Researching in an University environment once I graduate

So hopefully I’ll keep my life centered on Jesus Christ and this list!

So there you have it: To Seek, To Teach, To Lead! (Petare, Erudire, Ducere!)

I am a big fan of Austrian economics and politics. I am a Ron Paul supporter. I believe in this country, the Constitution of the US, and the Declaration of Independence. I welcome small government and individual liberty. I pray for a new and sound monetary policy for this country everyday.

Why am I a fan of Austrian economics? Just look at the mess we’re in now! And who predicted that it would happen and how it would happen? The AUSTRIANS!

Campaign for Liberty
Mises Institute
George Mason Economics

I will definitely be writing more on politics soon!

I’m reading a new book called “The Last Men’s Book You’ll Ever Need” by David Moore. This is quite the interesting book so far. The first chapter bring to light something that we, as men, do not like to deal with: failure.

So let’s start with the question that David asks as the end of chapter 1: “What are your areas of struggle as a Christian? Who in scripture encourages you that you are not alone in these particular struggles?” I think this is a very important question to ask for two reasons: First, it lays our Christianity bare. The revelation of our struggle drives us to rely on Christ for grace and sufficiency. Doesn’t this immediately remind you of 2 Corinthians 12.9 :

“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

Second, this revelation allows us to honestly evaluate ourselves and to make an honest measure of our abilities. I am not perfect and neither are you. But I am good at things that you aren’t and you’ll do much better than me at many things. We’re not perfect, we’re not all the same. We’re different and we have different strengths and weaknesses. Christ has made us to complement each other in ways that we cannot even understand. Difference is the spice of life my friends.

Now, on to the second part of the question. The only thing that I want to point out here is that God did not use perfect people. Let’s count the murderers, prostitutes, poor men, disabled men, middle and lower class men, pharisees, guards, and priests that Christ has used over the years. And let’s not forget all those He has used who are arrogant, blasphemous, liers, cheaters, adulterers, theives, and the like. God does not use perfect vessels to accomplish His will. No, He perfects His vessels as they continue seeking His face and doing His will.