Texas Quiz

I don't know why but fate has made Heidi and I to live in some truly weird places. Utah, definitely odd; Las Vegas, need I say more; and then there was Texas. Sure, I like it in Texas (though Houston is not really my kind of town) but there are a lot of quirks. These oddities are seen in movies, TV, books, and magazines but until you actually get to see them first hand it just isn't the same. So, Heidi and I put together a little quiz of things we have noticed over the past year. Test yourself, the answers are at the end.

1. If one says, "I am gong to the H.E.B.," where is this person going?
a) Deep sea fishing
b) A topless gentleman's club
c) A supermarket

2. Fill in the blank: I am _______ to go to the Kemah Boardwalk.
a) fixin'
b) going
c) planning

3. What is a "Texas Speedbump?"
a) A mound of gravel and cement
b) A limb from a tree that has fallen onto the road
c) An armadillo

4. A significant percentage of cars in the Houston area have a decal on the back window of their vehicle that has the numbers 100 or 200 or 300 and up. What do these decals represent?
a) Prepaid toll road EZ passes
b) Membership in a popular masonic lodge
c) Membership to a local club supporting Houston police/firefighters

5. What is a "kolache?"
a) Pastry known elsewhere as a "bearclaw"
b) Pastry similar to a roll filled with fruit or meat or potatoes, etc.
c) Pastry laced with a coffee

6. What is the beverage of choice?
a) Beer
b) Water
c) Ice Tea

7. Fill in the blank: Hey guys, what are ________ planning for Easter?
a) ya'll
b) you
c) they

8. What is "Texas Caviar?"
a) Similar to regular caviar but made from turtle eggs rather than fish eggs
b) A salsa like condiment made with black-eye peas
c) Spicy ketchup

9. How many different ways do Texans prepare okra?
a) 4
b) 23
c) 97

10. I have seen exactly two hills in the Houston area that are at least a few stories in elevation. What are these hills made from?
a) Man made dirt hills
b) Sand dunes
c) Garbage dumps

Well, how do you think you did? Let me add a few disclaimers. Some of these questions pertain to the Houston area only so that might make them more difficult but others are true throughout the state. Every state has their own unique characteristics but Utah, Nevada, and now Texas are extra special. I am so thankful that we have had the opportunity see so many neat places and interesting things and meet so many great people. Check your answers, you might be surprised on a few (but probably not, it wasn't very hard).

1. c, 2. a, 3. c, 4. c, 5. b, 6. a or c is acceptable, they love them both, yep, 2 parts beer and 2 parts ice tea, mmm, can't beat it, 7. a, 8. b, 9. I'm not really sure but there is a lot including fried, steamed, broiled, boiled, sautéed..., 10. c

I Like Texas!

Texas is a pretty neat place. Whether it is the enormous flock of birds that hang out on the power lines outside Pei-Wei or the gators that live in the bayou at Bay Area Park the wildlife is everywhere! Southern Nevada had very few animals that could survive the brutal heat but here they are everywhere. Sure, it is hot here too but the humidity makes it an animal paradise.


The other day this story was on the cover of the Houston Chronicle:

Orcas turn up again in Gulf

"The Gulf of Mexico, as even amateur anglers know, is rich in marine life, a saltwater treasure chest of red snapper, speckled trout and shrimp.

And now it’s home to killer whales, the photogenic black-and-white mammals typically thought to live in cold water and eat seals. Really. It’s no fish story.

Scientists say orcas have been in the Gulf for years but are rarely seen because they live far from shore and beyond the typical range of commercial fishermen.

It’s unclear how many killer whales live in the Gulf, scientists said.

Estimates have varied widely, ranging from 49 to 277 orcas."

Pretty cool, huh? Kind of makes you want to go to Sea World, doesn't it? The article also gave a little info and map on these intimidating creatures.

Map: Orcas

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Illustrations environment oil

However, there is a downside. There may be gators at the local park, turtles and fish in the canals, and big fancy birds everywhere but there are SO MANY BUGS! Well, I'd like to go to the gulf to see these amazing mammals or at least Sea World but for now the Houston Zoo will have to do, were headed there tomorrow with Heidi's dad!

(sigh) Where did the time go?

As a child time seemed, I don't know, like it didn't even exist. A day would last forever, a year-I couldn't even fathom a year. The weeks leading up to my birthday or Christmas would drag on. Summer break lasted an eternity. And then I grew up. And time has escaped me.

As I am writing this, time is drifting by. In 18 minutes, my little boy turns THREE MONTHS OLD! It's so bitter sweet. From the moment he was born I wanted him to stay little forever. Yet at the same time, as he has grown he has become more enjoyable. His personality is developing more and more everyday. His little red and wrinkled body, is now a chubby infant's body. He is grabbing, smiling, and always chewing on his hands, and some how turned himself 180 degrees in his crib last night! He is growing up too fast!

That's why I don't care if I hold him too much, or if I kiss him too much. Pretty soon, he won't want me to hold him or kiss him, and it makes me sad.

For those of you who love Jim Croce, like I do, you will recognize the song "Time in a Bottle." I am sure that every parent out there feels like they wish sometimes they could just pause time. What I find most ironic about this song is how Jim Croce's life was cut short due to a tragic airplane crash (He was only 30). This song was only recorded 8 days earlier, and the album wasn't released until after his death. I guess everyone feels like we are all running out of time.

"Time in a Bottle"
If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That youre the one I want to go
Through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That youre the one I want to go
Through time with

What Was God Thinking?

It makes sense that over the centuries mistakes were made when translating and transcribing the Holy Bible. You try copying the entire Bible by hand without making a mistake. Even Benjamin Franklin noted that his own printing company used the wrong words on more than one occasion when publishing an edition of the Bible. So, when Joseph Smith Jr. came along one can understand why God inspired him to correct some errors in the King James Version of the Bible.

I was reading one of these corrections recently and couldn't help but wonder why God inspired Joseph to correct this particular verse, it seemed odd, out of place, especially in our modern culture. The KJV verse reads:

Genesis 9:5 "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man."

Obviously this is a little confusing. But it sounds like God is going to require our blood in regards to every beast. Joseph Smith was inspired to correct this verse which was not only out of place numerically but written wrong. It now reads:

Genesis 9:10 "And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands."

So, why on earth did God want Joseph to correct this verse? Well, to me it sounds like we are only permitted to kill His creatures in order to survive (Go to a supermarket, is their an alternative option?), but still, why emphasize it? I have two theories.

First, he knew what we would eventually do to His creatures in pursuit of economic glory. He knew that we would alter, humiliate, neglect, and exploit these creations transforming them into monstrous commodities, not beautiful intricately designed animals, but economic units.

Second, he knew our gluttonous nature would eventually result in Americans consuming far more animal products than necessary causing irreparable damage to these God given bodies. He knew that one day there would be a headline that read: "Eating a lot of red meat may up mortality risk."

That was a headline on March 23, which highlighted an ambitious study that followed over half a million Americans for more than 10 years. What did they find? Those who "eat large amounts of red meat and processed meats face a greater risk of death from heart disease and cancer," furthermore the study supported "evidence of the health risks of diets laden with red meat like hamburger and processed meats like hot dogs, bacon and cold cuts." In other words, avoiding these foods is not only being kind to God's exploited domesticated farm animals but it can actually prevent one from getting cancer or heart disease. It's a win-win situation!

But back to the original question, why did God inspire Joseph to fix this particular verse? Was He concerned about His animals that would be trashed in pursuit of money? Or was he worried about us and our health, His greatest creations? After all, good health equals happiness and God wants us to be happy. Either way it is sad to see how this particular commandment is overlooked, not followed, and rationalized. Regardless, I have a bad feeling that were going to have some major explaining to do when we each take our turn at the Pearly Gate.

Good Habit/Bad Habit

I don't have a lot of good habits. But one of my few good habits is keeping a daily journal. It began on December 9, 1997, the first day of my LDS mission. I thought it was a good time to start writing in a daily journal (not a diary) and it was. Since then I have kept that daily journal writing on even the busiest of days including the first day of my marriage and the day Henry was born. As a matter of fact, you could probably count the days I have missed on the fingers of your hands (had to catch a train, sick, forgot).

HOWEVER, now comes the bad habit. Occasionally I nod off watching TV late at night and when I wake up to go into the bedroom I realize I had forgotten to write in my journal. I'll grab my book and pen and scribble a few thoughts about that day down and while I am writing the words make perfect sense, but when I read them later...well, it usually gets weird. I think this is happening more often now that Henry has arrived, you know, the little guy interrupts good sleep and all. Check out a few of my recent awesome journal entries.

5 Feb 09
This sucks [illegible] really with me. Man, I'm frustrated. I'll be back as I get older. The End! [writing 'The End!' is not weird, it is how I end every entry]

6 Feb 09
Man it is early morning of 7 [illegible] but well want last month. School is the same [I am not in school] and work is fun but time consuming with little pay [I never complain about my pay, considering my level of experience I do quite well]. The End!

7 Feb 09
I'm here with a patient at the hospital [I have never spent the night at a hospital with a patient]...With us didn't get the edge in the drive home in time. The End!

[Those were a few bad days]

21 Feb 09
Man, I'm sleepy. OK, we went to NASA today [we really did, we live a mile from NASA and have season passes] which was fun but as usual I'm sad I am not an astronaut. Other than that life is going. The End!

14 JanMar 09
Going to the me [illegible]. It'll keep or [illegible] from fears in and it comes real as is not ick an very much of the ago? The End!

20 May 09
Weird, how did they not know. Alright, so my body looks [illegible] good. I don't know if they'd ask. The End!

Boy! Looking back on those entries two things come to mind, first I am ashamed then I have a few questions.

1. What did I write? More importantly what was going on in my subconscious mind? Please, enlighten me if you can.

2. If my entries look like these on occasion can I still count daily journal writing as a good habit? I mean other than the 3 days in a row I only do this 1-2 times a month.

3. Why is it I can always muster up enough of a sober mind to finish my entry with my trademark conclusion 'The End!' but the rest of the entry is gibberish? Habit? Dedication? Luck?

So, this is a bit about one of my only good habits, impressed or what?

Protect Our Kids-A Plea for Healthy School Lunches

Since Dan has posted the last three or four posts, I decided it was my turn.

Last Sunday when I went into Nursery, I noticed that they were giving Fruit Snacks to the kids. This really irritates me-and I don't even have a kid in Nursery. Not only are Fruit Snacks, and any gummy candy for that matter, horrible for your teeth (especially toddlers teeth,) but most gummy candy contains gelatin.
What is gelatin? Why is it (in my opinion) disgusting? Well gelatin is derived from collagen that is extracted from the skin, bones, connective tissues, organs and intestines of many animals, mainly cattle and horses. That is something that I don't want my kids to eat! (To find gelatin free candy click here.)

I guess as a parent (and I can say that now!) you expect that teachers, at church or at school, would want the best for your child. Giving any child candy for a snack just teaches our children bad dietary habits. Unfortunately, schools are some of the worse places to teach our children healthy habits. This is NOT a vegetarian vs. omnivore dilemma. This is a healthy nation issue. Unhealthy eating at school is contributing to the surge in obesity rates among U.S. children. Obesity rates have more than doubled among infants and toddlers aged 2 to 5, quadrupled in children aged 6 to 11 and more than tripled among adolescents aged 12 to 19 (Health day 03/04/2009). The rising rates have health experts concerned about an epidemic of obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, in young people.

"USDA guidelines allow schools to serve high-fat, high-cholesterol foods regularly and do not require school districts to offer any plant-based meals. These nutrition requirements continue to lag behind the federal government’s current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Congress mandated that the USDA update meal planning guidelines; however, no improvements have yet been made." (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, School Lunch Report Card 2008)

In 2004-2005 there was a School Nutrition Dietary Assessment which included information from 398 public schools in 130 districts across the United States, including 2,314 students in first through 12th grade. In this study:

• 6 to 7 percent of subsidized meals met all nutritional standards, the study found. Most had too much saturated fat or fat overall, and not enough calories.
• About 42 percent of the schools surveyed offered no fresh fruits or raw vegetables in their lunch programs.
  
• Foods in vending machines, á la carte and in snack bars were most often high in calories and low in nutrients: candy, french fries, donuts, sweetened drinks and salty snacks.

Of course as a Vegetarian it does worry me about sending my children to public schools, which most likely will not offer healthy options. Regardless if you're a vegetarian or not, as a parent you should be outraged at the options our children are getting a school! I don't think that there should be a choice. There should only be healthy foods offered. Unfortunately because most meals are subsidized by the government, the cheapest food and meat are given to our children. For a great podcast about the high price of cheap food follow this link: here. We pay for cheap meat and food by sacrificing our health, and the health of our children. And I don't want to sacrifice this little guy's health.


In closing please watch this video, called Protect Our Kids, produced by The Cancer Project. I think it completes my thoughts on this subject. If you want to do something to promote healthy eating in your school please check this out: THE CANCER PROJECT: Protect Our Kids.

Let's Talk About Sex!

Serious, let's talk about sex! Because apparently, believe it or not, the Bush administration's insistence that "Abstinence Only" sex education is the only acceptable form of sex education has resulted in an all-time high in both pregnancy and unwed pregnancies according to the CDC.

Yeah, I know, shocking. Over the past few years more and more states have declined federal aid for their sex education programs because this aid could only be used to teach "Abstinence Only" sex education. It didn't take long for these states to notice their teen and unwed pregnancy rates were going up.

Now the statistics are beginning to be released and the findings are hardly surprising considering the idiocy of "Abstinence Only" sex ed. Of course it is ironic that I am writing these thoughts. Unlike many of the authors of these sex ed programs my wife and I proudly practiced "Abstinence Only" before marriage but unfortunately most of the world doesn't work that way not to mention mistakes do happen and when they do it is important to know what options exist.

Anyway, here is the CDC's findings:

A few interesting highlights from the report according to MSNBC include:

• The US population is more than replacing itself, a healthy trend.
• The teen birth rate was up for the second year in a row...births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high of about 40 percent, continuing a trend begun years ago.
• Nearly 72 percent of the births to black women were out of wedlock. Mothers were unmarried in about 51 percent of Hispanic births and 28 percent of non-Hispanic white births.
• Cesarean section deliveries continue to rise...almost a third of all births. Health officials say that rate is much higher than is medically necessary.
• Among the states, Utah continued to have the highest birth rate and Vermont the lowest.

So in a jiffy that is the results of 8 years of "Abstinence Only" sex ed designed by people who did not practice "Abstinence Only." Naturally, I am all for "Abstinence Only" and truly believe sexual relations should only take place in the confides of a marriage but just like Bristol Palin, daughter of Sarah Palin, who recently said in an interview, such thinking is simply not "realistic." However, in regards to raising Henry I'm going to stick with the old adage, "Hope for the best, plan for the worst."

Obama bans 'downer' cows from food supply.

"The Obama administration on Saturday permanently banned the slaughter of cows too sick or weak to stand on their own, seeking to further minimize the chance that mad cow disease could enter the food supply."


Heidi and I were actually really happy to see this headline. Until recently we didn't even know what a 'downer' cow was? Do you? Well, this picture is an example of a 'downer' and believe it or not, until 2003 it was perfectly legal to slaughter cows that were too sick or injured to even stand. The remains of these doomed beasts were then sent into the food supply, hence the rise in mad cow, E. Coli, and other delightful ailments.

Frequently these doomed animals spend weeks laying in manure slowly dying until a truck or forklift picks them up and hauls them off to slaughter and from there they end up in someone's hamburger. This picture was taken before 2003 so one of us had the pleasure of eating this sick and pathetic creature (Which by the way was also created by God but wasn't exactly treated so).

After 2003 'downer' cows were banned from the food supply unless they collapsed after the USDA inspector made his rounds, then it was free game. Would you want to eat a cow that lived under these circumstances? Well, there is a chance many of us did at one time another.


So, believe it or not this is a big deal and has been a long time coming. Though they are not the only ones Farm Sanctuary spearheaded this movement. We read about this issue and other animal related farming issues in this book, if your interested in learning more please check out the book or visit their website.

I don't hate Utah...I just don't like it.

Some people think I hate Utah. I don’t. However, I do not want to move back there. Why? Well, it’s complicated. But I’ve narrowed it down to five big reasons. These are my reasons not yours so don’t take them personal. Some of the reasons might come off humorous but they are meant to be serious. I have had conflicted emotions about my childhood home for sometime and they probably won’t be resolved anytime soon. Here they are in no particular order and if you are a Utah lover don’t be offended, however I offer no apologies.

1. Temptation: I was never tempted more to do things contrary to LDS standards than I was when growing up in Utah. While I was a teenager there were regular opportunities to drink, smoke, do drugs, etc. Who was offering these vices to me? My fellow Mormons, who else? Were these simply normal adolescent temptations? Perhaps. However, I was never tempted the same while serving in the army or living in Las Vegas and those were some high-stress times. As a matter of fact, my fellow soldiers frequently defended my decisions not to indulge in anything contrary to my belief and often complemented me for staying loyal to my principles. Though I stayed strong in my younger years (mostly in part to a fantastic circle of friends) I have always felt more tempted by my LDS peers than my non-LDS peers.

2. Entitlement: There is a bizarre sense of entitlement in Utah, one that I don’t think was there growing up. Many feel entitled to a house and not just any house but a dream home; you know the kind, large, lavish, and brand new. Sure, this is fine after completing an education or technical training, working for several years, saving up, and starting out with an older, simpler home but those homes high on the mountains are ridiculous! There is NO WAY there are that many rich people in Utah! How about the sense of entitlement to money and lots of it? Everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and feel they should be able to start their own big-buck business without completing an education or earning some sort of professional license. And then there is the sense of entitlement to Medicaid. This is for the poor so if you’re poor by all means use it, but it is not for families that intentionally get pregnant after refusing to purchase health insurance or get pregnant knowing they cannot afford the cost! Fun Fact: Utah regularly tops the most bankruptcies filed list.

3. Diversity: Alright, in all fairness there are a lot of pasty white states out there. But God has made an incredibly diverse world so why wouldn’t one want to live in a state/city surrounded by various cultures, languages, and foods? More than 50% of Mormons live outside the USA and we are all proud of that fact so why do so many Mormons seclude themselves to such a predominantly Caucasian state? It’s strange that many Utah Mormons go on missions to these incredibly diverse places then simply go back to where they came from. More dangerously this lack of diversity has led to xenophobia, racism, and bigotry. Seriously, I have never heard as many Jewish and Mexican jokes as I did growing up in Utah and occasionally when speaking with or reading something from there I cringe at some of the insensitive comments. The ironic part about those stupid jokes is that I never even met a single Jew growing up…that and I never met a Girl Scout while growing up either.

4. Complacency: As much as I am railing against my Utah Mormon counterparts I must admit, there are many wonderful members of the LDS church in Utah. I mean it, they are fun loving, kind, honest, hard working, and likeable. In other words they make far better ambassadors of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than myself. So what do they choose to do? Stay in Utah, where they are safe with an LDS church literally every few blocks totally oblivious to the fact that in this country they are a religious minority. Come on! We are still one of the most misunderstood churches in the United States so what good are our best members doing living contently away in their mountain bubble? Work keeps them there you might say? Bull…true Utah has a very low unemployment rate but it is no secret that people make far less there than they would in other states. Their family is there you might say? Well, what is more important, educating people about and spreading the gospel or living close to family? As for me, I want to be able to look God in the eyes and say at least I tried; at least I opened myself up to the world and tried to help my fellow mankind understand that Mormons are not freaks.

5. Tragedy: Other than a couple uncomfortable years in junior high I had a happy childhood and I absolutely loved high school. I remember the trees I climbed, the mountains I hiked, and the fields I rode my bike through and today many are gone or seriously altered. Every time I go back to Utah some of my treasured memories are replaced by new houses, bull dozed trees, and flattened hills. But the tragic death of my mom on Christmas morning my senior year really ended my childhood. When my mom died two Daniels came into existence, “Before” and “After.” “Before Daniel” might have liked settling in Utah setting my son Henry up to the same temptations I experienced, living a life of entitlement and complacency with little or no diversity but the “After Daniel” loves life too much to spend it in a place I’ve already been, among people I already know, and giving into cultures and traditions that frankly make me feel uncomfortable at times. I feel that this is the last gift my mother gave me, that upon her death she was telling me there is no reason to be afraid of the unknown, no good reason to stay put but only selfish ones. It was time for me to go and explore God’s creation, the world that she was forced to leave. And that is why I left Utah.

For those that I love that are still in Utah (and there are many of you, I think you know who you are) I respect your decisions to stay where you are, even though quite frankly I don’t get why one would want to stay when there is an option. However, these are my reasons for leaving Utah and it is a decision I have had to struggle with on my own. However, I am happy with my decision and though I don’t know where life will take me next I do know it won’t be Utah.

EDITOR’S NOTE: However, I can be bought! Though I sincerely hope fate never takes me to Utah I will do what is best for my career and family and if for some shocking reason (it occasionally happens) the best opportunities come my way in Utah then so be it, to the Beehive State with me (grudgingly).

So Blessed

BYU, What an Odd Place.

Last Friday I spent five hours at BYU to take a psychological examination for work. This is the first time in my adult life I have walked into the BYU campus. Please, if you attended BYU or are just a fan do not be offended by my remarks but man, that place is weird! Sure, academically it is top-notch but the student culture is one-of-a-kind. During my short time at BYU most of my time was spent at the library and the student center so I was exposed to numerous students and I was so perplexed I jotted down a few observations. I attended Snow College, Weber State, UVSC and grad school at UNLV and I have visited a number of other schools but boy things were different in Provo. Take a look, I'd love to hear if I am the only one that has made so many strange observations at that "special" place.

1. There is no facial hair.

2. Bridal magazines and advertisements riddled the campus.

3. A lot of college campuses have white majorities but this place was really white. Sadly, it is probably the most diverse community in Utah County.

4. Co-eds were modest (This is actually a good one, I was shocked at some of the outfits I have seen students wear to class!).

5. In my four years at UNLV I can recall seeing only one pregnant woman and not a single baby stroller. In one afternoon at BYU I saw dozens of both.

6. For a school owned by a church ardently opposed to homosexuality they seem to like talking about gay people. In the six-page daily newspaper there were 3 stories addressing this issue.

7. At most schools the conversations you overhear are school/work related, at BYU it's church talk. While walking around and sitting in the student center I heard a distinct LDS vocabulary including ward, home teacher, stake conference, mission, mission president, and temple recommend to name just a few.

8. No Spring Break! Yippee! Oh, wait, no spring break. But I did see some posters for an "Unofficial Spring Break Party/Dance."

9. While eating lunch I noticed several people blessing their food. This is nice, but I'm not sure how much God can really bless your Taco Bell Gordita to "strengthen and nourish" one's body.

10. No caffeine. Zip, zilch, nada. Oddly enough there was an impressive food court where one could by donuts, hamburgers, pizza, Taco Bell, and other preservative packed products that contribute to heart disease, Type II Diabetes, cancer, and other ailments that kill far more people than alcohol or tobacco ever do and when was the last time you heard someone die a caffeine related death?

So, that was "Dan's Adventure in BYU Land." I didn't fit in when I was younger and I don't fit in now and I now understand why I never had any desire to attend the nearest university to my childhood home. Too be honest, I'll support Henry where ever he wants to attend but something tells me I won't fit in at BYU when I'm older either.

Just Another Speech From Our Soapbox

Yep, were weirdos, we love animals. For me my love of animals is a spiritual thing, I look at an animal, the way they move, the sounds they make and I gawk in amazement that God found it necessary to create such a strange being. I guess I have become soft because I tremble when I think that someone would want to kill an innocent creature and eat it if it was not necessary. Granted there are places in this world where eating animals is necessary in order to survive as a result of "famine and times of winter" and I'm OK with that but America is a fantastic country and this is simply not required.

Perhaps the animals I especially feel bad for are farm animals. These creatures are so domesticated that they allow humans to enter their lives on a daily basis and the exact same humans re-pay their pleasant nature by leading them one by one to their execution, not because it is necessary but because they enjoy the taste of their flesh. Be honest, doesn't that sound crazy! Is that how God would want us to treat his other creations if there is an option? These critters have personalities, deserve to walk on the ground, enjoy fresh air and sunlight, and socialize with other animals of their kind and modern day American farming does not provide this opportunity.

Were members of several animal charities and organizations including Farm Sanctuary. Here is their "Year in Review" slideshow. It's just a bunch of pictures of some of their farm animals and their names as well as a few achievements. Check it out, you'll enjoy it.

The Making of a Smile

What Changed?

Recently I saw an interview with Randall Balmer, a college professor and Episcopal minister. He has also written on religion in America recently publishing "God in the White House," which examines the faith of US presidents from 1960 to the present. However, Balmer admits it was not until the 1970s that religion was really introduced into presidential politics this time to stay.

Granted in 1960 JFK had to convince the American public that his Catholicism would not play a factor in his political decision making but the issue went dormant for over a decade. "To cite one example of this disregard for candidates' religion, the leading contender for the Republican nomination in 1968 was the governor of Michigan, George Romney, a Mormon. His religion simply did not enter into the political calculus..."

"By 2004, Americans had come to expect that candidates for the highest office in the land would open their religious beliefs to the scrutiny of voters...Jimmy Carter's declaration in 1976 that he was a "born again" Christian had simultaneously energized evangelicals and sent every journalist in New York to his Rolodex to figure out what in the world he meant. By 2004, the language of "born again" had become a commonplace on the presidential campaign trail."


What changed? Why did Jefferson question the divinity of Christ, Lincoln doubt life after death but then George W. claim his favorite philosopher was Jesus? Weren't Americans more superstitious back then and not now? This reminded me of a survey I stumbled across several months ago. BYU students were asked several questions in 1935 then again in 1973. Check it out...

BYU Student Belief	1935	1973
1. Obedience to authority comes above one’s own personal preference.	38%	88%
2. Literal interpretation of scripture.	38%	88%
3. Believe everyone has a personal devil.	38%	95%
4. The creation involved some sort of evolution.	81%	36%
5. The creation took millions of years.	95%	5%
6. Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God.	88%	99%
7. Church leaders receive revelation today.	76%	99%
8. The LDS Church is more divine than other faiths.	81%	98%
9. God answers prayers through divine intervention.	75%	95%
10. Rejected the use of birth control.	11%	42%
11. Strict observation of the Sabbath Day.	14%	54%

From what I understand shortly after the 1935 interview a strict bishop and stake president interview was required in order to be admitted to BYU but why else would there be such a drastic change? In 1935 America was neck deep in the Great Depression, is there a possibility many Mormons were questioning their faith? Or have we simply become complacent, following blindly without truly questioning the fine points of our religion? I'm betting on the latter but what do you think?