Greg and Mandy

I attended the reception of Greg Dixon and Mandy Tolman tonight. They will be married in the Salt Lake Temple tomorrow and have another reception in Honeyville. Both are returned missionaries, Greg fluent in French and Mandy speaking Spanish. So I asked them if communication was going to be a problem in their marriage. They didn’t answer.

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1. Proposition 8 and the Digital Network Army
2. Rickety: Top Ten Blog Posts of 2009
3. Brigham City Utah Temple Artist’s Conception

I was born in England and lived there for 28 years. High on my list of places to see (and photograph) are castles. Yet I only visited two castles, and neither of those were in England. But the next best thing to being there is to see great photographs of English castles. Of course every castle is not pictured and even some famous ones may be missing.

If you have visited any of these strongholds, tell me all about it. Click on the images for a larger photograph or follow the photo credit links.

Bodiam Castle

Photo Credit: PhillipC

Warwick Castle

Photo Credit: Jim Linwood

Leeds Castle

Photo Credit: mharrsch

Goodrich Castle

Photo Credit: Jelle Drok

Brough Castle

Photo Credit: spratmackrel

Herstmonceux Castle

Photo Credit: antonychammond

Clifford's Tower, York Castle

Photo Credit: lhongchou

Windsor Castle

Photo Credit: Chalkie_CC

Colchester Castle

Photo Credit: mgjefferies

Ludlow Castle

Photo Credit: backseatpilot

Dover Castle

Photo Credit: OliverN5

Bamburgh Castle

Photo Credit: freefotouk

Skipton Castle

Photo Credit: mrs.timpers

Arundel Castle

Photo Credit: MN Photos

Conisbrough Castle

Photo Credit: D-Kav

Pevensey Castle

Photo Credit: neilalderney123

Scotney Castle

Photo Credit: Lincolnian (Brian)

Rochester Castle

Photo Credit: amaidment1980

Lindisfarne Castle

Photo Credit: D-Kav

Nottingham Castle

Photo Credit: D-Kav

These photographs carry a Creative Commons license that permits copying, distribution, and transmission provided that they are not used commercially and attribution is given. Other restrictions may apply, follow the photo credit links for details.

Related posts:

1. 12 Beautiful Mongolian Landscape Photographs
2. Some American words rendered in English
3. Family Photographs

The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men ~ Alexander Hamilton

Mike Lee is challenging Bob Bennett for his senate seat. Lee’s website clearly defines his stance on a variety of issues, with the emphasis on Five Steps to a Return to Limited Government. I am discussing each of these five steps, examining them on their merits. Previously I discussed Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, and Step 4.

Step 5: End the Era of the Lifetime Politician

Mike Lee’s proposal:

“The runaway growth of the federal government will continue as long as we retain a system that assures the existence of lifetime politicians. A career member of Congress inevitably will come to believe that that body has the answer to all social problems. The Constitution should be amended to limit service in each house of Congress to 12 years.

There are three parts to this proposal:

1. The system encourages lifetime politicians.
2. Congress thinks its has all the answers.
3. An amendment to limit service is needed.

The system that is spoken about here is the U.S. Constitution. It is not easily amended and those that advocate an amendment to solve a problem of the day sound good to the masses. When the amendment goes nowhere then the politician can say that they tried. Advocating amendments is a safe election platform.

It is true that the president of the United States is limited to two terms. The proposed amendment here would limit a senator to two terms also. A representative would have six terms.

One negative is that the people will have one choice taken away, namely that they cannot retain a favorite politician. However, I am not convinced that that would be a big disadvantage.

Summary

My grade for this proposal is 2 out of 5 because it would be highly unlikely to come to pass. Congress would have to start the amendment process and they would have no incentive to do so.

While it sounds great to base some of your platform on passing amendments, the reality is they are highly unlikely to get passed.

What do you the people say?

Related posts:

1. Return to a Limited Government, Step 4
2. Return to a Limited Government, Step 1
3. Return to a Limited Government, Step 3

Missionaries bid farewell to Mongolia (Daniel rear, 4th from right)

I received this photograph and email from the mission.

Parents,

We thought you would like to see this photo of your missionary children who left our mission last week to go to other missions. We had a dinner and testimony meeting with the missionaries on the night of their departure. We celebrated the wonderful work they did in Mongolia. They put on a happy face. Thank you so much for the great parental support you have given to our mission through your missionaries. We hope that the visa problem can be resolved so that the elders can return to serve the remainder of their time here.

Since Mongolia has a high incidence of tuberculosis, it is important that your missionary son or daughter has a TB test. It is up to the mission president in the missions where they are serving whether they have the skin test now or at the end of their mission. We just wanted you to be aware of this.

Sister Andersen

Related posts:

1. Missionary Dan Is Kicked Out Of Mongolia
2. Email #2 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
3. Missionary Dan Email #9 from Choibalsan, Mongolia

Daniel (left) at Hat Rock State Park with Elders Seymore and Clark

The plane ride took a long time. I got to sleep from Korea to America a bit. I think total flying time was 20 hours. Plus the layovers which added up to around 17 hours. It was good flights with opportunities to share the gospel on the way.

I’ve been very shocked to be back here. Everything is huge and there is stuff everywhere. I’m quite in the culture shock. My companions have been great, asking lots of questions and showing interest. I have two right now. Elder Seymore from Arizona and Elder Clark from Utah.

Daniel was in Salt Lake City for three hours

It has been fun to teach in English, but also very different. Just the things people talk about here is way different. It was interesting hearing words I haven’t heard in forever. The members are awesome. I learned what the meaning of dinner appointment is. We have one every day. We work with one ward and one young single adult branch. Everyone has been very friendly.

So I am in Hermiston, Oregon. I wasn’t jet lagged at all. I don’t know if that’s because I’m used to being tired or that I got to sleep on the plane, but that has been a blessing. Luggage was fine and wasn’t over weight. My Mongolian president was glad to hear I made it safe and is doing all he can to get us back. No I didn’t pay a thing for the phone call.

My new area is a small, warm community. I mean it really is warm here 50 to 60 degrees. I find that I’m kind of cold when it’s warm but the colder it gets the more comfortable I get. That has confused my companions a bit. It is a very safe neighborhood and similar to how the houses are laid out in Kaysville.

Well I got to get going. I think I’ll send some things home next week or so. Once I send that home though I’ll probably need just one suitcase. I gave a lot of my clothes to people who needed them in Mongolia. From 11 white shirts to 4 and things like that, just more than I needed.

Sounds like the trip is going well. Thanks for everything. I love you all.

Love, Elder Willoughby

P.S. I can’t seem to get my new pictures to work here, but the one with the sheep’s head is a good one. I’ll talk more about that later. I took a picture in front the Parliament Building. Then flying out of Salt Lake. Yes I went to Salt Lake to get to Washington and was there for three hours. Then the picture with my new companions is in front of a state park called Hat Rock. Hope that explains them all. Thanks.

Daniel holding sheep's head

Daniel enjoying a meal

Camels in Mongolia

Mongolian Ger

Daniel outside the Parliament Building in Ulaanbaatar

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Washington Kennewick Mission. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.

Related posts:

1. Missionary Dan Email #17 from Choibalsan, Mongolia
2. Missionary Dan Email #13 from Choibalsan, Mongolia
3. Missionary Dan Email #7 from Choibalsan, Mongolia

Daniel (wearing yellow shirt) with Mongolian family

Daniel has to leave Mongolia. He traveled by car from Choibalsan to Ulaanbaatar to catch a plane to Korea.

View from Daniel's apartment

I am OK and alive. The trip took 13 hours. The city is really warm. Most of my group is here and it’s fun to see them. I think I have overspent on buying some things, but if I never come back it’ll be just about right. BatBold, one of the church leaders here, drove for us and he did great. We had some trouble with snow etc. so the trip took a while longer, but it’s all good now.

The pictures: one is from my apartment window. I got a two-pant custom fit suit with way awesome inside material for about $55. It was exciting. One picture has one of my Mongolian shirts. And then one is with three of the people being baptized this Saturday. Left to right: Baatarsvkh, me, Thogtbayar, Bayarcaikhan. It’s sad to leave them, but I’m learning to go where the Lord wants me to go.

Talk to ya later,
Love, Elder Willoughby.

Daniel (second left) with Mongolian converts ready for baptism

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission but will be temporarily assigned to Kennewick, Washington. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.

Related posts:

1. Missionary Dan Email #17 from Choibalsan, Mongolia
2. Missionary Dan Email #5 from Choibalsan, Mongolia
3. Missionary Dan Email #7 from Choibalsan, Mongolia

Paul occupies himself during spring break

Rachel eating Turkish Delight

Rachel agreed to model the Turkish Delight. After eating one bar she wanted to also eat the bar that has been reserved for first prize. Perhaps these Turkish Delights are addictive after all. Well now, write a caption at your own risk.

The judging of this latest competition passes from Judge Jill to Judge Jake. I expect we will run the competition for two weeks. Even if you are not local we will still be delighted to hear from you. However, we cannot mail prizes because there is no money left in the budget. Turkish Delights don’t come cheap you know.

Related posts:

1. Caption Competition #3
2. Caption Competition #4 Winner
3. Caption Competition #2

While all other sciences have advanced, that of government is at a standstill - little better understood, little better practiced now than three or four thousand years ago ~ John Adams

Mike Lee is challenging Bob Bennett for his senate seat. Lee’s website clearly defines his stance on a variety of issues, with the emphasis on Five Steps to a Return to Limited Government. I am discussing each of these five steps, examining them on their merits. Previously I discussed Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3

Step 4: Reduce Government Regulations

Mike Lee’s proposal:

“The answer to an economic downturn is not a government stimulus, but a reduction in government regulation and bureaucracy to allow the natural forces of our private enterprise system to rebound without undue interference.”

There are two parts to this proposal:

1. Do not use government stimulus in economic downturns.
2. Reduce regulation and bureaucracy to allow private enterprise to rebound.

Stimulus

The conventional wisdom is for governments to pick up the spending when consumers retrench. This is not as wise as many want us to believe. All of this stimulus spending is creating huge deficits that in later years will be even more of a drain on the economy because of the additional interest.

Those that do have money to spend because they have little or no debt and have planned for times such as these are not likely to increase spending. And why not? Because they are spooked by the government spending! They see higher taxes and/or high inflation up ahead and so put away extra money or convert it to gold.

So the very deficit stimulus spending by government has the opposite effect on the populace most able to stimulate the economy.

Reduce Regulation

Not owning a business I know little about regulations. But if they are anything like the tax code they must indeed be onerous. Some would argue that it was lack of regulation that caused the recent economic meltdown. It seems to me that it was partly government pushing banks to loan to people who should never have received loans. And regulations that should have been enforced were not. Money was also given away too quickly to dubious bailouts.

Just by letting states manage more of their own affairs without federal interference would result is less regulation. Of course mistakes will be made but surely things cannot get any worse.

Summary

My grade for this proposal is 5 out of 5 because I never believed that the stimulus money was spent wisely. There is even TARP money left that the politicians are looking around for causes to spend it on. If it was such an emergency that this money be appropriated how come there are billions still left over a year later?

Bailouts should have been made on a case by case basis and only in a dire emergency. “Saving jobs” is not an economic emergency, although granted it is for the soon to be unemployed.

What do you the people say?

Next Time

Mike Lee’s Step 5: End the Era of the Lifetime Politician

Related posts:

1. Return to a Limited Government, Step 3
2. Return to a Limited Government, Step 5
3. Return to a Limited Government, Step 2

Daniel (second right in rear) with members in Mongolia. At the time they did not know he was leaving.

We, Daniel’s family, knew last Sunday that Daniel was imminently leaving but were asked not to blog about it until we were sure it would happen. It will be a loss for Mongolia to have all those missionaries leave. They love Mongolia and its people and contributed much to improving their lives. Daniel wrote in an email Sunday:

I was in complete shock hearing the news last night. Since we hit our year mark in the country 3 days ago I thought I had a solid 9 months left to work hard. It has been quite the challenge to have to accept I’m very likely leaving in a week with a possibility of finishing my mission somewhere else.

As a foreign missionary, Daniel has two documents which allow him to be in Mongolia: one is his visa and the other is his residential permit. Both are stamped in his passport. His visa extends beyond his scheduled departure from the mission. However, his residential permit is only good until February 23, 2010. This residential permit needs to be renewed at least once during his mission as they are only good for one year.

The mission has been having difficulty in obtaining visas for new missionaries coming to Mongolia. This process has resulted in the majority of the missionaries being delayed during the past 15 months and no new foreign missionaries coming to Mongolia since the beginning of July 2009.

The occurrence of these visa difficulties are a result of relatively recent laws in Mongolia regarding foreign workers. The number of visas available to an organization is now governed by a quota system related to the type of organization and number of local employees. Being volunteers does not allow us to circumvent these rules which are quite reasonable given the size of the population and the strong feeling towards preserving Mongolian culture. Even with these laws, Immigration continued to give visas to the foreign missionaries until last year. All of the foreign missionaries currently serving in Mongolia came in as exceptions to the new rules. Residential permits for the missionaries will no longer be renewed until they are in compliance with the quota. This permit renewal has previously been a routine matter.

Daniel (in rear) with Mongolian members and missionaries

Yesterday Daniel had permission to telephone home to update us. He is going to Kennewick, Washington. The rest of his group (nine missionries) are going to Oregon, California, and Washington D.C. Says Daniel:

I am leaving Choybalsan on Monday. The Andersons are leaving with me by a church car. So we’ll leave Monday morning and get to Ulaanbataar at night. Then have interviews with president on Tuesday or so and I think we are leaving to Korea on Wednesday at midnight. Then from Korea I’ll go to California LA then to Washington.

Then there is a group of seven Americans that have finished their two years and will leave the week after me. Then about three months or so later another American group will leave. From about May on there will be only two American missionaries here then in July it’ll all be Mongolian.

Daniel explained that they are just keeping to the law so when they figure it all out they should be coming back. He said that it looks like he can come back but there are no promises.

As Daniel’s parents we are grateful for the time that Daniel has been allowed to spend in Mongolia.

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission but will be temporarily assigned to Kennewick, Washington. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.

Related posts:

1. Missionary Dan Email #34 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2. Farewell Mongolia
3. Daniel Prepares To Leave Mongolia

Without industry and frugality, nothing will do; with them, everything ~ Benjamin Franklin

Mike Lee is challenging Bob Bennett for his senate seat. Lee’s website clearly defines his stance on a variety of issues, with the emphasis on Five Steps to a Return to Limited Government. I am discussing each of these five steps, examining them on their merits. Previously I discussed Step 1 and Step 2.

Step 3: Reform the Tax System

Mike Lee’s proposal:

“With 50% of wage earners paying little or no taxes, too many voters have no “skin in the game”—and no reason to question new government programs that are funded by the real taxpayers. Until we reform the tax code to give all Americans a stake in their government (through a flat tax), Congress will continue to adopt new entitlements, new bailouts, and new relief programs.”

There are two parts to this proposal:

1. All Americans should have a stake in their government.
2. We need a flat tax.

It is not necessary to have a flat tax to adjust taxes so that more Americans pay a share of the burden of government. Taxes need to be broad based so the load is shared and those that work hard are not discouraged by having to pay a disproportionate amount to the government.

There are several ways to broaden taxes. A federal sales tax would work, as well as a reduction in tax credits. A reduction in services would also achieve the goal of having a broader load.

A Flat Tax

What we are really looking at is a leveling of the tax burden so that all can help. Which is why Mike includes a flat tax. It seems the two go together. A flat tax is a popular idea. Even I would pay no more taxes under a flat tax of 12%.

It is sad that in some quarters some cry, “Soak the rich!” The wealthy that I am familiar with worked extremely hard for their money and/or took extraordinary risks. This is something we should not discourage. Under a flat tax, a rich man still pays much more than a poor man, yet at least it has a veneer of fairness because the percentage is the same. Perhaps that is why tithing works so well, at least in some churches.

My decades of living in England taught me that eventually even the poor pay higher taxes because under the crushing weight of socialism there is not enough rich people left. When I was a teenager the concern was the “brain drain” where professionals and the wealthy were leaving England for a lower-tax America.

Summary

My grade for this proposal is 5 out of 5 because as much as possible should be done to lessen the pain of taxation for everybody. Well did Winston Churchill speak when he said that “there is no such thing as a good tax.”

What do you the people say?

Next Time

Mike Lee’s Step 4: Reduce Government Regulations

Related posts:

1. Return to a Limited Government, Step 5
2. Return to a Limited Government, Step 4
3. Return to a Limited Government, Step 2