A REALISTIC SOLUTION FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
Everyone seems to agree that high unemployment is the most important item on the agenda in order to get our economy rolling again. This would increase production, income and tax revenues, as well as improve our national outlook. As we look forward to welcoming more of our military home later on this year and next year, as we consider the historically high unemployment figures, and as we look ahead to an election year full of promising and hopeful candidates, what could be more appropriate than focusing on job creation?
These jobs need not be created out of thin air, as if there were not already established businesses which are capable of increasing production, expanding internal and external infrastructures, and developing and promoting the goods and services which originate here. Provided positive business incentives, American business ingenuity would discover ways to create, develop and transform themselves to afford an increased labor force capable of accomplishing these goals.
Since overcoming inertia on a business, political and personal level has become a problem of epic proportions as this recession has continued, we will need to move out of our comfort zone, seize the bull by the horns, stop stonewalling and finger-pointing and stop waiting for someone else to do something about it. Let’s begin boldly with a requirement that every company with 10 employees or more in the U.S. increase their employees by 10%. Those who are able to do so within the first 6 months without reducing employee compensation should be offered investment incentives. Those who are unable or unwilling to continue paying employees at their current level may reduce their level of compensation in order to cover the increased costs of the 10% hiring increase. Those who are unable or unwilling to comply with this requirement within 12 months should either be assessed a penalty or have their equivalent tax deductions withheld until the terms of this requirement are met.
I am confident that as patriotic and compassionate Americans, we will find a way to accomplish the goal of full employment for those who have lost the means to participate in our economy. In doing so, many of our stagnating problems will disappear like a swamp which has been drained. The usable land which is then made available through this process will support and enrich our lives.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A FAILURE TO AGREE-ON DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT
A FAILURE TO AGREE—ON REPLACING DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT
We are facing some tough and pertinent questions regarding the form and function of our federal government. Some questions that come to mind include: Is the U.S. suffering from too much government? Should the U.S. government get out of its own way? Have we become our own worst enemy? Shall we sacrifice our nation in order to preserve the status quo, or should we instead save our nation from itself? Is it really just a case of choosing a new President in November of 2012, whether a Democrat, Republican or Independent candidate, or does the root cause lie much deeper? Is it now time to choose a more effective form of government? Shall we choose a Scandinavian, European or Canadian model? After all, this is the country of we the people, and so we have a right to choose the form of government that best meets our needs.
What is the most effective form of government? Is more and larger government the answer to our predicament? How does our form of federal government compare with the rest of the world? Can our government change, and should our government change at this time? Can we just eliminate the federal government altogether? Can we continue to function as separate states? Going further, can we function as independent counties? Can we function as independent cities or city-states? Is it wise to do so? How independent are we really? Who would be hurt by independent states, counties and cities? Who is most helped by federal government? Who is least helped by federal government?
Why do we insist on crediting the federal government as the source of our supplemental funding when in reality we the people are the source of the wealth of our nation? If we the people really are the nation, and we are also the government by inference, does it really matter whether the government we support is at the city, county, state or national level, as long as it remains a viable, functional form of government? Why is it necessary to send our money off to Washington D.C., only to have it earmarked for the pet projects of those in Congress, who may or may not send some of it back to us? Aren’t we capable at the local level of choosing more necessary and appropriate uses for our own money? Isn’t it obvious that the reason cities, counties and states increasingly depend on the federal government as this depression deepens is that we have given them so much of our money in the first place, expecting them to provide quality goods and services in exchange for our trust and support?
If we hired a contractor and gave him money to build us a wonderful house that would stand up to scrutiny, protect us from the elements, provide comfort, safety and warmth for our inhabitants and not fail to impress the neighborhood with its design, functionality and hospitality, we would then expect to pay top dollar. But in return, we would expect him to build us a house that was worthy of our high expectations. Fellow citizens, we have a right to expect a decent house in exchange for our investment. What we have instead, for comparison’s sake, is an unkempt and dysfunctional, unsightly shack, with a leaky roof, backed-up plumbing and a broken-down fence that is an eyesore and an offense to the neighborhood. Given the circumstances, what should we do with the contractor we hired with our money and with the house that he built for us?
We have delegated OUR AUTHORITY to the federal government and trusted that they are good stewards of our money and resources. Well guess what? Since we the people ARE the government, it’s time to remind the federal government that we the people no longer will place our trust and finances under their control, and in fact are considering dissolving our less-than-perfect (to put it mildly) federal union in favor of more responsive and functional government.
Now for some practical suggestions: Instead of bankrolling the federal bureaucracy, let’s keep our revenues in the states, counties and cities where they can do the most good for all of us. (By the way, do you have any idea how much money could be saved and used to run local, state and city governments if we didn’t have to finance the federal government with its duplication of services, inefficiency and overlapping of jurisdictions? Our projected federal budget is $3.7 trillion per year. (Wikipedia) Our projected total state budgets are $1.7 trillion per year. (Deltek Information Systems) If that money were appropriately kept in state, county and city treasuries, what could they accomplish in terms of building infrastructure, training and preparing their citizens, and responding to our current economic challenges? The $3.7 trillion could be wisely and fairly apportioned, ensuring that all of our state, county and city governments would be able to meet budgets and there would still be plenty of money left to provide for national defense, emergency management and a rainy day fund.
Since we the people already own the properties, resources and the truly vast real estate holdings that make up our federal government, we can decide how best to use, protect and preserve our property. We can greatly improve our international diplomacy, revenue-share our military, concentrate on our national guard, coast guard, and first-strike capabilities, improve our existing defenses, technology, testing, satellites, aircraft, improve our information gathering as much as possible, do it better than anyone else, and keep a close watch on the world around us and here at home, too. We can keep plenty of boots on the ground here at home and far fewer boots abroad. By building stronger relationships and using better diplomacy with our neighbors both in this hemisphere and throughout the world, we will have ready, willing and able allies when they are most needed.
Let’s concentrate on improving our own domestic infrastructures, better-educating our citizens and creating larger markets for our goods and services here at home and abroad. Instead of exporting our ideas to countries with cheap labor, let’s create, produce and service our own technologies right here at home. Let’s improve the lives of all of our citizens by providing jobs and increasing wages and opportunities.
Unemployment, poverty and crime go hand-in-hand. Why would any nation perpetuate these evils by failing to act? Why should we here in the U.S. allow this to continue? We’re an accident just waiting to happen, unless we make some serious progress in these areas soon! If you want your own family to fail, a sure way to make that happen is to stop taking care of it. Why would it be any different for cities, counties, states and nations? We need to do more than cater to the wealthy and special corporate interests. We need to stop ignoring the problems and do the tough things necessary to improve the lives of American citizens so that they can in turn help to improve this country.
It is far cheaper and easier to fix a situation before it becomes a problem than to wait for a catastrophe. The time to prepare for a hurricane is while it is still developing. Once it arrives, it’s too late! All that can be done then is to save those who are still living, to run, swim or drive away, if that is still possible, and deal with the cleanup when the hurricane is finally over. (If there is still any money left to do that.) Standing around wringing our hands and crying won’t prevent the hurricane from coming, and ignoring it and pretending that everything will be okay won’t work either. The time for action is now, while cooler heads can still prevail. Leadership must stop fiddling while Rome burns, instead of acting now to prevent a disaster.
If leadership cannot agree and make a plan that will move us forward, it is time for new leadership, and probably time for a sea change in the way that we organize our federal government. The federal government is the most dysfunctional government in our country. Our most functional government begins at the local county level, followed by states and then cities. The degree to which any level of government is dependent on another level of government for its support and function, to that same degree is its level of dysfunction shown. Counties, states and cities which cannot survive independently should take steps to disband their present form of government in favor of smaller, stronger and more functional government. (As we know from hard experience, larger does not always mean stronger and more functional!) And just as this principle applies to smaller governmental units, so it also applies to the larger and more federalized versions.
If any form of government proves either by its misdeeds or inaction that it cannot be functional and productive, then it does not deserve to be a government at all. Leadership must discuss their failings openly with the citizens they represent and reach an agreement to remain as the smaller, more independent and functional units that they already are, or join together with other more capable forms of government. Why should we be satisfied to allow failure and mediocrity in government to be perpetuated?
Our constitution begins with “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union”…. In saying these words, we are saying that our goal is perfection, and I have to tell you folks, we sure are a long way from there! Why should the form of, or for that matter, the fact that a federal government exists blind us to the necessity of change? If the federal government is incapable of functioning in its present form, and if reasonable change is either rejected or found to be inadequate to the challenges we are facing, then it is time to dissolve the federal government and function as independent states, counties and cities. It’s time to decide whether to fix the roof or replace it! Better to have functional government at some level than to have dysfunction and chaos at the national level.
The inevitable questions arise: How about our national security? Who will speak on our behalf to the world community? Remember that we are still the same people with our city, local and state governments still in place, and we are still capable of taking action. We are probably also better-able to work together as properly-functioning governmental units than as a dysfunctional whole. You can believe that I personally hope it doesn’t come to this, although some would say that it already has! I hope that our federal leadership can prove itself worthy of existence.
If the elected and appointed leaders in federal offices cannot meet the current challenges and respond appropriately and in a timely fashion, then it is time to defer their authority to those who have proven themselves capable of leadership. You can lead, follow, or just get out of the way, because you are only holding up traffic and several other things at this point! Since we the people ARE the government in this nation at the local city, county, state AND national levels, and since our elected and appointed officials are merely our representatives, LET’S LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR DAYS AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE COMING TO AN END. We are better off without a federal government than with this dysfunction. It’s embarrassing and an insult to this great nation!
If the federal government cannot speak with one voice, then it is up to the American people to do it for them. We know how to get it right, even if our national leaders do not! It is the people of the United States speaking with one voice that will be heard above the noise of failed national government. And that one voice is calling out loudly for a fully-functioning and vibrant government which is capable of accomplishing the peoples’ will.
Mark Overt Skilbred
We are facing some tough and pertinent questions regarding the form and function of our federal government. Some questions that come to mind include: Is the U.S. suffering from too much government? Should the U.S. government get out of its own way? Have we become our own worst enemy? Shall we sacrifice our nation in order to preserve the status quo, or should we instead save our nation from itself? Is it really just a case of choosing a new President in November of 2012, whether a Democrat, Republican or Independent candidate, or does the root cause lie much deeper? Is it now time to choose a more effective form of government? Shall we choose a Scandinavian, European or Canadian model? After all, this is the country of we the people, and so we have a right to choose the form of government that best meets our needs.
What is the most effective form of government? Is more and larger government the answer to our predicament? How does our form of federal government compare with the rest of the world? Can our government change, and should our government change at this time? Can we just eliminate the federal government altogether? Can we continue to function as separate states? Going further, can we function as independent counties? Can we function as independent cities or city-states? Is it wise to do so? How independent are we really? Who would be hurt by independent states, counties and cities? Who is most helped by federal government? Who is least helped by federal government?
Why do we insist on crediting the federal government as the source of our supplemental funding when in reality we the people are the source of the wealth of our nation? If we the people really are the nation, and we are also the government by inference, does it really matter whether the government we support is at the city, county, state or national level, as long as it remains a viable, functional form of government? Why is it necessary to send our money off to Washington D.C., only to have it earmarked for the pet projects of those in Congress, who may or may not send some of it back to us? Aren’t we capable at the local level of choosing more necessary and appropriate uses for our own money? Isn’t it obvious that the reason cities, counties and states increasingly depend on the federal government as this depression deepens is that we have given them so much of our money in the first place, expecting them to provide quality goods and services in exchange for our trust and support?
If we hired a contractor and gave him money to build us a wonderful house that would stand up to scrutiny, protect us from the elements, provide comfort, safety and warmth for our inhabitants and not fail to impress the neighborhood with its design, functionality and hospitality, we would then expect to pay top dollar. But in return, we would expect him to build us a house that was worthy of our high expectations. Fellow citizens, we have a right to expect a decent house in exchange for our investment. What we have instead, for comparison’s sake, is an unkempt and dysfunctional, unsightly shack, with a leaky roof, backed-up plumbing and a broken-down fence that is an eyesore and an offense to the neighborhood. Given the circumstances, what should we do with the contractor we hired with our money and with the house that he built for us?
We have delegated OUR AUTHORITY to the federal government and trusted that they are good stewards of our money and resources. Well guess what? Since we the people ARE the government, it’s time to remind the federal government that we the people no longer will place our trust and finances under their control, and in fact are considering dissolving our less-than-perfect (to put it mildly) federal union in favor of more responsive and functional government.
Now for some practical suggestions: Instead of bankrolling the federal bureaucracy, let’s keep our revenues in the states, counties and cities where they can do the most good for all of us. (By the way, do you have any idea how much money could be saved and used to run local, state and city governments if we didn’t have to finance the federal government with its duplication of services, inefficiency and overlapping of jurisdictions? Our projected federal budget is $3.7 trillion per year. (Wikipedia) Our projected total state budgets are $1.7 trillion per year. (Deltek Information Systems) If that money were appropriately kept in state, county and city treasuries, what could they accomplish in terms of building infrastructure, training and preparing their citizens, and responding to our current economic challenges? The $3.7 trillion could be wisely and fairly apportioned, ensuring that all of our state, county and city governments would be able to meet budgets and there would still be plenty of money left to provide for national defense, emergency management and a rainy day fund.
Since we the people already own the properties, resources and the truly vast real estate holdings that make up our federal government, we can decide how best to use, protect and preserve our property. We can greatly improve our international diplomacy, revenue-share our military, concentrate on our national guard, coast guard, and first-strike capabilities, improve our existing defenses, technology, testing, satellites, aircraft, improve our information gathering as much as possible, do it better than anyone else, and keep a close watch on the world around us and here at home, too. We can keep plenty of boots on the ground here at home and far fewer boots abroad. By building stronger relationships and using better diplomacy with our neighbors both in this hemisphere and throughout the world, we will have ready, willing and able allies when they are most needed.
Let’s concentrate on improving our own domestic infrastructures, better-educating our citizens and creating larger markets for our goods and services here at home and abroad. Instead of exporting our ideas to countries with cheap labor, let’s create, produce and service our own technologies right here at home. Let’s improve the lives of all of our citizens by providing jobs and increasing wages and opportunities.
Unemployment, poverty and crime go hand-in-hand. Why would any nation perpetuate these evils by failing to act? Why should we here in the U.S. allow this to continue? We’re an accident just waiting to happen, unless we make some serious progress in these areas soon! If you want your own family to fail, a sure way to make that happen is to stop taking care of it. Why would it be any different for cities, counties, states and nations? We need to do more than cater to the wealthy and special corporate interests. We need to stop ignoring the problems and do the tough things necessary to improve the lives of American citizens so that they can in turn help to improve this country.
It is far cheaper and easier to fix a situation before it becomes a problem than to wait for a catastrophe. The time to prepare for a hurricane is while it is still developing. Once it arrives, it’s too late! All that can be done then is to save those who are still living, to run, swim or drive away, if that is still possible, and deal with the cleanup when the hurricane is finally over. (If there is still any money left to do that.) Standing around wringing our hands and crying won’t prevent the hurricane from coming, and ignoring it and pretending that everything will be okay won’t work either. The time for action is now, while cooler heads can still prevail. Leadership must stop fiddling while Rome burns, instead of acting now to prevent a disaster.
If leadership cannot agree and make a plan that will move us forward, it is time for new leadership, and probably time for a sea change in the way that we organize our federal government. The federal government is the most dysfunctional government in our country. Our most functional government begins at the local county level, followed by states and then cities. The degree to which any level of government is dependent on another level of government for its support and function, to that same degree is its level of dysfunction shown. Counties, states and cities which cannot survive independently should take steps to disband their present form of government in favor of smaller, stronger and more functional government. (As we know from hard experience, larger does not always mean stronger and more functional!) And just as this principle applies to smaller governmental units, so it also applies to the larger and more federalized versions.
If any form of government proves either by its misdeeds or inaction that it cannot be functional and productive, then it does not deserve to be a government at all. Leadership must discuss their failings openly with the citizens they represent and reach an agreement to remain as the smaller, more independent and functional units that they already are, or join together with other more capable forms of government. Why should we be satisfied to allow failure and mediocrity in government to be perpetuated?
Our constitution begins with “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union”…. In saying these words, we are saying that our goal is perfection, and I have to tell you folks, we sure are a long way from there! Why should the form of, or for that matter, the fact that a federal government exists blind us to the necessity of change? If the federal government is incapable of functioning in its present form, and if reasonable change is either rejected or found to be inadequate to the challenges we are facing, then it is time to dissolve the federal government and function as independent states, counties and cities. It’s time to decide whether to fix the roof or replace it! Better to have functional government at some level than to have dysfunction and chaos at the national level.
The inevitable questions arise: How about our national security? Who will speak on our behalf to the world community? Remember that we are still the same people with our city, local and state governments still in place, and we are still capable of taking action. We are probably also better-able to work together as properly-functioning governmental units than as a dysfunctional whole. You can believe that I personally hope it doesn’t come to this, although some would say that it already has! I hope that our federal leadership can prove itself worthy of existence.
If the elected and appointed leaders in federal offices cannot meet the current challenges and respond appropriately and in a timely fashion, then it is time to defer their authority to those who have proven themselves capable of leadership. You can lead, follow, or just get out of the way, because you are only holding up traffic and several other things at this point! Since we the people ARE the government in this nation at the local city, county, state AND national levels, and since our elected and appointed officials are merely our representatives, LET’S LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR DAYS AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE COMING TO AN END. We are better off without a federal government than with this dysfunction. It’s embarrassing and an insult to this great nation!
If the federal government cannot speak with one voice, then it is up to the American people to do it for them. We know how to get it right, even if our national leaders do not! It is the people of the United States speaking with one voice that will be heard above the noise of failed national government. And that one voice is calling out loudly for a fully-functioning and vibrant government which is capable of accomplishing the peoples’ will.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Friday, September 10, 2010
AGREEING WITH GOD IN OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS
AGREEING WITH GOD IN OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS
Regardless of our political affiliations, nationalities, race, creed or color, one thing identifies us as humans beyond everything else. Regardless of public opinion or the results of recent elections, make certain that when your vote is counted, that you have voted on God’s side. If you aren’t sure how God would vote, then you need to familiarize yourself with the Bible as much as possible. Then ask yourself how God would feel about the issues and candidates being considered. Humanism can have a positive or negative connotation, depending on the circumstances involved. Choosing God’s way is always best for us, even when we cannot see the benefits. As the Divine Humanist, God created us in His Image, sustains us and will provide for our future joys more than any human method ever devised. Mankind’s best humanistic efforts always fall short of the Divine standard. Does this mean that we should abandon our efforts? Rather, we should adopt God’s standards of excellence, which alone will bring us into fellowship with Him. How is this possible? God’s Holy Spirit is given to us to bring about this transformation. Tell God today that you want to conform yourself to the image of His Son and ask Him to grant you fellowship into His kingdom. He will enable you to agree with Him in your thoughts and actions, and will one day usher you into His presence for evermore.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Regardless of our political affiliations, nationalities, race, creed or color, one thing identifies us as humans beyond everything else. Regardless of public opinion or the results of recent elections, make certain that when your vote is counted, that you have voted on God’s side. If you aren’t sure how God would vote, then you need to familiarize yourself with the Bible as much as possible. Then ask yourself how God would feel about the issues and candidates being considered. Humanism can have a positive or negative connotation, depending on the circumstances involved. Choosing God’s way is always best for us, even when we cannot see the benefits. As the Divine Humanist, God created us in His Image, sustains us and will provide for our future joys more than any human method ever devised. Mankind’s best humanistic efforts always fall short of the Divine standard. Does this mean that we should abandon our efforts? Rather, we should adopt God’s standards of excellence, which alone will bring us into fellowship with Him. How is this possible? God’s Holy Spirit is given to us to bring about this transformation. Tell God today that you want to conform yourself to the image of His Son and ask Him to grant you fellowship into His kingdom. He will enable you to agree with Him in your thoughts and actions, and will one day usher you into His presence for evermore.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Monday, July 26, 2010
THE CLEANSING DIET
THE CLEANSING DIET
It has been nearly four months since I began a serious attempt to reduce my weight and improve my overall diet. Although I have been walking for 2-3 hours, five-days-a-week on a regular basis and have been on the low end of beef and general meat-consumption, I had trouble losing weight and I struggled with my overall wellness. I began at 220 lbs and lost weight rapidly, utilizing the Atkins reduced-carb approach. I successfully reduced to 186 lbs using a combination of Atkins and through gradually increasing my walking from 2 to 4 hours, 5 days-per-week, but was dissatisfied with the amount of meat, cheese, eggs and salt that is typically eaten on this diet. Seeking guidance, I have read more than 20 diet and health books since beginning this regimen, and most of them recommend a more-or-less vegetarian approach.
Natural Hygiene is explained in one of these books as another way to cleanse and reduce weight, so I began this cleansing diet after remaining on Atkins for 40 days. Basically, the Natural Hygiene diet is a method in which nothing but fruit is eaten upon arising and after that, eaten freely until lunchtime. Then after an hour or so, in the afternoon, you discontinue eating fruit and begin eating fresh salads, garnished with unprocessed, unroasted, unsalted, fresh seeds and nuts and olive oil, and you continue eating these small fresh salads freely until 8pm. Other vegetables are also permitted, but they should be eaten as fresh as possible, including fresh sprouts and other uncooked varieties, being careful to avoid adding salt and harmful commercial supplements. Because I began on the Atkins Diet, I had already eliminated bread from my diet, but I have now slowly begun to add in unprocessed whole wheat and sesame flatbread as well. I have found that I am not nearly as thirsty as I was on the Atkins diet, and that I have more energy.
Natural Hygiene is a vegetarian diet which had its origins in Europe several centuries ago and began to be spoken of and written about in this country beginning in about 1830. This diet plan has many adherents in this country, including physicians, health practitioners and educators. I am particularly interested in the cleansing aspect of this diet, as well as the improved energy which it provides. By eating fresh, living, vegetarian foods, which have about 70% water content, your body is able to cleanse itself beginning with the digestive tract and proceeding through your system at the cellular level and continuing to cleanse the liver, kidneys, intestines and colon. The more closely you adhere to this diet program and avoid meat, eggs, dairy and salt, the more quickly you will see beneficial results. After beginning this diet, I continued to lose about 3 lbs per week for 3 weeks to 177 lbs, and then I slowly regained to 186 lbs, where my weight has stabilized for the past 3 weeks. I plan to write more about this program later, when I have more information to share with you, but so far I am pleased with what the Natural Hygiene diet has done for me. If you are feeling run-down, have elimination problems, are seeking to lose weight, or are otherwise confronting other wellness issues, I recommend that you try the Natural Hygiene dietary approach.
Mark Overt Skilbred
It has been nearly four months since I began a serious attempt to reduce my weight and improve my overall diet. Although I have been walking for 2-3 hours, five-days-a-week on a regular basis and have been on the low end of beef and general meat-consumption, I had trouble losing weight and I struggled with my overall wellness. I began at 220 lbs and lost weight rapidly, utilizing the Atkins reduced-carb approach. I successfully reduced to 186 lbs using a combination of Atkins and through gradually increasing my walking from 2 to 4 hours, 5 days-per-week, but was dissatisfied with the amount of meat, cheese, eggs and salt that is typically eaten on this diet. Seeking guidance, I have read more than 20 diet and health books since beginning this regimen, and most of them recommend a more-or-less vegetarian approach.
Natural Hygiene is explained in one of these books as another way to cleanse and reduce weight, so I began this cleansing diet after remaining on Atkins for 40 days. Basically, the Natural Hygiene diet is a method in which nothing but fruit is eaten upon arising and after that, eaten freely until lunchtime. Then after an hour or so, in the afternoon, you discontinue eating fruit and begin eating fresh salads, garnished with unprocessed, unroasted, unsalted, fresh seeds and nuts and olive oil, and you continue eating these small fresh salads freely until 8pm. Other vegetables are also permitted, but they should be eaten as fresh as possible, including fresh sprouts and other uncooked varieties, being careful to avoid adding salt and harmful commercial supplements. Because I began on the Atkins Diet, I had already eliminated bread from my diet, but I have now slowly begun to add in unprocessed whole wheat and sesame flatbread as well. I have found that I am not nearly as thirsty as I was on the Atkins diet, and that I have more energy.
Natural Hygiene is a vegetarian diet which had its origins in Europe several centuries ago and began to be spoken of and written about in this country beginning in about 1830. This diet plan has many adherents in this country, including physicians, health practitioners and educators. I am particularly interested in the cleansing aspect of this diet, as well as the improved energy which it provides. By eating fresh, living, vegetarian foods, which have about 70% water content, your body is able to cleanse itself beginning with the digestive tract and proceeding through your system at the cellular level and continuing to cleanse the liver, kidneys, intestines and colon. The more closely you adhere to this diet program and avoid meat, eggs, dairy and salt, the more quickly you will see beneficial results. After beginning this diet, I continued to lose about 3 lbs per week for 3 weeks to 177 lbs, and then I slowly regained to 186 lbs, where my weight has stabilized for the past 3 weeks. I plan to write more about this program later, when I have more information to share with you, but so far I am pleased with what the Natural Hygiene diet has done for me. If you are feeling run-down, have elimination problems, are seeking to lose weight, or are otherwise confronting other wellness issues, I recommend that you try the Natural Hygiene dietary approach.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Sunday, July 11, 2010
SOLUTIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
SOLUTIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
A well-known politico commented recently that she did not know any economists who are against continuing extension of benefits to the unemployed. This is because there is historical evidence of the efficiency of this particular form of economic stimulation, which pumps money into the system quickly and avoids the greater harms caused by allowing the unemployed to slip closer to the edge of economic and health disasters such as bankruptcy, malnutrition and exposure. There has been some question about the logic of the Senate’s rejection of the most recent unemployment benefits extensions. Perhaps they are concerned that any efforts to relieve the suffering of the unemployed will be viewed by some as an unnecessary increase in the national debt. It is more likely that Republican senators are more concerned about reelection than about anything else. Still other economic voices argue that without this crucial economic stimulus, we will enter a secondary phase of recession which diminishes our recovery efforts and further prolongs the misery and frustration of those who are most in need.
In an effort to stimulate job creation, banks have been given access to $15 billion in funds to make cheaper loans to small businesses who will agree to the creation of more jobs in exchange for lower interest rate loans. This is a step in the right direction, but will take longer because of the reluctance of small businesses to incur debt in such an uncertain business climate. Another approach which could be tried is to reduce payrolls nationally by 10%, and use that same 10% savings to hire the unemployed, which now represent about 10% of the nation. Employees who complain about the reduction of their income to 90% could be encouraged to show the same compassion for their unemployed neighbors as they would like to be shown to them under the same circumstances. If this logic fails to convince them, perhaps offering them an opportunity to exchange places with their less-fortunate neighbors would be more appropriate.
Whatever solutions ultimately prevail, this continues to be a learning experience more keenly felt by those recipients who have had the least to gain and the most to lose, through no fault of their own, since the Great Depression. Rather than bemoaning our sad fate as a nation, why not find a practical way to move forward and turn our dilemma into a fair solution which works now and sets a good historical example for generations to come?
Mark Overt Skilbred
A well-known politico commented recently that she did not know any economists who are against continuing extension of benefits to the unemployed. This is because there is historical evidence of the efficiency of this particular form of economic stimulation, which pumps money into the system quickly and avoids the greater harms caused by allowing the unemployed to slip closer to the edge of economic and health disasters such as bankruptcy, malnutrition and exposure. There has been some question about the logic of the Senate’s rejection of the most recent unemployment benefits extensions. Perhaps they are concerned that any efforts to relieve the suffering of the unemployed will be viewed by some as an unnecessary increase in the national debt. It is more likely that Republican senators are more concerned about reelection than about anything else. Still other economic voices argue that without this crucial economic stimulus, we will enter a secondary phase of recession which diminishes our recovery efforts and further prolongs the misery and frustration of those who are most in need.
In an effort to stimulate job creation, banks have been given access to $15 billion in funds to make cheaper loans to small businesses who will agree to the creation of more jobs in exchange for lower interest rate loans. This is a step in the right direction, but will take longer because of the reluctance of small businesses to incur debt in such an uncertain business climate. Another approach which could be tried is to reduce payrolls nationally by 10%, and use that same 10% savings to hire the unemployed, which now represent about 10% of the nation. Employees who complain about the reduction of their income to 90% could be encouraged to show the same compassion for their unemployed neighbors as they would like to be shown to them under the same circumstances. If this logic fails to convince them, perhaps offering them an opportunity to exchange places with their less-fortunate neighbors would be more appropriate.
Whatever solutions ultimately prevail, this continues to be a learning experience more keenly felt by those recipients who have had the least to gain and the most to lose, through no fault of their own, since the Great Depression. Rather than bemoaning our sad fate as a nation, why not find a practical way to move forward and turn our dilemma into a fair solution which works now and sets a good historical example for generations to come?
Mark Overt Skilbred
Friday, June 18, 2010
NBA STANDINGS FOR JUNE 17, 2010
NBA STANDINGS FOR JUNE 17, 2010
Well done, Lakers! Well done, Phil! Congratulations to Lakers fans everywhere on your 16th NBA Championship! As you enjoy your celebration and a much-deserved rest, take time to count your blessings and give yourselves a chance to heal from all of your many injuries. We look forward to another championship in 2011, and the only way that can happen is by having plenty of recovery time. Thanks for a great season, and we’ll see you again in the fall!
Mark Overt Skilbred
Well done, Lakers! Well done, Phil! Congratulations to Lakers fans everywhere on your 16th NBA Championship! As you enjoy your celebration and a much-deserved rest, take time to count your blessings and give yourselves a chance to heal from all of your many injuries. We look forward to another championship in 2011, and the only way that can happen is by having plenty of recovery time. Thanks for a great season, and we’ll see you again in the fall!
Mark Overt Skilbred
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
NBA STANDINGS FOR JUNE 8, 2010
NBA STANDINGS FOR JUNE 8, 2010
As we look forward to game 3 of the finals in Boston, it is safe to say that all of those doom-and-gloom predictions about the Lakers were undeserved. I’ve been a Lakers fan for 33 years and I haven’t seen the Lakers play better basketball than game 1 against the Celtics. All of you played like a team, with the hearts of true champions, and I am confident that you have what it takes to bring home Championship #16. So here is wishing you all a great and successful road trip in Boston, and we look forward to the Lakers closing out the Celtics here at home when you return!
Mark Overt Skilbred
As we look forward to game 3 of the finals in Boston, it is safe to say that all of those doom-and-gloom predictions about the Lakers were undeserved. I’ve been a Lakers fan for 33 years and I haven’t seen the Lakers play better basketball than game 1 against the Celtics. All of you played like a team, with the hearts of true champions, and I am confident that you have what it takes to bring home Championship #16. So here is wishing you all a great and successful road trip in Boston, and we look forward to the Lakers closing out the Celtics here at home when you return!
Mark Overt Skilbred
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