A Liberal in the best sense of the word... James E. Faust

He was also a life long Democrat because of his belief in and commitment to championing the causes of the poor and the less empowered. We shall miss his wisdom, compassion and voice of reason. Imagine also, he once served as a Utah State Legislator. His kind has not passed that way often.

Coprolite is s*#t

I saw a sign like this recently and appreciated the humor. Coprolite for the uninitiated is fossilized dinosaur poop or for that matter any poop that has been fossilized. One of my favorite things to do is to visit the local rock shop, Rock Pick Legend , at 1017 South Main Street in Salt Lake. I went by there today and bought a polished sample for a family member. I like to give dinosaur poop to my friends and family.

They have a number of fine samples of coprolite that are cut and polished. Many other local rock specimens are found there from Utah and the intermountain area as well as other places in the world. Utah has an abundance of dinosaur poop and much of it is found between Moab and Lake Powell. It can be very small in size, almost BB, and so large it would be impossible for one man to lift in its petrified state, as big as a washing machine I have been told. Analysis of the poop by paleontologists can determine if the dinosaur was carnivorous or an herbivore. I have never seen one, but I understand some samples of coprolite have bone fragments encased and fossilized within the dung. If you don’t have anything to do and you find yourself on 10th South and Main in Salt Lake stop by and check out their petrified doodoo. You will not be disappointed.

Nazis, Lord Voldemort and the Albanian Forest

Albania is a very old country. Its language is unique and unlike any other. It is an Indo European language with ancient roots but different than Greek, Serbian or Russian. Throughout its history Albania has withstood the wars and occupying armies of its neighbors, including the ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantine Greeks, Ottomans, Italian Fascists, and the Communists.

We don’t hear much about Albania in America. It is a small country and far away and has not oil to interest Bush and Cheney. Its history is an ancient one. I am not sure many areas or people can boast of such a long history with a distinct language. Archaeological research suggests that the lands that are today inhabited by Albanians were first populated in the Paleolithic Age over one hundred thousand years ago.

Some may be aware of the contested Serbian province of Kosovo under UN or NATO supervision. Albanians are the the ethnic majority but were massacred by the convicted war criminal Slobodan Milosevic in the years after the collapse of the Communist government of Yugoslavia. Albania is also mentioned in the latest Harry Potter novel as Lord Voldemort, a.k.a. Tom Riddle, hid in an Albanian forest for several years prior to his return to England.

The past couple weeks we have had an Albanian young lady with us in California. She is remarkable in many ways and maintains a 3.9 GPA at the university. She taught herself to speak English by studying alone an English Book of Mormon. In addition she speaks Russian and Italian. Her Spanish is good enough to get around in any Spanish-speaking environment.

From one source I discovered that Albania is unique in another way. This pertains to the Holocaust, quote: “…it was the only European country occupied by the Nazis that ended World War II with a larger Jewish population than before the War. The Albanian response to the Holocaust is especially notable because it was Europe’s only largely Muslim country. Even so only a Jewish family of six was deported and killed during the Nazi occupation of Albania. Not only did the Albanians protect their own Jews, but they provided refuge for Jews from neighboring countries. The Albanians refused to compile and hand over lists of Jews. Instead they provided the Jewish families with fake documents and helped them disperse in the Albanian population.” They were also helped in this by the Italians who refused to cooperate with th SS.

Thanks E. for introducing a little bit of your country and culture to us. It is worth knowing something more about Albania than what appears in the latest J.K. Rowling installment of Harry Potter.

America the Beautiful?

No. 1 son posted this on his blog, Shenpa Warrior



"Sunday, July 29
"America the Beautiful (maybe some day)"
Today in church for the closing hymn we sang “America the Beautiful,” and I seriously had a hard time. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with patriotism, but it was difficult for me to feel patriotic singing words like “O beautiful, for heroes proved in liberating strife,” when we continue to invade countries that didn’t attack us first.

“Thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears!” This line bothered me quite a bit too. Are we talking about America or Heaven?

Maybe the song is how America should be. It’s just hard for me to feel patriotic when there are so many problems, and I’m so much better off than Mexicans, or Africans or whoever. I think the only way we can truly be grateful to live in this prosperous country and not be arrogant is by doing our best to help others, whether they live next door or in Darfur, whether they are legal or illegal, whether they watch Fox News or the “liberal” mainstream media. We're all immigrants."

My comment:
I refused to have the BSA troop in Centerville, plant for dollars, the US flag in my yard on the high and holy days for America for this reason and others. I gave them a donation, 2X what they asked on condition they would not post any flags on my property. Our history is a bloodthirsty one. We took, stole and murdered our way across North America, bringing death, disease, and destruction wherever we went. Our history is a metaphor of the American Bison and those (the indians) who lived from them. Ours wars, other than WW I and II, have been wars of exploitation and imperialism. We stole Florida, Texas and the Southwest including CA from the Mexicans. The Spanish American War was faked up over the explosion of a Battleship Maine in Havana Bay. Viet Nam was a trumped up and escalated war by LBJ who had the DOD fake reports of NVA attacks on the destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy. In Iraq, W led us all down the path, (Hillary voted for it, Obama did not), because of WMD and the Al Qa'ida connection that never existed. What we really were after is the oil in Iraq, just an extension of the land grabs of previous conflicts and imperialistic notions. Shame on us for what we have allowed America to become.

Independence Day, 28 de Julio

The 28th of July is observed as national day of independence in Peru, independence from Spain. Because I have many Peruano friends and also enjoy their food and culture I am making Chicha Morada today. As I am cooking this our house is filled with a wonderful aroma. The recipe for this drink is very old and was made by the Incans and other of the indigenous peoples of South America. It relies of the maiz morado or purple corn from the plains of Peru. In addition, pineapple, oranges, lemons, cinnamon and other things are added to it for flavoring. I will be drinking it to celebrate this independence day with my friends coupled with my prayers for the end of tyranny and oppression around the world including those of my friends who live here in the Estados Unidos. They live under the burden of ethnic prejudice, the fear of ICE agents and deportation, yet they are a happy and wonderful people. Here’s to you all y mi hijos en Peru Miguel y Renzo. May the Lord preserve you and protect you always. Thank you for the richness you have all brought to my life and my family.

We cannot forget...

Number one son told me of this this article on LDS.Org. September this year marks the 150th anniversary of the slaughter of the Fancher wagon train members at the site near Cedar City called the Mountain Meadows. A new book is to be available soon, written by insiders, Richard Turley and Ronald Walker. I have read the Juanita Brooks, Bagley and Denton books. Brooks was the best of the lot, but Bagley and Denton had information not available to Ms. Brooks. I liked this article and it deserves to be read and pondered. I hope it will get some attention in Church discussions. I am glad it will be published in the Ensign. We need to understand, if we can, how good people could do something so terrible. The capacity of unquestioning religious zealots and believers of that day perhaps helps us understand the death squads in Iraq and other places today.

As I have read the accounts in the aforementioned books I was struck by the similarities in how people are moved so efficiently in and out of the Conference Center and other Church venues and the efficiency with which the Mormons choreographed this very cold blooded massacre. It was chillingly altogether too familiar.

I met a great grandson of Jacob Hamblin recently at the Bountiful Temple. We discussed his grandfather and his role in bringing John D. Lee to justice. His was the sole testimony at the trial to convict Lee. Jacob had an Indian son who saw Lee cruelly murder two young ladies, shooting them at point blank range while they begged for mercy and their lives. The indians would not do the deed because of their beauty.

We owe it to the Fanchers and their descendents not to forget.

Back Pain is a Democratic Thing

This morning I had a two-hour session at the New England Baptist Hospital's Spine Clinic. It has been two months since I first came to NEBH and started therapy. I was measured and tested in several ways again today including motion and flexibility. Because of my progress I got lots of 'attaboys'. Couch potatoing and babying one's back I have found from personal experience are not solutions for lower back pain mitigation. In an earlier post I noted these people have been written up in the Wall Street Journal, LA Times and the NY Times. "Therapeutic exercise has been shown to decrease pain and is primarily used to provide the patient with the experience to safely and effectively function despite back pain," according to the head physical therapist Lisa Childs. I, like many other sufferers from back pain are or had become kinesiophobic. We were afraid to move or be active lest we further deteriorate already painful vertebrae and discs. Thanks to the folks at NEBH my couch potato days are over.

I have been going to the local Excel in Bountiful. Their trainer thought these people in Boston were a little nuts and told me I could injure my back from the exercises they had given me here. Few trainers and only 10% of the back docs in the US are aware there are better ways for treatment of back pain than surgery and painkillers. This new therapeutic approach is to stretch yourself and do more in terms of yoga like stretching, weight training and exercise. The rewards will follow. Of course everyone needs to see their own doc and have an MRI or x-rays. In consulation with a qualified doctor and a program like NEBH miracles happen. It has been more than a month since since my last Celebrex.

Our hotel where we stayed is in Brookline, not far from the clinic. Brookline is the birthplace of JFK who also had a bad back from a WWII injury. The National Park Service maintains the home where he was raised. Back pain is both Democratic and something that can be diminished with effort and guidance. Other pains in the backside will not diminish for another year and half.

Chicha Morada

Twice now in two days I have had Chicha to drink for lunch, both times at a Peruvian restaurant here in Boston. The food is terrific and I regret SLC does not have a good Peruvian place either to get Chicha or comida de Peru. When I get home I am going to start working on good recipes for making Chicha. Of course if I leave it at room temperature for a while before consuming it I will not be driving anywhere. I will consult with a couple Peruanos for their advice and testing. Bountiful does have a Peruvian store so I might find the necessary main ingredient, the blue corn. The stuff comes bottled already but I do not like it much. Good Chicha is really special. One Peruano also told me it reduces blood pressure so that is a good thing.

A little research tells me some interesting things about Chicha. It was part of the Incan culture and women went to schools to learn how to make it. It was made from several types of corn or maize, generally yellow corn. Only the Chicha Morada is non-alcoholic. Chicha is a Spanish word but predates the conquistadores and was found in other cultures including the Aztecs and Mayans. Chicha Morada is made with the blue corn but other things are added to it such as pineapple, or orange jucie, or strawberries. What we had here in Boston had apple juice and small pieces of apples added to it. The best I ever had was con mi hijo de Peru en Lima.

Most of all I enjoy drinking Chicha Morada because it is so pleasant and reminds me of the good times I have shared with mis amigos Peruanos.

Salud!

A little boy and his family need help...

If you are inclined and feeling generous to help a little boy with a big problem you can visit a web site and learn about his rare Rigid Spine Muscular Dystrophy. Through a PayPal link on that site you can make a much appreciated donation. Remember this could be your son or in my case a grandson. Be generous. In the face of all of the energy we all expend every day bashing Bush, Cheney, Hillary, Edwards, Rocky, managed health care, as well as the legislature, it is perhaps time to do something very positive and meaningful. Take a moment and think how good this will feel to have contributed to someone, largely anonymously, who is not listed on and neither a recipient of the fast offering deposit slip at your local LDS ward. There is something about being anxiously engaged and not commanded in all things to bring to pass good things. Here is a chance to help a little boy cough, to keep him alive. How much do we take that simple physical reflex for granted? How simple is it for us to cough?

Thanks for thinking and doing something about it!

Update on the reunion

Grandson J took along the DVD of 'Napoleon Dynamite'. We watched it on the laptop. It is a sweet movie. Gosh, we stayed at the Preston Plaza Motel, in the very room where Napoleon Dynamite slept. This is the motel where John Heder, like the star of Napoleon Dynamite, lodged during the filming of that movie. #1 daughter stayed in the 'Principal's' room. If you ever stay in Preston Plaza Motel be certain to ask for room #41. It was Napoleon's room. His likeness gazes down on you from a poster, just like this one, above the relatively uncomfortable king size bed.

The in-laws were great, a good time was had by all, and I hugged a couple Republicans.

A family reunion can raise the BP I think

I saw a piece in Monday's Tribune about the deleterious effects of having ambivalent friends. Such friends raise blood pressure and increase the chances of heart disease. This is according to a new study completed jointly at the University of Utah and BYU to be published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. BP and heart issues are at risk, quote, "In fact... blood pressure and heart rate rises by merely being in the presence of such friends." I have to wonder if this extends to in-laws as I am headed toward a family reunion this weekend. Maybe I will need to take some extra medication. Can I wear garlic around my neck, maybe have a crucifix in my pocket? The study also concluded that when people discuss past negative events with an ambivalent friend, their health suffers. This means for certain any discussion of past uncomfortable events with my in-laws is to be avoided at all costs. I plan on taking along a couple good books though. I am leaning toward secular humanist George Lakoff's "Moral Politics". He has some well thought out insights why R's hate gun control, support the Iraq War, deny the anthropogenic causes of global warming, think the GLTG community threatens mine or anyone else's marriage and believe George W. Bush is a God fearing Christian.

Solamente para mi esposa iré a la reunión, debido a amor. Muchas gracias mi esposa por todas cosas.

A view at the gym

Stanley Parrish is one of the executives with the Tabernacle Choir. He also happens to be a close friend of Orrin Hatch. I have read he gets paid nice sums of money for advice by Orrin along with Mac Christensen. Mac is the president of the Choir and owner of Mr. Macs. Stanley is my first cousin and a gentlemen. This morning at the gym I spied him using one of the nautilus machines. He had on an "Orrin" T-shrt. I complimented him on how well he looked except for that shirt. He responded that it was a great shirt. I advised him I was a Democrat and had voted against Hatch in every election I could. He chuckled and said he knew I was.

We discussed bad backs, politics and old age. Nevertheless, it was nice to see a member of the family even if he is a member of the dark side and close to the evil senator, emperor wannabe.

Dark water and KIng Salmon fishing

Darkwater is not the name of the largest and most well financed mercenary army in the world. That is Blackwater and they are getting paid big bucks in Iraq. The guy in this photo from the stern of the Trek II is known as 'Wally' to the locals of Ft. Bragg CA He is 86 years old and was on Admiral Kimmel's staff in WWII. To win the WWII trivia test you must correctly identify who was Admiral Kimmel without googling or other help. If you know the answer let me know. I knew the answer and told Wally where he was when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Because of that and maybe for other reasons Wally and I struck up a friendship. Later in the war Wally was a driver on a naval vessel off Iwo Jima. Every day at 8:00 AM they buried the American dead. Early on in the Battle of Iwo, Wally said, they were burying four hundred GI's every day. WWII was the 'last good war' a number of observers have said.

Wally has done a lot of things in the world and has seen a lot in his day. He is a master of many things. When I grow up I would like to be like Wally. He knows about catching salmon too and what kind of lure to use on any day. Salmon like dark water the best and the temperature they like off the coast of Northern CA is 52°F. I saw Wally on two days. We went fishing with him on our Friday before Memorial weekend and visited with him prior to our leaving the second day. Wally gave us a salmon to land and take home. He told us what lures to use and where to stand in the boat. #1 daughter and I complied. We caught two fish though one escaped when it was close to the stern. The deck hand did not quite grab it well enough. Tequila Sunrise is a good lure to use when the water is clear. Also the King Salmon like purple lures when the water is clear. Green is a better color when it is dark.

Thank you Wally for being a patriot, for being generous, for caring and truly being an 'officer and a gentlemen'. I am glad you survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the entire Pacific campaign. It was a pleasure meeting you and knowing about your past. The salmon on the grill was superb too.

I would recommend

Two movies I have enjoyed on my trip to Boston so far. The trip is not over yet. On the airplane I saw ‘Pan's Labyrinth’. It is an award-winning 2006 Spanish language film written and directed by Mexican film-maker Guillermo del Toro. The film takes place in pre WWII during the Spanish Civil War. It is both an accurate portrayal of the brutality of Fascist soldiers who are charged with guarding a mill in a mountainous region and neutralizing local insurgents. Juxtaposed in this story is a tale of fantasy that ultimately____________. It garnered several Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. It was both enjoyable and good for my Spanish language studies. Not a film for kids though even though it was partially a fairy tale.



I also watched ‘Déjà Vu’ at the hotel. It is a nice Denzel Washington movie. Déjà Vu is a science fiction crime thriller directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. I recommend both films.

What's on tonight?

The Hospital for the Boston Celtics and me...

I am vacationing in Boston at the New England Baptist Hospital. It is one of the top 10 or 20 rated hospitals in the USA by AARP and US News and World Report. The Spine Center at NEBH has developed a nationally recognized program for helping people with chronic and acute back pain when everything else has failed. They have been written up in the New York Times, the LA Times and a one-hour program appeared on the Discovery Channel last year. A number of their patients and the media have dubbed this program, "Boot Camp for Backs". It is not mainstream medicine yet. Only about 10% of back doctors across the country are on board. Folks in my classes have difficulty walking or climbing stairs, even carrying a bag of groceries in from the car. 'Boot Campers' are encouraged to overcome their fear of activity and follow punishing exercise regimens using Nautilus like machines that help strengthen and stretch back muscles, making them stronger and more limber.

20,000 folks have come through the boot camp at NEBH in the past 10 years. Most have been helped. Researchers are not sure why this taxing regimen works. Dr. Rainville told me this exercise program and physical therapy in addition to strengthening muscles somehow desensitizes people to pain messages sent out by the brain. Those of us who fear further deterioration or degeneration in our backs tend to baby them; by doing so the back gets worse. The rule used to be from the physical therapists, 'if it hurts, don't do it.' Not so anymore. By taking it easy and becoming more of a couch potato the back pain increases and our lifestyle decreases. This is called deconditioning. It is a very positive option for many others and me. According to an LA Times article the statistics for back surgeries suggests as few as 3% of patients are benefited. Side effects of infections, limited mobility and persistent pain are not uncommon following invasive surgical treatment.

The link here gets you to the Spine Center for New England Baptist Hospital. I was able to get in relatively easy and get an appointment in less than a month. The people are very friendly and attentive. And yes, few people like Mitt Romney, their former governor. I have heard a few cracks about Utah and when did electricity arrive in our state, etc.

Haagen Dazs and Lumbar Degeneration

Just got back to my hotel from my appointment at the Spine Center of the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston MA. The news was so good I decided to have a treat before lunch. I bought an ice cream bar, chocolate and dark chocolate. It is an 'all natural ice cream bar'. I think that is important. I never had much of a passion for 'unnatural' ice cream. The printing on the box says, "chocolate ice cream dipped in, then drizzled with fine dark chocolate." It was every bit as good as advertised. Haagen Dazs uses Belgian Chocolate too. I like Belgian Chocolate whenever I can find it. I prefer it as well for political reasons to the Swiss varieties, as the Belgian people did fight against the Nazis in WWII rather than collaborating with Hitler and laundering their murderous Fascist larceny.

Lest I get too far a field, I should return to why I am celebrating. In addition to arthritis, degenerating discs between L-3, 4, and 5 there is some evidence of stenosis. I had MRI's done 8 years ago and then again early this month. The Spine Center at this hospital is doing world-class work with backs and the good news is I qualify for their program called 'Boot Camp for Backs'. With a disciplined exercise regimen and guidance I can expect to have the level of pain significantly reduced, enjoy more activity and maybe resume some things I used to do such as back packing and hiking. The doc told me it would be fine to hunt more too. It seems counterintuitive but the more sedentary life style, to protect one's remaining back resource, leads to escalation of pain. Exercise and therapy will strengthen the back muscles and reprogram the nerves in the area to send fewer pain messages to the brain. 20 to 25% of their patients report freedom from pain after their 'boot camp'. 40 to 50% report significantly reduced pain and 20 to 25% have some improvement but still in pain.

It is a beautiful day in Boston. It is 70 degrees here and I am going for a walk to celebrate the good news.

Mormons should oppose the Iraq War

In the ongoing debate over the Iraq war, and it reached a new high or low locally last evening in the debate between Rocky and Hannity, it is useful to look back to another day in another war from a statement made by the Brethren.

“We renew our declaration that international disputes can and should be settled by peaceful means. That is the way of the Lord. We call upon the statesman of the world to assume their rightful control of the affairs of nations and to bring this war to an end, honorable and just to all. Animated and led by the spirit of Christ, they can do it…Hate driven militarists and leaders, with murder in their hearts, will, if they go through to the end, bring merely another peace that will be but the beginning of another war.

We call upon the Saints the world over to pray to God constantly in faith, nothing doubting, that He will bring His purposes speedily to pass and restore peace again to the earth to bless His Children.”1

For Latter Day Saints, at least from a historical perspective Rocky’s statements reflect most closely those enunciated in this First Presidency Message. Truly, the values we once cherished have been betrayed by the war mongering Bush administration and the attendant evils of illegal incarceration of combatants, torture and the challenges to our civil rights here in America. Remember WWII was the so called “last good war” and yet we have this inspired statement from President George Albert Smith, and his counselors, J. Reuben Clark and David O. McKay condemning it.

1 Message of the First Presidency, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 3, 1942

CP arrived

The second grandson this Spring arrived within a week of the first. He came Weds AM, the 11th of April, a little before 6:00. We are happy. Both mother and son are doing well. This little guy also has red hair. A few photos follow. I would have posted them sooner but we had been young man sitting J and A for a couple days and then I went camping with the Boy Scouts to Antelope Island. There were two highlights of the camp, a bag piper played from atop one of the hills we climbed at sunrise, and we saw the rings of Saturn through someone’s telescope.

The photos:

Yom Hashoah

Sunday is Yom Hashoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day. That such a thing as the Holocaust could occur is beyond my understanding. I have read a number of books on the subject and WWII in general. There was a line from a movie some years ago where one of the actors gives a line, a question, “How could this happen in the land that gave us Beethoven, Goethe and Schiller?” Given the ethnic cleansings and wholesale massacre of so many minorities in our own generation I guess one cannot, not ever underestimate, man’s inhumanity to man. Fortunately there are Schindlers and Rusesabaginas. Lest you do not know, Paul Rusesabagina was the hotel manager who saved more than a thousand Tutsis from Hutu butchers when war erupted in Rwanda in 1994. According to one UN source, within 100 days of war 800,000 people were dead. 'Hotel Rwanda' is worth renting at the video store.

Untoward and racist comments by a talk show hoast aimed at the Rutgers Women's B-Ball team, ('nap headed hos' or slang for street prostitutes), remind us that gender, cultural religious, and ethnic prejudices still exist in America. Maybe we have not made enough progress yet.

Sunday should be a day to reflect on Yom Hasoah and other things. I am profoundly grateful for the addition of two new grandsons to our circle and for other things.

LG arrived

The little guy arrived Weds. night, 7-1/2 pounds and 20 inches long. He was three weeks early but still a muy grande caballero. Note the sideburns between father and son. Enjoy the photos. Mother and baby will be home on Sunday. What an Easter present!

Flowers in our woods

Trillium flowers grow in one place on our four acres. We had not seen these flowers before growing in our woods. They are quite beautiful and we thought might be in the orchid family. Turns out that RA's book says they are members of the lily family and can bloom as early as March. They grow from Central CA along the coast to British Colombia. They should not be picked as it sets the plant back. They are, furthermore, impossible to grow in a garden. They prefer moist and shady wooded areas. The seeds are spread by ants, we read, who are attracted to oily structures attached to the seed coat. Thnaks to the ants for spreading these around our woods and hope you enjoy the photo.

A tragedy

A Silicon Valley engineer launched his dive boat north of us in Humboldt Bay on Saturday morning and drove it 20+ miles to a little north of us and about 5 miles out. His location was Blunt Reef. It is a dangerously beautiful place and the site of a number of wrecks off Cape Mendocino. It has strong rip currents, can have heavy seas and is home to Great White Sharks. Lots of reasons to not dive alone. The article about the loss of this diver and world class amateur photographer is found in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. I and family members have been diving along the coast for decades and attest to its beauty and pristineness. The Coast Guard found his 17’ Boston Whaler awash and half submerged, still anchored to a rock outcropping at Blunt’s Reef.

I have seen a number of underwater photographs over the years but never any as beautiful as these. They are posted on his
blog and we hope they will be there for a while. Our condolences to his family and friends.

The self image was taken by Kawika (David) Chetron with the unexpected harbor seal wanting to be in the picture.

Our neighborhood

Using the new Husqvarna chainsaw with a 20" bar I was able to whack some wood around the place include cutting that redwood log that fell some time back near our water tank. I counted the tree rings and it was more than 60 years old before it fell. Looking at the rings it is clear that there have been wet cycles and dry cylces in our neighborhood. The log is between 20 and 27 inches in diameter. In May we can drag thes pieces off the hill and have them planked. Maybe we will build some Adirondak chairs for the deck and panel a wall in the house. Keeping the wood for furniture preserves the stored C02 in the bank and not releasing it to the atmosphere.



RA did a lot of cleaning and we cut back some of the brush around the deck and one of the parking areas. We burned termited wood and gathered a couple pounds of nails from the ashes before we hauled it away.





Some years ago a shrine of rocks and an abalone shell were left at the base of the redwood tree in front. Anyone remember?



Kay, our neighbor gave us some dafodils and we added a couple wild flowers. They are in bloom around our woods.



We also planted an apple tree in the garden. Maybe it will survive and we will have apples or the animals.

The View is pretty nice...

We had the local rock and gravel place come out with five cubic yards of rocks and fill our giant sink hole in the driveway and also put road base in the ruts between our place and Kay's. The boys, who delivered the rock and road base, used a compactor and got it pretty smooth and very well compacted. It would have taken us a long time to do it the hard way with shovels and rakes.

We did not bring our camera so we cannot show you any new pictures just this view of the Mendo Headlands from an earlier trip. The weather was clear last night and the moon half full and the water was at 100°F in the hot tub. Que Bueno.

My Drinking Water

Compare our ability to turn on the tap and have all the clean water we want, or need, or waste, to areas in Africa where entire villages are struck with waterborne parasites and diseases. The traditional treatment of one waterborne parasite called the Guinea worm consists of wrapping the 2 to 3 foot-long worm around a small stick and extracting it. This is a slow and painful process that often takes weeks. This photo of a child in Togo endures the removal of a Guinea worm from his foot. The process is repeated daily and the pain is akin to having a hot coal placed on the skin. If the worm is pulled or broken it dies and a serious infection results. Children who have this Guinea worm cannot walk to school. Farmers who have it cannot work in their fields. Mothers afflicted cannot care for their families.

I spoke with Randy Randall this morning about our water in Centerville. We have such pure water from our wells chlorination is not required, and yet hundreds of tests are performed over a year on our water supply to ensure it remains safe for all of us.

Former President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center have been working to eradicate this horrible parasite, the Guinea worm in Africa. It is as simple as having clean water to drink. How easy it for us to have all the clean water we need? We all can help, and it may be possible by the end of the decade, to eradicate this disease worldwide. You can make a donation to help those who are helping by visiting the Carter Center web site.

Your $30 donation can pay for 100 portable pipe filters to enable nomadic populations to filter their drinking water and help eliminate Guinea worm disease.

This Guinea worm disease puts into real perspective our gripes, complaints and whining over big boxes, school vouchers, and my favorite -- our Republican State Legislature.

If you can stomach it, you can watch a video of a young girl, a victim of this parasite.

The image below is a 3' long Guinea worm in a laboratory jar.

Movies I missed in 2006...

that I want to see yet this year: "The Prestige", "Little Miss Sunshine", "Children of Men", "V For Vendetta", "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan", and "A Prairie Home Companion". Often when I rent movies I look for Ebert and Roper's "two thumbs way up." I have been introduced to Rottentomatoes.com by number one son and will now look at their site for recommendations. I have been both pleased and disappointed with Mssrs. Ebert and Roper, so I am willing to try someone else for awhile.

Why I am an omnivore...

I love to eat bison meat, elk and venison. The hunts for the wild game are the highlight of hobbies. We do not hunt buffalo or more correctly bison. We harvest them at a ranch near Delta Utah. It seems there are extra special good reasons for eating bison meat. Some folks know that bison has lower levels of cholesterol than chicken and that heart bypass patients are allowed to eat bison. Now it seems the University of Utah's Division of Nutrition is beginning a study about the health attributes of bison. Quoting from a recent newsletter the Mrs. receives, "The interest in the health attributes of bison comes at a time when Americans are searching for dietary alternatives to beef. Bison is a good candidate since it contains less fat than the same amount of beef and has a higher ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids. Bison also contains higher amounts of omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Recently, CLA has been shown to reduce inflammation, slow cancer growth, reduce heart disease, and improve body composition."

Wow, I do not have to worry about eating fish and getting mercury poisoning. I can eat my buffalo steaks off the grill and know I am getting heart healthy omega-3. I can say my body 'composition' is in need of help so I am anticipating the next Sunday buffalo roast for dinner. I still like tofu too.

The passing of a great man and good friend...

Eric D. Hogan -- Born July 29, 1917—Passed away March 1, 2007

As a young man in an LDS Church teacher's group we played basketball as is the custom. Eric Hogan was the coach and quorum advisor. I recall a game, we had against another LDS Ward. Probably the only game I ever remember playing church ball in. There was a guy on that team. I remember his name but will not print it here. He was rather aggressive and prone to foul. The refs were not up on calling any sort of a close game so it was pretty typical church ball. I, along with the older guys on the team, was being fouled by this guy. Being one of the younger ones Eric was looking out for me especially. I managed to get a rebound and of course I was fouled and stripped of the ball. Coach called a time out and we had a huddle. The only thing I think he said in the huddle was to me. His words were something like, “George, the only way you are going to get this guy off your back is to give him an elbow. The next time he comes at you give him a good one!” Play resumed and after a few minutes I had the ball after another offensive board and was dribbling out of the paint. The guy came after me again and I changed from the right hand to a left hand dribble. As he came close - reaching in - my elbow was ready and I let him have it. He doubled over and went down on the floor. I was called with that foul of course and I heard Eric yell across the floor “Good one George!” The other coach objected but Eric held firm and defended me. A discussion with the refs set the game on a better footing after that.

We won the game and I don’t remember much else or of my tenure in the teacher’s quorum for the two years I was there, other than this great man who took an interest in me. He taught me a little of the fine art of church ball and how to defend myself and stand up to a bully. He gave me the confidence to assert myself for my own protection.

We'll miss you Eric!

Why do they come?

This is a photo of a barrio outside of Lima, Peru. I was there a little more than a year ago. There is no running water here, elctricity or sewers. The air smelled so bad I did not want to breathe as we drove through this neighborhood on the one bumpy narrow paved street. The poor people in Lima live on the hillsides. The hills are devoid of any vegetation, just rocks and dirt. Not a single tree grew anywhere on the mountains above Lima where the gente pobre live. It was made the capitol of Peru by the Conquistadores because it had a natural harbor from which the conquerors could load and haul the treasure they stole back to Spain. Infant mortality is greater than 50% and tuberculosis is high in this place called San Juan de Lima. Respiratory infections are frequent and there is no Insta Care or IHC to take your kid to when he has a fever. Garbage was piled along the street and the sorriest junkyard dogs I have ever seen look for something to eat. They compete with the residents looking for scraps of paper or metal to recycle and sell.

I was told by my body guards this was not the worst neighborhood in Lima. We could not go to the worst because they would break the mirrors off the van or try to carjack us. I had to be content with experiencing the second worst neighborhood. When I retrurned home to Centerville I showed this and other photos to my son in law K. I said I could not believe there was an LDS Church there and missionarios, even gringos serve here... He laughed and said he was a Zone Leader in San Juan de Lima.

Mi vida es facil!

Not one in a ten mile radius...

Kahil Gibran observed that he learned "silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind." Further he said he was grateful to those teachers. I am not as grateful. I have "learned" enough from our Utah legislators that I need a recess. It is time to stand on the bluffs above the rocky shores of the Northern CA coast and inhale the air of a free people. It is time to gaze for a few evenings at the nighttime sky through the whisps of lifting fog to catch the clearest light of the stars and know there isn't a single member of the Republic Party within 10 miles. It is time to soak from my bones, just for a few days, the ache brought on by legislative homophobia and intolerance. It is time to be in a state that has sent Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sens. Feinstein and Boxer to our nation's capital and know that Orrin Hatch is almost a thousand miles away by automobile and a million miles away in my mind. I will shop at a very little box, the neighborhood Community Store of Westport CA. I could not drive to the nearest WM in under two hours.

Surround me with trees that were here before there were Bushes and let me sit among those who hug and love these trees. I will be free...

I have been drafted...

into the Young Men's Program. Soy consejero en los hombres jovenes de la Rama y estoy muy feliz. Nunca demasiado viejo pienso.

Carly Simon on a Saturday Morning...

This morning I scrambled some eggs with cheese from Round Man's in Ft. Bragg. Had some smoked pepper jack we brought back from our last trip. It was very good. While cooking we listened to Carly's new album 'Into White'. I had downloaded it to my IPod. I am sitting in my easy chair and listenting to it over the new IPod Hi Fi boom box. The sound is great. I am enjoying Carly so much I went to Amazon and ordered four CD's for the kids. A couple of the tracks have help from Taylor children I understand. One even sounds like the papa James T. Wish any of you were here to share the Saturday morning with us...

Last night we watched on the big screen Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" for the first time. I was moved. It was a spiritual experience. The views of Earth from the moon and beyond were moving, even the digital rendering of a Polar Bear swimming in the open ocean trying to find a bit of ice to rest upon. Can you imagine 'W' making a movie of anything when he is out of office? Maybe he could do a Will Farrell immitation of himself, down on the ranch playing a little frisbe with Condi and Dick. Would You Tube pick it up?

More from Karl and W

Here is a quote from the evil genius behind Bush, "As people do better, they start voting like Republicans--unless they have too much education and vote Democratic."

Karl Rove, White House Advisor

I was given a great calendar at Christmas from my kids entitled the "Out of Office Countdown, 2007, Two years and Counting"

Another priceless observation Rove made came on 19 January 2005, he said George W. Bush was "one of the most intellectually gifted presidents we've had." Does anyone actually believe that?

There are some gems of wisdom from our Commander in Chief and his cohorts. Here is one: "I'm the commander--see, I don't need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being president."

Cooking

I have been impressed and envious with all of you and your cooking accomplishments. Given the cold last night and the Mrs. being tied up with piano lessons and church stuff, I decided I would alter my normal supper fare and try cooking some soup. How hard can that be anyway? I boiled water, peeled potatoes and carrots, chopped onions, added garlic, opened a can of corn, beans and mushrooms and started cooking. It looked like too much water and the soup would be too thin so I poured in some rice left over from Sunday into the boiling water. A little soy is always good in everything so some of that went in along with 2 lbs of elk burger and a can of tomato sauce. The ground elk made the whole think kind of pink which is not desirable. After awhile the concoction started turning brown, but much of the water largely disappeared. When the Mrs. got home it was stew, maybe. The mistress of the kitchen said it was more like a casserole of potatos, elk, carrots, rice, green beans and corn. So much for cooking soup. She did tell me it was very good, though I found that if I squirted some Siracha sauce on it (to light up your life, lips, tongue and throat) it was even better.

The photo is someone else’s image, as I did not take any pictures of my casserole. We do have lots of it and there were three containers left over and in the refrigerator.

Is there room at the inn?

A piece in today’s Trib by Jessica Ravitz merits reading and pondering upon. It is an account of two incredible women, Jody and her friend Jess. Jody lived, really lived, for seven years with ALS, or Lou Gherig’s disease. Their relationship had the power to ‘transform minds and hearts, offering a lesson in devotion and proof that what exists between two people cannot, should not, be dismissed.” There is a profound lesson for many of us here about capacity and our ability to love. Regrettably, far too few will be influenced to alter or change much their negative perceptions. Call them even phobias, prejudices or fears.

Turning to Luke, early in the gospel we read in the 2nd chapter from verse 7: “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room in the inn.” It seems there was no room in the “inn” for Jody and Jess. From Ms. Ravitz article again, “Friends gave comfort, but in grappling with death, Jody also sought out spiritual sustenance. Tucked between the recliner's cushions was a handmade rosary, a gift from a cousin. Jody, originally from Southern California, had been raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But she came out as a lesbian just after serving a mission in Chicago and felt she was no longer welcome. She took the embrace of West Valley City's St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, where she was baptized in May 2005. Because Jody was homebound, the Rev. W. Lee Shaw of St. Stephen's brought the parish to her. Volunteers made weekly visits. Shaw came to offer prayers and Holy Communion. After he consecrated the bread and wine, Jess ground the wafer, mixed it with the wine, and by way of her feeding tube, Jody was blessed. But visitors said they were blessed even more…”

New Years is about new promises and resolutions. Maybe it is a time to think about the “inn” in our hearts and lives and ask ourselves if there is room for a relationship such as Jess and Jody had. Please read the article.

El es Cazador

My freind Paco shot this fine Buffalo at the Lake Bonneville Bison Ranch in Oak City Utah on Thursday. It was the first time he had ever fired a rifle or even handled a gun. He put one bullet in the vertebrae just below the skull. Que bueno Paco!

Strange elevator conversation in New Jersey

It was neither elevator music nor was it particularly 'elevating' but there may be something positive from the conversation. On my way to the exercise room tonight I shared a conversation with a fellow rider at the Newark Marriott. I learned that he, Dennis Hastert, and I all had something in common. I wonder why this guy wanted to tell me about it. Is it something in the water or air here in Jersey? It seems that this guy, Denny Hastert, (who is the lame duck Speaker of the US House of Representatives), and I all have had recent bouts with cellulitis.

The next time I pass through the security screens at any airport I may do something Adrian Monkish. In all honesty I would prefer the Sharona character to hand me a disinfecting wipe though. I Iiked her character better than the current Natalie. Both Mr. Hastert and my elevator friend suffered cellulites, and according to this guy the two of them picked it up at O’Hare Airport. I think mine might have come from the Atlanta Airport before a long flight to Peru. The alleged source is the TSA screening area, where you take off your shoes, and walk through the metal detector. I was told TSA or the custodians never use any disinfectant so everyone walking through leaves a little something behind for those following. I’ll bet George W. Bush does not have to take his shoes off when he gets on Air Force One.

Cellulitis is caused by one of several types of bacteria entering through a break in the skin. These are strep and staphylococcus mainly. A medical site suggests if your foot gets red and swells it may “signal a deeper, more serious infection of the inner layers of skin. Once below the skin, the bacteria can spread rapidly, entering the lymph nodes and the bloodstream and spreading throughout your body.” Furthermore, “In rare cases, the infection can spread to the deep layer of tissue called the fascial lining. Flesh-eating strep, also called necrotizing fasciitis, is an example of a deep-layer infection. It represents an extreme emergency.”

I had to drop my drawers and get shot a couple shots in the buttocks, or as another favorite character would say, "in the but-tox", emphasis on the 'tox', a la Forrest Gump. So, the next time you go flying, think about some disposable slippers, wipes, Lysol, shower thongs, anything you could wear and avoid those flesh eating and necrotizing bacteria.

Also, watch Monk. It returns in January though we get a special episode on Friday December 22nd.