THE BEST DAYS ARE NOW

Santa Clara, CA 

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

–Ecclesiastes 7:10

The Lord blessed our home with three boys. Each one is unique. They are as individual as you can imagine, far beyond what I could have ever dreamed twenty-two years ago. My wife and I have treasured watching them grow up. Each stage has been like a mixture between a college class and a family vacation. They bring us joy every day, and at the ages of seventeen, nineteen, and twenty-one there is never a dull moment. Our oldest son, Kevin, is engaged to be married and finishing his senior year at Golden State Baptist College. Our middle son, Kyle, is a sophomore at GSBC and Eric, our youngest, is a senior in high school.

So much has changed in our relationship through the years. I remember coming home from work and playing with Legos on the floor, and then there was throwing a ball outside or playing hoops after dinner. As they grew older, our backyard was always the happening place, full of boys from all over the neighborhood. My wife would make cookies and lemonade and the starving mob would devour even the crumbs so that nothing was left. On summer days, we would take the entire crew to the park and play baseball for hours. We made some wonderful memories and we cherish every one.

However, in spite of the nostalgia, my wife and I agree that the best days are right now. It seems that we are more involved in our sons’ lives now than ever before. Our interactions are much more meaningful and have much greater depth. As our boys grow older, they are involved in more ventures and finding meaning and fulfillment in life individually.

When they were small, I thought that soon they wouldn’t need us, but while they are largely independent, they need us now even more than they did before. We don’t play Legos or hide-and-go-seek any more, but we have even more fun than we did back then.

If you have young children, I’m sure there are times that you feel overwhelmed and wish you could get a break. That is understandable. But don’t allow yourself to start wishing they were grown and gone. Enjoy the time you have with them where you are along the journey. If your kids are nearly grown, you may find yourself wishing you could go back and tuck them in at night just one more time. Solomon’s admonition should be enough to convince us that that attitude isn’t healthy. You can’t go back there anyway. And besides, you’re embarrassing everyone with all of that sappy talk. Enjoy the part of the journey that God has given you today. It is really the only day you have.

Now, I’ve got to go fire up the grill. These guys eat a lot nowadays and we’re going to have some great family time together!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Boruff

Brad Boruff is the President of Golden State Baptist College. He also directs the music and teaches the Calvary Couples Class at North Valley Baptist Church. He is the author of the book King of Kings.

Wanted: EDWARD W. BRYANT, JR.

Twin Falls County, Idaho

Wanted: EDWARD W. BRYANT, JR.
Alias :

If you have information call the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office

735-1911 or Crime Stoppers at 732-5387

Sex:   M Race:   WHITE Height:   5' 7" Weight:   155 Hair:   GRAY Eyes:   BROWN Date of Birth:   7/27/1960 Last Known Address:  Scars, Marks, Tattoos:   TAT R ARM: EAGLE TAT L ARM: HEART W/ "KATHY" IN THE MIDDLE Charges:  PROBATION VIOLATION  Comments:

FBI Releases 2011 Crime Statistics

fbi.gov

According to the figures released today by the FBI, the estimated number of violent crimes in 2011 declined for the fifth consecutive year. Property crimes also decreased, marking the ninth straight year that the collective estimates for these offenses declined.

The 2011 statistics show that the estimated volumes of violent and property crimes declined 3.8 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, when compared with the 2010 estimates. The violent crime rate for the year was 386.3 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants (a 4.5 percent decrease from the 2010 rate), and the property crime rate was 2,908.7 offenses per 100,000 persons (a 1.3 percent decrease from the 2010 figure).

These and additional data are presented in the 2011 edition of the FBI’s annual report Crime in the United States. This publication is a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.

The UCR Program collects information on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies regarding the violent crimes of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, as well as the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. (Although the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not estimate arson data because of variations in the level of participation by the reporting agencies. Consequently, arson is not included in the property crime estimate.) The program also collects arrest data for the offenses listed above plus 20 additional offenses that include all other crimes except traffic violations.

In 2011, there were 18,233 city, county, university and college, state, tribal, and federal agencies that participated in the UCR Program. A summary of the statistics reported by these agencies, which are included in Crime in the United States, 2011, follows:

• Nationwide in 2011, there were an estimated 1,203,564 violent crimes.
• Each of the four violent crime offense estimates decreased when compared with the 2010 estimates. Robbery had the largest decrease at 4.0 percent, followed by aggravated assault with a 3.9 percent decline, forcible rape with a 2.5 percent decline, and murder and non-negligent manslaughter with a 0.7 percent decrease.
• Nationwide in 2011, there were an estimated 9,063,173 property crimes.
• There was a 3.3 percent decline in motor vehicle theft and a 0.7 percent decline in larceny-theft offenses. Estimated burglary offenses increased by 0.9 percent when compared with the 2010 estimate.
• Collectively, victims of property crimes (excluding arson) lost an estimated $15.6 billion in 2011.
• The FBI estimated that in 2011, agencies nationwide made about 12.4 million arrests, excluding traffic violations.
• The 2011 arrest rate for violent crimes was 172.3 per 100,000 inhabitants; for property crime, the rate was 531.3 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• By violent crime offense, the arrest rate for murder and non-negligent manslaughter was 3.5; forcible rape, 6.3; robbery, 34.5; and aggravated assault was 128.0 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
• By property crime offense, the arrest rate for burglary was 95.6; larceny-theft, 410.6; and motor vehicle theft, 21.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. The arrest rate for arson was 3.8 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• In 2011, there were 14,633 law enforcement agencies that reported their staffing levels to the FBI. These agencies reported that, as of October 31, 2011, they collectively employed 698,460 sworn officers and 303,524 civilians, a rate of 3.4 employees for each 1,000 inhabitants.

Caution against ranking: Each year when Crime in the United States is published, some entities use the figures to compile rankings of cities and counties. These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state, tribal area, or region. Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.

- View entire report: Crime in the United States, 2011

The Economics of Disaster

Lake Jackson, Texas

Hurricane Sandy was one of the worst natural disasters the east coast has ever seen.  Clean-up and recovery will take months, if not years and estimates run in the tens of billions of dollars.  Parts of New York and New Jersey will never be the same.  Entire seashore communities have been wiped out, but the determination to rebuild has been lauded as courageous and admirable. Yet as with all natural disasters, Sandy raises uncomfortable questions about the extent to which taxpayers should fund the cleanup and the extent to which government programs create moral hazards.

For example, FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are expected to pick up the tab for much of the flood damage caused by the hurricane.  Of course this will mean more federal debt and inflation for the rest of us, since the program only has about $4 billion to work with and is already $18 billion in debt from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Many think there is a need for the government to provide flood insurance of this kind.  After all, the market would never provide insurance in flood prone areas at an affordable price.  But shouldn't that tell us something?

Shouldn't that tell us that it is a losing proposition to insure homes in coastal areas and flood plains often threatened by severe and destructive weather patterns? And if it’s a losing proposition, should taxpayers subsidize the inevitable losses arising from federal flood insurance?

The NFIP disguises the real cost of flood insurance in flood prone areas, which influences home building and sales in such areas.  Recklessly taking unwise risks when risk is underpriced is known as moral hazard.  When politicians decide that private insurance premiums are too high, as with houses built in flood plains, the solution is to under price the risk through federal subsidies.  The obvious and expected outcome is more danger to life and limb when disaster strikes. 

Even NFIP has been forced to raise rates significantly in coastal areas, and is now dropping second homes from coverage altogether, 

Many assume it is compassionate to entrust government central planners with disaster recovery.  However, the greatest compassion brings results, not just good intentions.  And we’ve seen how bureaucratic organizations like FEMA mismanaged recovery and relief in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Ike.  Organizations such as the Red Cross and private companies like Home Depot and Duracell have already stepped in admirably to help those in need, and we can only hope FEMA has learned this time not to impede and frustrate private efforts as they have in the past.

Above all, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Hurricane Sandy in this tremendously difficult time and hope they can get their lives put back together as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

Congressman Ron Paul of Texas

Who is Ron Paul?

THREE LITTLE YARD SIGNS

written by Cindie Trieber on the topic of Featured, Ladies Only 

Having moved into a different house this past summer, I was especially eager to decorate for the fall season. However, I was able to resist until the second week of September, which is quite an accomplishment for me.

If you have read any of my previous articles, you will undoubtedly remember that fall is my favorite time of year. I draw from my memory bank, I can still see our family’s old country farmhouse surrounded by trees gloriously adorned with a variety of colorful leaves as the season changed from summer to fall. Or, perhaps, I love the season of fall so much because of all the good memories I have doing special things during the season with our children—pumpkin patch, fall festival, candy selling, sitting in the chilled air at our son’s soccer games. At any rate, I always look forward to the fall. I look forward to the cool, crisp air, rain, and planning and preparing for the rapidly approaching holiday season.

With the move to our new house came the joy of having a much larger yard (for us here in the Silicon Valley) and some much needed space for our rapidly growing number of grandchildren. In preparation for some guests we were anticipating I decided to add a few decorations outside in the backyard. I stopped by Michaels to pick up a few items and then headed back home to hurriedly set them out. I purchased three signs for the yard that read, “Keep the Faith,” “Scatter Joy” and“Enjoy the Journey.”

As I placed them in the ground,
I thought about that three-point outline. At last, my idea for the North Valley News! Thank you, Lord!

1. The first sign: “Keep the Faith”
   Faith is simply believing without seeing, or a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. I have not seen God, but I know He is real to me, for I see evidence of Him every day. I know what He has done for me in salvation, in my life, and in the lives of my family through the generations. I have had a few earth shattering events in my life, and without my faith in God I do not know what I would have done. Faith has carried me thus far, and it is my strong faith that will carry me home.
2. The second sign: “Scatter Joy”
   This sign caused me to ask myself if I am a joyful person, radiating joy to others along the pathway of life. It would be grievous to me to think that my presence would bring a negative or critical spirit to the people that I come in contact with every day. I want to bring joy to those in my family, my church, my place of employment, and to the people I rub shoulders with on a daily basis. Joy is a state of happiness and a source of happiness and delight. Far too often we as Christians act as though we’ve been “weaned on a dill-pickle” when we should be reflecting the love of Christ and God’s goodness in our lives! Are you a joyful person, or have you become critical, sharp-tongued, and negative? Has someone or something robbed you of your joy? Is your “joy tank” empty or running on fumes? Ask the Lord to restore the joy of your salvation once again to you.
3. The third sign: “Enjoy the Journey”
   Curtis Hutson often said, “You can take a lot on the trip if you enjoy the journey.” That little quote has stayed with me for years. Sometimes the trip gets bumpy and there might be a storm or two, but if we enjoy the journey, we can indeed take a lot on the trip! Faith, family, and friends have made my journey so sweet. I would not change a thing thus far on my journey of life. How about you? Are you enjoying where you are in life? Life has its seasons and we must learn to enjoy each one. Just as I love the fall season, I am certainly just as eager to put out Christmas decorations, Valentine’s decorations, Easter decorations, July 4th decorations and then what seems like a “blink of the eye” it’s time for fall!

I trust that this simple thought from three little yard signs will stay in your mind for years to come.

God bless you,
Mrs. T

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindie Trieber

Cindie Trieber has served the people of North Valley Baptist Church for more than three decades as the Pastor’s Wife. She teaches in the college and is a godly mother and “Nana." She recently completed her first book entitled With All My Heart.

Twin Falls County Wanted: ELISA DE HOYOS

Wanted: ELISA DE HOYOS
Alias :

n/a n/a n/a n/a

Sex:   F Race:   HISPANIC Height:   5\' 3" Weight:   137 Hair:   BROWN Eyes:   BROWN Date of Birth:   10/5/1983 Last Known Address:  Scars, Marks, Tattoos:   TAT R ARM: FLOWER TAT SHLDR: SONS PICTURE Charges:  FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR COURT X3 BOND $150,000.00 Comments:

Online Dating Extortion and Other Scams

fbi.gov

The latest report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reinforces the fact that people looking for love online need to remain vigilant about who they choose to communicate with and how they do so. In a recently reported dating extortion scam, victims usually met someone on an online dating site and then were asked to move the conversation to a particular social networking site, where the talk often turned intimate. Victims were later sent a link to a website where those conversations were posted, along with photos, their phone numbers, and claims that they were “cheaters.” In order to have that information removed, victims were told they could make a $99 payment—but there is no indication that the other side of the bargain was upheld.

Other items in this month’s IC3 report include a new variation on the classic payday loan scam; new malware that has infected at least 250,000 victims, including 46 Fortune 500 companies; and the top words used by cyber criminals in fake e-mails.

Read the full report for more details | More about online dating scams

Let the Housing Market Clear!

Lake Jackson, Texas

French businessman and economist Jean-Baptiste Say is credited with identifying the fundamental economic principle that aggregate demand for goods in an economy will equal the aggregate supply of goods when markets are permitted to operate.  Or in Say’s words, “products are paid for with products.”

English classical economist David Ricardo, among others, more fully developed this principle into what has become known as “Say’s Law.”  Say’s Law, according to Ricardo, leads us to understand that market equilibrium for goods is constant. This simply means that markets, when left alone by government planners or other fraudulent actors, inexorably tend toward an “equilibrium price” which eventually balances supply and demand for any particular good.  Thus markets will clear themselves of any surpluses or shortages in the form of excess supply and demand. 

This important corollary of Say’s Law-- that markets clear-- is critical to understanding the moribund US housing market.  In housing, perhaps more than any other good, we see the terrible consequences of government and central bank interference with market forces. 

First, the Federal Reserve Bank relentlessly increased the money supply over the last few decades.  Much of this newly created money and credit flowed from Fed member banks into the residential and commercial real estate markets, causing prices to rise dramatically prior to the housing bust of 2007.

At the same time, the Fed systematically suppressed interest rates for decades.  This led to tremendous malinvestment both by homebuilders and individuals, and encouraged a seedy subprime mortgage industry to make nonviable loans that would not make economic sense under market interest rates.

Congressional meddling in the mortgage market also added tremendously to the problem. Inane legislation like The Community Reinvestment Act literally forced banks to make thousands of loans to bad credit risks.  Similarly, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac put taxpayers on the hook for millions of mortgages that never would meet market underwriting criteria.  And of course the real estate and homebuilder lobbies made sure mortgage interest debt (unlike most personal debt) remains tax-deductible.

The ultimate result of these interventions by our caring friends in Congress and the Fed has been the biggest housing bubble and crash in US history, leaving millions of Americans underwater on their mortgages if they have not already lost their houses altogether.  Congress and the Fed are directly responsible for millions of shattered lives, and almost unknowable economic damage in the form of trillions of dollars in mortgage backed securities.

The only solution to this mess is to allow the US housing market to clear.  All of the bad mortgage debt must be liquidated, whether via foreclosure or bankruptcy.  Banks holding substantial mortgages or mortgage backed assets must face the music and adjust their balance sheets to reflect today’s reality.  Undoubtedly this will force many banks into immediate insolvency, but such banks must be allowed to fail without receiving another nickel of taxpayer money.  Banks took the risks and made money during the bubble years; those who exercised bad judgment must now accept the consequences of their actions.

Never in American history have we needed to adopt a policy of laissez faire more desperately; never has government seemed more determined to artificially prop up an industry.  But only by allowing the housing market to clear can we hope to rebuild our shattered economy from a stable foundation.  Clearly there will be pain in the short term, but we owe it to younger Americans and future generations to allow the reemergence of a rational housing market.

Congressman Ron Paul of Texas 

Who is Ron Paul?

Remembering Millie Parsons

fbi.gov

Director Hoover congratulates Millie on her 30th Bureau anniversary in 1969.

Today, Mrs. Mildred C. Parsons, a beloved member of the FBI family, was laid to rest after passing away Sunday at the age of 99.

Known to all as Millie, she was the longest continually serving employee in FBI history—she never even took a day of sick leave during the entire 62 years, nine months, and two days of her employment here.

When a 25-year-old Millie reported for her first day of work at the FBI on September 25, 1939, Nazi Germany had invaded Poland, “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio and the New York Yankees ruled baseball, the Glenn Miller Orchestra filled the airwaves, and the “Wizard of Oz” had premiered just weeks earlier in Hollywood.

	Director Sessions and Millie on September 25, 1989, her 50-year anniversary.

Starting as a secretary at FBI Headquarters and then transferring shortly thereafter to the nearby Washington Field Office (WFO), Millie served for at least 30 special agents in charge and assistant directors in charge, not to mention six Directors, over the course of her nearly 63-year career. She even displayed portraits of all her bosses in the corridor leading to her office.

One of her former chiefs, Deputy Director Thomas Pickard, who retired in 2001, remembers Millie as a “consummate professional who never wavered in her work ethic.” Reflecting on this, he said, “Eighteen years after I first walked into WFO, I saw Millie and she said, ‘I remember you,’ then rattled off my Social Security number, my radio call signal, and asked how my wife, Sharon, was doing. I was stunned by her memory.”

Millie had a wonderful sense of humor and always was professional and courteous. She was a meticulous dresser and an avid ballroom dancer who won many awards for her rhythmic command of the fox trot and waltz as she traveled to several national competitions each year.

Director Muller says goodbye to Millie on her last day of work, June 28, 2002.

She danced into her 80s even though “most of her partners did not last as long as her,” smiled Mr. Pickard.

Millie retired in June 2002 at the age of 88—an occasion that even caught the attention of Congress. After learning of her retirement, Virginia Representative Frank R. Wolf said on the floor of the House of Representatives that Millie “stands as an outstanding role model for all in public service to emulate.” Then-Representative Albert Russell Wynn of Maryland also recognized Millie’s achievements.

Millie will be greatly missed by all who knew her.