Earlier this month I wrote about a funny unprecedented economic development.
That week something else unprecedented, but more significant, also happened. The Fed "promised" to keep interest rates low for two years.
M2 has doubled since the recession began. Government spending has hopefully removed the threat of debt-deflation. So we should expect inflation when the velocity of money finally increases and that increase in M2 shifts from bank holdings into consumer spending.
Will we see reasonable and controlled inflation with corresponding increases to wages? That would help with both the residue of the mortgage crisis and our Federal debt. (If the dollar is worth less, then debt measured in dollars is a smaller burden.)
Unfortunately, probably not. Vowing to keep interest rates low despite the pressure of sharply increasing M2 is like plugging a leaky dam with a finger. I am not sure why the Fed is acting like it is.
Perhaps our leaders our trying to avoid antagonizing other countries. If a few years from now America is in a panic because of sudden and steep inflation then our future President will not look as malicious when he tells the leadership of other nations, "Oops. Sorry the 32% of our debt that you hold just tanked in value. Not quite sure what happened. Our wages will adjust to our inflation, but you're plain out of luck."
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Password Strength
Another illuminating xkcd comic. As passwords go, Tr0ub4dor&3 is almost 67 thousand times easier to crack than correct horse battery staple.
Discounting our Presidents
I realize that we Americans have independence and self-reliance that often makes us resistant to being led. But I am not sure why this so readily translates into discounting what our leaders have actually done.
A great example was how many people claim that Bush helped cause the mortgage crisis and recession, when actually he was one of the few politicians who regularly spoke warnings against what was happening with Federal regulations and with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. Special interests and moneyed politicians who were blinded by misleading math, refused to heed his warnings, and caused our current economic woes.
Recently I noticed another example. Some people are now claiming that President Obama did not offer any plan during the credit limit and downgrade talks. But he did propose a very controversial plan (although he did not put it in writing and then he backpedaled).
Hm. Perhaps both these stories highlight a second oddity. Even though we know we resist being led we often attribute to our leaders much more credit or blame than they could really deserve! (Even if Bush's warnings or President Obama's plan were heeded, what would implementation finally look like?)
A great example was how many people claim that Bush helped cause the mortgage crisis and recession, when actually he was one of the few politicians who regularly spoke warnings against what was happening with Federal regulations and with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. Special interests and moneyed politicians who were blinded by misleading math, refused to heed his warnings, and caused our current economic woes.
Recently I noticed another example. Some people are now claiming that President Obama did not offer any plan during the credit limit and downgrade talks. But he did propose a very controversial plan (although he did not put it in writing and then he backpedaled).
Hm. Perhaps both these stories highlight a second oddity. Even though we know we resist being led we often attribute to our leaders much more credit or blame than they could really deserve! (Even if Bush's warnings or President Obama's plan were heeded, what would implementation finally look like?)
Too Much Federal Regulation
A recent new article has a stunning graph that shows the increase in Federal regulators. Those were not the "shovel ready" jobs that Federal spending is supposed to be encouraging!
But governments tend to grow instead of learning from their mistakes.
I have no philosophical or economic opposition to a little wise regulation because naked capitalism too easily encourages and rewards vices. But today most Federal regulation is neither little nor wise.
Last night I had a talk with my father about one damaging side effect. Realize that regulation often takes years to solidify into reality: after a new law is passed then enforcers need to be hired and trained, and details of phrasing and implication need to be tested in court rooms. Many companies are postponing hiring because the immense amount of recent new regulation is still "in process" and so the economy cannot yet determine the value of new property or hiring a new worker.
Regulatory agencies have seen their combined budgets grow a healthy 16% since 2008, topping $54 billion, according to the annual "Regulator's Budget," compiled by George Washington University and Washington University in St. Louis.I have some friends who have bought into the lie that "not enough regulation" caused the mortgage crisis and recession. I have blogged in the past about how regulation caused these problems by pressuring banks into making unwise loans.
That's at a time when the overall economy grew a paltry 5%.
Meanwhile, employment at these agencies has climbed 13% since Obama took office to more than 281,000, while private-sector jobs shrank by 5.6%.
But governments tend to grow instead of learning from their mistakes.
I have no philosophical or economic opposition to a little wise regulation because naked capitalism too easily encourages and rewards vices. But today most Federal regulation is neither little nor wise.
Last night I had a talk with my father about one damaging side effect. Realize that regulation often takes years to solidify into reality: after a new law is passed then enforcers need to be hired and trained, and details of phrasing and implication need to be tested in court rooms. Many companies are postponing hiring because the immense amount of recent new regulation is still "in process" and so the economy cannot yet determine the value of new property or hiring a new worker.
Smiley's Types of Roughhousing
Smiley is an active three-year-old who has invented (or re-invented) many types of roughhousing.
(He calls rough play "wrestling" because we tell him things like "No wrestling on the stairs, that's not safe.")
This is his oldest type of roughhousing. I kneel in the middle of the sitting room. He runs around me. I try to grab him. Sometimes we are the big bad wolf and a little pig/goat and I "eat" his side when I catch him. Other times I just tickle him.
Now that he is older and runs faster we do not chase each other around the house much. But sometimes we still do. This morning I was a rhinoceros, crawling while using only one arm, trying to get him with my "horn" (my other fist, on my forehead).
He is too big for these exercises now. I used to lie and my back and use him as a weight. As an infant he would naturally keep his little legs up when I held his torso and did a straight-up chest press. He also sat back against my legs while I did knee-up sit-ups.
4. Horseback Rides
He likes these, but not as much as the next one...
He grabs my back and I try to make him fall off by slowly tilting to one side, leaning forward or back, or moving erratically. Sometimes I pretend I do not know where he is and am looking for him.
When he was younger I would lie flat on my stomach, and he would jump off my back onto the carpet. Now that he is older I kneel on my hands and knees and he leaps from my back.
This game was inspired by the Busy Penguins board book. I kneel with my torso upright, chest held forward, and knees apart. He runs at me with his chest held forward and we crash together. If he impacts me forcefully and accurately (without involving his arms, hands, or head) then I pretend he knocked me over, and fall backwards while hugging him to my chest.
While kneeling or standing I throw him up and catch him.
He likes two kinds of foot rides. Sometimes he stands on both my feet and we hold hands. Other times he sits on one foot and wraps his legs and arms around that leg.
Usually we just walk. Sometimes I pretend I do not realize he is there, and moan and complain about how my shoe(s) feel heavy.
Like all toddlers he likes to hit and kick but is normally prohibited from doing so. But if he asks me while we roughhouse then he is allowed to hit my arms or kick my legs. Of course, then I get to hit his arms or kick his legs. I do so with moderate intensity: not hard enough to cause any pain or hurt but forceful enough that he gains some idea why hitting and kicking is considered "not nice" in most circumstances.
UPDATE: Two years later I wrote an updated list.
(He calls rough play "wrestling" because we tell him things like "No wrestling on the stairs, that's not safe.")
1. Running in Circles
This is his oldest type of roughhousing. I kneel in the middle of the sitting room. He runs around me. I try to grab him. Sometimes we are the big bad wolf and a little pig/goat and I "eat" his side when I catch him. Other times I just tickle him.
2. Chase
Now that he is older and runs faster we do not chase each other around the house much. But sometimes we still do. This morning I was a rhinoceros, crawling while using only one arm, trying to get him with my "horn" (my other fist, on my forehead).
3. "Baby Push-ups" and "Baby-Situps"
He is too big for these exercises now. I used to lie and my back and use him as a weight. As an infant he would naturally keep his little legs up when I held his torso and did a straight-up chest press. He also sat back against my legs while I did knee-up sit-ups.
4. Horseback Rides
He likes these, but not as much as the next one...
5. Horseback Won't Fall Off
He grabs my back and I try to make him fall off by slowly tilting to one side, leaning forward or back, or moving erratically. Sometimes I pretend I do not know where he is and am looking for him.
6. Jump off Daddy
When he was younger I would lie flat on my stomach, and he would jump off my back onto the carpet. Now that he is older I kneel on my hands and knees and he leaps from my back.
7. Charging Chest Bump
This game was inspired by the Busy Penguins board book. I kneel with my torso upright, chest held forward, and knees apart. He runs at me with his chest held forward and we crash together. If he impacts me forcefully and accurately (without involving his arms, hands, or head) then I pretend he knocked me over, and fall backwards while hugging him to my chest.
8. Toss into the Air
While kneeling or standing I throw him up and catch him.
9. Foot Rides
He likes two kinds of foot rides. Sometimes he stands on both my feet and we hold hands. Other times he sits on one foot and wraps his legs and arms around that leg.
Usually we just walk. Sometimes I pretend I do not realize he is there, and moan and complain about how my shoe(s) feel heavy.
10. Hitting and Kicking
Like all toddlers he likes to hit and kick but is normally prohibited from doing so. But if he asks me while we roughhouse then he is allowed to hit my arms or kick my legs. Of course, then I get to hit his arms or kick his legs. I do so with moderate intensity: not hard enough to cause any pain or hurt but forceful enough that he gains some idea why hitting and kicking is considered "not nice" in most circumstances.
UPDATE: Two years later I wrote an updated list.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Deconstructing a B'nei Mitzvah Coming of Age Ritual
Nathen asks what makes a good coming of age ritual.
As someone who has had a Bar Mitzvah service and officiated other people's B'nei Mitzvot services, that is an interesting question and easy to answer. What makes this Jewish tradition such an effective coming of age ritual?
(I will only discuss the traditional elements, not the very recent trend to emphasize a party after the religious service.)
It is sensible that a coming of age ceremony is when the new adult first receives some of the responsibilities and privileges that adults share but children do not have.
The phrase "Bar Mitzvah" literally means "Son of the Commandment". People become a Bar Mitzvah, not have one. (Similarly "Bat" means "Daughter" and "B'nei" means "Children".) In Jewish tradition this ceremony marks when a new adult becomes responsible for his own morality and behavior, departing from being under his parents' responsibility. The corresponding privilege is that the new adult may now participate in adult discussions and judgments about morality. (For example, the how do the ancient Jewish precedents about gossip and slander apply to when congregants write falsely and maliciously on Facebook?)
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Find a related pair of a responsibility and a privilege with which the new adult can participate.
The core of becoming a Bar Mitzvah is that the new adult takes a turn leading the weekly religious service. Traditionally, the new adult is responsible for all of the rabbi's normal roles: directing the congregation in prayer, calling up the other people who have turns participating, reading from scripture, and presenting a sermon. (The cantor still helps lead the singing.)
This is probably the first time the new adult has complete responsibility for a meeting or event. It is the new adult's fault if things fall flat.
This is easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Lead a community activity.
For months prior to the ceremony the new adult studied under the rabbi. These days a one-on-one mentoring relationship may not be so significant. Historically, before communal schooling of children, this could be the new adult's first structured learning under a non-parental authority figure. As a child, the Bar Mitzvah would have attended many public discussions of scripture and religious issues. But this would probably be the first one-on-one training outside the home.
Part of becoming an adult is identifying non-parental authority figures worth following. Also, a new adult who proved teachable by the rabbi could be viewed as teachable by master craftsmen looking for apprentices.
This aspect of a coming of age ceremony is difficult to translate into secular culture. So many American subcultures have authority figures that are not mentors but idols.
Perhaps the only useful generalization is an essay question: Reflect about which adults besides your parents you look to as respectable authority figures. Why those adults? What teaching do they provide? How do they guide you? What does all this say about you?
During the ceremony the most stressful part is usually presenting the sermon. This is probably the first time the new adult has taught a room full of adults.
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Teach a gathering of adults something.
Children are often taught "Our family does this..." or "Our people value this..." A coming of age ceremony is a time to discuss your family's historical narrative: what your ancestors have experienced and what path is most open before you. Which elements of group identity and destiny is the new adult free to accept and reject? Which are unavoidable?
Similarly, it is a time to ponder which group beliefs are time-tested values, which are dysfunctional historical relics or prejudices, and which are the idiosyncrasies of parents or community leaders that have added flavor and perhaps joys or aggravations to childhood years.
Older children do think about these issues. But they are seldom provided with structured time over several months to really discuss them with a non-parental adult who is judged by the community as insightful and worthy of respect.
In Jewish culture this discussion happens extensively during the months before the ceremony when the new adult studies and talks with the rabbi. But the issues are the same in all subcultures: the only difficulty in translate into a secular coming of age ceremony is identifying an appropriate non-parental adult.
How do we translate this into a secular coming of age ceremony? Discuss how you fit into the history, values, and world-views of the group(s) to which you belong. Learn enough to represent those groups with explanation, even in those aspects you choose not to represent in habit and deed.
One problem with being an American teenager is that society does not give you ways to earn esteem. The ways children earn esteem no longer apply: sharing, playing nice, trying hard, and being open to new experiences are now assumptions rather than rewarded behaviors. The ways adults earn esteem probably do not apply: outside of very agrarian subcultures most teenagers simply cannot do significant work to help support their families, and in recent generations most families have lost the ways to contribute economically at home by using dried beans, canning and dehydrating, etc. Teenagers are given only unreasonable sources of esteem: be a straight A student, be a sports star, etc. No wonder teenagers get in trouble for inventing their own sources of esteem and pursuing these unhealthily!
There is another nearly universal source of adult esteem that is often overlooked because most American adults fail to acquire it: participating well in conversations about religion, politics, and culture. Most adults simply take turns sharing their own observations or opinions rather than building off what others have said to create a genuine conversation. How many people do you know whose contributions in discussions about those topics routine add clarity or insight to the conversation?
I have already mentioned sermon preparation and reflection upon group history, identity, and values. One goal of that preparation for the coming of age ritual is to make the new adult someone that does talk well about religion, politics, and culture. As a new adult this ability might not have much breadth: the number of topics for which the person can contribute with clarity and insight will probably be small. But the skills of effective participation and contribution are widely applicable.
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Be mentored in the knowledge and conversational skills shared by people who others enjoy having lunch with while talking about religion, politics, and culture.
Together all of these provide a chance to demonstrate why other adults should now pay more attention to the new adult. Instead of a child who runs and plays at the periphery of the community, the new adult is a central member of the community. Does it matter?
This is the new adult's chance to say, "Look at me. See that I can handle adult responsibility. Hear what I have to contribute to adult conversations. Sample why I am pleasant to spend time with as an adult."
As someone who has had a Bar Mitzvah service and officiated other people's B'nei Mitzvot services, that is an interesting question and easy to answer. What makes this Jewish tradition such an effective coming of age ritual?
(I will only discuss the traditional elements, not the very recent trend to emphasize a party after the religious service.)
Receive a Related Pair of Adult Responsibility and Privilege
It is sensible that a coming of age ceremony is when the new adult first receives some of the responsibilities and privileges that adults share but children do not have.
The phrase "Bar Mitzvah" literally means "Son of the Commandment". People become a Bar Mitzvah, not have one. (Similarly "Bat" means "Daughter" and "B'nei" means "Children".) In Jewish tradition this ceremony marks when a new adult becomes responsible for his own morality and behavior, departing from being under his parents' responsibility. The corresponding privilege is that the new adult may now participate in adult discussions and judgments about morality. (For example, the how do the ancient Jewish precedents about gossip and slander apply to when congregants write falsely and maliciously on Facebook?)
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Find a related pair of a responsibility and a privilege with which the new adult can participate.
Lead an Adult Community Activity
The core of becoming a Bar Mitzvah is that the new adult takes a turn leading the weekly religious service. Traditionally, the new adult is responsible for all of the rabbi's normal roles: directing the congregation in prayer, calling up the other people who have turns participating, reading from scripture, and presenting a sermon. (The cantor still helps lead the singing.)
This is probably the first time the new adult has complete responsibility for a meeting or event. It is the new adult's fault if things fall flat.
This is easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Lead a community activity.
Learn from a Non-Parental Authority Figure
For months prior to the ceremony the new adult studied under the rabbi. These days a one-on-one mentoring relationship may not be so significant. Historically, before communal schooling of children, this could be the new adult's first structured learning under a non-parental authority figure. As a child, the Bar Mitzvah would have attended many public discussions of scripture and religious issues. But this would probably be the first one-on-one training outside the home.
Part of becoming an adult is identifying non-parental authority figures worth following. Also, a new adult who proved teachable by the rabbi could be viewed as teachable by master craftsmen looking for apprentices.
This aspect of a coming of age ceremony is difficult to translate into secular culture. So many American subcultures have authority figures that are not mentors but idols.
Perhaps the only useful generalization is an essay question: Reflect about which adults besides your parents you look to as respectable authority figures. Why those adults? What teaching do they provide? How do they guide you? What does all this say about you?
Teach Adults
During the ceremony the most stressful part is usually presenting the sermon. This is probably the first time the new adult has taught a room full of adults.
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Teach a gathering of adults something.
Begin Cooperatively Process Group History
Children are often taught "Our family does this..." or "Our people value this..." A coming of age ceremony is a time to discuss your family's historical narrative: what your ancestors have experienced and what path is most open before you. Which elements of group identity and destiny is the new adult free to accept and reject? Which are unavoidable?
Similarly, it is a time to ponder which group beliefs are time-tested values, which are dysfunctional historical relics or prejudices, and which are the idiosyncrasies of parents or community leaders that have added flavor and perhaps joys or aggravations to childhood years.
Older children do think about these issues. But they are seldom provided with structured time over several months to really discuss them with a non-parental adult who is judged by the community as insightful and worthy of respect.
In Jewish culture this discussion happens extensively during the months before the ceremony when the new adult studies and talks with the rabbi. But the issues are the same in all subcultures: the only difficulty in translate into a secular coming of age ceremony is identifying an appropriate non-parental adult.
How do we translate this into a secular coming of age ceremony? Discuss how you fit into the history, values, and world-views of the group(s) to which you belong. Learn enough to represent those groups with explanation, even in those aspects you choose not to represent in habit and deed.
Begin to Earn Adult Respect
One problem with being an American teenager is that society does not give you ways to earn esteem. The ways children earn esteem no longer apply: sharing, playing nice, trying hard, and being open to new experiences are now assumptions rather than rewarded behaviors. The ways adults earn esteem probably do not apply: outside of very agrarian subcultures most teenagers simply cannot do significant work to help support their families, and in recent generations most families have lost the ways to contribute economically at home by using dried beans, canning and dehydrating, etc. Teenagers are given only unreasonable sources of esteem: be a straight A student, be a sports star, etc. No wonder teenagers get in trouble for inventing their own sources of esteem and pursuing these unhealthily!
There is another nearly universal source of adult esteem that is often overlooked because most American adults fail to acquire it: participating well in conversations about religion, politics, and culture. Most adults simply take turns sharing their own observations or opinions rather than building off what others have said to create a genuine conversation. How many people do you know whose contributions in discussions about those topics routine add clarity or insight to the conversation?
I have already mentioned sermon preparation and reflection upon group history, identity, and values. One goal of that preparation for the coming of age ritual is to make the new adult someone that does talk well about religion, politics, and culture. As a new adult this ability might not have much breadth: the number of topics for which the person can contribute with clarity and insight will probably be small. But the skills of effective participation and contribution are widely applicable.
This is also easy to translate into a secular coming of age ceremony. Be mentored in the knowledge and conversational skills shared by people who others enjoy having lunch with while talking about religion, politics, and culture.
Community Debut
Together all of these provide a chance to demonstrate why other adults should now pay more attention to the new adult. Instead of a child who runs and plays at the periphery of the community, the new adult is a central member of the community. Does it matter?
This is the new adult's chance to say, "Look at me. See that I can handle adult responsibility. Hear what I have to contribute to adult conversations. Sample why I am pleasant to spend time with as an adult."
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Gallant at Two Months
Last week Gallant had his two month doctor's visit. His measurements were length 22.3 inches (25%), weight 9 pounds, 14 ounces (15%), and head 15.5 inches (30%).
I told you that he was just like his older brother. Smiley at that age was almost exactly the same: 0.2" shorter, 1 ounce heavier, and of identical head size.
So.. how is Gallant doing? I have already written about Gallant's birth and how Smiley is doing as a big brother. Time to complete the picture by finally sharing about the baby!
The short answer is that he is a very healthy and sociable baby, who behaves just like all other healthy and sociable two-month olds.
When his tummy is full and his digestive system is not causing trouble he is wide awake and wants to play. He love to stare into people's eyes, and also likes looking at trees. He smiles very often at his favorite social cues: other smiles, having his arms or legs wiggled while singing to him, having his cheeks lightly touched. He sometimes makes adorable cooing noises.
Unfortunately, little babies are largely a problematic digestive system. They spit up, get cranky or do not sleep well when needing to pass gas for hours, and are disturbed by the wet, explosive poops they make almost hourly.
So about half his waking hours are adorably cute and fun, and the other half are fussy and needing comforting. Similarly, some nights we get to sleep for four hours at a time and other nights we are woken every two hours because Gallant needs to fart.
Comforting him usually involves his sucking on a pinky finger. When overtired he also gets rocked or held with his head wobbling slightly on an elbow. When trying to pass gas he also gets his legs wiggled.
What can Gallant do? Again, the normal things for healthy two-month olds.
He can roll from his back onto either side, reach out to touch something, hold up his head, and grasp something (but not maintain a grip very well)
He has learned to put his fist in his mouth. This was a marvelous development that considerably reduced wear-and-tear on our pinky fingers. He does not use a pacifier yet, although we're working on that for car trips (one notable complication for a second child is that the seat next to him in the car now has a sibling instead of an adult to provide a pinky to suck on).
He likes being held in a standing position so he can practice standing and taking steps.
He does a slouchy sitting position if propped, which is useful for watching Smiley and Daddy roughhouse.
He prefers being on his tummy with his chest elevated (so on a firm pillow or on his boppy) since he can see more than when his tummy is on the floor.
He nurses well, reliably falls asleep in the Ergo on walks, and in his car seat protests when traffic requires us to stop.
He has never had a diaper rash. He recently started getting fussy when needing a new diaper.
That's about it: not much that most parents of a two-month-old would not also say. But I suppose it's still worth saying.
I told you that he was just like his older brother. Smiley at that age was almost exactly the same: 0.2" shorter, 1 ounce heavier, and of identical head size.
So.. how is Gallant doing? I have already written about Gallant's birth and how Smiley is doing as a big brother. Time to complete the picture by finally sharing about the baby!
The short answer is that he is a very healthy and sociable baby, who behaves just like all other healthy and sociable two-month olds.
When his tummy is full and his digestive system is not causing trouble he is wide awake and wants to play. He love to stare into people's eyes, and also likes looking at trees. He smiles very often at his favorite social cues: other smiles, having his arms or legs wiggled while singing to him, having his cheeks lightly touched. He sometimes makes adorable cooing noises.
Unfortunately, little babies are largely a problematic digestive system. They spit up, get cranky or do not sleep well when needing to pass gas for hours, and are disturbed by the wet, explosive poops they make almost hourly.
So about half his waking hours are adorably cute and fun, and the other half are fussy and needing comforting. Similarly, some nights we get to sleep for four hours at a time and other nights we are woken every two hours because Gallant needs to fart.
Comforting him usually involves his sucking on a pinky finger. When overtired he also gets rocked or held with his head wobbling slightly on an elbow. When trying to pass gas he also gets his legs wiggled.
What can Gallant do? Again, the normal things for healthy two-month olds.
He can roll from his back onto either side, reach out to touch something, hold up his head, and grasp something (but not maintain a grip very well)
He has learned to put his fist in his mouth. This was a marvelous development that considerably reduced wear-and-tear on our pinky fingers. He does not use a pacifier yet, although we're working on that for car trips (one notable complication for a second child is that the seat next to him in the car now has a sibling instead of an adult to provide a pinky to suck on).
He likes being held in a standing position so he can practice standing and taking steps.
He does a slouchy sitting position if propped, which is useful for watching Smiley and Daddy roughhouse.
He prefers being on his tummy with his chest elevated (so on a firm pillow or on his boppy) since he can see more than when his tummy is on the floor.
He nurses well, reliably falls asleep in the Ergo on walks, and in his car seat protests when traffic requires us to stop.
He has never had a diaper rash. He recently started getting fussy when needing a new diaper.
That's about it: not much that most parents of a two-month-old would not also say. But I suppose it's still worth saying.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Debt and Leverage
I'm trying to learn more about economics, to better understand the interesting news of the past two weeks.
Tonight I was reading about corporate leverage. To summarize: borrowing to consume is a bad economic strategy, but it can be wise to borrow to pay for increased profit potential (better farm equipment, building another factory, etc.). Mathematically, leverage is the ratio of a company's operating income to net income. The issue relevant to recent news is that leverage attempts to increase profit by increasing risk.
Households borrow also--usually to consume, but sometimes for leverage.
So, how healthy is the economy in regards to debt and leverage?
As a preface, here is a chart about total U.S. household asset value:
What does this chart mean? It depends upon how real you believe the value is.
If you think that value is now more-or-less accurate then this chart is good news. Households are acquiring more despite the recession.
On the other hand, if you think that either home prices (purple) or the market (green and red) are over-inflated then this chart is bad news. People might think they own a bit more than they did in 2008, but they really don't.
Now to answer the main question. Here is a similar chart (but different years) about U.S. debt.
The green band shows that financial institutions are de-leveraging. That is a trend I have not read about before. Banks are reducing risk even if it reduces profit. That seems like good news.
The red band has become a stable width: households are not changing their amount of debt. We can combine this with the first chart that shows household asset growth and it also seems like good news. Households are borrowing a smaller amount compared to their valued assets. Whether or not the value is real, Americans are trying to borrow less.
The blue band shows that other companies also have a stable amount of debt. How is their leverage? Corporate incomes are slightly up, so companies are leveraging as usual. I expect that is good news too. We want companies to grow with more equipment and factories and stuff.
However, a complication arises because corporate asset values are dropping (the real estate and equipment owned by companies are worth less because of lower real estate prices, lower demand for reselling it, and inflation). The leverage ratio is not changed since it compares operating and net income. But the amount of risk created by the same amount of leverage increases since a larger portion of assets is gained through borrowed money. (The company still has a nice new factory built by borrowing $x, but now the other, older, paid-off factory is worth $x/2 instead of also being worth $x.)
So we reach three conclusions by looking at debt and leverage. Banks are shedding risk. Households are trying to reduce debt. Companies are trying to use leverage to grow despite facing more risk from using leverage.
Did I get this right? I'd appreciate if anyone with more economic expertise offered correction or confirmation.
Tonight I was reading about corporate leverage. To summarize: borrowing to consume is a bad economic strategy, but it can be wise to borrow to pay for increased profit potential (better farm equipment, building another factory, etc.). Mathematically, leverage is the ratio of a company's operating income to net income. The issue relevant to recent news is that leverage attempts to increase profit by increasing risk.
Households borrow also--usually to consume, but sometimes for leverage.
So, how healthy is the economy in regards to debt and leverage?
As a preface, here is a chart about total U.S. household asset value:
What does this chart mean? It depends upon how real you believe the value is.
If you think that value is now more-or-less accurate then this chart is good news. Households are acquiring more despite the recession.
On the other hand, if you think that either home prices (purple) or the market (green and red) are over-inflated then this chart is bad news. People might think they own a bit more than they did in 2008, but they really don't.
Now to answer the main question. Here is a similar chart (but different years) about U.S. debt.
The green band shows that financial institutions are de-leveraging. That is a trend I have not read about before. Banks are reducing risk even if it reduces profit. That seems like good news.
The red band has become a stable width: households are not changing their amount of debt. We can combine this with the first chart that shows household asset growth and it also seems like good news. Households are borrowing a smaller amount compared to their valued assets. Whether or not the value is real, Americans are trying to borrow less.
The blue band shows that other companies also have a stable amount of debt. How is their leverage? Corporate incomes are slightly up, so companies are leveraging as usual. I expect that is good news too. We want companies to grow with more equipment and factories and stuff.
However, a complication arises because corporate asset values are dropping (the real estate and equipment owned by companies are worth less because of lower real estate prices, lower demand for reselling it, and inflation). The leverage ratio is not changed since it compares operating and net income. But the amount of risk created by the same amount of leverage increases since a larger portion of assets is gained through borrowed money. (The company still has a nice new factory built by borrowing $x, but now the other, older, paid-off factory is worth $x/2 instead of also being worth $x.)
So we reach three conclusions by looking at debt and leverage. Banks are shedding risk. Households are trying to reduce debt. Companies are trying to use leverage to grow despite facing more risk from using leverage.
Did I get this right? I'd appreciate if anyone with more economic expertise offered correction or confirmation.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
One-Page Dungeon Contest 2011
The past two years I mentioned the annual One-Page Dungeon Contest.
I just got around to looking at the entries for the 2011 contest, which happened in April and May.
So far my favorite is Swamp Chaos (link is a pdf) by Dennis Filipiak which features a small map and complex situation that could be fun for any solo adventurer or group of heroes.
Part of the contest's fun is looking at the websites of the contestants. For example, I noticed that someone is giving away free map tileset PDFs. And someone else invented a tactile dungeon map.
I just got around to looking at the entries for the 2011 contest, which happened in April and May.
So far my favorite is Swamp Chaos (link is a pdf) by Dennis Filipiak which features a small map and complex situation that could be fun for any solo adventurer or group of heroes.
Part of the contest's fun is looking at the websites of the contestants. For example, I noticed that someone is giving away free map tileset PDFs. And someone else invented a tactile dungeon map.
Debt Ceiling 2011 and the S&P 500
The past two days have had some interesting financial news as Congress finally made a Federal debt ceiling deal.
Today marks another time this year that the S&P 500 is down for the year. Now, it is up 85% since its low in March 2009, so avoiding the stock market because of the recession would have been a poor choice. But families (like mine) that sold some investments in December 2010 for tax reasons and have been waiting, uncertain how to wisely reinvest, should not feel guilty for their indecision.
Yesterday had quite historic news: not only did several companies then have more cash reserves than the Federal government, but the amount of Federal operating cash was then less than the estimated net worth of Bill Gates. Neither comparison is meaningful, but both are clever. The first comparison focused on the size of Apple's cash reserves when the better questions are how Apple manages so well to have free cash and why Apple has been hoarding cash since January when other companies, such as Berkshire Hathaway, have been shrinking their cash reserves. The second comparison neglects to mention that all of us without trillions of dollars of debt are "richer" than the Federal government (although the average American is in debt 107% of his or her income, compared to the Federal government's 94%).
The debate about the debt ceiling is not over. I think one analyst was correct in writing that Wall Street cares most about whether Congress is able to make the kind of bipartisan compromises that will eventually be needed to fix the entitlement crisis. This week's deal proved that Congress is definitely not yet ready.
Today marks another time this year that the S&P 500 is down for the year. Now, it is up 85% since its low in March 2009, so avoiding the stock market because of the recession would have been a poor choice. But families (like mine) that sold some investments in December 2010 for tax reasons and have been waiting, uncertain how to wisely reinvest, should not feel guilty for their indecision.
Yesterday had quite historic news: not only did several companies then have more cash reserves than the Federal government, but the amount of Federal operating cash was then less than the estimated net worth of Bill Gates. Neither comparison is meaningful, but both are clever. The first comparison focused on the size of Apple's cash reserves when the better questions are how Apple manages so well to have free cash and why Apple has been hoarding cash since January when other companies, such as Berkshire Hathaway, have been shrinking their cash reserves. The second comparison neglects to mention that all of us without trillions of dollars of debt are "richer" than the Federal government (although the average American is in debt 107% of his or her income, compared to the Federal government's 94%).
The debate about the debt ceiling is not over. I think one analyst was correct in writing that Wall Street cares most about whether Congress is able to make the kind of bipartisan compromises that will eventually be needed to fix the entitlement crisis. This week's deal proved that Congress is definitely not yet ready.
Bill and Margot
For many months I have been meaning to blog about the websites of two friends, Bill and Margot.
Bill Walter of Golden Apple Healthcare is my naturopathic physician, whom I mentioned in April. With his help I have enjoyed a much nicer quality of health and life during the recent high-allergy season. He also helped me by teaching me about fascia and using deep tissue massage to restore to me the flexibility I had lost from years of poor posture. I can wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone local who struggles with allergies or poor posture.
His wife, Margot, is a artist famous in fabric-arts circles who makes quilts that look like paintings. I would be impossible for her website to really convey how astounding it is to see across the room what looks like an oil painting that up close is merely carefully layered sheer fabrics.
Their son has no website and is one of Smiley's regular playmates.
Bill Walter of Golden Apple Healthcare is my naturopathic physician, whom I mentioned in April. With his help I have enjoyed a much nicer quality of health and life during the recent high-allergy season. He also helped me by teaching me about fascia and using deep tissue massage to restore to me the flexibility I had lost from years of poor posture. I can wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone local who struggles with allergies or poor posture.
His wife, Margot, is a artist famous in fabric-arts circles who makes quilts that look like paintings. I would be impossible for her website to really convey how astounding it is to see across the room what looks like an oil painting that up close is merely carefully layered sheer fabrics.
Their son has no website and is one of Smiley's regular playmates.
Smiley as a Big Brother
I promised an account of how Smiley is doing as a big brother. He is doing great!
He likes being a big brother and helping take care of a baby.
Hi likes hugging his baby brother.
He enjoys the ways he can entertain the baby. When Gallant is lying on his back, Smiley can wiggle the baby's arms or move its legs, which often provokes a smile and sometimes even cooing. When Gallant is fussing, Smiley can help keep a pacifier in Gallant's mouth or offer his pinkey as an even better pacifier.
Smiley also helps with Gallant's two toys for touching and hitting. When they rotate so the black-and-white side is no longer faces Gallant, Smiley can reposition them.
Smiley also helps us keep an ear out for Gallant waking up. Gallant's favorite daytime nap spot is in his swing, outside on the back porch. If Smiley is playing in the back yard he will let us know if Gallant wakes up.
The two boys can both sit and hear a story. Smiley has started helping by holding the book and turning the pages while mommy or daddy have Gallant on their lap with a pinky in his mouth.
Taking care of a baby is exhausting. Today Smiley had two play dates, as well as helping with Gallant, and he fell asleep outside in his big box.
He likes being a big brother and helping take care of a baby.
Yesterday I asked him, "When you are bigger will you be a daddy and have a baby?"
He replied, "Yes. But first I have to do a lot of planning"
Sadly, my subsequent questions were unable to discover what kind of planning he had in mind.
Hi likes hugging his baby brother.
He enjoys the ways he can entertain the baby. When Gallant is lying on his back, Smiley can wiggle the baby's arms or move its legs, which often provokes a smile and sometimes even cooing. When Gallant is fussing, Smiley can help keep a pacifier in Gallant's mouth or offer his pinkey as an even better pacifier.
Smiley also helps with Gallant's two toys for touching and hitting. When they rotate so the black-and-white side is no longer faces Gallant, Smiley can reposition them.
Smiley also helps us keep an ear out for Gallant waking up. Gallant's favorite daytime nap spot is in his swing, outside on the back porch. If Smiley is playing in the back yard he will let us know if Gallant wakes up.
The two boys can both sit and hear a story. Smiley has started helping by holding the book and turning the pages while mommy or daddy have Gallant on their lap with a pinky in his mouth.
Taking care of a baby is exhausting. Today Smiley had two play dates, as well as helping with Gallant, and he fell asleep outside in his big box.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Comcast, Ubuntu, and YouTube
I have a new laptop. Like my old Ubuntu laptop, this one has trouble loading YouTube videos at home with Comcast as my internet service provider.
Any ideas why?
(At school my laptop works great with YouTube. At home my wife's Windows Vista laptop works great with YouTube.)
Any ideas why?
(At school my laptop works great with YouTube. At home my wife's Windows Vista laptop works great with YouTube.)
A Great Two-Legged Griffin
I hoped to write more today about Smiley and Gallant.
But today was a day of all sorts of extra things happening, as well as expected things happen with additionally enjoyable duration.
So I have no time or brain-power to write about family.
Instead I'll share a delightful short story I was able to read today, "The Griffin and the Minor Cannon", from The Bee-Man of Orn and Other Tales by Frank R. Stockton.
You get the story online. I read it in my current pleasure reading book, Tales Before Tolkien.
But today was a day of all sorts of extra things happening, as well as expected things happen with additionally enjoyable duration.
So I have no time or brain-power to write about family.
Instead I'll share a delightful short story I was able to read today, "The Griffin and the Minor Cannon", from The Bee-Man of Orn and Other Tales by Frank R. Stockton.
You get the story online. I read it in my current pleasure reading book, Tales Before Tolkien.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Introducing Gallant
We finally decided upon a blog name for our second child. We wanted a word that began with G to match his first name. (Smiley's real name also begins with S.)
We decided not to use Giddy, Grimy, Groovy, Grubby, or Guy--all of which were somewhat accurate but did not satisfactorily capture the hopes we have for our son. We decided upon Gallant, wishing him courage and virtue.
Gallant is a very easy baby. He enjoys good health, nurses well, usually lets us sleep at night 90 minutes between feedings, rarely spits up three times in one day, has yet to suffer a diaper rash, and when fussy is eventually consolable.
(For the non-parents out there, the "eventually" in the last phrase is important. At 1:40 am this morning he needed to poop but couldn't do so yet, which was making him very upset. After a bit of fussing and shrieking I eventually discovered he would be content if on my lap, rocking, with a pinky in his mouth and my other hand moving his legs a lot.)
We are also quite fortunate that both Smiley and Gallant usually sleep through each other's noise. Whew.
Our photographs are at the moment up-to-date, although I am quite behind with processing video. Which is a bit ironic, since Gallant looks exactly like Smiley did, except for chubbier thighs. So you could just look at the old Smiley photographs. But I'll still be a dutiful father and also share new photos.
Smiley at two days:
Gallant at two days:
Smiley at six weeks:
Gallant at six weeks:
Smiley is enjoying being a big brother. More about that later. Time to change a diaper.
We decided not to use Giddy, Grimy, Groovy, Grubby, or Guy--all of which were somewhat accurate but did not satisfactorily capture the hopes we have for our son. We decided upon Gallant, wishing him courage and virtue.
Gallant is a very easy baby. He enjoys good health, nurses well, usually lets us sleep at night 90 minutes between feedings, rarely spits up three times in one day, has yet to suffer a diaper rash, and when fussy is eventually consolable.
(For the non-parents out there, the "eventually" in the last phrase is important. At 1:40 am this morning he needed to poop but couldn't do so yet, which was making him very upset. After a bit of fussing and shrieking I eventually discovered he would be content if on my lap, rocking, with a pinky in his mouth and my other hand moving his legs a lot.)
We are also quite fortunate that both Smiley and Gallant usually sleep through each other's noise. Whew.
Our photographs are at the moment up-to-date, although I am quite behind with processing video. Which is a bit ironic, since Gallant looks exactly like Smiley did, except for chubbier thighs. So you could just look at the old Smiley photographs. But I'll still be a dutiful father and also share new photos.
Smiley at two days:
Gallant at two days:
Smiley at six weeks:
Gallant at six weeks:
Smiley is enjoying being a big brother. More about that later. Time to change a diaper.
Watch Those Hands, Winnie
Someone was not quite thoughtful enough about a Bear of Little Brains.
It is a cute onesie.
But until his pants slid down the cartoon looked like Pooh is doing something inappropriate.
It is a cute onesie.
But until his pants slid down the cartoon looked like Pooh is doing something inappropriate.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Smiley's first dentist appointment
Last Thursday was Smiley's first dentist appointment. He loved it.
Recall that he visited the dentist in April just to make sure it was a good dentist (unlike the bad dentist in Finding Nemo). So he was not afraid. He even already knew what the buttons on the chairs did.
He got to wear sunglasses inside. That was a fun thing, breaking a normal rule.
He got to hold two mirrors, a tiny one and a big one. Mirrors are fun.
Biting the film for the two x-rays made him nervous, but he followed directions. When he saw the x-rays he agreed that taking pictures of "the inside and the outside too" was very special.
Having his teeth scraped was tedious, but he was agreeable.
The little "shop vac" was the best part. He likes using our shop vac, especially to blow leaves. A mouth-sized one was silly!
What is even better than a tiny shop vac? When there is also a tiny water squirter! Squirting water is great fun. Being squirted is almost as nice.
And at the end of the visit he got his teeth painted with a paintbrush! That was the most silly. Paintbrushes are for paper, right?
Recall that he visited the dentist in April just to make sure it was a good dentist (unlike the bad dentist in Finding Nemo). So he was not afraid. He even already knew what the buttons on the chairs did.
He got to wear sunglasses inside. That was a fun thing, breaking a normal rule.
He got to hold two mirrors, a tiny one and a big one. Mirrors are fun.
Biting the film for the two x-rays made him nervous, but he followed directions. When he saw the x-rays he agreed that taking pictures of "the inside and the outside too" was very special.
Having his teeth scraped was tedious, but he was agreeable.
The little "shop vac" was the best part. He likes using our shop vac, especially to blow leaves. A mouth-sized one was silly!
What is even better than a tiny shop vac? When there is also a tiny water squirter! Squirting water is great fun. Being squirted is almost as nice.
And at the end of the visit he got his teeth painted with a paintbrush! That was the most silly. Paintbrushes are for paper, right?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
More videos of the littlest one
He is now three weeks old. I really need to come up with a blog name for him...
Here is a video when he was three days old. We are sitting on the back yard's deck. My knees are up, so his head can be resting on my knees.
My wife recorded a video when he was a week and a half old. He yawns a lot, lying on his back on some laundry.
Yesterday at lunch time he was hungry, but my wife needed to finish her lunch before nursing him. So he and I walked around the back yard. At first he was fussy because he wanted to suck on my pinky. After a few minutes of that he calmed down.
Yesterday evening he had two nice play times in his crib. The first was at 8pm, playing with the only toy that interests him. The second was at 9:45pm, looking at himself in the crib mirror.
Here is a video when he was three days old. We are sitting on the back yard's deck. My knees are up, so his head can be resting on my knees.
My wife recorded a video when he was a week and a half old. He yawns a lot, lying on his back on some laundry.
Yesterday at lunch time he was hungry, but my wife needed to finish her lunch before nursing him. So he and I walked around the back yard. At first he was fussy because he wanted to suck on my pinky. After a few minutes of that he calmed down.
Yesterday evening he had two nice play times in his crib. The first was at 8pm, playing with the only toy that interests him. The second was at 9:45pm, looking at himself in the crib mirror.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
New Baby Photographs
Pictures are ready! What a busy day. But getting these online for family and friends is a good thing to do before going to bed.
Swing Dancing at 39 weeks, at the last ELLA event of the school year. A nice evening, but it did not induce labor. (Smiley was born the night after swing dancing at a friend's wedding.)
This photograph was at 10:22 pm -- an hour and 16 minutes after the delivery.
Resting with daddy.
At lunch time the second day Smiley finally gets to meet his little brother.
It had been months of waiting to hold his little brother.
Hugs!
Resting after Smiley, the wonderful couple who was watching him while were were in the hospital, and some other friends all left.
Close-up. Compare Smiley's two-day close-up here.
First outfit. For security reasons infants in the Mother-Baby ward cannot be carried outside of the patient's room. Instead they get pushed around in those bassinet-carts.
Another close up, this time with a hat grandma made. (This photo is because Smiley had a classic hat photo, so little brother needs one as well.)
Holding little brother at home.
Uncle Nathan meets the new nephew.
For bonus cuteness, here are the links to our first seven videos.
Swing Dancing at 39 weeks, at the last ELLA event of the school year. A nice evening, but it did not induce labor. (Smiley was born the night after swing dancing at a friend's wedding.)
This photograph was at 10:22 pm -- an hour and 16 minutes after the delivery.
Resting with daddy.
At lunch time the second day Smiley finally gets to meet his little brother.
It had been months of waiting to hold his little brother.
Hugs!
Resting after Smiley, the wonderful couple who was watching him while were were in the hospital, and some other friends all left.
Close-up. Compare Smiley's two-day close-up here.
First outfit. For security reasons infants in the Mother-Baby ward cannot be carried outside of the patient's room. Instead they get pushed around in those bassinet-carts.
Another close up, this time with a hat grandma made. (This photo is because Smiley had a classic hat photo, so little brother needs one as well.)
Holding little brother at home.
Uncle Nathan meets the new nephew.
For bonus cuteness, here are the links to our first seven videos.
Saturday, June 04, 2011
New Baby, An Account of Augmenting Labor
Our second son was born yesterday. My wife and he are both doing very, very well.
We do not have an internet nickname for him yet. In length he resembles Smiley as a newborn (Smiley was 19 inches, little brother is 19.5 inches) and when looking at the back of the head. But new baby is much plumper in face and form: Smiley was about 6 pounds, little brother is about 8 pounds. We have put online photographs and seven videos.
A dear friend and her husband are watching Smiley while we are at the hospital. Today seems like a vacation. We get to rest and enjoy a quiet break from Smiley's near-constant questions about "Why?" and his requests for Magalene stories. It is a joy to have a baby that latches and nurses well, and sleeps soundly with a full belly.
Smiley visited us at noon, and enjoyed playing with his little brother. Smiley offered to take the baby with him so we could rest more. We politely declined.
Time to write about the labor, which was quite an adventure. Perhaps this account will some day be of comfort and assurance to another mother.
My wife eats very healthy foods. She is not "in shape" but takes a walk almost daily. She has both faith and fortitude. There was no reason she could not deliver a baby naturally.
Yet my wife knew she had five risk factors. Her age is in the latter 30s. She is over average weight. The baby had a two-vessel cord (one artery instead of the usual two). Smiley was footling breech and delivered by Cesarean Section. Wy wife had not yet begun having regular Braxton Hicks contractions a week before her due date, and two days past her due date she had not yet entered Early Labor. A sixth risk factor appeared during delivery: During each push the baby's heart rate declined from the 140s down to the 60s because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and leg.
During the past week my wife visited an acupuncturist four times. After the first treatment the baby dropped. During the second and for a short time after she had regular small contractions seven minutes apart. The third and fourth treatments did not prompt any noticeable changes. Although these efforts did not induce labor we were happy we tried. Acupuncture does not always work to induce labor. But it is safe and our insurance covers most of the cost.
Although we know people for whom Black Cohosh has quickly induced labor, my wife did not want to try that. She preferred options for which both effectiveness and risks have been more thoroughly studied.
Then it was time to try what the hospital had to offer: a Foley Bulb. Although the device is simple, this technology has been improved greatly in recent years. It sometimes induces labor, which is why we tried it. Its use has some risks, but considering my wife's many risk factors it was a good option compared to waiting. She used it Thursday and it did cause several hours of laboring during which the baby probably turned from "sunny side up" to face down. But then when my wife went to bed, very tired, the labor stopped. Those hours of contractions were clearly only induced and not really natural labor because sleep would not stop natural labor. In the morning an exam measured only 3 cm dilation.
(Note that we used the Foley Bulb only "halfway". The device primarily serves as a cervix ripener before pitocin is used to induce labor. But we did not want to use pitocin to induce labor. That can be a good choice for mothers without my wife's risk factors. It could have been a good choice for my wife if she had been one of those cases where the Foley Bulb causes dilation of more than 6 cm. But on Friday morning it was clear that pitocin induction had a high chance of causing some laboring but still a C-section as the final outcome. That is a bad combination for several reasons, including how taking in more than one IV bag of liquid before a C-section can cause breast tissue swelling that interferes with early breast feeding.)
We prayed a lot and were resigned to a C-section on Friday afternoon. The other option would be waiting. That would normally be clearly the best choice, but my wife's risk factors made it unclear that waiting would be risk-free and be helpful.
Neither of us were hearing anything clearly from God. Yet it seemed as if we had laid out a very large fleece. We had done all we could to help my wife have natural labor. It seemed her body was simply not agreeable to that plan.
Then, half an hour before that scheduled C-section, she finally started laboring naturally. The operation was quickly canceled. The labor began very slowly. My wife requested some pitocin to augment labor (even with her risk factors that was quite safe now that we were past the point of inducing labor). The pace of labor increased but was still slow.
It was a pleasant afternoon together. Early labor was not difficult. The main problem was that my wife could not eat or drink, and was on an IV, because there was still some risk of complications and needing to operate.
After eight hours the Active phase of labor began. An exam measured 5 cm dilation. We expected a long, hard night made extra frustrating and tiring by her lack of food that day.
Twenty minutes later the pain was at its peak. An exam measured 9 cm dilation. My wife had already gone from Active labor to Transitional Labor. Her plan was to try laboring without pain medication, and she was now eager to change that plan. But there was no time. She could not keep still long enough to receive the shot, and we would switch from Transitional Labor to Delivery any moment anyway.
Delivery was slightly exciting because of the cord wrap. During each of the longer, farther-apart contractions of Delivery my wife could push three or four times, separated by a huge, quick, deep breath in. It soon became clear that she would get five contractions on her own before some vacuum or an episiotomy would be needed. With each contraction the baby came farther, but the cord also pulled tighter and the baby's heart rate declined more drastically. On the final push of that fifth Delivery contraction the baby emerged.
My wife was able to have the natural labor and delivery for which she had hoped and prayed. That during the process she had times of being at peace with an operation or with using pain medication made it all the sweeter to receive her desire. Clearly God had given us what we prayed about for his sake, just because he loves for my wife. (Had our prayers been answered more promptly or smoothly, without time for us to come to peace with the alternatives, we would have assumed God was being nice to us for our sake. That is a nice kind of answered prayer, but not as sweet.)
UPDATE: Final paragraph edited for clarity.
We do not have an internet nickname for him yet. In length he resembles Smiley as a newborn (Smiley was 19 inches, little brother is 19.5 inches) and when looking at the back of the head. But new baby is much plumper in face and form: Smiley was about 6 pounds, little brother is about 8 pounds. We have put online photographs and seven videos.
A dear friend and her husband are watching Smiley while we are at the hospital. Today seems like a vacation. We get to rest and enjoy a quiet break from Smiley's near-constant questions about "Why?" and his requests for Magalene stories. It is a joy to have a baby that latches and nurses well, and sleeps soundly with a full belly.
Smiley visited us at noon, and enjoyed playing with his little brother. Smiley offered to take the baby with him so we could rest more. We politely declined.
Time to write about the labor, which was quite an adventure. Perhaps this account will some day be of comfort and assurance to another mother.
My wife eats very healthy foods. She is not "in shape" but takes a walk almost daily. She has both faith and fortitude. There was no reason she could not deliver a baby naturally.
Yet my wife knew she had five risk factors. Her age is in the latter 30s. She is over average weight. The baby had a two-vessel cord (one artery instead of the usual two). Smiley was footling breech and delivered by Cesarean Section. Wy wife had not yet begun having regular Braxton Hicks contractions a week before her due date, and two days past her due date she had not yet entered Early Labor. A sixth risk factor appeared during delivery: During each push the baby's heart rate declined from the 140s down to the 60s because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and leg.
During the past week my wife visited an acupuncturist four times. After the first treatment the baby dropped. During the second and for a short time after she had regular small contractions seven minutes apart. The third and fourth treatments did not prompt any noticeable changes. Although these efforts did not induce labor we were happy we tried. Acupuncture does not always work to induce labor. But it is safe and our insurance covers most of the cost.
Although we know people for whom Black Cohosh has quickly induced labor, my wife did not want to try that. She preferred options for which both effectiveness and risks have been more thoroughly studied.
Then it was time to try what the hospital had to offer: a Foley Bulb. Although the device is simple, this technology has been improved greatly in recent years. It sometimes induces labor, which is why we tried it. Its use has some risks, but considering my wife's many risk factors it was a good option compared to waiting. She used it Thursday and it did cause several hours of laboring during which the baby probably turned from "sunny side up" to face down. But then when my wife went to bed, very tired, the labor stopped. Those hours of contractions were clearly only induced and not really natural labor because sleep would not stop natural labor. In the morning an exam measured only 3 cm dilation.
(Note that we used the Foley Bulb only "halfway". The device primarily serves as a cervix ripener before pitocin is used to induce labor. But we did not want to use pitocin to induce labor. That can be a good choice for mothers without my wife's risk factors. It could have been a good choice for my wife if she had been one of those cases where the Foley Bulb causes dilation of more than 6 cm. But on Friday morning it was clear that pitocin induction had a high chance of causing some laboring but still a C-section as the final outcome. That is a bad combination for several reasons, including how taking in more than one IV bag of liquid before a C-section can cause breast tissue swelling that interferes with early breast feeding.)
We prayed a lot and were resigned to a C-section on Friday afternoon. The other option would be waiting. That would normally be clearly the best choice, but my wife's risk factors made it unclear that waiting would be risk-free and be helpful.
Neither of us were hearing anything clearly from God. Yet it seemed as if we had laid out a very large fleece. We had done all we could to help my wife have natural labor. It seemed her body was simply not agreeable to that plan.
Then, half an hour before that scheduled C-section, she finally started laboring naturally. The operation was quickly canceled. The labor began very slowly. My wife requested some pitocin to augment labor (even with her risk factors that was quite safe now that we were past the point of inducing labor). The pace of labor increased but was still slow.
It was a pleasant afternoon together. Early labor was not difficult. The main problem was that my wife could not eat or drink, and was on an IV, because there was still some risk of complications and needing to operate.
After eight hours the Active phase of labor began. An exam measured 5 cm dilation. We expected a long, hard night made extra frustrating and tiring by her lack of food that day.
Twenty minutes later the pain was at its peak. An exam measured 9 cm dilation. My wife had already gone from Active labor to Transitional Labor. Her plan was to try laboring without pain medication, and she was now eager to change that plan. But there was no time. She could not keep still long enough to receive the shot, and we would switch from Transitional Labor to Delivery any moment anyway.
Delivery was slightly exciting because of the cord wrap. During each of the longer, farther-apart contractions of Delivery my wife could push three or four times, separated by a huge, quick, deep breath in. It soon became clear that she would get five contractions on her own before some vacuum or an episiotomy would be needed. With each contraction the baby came farther, but the cord also pulled tighter and the baby's heart rate declined more drastically. On the final push of that fifth Delivery contraction the baby emerged.
My wife was able to have the natural labor and delivery for which she had hoped and prayed. That during the process she had times of being at peace with an operation or with using pain medication made it all the sweeter to receive her desire. Clearly God had given us what we prayed about for his sake, just because he loves for my wife. (Had our prayers been answered more promptly or smoothly, without time for us to come to peace with the alternatives, we would have assumed God was being nice to us for our sake. That is a nice kind of answered prayer, but not as sweet.)
UPDATE: Final paragraph edited for clarity.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Curious George Makes Pancakes
One of Smiley's favorite recent presents is the book Curious George Makes Pancakes.
Not all Curious George books are created equal. But this one is very nice for pre-readers.
First, the pictures are sufficient to follow the plot. After somewhat memorizing the story, he can look at the pictures to "read" the book. Most but not all Curious George books have this quality.
Second, the story contains the usual Curious George dilemma of a "good" character breaking rules and getting in trouble, but overall being more helpful than disastrous. In this story the particulars are easy for a young child to understand. George should have asked to help. It is easy for the parent to ignore OSHA guidelines about monkeys in fairground kitchens and conjecture that if George had asked politely he could have been allowed to be a rule-following helper. But by trying to help without asking he gets in trouble.
One of Smiley's old favorites is Curious George and the Puppies, which also has those two qualities. The story is easy to follow. George could have gotten what he wanted (to pet a puppy) without trouble by asking politely.
Not all Curious George books are created equal. But this one is very nice for pre-readers.
First, the pictures are sufficient to follow the plot. After somewhat memorizing the story, he can look at the pictures to "read" the book. Most but not all Curious George books have this quality.
Second, the story contains the usual Curious George dilemma of a "good" character breaking rules and getting in trouble, but overall being more helpful than disastrous. In this story the particulars are easy for a young child to understand. George should have asked to help. It is easy for the parent to ignore OSHA guidelines about monkeys in fairground kitchens and conjecture that if George had asked politely he could have been allowed to be a rule-following helper. But by trying to help without asking he gets in trouble.
One of Smiley's old favorites is Curious George and the Puppies, which also has those two qualities. The story is easy to follow. George could have gotten what he wanted (to pet a puppy) without trouble by asking politely.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Tried Arkham Horror
Today I played the board game Arkham Horror for the first time. I think I passed my Sanity check.
What fun! The game is both cooperative and narrative. I do not know any other board games where players work together and the sense of progress so much seems like interesting plot and character development. (If you know of others, please let me know.)
Of games I have played, two are close. Lord of the Rings is cooperative but not very narrative. Talisman is narrative but not cooperative.
My wife and I are still enjoying Dominion, so I will not be purchasing a copy. Maybe it will be a nice birthday present later in the year.
What fun! The game is both cooperative and narrative. I do not know any other board games where players work together and the sense of progress so much seems like interesting plot and character development. (If you know of others, please let me know.)
Of games I have played, two are close. Lord of the Rings is cooperative but not very narrative. Talisman is narrative but not cooperative.
My wife and I are still enjoying Dominion, so I will not be purchasing a copy. Maybe it will be a nice birthday present later in the year.
What is Fate?
Years ago I encountered a great quotation on a web page of random online humor.
Curious, I searched online but found nothing more. So for years I've wondered about this possibly non-existent book.
Now and then, at used book stores, I would come across the famous Kahil Gibran book and get excited, only to realize this was not the book I was looking for. (That book is a pleasant enough collection of parables, but I find scripture's wisdom writings and parables superior.)
Last week I was duped again, noticing the Kahil Gibran book on a friend's bookshelf. Reminded about the mystery book, I made another attempt to search online...and found it in its entirety on a web page! The Profit by Kehlog Albran turns out to be a pardoy of Kahil Gibran's text, with the quotation above as its wittiest section.
A priest asked,The attribution was simply a book entitled The Profit.
What is Fate, Master?
And he answered:
It is that which gives a beast of burden its reason for existence.
It is that which men in former times had to bear upon their backs.
It is that which has caused nations to build by-ways from City to City upon which carts and coaches pass, and alongside which inns have come to be built to stave off Hunger, Thirst and Weariness.
It is that which has caused great fleets of ships to ply the Seven Seas wherever the wind blows.
And that is Fate? said the priest.
Fate... I thought you said Freight, responded the Master.
That's all right, said the priest. I wanted to know what Freight was too.
Curious, I searched online but found nothing more. So for years I've wondered about this possibly non-existent book.
Now and then, at used book stores, I would come across the famous Kahil Gibran book and get excited, only to realize this was not the book I was looking for. (That book is a pleasant enough collection of parables, but I find scripture's wisdom writings and parables superior.)
Last week I was duped again, noticing the Kahil Gibran book on a friend's bookshelf. Reminded about the mystery book, I made another attempt to search online...and found it in its entirety on a web page! The Profit by Kehlog Albran turns out to be a pardoy of Kahil Gibran's text, with the quotation above as its wittiest section.
Expecting Another Boy
I hoped to share this news months ago, but until recently have been feeling crummy, which caused me to procrastinate writing real letters to relatives who needed to hear first. You might notice the last third of this post has been sitting in my "drafts" since January!
Smiley will be a big brother in about a month. He's not sure if he's ready. He recently found out that the baby will not be big enough for him to help feed. Now he's not sure what a little baby does.
This afternoon, while Smiley napped, part of Shabbat involved my wife and I sitting on the sofa and laughing and hugging as we reviewed our "So You're About to Have a Baby" paperwork from three years ago.
We have some time to put together a suitcase to have ready to take to the hospital, and a cooler of food since we doubt they will be able to provide anything gluten-free enough for my wife to eat.
Happily, this pregnancy has been much easier on my wife than when she was expecting Smiley. But she is tired lately. She's round enough that she is not sleeping as well because she cannot easily turn over in bed during the night. A month of rainy, cold weather has not helped either. But she is doing well, going for a walk most evenings, still enjoying her work and gardening, and spending as much time with Smiley as she can even if playing on the floor is not a great option.
We have no idea what to name this new boy. The Jewish tradition is to use names of deceased relatives. Smiley was named after three of his great-grandfathers (he has two middle names). But two of my cousins had boys last year and now we're out of names of deceased male relatives that my wife or I knew.
Both sides of the family have Leonards, and her family has several Alfreds. But neither of us especially like those names, nor did we know those ancestors.
We briefly thought about names from literature that have been meaningful to family members, but then decided against Gandalf Tarzan Zorro Van Slyke.
My wife's family uses Welsh names, so perhaps we will eventually find a Welsh name we like that sounds very similar to a Hebrew name. So far our favorite name is both from Hebrew and Tolkein, which is close.
Smiley found out mommy was pregnant while at the doctor's office on January 5th. The nurse did not know that Smiley had not been told about it, so when using the heartbeat monitor she looked at Smiley with a big smile and said, "Do you hear the baby inside your Mommy?"
So Smiley is convinced that the heartbeat monitor put the baby inside Mommy. We found this out on January fifteenth, through this conversation:
My wife: Be careful climbing on my belly.(In Smiley's world, doctors work at doctor's office and nurses work at the allergy shot place. He has not caught on that some people working at doctor's offices are also nurses.)
Smiley: How did the baby get in your belly?
My wife: Daddy put it there.
Smiley: [Laughs] No, the doctor put it there.
Later that night, after brushing his teeth, Smiley was his room waiting for Mommy to arrive so we could pray before reading books before bedtime. When my wife came in the room she was chewing.
Smiley: What is in your mouth?Why didn't we tell Smiley about the pregnancy earlier? Because a friend from church was two months more pregnant, and for several months Smiley fixated on it whenever he saw her.
My wife: Chocolate.
Smiley: Do you share with the baby?
My wife: I always share with the baby.
Smiley: Did the baby catch it?
My wife: It will get it.
Smiley: You have a baby in your belly?We wanted to spare my wife such nearly constant pestering. Smiley is sometimes impatient, but our delay did avoid any fixation. (And our friend had a healthy baby girl, whom Smiley likes to look at.)
Smiley: Can I feel your tummy?
Smiley: Can I look in your mouth and see the baby?
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Boulder Canyon Chips
For many months Costco was selling Boulder Canyon spicy rice crackers. My wife was not too fond of them, but they were certainly my favorite gluten-free "chips".
Since Costco sold a big twenty-ounce bag for $4.59, they were affordable at $0.23 per ounce.
Now they are out of rotation at Costco. Sadness! Amazon and the local grocery store both sell only five-ounce bags. The cost per ounce is double.
I'll have to wait a few months for my favorite "chips" again. Oh well.
Since Costco sold a big twenty-ounce bag for $4.59, they were affordable at $0.23 per ounce.
Now they are out of rotation at Costco. Sadness! Amazon and the local grocery store both sell only five-ounce bags. The cost per ounce is double.
I'll have to wait a few months for my favorite "chips" again. Oh well.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Medicine Costs
Last year I blogged a bit about my lengthy sinus infection, which I think I've only mentioned once this year. Even without the infection my sinuses are still inflamed. Now allergy season is here too.
So I went to both my doctor and a naturopathic physician friend to get more help. I'm now on quite a few medicines and pills. Fortunately, I have nice health insurance that pays for most of the cost of the prescriptions.
All this stuff I'm putting inside me is working wonderfully. I've gotten most of my energy back. I'm not constantly congested. I'm not suffering nearly-daily headaches. Hooray!
Here's what feeling well is costing me...
First, the prescriptions.
The Rhinocort is anti-inflammatory. The Wilson's Solution prevents another sinus infection.
The probiotic might be helping if my ratio of T1 to T2 cells was off, which often happens with allergy sufferers; having T2 too high increases mast cell activity. The other pill is designed to stabilize mast cells so fewer histamines are triggered. Allegra is the antihistamine that works best for me. So I have something dealing with all three of the main stages between "body notices pollen" and "histamine produced".
This supposedly helps with relaxation. I've certainly noticed that when I have more tension in my neck and upper back then it exacerbates my allergy symptoms. It seems to be working well, although for about a quarter per day I would even be happy with even a placebo effect.
Finally, my vitamins.
Total is $3.79 per day. That's a lot more than I have been spending on health for most of my life. But not too bad considering that it is Springtime allergy season, and I had been suffering from daily congestion and headaches due to swollen and inflamed sinuses.
So I went to both my doctor and a naturopathic physician friend to get more help. I'm now on quite a few medicines and pills. Fortunately, I have nice health insurance that pays for most of the cost of the prescriptions.
All this stuff I'm putting inside me is working wonderfully. I've gotten most of my energy back. I'm not constantly congested. I'm not suffering nearly-daily headaches. Hooray!
Here's what feeling well is costing me...
First, the prescriptions.
- Rhinocort - $37.50 for 120 sprays (30 days) - $1.25 per day
- Wilson's Solution (Gentamicin in saline) - $37 for three month supply - $0.41 per day
The Rhinocort is anti-inflammatory. The Wilson's Solution prevents another sinus infection.
- Power-Dophilus (four probiotic blend) $14.99 for 100 tablets (33 days) - $0.45 per day
- Aller-Essentials (Pure Encapsulations) $12.61 for 60 capsules (15 days) - $0.84 per day
- Allegra (CostCo) $35 for 90 tablets (90 days) - $0.39 per day
The probiotic might be helping if my ratio of T1 to T2 cells was off, which often happens with allergy sufferers; having T2 too high increases mast cell activity. The other pill is designed to stabilize mast cells so fewer histamines are triggered. Allegra is the antihistamine that works best for me. So I have something dealing with all three of the main stages between "body notices pollen" and "histamine produced".
- Rhodiola Root Extract 100 mg (Thorne Research) $8.00 for 60 capsules (30 days) - $0.27 per day
This supposedly helps with relaxation. I've certainly noticed that when I have more tension in my neck and upper back then it exacerbates my allergy symptoms. It seems to be working well, although for about a quarter per day I would even be happy with even a placebo effect.
- Multivitamin (Trader Joe's) $7.99 for 100 tablets (100 days) - $0.08 per day
- Vitamin C (Trader Joe's) $12.99 for 250 tablets (125 days) - $0.10 per day
Finally, my vitamins.
Total is $3.79 per day. That's a lot more than I have been spending on health for most of my life. But not too bad considering that it is Springtime allergy season, and I had been suffering from daily congestion and headaches due to swollen and inflamed sinuses.
Science Factory
Videos at all the links but the first link! I have not done a nice blog post about Smiley playing in a while, since I was foolishly trying to keep videos chronological and am still way behind in processing December videos. Well, enough pointless procrastination. Here's some very recent footage.
Yesterday Smiley visited the Science Factory for the first time. A friend of his invited us. Guest admission is free with a member.
Spring weather and flowers have really arrived. The park in which it is located was beautiful.
The two boys would have been very happy just playing outside. They climbed and jumped on a bench and chased some ducks. (I only got the very end of the duck-chasing on video. I was astonished that the ducks ran so much, instead of immediately flying away.)
The first exhibits were a bit too old for Smiley. He liked the noises the circuits and cams made but did not really comprehend what was happening.
But the Gravitram was fascinating. I took three videos over the course of ten minutes, and a fourth when he returned to it later on. He must have spent half an hour watching the thing. While driving home he talked about it. "The machine with the balls had a man with a hammer. He stopped the balls. He was not nice. I don't like him." (In that first video you can see the little-man part of the contraption if you look carefully.)
Smiley also enjoyed the Kinetica, a simpler device with more user participation. The Archimedes screw was also fun, although he had to wait a while until it was not mobbed by other kids.
At the end of the visit, when he was getting tired, we went to the "Five Years Old and Under" area and he played with a crane.
Smiley has a few friends with memberships. He already had a play date scheduled with one of them for today. We were going to visit a park, but since Smiley really wants to return to the Science Factory and his friend also enjoys it then I expect we're returning there this afternoon.
Yesterday Smiley visited the Science Factory for the first time. A friend of his invited us. Guest admission is free with a member.
Spring weather and flowers have really arrived. The park in which it is located was beautiful.
The two boys would have been very happy just playing outside. They climbed and jumped on a bench and chased some ducks. (I only got the very end of the duck-chasing on video. I was astonished that the ducks ran so much, instead of immediately flying away.)
The first exhibits were a bit too old for Smiley. He liked the noises the circuits and cams made but did not really comprehend what was happening.
But the Gravitram was fascinating. I took three videos over the course of ten minutes, and a fourth when he returned to it later on. He must have spent half an hour watching the thing. While driving home he talked about it. "The machine with the balls had a man with a hammer. He stopped the balls. He was not nice. I don't like him." (In that first video you can see the little-man part of the contraption if you look carefully.)
Smiley also enjoyed the Kinetica, a simpler device with more user participation. The Archimedes screw was also fun, although he had to wait a while until it was not mobbed by other kids.
At the end of the visit, when he was getting tired, we went to the "Five Years Old and Under" area and he played with a crane.
Smiley has a few friends with memberships. He already had a play date scheduled with one of them for today. We were going to visit a park, but since Smiley really wants to return to the Science Factory and his friend also enjoys it then I expect we're returning there this afternoon.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The Dentist and the Skate Park
Smiley has been worried about dentists.
A month ago I had a routine dentist visit to get my teeth cleaned. Also, my grandmother has had a lot of dentist visits lately because her false teeth are having problems. We both have good dentists. No one hollers or screams.
However, Smiley knows about the dentist from Finding Nemo, who is not a good dentist. His patients holler and scream.
So Smiley has been worried that my dentist, or my grandmother's dentist, might not be good dentists.
What to do? Wednesday we visited my dentist. No appointment, just stopped by to say hi. (I had called ahead to make sure this was in general an okay thing to do, and asked for the time of day they were least busy.) A dental technician gave us a tour.
Smiley likes the dentist's. The office has a tape dispenser. (He likes tape.) He got to move one of the chairs up and down. He smiled when the dental technician blew air and water on his hand from that tool. He got to see patients who were not hollering or screaming. He was given a blue toothbrush, two stickers, and a high bounce ball.
A few of the dentists and other technicians were bored, and stopped by to chat. He was probably the cutest visitor that morning.
It was a nice visit. He wants to go there again, to spend more time playing with the buttons that work their accessible entryway doors.
So... what to do with his first high bounce ball? I drove him to the skate park at Crescent and Gilham. It was a slightly rainy day, so no one else was there. Skaters don't like puddles.
Life does not get much better than a three-year-old with a high bounce ball in an empty skate park.
A month ago I had a routine dentist visit to get my teeth cleaned. Also, my grandmother has had a lot of dentist visits lately because her false teeth are having problems. We both have good dentists. No one hollers or screams.
However, Smiley knows about the dentist from Finding Nemo, who is not a good dentist. His patients holler and scream.
So Smiley has been worried that my dentist, or my grandmother's dentist, might not be good dentists.
What to do? Wednesday we visited my dentist. No appointment, just stopped by to say hi. (I had called ahead to make sure this was in general an okay thing to do, and asked for the time of day they were least busy.) A dental technician gave us a tour.
Smiley likes the dentist's. The office has a tape dispenser. (He likes tape.) He got to move one of the chairs up and down. He smiled when the dental technician blew air and water on his hand from that tool. He got to see patients who were not hollering or screaming. He was given a blue toothbrush, two stickers, and a high bounce ball.
A few of the dentists and other technicians were bored, and stopped by to chat. He was probably the cutest visitor that morning.
It was a nice visit. He wants to go there again, to spend more time playing with the buttons that work their accessible entryway doors.
So... what to do with his first high bounce ball? I drove him to the skate park at Crescent and Gilham. It was a slightly rainy day, so no one else was there. Skaters don't like puddles.
Life does not get much better than a three-year-old with a high bounce ball in an empty skate park.
Woof Woof
I've been doing more barking than usual.
First, there is Jeeves and Wooster. My wife asked for that DVD set as a holiday present. It is something funny to watch together in the evening. Smiley asked about it, so we let him watch the first part of the second episode, "Tuppy and the Terrier". In it Bertie Wooster is playing golf. He is also babysitting his aunt's terrier, who is with him at the golf course. The dog keeps barking (prompted by the mischievous Bobby Wickham) just as Bertie is taking a swing, ruining his game.
After watching that, Smiley asked to try playing golf. So we set him up with a long cardboard tube from a wrapping paper roll, a small plastic ball, and a box on its side. He enjoys trying to hit the ball into the box. But in his mind golf requires a distracting dog. So my job is to bark as he is about to swing the tube.
The other barking is from the delightful Boynton board book Doggies. It has joined the ranks of books Smiley enjoys "reading" to himself. Since his barking is incredibly adorable (although I have so far failed to catch it with our Flip video recorder) I have been reading it to him more often, to keep it in his mind.
(By the way, that board book should be part of all premarital counseling. A couple that cannot count and bark together may have a troubled future.)
First, there is Jeeves and Wooster. My wife asked for that DVD set as a holiday present. It is something funny to watch together in the evening. Smiley asked about it, so we let him watch the first part of the second episode, "Tuppy and the Terrier". In it Bertie Wooster is playing golf. He is also babysitting his aunt's terrier, who is with him at the golf course. The dog keeps barking (prompted by the mischievous Bobby Wickham) just as Bertie is taking a swing, ruining his game.
After watching that, Smiley asked to try playing golf. So we set him up with a long cardboard tube from a wrapping paper roll, a small plastic ball, and a box on its side. He enjoys trying to hit the ball into the box. But in his mind golf requires a distracting dog. So my job is to bark as he is about to swing the tube.
The other barking is from the delightful Boynton board book Doggies. It has joined the ranks of books Smiley enjoys "reading" to himself. Since his barking is incredibly adorable (although I have so far failed to catch it with our Flip video recorder) I have been reading it to him more often, to keep it in his mind.
(By the way, that board book should be part of all premarital counseling. A couple that cannot count and bark together may have a troubled future.)
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Laptop Hard Drive Problem
Sometimes my laptop's hard drive makes alarmingly loud noises.
It was doing this often several months ago. Then the problem went away. Two weeks ago it returned.
Ubuntu has had problems with some laptop hard drives in the past. But more recent versions of the operating system have supposedly fixes these, so I doubt that a recent update has reintroduced the problem. Furthermore, the two fixes:
It might be time to shop for a new laptop--one that is designed and sold with Ubuntu. Any suggestions?
It was doing this often several months ago. Then the problem went away. Two weeks ago it returned.
Ubuntu has had problems with some laptop hard drives in the past. But more recent versions of the operating system have supposedly fixes these, so I doubt that a recent update has reintroduced the problem. Furthermore, the two fixes:
1. Turning off "spin down hard disks when possible" in both places (plugged in and battery power) within the Power Management preferences.Do not help, neither months ago or currently.
2. The terminal command
sudo hdparm -M 128 -B 255 /dev/sda
It might be time to shop for a new laptop--one that is designed and sold with Ubuntu. Any suggestions?
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Dominion Three-Set Box
In early January I mentioned that Amazon sells the Dominion card game in a three-box set.
Oddly, most of the comments are about how the organizational system that comes with the box does not sensibly organize the cards.
Why is this an issue? Just alphabetize the cards, except for the bigger slots especially made to hold those few card types for which there are more than ten copies.
Here's a photo.
Much easier than trying to set up or put away the game from three boxes!
Oddly, most of the comments are about how the organizational system that comes with the box does not sensibly organize the cards.
Why is this an issue? Just alphabetize the cards, except for the bigger slots especially made to hold those few card types for which there are more than ten copies.
Here's a photo.
Much easier than trying to set up or put away the game from three boxes!
Microclimate
I have been loving our spa in 2011. I am still dealing with frequent sinus congestion and headaches. No medication helps as much as soaking twice a day to let hot air and steam into in my head.
My wife was amused to see that the spa also helps our planter box of strawberries. At the end of January we got to eat fresh berries from our yard.
A nice snack on a snowy day.
My wife was amused to see that the spa also helps our planter box of strawberries. At the end of January we got to eat fresh berries from our yard.
A nice snack on a snowy day.
Matchbox Car Weights
I noticed the Matchbox cars I have saved from my childhood weigh more than the ones currently sold. They must have more metal and less plastic.
I weighed two fire trucks just because I'm that kind of nerd.
The old one weighs 52 grams.
The new one weighs 40 grams.
On the other hand, their prices have not changed since I was a moppet. The fire truck may have lost 23% of its weight, but it's still a better deal for a pile of inflation-adjusted nickels and pennies.
I weighed two fire trucks just because I'm that kind of nerd.
The old one weighs 52 grams.
The new one weighs 40 grams.
On the other hand, their prices have not changed since I was a moppet. The fire truck may have lost 23% of its weight, but it's still a better deal for a pile of inflation-adjusted nickels and pennies.
First Soma Cube Photos
More Picasa Photos
Whew. My laptop has been acting up, but I did manage to get some photos commented and up on Picasa.
Our 2010 album is finally done! The 2011 album only has January's photos, which were few. I'll try to get caught up soon.
Our 2010 album is finally done! The 2011 album only has January's photos, which were few. I'll try to get caught up soon.
Friday, April 01, 2011
Hellebores
Our neighborhood has too many deer. The number of deer families has more than tripled since we moved here. Deer are not a native species, but since they are cute as well as destructive then the local government does not provide any way to deal with them.
During the past two years their crowding has caused them to eat even the English ivy, daphne, and sword ferns in our front yard (three plants deer normally do n0t eat).
So we've been planting hellebore. It's now the only plant that's safe.
A local nursery, Northwest Garden Nursery, is one of the foremost hellebore breeders in the world. So at least we get an unusual amount of variety with the one pretty plant the deer won't eat.
A few weekends ago we purchased eight more hellebore. They have been sitting in their pots, waiting to be planted. Yesterday I planted two in the back yard. Today I'll plant the other six in the front yard. These are the perfect days, since it is finally dry enough that I'm not hurting the lawn by walking on sogginess, but still wet enough that digging is very easy.
Perhaps I'll even attack the winter's new blackberry invasions, too. (I weeded the first spring crop of dandelions yesterday.)
During the past two years their crowding has caused them to eat even the English ivy, daphne, and sword ferns in our front yard (three plants deer normally do n0t eat).
So we've been planting hellebore. It's now the only plant that's safe.
A local nursery, Northwest Garden Nursery, is one of the foremost hellebore breeders in the world. So at least we get an unusual amount of variety with the one pretty plant the deer won't eat.
A few weekends ago we purchased eight more hellebore. They have been sitting in their pots, waiting to be planted. Yesterday I planted two in the back yard. Today I'll plant the other six in the front yard. These are the perfect days, since it is finally dry enough that I'm not hurting the lawn by walking on sogginess, but still wet enough that digging is very easy.
Perhaps I'll even attack the winter's new blackberry invasions, too. (I weeded the first spring crop of dandelions yesterday.)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
March 31st Firsts
Today Smiley had three memorable "firsts".
For about two months he has asked for stories about going hiking in the woods, because Little Bear goes hiking in the woods. Most of these stories involve Smiley, his friend Tyris, and the imaginary character Magalene.
Today was the first reasonably sunny and not-too-muddy day in weeks, and he finally got to go hiking. The Fox Hollow trail head of the Ridgeline Trail is very near our house. So after our morning errands we stopped home briefly, packed a lunch to eat on the trail, and went hiking. We had a great time, and found a sunny spot to eat that had some recently cut trunk-cylinders of a fallen tree at the side of the trail that made good seats. (Do those have a name? They're not "stumps".) I should have brought a camera.
Smiley was very impatient druing the drive to the trail head. His second "first" of the day was bugging me with "Are we there yet?" as we drove.
Then he had a bump while walking to his bunk bed from where he helped "read" a bedtime story He was walking while holding open the book (Waddle) and saying the letters on the last page. Bump! He walks into a wall. Not hard enough to be bothered by it, but I still got to say "Mr. Rabbit..." to him, which is something my mother used to say to me all the time as a child when I walked into things while reading.
For about two months he has asked for stories about going hiking in the woods, because Little Bear goes hiking in the woods. Most of these stories involve Smiley, his friend Tyris, and the imaginary character Magalene.
Today was the first reasonably sunny and not-too-muddy day in weeks, and he finally got to go hiking. The Fox Hollow trail head of the Ridgeline Trail is very near our house. So after our morning errands we stopped home briefly, packed a lunch to eat on the trail, and went hiking. We had a great time, and found a sunny spot to eat that had some recently cut trunk-cylinders of a fallen tree at the side of the trail that made good seats. (Do those have a name? They're not "stumps".) I should have brought a camera.
Smiley was very impatient druing the drive to the trail head. His second "first" of the day was bugging me with "Are we there yet?" as we drove.
Then he had a bump while walking to his bunk bed from where he helped "read" a bedtime story He was walking while holding open the book (Waddle) and saying the letters on the last page. Bump! He walks into a wall. Not hard enough to be bothered by it, but I still got to say "Mr. Rabbit..." to him, which is something my mother used to say to me all the time as a child when I walked into things while reading.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Magalene on a Walk with Ninjas
Time for another Magalene update. Yesterday I wrote about how, in January, Magalene stories changed from their original purpose of providing reminders about the rules at different places into adventure stories.
In February, Smiley resumed wanting Magalene stories in which she misbehaved. So in some of her stories she was "behaving today" and in others she was "misbehaving today".
In late February I realized that Smiley could get equal enjoyment to knowing the rules better than Magalene from sharing in Magalene's victories. Fitting along with our discipline style of "If that toy is causing you to not listen it will have to go in time out," I added temptation to the Magalene stories. With ninjas.
(Smiley had no prior exposure to ninjas. They are simply bad, sneaky people from these stories.)
My favorite story about Magalene and ninjas is the one we tell when visiting the mall to ride on the escalators. But that is simply because the phrase mall ninjas is inherently funny by association.
Here is the story with ninjas I told yesterday when Smiley and I were on a walk.
The oldest type, where he and Magalene both visit a store, park, library etc. and I contrast his behaving with her misbehaving, is his favorite at bedtimes. The adventure type is usually his preference when in the car. Stories with ninjas are his favorite when he is out of the house and wants to review the rules.
In February, Smiley resumed wanting Magalene stories in which she misbehaved. So in some of her stories she was "behaving today" and in others she was "misbehaving today".
In late February I realized that Smiley could get equal enjoyment to knowing the rules better than Magalene from sharing in Magalene's victories. Fitting along with our discipline style of "If that toy is causing you to not listen it will have to go in time out," I added temptation to the Magalene stories. With ninjas.
(Smiley had no prior exposure to ninjas. They are simply bad, sneaky people from these stories.)
My favorite story about Magalene and ninjas is the one we tell when visiting the mall to ride on the escalators. But that is simply because the phrase mall ninjas is inherently funny by association.
Here is the story with ninjas I told yesterday when Smiley and I were on a walk.
So now Smiley has three very different genres of Magalene story. Currently he enjoys them all.Magalene on a Walk with Ninjas
One day Magalene and her mommy were on a walk. They were walking on the sidewalk. Magalene was riding in the big stroller.
There were ninjas. The ninjas were mean. "We want to make trouble," said the ninjas. "If Magalene got in trouble and her mommy put the buckle on her that would be funny. Magalene does not like being buckled in the stroller. She would be sad and cry. Then we could laugh at her, 'Ha, ha, ha, ha!'"
One ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should run away from your mommy and say 'Ha, ha, you can't catch me!'"
Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should run away. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right," says Smiley as he hears the story.] "My mommy would say I am not listening and put on the stroller buckle. I would be sad. I will be a good listening girl."
Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should hang on the side of the stroller. That is more fun than sitting nice."
Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should hang funny on the stroller. Is that right?" ["No," says Smiley as he hears the story.] "My mommy would say, 'You are not listening, Magalene.' I will be a good listening girl."
Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should run into the street." ["But that's not right, Daddy," adds Smiley.]
Magalene turned around and said, "Who'se there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should run into street. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right," says Smiley. "That would be dangerous."] "A car might bump me. I don't want to be hurt. I want to be a good listening girl."
Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should go out of the stroller and pet that big dog right away." ["But that's not right," interrupts Smiley.]
Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I pet a dog, right away. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right, Daddy" says Smiley as he hears the story. "You should ask first and then pet the dog."] "The dog might bite me," thought Magalene. "I should ask first, 'Is this dog good for petting?'"
The ninjas all watched Magalene and her mommy on their walk. "We cannot make Magalene misbehave," said the ninjas. "She is too much a good listening girl today. We will go home. Maybe tomorrow we can make Magalene get in trouble. Then we could laugh at her, "Ha, ha, ha, ha!" So the ninjas all went back home to their nefarious lair and took naps.
The oldest type, where he and Magalene both visit a store, park, library etc. and I contrast his behaving with her misbehaving, is his favorite at bedtimes. The adventure type is usually his preference when in the car. Stories with ninjas are his favorite when he is out of the house and wants to review the rules.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Magalene and the Pirates
Remember Magalene? Smiley had decided in early December that in most Magalene stories she would behave, and be a pretend friend visiting his house.
In January she began having adventures. Here is a typical Magalene story from January.
Smiley had been introduced to pirates by the book Pirate School. Also, Smiley understands the concept of a time-out, so I use it to avoid any description of violence between pirates. Even though Smiley is almost never put in a time-out, his toys are when he misbehaves, and some of his friends get time-outs.
Notice that Magalane does not actually do much in the story. She usually needs help, from either Smiley or a fictitious hero character.
In January she began having adventures. Here is a typical Magalene story from January.
Smiley had been introduced to pirates by the book Pirate School. Also, Smiley understands the concept of a time-out, so I use it to avoid any description of violence between pirates. Even though Smiley is almost never put in a time-out, his toys are when he misbehaves, and some of his friends get time-outs.
Notice that Magalane does not actually do much in the story. She usually needs help, from either Smiley or a fictitious hero character.
Magalene and the Yummy Fish
One day, Magalene was in her little boat fishing. She had a fishing pole and fishing line. She caught a fish. It was not a pretty fish. It was silver. But it was a very good kind of fish for eating. Magalene was happy. "I will take this yummy fish home and cook it on the grill with spices. I will have a nice dinner."
Then a pirate ship came near. It was the pirate ship of Perarm Paul. "Oh, no!" said Magalene. "It is Pegarm Paul. He is a bad pirate. He takes things."
Pegarm Paul steered his ship next to Magalene's little boat. He leaned over the edge of the pirate ship. He looked at Magalene. Pegarm Paul laughed: "Ha, ha, ha ha!"
"Yes," he said, "I am a bad pirate. I take things. Now I am going to take... that yummy fish!" And Pegarm Paul reached down and took the fish. Then he sailed away.
Magalene was said. Magalene cried.
Then another pirate shipe came near. It belonged to Pegleg Pete, who was a good pirate. He helped people.
Pegleg Pete saw that Magalene was crying. He asked, "Why are you crying, Magalene, my friend?"
Magalene said, "I had caught a very yummy fish. It was the kind that is good to cook on the grill with spices. But the bad pirate, Pegarm Paul, took it from me."
Pegleg Pete said, "He is a bad pirate. I will chase him and bring back your fish. But I need to hurry or he will eat your fish for lunch. Wait here, Magalene."
Pegleg Pete sailed to the west. He did not find Pegarm Paul. It was closer to lunch time.
Pegleg Pete sailed to the east. He did not find Pegarm Paul. It was getting later. It was closer to lunch time.
Pegleg Pete sailed to the south. He did not find Pegarm Paul. It was almost lunch time.
Pegleg Pete sailed to the north. He saw the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul. It was lunch time. Pegleg Pete sailed his pirate ship next to the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul. Then Pegleg Pete jumped onto the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul. He ran to find Pegarm Paul.
Pegarm Paul inside his pirate ship. He was in the kitchen. The yummy fish was ready for cooking. Pegarm Paul was about to put it in a pan.
Pegleg Pete opened the kitchen door. "Stop!" he said. "That fish belongs to Magalene. You should not take things!" Then Pegleg Pete took Pegarm Paul. He put him in time out. Then Pegleg Pete took the fish. He sailed quickly back to Magalene and her little boat.
"Here, Magalene. Here is your yummy fish. Pegarm Paul took it. He put spices on it. But he did not cook it. You can put it on a grill and cook it." Magalene did that. She cooked the yummy fish and shared it with Pegleg Pete.
"Thank you, Pegleg Pete," said Magalene. They had a very nice lunch.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Cocoa Mass
My family uses two kinds of chocolate for baking.
We use the Ambrosia chocolate chips sold at Costco. These cost $16.99, weigh 160 ounces, and contain 43% cocoa. That works out to 25 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.
For dark chocolate we use Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus bars. These cost $4.99, weight 17.6 ounces, and contain 72% cocoa. That works out to 39 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.
Chocolate prices are on the rise. I wonder how these numbers will change in a year or two?
We use the Ambrosia chocolate chips sold at Costco. These cost $16.99, weigh 160 ounces, and contain 43% cocoa. That works out to 25 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.
For dark chocolate we use Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus bars. These cost $4.99, weight 17.6 ounces, and contain 72% cocoa. That works out to 39 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.
Chocolate prices are on the rise. I wonder how these numbers will change in a year or two?
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