NO THANKS, JUST LOOKING

Today I saw Borin' Orin Hatch (R) at Walmart, in Salt Lake. Yes Walmart. He was just walking around the store pushing an empty shopping cart. Not really shopping just walking around the store pushing an empty cart. I tried to get a picture of him so I could post him on "peopleofwalmart.com" but every time I got out the cell phone he would give me the evil eye, so I gave up. I thought about taking a picture from the back so he wouldn't catch me, but from the back side Orin (R) looks just like any other pervert in a trench coat.
After a while he returned the cart to the front of the store and left. Did not buy anything, just left.
The real question about this incident is; What the Heck was Orin Hatch (R) doing at Walmart.
A. Shoplifting.
B. Just hoping to be seen so people would think that he actually shops at Walmart, and is just a regular guy. (because regular guys always wear pressed trench coats and face makeup)
C. Looking for a good deal on health care, and wanted to check out the $4 drug deal.
D. As usual he didn't have a clue what was going on and was hoping to meet Ted Kennedy (D) for lunch. Sorry no Christmas miracle here, Ted is still dead.

And by the way. If he was trying to get attention it failed. Most people were ignoring him, just like they do everybody else at Walmart.

GOOD TIDINGS

"Fear not for I bring you good tidings"
Is it any wonder why the Lord chose to first announce the birth of His son to the shepherds? Not to the rich of the city, not to those presiding in the synagogues, but to the shepherds. The humble shepherds keeping watch at night. He that would be known as the good shepherd had come into the world to save all mankind.
Shepherding is hard work. Sheep are very dependent and delicate animals. They demand much attention. The shepherd had to love the sheep, even unto death, if it was required of him. He slept with them, ate with them, and would give his life to rescue one in trouble. In other words, a shepherd had to be a faithful worker, who loved his flock, and would do anything for them. A true, selfless servant indeed!

I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of my savior and redeemer. As we honor and worship Him at this special season of the year my prayer is, that we might all take the time to kneel and give thanks for Him and His mission.

POLITICALLY CORRECT HO, HO, HOOEY

Enough already of "Happy Holidays" I will continue to wish every one I see a "MERRY CHRISTMAS" because that's what it is, and that's what I want to do. It is Christmas. A celebration of one of the greatest events in human history. This whole being politically correct about everything has gone too far. Yes we shouldn't call people hurtful names or use ethnic slurs. In the words of the great Michael Scott "You don't call retarded people retards". But when being politically correct forces us to withhold wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, just to keep from offending someone, it has really gone too far.

If being politically correct goes on much longer we will soon be hearing songs about "Frosty the Person of Snow" and "Rudolph the Nasally Empowered Reindeer"
And your children cannot make snow angels anymore because this obvious display of religion might make someone feel uncomfortable. I think Santa's reindeer are even using aliases now, because they are so embarrassed.

I love almost everything about Christmas. The music, the food, the sights and sounds. The snow, and the presents, the happy children and all that goes with it. What a glorious time of year to be alive.
This CHRISTMAS when you hang your stockings next your alternative heat source, and the children are tucked in their beds, with visions of lentils and warm whole-grain breads. Remember to put aside all political correctness, at least long enough to wish everyone a.....

Merry Christmas.
As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace,
the King of Kings.

DIRT POOR AND HAPPY

As the temperatures outside are quickly dropping to single digits it makes me appreciate all the more that we have a warm home to come to each night.

When I was very young our family was not in the ranks of the middle class. My dad worked for the automotive department at Sears and I'm sure he made close to minimum wage. (was there even a minimum wage in the 50's?). When ever something had to be replaced such as a car or a major appliance Dad would work a part time job at a local gas station or a lumber store until the said item was paid for.

I remember one winter when our refridgerator needed to be replaced. Christmas was coming and I'm sure available funds were already allocated. Well Dad was if anything resourceful and somewhat of a make do kind of guy. He constructed a shelf on the back of the house just outside the kitchen window. That is were everything was stored that should have gone in the fridge. The kitchen was on the back of the house and faced North, so the sun never reached this location so food stayed safely cool. The shelf on the back of the house was our fridge for most of that winter. It you needed a glass of milk you just open the kitchen window and bring in the milk.

Even though we did without a lot things when we were young, I don't ever remember thinking that I was a poor kid. We were happy. My parents would do what ever was necessary to make things normal. I thought macaroni and cheese or peanut butter sandwhiches were just normal everyday food and that was what everyone ate.

My dad is gone now. He died six years ago, the first week of December. It was very cold that year also. I can still remember the clear cold December day that he was buried, with full military honors, in the Manti cemetery.

Wealth does not come from bank accounts or fancy cars. Real wealth is happiness, belief in God, family, and love. Love for all these things and all else that you are blessed with.

BEING THANKFUL

This week is Thanksgiving which gives us the opportunity to reflect on the things that we are most thankful for.
And the opportunity to over eat in grand fashion without guilt.

I am thankful for my family, and the love that we have together.
I am thankful for my wife, who never gives up.
I am thankful for my children.
I am thankful for my grandchildren 8 of the best looking kids around.
I am thankful for the little things in life that added all together make me happy.
I am thankful for the blessings of the temple that make our family an eternal unit. (Picture of Salt Lake Temple)
I am thankful for Nov 14 of this year (picture of Zane and Quinton) one of the happiest days of my life.
I am thankful for the changing seasons that continue to give interest to our lives, because without winter we would not have tulips in the spring.
I am thankful for my Mom who turned 80 years old this year. I'm thankful that she is still with us. (She's the cute kid in the picture above)
I am thankful for laughter.
I am thankful for tears.
I am thankful for warm clothes.
I am thankful for a home that is cool in summer and warm in winter.
I am thankful for my testimony.
I am thankful for my knowledge of my savior Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for my ward family, that gives me strength.

And now for the lighter side of being thankful, but still very thankful
I am thankful that guy from the halfway house I ran into with my car this summer was not hurt, just his bike.
I am thankful I have pockets, because the guy from the halfway house had his id and all his money in his sock!
I am thankful for people who don't text while talking.
I am thankful for good Mexican food.
sometimes I am thankful for mediocre Mexican food.
and for pizza.
I am again thankful for laughter, except when it makes soda get in your nose.
I am thankful for people who can drive without rage.
I am thankful that I am taller than Tom Cruise, who is stupid.
I am thankful for the "office" because we all need an escape from reality. That's real reality not reality TV, which we also need a break from.
I'm thankful that I have never been mugged going to work.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Not always known for his "political correctness" Randy Newman is a fantastic songwriter. With such great lines as "short people got no reason to live" and "we're rednecks, rednecks, don't know our a** from a whole in the ground" But he has also written some great movie music, including Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and others. Here are the lyrics to one of my favorites "Political Science".

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

TOO MANY WALLS

It was 20 years ago today (Nov 9) that the check points were opened and the Berlin wall came down. A very real symbol of a socialist government. The great wall went up and came down in my life time. It stood for only twenty-eight years. We should never take for granted the freedoms that we have in this country, that many around the world do not share. We should especially treasure our rights for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The Berlin wall is gone, unfortunately there are still too many walls, some not so visible but just as thick and hard to penetrate.

"The greatest infringements of religious freedom occur when the exercise of religion collides with other powerful forces in society. Among the most threatening collisions in the United States today are the rising strength of those who seek to silence religious voices in public debates, and perceived conflicts between religious freedom and the popular appeal of newly alleged civil rights."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Full text of Elder Oaks talk

Halloween Tricks

Good old fashion Halloween tricks.
I'm glad that our children have grown up in a time that most Halloween tricks have gone by the wayside.
When I was a kid we were more into candy than playing tricks on people, however we did start the farmers outhouse toilet seat on fire once. That about sums up my childhood Halloween pranks.
My dad told me that when he was a teen they once took a guys model T apart, moved it to the barn roof and put it back together.

Hope everyone has a safe
and trick free Halloween

check out this vandalism instructional video courtesy of The Office.
you'll have to watch a 30 second commercial before it starts, but it's worth it.

CITIES OF THE DEAD

When ever I travel whether on business or vacations. I love to check out the local cemeteries. It drives my wife nuts, because that is the last thing she wants to see. I especially enjoy grave yards with historical significance.
By far the best and creepiest of grave yards I have seen are those found in New Orleans.



The above-ground tombs in the cemeteries of New Orleans are often referred to as "cities of the dead." Enter their gates and you will be greeted by decorative, rusty ironwork, and blinded by the sun bleached tombs. Crosses and statues on tomb tops cast contrasting shadows adding a sense of mystery. Votive candles line tombs on holidays to remind you the Dead have living relatives that still care.
New Orleans has always respected the dead, but this isn't the reason the tombs of our departed loved ones are interred above ground. Early settlers in the area struggled with different methods to bury the dead. Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is high. Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float. And so they began the custom burying in above ground tombs. Wealthier families of course have the more ornate looking tombs, with iron rails, statues and other adornments. Crowded so close together they look like row houses in a small city. And so they began to be known as "Cities of the dead"
The families that own the tombs have buried generations in the same location. City ordinance requires that the previous relative must have been dead for at least 2 years. Their remains are then deposited down the sides or the back of the tomb, whats left of the coffin is destroyed, thus making room for then new tenant. Some of the tombs have long lists of those that are "buried" in the same tomb. Cool stuff. No wonder the New Orleans cemeteries are said to be among the most haunted in the world. It is probably relatives fighting over who was there first.

FRANKENSTEIN

It is October; Monster month, so I can declare,
I love Frankenstein.
Ever since I was just a kid I loved Frankenstein, I read Mary Shelly's novel "Frankenstein - or the Modern Prometheus" when I was about 12 years old. And have reread it several times over the years. Shelly completed the novel when she was only 18 years old. Even with her husband's connections it took over a year to find a publisher for her novel.
Of course Frankenstein is the name of the Doctor that created the monster, the poor monster never had a name other than "Frankenstein's monster", no wonder he had issues.
But what I really love is Frankenstein movies. There have been over 100 movies (believe it or not) having to do with Frankenstein in some way. No I have not seen them all. There are some good ones some bad ones and some very bad ones. How about "Lust for Frankenstein" 1998, nope, haven't seen that one. There are funny ones "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" or how about "Blakenstein" , haven't seen that one either
The first "Frankenstein" was a silent movie released in 1910, it was a whole 13 minutes long. I do have this one on my iPod a great start of the genre
My favorites by far are the Universal Studios movies made in the 1930's; "Frankenstein" 1931, "Bride of Frankenstein" 1934, and "Son of Frankenstein" 1939. With the famous monster created by actor Boris Karloff (right).
And of course high on the list of favorites is Mel Brooks "Young Frankenstein" and to make this one even more funny, you should watch the 3 old ones first. There are many subtle scenes that Mel Brooks took from the old ones, like someone descending an enclosed stair case with an unlit candle! who knows where the light source is. Or lightning flashes that can be seen in a dungeon with no windows! great stuff.

SO, HAPPY OCTOBER
Watch a Frankenstein movie.
there are plenty to go around.

DEFEAT!!

HAVING THE COURAGE
TO ADMIT DEFEAT
CAN SOMETIMES
BE A KIND OF VICTORY

TECHNOLOGY

"Sometimes technology makes you drive into a lake"
Michael Scott

"Think of how stupid the average person is....then realize that half of them are stupider than that"
George Carlin

COMING SOON TO A TV NEAR YOU

9/17/09

BORIENTAION:
(noun) Linguistic portmanteau combining "boring" with "orientation," i.e. a boring orientation meeting.

YOUTH CONFERENCE 2009 DONE!!

We just got home from our Youth conference. We went for 3 days of camping in the Spruces campground. It was a great time and no one was killed either on purpose or accident. It is always a success when you can come home with the same number of youth as you left with.
We had an amazing geocache search on Friday morning; we divided into 4 teams and went searching for clues. Each set of clues had reference to different scripture story, so the teams had to identify the story and then tell us about it at a fireside Friday night. The geocaching took a little longer than we planned because some mormon/moron had 2 sets of coordinates that where 5 miles North of where they really where hidden.
Of course the weather had an uncanny ability to dump rain on us everytime we started to get food out. And Saturday morning was a steady down pour from about 6 oclock on. So we cut it short and headed for home with car loads of very wet youth and leaders. But all in all it was a successful time.
Thanks to all that helped.

CAMPING WITH GRANDSONS

A few weeks ago we went camping for a couple of nights with Michelle and Jana and their boys. We had such a good time playing games, eating and taking hikes fit for a 2 year old, which consists of walking around the campground. As we would walk around the campground Zane had to stop at every sign or numbered post so he could tell me what they said. Of course he can't read so they all said the same thing "Wa, ree, sick." translation: one, three, six.
Zane was also the one that spotted a place off the road where we could throw rocks in the creek. Small boys can find nothing more fun than throwing stuff in the water to watch it splash or float, or throwing stuff in the fire to see it burn. I think this comes from our base instincts as cavemen. It of course was the only real form of entertainment for many years, next comes clubbing women on the head and dragging them back to camp. Thank goodness these guys are to young for that yet.

PIONEERS

This week is the anniversary celebrating the Mormon Pioneers arrival to the Salt Lake Valley.
This is the oldest picture I could find of the first home built in the Valley. It is now located between the Church's Family History Library and the Church History Museum.

The cabin was built in 1847, soon after the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Six people—Osmyn M. and Mary Whiting Deuel and William H. and Eliza Whiting Deuel (the Deuel brothers married sisters) and William and Eliza’s two daughters, Minerva and Mercy Ann—lived in it from October 1847 to May 1848.

It is hard to believe that six people (two families) lived in this cabin that looks to be about the size of a single car garage. I am so grateful for the sacrifice of these early pioneers that gave so much for what the believed in and made things so much easier for those that followed.

It is likely that when the Deuels moved, they rented the home to other settlers. In 1849, they sold it to Albert Carrington, who placed skids under it and, with ox teams, moved the cabin to his property at West Temple and First North. (this is the location where the picture was taken) In 1852, Christopher and Maryann Riding and their five children were living in it. Brother Carrington gave the home to his daughter, Francis, and her husband, Zebulon Jacobs. They lived in it briefly, and years later offered it to the Church as a historical relic.

The cabin was dismantled and moved to the Deseret Museum, where it was displayed until about 1919 when it was moved to Temple Square. I remember always going to see the cabin when it was here, I thought it was kind of a creepy looking place. It stood on Temple Square until 1976, then was put into storage. In 1984, the cabin was placed on the plaza in its present location.

BACK HOME AGAIN

After 3 days of camping with with family, we are now home again. It is nice to be clean and setting in a air conditioned house again.
But we sure had fun, playing games, eating Dutch oven chicken, laughing, hiking, eating Dutch oven Mexican (thanks Jana), making crafts and just having a great time with family, and eating of course.
It is crazy fun watching grand children running all over the place. Watching Zane, Drake and Quinton splashing in a puddle and Zane laughing so hard about it that he fell down in the puddle, and Drake went playing in the dirt after the puddle incident (yes that makes mud) so gramps was in trouble.
There is nothing that is more satisfying than to be with family.
I love my family so very much and am glad that we could be together for a few days.

AMERICA - THANK HEAVEN

I thank my God that I live in a land that is truly “choice above all others”. Each of us is a very fortunate person, thank heaven. Thank heaven for America! Despite our weaknesses, despite our problems, despite our challenges, this is the greatest nation on earth. Someone once said “we haven’t done badly for a nation of immigrants.”
But we haven’t done it alone. We have done it because God helped us do it. Our gratitude for this great country should be to Him. At the conclusion of the convention at which the Constitution was adopted George Washington said, “We have raised a standard to which the good and wise can repair; the event is in the hands of God… who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be, that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks.”
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit a very large military installation in California, it was a language training base that was shared by all branches of the military. Twice a day as the flag of our great country was raised or lowered every single person on that base would stop what they were doing, salute and face the flag. Weather they were jogging, studying or shopping, even cars would stop in the street as the occupants would get out of their cars to give respect for the symbol of this country. This daily event never failed to touch my heart and bring a tear to my eye.
Let us all take pause during the coming weeks to give thanks. Not just for another holiday or an extra day to our weekend. But give thanks for the greatest country on earth. And pray that the leaders of this land will continue to seek the inspiration of that creator that inspired and guided our founding fathers.

WHO AM I

Probably one of the longest living mascots in advertising history is this dog.
commonly called the RCA Dog. He was first used in the US by Thomas Edison's company the Victor Talking Machine Co., which later became RCA Victor and finally just RCA. It is all the same company just the evolution of the name.

The slogan that was used for many years with the image of the dog was "His Masters Voice".

For a short time he had a companion standing at his side in many ads.

So here is the contest. WHAT ARE THE DOG'S NAMES. You have to get both names.
(clue: the names rhyme with each other.)

yes you will win something. I just don't know what yet, maybe some old RCA vinyl, dinner out or who knows.

ALIEN LANDING STRIP

This is a picture of an ancient alien landing strip. It was built billions of years ago by a civilization of giant brine shrimp that came from another galaxy to inhabit this part of our planet. They were mistaken in their theory that the entire earth had the same brinish atmosphere that surrounds the Great Salt Lake. Thankfully for us, they were wrong.

Yes the brine shrimp are still here, they are the only living thing that survives in the Great Salt Lake. However in a very strange phenomenon of reverse evolution, never imagined by Darwin, the shrimp have actually gotten much smaller than they were when they first arrived eons ago.....

.............Actually
I think this is all that's left of the grand boardwalk of the old Saltair resort, the boardwalk ran from the railroad spur out to the resort. It looks like rocks neatly lined up but is actually the salt encrusted wood pylons. It is hard to believe visiting the Lake today that there was ever anything this grand that ever existed out there.
In the photo it looks like the ground is all dried and cracked mud, but when we walked out here the top layer was dry and underneath was still muddy so it gave you the sensation of walking on thick foam rubber.

IN DEFENSE OF MINERVA 1888-1976

"In heaven,
there will be red"

One of the most prolific painters in church history, was Minerva Teichert. She painted early pioneer life and western history she also did an entire series of work depicting Book of Mormon scenes but could interest no one in the church to purchase them. In the end she donated most of the series to BYU.
Minerva's work is very stylized and can be recognized long before you find her signature. Her work has appeared often in Church publications and as cover art for many books.
One of the crowning achievements of her life occurred at the age of 57, when she was called on a mission and with one assistant painted the murals for the world room in the Manti temple.
Minerva Kohlhepp was born in North Ogden, but grew up homestead farming in the vicinity of American Falls, Idaho. Her father encouraged her childhood sketching and she soon developed an "indomitable will to succeed and excel in the field of art." She taught school to raise enough money to go to Chicago for her art studies. When she had raised the money, her father would not let her go alone. It was arranged for her to be "set apart" as an LDS missionary so that she could travel with a church group.
She became the first known female artist to pursue her painting lessons with the specific and official blessings of the LDS hierarchy. When money ran low in Chicago, she put together a roping act for the New York stage. This is when she began her custom of wearing her distinctive head band. She became very good friends with her teacher, Robert Henri. He encouraged her to go home and "paint the Mormon story." And this is what she determined to do with her life. Here is an excerpt from her own autobiographical life sketch, written in 1947:

"I married my cowboy sweetheart, which was right. My first son was born while my husband was serving in France. I painted stage scenery to pay for his birth. I painted what I loved for the Pocatello Tabernacle "Not Alone", and got thirty-eight dollars for it. . . .For the next ten years I helped in the hay fields. My first three little boys grew up beside a haystack. . . .When the American Falls Dam went in I was the last white woman out of the Snake River Bottoms. . . .I spent most of the mornings for the next fifteen years in the milk house. The children must be educated, etc. I painted after they were tucked into bed at night.......

I must paint. It's a disease."

NEW TEMPLE

Today I had the opportunity to visit the new Oquirrh Mountain temple. I went with my staff at work to inspect the fine art that is hanging throughout the temple. some will need to be redone before the open house but for the most part they are beautiful. One of the managing GA's did not like a particular artists work, so several of her paintings are being replaced.
If you went to the Draper open house so you think you don't need to see this one. Don't be mistaken, it is unique and beautiful, with gorgeous marble and wood work, cut glass and beautiful furnishings. Don't miss the chance to see this great work before it is dedicated.

Open House Reservations will be made available to the general public starting Monday, May 4, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. by contacting the reservation call center at 1-800-521-5105, 801-240-7645, or online at www.lds.org/reservations.

INDIAN ART OR ANCIENT GRAFFITI

These days when a group of young men go out hunting, if things get boring they start shooting up road signs or tin cans or what ever else seems to be good sport.
Well in ancient times when the native Americans went out hunting they would gather in the shade of an over hanging cliff and practice their art. I have often wondered if they are really trying to tell story with their art or if it is just ancient graffiti by bored young men out for the hunt.
what ever it is, I find it fascinating and love to locate examples of this ancient art.
We found these great looking specimens in various locations within about a half mile of each other. They are located on a dirt road between the town of Thompson, Utah and the old ghost town of Sego, (see post "ghost towns" 4/23). The road is not to bad at all, we traveled it with our Hyundai Tucson while pulling our trailer.