Belgian Crystal Factory

My trip to the Crystal making factory. The man was doing a demo on how they make a Crystal vase. The next photo is a Cystal glass echo chamber. It was so cool. The idea is that you speak to each other quietly and it sounds like the person is speaking stereo in your ears...almost as if they were split in two and speaking into both of your ears at the same time. We tried it...it really worked. The next photo is a Crystal glass organ. The whole thing was made of crystal glass. The keys, the wind pipes...and it worked! I played "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet" and the whole building sounded glorious! We could hold church there. We would not want to put the nursery in the echo chamber, however.

From Mom again

Dear Children,

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary and we cannot believe that 33 years have passed since our marriage. Next year, I will have spent half of my life with Dad. Cool!

I remind you that it is Dad’s birthday on February 7th. I am sure that he would be glad to know that you remembered him.

Dad just went to the Netherlands once this week driving the President’s car back to him and coming back with the Assistants’ car. So, the week was not stressful and everything is just fine. In fact, it may have been too slow for Dad.

I was surprised by the amount of info that I had to write while making a booklet for my successor about the job of the Referral and Supply Secretary. It should be a big help for that missionary. We know that there is not a couple coming from the MTC to replace us. Now, we will see what happens. President has talked to Dad about moving a couple that is currently serving in the Netherlands and bringing it to the office. We shall see.

We received our train tickets to go to Paris to get the flight home. It was cheaper buying them early so we did. We are not trunky! We are trying to have things done.

In Brussels, we are having a cold spell again. The forecasters say that we will have more snow in the coming week. Other then that everything is fine.

I love going on the Blog and read your opinion on different subject. You rock.

Thanks Brian for the pictures.

I love you and pray for you.

With love, Mom

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to Mom and Dad! Congratulations for another year of being together!

Gorebal Warming

Al Gore bought a 100-ft houseboat. It runs on Bio Diesel and he plans to install solar panels. So he has named the boat "Bio Solar One" (or BS-1, for short) Could Gore be so clueless as to name his boat in a manner that is bound be a joke? Or is he subtly telling us that the joke is on us?

Inflation seems to be inevitable

This graph from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is shocking. It shows the nation's money supply from the end of the First World War to the present. No matter what your political views may be, this should be a slap in the face. The Congress is spending in a manner that is sure to drive the nation head first into the ground. You should begin preparing your family finances right now. Inflation seems to be the inevitable result of such "money-printing" policies.
Click to enlarge:

I drew in the arrows to call your attention to the astounding increase in money supply, and in a recession at that. The nation's GNP does not justify this, so inflation seems to be inevitable outcome.

Have you ever just silently tried to pass a little gas and got away with it? If so be glad you were not a fish. This is a draw back about being a fish that I believe Don Knotts did not take into account in the movie "The Incredible Mr. Limpit".

Mom's Message

Dear Children,
An other week as gone by and we now have less than 2 months left here in Brussels.
This is our travel itinerary: We will leave Brussels on the afternoon of March 24 taking the TGV (bullet train) to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (It will take 1h38). We will spend the night in a hotel and fly the next morning taking flight 0171 that arrives directly in SLC at 1:45PM. We then hope to get on flight 7774 that leaves at 2:55PM to arrive in St. George at 4:13PM.
Keep in mind that we are flying stand-by so anything can happen but we think that it will work that way.
It is a strange feeling I have thinking that I am in my last days in Belgium but it is not my home anymore. We will not miss the crazy driving in the narrow streets but the delicious food. Dad has really enjoyed the food. In fact, this noon it was saying that in 2 months he would not be able to eat the meat that we were eating and that he likes so much.

Dad has been resting better this last week and did not have to travel much. He took the President to the airport as he went to a Mission President's conference in Germany. Today, he will go pick him up.
The office Elders we have now are slower than anyone we have seen in the office. They may not stay for very long. In fact, the legal secretary told me that he was the last person that should have been called to that position because he is very unorganized. He added "I don't know what I am doing, Sister Wortham". I hope that he will tell that to President.

There is a bird in our backyard that has been singing all morning. Spring is coming and I love it.
Did you hear that Becky will have a baby boy in May? I love this kind of good news.

I will have to think of what to talk about in my next talk. I know that it will come and I hate speaking in public. I become so nervous that I forget everything, and I mean everything. I just have a big blank in my head and it is very frustrating and humiliating at the same time.
Tito is doing well in the Hong-Kong mission, and for those who may not know, Jonathan is Assistant to his Mission President. Lawrence has already returned from his mission in Thailand.
On February 7th, Dad's birthday, we have been invited to eat out with our Mission President. It will be nice.
We would love to hear from those who do not write.
Keep us informed. If you want me to continue writing let me know or I will stop.
I love you.
Mom
(Posted by Alan because Mom is having some technical difficulties. )

UFO Visits Inauguration

Many people are excited that a UFO visited the inauguration.
If you have time to waste, it is here.
I think it is a bird. You can see it flapping its wings.

Just news

Just thought I would post a note letting you all know that Becky and Russ are expecting in late May and they have found out that it is a boy.

Racists vs Bigots - Breakoff from Dad's post

Having lived in the south since 1998 I don't know that there are any more racists here than there are anywhere else in the world. I want to make sure we all know the difference between a racist and a bigot because I think people get them confused or think they are the same. A racist is someone who thinks his genetic race or make up is inherently superior to another, whereas a bigot is someone who prefers or wishes not to associate with those of another group, class or race. Hitler was a racist and a bigot. There are bigots that are not racist but simply prefer not to associate with others not of their class or race.

I sometimes wonder if I have a little bigotry in me because when I have to go to south Atlanta, a large difference in ethnic group from the north side, I get upset at the laziness, lack of service at restaurants, stores and other places of business. I prefer not to associate with those of south Atlanta, does this make me a bit of a bigot or just someone who hates incompetence?

Obama to lift ban on federal funds aiding abortion.

And the fun begins. Yes...I am aware that it is normal for incoming president to reverse bills that the out going President had in place. This bill has reversed every time a new party president has come into office. I don't just don't agree with tax payer money going to fund abortions. Especially to international agencies who probably won't be held accountable for how they use the money we give them.

Kim's Military Retirement Date

I have an official date for my retirement ceremony at Fort Myer. 28 May 2009 with the actual ceremony in the afternoon. All are welcome to attend. I will be flying Amy and all the kids out. Airfare is big time cheap right now. As I mentioned before, it looks as if once I retire, the Army will be putting me back on Active Duty on the Retiree Recall Program. Sounds crazy but its a good thing!

A Special Day in Time

I hope that you were all able to watch the Inauguration today.  Our school watched it in a general assembly and it was very exciting.  Our lone African American teacher came to stage to apologize for not having believed.  "I shall eat crow and I shall eat it for a long time." he said. He had told his classes last spring that he would not see an African American elected president in his lifetime.  I think it is easy to underestimate what this means to the African American community, I know that I have.  

As for me, I thought President Obama's speech was not at all his best, but I was impressed with his call to the Muslim world, his defiance of terrorists, his inclusion of non-believers and his quoting of Washington.  The crowd on the mall with the visibly electric excitement throughout the throngs was infectious.   Now to work, to work all. 

What did you think?  

National Do Not Call Registry

You can avoid telemarketing calls by signing up on the "Do Not Call Registry." By law, telemarketers for profit (apparently does not affect charity calls) cannot call numbers on the registry.
I signed up many years ago and got almost immediate relief from about three or four telemarketing calls per day. Just recently, I started getting telemarketing calls again. The first "Do-Not-Call Act" limited registration to five years. After that, phone numbers become available to telemarketers again. I registered my home phone again today. Thanks to the "Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007," registered numbers are on the list permanently. So you will need to re-register to make it permanent. It's very easy to do. Just visit the link noted above.

Post Script: These are the useful things that politicians can do for the citizenry.

Super Bowl

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizonal Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh will be favored, but I will cheer for Arizona.
I always cheer for the teams out west and teams closest to Utah
The exception is that I always cheer against the Cowboys and against any Chicago team in any sport (it has nothing to do with Obama).