Rickety Picks – Page 2

U.S. LDS Membership Statistics

December 22, 2011 by rickety 1 Comment

The complete updated membership statistics are available at United States LDS Membership.

The ranks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grew by 85,675 members in the United States during 2010. According to the 2012 Deseret News Church Almanac, the Church’s U.S. membership swelled to 6,144,582 as of January 1, 2011.

States with the largest increases were Utah (25,966), Texas (9,239), Arizona (6,715), California (5,475), and Washington (4,923).

The states with the most members are Utah (1,910,343), California (763,370), Idaho (414,182), Arizona (387,950), and Texas (296,141). The most temples, including announced or under construction, are in Utah (15), California (7), Arizona and Idaho (5), and Texas (4).

The largest LDS state populations by percentage are in Utah (68%), Idaho (27%), Wyoming (11.5%), Nevada (6.7%), and Arizona (5.8%). 20 states have Mormons representing over 1 percent of their populations and 13 states have a Mormon population of over 2 percent. States with the least Mormons are District of Columbia (0.37%), New Jersey (0.36%), and Rhode Island (0.35%).

24 states have 10 or more stakes each. The most stakes are in Utah (546), California (157), and Idaho (121) while there are no stakes in Rhode Island and District of Colombia.

2008 saw a membership decline in only one state, South Carolina. In 2009 it was Michigan’s turn to see a decline of 43 members. In 2010, Michigan with a membership loss of 237 was joined by West Virginia (-169), Delaware (-25), New Hampshire (-7), and Vermont (-2).

Past Pictures: 25 Years Of House Anniversaries

November 27, 2011 by rickety 4 Comments

1987: 1st year house anniversary. Only four children

Each year in October, on the anniversary of the day we moved into our home, we take photographs of our family on the steps and just the children in front of our tree. Jill’s idea was to build up a collection of photographs to look back on.

1990: 4th year house anniversary. Daniel born in 1989

On this the 25th house anniversary year, we collected as many of the photographs as we could find and display here one for each year. Some are temporarily misplaced, so there are gaps in the record. However, we expect to find the missing years eventually.

1991: 5th year house anniversary

On the first house anniversary, Jill wrote:

We had a birthday party celebrating the day we moved into our home. Sarah brought the puzzle home from church so we put it together. Steven made the decorations. We all gave a present to the house by picking up all the garbage scattered around outside. Then we took some family pictures on the front porch. Inside we sang “Happy Birthday Dear Home” and celebrated with cake and ice cream.

1993: 7th year house anniversary. Using our tree as a backdrop

1987 Journal entry:

Monday 26th October 1987
We had a very fine FHE — the 1st birthday of our home. We even had a cake with one candle for refreshments. We took 2 photos of the family outside the house. The actual birthday is the 15th of October. Jill did the lesson — seems like Jill and I at one time were hard-pressed to come up with a lesson and didn’t like to do it. Now we both don’t like to give up our turn because we see it as a chance to teach the children something that we’re anxious for them to learn. We still have family prayers and read books to them. They like that.

1995: 9th year house anniversary. Sunday best

1996: 10th year house anniversary. Utah Centennial

1997: 11th year house anniversary

1998: 12th year house anniversary. Steven made his first million

1999: 13th year house anniversary. Cousins Connor and Ashley join in

2000: 14th year house anniversary. Five millennials for the new millenium

2001: 15th year anniversary. First year using a digital camera

2002: 16th year house anniversary. Steven is on his mission in Chile

2003: 17th year anniversary. Steven on his mission

2004: 18th year house anniversary. Steven returns. Paul on his mission in California

2005: 19th year anniversary. Paul on his mission. Derek, Sarah’s husband, center

2006: 20th year house anniversary. Paul returns. Jake on his mission in Mexico

2007: 21st year house anniversary. Jake on his mission

2008: 22nd year house anniversary. Jake returns. Adelaide, Steven’s wife, far left. First grandchild, Bryson

2009: 23rd year anniversary. Daniel on his mission in Mongolia. First granddaughter, Aurora. Sarah’s family in Texas

2010: 24th year house anniversary. Daniel on his mission. Second granddaughter, Cassandra. Jake engaged to Rachel. Sarah’s family returns

2011: 25th year house anniversary. Daniel returns. Paul engaged to Megan

2012: 26th year house anniversary. Second grandson, Jameson. Just prior to trick-or-treating.

Updates

Added 2012 photograph.

100 Years Ago: House Seat, Reciprocity, Liquor

October 31, 2011 by rickety Leave a Comment

New York City Deputy Police Commissioner John A. Leach, right, watching agents pour liquor into sewer following a raid during the height of prohibition

The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of October 1911.

Utah Gains House Member

Congress at the extra session passed the Congressional Reapportionment Bill, fixing the future House membership at 433 instead of the present 391. It provides for increased representation according to population, without reducing the membership from any state. This gives Utah one more member.

Before adjournment on Tuesday, 22nd August, Congress also passed the Campaign Publicity Bill, requiring the publication of all campaign contributions and expenses before elections.

A bill admitting Arizona and New Mexico was passed and signed by President Taft, so that these states will now enter the Union under certain conditions.

Among the big results of the extra session was the passing of the Canadian Reciprocity Bill.

[The number of seats in the House of Representatives is 435, and has been since 1913. Utah gained its first seat after the 1900 census, effected in 1903. The second seat was effected in 1913, after the 1910 census. After the 1980 census, Utah gained its third seat, effective in 1983. The 2010 census gave Utah its fourth congressional member.]

Canadian Reciprocity

Reciprocity suffered an overwhelming defeat in the Canadian elections held on September 21. The Liberal Party under Sir Wilfred Laurier led the fight for reciprocity, while the Conservative party, under R. L. Borden, led the opposition which won a decisive victory over the government, gaining a majority in Parliament of over fifty.

Borden will soon become the Prime Minister of Canada, and Sir Laurier will retire. The result of the election will be that the Fielding-Knox reciprocity agreement passed by the late extra session of the United States Congress will not be presented to the twelfth Canadian Parliament, which meets in October, and closer commercial relations between Canada and the United States will not be possible perhaps for years to come.

The Conservatives are committed to a closed door against the United States, and to a policy of trade-expansion within the [British] empire. President Taft was greatly disappointed at the result and believes the “annexation bogy” had much to do with the defeat of the measure in Canada.

[From 1867 to 1911, regaining reciprocity was an aim of all Canadian governments. The Conservative party, which stood publicly for nationalism and protectionism, succeeded in associating the Liberals with free trade, commercial union with the U.S., and continentalism, which smacked of absorption by the U.S.

From 1935-1980, a number of bilateral trade agreements greatly reduced tariffs in both nations.

Canada and the United States on October 4, 1988 signed The Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The agreement removed several trade restrictions in stages over a ten year period. With the addition of Mexico in 1994 FTA was superseded by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).]

The Liquor Question

The local election held in Bannock county on Wednesday, September 6th resulted in a victory for prohibition, and the county went dry by a majority of over 700.

The vote of a few of the leading towns are as follows: Pocatello, wet by a majority of 568; Soda Springs, dry 129, wet 116; Grace, dry 209, wet 44; Bancroft, dry 242, wet 44; Thatcher dry 176, wet 18.

[Idahoans approved state-wide prohibition in 1916. They ratified National Prohibition in January 8, 1919. It was widely believed that prohibiting alcohol would reduce crime, improve health, raise morality, and protect young people.

There was a strong demand for alcohol, and illegal operators quickly moved in to supply that demand. In order to operate, illegal alcohol producers and distributors routinely bribed law enforcement officers and others. Sometimes law enforcement officers themselves were directly involved in moonshining and bootlegging.

Those who couldn’t be bought off were sometimes threatened and intimidated. The frequent revelations of corruption turned many against Prohibition and lowered respect for law. Residents became increasingly concerned over problems created by Prohibition.

On October 17, 1933, by a vote of nearly 60%, Idaho called for the repeal of National Prohibition. Source: National Prohibition and Repeal in Idaho.]

Adapted from: “Passing Events”, Improvement Era, Vol. XIV. October, 1911. No. 12.

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

Horses Are Food

October 30, 2011 by Daniel 5 Comments

Slovenian Horse Meat Burger

My guest writer is my son Daniel, who ate horse meat in Mongolia as illustrated in this comic strip.

Cows, chickens, turkeys, and pigs have been slaughtered for years to feed people in the United States. Horse meat, however, is controversial and disputed on whether or not it is classified as food.

One use of horses is defined by using them for transportation and working on farms. Modern technology, such as cars and tractors, have greatly decreased the amount of time it takes to do tasks previously done by horses. Today, horses are no longer useful for transportation or to do farm work because they cannot compete with modern technology.

Another category for horses is using them for recreation. Horse back riding and horse races are enjoyed by many people. Although horses can be fun, this does not make up for the thousands of pounds of horse meat that goes to waste because of the restrictions forbidding ranchers to sell horse meat, including the meat of old and dying horses.

Horses need to be classified as a source of food so that their meat can be tasted instead of wasted. There are many countries around the world that eat horse meat every day. Mongolia raises a majority of its horses specifically to be eaten. Currently in America, disposing of dying horses is very expensive but it does not have to be.

A better way to dispose of aging horses is eating them. Once Americans adjust to the idea of eating horse meat, they may develop a taste for it. A dead horse would become a source of income for owners rather than having to pay a fee to ship them away. Horses, like other farm animals, should be eaten, as they too can be a good source of food.

Photo Credit: pak shilla

Ford Canyon

July 17, 2011 by rickety 4 Comments

Susan and Jill check out the destroyed bridge

Last Saturday I ventured up Ford Canyon with Jill and Susan. The bridges were washed out so I fished a plank out of the water and we used that to cross Ricks Creek. We were not very far from civilization but it seemed like it as we got stuck in the undergrowth. We followed a trail upward but when it ended we had to descend to the creek again. Jill and Susan checked out the north side of the canyon but could go no further.

Susan crossing Ricks creek

I investigated the south side but could find no trail through. Jill and Susan returned to where I was climbing back up from the creek. We gave up and went back to our car and drove to Firebreak Road.

Rick climbing back up to the trail. Photo by Susan Ward

I tracked this aborted attempt to find the trail in Ford Canyon using Google My Tracks (shut down 1 May 2016 by Google). My Tracks is was an application for your Android phone that enabled you to record GPS tracks and view live statistics such as time, speed, distance, and elevation while hiking.

Ford Canyon trail recorded using Google My Tracks

Here are some of the metrics that My Tracks recorded:

Total Distance: 1.15 km (0.7 mi)
Total Time: 44:13
Moving Time: 15:03
Average Speed: 1.56 km/h (1.0 mi/h)
Average Moving Speed: 4.59 km/h (2.9 mi/h)
Max Speed: 8.49 km/h (5.3 mi/h)
Min Elevation: 1324 m (4344 ft)
Max Elevation: 1380 m (4529 ft)
Elevation Gain: 88 m (287 ft)

From Firebreak Road there was a short trail that took us to Ford Canyon waterfall. Once we got to the waterfall we all had to pose by it, like it was the eighth wonder of the world. I even took a video of the waterfall, it is at the end of the post.

Jill on the trail to the waterfall

First view of the waterfall

Rick by the waterfall

Jill by the waterfall

Susan by the waterfall

Antelope Island from Firebreak Road

Real Population Density

July 4, 2011 by rickety 2 Comments

Boise Valley, Idaho wheat field around 1920

In the United States, in these times of high unemployment, increasing deficits, and seemingly endless wars, it would be well to count our blessings. One such blessing is the bounteous land in which we live. The United States has more arable land than any other country. Even though the United States is the third most populous nation on Earth, her Real Population Density ranks as twelfth least dense of all nations.

As the world’s population increases and ever more demands are placed on the food supply, am I thankful to be living in the United States. Let me explain some of the terms associated with real population density and show you the favorable numbers for the U.S.A.

Arable Land

Agricultural area includes land suitable for crops and livestock. The standard classification, used by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, divides agricultural area into these components:

Arable Land — land under annual crops, such as cereals, potatoes, vegetables, and melons that are replanted after each harvest; also land left temporarily fallow.
Orchards and Vineyards — land under permanent crops such as citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest.
Meadows and Pastures — areas for natural grasses and grazing of livestock.

In 2008, the world’s total arable land amounted to 13,805,153 square kilometers, whereas 48,836,976 square kilometers was classified as agricultural land. In this post, we are focused on arable land. Of interest is this map of the world with arable land percentages showing the United States in the 15-19% range.

Real Population Density

Population density is the number of people per square kilometer. Real Population Density is the number of people per square kilometer of arable land. This enables us to see the capacity of a country to feed their own people.

Real Population Density is a much better measure than pure population density as it shows how a seemingly more densely populated country can carry a larger population because a much bigger portion of the land is suitable for agriculture.

For those of us used to thinking in acres, one square kilometer is equal to 247.1 acres.

Table of Countries by Real Population Density

Click ONCE on column headers to sort.

Rank	Country¹	Real Density²	Population	Arable Land (km²)
1	Australia	48	22,268,000	468,503
2	Kazakhstan	72	16,026,000	221,059
3	Canada	82	34,017,000	415,573
4	Niger	107	15,512,000	144,784
5	Lithuania	114	3,324,000	29,216
6	Russia	117	142,958,000	1,218,599
7	Latvia	126	2,252,000	17,926
8	Ukraine	140	45,448,000	324,791
9	Argentina	147	40,412,000	274,490
10	Guyana	172	754,000	4,390
11	Belarus	173	9,595,000	55,575
12	United States	188	310,384,000	1,650,062
13	Moldova	196	3,573,000	18,194
14	Paraguay	218	6,455,000	29,678
15	Hungary	218	9,984,000	45,782
16	Bulgaria	226	7,494,000	33,099
17	Central African Republic	228	4,401,000	19,313
18	Turkmenistan	229	5,042,000	22,013
19	Mongolia	232	2,756,000	11,887
20	Romania	236	21,486,000	90,961
21	Denmark	249	5,550,000	22,295
22	Uruguay	250	3,369,000	13,490
23	Togo	251	6,028,000	24,038
24	Zambia	253	13,089,000	51,777
25	Estonia	258	1,341,000	5,207
26	Finland	269	5,365,000	19,913
27	Sudan	270	43,552,000	161,093
28	Namibia	279	2,283,000	8,172
29	New Zealand	294	4,368,000	14,848
30	Samoa	295	183,000	620
31	Serbia	299	9,856,000	32,990
32	Croatia	302	4,403,000	14,566
33	Poland	312	38,277,000	122,547
34	Turkey	317	72,752,000	229,764
35	Chad	318	11,227,000	35,258
36	Nicaragua	325	5,788,000	17,810
37	Bolivia	329	9,930,000	30,146
38	Brazil	333	194,946,000	586,036
39	Cameroon	333	19,599,000	58,868
40	Mali	335	15,370,000	45,872
41	Spain	339	46,077,000	135,776
42	South Africa	340	50,133,000	147,609
43	Benin	340	8,850,000	26,029
44	Burkina Faso	341	16,469,000	48,353
45	France	344	62,787,000	182,568
46	Czech Republic	350	10,493,000	29,999
47	Libya	351	6,355,000	18,123
48	Montenegro	363	631,000	1,740
49	Cuba	368	11,258,000	30,631
50	Bosnia and Herzegovina	375	3,760,000	10,026
51	Macedonia	377	2,061,000	5,471
52	Morocco	377	31,951,000	84,797
53	Slovakia	383	5,462,000	14,264
54	Sweden	385	9,380,000	24,368
55	Ireland	386	4,470,000	11,587
56	Cambodia	392	14,138,000	36,081
57	Zimbabwe	395	12,571,000	31,862
58	Tunisia	396	10,481,000	26,489
59	Afghanistan	400	31,412,000	78,542
60	Greece	425	11,359,000	26,749
61	Kyrgyzstan	426	5,334,000	12,530
62	Fiji	430	861,000	2,001
63	Syrian Arab Republic	447	20,411,000	45,644
64	Belize	448	312,000	696
65	Iran	462	73,974,000	160,001
66	Mexico	466	113,423,000	243,457
67	Algeria	470	35,468,000	75,501
68	Gabon	483	1,505,000	3,118
69	Myanmar	489	47,963,000	98,135
70	Thailand	490	69,122,000	140,941
71	Azerbaijan	518	9,188,000	17,754
72	Senegal	518	12,434,000	24,019
73	Nigeria	527	158,423,000	300,736
74	Botswana	527	2,007,000	3,805
75	Equatorial Guinea	539	700,000	1,299
76	Georgia	543	4,352,000	8,022
77	Mozambique	549	23,391,000	42,576
78	Iraq	559	31,672,000	56,700
79	Angola	578	19,082,000	33,038
80	Albania	582	3,204,000	5,507
81	Norway	587	4,883,000	8,312
82	Ghana	602	24,392,000	40,507
83	Côte d’Ivoire	607	19,738,000	32,531
84	Austria	614	8,394,000	13,677
85	Uzbekistan	614	27,445,000	44,710
86	Gambia	620	1,728,000	2,788
87	Panama	637	3,517,000	5,517
88	Armenia	649	3,092,000	4,766
89	Guinea-Bissau	651	1,515,000	2,327
90	Lesotho	658	2,171,000	3,300
91	Laos	670	6,201,000	9,255
92	Portugal	672	10,676,000	15,898
93	Bhutan	672	726,000	1,081
94	Swaziland	673	1,186,000	1,763
95	Madagascar	708	20,714,000	29,251
96	Germany	711	82,302,000	115,698
97	Honduras	713	7,601,000	10,663
98	Tonga	722	104,000	144
99	Tajikistan	739	6,879,000	9,304
100	Ethiopia	740	82,950,000	112,080
101	Malawi	766	14,901,000	19,456
102	Uganda	776	33,425,000	43,077
103	Italy	780	60,551,000	77,651
104	Peru	789	29,077,000	36,864
105	Republic of the Congo	816	4,043,000	4,952
106	Luxembourg	819	507,000	619
107	Saudi Arabia	838	27,448,000	32,742
108	India	844	1,224,614,000	1,451,809
109	Chile	872	17,114,000	19,619
110	Kenya	889	40,513,000	45,597
111	North Korea	903	24,346,000	26,972
112	Suriname	904	525,000	581
113	Eritrea	906	5,254,000	5,799
114	Somalia	907	9,331,000	10,288
115	Guinea	908	9,982,000	10,990
116	Pakistan	912	173,593,000	190,319
117	Dominican Republic	912	9,927,000	10,881
118	Timor-Leste	913	1,124,000	1,231
119	Ecuador	915	14,465,000	15,808
120	Burundi	919	8,383,000	9,124
121	Rwanda	935	10,624,000	11,366
122	Comoros	945	735,000	778
123	El Salvador	953	6,193,000	6,500
124	China	968	1,341,335,000	1,385,905
125	Guatemala	1,004	14,389,000	14,334
126	Dem Rep of Congo	1,017	65,966,000	64,853
127	Sierra Leone	1,031	5,868,000	5,694
128	Cape Verde	1,078	496,000	460
129	Cyprus	1,105	1,104,000	999
130	United Kingdom	1,105	62,036,000	56,121
131	Venezuela	1,153	28,980,000	25,138
132	Slovenia	1,181	2,030,000	1,719
133	Indonesia	1,191	239,871,000	201,456
134	Tanzania	1,196	44,841,000	37,479
135	Vanuatu	1,200	240,000	200
136	Liberia	1,209	3,994,000	3,304
137	Haiti	1,290	9,993,000	7,747
138	Belgium	1,290	10,712,000	8,302
139	Mauritius	1,306	1,299,000	995
140	Viet Nam	1,341	87,848,000	65,528
141	Nepal	1,363	29,959,000	21,984
142	Saint Vincent	1,557	109,000	70
143	Yemen	1,566	24,053,000	15,364
144	Malaysia	1,583	28,401,000	17,939
145	Jamaica	1,598	2,741,000	1,715
146	Philippines	1,646	93,261,000	56,652
147	Mauritania	1,679	3,460,000	2,061
148	Barbados	1,706	273,000	160
149	Trinidad and Tobago	1,788	1,341,000	750
150	Switzerland	1,945	7,664,000	3,941
151	Sao Tome and Principe	1,988	165,000	83
152	French Guiana	1,991	231,000	116
153	Bangladesh	2,005	148,692,000	74,173
154	Jordan	2,027	6,187,000	3,053
155	Costa Rica	2,090	4,659,000	2,229
156	Netherlands Antilles	2,094	201,000	96
157	Colombia	2,217	46,295,000	20,878
158	Netherlands	2,233	16,613,000	7,441
159	Guadeloupe	2,305	461,000	200
160	Sri Lanka	2,308	20,860,000	9,038
161	Israel	2,362	7,418,000	3,141
162	Réunion	2,424	846,000	349
163	Lebanon	2,527	4,228,000	1,673
164	Micronesia	2,775	111,000	40
165	Egypt	2,791	81,121,000	29,067
166	Japan	2,901	126,536,000	43,620
167	South Korea	2,960	48,184,000	16,280
168	Taiwan	2,979	23,061,689	7,742
169	Papua New Guinea	3,091	6,858,000	2,219
170	Solomon Islands	3,146	538,000	171
171	Brunei Darussalam	3,627	399,000	110
172	Palestinian Territory	3,821	4,039,000	1,057
173	Malta	4,212	417,000	99
174	Martinique	4,229	406,000	96
175	New Caledonia	4,254	251,000	59
176	Saint Lucia	4,462	174,000	39
177	Iceland	4,571	320,000	70
178	Grenada	5,200	104,000	20
179	Aruba	5,350	107,000	20
180	Virgin Islands	5,450	109,000	20
181	Bahamas	5,914	343,000	58
182	Maldives	7,900	316,000	40
183	Guam	9,000	180,000	20
184	Qatar	9,356	1,759,000	188
185	Western Sahara	10,019	531,000	53
186	French Polynesia	10,037	271,000	27
187	Oman	10,910	2,782,000	255
188	Puerto Rico	11,465	3,749,000	327
189	United Arab Emirates	11,774	7,512,000	638
190	Kuwait	18,247	2,737,000	150
191	Bahrain	66,421	1,262,000	19
192	Djibouti	98,778	889,000	9
193	Hong Kong	133,075	7,053,000	53
194	Singapore	508,600	5,086,000	10
195	Macao³	—	544,000	0

Notes

Countries and territories of less than 100,000 in 2009 are not included.
Real Density is population per square kilometer of arable land.
Macao has no arable land, hence real population density is not calculated.

Sources

Population: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2011): World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. New York, accessed July 4th, 2011.
Taiwan Population: Wikipedia, accessed July 4th, 2011. Taiwan is not recognized by the United Nations.
Arable Land: The World Factbook.
Photo Credit: Water Archives.

External Articles

This list is updated occasionally, with newer additions listed first.

How poverty has tracked global population — There’s nothing Malthusian going on here.

Shepard Creek Trail

July 2, 2011 by rickety 3 Comments

Shepard Creek Trail - Susan, Shauna, and Jill

Yesterday Susan, Shauna, Jill and I hiked Shepard Creek Trail. Shepard Creek Trail winds out of several residential areas in Somerset and Shepard Heights and up a canyon. To get to the trail, from Main Street go east toward the mountains on 1400 North one block. Look for a dirt road to the north and park along 1400 North. Step over the pedestrian gate.

Shepard Creek

Walk north up the dirt road. This is part of the old Bamberger Railroad right of way. As you come to a large open area, cross near a stone culvert, past the weather station, to the far side of Shepard Creek. The trail parallels the creek winding through trees and crossing two bridges. The first bridge is a large log with a rope as a handrail. Turn left and follow the trail beside the stream.

The trail was steep in places

When you come to some wooden steps, go straight across and continue paralleling the stream until you reach another set of wooden steps. Turn left and cross the second bridge. Follow the trail again paralleling the stream. You will pass some houses. If you take a wrong turn you could end up in someone’s kitchen. So watch for the trail markers.

Flowers along the trail

Keep bearing to the right and eventually you will rise up a short hill to an intersection where there is a bench. The Somerset section of the trail continues on from here.

In 10 or 20 minutes, the trail will come out on Bella Vista Drive. Look up the canyon over your right shoulder to see the break in the chain link fence where the trail continues.

Hike up the dirt road about 200 feet and watch for the trail to cut up the slope to the right. Continue up the trail beyond the chain link fence and hike straight up the dirt road until it “T’s”.

Go left at the “T” and follow this dirt road. After 75 to 100 feet, keep an eye to the right of the road for a faint footpath. Follow the footpath up a ways where it turns to the south. Notice that there is a footpath that travels east up and over a rock outcropping. Another trail goes south from here to Farmington Canyon.

It was a hot day but most of the first part of the trail was shaded. Once out in the open one could feel the sun. Occasionally there was a gentle breeze which felt really good.

We didn’t get to the end of the trail. A hiker on his return trip said it was very steep further up the trail. We weren’t equipped with hiking boots so we eventually turned back after admiring the view.

There were several benches along the trail

Further up the trail

Jill on the trail

Shauna with a view of the valley behin her

Jill with the Kaysville LDS granary in the distance

Utah's state flower, the sego lily, by the side of the trail

Shauna and flowers

FAA long-range radar site atop Francis Peak

Jill, Shauna, and Susan make the return trip

On our return, this little waterfall cooled the air while we rested

2010 Defense Spending by Country

June 4, 2011 by rickety 24 Comments

The eighteen countries with the largest military budgets. See table below for actual dollar amounts.

Military Expenditures

The eighteen nations with the largest military budgets in 2010 are shown in the chart above (click to enlarge). The United States, with a budget of $698 billion, spends more on defense than the next seventeen nations combined. The United States military spending is almost six times that of the next biggest spender, China ($119 billion) and more than eleven times that of Russia ($59 billion).

The Department of Defense budget in fiscal year 2010 accounted for 19% of the United States federal budget and 28% of estimated tax revenues. The U.S. accounts for 40% of the world’s yearly defense outlays.

Defense Spending by GDP – Top Ten Countries

Patrol near Combat Outpost Castle, Helmand province, Afghanistan

U.S. Marine patrol, Combat Outpost Castle, Afghanistan

Eritrea 20.9%
Saudi Arabia 11.2%
Oman 9.7%
United Arab Emirates 7.3%
Timor Leste 6.8%
Israel 6.3%
Chad 6.2%
Jordan 6.1%
Georgia 5.6%
Iraq 5.4 %

When spending is considered by percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the United States is not even in the top ten. At 4.7% of GDP the U.S. falls to eleventh place.

Six of the ten countries listed are in the Middle East where there are sharp regional tensions. The fear of conventional military attack is very real which helps justify high defense spending.

Internal instability is a growing factor and is a threat to the existing power structure within states, as demonstrated by recent uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and other Middle East countries.

GDP percentages are for 2009, except for Eritrea (2003). The list contains seven countries that do not appear in the table below because their total military spending is lower than the top thirty nations.

Table Of Defense Spending – Top 30 Countries in 2010

Click ONCE on column headers to sort.

Country	$billion¹	$ Rank	%GDP²	%GDP Rank³	$ Per Capita
United States^{4 & 8}	698.3	1	4.7	11	2,260
China⁹	119.4	2	2.2	55	88
United Kingdom	59.6	3	2.7	45	963
France	59.3	4	2.5	47	915
Russia	58.7	5	4.3	14	419
Japan⁷	54.5	6	1.0	129	429
Saudi Arabia⁵	45.2	7	11.2	2	1,727
Germany	45.2	8	1.4	99	550
India	41.3	9	2.8	42	34
Italy¹¹	37.0	10	1.8	77	615
Brazil	33.5	11	1.6	88	172
South Korea¹⁰	27.6	12	2.9	39	569
Australia	24.0	13	1.9	70	1,115
Canada	22.8	14	1.5	91	672
Turkey	17.5	15	2.7	44	231
United Arab Emirates¹²	16.1	16	7.3	4	3,410
Spain	15.4	17	1.1	122	339
Israel⁶	14.0	18	6.3	6	1,929
Netherlands	11.2	19	1.5	93	671
Colombia	10.7	20	3.7	25	232
Greece	9.4	21	3.2	34	835
Taiwan	9.1	22	2.4	49	395
Poland	8.9	23	1.8	78	234
Singapore	8.4	24	4.3	13	1,736
Indonesia	7.2	25	0.9	136	31
Chile⁵	6.9	26	3.5	28	404
Norway	6.7	27	1.6	87	1,385
Algeria	5.7	28	3.8	21	160
Pakistan	5.6	29	2.8	43	31
Sweden	5.6	30	1.2	118	607

Notes

Figures are in US $billions at 2010 prices and exchange rates.
Percent GDP is for 2009.
Percent GDP ranking is included because high expenditure countries are not necessarily spending at high percent of GDP.
$159.3 billion of the U.S. budget is for “Overseas Contingency Operations,” to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Figures for Chile and Saudi Arabia are for the adopted budget, rather than actual expenditure.
Figures for Israel do not include spending on paramilitary forces.
Figures for Japan do not include military pensions.
Figures for the USA are for financial year (1 October to 30 September of stated year).
Figures for China are estimates, including estimates for items not in the official defense budget.
Figures for South Korea do not include spending on relocations and welfare of $974 million dollars.
Figures for Italy include spending on civil defence, which typically amounts to 4.5% of the total.
Figures for United Arab Emirates are uncertain and lacking in transparency. The only available source of data is from the IMF.

Sources

SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2011, http://milexdata.sipri.org.
Dollars per capita were calculated using 2010 populations via Wolfram Alpha.
U.S. military budget percentages from Wikipedia, accessed 4 June 2011.
DoD photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Clinton W. Runyon, U.S. Marine Corps.

Spiral Jetty

May 15, 2011 by rickety 11 Comments

Spiral Jetty seen from the shore

Last November Paul and I visited Spiral Jetty at Rozel Point. Then the Jetty was several hundred feet away from the waters of the Great Salt Lake. Yesterday Paul revisited Spiral Jetty, accompanied by Megan, with Julie and Dan. They found the Jetty almost submerged. Compare the photographs of the Jetty from November of last year with the ones that are published here.

Daniel standing on the outer spiral of the Jetty

The graph below shows a year of daily readings up until Paul’s visit yesterday. The water level has risen over a foot from the same day last year and nearly three feet from our last visit in November. NGVD 29 is the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 and is a hybrid model closely representing the mean sea level. Note that the equipment malfunctioned near the low readings and appears to have taken at least two weeks to repair.

Readings from 14 May 2010 to 14 May 2011

The historical average level of Great Salt Lake is 4,200 feet. Spiral Jetty is only visible when the level of Great Salt Lake drops below 4,197.8 feet. The maximum elevation of the lake was 4,211.6 feet, seen in 1986 and 1987. The minimum elevation was in 1963 at 4,191.35 feet.

Megan stands at the center of Spiral Jetty

Great Salt Lake is the largest U.S. lake west of the Mississippi River and the 4th largest terminal lake (no outlet) in the world. It is about 75 miles long and 28 miles wide, and covers 1,700 square miles with a maximum depth of about 35 feet. A remnant of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric freshwater lake that was 10 times larger than Great Salt Lake. It is typically three to five times saltier than the ocean.

Spiral Jetty is almost submerged

Paul reports that the rough trail to Spiral Jetty has been graded and resurfaced and is now a smooth drive. A parking lot has been built near the Jetty. I suspect that those who do not visit the Spiral Jetty soon will have nothing to see for perhaps another three decades.

This may be the last you will see of Spiral Jetty for a time

Credits

Photographs: Courtesy Megan Street and her iPhone
Graph: U.S. Geological Survey
Hat tip to Paul for the idea of a follow up Spiral Jetty post