Last summer I was walking down the street and saw some kids playing in the dirt. The boulevard in front of their rather ram shackled house had no grass and the kids, probably 5-9 years old, had constructed some dirt mounds. They had even piled some of the dirt into the concrete gutter to create a dam, which they were filling with water from a hose. The scene took me back to my youth when dams, water and mud pies were a part of almost every day in the summertime.

These were low-income kids. If the family had been more affluent these “junior engineers” would have been in the house obsessing over their Playstation. Instead they were happily poking holes in the dam, observing the flow of the water, creating modifications and poking more holes. Ironically, low family income had put these kids in the same situation as I found myself in 50 years ago, with no indoor distractions and a whole world outside to explore. As I paused a few seconds to watch the joy on their muddy faces they must have thought I was nuts!

In my humble opinion these dirt-playing kids have both a mental and physical advantage over their Playstation generation peers. First, they are creating, experimenting, and learning some simple engineering. Second, their immune systems may be healthier because outside activities expose them to bacteria, which is important in maintaining a healthy immune system. A poll by ICM Research indicates that 6 out of 19 people believe children should be protected from ALL bacteria! 42 percent said that society’s health would improve if all bacteria were eradicated. However, experts say that people don’t generally appear to understand that bacteria can also be beneficial and that life on earth would not exist without it.

Professor Ken Jones, an immunologist at Cardiff School of Health Sciences, said “germ warfare” could prove damaging for children.

“With the huge media attention around dangerous bacteria such as MRSA, the marketing hype pushing total annihilation of bacteria via wipes or sprays, coupled with the dangerous reliance on antibiotics for almost any infection, there is a real concern that we are misunderstanding bacteria and the vital role some bacteria can play in our overall health and well-being and development of our young,” he said.

Scientists recommend that parents encourage outside play for their children, reminding them to wash their hands. They also recommend that parents refrain from using so many anti-bacterial products.

A couple of years ago they shut down an entire grade school on the East coast because some kid broke a mercury thermometer. The HAZMAT team arrived and it looked like the scene from a nuclear reactor meltdown. Gosh, when I was a kid we broke open a thermometer and played with that cute little ball of mercury, rolling it down our hand and squeezing it with our fingers! Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure that playing with mercury was stupid. We were products of our own ignorance, but I’m still alive and kicking. Of course I don’t advocate that kids eat lead paint or breathe asbestos, but a little dirt under the fingernails isn’t going to kill a kid, even if it contains traces of pigeon doo-doo.

Gosh, when I was a kid we dared each other to eat bugs and played with worms, frogs, toads, and non-poisonous snakes. We picked up deceased (and probably diseased) animals of almost every species and regularly threw dog poop and other disgusting things at each other! When we came home for supper we would pull off our muddy clothes, wash our hands and eat mashed potatoes and beef. Despite this, I still have a pulse, as do most of us who grew up when televisions were something only the rich neighbors down the street had in their living rooms.

As an aside, but related to the subject of healthy activities for young people, if you’ve got a young son or grandson, I would like to recommend The Dangerous Book for Boys”, by Hal Iggulden. Marketed as “the perfect book for every boy from eight to eighty”, it is published by Collins (hardcover $24.95) and is in bookstores everywhere. This book is incredible! Among hundreds of things, it shows a boy how to make knots, build a tree house, make a battery, juggle, or build a workbench. It has extensive information on astronomy, fishing, baseball, famous explorers, and awesome quotes from numerous famous philosophers. It even has a section on proper treatment and respect for girls! I hope that someone writes a similar book for young ladies, but if there’s a young man in your life that you’d like to challenge and inspire, I strongly recommend that you take a serious look at The Dangerous Book for Boys.

This week I want to take a temporary hiatus from global terrorism, economics and stupid politicians. I thought I’d go to a blog of an ex-student of mine, Tom McMahon. All of the following stories are from his blog, the link to which you can find in the right hand toolbar of this blog. Happy reading!

The Moose Hunters:
Two hunters hired a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose. They bagged six. As they started loading the plane for the return trip home, the pilot tells them he can take only three moose. The two objected strongly, stating; “Last year we shot six moose and the guys told him that the last bush pilot let them put all six on board and he had the same size plane as his.”
Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded. Unfortunately, even on full power, the little plane couldn’t handle the load and went down a few minutes after takeoff.
Climbing out of the wreck, one asked the other, “Any idea where we are?” And his dazed partner replied, “I think we’re pretty close to where we crashed last year.”

Why Married women weigh more than single women:
Single women come home, see what’s in the fridge and go to bed.
Married women come home, see what’s in bed and go to the fridge.

The Winemaker:
A retired Italian wine maker went to the village church to make a confession for the first time in many decades.
When the priest slid open the panel in the confessional, the man said, “Father, during World War II, a beautiful woman knocked on my door and asked me to hide her from the enemy. I hid her in my attic.”
The priest replied, “That was a wonderful thing you did, my son! You have no need to confess it.”
“It’s worse than that, Father,” he continued. “She quickly started to repay me with sexual favors.”
“People in wartime sometimes act in ways they wouldn’t under normal conditions. If you are truly sorry for your actions, you are forgiven.”
“Thank you, Father. That’s a great load off my mind. May I ask a question?”
“What, my son?”
“Should I tell her the war is over?”

Two Lawyers
Two lawyers walk into a restaurant. They put their briefcases on the floor and order two coffees. They get their coffee and pull out lunches from their briefcases. “Sorry,” the waitress says, “You can’t eat your own food here.” The lawyers look at one another, shrug their shoulders and swap sandwiches.

The Chihuahua, the Jaguar and the Monkey

A chihuahua is out in the middle of the forest. Suddenly he notices a jaguar heading rapidly in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.
The chihuahua thinks, “Boy, I’m in deep doo doo now.” Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat.
Just as the jaguar is about to leap, the chihuahua exclaims loudly, “Man, that was one delicious jaguar. I wonder if there are any more around here?” Hearing this the jaguar halts his attack in mid stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away into the trees.
“Whew”, says the jaguar. “That was close. That chihuahua nearly had me.”
Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the jaguar. So, off he goes. But the chihuahua saw him heading after the jaguar with great speed, and figured that something must be up. The monkey soon catches up with the jaguar, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the jaguar. The cat is furious at being made a fool of and says, “Here monkey, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that conniving canine.”
Now the chihuahua sees the jaguar coming with the monkey on his back, and thinks,” What am I going to do now?” But instead of running, the chihuahua sits down with his back to his attackers pretending he hasn’t seen them yet. And just when they get close enough to hear, the chihuahua says, “Where’s that monkey. I just can never trust him. I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another jaguar, and he’s still not back!!”

Ted Nugent on Deer Hunting:
Rock star and avid bow hunter, Ted Nugent, was being interviewed by a French journalist, and when the discussion touched on deer hunting the journalist asked, “What do you think is the last thought in the head of a deer before you shoot him? Is it, ‘Are you my friend?’ or is it ‘Are you the one who killed my brother?””
Nugent paused for a moment and then replied, “Deer aren’t capable of that kind of thinking. All they care about is, ‘What am I going to eat next, who am I going to have sex with next, and can I run fast enough to get away?’

“They are very much like the French,” he concluded.

Today I’m going to briefly review three human tragedies that made the news in just the past two days. If you don’t cry after reading this, I’ll be surprised. These stories remind us that we should treasure every day and never take life for granted. They also remind us that it is part of the human condition to sometimes make simple mistakes that have horrific consequences.

Last Friday, October 12, 2007 DeVere and Barbara Clay and their two granddaughters, Erin and Hope, were found dead in their camper/trailer rig at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. They had gone to the World Clydesdale Show together for a fun weekend, but were overcome with carbon monoxide from a portable gas heater while they slept. The camper had a roof vent, but carbon monoxide settles low to the ground. One can only imagine the terrible pain and suffering remaining family members and friends must be feeling today. My heart and prayers go out to them.

The family of Scott Javins last saw him on May 24, 2002 after he left a friend’s home in Terra Haute, Indiana. Scott was a student at Indiana State University when he disappeared, driving a silver Honda Civic. Last Friday someone found a car buried in the Wabash River near Fairbanks Park in Terra Haute. It was Scott’s car. His body was recovered after he had been missing for over five years. At least his family can now find closure in his disappearance.

At 3:40 am on Saturday, October 13, 2007 a van driven by Dr. Terra Thomas, CEO of Human Resources development Institute, a leading behavioral health and human service organization headquartered in downtown Chicago, rear-ended a semi trailer at an Indiana Toll Road plaza near the Ohio state line. Accompanying her were her three daughters, triplets, one of whom died with Dr. Thomas in the crash. The other two triplets survived with minor injuries. Indiana police speculate that Dr. Thomas fell asleep at the wheel. Dr. Thomas had traveled worldwide providing clinical treatment for developmentally and emotionally challenged children and their families. She held a Ph.D. and three master’s degrees.

Scott Javins probably made a driving mistake five years ago. Along with closure to the mystery of his disappearance the lives of a humble horse breeder and an internationally known behavioral researcher came to an abrupt and tragic end this weekend, along with the lives of those closest and dearest to them. All three lives were so different. One was an experienced horse breeder possessing incredible expertise. Another was a typical college student, preparing for his future life’s work. Dr. Thomas’ fame was well deserved and literally thousands around the world have benefited as a result of her passion for children. Three simple mistakes; the improper use of a heater and two driving errors, have caused indescribable pain for their remaining friends and family.

Stuff happens. It can happen to any of us, anytime. It is part of the human condition. Enjoy each day.

Where public policy is concerned, society should consider the relative “costs” and weigh them against the “benefits”. If the benefits outweigh the costs, the policy should be enacted. In this regard, I’ve noticed that we are often made aware of the costs associated with certain activities, but the benefits are often ignored. Let me give you three examples.

Smoke-Free Legislation for Bars and Restaurants:
Whenever a state decides to go smoke free in bars and restaurants, the owners of these establishments suspect that they will lose a significant part of their customer base. The bar owner looks around and sees twenty of his regular customers who are smokers. He assumes that they will quit coming to his establishment if they can’t smoke. The potential loss of revenue from his “smoking” customers represents an obvious “cost” to the business owner. He sees no benefits and therefore assumes that the legislation will be a disaster for his business.

The “costs” of legislated smoking bans are obvious to the bar owner but the “benefits” are not. For years the bar keeper has chatted with his smoking customers, believing them to be his revenue base while hundreds of non-smokers have walked by his establishment refusing to go in because it was too smoky. Only 25 percent of the US population smokes, meaning that the bar owner has ignored 75 percent of his potential market. Once the smoke free legislation passes the bar owner will see non-smokers wandering into his establishment. Many of them will say, “Gosh, I always wanted to come into this little place, but it was so smoky I couldn’t stand it.” Furthermore, the bar owner will find that a good percentage of his former “smoking” customers will return. Prior to the passage of legislation they are bold about telling TV reporters that they will never come back to the bar, but when faced with the new reality, they will adjust.

International Trade:
Let’s say a factory in the United States shuts down because foreign producers in China are supplying their product to American consumers at a lower cost. The loss of jobs is devastating to the former job holders and to the community in which they live. Under these conditions it is easy to generate support for trade barriers, supposedly to protect those “exported” American jobs. Again, the “costs” of free trade are readily visible and easily explained; thousands of lost jobs. The “benefits” of free trade are less visible and more difficult to explain.

The first benefit of free trade is lower consumer prices. The guy who loses his job to foreign exports thinks that trade restrictions will help him. He wants his job back but he also wants to buy inexpensive goods at Wal-Mart. He can’t have it both ways. If we stop foreign imports the prices of the things he buys will skyrocket and the real standard of living of most lower-income working Americans will fall.

The second benefit of free trade is the large number of jobs created in the United States by US firms who sell abroad. While the US loses slightly more jobs than it gains through free trade, the higher skill, higher value jobs are more likely to be present in US export industries. Furthermore the skill sets of workers employed in exporting firms are developing at a higher rate than the skill sets of US workers employed in firms that don’t export. To summarize, you always hear about the “costs” of free trade when a plant shuts down, but the “benefits” of billions of dollars of foreign orders for Boeing 787 aircrafts or the “benefits” of US job-creation generated by the millions of dollars spent by foreign tourists at Disney theme parks are seldom considered.

Illegal Immigrants:
The immigration issue is a political hot potato right now and this topic is going to be debated for a long time. Right-wing conservatives are upset that people are in the country illegally. They are, after all, lawbreakers. People often complain that illegal aliens eat up a lot of tax dollars through their use of schools and other public services. Others complain that these same illegals are working too cheap, costing legal citizen’s employment opportunities. Once again, the “costs” of illegal immigration are visible while the benefits are often ignored.

What are the benefits of having illegal aliens in the United States? How about the benefit of a hard-working labor force that works cheaply? When your spoiled kid won’t come outside because he’s inside playing video games, who do you hire to do your lawn work? How about the revenue (and jobs) created in the United States by the daily spending of these aliens? Did you ever go to a Target store in a major city like Chicago or New York? They’re jammed with brown-skinned people from all over Latin America and they’re doing some serious spending! Many of them are “illegals”. When the child of an illegal Mexican immigrant receives an education in a US public school this is often deemed to be an unnecessary burden for taxpayers. Perhaps we’re wrong about this. Perhaps it is an investment. When that kid (who is a US citizen because he was born in this country) goes on to college or trade school and becomes a valuable, productive, tax-paying citizen, who’s around to publicize that fact? Do you see all of those little kids hanging around their parents at Target? You know who they are? They are the folks that will pay for your Social Security!

The cost vs. benefits dilemma is not limited to public policy. Let’s say your child wants to study abroad for a year while in high school. The costs are easily measurable, but the benefits may change the kid’s life! What if you and your wife want to take a vacation to Ireland. You are hesitant to take the money out of savings, so you put off the trip. Ten years later neither one of you are healthy enough to make the journey. What if the child of a friend needs money to go to technical college. Maybe you cold help him out. The costs are visible and measurable. The benefits could be immeasurable for that young person.

In life’s activities “costs” are usually visible and well-publicized while “benefits” are often invisible and ignored. Think about that the next time you evaluate public policy or make decisions in your personal life.