I'm reading a book called "The Progress Paradox" by Gregg Easterbrook. I'm not finish yet, but so far it's been an eye opener for me. The main idea so far in the book is to show us that life in the western world has never been better. I for one have always thought that life in the "old days" was somehow better. But measured in almost every way, heath, education, freedom, possibilities to travel more or less every measurable area of life is much better in the western world now than in any other time in history. But we have never been more depressed, lonely and suicidal.

He uses a lot of different research to come to this. As far as I know it's not a so called Christian book, but he keeps showing through different research and statistic, that people that have a good life, live by certain principles. The "good live" is not measured in material things, but in happiness and contentment. What I think is interesting is they have found out that people that are forgiving and thankful have a much better quality of life as far as been happy and content.

As I said I'm not finish with the book, but so far all the principles in this book for a "good life" are the same ones I can find in the Bible.

I'm trying out podcasting. So to the upper right of this blog I have a podcast. This one "Thinking out loud" I made very quick more out of not really knowing what to say and on the other hand having so much to say, but not knowing where and how to start. I hope I get better.

Almost daily I hear or read about crime and dishonest. Then hear how there has to be done something about it, so it will not happen again. Like putting video cameras up, alarms or more police on the street.
One example I heard was a school that was having a lot of problem with vandalism and how they had to put all sorts of security systems up which cost a lot of money, money that was to be use on teaching materials!
Think if everyone was honest, think of all the money that would be saved on security that could be used on other and better things! Maybe that's why Bible said not to steal.
It would be interesting to find out how much crime & dishonest cost society.
If you know of any statistics or reports about this, then let me know.

But what about the small things like taking a pen for the office or other small things. Put it all together what would that cost? I bet it's a lot of money that could have been use on something much better.