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What is Urban Agriculture? Part 2

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The other day, I was talking about urban agriculture in America through World War I. When the Great Depression hit in the U.S. in 1929, it hit hard and lasted about 10 years. During that time, many cities instituted what became known as relief gardens. These gardens, also called welfare garden plots, were used to not only feed people, but also take their minds off desperate times. In places like Detroit, city employees who still had jobs donated money to help finance the gardens. Soon, organizations such as the Family Welfare Society and Employment Relief Commission were formed to help … Continue reading →

Schools and Swine Flu

The first day of school is right around the corner for most American school children, and while parents are stocking up on pencils, glue and notebooks, the government is concentrating on potential swine flu outbreaks. Yesterday government health officials issued new recommendations regarding swine flu and school closings. The good news: Most schools should be able to stay open even if swine flu outbreaks occur this fall. The bad news: The vaccine against the H1N1 virus won’t be ready until October at the earliest. So what does this mean for your student? According to health officials, decisions about whether to … Continue reading →

Seven Years Later: Thoughts on the Pets of 9/11

Over in Marriage I wrote about what I think about on September 11 as it pertains to love and relationships. But another loving relationship I think about today is the one so many of us have with our animals. Last year I wrote about the pets of 9/11. I did a little research into finding out if all the pets belonging to people affected by the attacks were okay. They were. Today as I contemplate the events of September 11, 2001, I’m thinking about the pets and people who survived. (I guess I should be clear here. Only one pet, … Continue reading →

What I Think About on 9/11

When I think about September 11, 2001, I don’t think of the terrorists. I don’t think about the conspiracy theories floating around out there that our own government is responsible for the attacks. I don’t think about how much it changed our world and how we live in it basically overnight. No, when I think about the events that happened on September 11, 2001, my mind inevitably returns to the cloudy, partly rainy morning at our house in Jacksonville. The phone rang. It was my dad asking if I was watching the news. “No.” “Turn it on. I’ll wait.” “What … Continue reading →

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)

When Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) took down the bad guys and saved the pageant at the end of “Miss Congeniality,” she became something of a celebrity. Now, in “Miss Congeniality 2,” she’s trying to return to work as an FBI agent, but her face is too famous. A curious and adoring fan interrupts a sting at a bank, and she realizes that the days of being an anonymous agent are over. This isn’t such a bad thing, though – her boss comes to her with a unique proposition. She should take the celebrity status she has and use it to … Continue reading →

New Media and the Church

On Sunday Elder Ballard gave a talk to the students at BYU-Hawaii urging them to take advantage of new media in order to talk about the church. There are numerous blogs across the Internet that talk about various aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can find blogs that focus solely on doctrine, and others that focus solely on the social aspects of being LDS. Most are a mixture, like this one. As I think back on the way that the Internet has changed my life, I am grateful for the opportunities it has opened up. … Continue reading →

Home Week in Review: September 10 – 16

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. I know I plan on relaxing today. Even if you don’t plan on tackling too many chores today, you should find some of this week’s articles helpful for when you do need to get down to business. This week kicked off with a Quick Trick for Extra Seating. You can bring those outdoor chairs inside and dress them up for instant extra seating. Another tip to go along with this article is to consider buying higher end outdoor furniture the next time you shop for such items, since the styles and quality available today … Continue reading →

The Day the United States once again became United

I wrote my feelings down on the anniversary of September 11, 2001 and later posted it here in, “September 11: In Honor of the Fallen and Those Who Defend Us.” In it, I talked about how the United States once again became united, on that fateful Tuesday six years ago. Sadly, we do not feel very united these days. There seems to be a great divide, often partisan in nature. The left-right paradigm seems to ensure it and our leaders seem to promote it. They have never found a wedge issue or a scandal they didn’t like. They toss these … Continue reading →

Marrying the Incarcerated

When someone is in prison, they look for people on the outside to be their life lines. While the prison system in the United States is not a pleasant place to be (although you could make the argument that U.S. prisons are far better than prisons elsewhere) they are still prisons. When you’ve committed a crime against society and you are sentenced to prison – you are not sentenced there as a part of a social club, but rather as a punishment and as a form of rehabilitation. Your days are monitored and strictly scheduled. You may attend classes and … Continue reading →

Travel Warning: The Dangers of Sand

If you thought large waves, strong rip currents, and sharks were the only dangers at the beach—-think again. There is nothing that makes my 3-year-old happier than digging a massive hole in the sand at our favorite beach in Hawaii. (Okay, she doesn’t exactly do much of the digging, but she really nails her role as sand hole foreman.) The sand hole becomes a mock playpen/playhouse for her while we are at the beach. Unfortunately, I recently learned that sand holes can become shallow graves for young children. A new report reveals that in the last ten years more than … Continue reading →