Questions on Monetary Policy

Is federal monetary policy aimed strictly at bolstering the stock market? Is the stock market a reliable indicator of the true shape of our economy? Is the inflationary impact of rising fuel prices being fully accounted for in the economic measures tracked by the government? Are wages keeping pace with the rising cost of goods and services as impacted by fuel? If fuel costs are recovered by businesses in the form of a fuel surcharge rather than through a price increase, is that "fuel tax" being accounted for in statistical measures of economic performance? Are we in fact experiencing inflation at the same time we are seeing a recessionary period? Will we see a tenuous hold on economic stability maintained until a change in administration?

A New Blog in the Blogosphere

Sometimes we wonder if the things that we write about in our blogs make a difference. Senator John Cornyn of Texas has started his own blog because he recognizes that blogs are often the only media source that provide the whole story. We are not bound by the same rules and methods of engagement that seem to control the mainstream media. Check out his blog by clicking on the button on my sidebar or following this link.

Risen Indeed

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

...And by His blood we are healed.

Dazed and Confused

Dazed and confused, the once-loyal followers spent the day in hiding. Leaderless and without direction they cringed in fear expecting the next knock at the door to be soldiers to take them away.

Only a few of the women ventured out to the hill to see the Teacher as He hung there. Tears streaked their dusty cheeks as they mourned and moaned in their agony at the foot of the cross.

"It is finished."

A spear in the side.

Watch where they lay Him.

What do we do? We must find Peter.

A Travesty of Justice

It had been a blur.

They had walked up on the Mount of Olives where He always went to pray but couldn't stay awake. Too much food and wine left them groggy.

Then the crowd. Judas. How could He go so peacefully with them? We would have fought! Instead we ran and hid like cowards.

"Weren't you with Him?"
"Oh, no! I don't know Him!"
"Surely you were with Him!"
"I was not!"
"You're a Galilean just like Him!"
"I don't know what you are talking about!"

Now the darkness enveloped; hiding the tears; the agony.

The council of elders tried Him. It was a travesty. They broke their own laws.

They took Him before Pilate and then Herod for only death would quench the flame of their hatred. They both thought, "a little punishment, a little ridicule for this rabble rouser to satisfy the mob and then we'll wash our hands of this affair."

The lash fell. The flesh tore. The blood flowed. The thorns pierced. Again and again and again and still the mob cried, "Crucify Him!"

"Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

So they hung Him with criminals on a cross at the Place of the Skull.

And in love He responded, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

No Sense At All

To them, it was only a Passover meal. They were good Jews. It was a ritual they had each learned at their homes as they grew and were taught the traditions of their people.

It was a time of feasting. It was a time of fellowship. Why did the teacher seem to be so withdrawn? He seemed preoccupied.

The merry band bantered about the time when the teacher would reveal Himself as the chosen one; the Messiah; the One who would overthrow the Romans and return the Kingdom to the Hebrew people. The chosen people. The sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Who would be greatest?

What is this washing of feet? That was a task for servants not for a leader. He who would be greatest among you will be your servant? It made no sense.

His body? His blood? It is only bread and wine yet the words hammer into the minds and lodge there with all of the other things that He said that made no sense.

Now just where is Judas going?

Music and Western History in Common

This past weekend I attended the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention and Trade Show in Corpus Christi. During the afternoons of the two-day trade show, entertainment was provided by John Arthur Martinez and Mike Blakely. These guys are great musicians and talented writers as well. Click on their names for links to their websites. Besides performing his music Mike Blakely is an accomplished western writer.

On Saturday evening after the Trade Show was over, I discovered that the two of them and I were staying at the same motel. A good friend of mine who also has a couple of blogs (here and here) struck up a conversation with them as he was waiting for me to meet him for dinner. When I walked up and was introduced the conversation continued about music and history and kids and values and all of the things that we all seemed to have in common. Before it was time for dinner we discovered that John Arthur's wife knew the wife of one of my cousins who happens to live in the same town (Marble Falls, Texas, and the creative community of CastleRock) with them. As we talked, we discovered how small the world truly is. For great Texas flavor, both the music of John Arthur Martinez and the books and music of Mike Blakely, can't be beat. I recommend you try them out. Check out some of these links to Amazon.

Lone Starry Night - John Arthur Martinez

Stand Your Ground - John Arthur Martinez

Shortgrass Song - Mike Blakely

Moon Medicine - Mike Blakely

West of You - Mike Blakely (music)

Country Dogs

Dogs have been called man’s best friend. I’ve never really figured out why unless it is because of their devotion and loyalty – even when treated like a – well, uh, a dog.

Dogs are a part of living in the country. Rarely do you drive by a farmstead where there aren’t one or two dogs present. Sometimes they just lie on the porch or the yard and watch you drive by and at other times they chase you.

Country dogs are frequently treated very differently than city dogs. They are often left to roam about the farm with little impediment. Their city cousins are usually impounded within a yard or kennel or even more frequently, in the house. This difference in treatment must have an impact on their personality.

I have owned a number of dogs through the years. The first that I remember well was a Bassett/Beagle cross that used to accompany me as I trekked the pasture as a youngster. My father insisted that I always have the dog with me as protection against the occasional rattlesnake that I might stumble upon. She proved herself more than once in that capacity. Eventually she was bitten on the jaw by one of the snakes – although not while in my company. I was amazed at her recovery after a few weeks.

Some years later I acquired another dog while working as a Veterinary Assistant. She was a young Australian Shepherd who had been kicked in the eye by a cow. The owner gave her to me rather than “putting her down.” I removed the eye with the assistance of the Veterinarian and enjoyed her company for many years. She was a very intelligent and very gentle dog. Apparently, she also had a long memory. She never would go near cows again.

My one-eyed cow dog gave me a litter of pups one year. The father must have been a coyote – literal, not figurative. I kept one of those pups for a few years. She was one of the best hunters that I have ever seen. That hunting instinct was also a failing. She thought the neighbor’s cattle were game and had to be destroyed.

One of my favorite dogs was a Redbone Coonhound named Beauregard. He was a beautiful dog when grown, although extremely awkward as a pup. We lived near the Republican River in Nebraska and tried keeping him and our Chocolate Lab in a pen when they weren’t hunting. Beau was a master at escape though. If he got a scent in his nostrils he became obsessed with pursuit and would manage an escape. We always knew when he was out because he would start baying as he pursued the scent. I thought it was some of the most beautiful music in the world. He would take the Lab on his hunts. They made a great team. He would chase down the game and she would retrieve it. They constantly provided us with “offerings” left on the porch.

My newest dog is a tri-colored Australian Shepherd. He is extremely “intelligent” as far as his ability to learn tricks. That intelligence makes him a handful as well. He seems to have a mind of his own and requires constant vigilance to keep him out of trouble.

So, what do dogs have to do with agriculture? I think they are so deeply entrenched into the agrarian world that we overlook their usefulness. First, they keep us company. Often the lonely workday is eased by the company of a faithful companion riding along in the pickup. Second, they provide protection. Their alertness acts as a sentry for things that we often fail to notice – such as snakes or approaching strangers. The sometimes isolated nature of country life occasionally attracts individuals with malicious intent. Good watch dogs are important when you live a good distance from your nearest neighbor. Third, they work for us. If you have ever seen a good dog work cattle or sheep you know exactly what I mean. It is amazing to see the obedience as the dog responds to the commands of his handler.

I guess after reflection that it certainly is true; dogs are man’s best friend --especially out in the country.

Daylight Savings Swing Time

Each Spring with Daylight Savings time
We set our clocks ahead

Then gripe and moan of that lost hour

Of sleep we missed in bed.

We wish to leave well enough alone

And forego the seasonal fix

Until we readjust internal clocks

To 5 o'clock being six!

Once again the sun is rising

As to work we drive.

And though for a day or two it's hard

We know that we'll survive

Especially as the days grow warm

And we see the blooming of the spring.

Then we dig out that bag of clubs

And get back in the swing!

Yankee or Dixie?

I found this over on Finding Direction:

Yankee or Dixie?

It told me I was 89% Dixie and then asked if there were Confederates in my ancestry -- imagine that y'all. Try it out and comment with your scores.

Besieged

Should we choose to entrench ourselves around our convictions and enter into a siege mentality or should we advance from our positions and take the war to the enemy? The question applies to Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran and any other strong-hold of terrorism. It also applies to the cultural war between Christians and anti-Christians.

I originally characterized the war as between Christians and secularism. But upon reflection it is a much broader war. Secularists seem to support every cause imaginable but that of Christianity. They even support the rights of the terrorists to attack the U.S.

Why does it seem that the world is aligned against Christianity and Judaism? Why isn't the world aligned against Islam, or Hinduism, or Buddhism, or Animism, or Scientology, or any of the other so-called religions? Please enlighten me in your comments.

What happens in a siege? Either the attackers give up or the bastion is felled. It is time to leave the castle and take the battle to the enemy.

Typing Challenge

A challenge for you:

65 words Speedtest

Not too bad for an old man.

A Look at Longhorns

I have been re-reading “The Longhorns” by J. Frank Dobie. Being something of a history buff, especially history that relates to Texas and even more particularly, that relates to the Panhandle region, I have really enjoyed getting reacquainted with this classic work.

When we look at the cattle that cover the plains today, what we see is a far cry from the tough-hided, multi-colored Longhorns of legend. We see fine-haired cattle with rarely a stubby set of horns that is descended from British breeds that were first brought to this country to “upgrade” the breed that could be considered the first in Texas.

Considering Longhorns a breed is probably not especially accurate. There was little uniformity in the original Longhorn cattle that developed in the brush country of central and southern Texas. They were descendants of Mexican corriente and crillo cattle that escaped the first ranchers to venture into the wilds of Texas. But that wasn’t all of the blood that flowed through their veins. Oxen that transported the first Anglo inhabitants from the fledgling ports of the 1830’s often escaped to run wild in the brush and add their genetic diversity to what came to be called the Longhorn. Along with the oxen, Old Bossy, the family milk cow added her characteristics as well.

Longhorns were a product of survival. It took horns to fight off wolves and bears which inhabited the brush country in those early days. It also took fleetness and a sort of natural cunning that enabled the Longhorns, in country beset by cactus, drought, and thickets of thorny shrubs that rabbits could hardly penetrate, to survive.

During the period between establishing the first colonies in Texas until after the Civil War, the wild cattle of Texas were rarely bothered. They were commonly hunted like deer for table beef or for their hides. The hides were generally used as rawhide to make many common items that early settlers were unable to obtain by other means.

During the Civil War, a number of these wild South Texas cattle were trailed north and east to help meet the needs of the Confederacy for beef. It was not until after the war was over and thousands of former soldiers and displaced people headed west to make their fortunes that the Longhorns were seen as a potential treasure.

Beginning in the late 1860’s, the cattle were trapped and gathered into herds to make the trail north or east to railroads where they could be shipped to slaughter houses to meet the growing demand for beef. Those cattle trails really weren’t trails at all. They were marked by general way points where good water could be found. The trails were constantly shifting westward as the prairies became tamed and settlers ventured into lands previously under the control of the Indians.

The first Longhorns to trail into the Texas Panhandle arrived compliments of Charlie Goodnight in 1876. The Goodnight cattle came from the brush country of the Nueces River in South Texas. The cattle likely came west on the Goodnight-Loving trail which headed up the middle branch of the Concho River before heading across country to Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos. Goodnight supplied cattle to John Chisum at Bosque Redondo in New Mexico as well as to a few other hardy ranchers that were able to hold onto large chunks of range by negotiating, sometimes with lead, an uneasy truce with the Apache and Comanche Indians that still ruled. He also supplied beef that ended up at some of the far-flung outposts of the U.S. Cavalry. Ultimately Goodnight decided to establish a ranch on the upper Arkansas River in Colorado. Some of his first stock was purchased from John Chisum and trailed up the Pecos and then cross-country into Colorado.

In 1876, Goodnight decided to pull up stakes in Colorado and move into the newly “tamed” country of the Texas Panhandle. The natural features of Palo Duro Canyon made it easy to hold his Longhorns. It also provided good grass along the banks of the creek and in the various side canyons that fed into it. The high walls provided shelter from the storms that swooped down from the north. Ranching had come to the Panhandle.

Close on his heels came other ranchers and efforts to upgrade the stock from the wild critter that was built for running and for fighting wolves into the tame creature that we see today. The Texas Longhorns helped to tame the land that no longer needed their survival characteristics.

Humming Wheels

The hum of wheels on the highway
Never ceases
As I sit and watch the commerce of
The nation.

Endlessly the strings of eighteen-wheelers
Roll by.
Covered with tarps, I guess at the loads
They carry.

Some are hauling cattle or other types
Of stock
And some are hauling containers filled
With televisions.

One a moment ago was a tanker full
Of milk
And now I see a reefer rig hauling
Ice cream.

They are filled with parts for cars or
Cars themselves
There's loads of gravel and rock for
The roads.

I see parts for the giant windmills rising on
The Plains
And oilfield parts and things that I
Can't explain.

Loads of corn and food and
Even fuel
To keep them rolling ever more across
This land.

The commerce of the nation is carried on
Those wheels
That never cease their rolling down
The highway.

Thank a truck driver the next time you see one.

A New Blog For Your Enjoyment

I have added a link in my sidebar to a new blog to which I contribute. It is called Blue Island Almanack. The focus of the blog is the environment, economics, education and ethics. Drop by and take a look. Feel free to comment. Be sure and add it to your favorites.

Is it the Hat, or the Boots?

Yesterday afternoon I was privileged to tour one of my customer's ranching and cattle feeding operation. What struck me about it was the simplicity of the operation and the sophistication of the operator. Every part of their organization was designed for functionality. There weren't any frills. There was no show. It was just efficient and effective.

I think that is where a lot of folks miss the boat. They're more worried about what other people think than about doing their job the best it can possibly be done. In the cattle business that's sometimes referred to as "all hat and no cattle." What that means is that they talk big, they put on a show and they want you to think they are really something when in reality it is empty. There's really not much there. Most of the successful folks that I know are the other way. On the surface there's nothing that really distinguishes them from the crowd except possibly a slight air of confidence. If you dig deeply though, you find a lifestyle of success that is evidenced in results, not show. They are the folks that in this business it can be said, "have a little cow manure on their boots."

In Stillness

In stillness,
God is.

Anxiety
Slowly dissipates.

Peace
remains.

Comforting,
Protecting,
Resting,
Gentle,
Peace.

In stillness,
God is.

Moving

Gather the boxes
And pack them
With the accumulation
Of years of living.

Pause for reflection
At discovering
An object unseen
For ages.

Label and stack --
Where will it go?
How will it fit
Into its new home?

Watch as the truck
Is filled with the things
Acquired by sweat,
By inheritance,

By chance,
By investment.
Life
In transition.

It is the end of
Generations
And the beginning of
What?

New relationships,
New places,
New habits,
New growth.

One hundred and twenty-five
Years of attachment
Uprooted and transported
In a weekend.

_____________________

This past weekend we moved my parents from the town in which my mother was born. She has never lived anywhere else -- until now. My father has lived in that town since taking his first job after graduation from college. Added together, it is 125 years of living in the town where I grew up. They now occupy their new home just a few miles from where I currently live.

Heeding Experience

I once had a professor who said,
"I know that it's a cliche
But there's more than one way to skin a cat!"
He was referring to the balance between
Realistic expectations based on how things are
Versus the seemingly unatainable dreams
That inhabit our hearts.

"The key is to never give up," he said.
"Keep doing something every day
That moves you closer to what you really want to do."
He added, "Sometimes our dreams change
As the years go by
And we find that the things that we thought we wanted
Aren't what they seemed
And the things that come our way
Are sometimes better!"

Now who would have thought
That the wisdom of his words
Would be revealed so many years later?
Youth has a way of dismissing
What experience has taught.
Wisdom is heeding
Those with experience.

Plans and More Plans

Planning is fine --
It must be done, I know.
But nothing is accomplished
'Til you get off of go.

I suppose if you're launching
A ship to the moon
Each and every detail
Must be in fine tune,

But most earthly projects
Are not so exact
In the requirements
It takes to enact.

It seems that quite often
The course one should take
Isn't quite clear
Until first efforts we make

Are examined.
It is then that we see
Where the course needs adjustment
To get us to where we want to be.

So go on ahead
And plan details, each one.
While you're doing that
I'll get the job done.