Boycott Veterans Day Sales

Personally, I plan not to shop at any business holding a Veterans Day Sale. I think the day should be devoted to honoring our veterans, not scrambling to get the best buy on a new pair of jeans.
Some of our holidays should be more sacred than sales oriented.

I also plan to start wearing my earbuds while shopping at WalMart ... any store that is already playing Christmas music.

Best Commercial

Funny Because It's True

SCHOOL -1957 vs. 2007

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957- Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957- Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal.
Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957- Mark takes his aspirin, gets over his headache, and is able to concentrate on his classes.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

New Link

I have added a link under the Family Sites list on the right to Don McGraw's new website. Very well done.

A Little Outside Work

LaRue raked up and sorted through a pile of apples. There's a big pot simmering on the stove making the house smell great.



John attacked a rather large bush that lived at the corner of the house.

Other than that - John is just getting over a bout of cold/laryngitis that shut down his voice for a few days. LaRue has been working outside doing some painting and yard work. And she's been playing with her new leaf blower (she overworked the old one and it died).

LaRue's Birthday

In addition to the big film festival, this weekend was also LaRue's birthday! She and I went to Provo by way of Ephraim. In Ephraim LaRue and I spent a few hours with the chainsaw cutting wood for her fireplace along with fixing a wheelbarrow and leveling her stove. Nath had prepared a nice meal and picked up a cake for LaRue. Then it was on to Provo for the film festival and another birthday celebration.

Robin, Emily and the kids along with Liz all came down from Logan for the birthday and the showing of Butterflies.

Here are just a few pictures from the birthday - LaRue's Birthday.

Final Cut 2007

This last weekend was the final showing of Final Cut 2007, the annual film festival by students in the BYU Department of Theater and Media Arts.

This year Andy's film project Butterflies was shown under the Advanced Narrative Student Projects catagory.

LaRue and I went to Provo and attended the festival at the BYU campus. It was awesome. All the films were very well done.

When Butterflies was showing the audience laughed more than they had during any of the others. And I heard people around us commenting on much they liked it. It was really nice for Andy to sit in the theater and have the audience really enjoy his film.

Butterflies is the story of a shy little boy who gets "butterflies in his stomach" when he has to participate in Show and Tell at school. He has to conquer his fear by getting the butterflies out of his stomach. Although I'm probably prejudiced, I thought it was a very funny and touching film.

I have scanned the Final Cut program and you can see it here - Final Cut 2007.