4 Minutes to save the world

Starting a business in troubled economic times has made me hyper focused on the financial heartbeat of our country. Long term fears arise when I see so many "firsts" going on to try and strengthen or even bring back that heartbeat (depending on whose analysis of the patient [America] you listen to). Here is something that acknowledges potentially even worse times ahead, yet leaves you feeling positive at the end. So take four minutes to watch...

Man up!

It seems like women like to forward emails and post on facebook lists where they ask questions about each other or post random facts about themselves. Most guys see these as lame. Although I like how they can help bring people closer together by learning new things about each other, most of them are pretty weak. An example of a weak question, "What did you eat for breakfast this morning?" Another weak list...filling out the checklist of someone else's 50 things they want to do before they die. Why not post what YOU want to do before you die? So in an attempt to put a manly spin on this and raise it up a notch (or three) I have decided to do something that has been floating around in my head for a while, but I haven't had the motivation or gumption to do it...until now.

So, post a comment to this ANONYMOUSLY and tell me what you think of me. Seriously, anything you have ever wanted to say...about me! Do it anonymously or I WILL delete it. If it isn't anonymous I won't believe it is honest and from your heart. I'll see it as trying to be nice because you like me or trying to be overly harsh because you don't like me. I'm VERY interested in knowing what others think of me, both positively and negatively. One, if everyone tells me I have bad breath, although embarrassing, it would be nice to know something like that assuming I didn't know it. In other words, good information. that I otherwise could not have known. Similarly, if everybody says that I need to stop caressing their hand when I shake it (and assuming I actually did this and was aware of it) then it would be good to know that it really did bother everybody. So, here's your chance. Let me have it!

Oh, and if you don't forward this same question to 10 of your own friends, that brown spot on your back will be cancer instead of a mole...or if you like positive luck, and if you do forward it, Microsoft will send you a $10 check for every friend that gets the email as part of their new tracking software beta testing program.

Edit:
BTW, if anyone is worried about me tracking comments I don't/can't figure out how to do that with the feed you see on the lower right. It just shows me areas that people are from if they have been to the website ever. It doesn't show where with time, just where over the history of the blog and percentages of the visitors from the countries represented. I tried a few times to change it, but never could figure it out. Click on the link and you will see.

Impressive teenager

A viral video making the rounds lately is the following about a 13 year old boy who wrote a book on conservatism. If you know me well, you know that I do not tow the GOP party line. There are many so called liberal views that I adhere to. For example and in my own words: I'm conservative on how I destroy the environment, I'm conservative on the level of weapons leathalness that we should allow to be sold to citizens, I'm conservative on the amount of abortions we should allow (ie-similar to church policy rather than similar to pro-life movement). For those reason's I really like the description that this guy gives to conservativism.



Although not in the same caliber, this reminds me of how Mozart wrote Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star at the age of two! Some people just have a greater capacity that doesn't quite seem fair.

Up for a challenge?

Because of my obsessive-compulsive disorder, I enjoy making lists. If you know me well, you know I have lists for everything. I think my OCD comes from an inability to remember well. So its coping mechanism or compensation driven disorder rather than an original innate problem.

Therefore, rather than just read the BOM I sometimes create lists of what's in it. Below I have included one of them. I CHALLENGE you to correct me or show its incompleteness. If you do, I would be happy, not mad because it would help complete the list some more.

Women in the Book of Mormon

Totals:

-6 by name: Sariah, Abish, Sarah, Mary, Eve and Isabel

-63 women mentioned specifically

-130 groups of people that include women by stating it or likely inferring it (this one is pretty weak by including all the mentioning of children, but I wanted it to be complete).

The data....

1. Sariah - wife of Lehi. 1 Nephi 2:5

2. Daughters of Ishmael (five). 1 Nephi 7:6

3. Wife of Ishmael. 1 Nephi 7:19

4. Wife of Nephi. 1 Nephi 18:19

5. Eve. 2 Nephi 2:18

6. Sisters of Nephi (at least two). 2 Nephi 5:6

7. Sarah - wife of Abraham. 2 Nephi 8:2

8. Lamanite daughters (24) - abducted by the priests of Noah. Mosiah 20:5

9. Mary - mother of Jesus. 1 Alma 7:10

10. Wife of King Lamoni. Alma 18:40

11. Abish - woman who helped when Lamoni and Ammon were passed out. Alma 19:16

12. Wife of the Lamanite king (Lamoni's parents). Alma 22:19

13. Isabel - a harlot in Siron who Corianton was with. Alma 39:3

14. Wife of the Lamanite king (that Amalickiah killed to marry). Alma 47:32

15. Morianton's Maid Servant - He beat her so she ran to Moroni and told him Morianton was planning on going with his people to the Northern lands. Alma 50:30

16. Nephite queen - wife of King Ammaron. Alma 52:12

17. Daughters of Jared (eight). Ether 6:20

18. Daughters of Orihah (eight). Ether 7:1

19. Daughter of Jared 2 - started the secret combination against her grandfather the king by getting Akish to want her for a wife. Ether 8:8

20. First wife of Coriantum. Ether 9:24

21. Second wife of Coriantum - married him when he was past 102. Ether 9:24

Not Specific

1. Children of Nephi. 1 Nephi 1:18

2. Daughters of Laman. 2 Nephi 4:3

3. Daughters of Lemuel. 2 Nephi 4:8

4. Nephite women - at time of Jacob's speech. Jacob 2:7

5. Nephite children - at time of Jacob's speech. Jacob 2:7

6. Wives of King David. Jacob 1:15

7. Concubines of King David. Jacob 1:15

8. Nephite women - at the time of King Benjamin's talk. Jacob 2:7

9. Nephite children - at the time of King Benjamin's talk. Jacob 2:7

10. Wives of King Solomon. Jacob 2:24

11. Concubinee of King Solomon. Jacob 2:24

12. Lamanite women. Jacob 3:7

13. Lamanite children. Jacob 3:7

14. Grandmothers - that came to hear King Mosiah's speach. Mosiah 2:5

15. Daughters - that came to hear King Mosiah's speach. Mosiah 2:5

16. Grandaughters - that came to hear King Mosiah's speach. Mosiah 2:5

17. Nephite wives - of Zeniff's group that returned to Zarahemla after the fight. Mosiah 9:2

18. Nephite children - of Zeniff's group that returned to Zarahemla after the fight. Mosiah 9:2

19. Lamanite children. Mosiah 10:17

20. Wives of King Noah. Mosiah 11:2

21. Concubines of King Noah. Mosiah 11:2

22. Wives of King Noah's priests. Mosiah 11:4

23. Concubines of King Noah's priests. Mosiah 11:4

24. Nephite women - fleeing with King Noah. Mosiah 19:9

25. Nephite children - fleeing with King Noah. Mosiah 19:9

26. Nephite fair daughters at the time of King Noah. Mosiah 19:13

27. Women - wives of the priests of Noah. Mosiah 20:3

28. Children - wives of the priests of Noah. Mosiah 20:3

29. Widows - left after the Lamanites attacked the people of Limhi. Mosiah 21:9

30. Fatherless children - left after the Lamanites attacked the people of Limhi. Mosiah 21:9

31. Lamanite wives - of the guards left over the Nephites in Helam. Mosiah 23:38

32. Lamanite children - of the guards left over the Nephites in Helam. Mosiah 23:38

33. Children of Amulon. Mosiah 24:8

34. Children of Alma. Mosiah 24:8

35. Wives of Alma and his people. Mosiah 24:22

36. Children of Alma and his people. Mosiah 24:22

37. Nephite daughters - married by the sons of Amulon. Mosiah 25:12

38. Nephite children - at the time of King Benjamin's talk. Mosiah 26:1

39. Nephite women - fleeing from the Lamanites and Amlicites away from their home in Minon. Alma 2:25

40. Nephite children - fleeing from the Lamanites and Amlicites away from their home in Minon. Alma 2:25

41. Nephite women - left alive after fighting with the Lamanites and Amlicites. Alma 3:1

42. Nephite women - left alive after fighting with the Lamanites and Amlicites. Alma 3:1

43. Nephite women - killed during the fighting with the Lamanites and Amlicites. Alma 3:2

44. Nephite children - killed during the fighting with the Lamanites and Amlicites. Alma 3:2

45. Amulek's women - family members. Alma 10:11

46. Amulek's children. Alma 10:11

47. Women believers of Ammonihah - burned in a fire. Alma 14:8

48. Children believers of Ammonihah - burned in a fire. Alma 14:8

49. Daughters of King Lamoni - he wanted Ammon to take one as a wife. Alma 17:24

50. Nephite women - who lost their family men in war. Alma 28:5

51. Nephite children - who lost their family men in war. Alma 28:5

52. Women fooled by Korihor. Alma 30:18

53. Zoramite women - converted by Ammon and driven out to Jershon. Alma 35:14

54. Zoramite children - converted by Ammon and driven out to Jershon. Alma 35:14

55. Other harlots with Isabel. Alma 39:11

56. Nephite women - Nephite men fought to save. Alma 43:9

57. Nephite children - Nephite men fought to save. Alma 43:9

58. Nephite children - men took arms to defend. Alma 48:24

59. Nephite women - men took arms to defend. Alma 48:24

60. Captured children Nephites - at the time of Moroni 1 who were taken back. Alma 54:3

61. Captured women Nephites - at the time of Moroni 1 who were taken back. Alma 54:3

62. Women Nephites - with the group of 10,000 Nephite warriors. Alma 56:28

63. Children Nephites - with the group of 10,000 Nephite warriors. Alma 56:28

64. Mothers of the strippling warriors. Alma 57:21

65. Captured women Nephites - at the time of Moroni 1 who were not taken back. Alma 58:30

66. Captured children Nephites - at the time of Moroni 1 who were not taken back. Alma 58:30

67. Nephite women - who left North with the 5,400 Nephite men. Alma 63:4

68. Nephite children - who left North with the 5,400 Nephite men. Alma 63:4

69. Nephite women who left with Hagoth. Alma 63:6

70. Nephite children who left with Hagoth. Alma 63:6

71. Nephite women in Zarahemla - slain by the Lamanites marching through. Helaman 1:27

72. Nephite children in Zarahemla - slain by the Lamanites marching through. Helaman 1:27

73. Nephite women - time of Nephite and Lamanite prosperity. Helaman 6:13

74. Nephite children - captured by the Gadianton robbers. Helaman 11:13

75. Nephite women - captured by the Gadianton robbers. Helaman 11:13

76. Lamanite children - lead away by Zoramites to join Gadianton robbers. 3 Nephi 1:29

77. Nephite women - left to fight the Gadianton robbers. 3 Nephi 2:12

78. Nephite children - left to fight the Gadianton robbers. 3 Nephi 2:12

79. Lamanite daughters that became converted. 3 Nephi 2:16

80. Nephite children - gathered by Lachoneus. 3 Nephi 3:13

81. Nephite women - gathered by Lachoneus. 3 Nephi 3:13

82. Mothers - buried at Moronihah- 3 Nephi 8:25

83. Fair daughters - buried at Moronihah- 3 Nephi 8:25

84. Children - buried at Moronihah- 3 Nephi 8:25

85. Nephite children - saw the Savior. 3 Nephi 17:25

86. Nephite women - saw the Savior. 3 Nephi 17:25

87. Nephite women - defended by the Nephite men from the Lamanites. Mormon 2:23

88. Nephite children - defended by the Nephite men from the Lamanites. Mormon 2:23

89. Nephite women - captured and sacrificed by the Lamanites. Mormon 4:14

90. Nephite children- captured and sacrificed by the Lamanites. Mormon 4:14

91. Nephite children- captured and sacrificed again by the Lamanites. Mormon 4:21

92. Nephite children- captured and sacrificed again by the Lamanites. Mormon 4:21

93. Nephite women - Mormon's time. Mormon 6:7

94. Nephite children - Mormon's time. Mormon 6:7

95. Nephite mothers - turned evil and killed by the Lamanites. Mormon 6:19

96. Nephite daughters - turned evil and killed by the Lamanites. Mormon 6:19

97. Daughters of the brother of Jared. Ether 6:16

98. Daughters of Korihor. Ether 7:4

99. Daughters of Jared 2. Ether 8:1

100. Daughters of Omer. Ether 8:4

101. Daughters of Emer. Ether 9:21

102. Daughters of Corianton. Ether 9:24

103. Daughters of Heth. Ether 9:25

104. Daughters of Shez. Ether 10:2

105. Wives - of Riplakish. Ether 10:5

106. Concubines - of Riplakish. Ether 10:5

107. Daughters of Kim - in captivity. Ether 10:14

108. Daughters of Levi. Ether 10:16

109. Daughters of Corom. Ether 10:17

110. Daughters of Lib. Ether 10:29

111. Daughters of Cohor. Ether 13:17

112. Daughters of Corihor. Ether 13:17

113. Daughters of Coriantumr. Ether 13:17

114. Jaredite women - around the time of Shared. Ether 14:2

115. Jaredite children - around the time of Shared. Ether 14:2

116. Women killed by Shiz - when he was fighting with Coriantumr. Ether 14:17

117. Children killed by Shiz - when he was fighting with Coriantumr. Ether 14:17

118. Children in the Army of Shiz - when he was fighting with Coriantumr. Ether 14:31

119. Women in the Army of Shiz - when he was fighting with Coriantumr. Ether 14:31

120. Women in the Army of Coriantumr - when he was fighting with Shiz. Ether 14:31

121. Children in the Army of Coriantumr - when he was fighting with Shiz. Ether 14:31

122. Jaredite women - millions killed. Ether 15:2

123. Jaredite children - millions killed. Ether 15:2

124. Jaredite children - those left to fight after the others were killed. Ether 15:15

125. Jaredite women - those left to fight after the others were killed. Ether 15:15

126. Nephite women - captured by the Lamanites. Moroni 9:7

127. Nephite children - captured by the Lamanites. Moroni 9:7

128. Lamanite daughters - taken and harmed by the people of Moriantum. Moroni 9:9

129. Daughters at Sherriza. Moroni 9:16

130. Widows at Sherriza - fainted and died for loss of food. Moroni 9:16

131. Nephite women - last left. Moroni 9:19

132. Nephite children - last left. Moroni 9:19