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Poll: Have You Ever Used Facebook?

April 22, 2010 by rickety Leave a Comment

Last week’s poll asked if gays should be allowed to marry. The results did not surprise me with 79% answering No. Only 13% answered Yes. Two poll takers were blessed to not know what gays are. Bear in mind that a sizable percentage of my visitors are from Utah and would tend to vote No. For example, in the last 30 days, 15% of my U.S. readers were from Utah.

This week’s poll is straightforward enough — have you ever used Facebook?

Facebook is a social networking website that anyone over the age of 13 with a valid e-mail address can use. Facebook’s target audience is more for an adult demographic than a youth demographic. Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Additionally, users can join networks organized by workplace, school, or college. The website’s name stems from the colloquial name of books given to students at the start of the academic year by university administrations in the US with the intention of helping students to get to know each other better.

Update

2 Feb 2011 — Polls have been discontinued and the poll archives deleted (by the poll plugin when it was uninstalled).
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Filed Under: Communication

Caption Competition #7 Winner

April 22, 2010 by rickety 3 Comments

Melissa

Melissa

Paul didn’t know who had written the captions for Caption Competition #7, so he made an ideal judge. Thank you everybody for the especially great captions. The first prize is a Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut 3.5 oz milk chocolate bar.

Melissa is this week’s caption winner.

  • First — “The Battle of Water-Roo.” Melissa
  • Second — “How are roo?” Sarah
  • Third — “Can he come to my house to play?” Sharon

Melissa, when she breaks away from blogging, dabbles in captioning.
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Filed Under: Competition

Missionary Dan Email #2 from Vancouver, Washington

April 20, 2010 by rickety Leave a Comment

Vancouver Washington

Vancouver Washington and Portland Oregon skyline

This week went by really fast! It always seems that the first week of the transfer goes a little slow then it speed rockets through the rest. So the actual transfer calls came on Saturday. Elder Schroeder is getting transferred, which is too bad because he was way cool. We only got to serve for two weeks with each other. My new companion comes on Wednesday. Luckily the area is really small so I was able to learn it well before transfers.

It is crazy to hear what is happening in Mongolia. I think I’ll finish my mission here in Washington, but I am grateful that I was able to serve there for a year. I got the CD and have been having fun listening to conference. I forgot the paper you sent on boxing gloves, but I think the red boxing glove that was like 50 to 60 dollars will do. He wanted them to be hard etc for competitions and for training. Thanks Mom!

We had a wonderful lesson with a lady that has been investigating for some time. We taught baptism and she had already been baptized Catholic. We taught her about authority etc and it made sense to her. She committed to come to view a baptism last Saturday and to come to church, but she hurt her hip and couldn’t make it. She said as we left her house, “Well if I get baptized I’ll have to get my grandson to come with me.” That was really good to hear. We’ll keep working with her. She should be good to come next week.

Other than that we have been doing a lot of finding. We contacted lots of former investigators and found some success with that. Also some member refferals have helped us out a bit. It is always exciting to find a new investigator.

They are saying Mothers Day call should be before 9am, I could probably call later somehow, but I don’t really know much about it.

I’m thinking I’ll need my bike. If it is cost effective to send it here like less than 30 or 40 dollars then go ahead and send it, but anymore than that I may consider just buying a bike here. The cost to send it here and back could be as much as bikes are being sold here. You can send it to the Battleground address that I gave last week. I hope that doesn’t cause too much trouble, but it would be very useful to have. Also I think it came with a lock or something. Anyway do what ya can.

Love, Elder Willoughby

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.

Photo Credit: Greg Dawson
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Filed Under: Daniel's Mission, Missionary Tagged With: Kennewick, Mission, Washington

Aurora and Grandpa

April 17, 2010 by rickety 2 Comments

My wife shot this brilliant sequence of photographs of my granddaughter Aurora. Now we have proof that we have a hooliganess in the family.

Click on the photographs to enlarge.

Aurora and Grandpa

Aurora, here play with this plastic toy

Aurora and Grandpa

No grandpa, I want to play with those

Aurora and Grandpa

Grandpa, you play with the plastic toy...

Aurora and Grandpa

...and I will play with these glasses.

Aurora and Grandpa

Grandpa, what's this piece for?

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Filed Under: Aurora, Rick Tagged With: Glasses

The Cost of War

April 16, 2010 by rickety 14 Comments

The Cost of War

The Cost of War as of 11:15 pm 16 April 2010 MDT

I came across an interesting web site today called the National Priorities Project. The site analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. One of the pages, called the Cost of War, lets you see the cost of war to your community.

For example, the state of Utah’s share of the money spent would be $5,277,419,209. For Texas, where my daughter lives, it is $80,460,219,390. You can even see what benefit your city would have received. For Salt Lake City, near where I live, the amount is $347,007,874.

The Numbers

The numbers indicate all of the approved funding for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to date. These appropriations do not include funds to support the “surge” of 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, with estimated costs of approximately $30 billion.

Soldier firing automatic grenade launcher

Insurgents attack Combat Outpost Bar Alai, Afghanistan

By September 30, 2010, the cost of the wars will reach $1.05 trillion. The numbers include both military and non-military spending such as reconstruction. Spending includes only incremental costs, those additional funds that are expended due to the war. For example, soldiers’ regular pay is not included but combat pay is included.

Future Costs

Potential future costs, such as future medical care for soldiers and veterans wounded in the war, are not included. These numbers do not account for the wars being deficit-financed or that taxpayers will need to make additional interest payments on the national debt due to these deficits.

It is likely that the true cost of the wars will be a much higher total. It is unfortunate that money is being spent this way when in these tough economic times it could do so much good at home.

I have been surprised how quiet the media has been about the wars. When Democrats surged back to power in 2006 with cries that the war must end, the story was everywhere. Now that we have a Democrat President and Congress surely we should have left Iraq and Afghanistan by now.

At the very least the same media that carried the end-the-war-now message in 2006 should be advocating the same now.

Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gary A. Witte
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Filed Under: Military

Missionary Dan Email #1 from Vancouver, Washington

April 13, 2010 by rickety 1 Comment

Elders Clark, Willoughby, and Kelly

Elders Clark, Willoughby, and Kelly before Daniel was transferred

This week was another adventure. As soon as I think I am comfortable with an area something seems to happen. I got a call on Tuesday midday saying I’d be transferred to Vancouver Washington. So on Wednesday morning (the next day) I was transferred. I am now with Elder Schroeder in Battlegrounds WA who is from Vernal Utah. He is great and fun to be with.

Elders Willoughby and Schroeder

Elders Willoughby and Schroeder after Daniel was transferred

My new area is really small. We walk to most places and get rides from members. I may need my bike to be sent to me sometime, but I’ll wait to see if I actually stay here. Real transfers are next week and I’m fairly certain I’ll stay here, but you never know.

The ward here is awesome and I am getting to know them as fast as I can. We have a lot more opportunities to talk to people on the street etc… something we didn’t do as much in the car. I really enjoy it. The interesting thing is I prayed on Monday, before I was called to transfer, for more opportunities to talk to people. It is shocking sometimes how quickly Heavenly Father answers prayers. So be careful what ya pray for. ;) The other elder I replaced had to go home to get surgery on his knee because he got injured. Hopefully me praying didn’t contribute to that. :)

We live with a church member which is the first time I’ve ever experienced doing that. It has been great.

Vegetable oil for fuel

Vegetable oil for fuel

My old companions told me I got a letter and that they would forward it. I haven’t gotten it yet so I’m not sure what it is. It was probably conference. The picture of all the oil containers is someone in my new ward who runs his cars off of vegetable oil. He has his filter system etc before he can use it, but says he drives for about 10 cents a gallon.

On Mythbusters they did something with it and that’s what he is doing. It was so cool I had to take a picture. Before I left my old area we got to play a bit with some liquid nitrogen. I got a cool movie of that, but I’ll make everyone wait till I get home to see it.

I got to travel to the Portland Temple today. Originally my old zone was going to the Washington temple today, but since I was transferred I missed my new zone’s temple day, by a week. I got permission to go with another zone and really enjoyed it. I took some pictures. It was interesting after being away for over a year. I hope that will be the longest period in my life away from the temple.

Portland Temple

Portland Temple

Portland Temple

Daniel outside the Portland Temple

So there is in my new district a Elder Jay Lindstrom who is from Bountiful. He says he knows Byron and Shawna Ward and even went to their house once. He plays the saxophone. So if they wanted to write a little thing to him I could pass it along. Also I am sure I described as best I could some boxing gloves like 3 months ago. I honestly don’t know which ones to get so you’ll have to make your best judgement.

So now I can say I’ve served in Alabama, Georgia, Mongolia, Oregon, and now Washington. Crazy. Well thanks for all the support.

Love, Elder Willoughby

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.

Portland Temple
Portland Temple

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Filed Under: Daniel's Mission, Missionary Tagged With: Kennewick, Mission, Washington

Caption Competition #7

April 10, 2010 by rickety 11 Comments

Bryson and Kangaroo

Bryson and Kangaroo

This photograph of Bryson was taken in March at the Fort Worth Zoo. I know it’s a jungle out there but don’t be timid — jump right in and see if your caption can captivate us.

Adelaide with chocolate bar

Adelaide with a Cadbury's Fruit and Nut bar

The first prize (Kaysville and environs only) is a Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut 3.5 oz milk chocolate bar. I will pick a caption judge later. Remember, anyone can submit a caption and win first place but only locals will be awarded the prize.

I remember watching advertisements on television in England in the 1970s that used the theme “Everyone’s a Fruit and Nut-case.” Below is a 1975 United Kingdom advertisement featuring a number of Fruit and Nut-cases.

Facebook readers, if you cannot see the video click here.

Previous Caption Winners

1. Sean
2. Ken
3. Sean
4. Janay
5. Shauna
6. Connie

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Filed Under: Bryson, Competition Tagged With: Cadbury, Chocolate, Fort Worth

Bryson at Galveston Beach

April 7, 2010 by rickety 2 Comments

Last month we caught up with Bryson getting ready to go to Galveston Beach. Byrson is the author of the famous tour guide book Bryson Picture Book of Fort Worth Water Gardens and so we asked him to pass on a few tips for the first time beachgoer.

Galveston Beach

Hello there! My name is Bryson and I will be showing you around Galveston Beach. But before going it is important to get a good breakfast. Once you start playing in all that sand you might just want to stay there all day.

Galveston Beach

Here we are at Galveston Beach. It is virtually deserted today as it is a little cold. You know Galveston attracts 5.4 million visitors a year so we are lucky that most of them are not at the beach today.

Galveston Beach

Sand and sea, sea and sand. Find yourself a spot away from the crowds, which should be easy to do today, and I will tell you a little about Galveston.

Galveston Beach

Much of Galveston's economy is centered in the tourism, health care, financial, and shipping industries. Shipping involves ships, as you can see. The Port of Galveston covers 850 acres of port facilities.

Galveston Beach

There is plenty to do at the beach. You can watch the birds hunt for food...

Galveston Beach

...or you can collect some seashells...

Galveston Beach

...or splash in the sea like Grandma.

Galveston Beach

But if you really want to have fun, you'll grab your spade and follow me.

Galveston Beach

With your shovels and buckets you are ready to start building. Fill up your bucket with sand and turn it over.

Galveston Beach

Like magic you will have a sand castle. Make it as big as you want, there is plenty of building material. You can never use it all up. Building sand castles is very popular with more than 516 billion constructed every year around the world.

Galveston Beach

To finish up build yourself a moat to keep out the heathen hordes. Well, enjoy the beach, I have to go find my Mom and Dad before they get into mischief. And who knows what Grandpa is up to.

I caught up with my Mom and Dad, they were just taking pictures with the Gulf of Mexico as a backdrop along with Grandma and Grandpa. They never did build a sand castle.
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Filed Under: Bryson, Recreation Tagged With: Sand Castle

Missionary Dan Email #4 from Hermiston, Oregon

April 6, 2010 by rickety 2 Comments

Sunset in Hermiston

Sunset in Hermiston

We all really enjoyed watching conference. It was great to be able to feel the spirit during it as well. Seemed to me they talked a lot about families, especially about parents and children. I really enjoyed President Monson’s opening remarks and his talks as well.

We had another good work week. There was many things we were able to accomplish. We’ve worked with the ward a lot to get us exchanges for two hours every night and it seems that it’ll work great. We have also continued doing our best to work with members to get referrals, tracting, and simply teaching current investigators. We have met many interesting people and it is really fun to talk to all of them.

It sounded like everyone had a great Easter. We were invited to a member’s home and had some good ham etc. Yeah, I got my package too. Aurora seems to be running the family well. I like her dress. I really liked the pictures too. Is that picture of the yellow bead thing really the one we had from forever ago? I can tell Jake has been putting on a little extra weight too.

It would be great if everyone could send a highlight of their favorite part or talk of conference. I know the one that caught my attention the most was President Uchtdorf with talking on patience. More growth comes from waiting then receiving, plus the concept of what you consistently focus on and work towards eventually happens.

Also the way missionaries are called was great to hear. I heard it once before in the MTC. The part when he said something like all missionaries have been assigned or reassigned by inspiration made me smile as I have a few reassignments. I know that I am called to be a missionary and assigned to where the Lord sees the need.

I had an idea. Can you send me conference in Mongolian? I have a mp3 cd player, so just on a normal cd would be great. The faster you can do it the better!

Well thanks for all the support and letters,

Love, Elder Willoughby

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.
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Filed Under: Daniel's Mission, Missionary Tagged With: Kennewick, Mission, Washington

Easter in Kaysville

April 4, 2010 by rickety 4 Comments

Easter Dress
Easter in Kaysville this year meant catching a few sessions of General Conference, having visits from family, and a picnic. On Sunday Aurora came by to show us her new Easter dress which she seemed very pleased with. Yesterday she stopped by to bring her Dad so that he could watch the priesthood session of conference with his dad and brothers.

The interesting thing about the priesthood session is that while the men are listening to a message about thrift and frugality, such as, “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without,” the women are dining out at some fancy restaurant. Then right after the priesthood session disperses, the men head to the nearest All You Can Eat establishment.

At Grandma’s house there are many toys and Aurora heads to her favorite.

Easter Toy

Between conference sessions on Sunday we went to the park for a picnic. According to my cell phone the temperature was 40 degrees and felt like 36 degrees. That really felt accurate. However the food was great, with turkey, deviled eggs, fruit, and green (this is Utah) Jell-o eggs.

Easter Food

Aurora’s favorites were the strawberries and the deviled eggs. She also like to point. Not at anything in particular it seems, and though there is some logic to the pointing, it is just that we adults do not understand it yet. What’s the point anyway?

Easter Strawberries

Easter Point

There is a playground for the children in the park. Where there used to be a slide, there are now two rocks. When Steven was standing on one of the rocks I asked him why they took out the slide. He said that the slide was dangerous and had to be replaced with nice safe really hard rocks.

Easter Rocks

There were children in the park. They said that their names were Rachel and Jake. I asked them if they came here often and they said, “Sorry, we don’t speak to strangers.”

Easter Playground
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Filed Under: Group Tagged With: General Conference, Picnic

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I emigrated from England in my late twenties, bringing with me one small suitcase and a few dollars. I appreciate the opportunities America has given me and the friendliness of the people to new citizens.

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