You may have noticed that my blog has gone progressively downhill. Let me tell you why. I started this blog with the grandiose notion of helping people. Perhaps helping people to become better, to choose the right, to improve their lives, maybe learn something they didn't know, or in the very least, remind them of things they already know they should be doing.
Much to my chagrin, my efforts have been in vain. The people I originally thought I could help or at least influence, never read my blog. Strike one. The people who do read my blog, and even agree with everything I say, haven't changed. They still drink caffeinated beverages, watch scumbag movies and television, use profanity, etc. Strike two. I have put much time and effort into my compositions, to no avail. It is obvious that I am woefully inadequate in my writing skills. Everything I have written seems to go in one eye and out the other (yes, I know I changed the well-known saying). Strike three.
So, as I gradually became aware that my blog has no effect on people, I put less and less effort into my compositions. And it shows. So I guess my blog is becoming the fluffy, daily travelogue that most other blogs are. So be it. I will still put my two cents in on occasion. But those compositions are a lot of work. And when you don't see any fruits of your labor, you quit laboring. Might I suggest reading some of my earlier compositions. If you've already read them, go reread them. In my opinion, the earlier compositions are my best work.
Three strikes and I'm out.
That's my two cents.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Bad Day
Warning: this blog is mostly going to be complaining so if you don't want to hear it, don't read anymore.
Today has been a bad day. It started out with dry heaving from the stench of cleaning out the septic downstairs. And it's not like I can just go outside and get some fresh air. So I had a horrible morning getting ready. And to top it off, the $1100 estimate for pumping the septic and fixing the grinder pump in the basement that never worked from the day we moved in, turned into over $2000. And this is to fix something that we've already paid for twice. We had two contractors, the first of which basically ruined our house and stole all of our money. I don't know what happened the second time around. But it never worked. So on top of the house smelling like a sewer all day, we had to pay twice what we expected to fix the problem. And as soon as I could, I went outside because I couldn't take the stench. I had to stay outside for several hours even though I was cold because the smell was so horrendous.
And then, my sister's mutant bulldog attacked my dog for no reason. They were both inside the house so they wouldn't bite the septic people. So they were both looking out the door wanting to come out. So dad went to let them out and the stupid bulldog attacked Samson. I have never liked Bulldogs, but now I really cannot stand them. They are either the most stupid animals ever created, ugliest animals ever created, or biggest jerk animals ever created. My guess is all three are correct. Samson doesn't like to fight. He is a very lovable dog. Who likes all dogs. And wants to be their friend. I mean really, how would you like it if some stranger moved into your house and kept attacking you for no apparent reason. This is what is happening to Samson. This mutant bulldog thinks he owns the joint. He urinates on all of my bushes and is killing some of them. He sheds 10 times more than Samson ever dreamed of, and leaves little short bulldog hairs all over the place. Not to mention, the gases emitted from his mutant body. Even after the fight was over and dad was petting Samson because Samson was acting timid and hiding behind trees and avoiding us because the bulldog was around, the stinking bulldog comes up and look Samson in the face again as if to start another fight. This is after he already got another gash in his neck. I mean really, how stupid is the animal? Samson could kill him quite easily if he wanted to. But Samson's a lover not a fighter. I resent the fact that this stupid mutant bulldog tries to intimidate my dog, and apparently successful at it, who knows why. This is Samson's house, and Samson's territory. Not a mutant bulldog's. And I thought Coco had problems. Kekoa is much more of a mutant. I am fed up with him. I should have let him drown in the pool when I had the chance.
Well this is just the start of my bad day I will leave it at that. I feel much better now.
That's my two cents.
Today has been a bad day. It started out with dry heaving from the stench of cleaning out the septic downstairs. And it's not like I can just go outside and get some fresh air. So I had a horrible morning getting ready. And to top it off, the $1100 estimate for pumping the septic and fixing the grinder pump in the basement that never worked from the day we moved in, turned into over $2000. And this is to fix something that we've already paid for twice. We had two contractors, the first of which basically ruined our house and stole all of our money. I don't know what happened the second time around. But it never worked. So on top of the house smelling like a sewer all day, we had to pay twice what we expected to fix the problem. And as soon as I could, I went outside because I couldn't take the stench. I had to stay outside for several hours even though I was cold because the smell was so horrendous.
And then, my sister's mutant bulldog attacked my dog for no reason. They were both inside the house so they wouldn't bite the septic people. So they were both looking out the door wanting to come out. So dad went to let them out and the stupid bulldog attacked Samson. I have never liked Bulldogs, but now I really cannot stand them. They are either the most stupid animals ever created, ugliest animals ever created, or biggest jerk animals ever created. My guess is all three are correct. Samson doesn't like to fight. He is a very lovable dog. Who likes all dogs. And wants to be their friend. I mean really, how would you like it if some stranger moved into your house and kept attacking you for no apparent reason. This is what is happening to Samson. This mutant bulldog thinks he owns the joint. He urinates on all of my bushes and is killing some of them. He sheds 10 times more than Samson ever dreamed of, and leaves little short bulldog hairs all over the place. Not to mention, the gases emitted from his mutant body. Even after the fight was over and dad was petting Samson because Samson was acting timid and hiding behind trees and avoiding us because the bulldog was around, the stinking bulldog comes up and look Samson in the face again as if to start another fight. This is after he already got another gash in his neck. I mean really, how stupid is the animal? Samson could kill him quite easily if he wanted to. But Samson's a lover not a fighter. I resent the fact that this stupid mutant bulldog tries to intimidate my dog, and apparently successful at it, who knows why. This is Samson's house, and Samson's territory. Not a mutant bulldog's. And I thought Coco had problems. Kekoa is much more of a mutant. I am fed up with him. I should have let him drown in the pool when I had the chance.
Well this is just the start of my bad day I will leave it at that. I feel much better now.
That's my two cents.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Interesting Corn Fact
I was doing research online yesterday about how to grow corn. I came across some interesting information I didn't know, so I thought I would share. Every strand of silk on a corn ear corresponds with one kernel of corn. Every strand of silk must be pollinated for one kernel of corn to develop. Have you ever had corn with missing kernels? This is because the silk that corresponded with the kernel of corn did not get pollinated. Anyway I thought this was really interesting so I thought I would share.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Einstein Quote of the Day
If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut. -Albert Einstein
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Vegetable Garden Day Five
Dad helped me plant a garden last week. I have always wanted to grow corn, and this is our first attempt. We also planted zucchini and cucumbers and radishes. The garden was planted on Saturday, so today is day five. The radishes already started coming up yesterday! I'm hoping the rest will sprout by the weekend. I hope the fence dad worked hard on keeps the varmints out. A big thanks to dad for working so hard on my garden.
Interesting Tidbit
I was watching a series on the History Channel yesterday entitled, "How the Earth Was Made". I have seen it before, it's pretty interesting. There was one bit of information that I thought was interesting that I still remember, so I thought I would post it. I'm sure most of you are aware that the continents are drifting. The rate at which they are drifting is 2.5 cm (1 inch) per year. This is also the rate that your fingernails grow. So, every time you cut your fingernails think about the continents moving that far. I thought that was pretty cool. In my lifetime so far the continents drifted about a yard. Cool, huh?
That's my two cents.
That's my two cents.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Television Delays Infant Speech
This is an article I came across today from MSN. I know I have touched on the subject before but I thought this was a good study so I thought I would post it.
Even background TV may delay infants' speech
Study: Kids heard 770 fewer words from adults for each hour TV was on
Even infants zone out in front of the television, and it turns out this translates into less time interacting with parents and possible lags in language development, a new study finds.
"We've known that television exposure during infancy is associated with language delays and attentional problems, but so far it has remained unclear why," said lead researcher Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages television watching before the age of 2, a time when critical development, such as language acquisition, occurs. (Christakis said a baby's brain triples in size during the first two years of life, so there's a lot going on in that little noggin.)
To figure out the TV-language link, Christakis and his colleagues rounded up 329 2-month to 4-year-old children and their parents. The kids wore digital devices on random days each month for up to two years that recorded everything they heard or said for 12 to 16 hours. The researchers didn't determine whether the adults and kids were actively watching the television or if it was just on in the background.
The study measured adult word counts, vocalizations of the child and the interactions when a child vocalizes and an adult responds verbally within five seconds.
Analyses of the recordings revealed that each hour of television exposure was linked with a decrease of 770 words (7 percent) the child heard from an adult during the recording session. Hours of television were also associated with a decrease in the number and length of child vocalizations and the back and forth between the child and an adult.
Distracted parents
"Some of these reductions are likely due to children being left alone in front of the television screen," the researchers write in the June issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, "but others likely reflect situations in which adults, though present, are distracted by the screen and not interacting with their infant in a discernible manner."
And interaction is key for baby's brain.
"The reason it's concerning is because we know that hearing adults speak and being spoken to are critical exposures that play a role in infants development in language," Christakis told LiveScience.
With 30 percent of households having televisions on all the time, the researchers wondered how many fewer opportunities there were for children and parents to communicate and socialize.
"My recommendation first is that children under the age of 2 be discouraged from watching television," Christakis said. He added that even if the TV show is intended for the adults, the effect is the same for their children.
(Four of the authors on the paper were employed by the LENA Foundation, which paid for the data collection and develops technology for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of language delays and disorders in children and adults.)
© 2009 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
Turn your television off and talk to/play with your baby/child. There is no substitute for parents interaction with their children. Especially when it comes to childhood development.
That's my two cents.
Even background TV may delay infants' speech
Study: Kids heard 770 fewer words from adults for each hour TV was on
Even infants zone out in front of the television, and it turns out this translates into less time interacting with parents and possible lags in language development, a new study finds.
"We've known that television exposure during infancy is associated with language delays and attentional problems, but so far it has remained unclear why," said lead researcher Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages television watching before the age of 2, a time when critical development, such as language acquisition, occurs. (Christakis said a baby's brain triples in size during the first two years of life, so there's a lot going on in that little noggin.)
To figure out the TV-language link, Christakis and his colleagues rounded up 329 2-month to 4-year-old children and their parents. The kids wore digital devices on random days each month for up to two years that recorded everything they heard or said for 12 to 16 hours. The researchers didn't determine whether the adults and kids were actively watching the television or if it was just on in the background.
The study measured adult word counts, vocalizations of the child and the interactions when a child vocalizes and an adult responds verbally within five seconds.
Analyses of the recordings revealed that each hour of television exposure was linked with a decrease of 770 words (7 percent) the child heard from an adult during the recording session. Hours of television were also associated with a decrease in the number and length of child vocalizations and the back and forth between the child and an adult.
Distracted parents
"Some of these reductions are likely due to children being left alone in front of the television screen," the researchers write in the June issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, "but others likely reflect situations in which adults, though present, are distracted by the screen and not interacting with their infant in a discernible manner."
And interaction is key for baby's brain.
"The reason it's concerning is because we know that hearing adults speak and being spoken to are critical exposures that play a role in infants development in language," Christakis told LiveScience.
With 30 percent of households having televisions on all the time, the researchers wondered how many fewer opportunities there were for children and parents to communicate and socialize.
"My recommendation first is that children under the age of 2 be discouraged from watching television," Christakis said. He added that even if the TV show is intended for the adults, the effect is the same for their children.
(Four of the authors on the paper were employed by the LENA Foundation, which paid for the data collection and develops technology for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of language delays and disorders in children and adults.)
© 2009 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
Turn your television off and talk to/play with your baby/child. There is no substitute for parents interaction with their children. Especially when it comes to childhood development.
That's my two cents.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
TI 85 versus Garmin
Yesterday as we were leaving to go to Seattle to see Michael's gig, mom quickly grabbed what she thought was the garmin (GPS). What it actually was, was my Texas Instruments calculator. I saw mom holding my calculator and wondered why she was going to bring that to Michael's gig. Maybe she wanted to graph some cosines and tangents. :-) then she realized her mistake and said, "this won't help me get there" and grabbed the Garmin. We all had a big laugh about this, so I thought I would post it.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Relief Society Lesson "Bring Souls unto Me"
I just gave my lesson in Relief Society. I thought I would post a copy of the outline/visual aids I made.
“Bring Souls unto Me”
Elder L. Tom Perry
April 2009 General Conference
"There is . . . no substitute for a member-oriented proselyting program. Tracting will not substitute for it. Golden questions will not substitute for it. A member-oriented program is the key to success, and it works wherever we try it"
-Thomas S. Monson
1. Warn Your Neighbor
“And it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor”-Doctrine and Covenants 88:81
Over half of the people in the United States and Canada have little or no awareness of our practice and beliefs.
Doctrine and Covenants 33:7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength.
8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.
9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.
10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
2. Open Your Mouth
What would we say if we had to open our mouth three times?
First and foremost, we should declare our belief in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
Second, we should tell in our own words the story of the First Vision.
Third, testify of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
3. Find the Lost Sheep
Leave the 99 to find the one who’s lost.
Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
How Great Shall Be Your Joy!
Doctrine & Covenants 18:15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
“Bring Souls unto Me”
Elder L. Tom Perry
April 2009 General Conference
"There is . . . no substitute for a member-oriented proselyting program. Tracting will not substitute for it. Golden questions will not substitute for it. A member-oriented program is the key to success, and it works wherever we try it"
-Thomas S. Monson
1. Warn Your Neighbor
“And it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor”-Doctrine and Covenants 88:81
Over half of the people in the United States and Canada have little or no awareness of our practice and beliefs.
Doctrine and Covenants 33:7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength.
8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.
9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.
10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
2. Open Your Mouth
What would we say if we had to open our mouth three times?
First and foremost, we should declare our belief in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
Second, we should tell in our own words the story of the First Vision.
Third, testify of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
3. Find the Lost Sheep
Leave the 99 to find the one who’s lost.
Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
How Great Shall Be Your Joy!
Doctrine & Covenants 18:15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Young Americans Losing Religion
From Maurine Proctor , Washington, DC:
A recent Harvard Study indicates that "young Americans are dramatically less likely to go to church."
According to ABD News, "'It's a huge change,' says Harvard University professor Robert Putnam, who conducted the research.
"Historically, the percentage of Americans who said they had no religious affiliation (pollsters refer to this group as the ‘nones') has been very small -- hovering between 5 percent and 10 percent. However, Putnam says the percentage of "nones" has now skyrocketed to between 30 percent and 40 percent among younger Americans.
Putnam calls this a ‘stunning development," which will have a profound impact on the social and political life of the nation.
Putnam said of the ‘nones', "They have the same attitidues and values as people who are in church, but they grew up in a period in which being religious meant being politically conservative, especially on social issues," and they see this as rigid and intolerant.
David French responded at National Review Online's Phi Beta Cons Blog, "It is sad that adherence to moral norms that span the entirety of Judeo-Christian history are now seen as nothing but "political conservatism," and it is a distressing sign that politics has become intimately personal when concepts such as heterosexual marital fidelity are seen as inherently ideological and "Republican." Yet this is by no means evidence that the church needs to change its message. The role of the church is to bear witness to the Truth (while always acknowledging our human frailty) not to change the message to fill pews."
I think this is something that we all know. It is interesting to read about it statistically. It is sad that social and moral issues are being equated with and regulated by politics. It is still hard for me to believe that homosexual marriage is even an issue. Speaking of which, the California Supreme Court may be issuing a decision on proposition eight tomorrow. So once again, the will of the people, who let their voices be heard through the election last November, is once again in jeopardy in the hands of a few judges. I don't see how a handful of people can disregard a democratic election where millions of people voted and let there will be known. It just isn't right. So let's hope that the outcome reflects the will of the people.
That's my two cents.
A recent Harvard Study indicates that "young Americans are dramatically less likely to go to church."
According to ABD News, "'It's a huge change,' says Harvard University professor Robert Putnam, who conducted the research.
"Historically, the percentage of Americans who said they had no religious affiliation (pollsters refer to this group as the ‘nones') has been very small -- hovering between 5 percent and 10 percent. However, Putnam says the percentage of "nones" has now skyrocketed to between 30 percent and 40 percent among younger Americans.
Putnam calls this a ‘stunning development," which will have a profound impact on the social and political life of the nation.
Putnam said of the ‘nones', "They have the same attitidues and values as people who are in church, but they grew up in a period in which being religious meant being politically conservative, especially on social issues," and they see this as rigid and intolerant.
David French responded at National Review Online's Phi Beta Cons Blog, "It is sad that adherence to moral norms that span the entirety of Judeo-Christian history are now seen as nothing but "political conservatism," and it is a distressing sign that politics has become intimately personal when concepts such as heterosexual marital fidelity are seen as inherently ideological and "Republican." Yet this is by no means evidence that the church needs to change its message. The role of the church is to bear witness to the Truth (while always acknowledging our human frailty) not to change the message to fill pews."
I think this is something that we all know. It is interesting to read about it statistically. It is sad that social and moral issues are being equated with and regulated by politics. It is still hard for me to believe that homosexual marriage is even an issue. Speaking of which, the California Supreme Court may be issuing a decision on proposition eight tomorrow. So once again, the will of the people, who let their voices be heard through the election last November, is once again in jeopardy in the hands of a few judges. I don't see how a handful of people can disregard a democratic election where millions of people voted and let there will be known. It just isn't right. So let's hope that the outcome reflects the will of the people.
That's my two cents.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Quote of the Day
The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom. - Isaac Asimov
Thursday, May 14, 2009
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