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Joint Family Home Evening: 72 Hour Kits

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Water, water filter, and bleach
With three of my five children now married I asked them if once a month they would like to get together for a Joint Family Home Evening (JFHE). Everyone agreed so we all met for the first time this month for the purpose of putting together our 72 hour emergency kits. We decided to gradually build up the kits over a period of months.

Readers of my blog are welcome to add any words of advice as this is the first time most of us have tried to assemble a kit that one can actually carry any decent distance.

Three categories I have ranked in order of importance:

  1. Water
  2. Food
  3. Shelter

Water

At our first JFHE the focus was on water. For the kits we assembled:

  • Nine 20 fluid ounce bottles of water
  • One 2/3 fluid ounce bottle of bleach
  • One water filtration bottle

Details

The nine bottles in the photograph are used 20 fluid ounce Gatorade bottles, previously collected, filled with water. This amounts to a total of 1.41 U.S. gallons, or just shy of a half a gallon a day, or three bottles a day, for drinking.

One bottle of bleach is approximately 390 drops. One needs eight drops of regular Clorox bleach to purify a gallon of water, or double that for cloudy water. Even in a worst case the yield will be 24 gallons of water.

I added a label to the bleach that reads “Bleach. 8 drops / gallon. double for cloudy.” This guards against the priesthood from accidentally bleaching the hair of the sick.

To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water during an emergency, (and don’t have the means to boil it for 3–5 minutes), you can disinfect your water using bleach:
For clear water—add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water
For cloudy water—add 16 drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water

Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between clean containers several times. (Source: The Clorox Company)

Each family has a water filtration bottle. This can be used in conjunction with the bleach to improve the taste of the treated water. The other members of the family would have an additional bottle of bleach instead of the filtration bottle.

Cost

If supplies are already at hand, for example, tap water and household bleach, I count this as no cost.

The families will now have a month to assemble these items, or something similar. Next time we will address food, or at least the main meals.

Thoughts anyone?
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Brigham City Utah Temple

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Brigham City Utah Temple

The east spire is in place and work continues on the west side of the temple

Yesterday a visit to the Brigham City temple construction site yielded a few photographs. Last week the focus was on the east spire installation. Now work is progressing on the west side of the temple. It will not be long before we see the west spire erected.

Brigham City Utah Temple work on the west side

Brigham City History

Commerce

The fruit growing business in Box Elder County was thriving in the 1890s. It had been initiated in 1855 when Wiliam Wrighton went to Salt Lake City, bought 100 peach stones for $1.00 and planted them in Brigham City. Peach production was so successful that the annual harvest celebration, started in 1904, was named Peach Days.

Many men grew fruit on their own property and sold it to supplement other income. William Knudsen, however, raised and sold fruit as his major source of income. He discovered early on that the Brigham City area was particularly adapted for peaches, berries and small fruits. He established a successful fruit growing and shipping business which sustained his family members for generations to come.

The first sugar beets were planted in 1891, and dairy and creamery operations were successful. Prospecting began in the 1890s, and Brigham City’s first newspaper The Bugler started printing in 1890. In 1892 the city’s water and electricity systems were installed. (From: Brighamcity.utah.gov)

Brigham City Utah Temple construction closeup

A crane moves into position a section of the west wall

Brigham City Utah Temple construction

Part of the wall ready to be attached. The tabernacle can be seen to the right

Brigham City Utah Temple east spire

The east spire, minus the angel Moroni


Photo Credit: Jill Willoughby
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5K Run Walk Bike Rollerblades Skateboards Strollers and Little Red Wagons

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Last Saturday was the annual Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K Run. Run in this instance includes walking and transportation such as strollers and little red wagons. I ran in 2008 but in 2010 I merely took photographs, as I did this year. The runners to watch this time are Jill and Mike, pictured below. Not for their turn of speed but to see if they can best their 2008 times.

2008 Results

  • Rick 36 minutes 28 seconds, 106th, 8th in class.
  • Mike 39 minutes 23 seconds, 114th, 9th in class.
  • Jill 45 minutes 19 seconds, 150th, 4th in class.

I believe Mike’s goal was to beat my time as well as his own.

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K runners

Jill and Mike are attempting to break their 2008 5K records

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K leader

The leader at around the half way point

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K runner with dog

The master appears to be in better shape than his dog

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K neighbor

My neighbor was up with the leaders at this stage of the run

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K Mike

Mike is looking very fit - for his age

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K runner finishing

The finish line!

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K neighbor finishing

Another neighbor finishing

Kaysville Utah South Stake 5K Jill

Jill at the finish

2011 Unofficial Results

  • Rick (did not run).
  • Mike 27 minutes 59 seconds.
  • Jill 43 minutes 15 seconds.

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Brigham City Utah Temple Spire

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Brigham City temple on Memorial Day

Brigham City temple on Memorial Day

Two weeks ago the Brigham City temple walls were being installed. Yesterday the base of the temple spire was the focus. Today the spire itself will be attached. I took a photograph from the webcam at noon (see below) after the spire was erected. It is looking more like a temple every day.

Brigham City temple spire cleaning

One of the sides of the base of the spire is cleaned. The spire is laying horizontally behind it

Brigham City temple base of spire

Construction workers ready to install the base walls of the spire

Brigham City temple spire

A wall of the spire base is installed

Brigham City temple spire work

Another wall being maneuvered in place

Video

 

Brigham City temple spire base finishing touches

Another part of the base is aloft

Brigham City History

Polygamy

From 1852 until 1890, leaders of the LDS Church encouraged male church members, especially those in leadership positions, to marry more than one wife. Following the Old Testament precedent of plural wives, church members had the option, but not the requirement, of plural marriages. They believed they were protected in this practice by the freedom of religion clause in the Bill of Rights. Because of widespread negative reaction, however, Congress enacted legislation in 1882 which made polygamy a felony punishable by five years in prison and a $500 fine.

Although many were imprisoned, Mormon men continued in polygamy until the practice was officially abolished in 1890 by Church President Wilford Woodruff. By 1904, any man marrying more than one wife was excommunicated from the Church. Since Mormon polygamy was practiced for a relatively short time and no known official records of plural marriages were kept, it is impossible to determine precisely what percentage of Mormon men were polygamous. Among the men living in Brigham City between 1850 and 1880, however, at least 17% were polygamists. The more prominent and prosperous men of the community tended to have larger numbers of wives. (From: Brighamcity.utah.gov)

Brigham City temple view of the spire

Webcam photo of the temple spire

Webcam photograph of the temple spire installed. Taken at noon today

Photo and Video Credit: Susan Ward
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100 Years Ago: Congressman, Stories, and Savings

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Postal Savings Depository window

Postal Savings Depository window

The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of June 1911.

Another Congressman

On the morning of April 27 the House of Representatives passed a bill providing for the enlargement of the National House of Representatives from 391 to 433 members. The apportionment to the several states will be made on the basis of the population shown by the recent federal census. This bill is known as the Houston bill, and leaves the legislatures of the different states to re-arrange the congressional districts in their respective states on the basis of the new population, one member for each 211,877 inhabitants. Utah will gain one member.

[The Reapportionment Act of 1929 capped the size of the House at 435 where it remains today, though Congress has the authority to change that number. Utah increased its Representatives to two in 1913 and then to three in 1983. As a result of the 2010 census, in 2013 a fourth Utah Representative will be seated in Washington.]

Mother Stories

Mother Stories From the Book of Mormon is the title of a nicely printed story book by William A. Morton, author of The Gospel Primer, Primary Helper, and the Children’s Life of Our Savior, etc. The volume consists of twenty Book of Mormon stories, suitably adapted and attractively told, and dealing with interesting incidents in the life of Nephi, Lehi, Zeniff, Sons of Mosiah, the Three Nephites, Samuel the Lamanite, two memorable battles, and Christ’s visit to the Nephites. Every mother in the land should find the contents of this book of great interest to her children as bed-time stories.

[President Hinckley said of this book: “As I thumbed through the pages, there came into my mind pictures of cold winter nights when we sat about the stove in our home, our mother reading to us about the great characters of the Nephite record. This was my first introduction to the Book of Mormon.” The book can be read at Google Books or Open Library.]

Postal Savings Banks

Postal savings banks in Utah are found in Provo and Bingham Canyon, and a new order makes Logan the third city in the state designated for a bank of this kind. The post office department at Washington has decided to have a bank in each second class city of the country, the postal bank idea having passed beyond the experimental stage, and been pronounced a success wherever tried.

[The United States Postal Savings System was established in 1911 and was discontinued in 1966. It offered account holders the post office’s convenient location and hours and the security of depositing funds in a federal institution.]

Adapted from: “Passing Events”, Improvement Era, Vol. XIV. June, 1911. No. 8.
Photo credit: Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

Postal Savings Certificate of Deposit 1941

Postal Savings Certificate of Deposit 1941


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2010 Defense Spending by Country

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2010 Defense Spending by Country

The eighteen countries with the largest military budgets. See table below for actual dollar amounts.

Military Expenditures

The eighteen nations with the largest military budgets in 2010 are shown in the chart above (click to enlarge). The United States, with a budget of $698 billion, spends more on defense than the next seventeen nations combined. The United States military spending is almost six times that of the next biggest spender, China ($119 billion) and more than eleven times that of Russia ($59 billion).

The Department of Defense budget in fiscal year 2010 accounted for 19% of the United States federal budget and 28% of estimated tax revenues. The U.S. accounts for 40% of the world’s yearly defense outlays.

Defense Spending by GDP – Top Ten Countries

Patrol near Combat Outpost Castle, Helmand province, Afghanistan

U.S. Marine patrol, Combat Outpost Castle, Afghanistan

  1. Eritrea 20.9%
  2. Saudi Arabia 11.2%
  3. Oman 9.7%
  4. United Arab Emirates 7.3%
  5. Timor Leste 6.8%
  6. Israel 6.3%
  7. Chad 6.2%
  8. Jordan 6.1%
  9. Georgia 5.6%
  10. Iraq 5.4 %

When spending is considered by percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the United States is not even in the top ten. At 4.7% of GDP the U.S. falls to eleventh place.

Six of the ten countries listed are in the Middle East where there are sharp regional tensions. The fear of conventional military attack is very real which helps justify high defense spending.

Internal instability is a growing factor and is a threat to the existing power structure within states, as demonstrated by recent uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and other Middle East countries.

GDP percentages are for 2009, except for Eritrea (2003). The list contains seven countries that do not appear in the table below because their total military spending is lower than the top thirty nations.

Table Of Defense Spending – Top 30 Countries in 2010

Click ONCE on column headers to sort.

Country $billion1 $ Rank %GDP2 %GDP Rank3 $ Per Capita
United States4 & 8 698.3 1 4.7 11 2,260
China9 119.4 2 2.2 55 88
United Kingdom 59.6 3 2.7 45 963
France 59.3 4 2.5 47 915
Russia 58.7 5 4.3 14 419
Japan7 54.5 6 1.0 129 429
Saudi Arabia5 45.2 7 11.2 2 1,727
Germany 45.2 8 1.4 99 550
India 41.3 9 2.8 42 34
Italy11 37.0 10 1.8 77 615
Brazil 33.5 11 1.6 88 172
South Korea10 27.6 12 2.9 39 569
Australia 24.0 13 1.9 70 1,115
Canada 22.8 14 1.5 91 672
Turkey 17.5 15 2.7 44 231
United Arab Emirates12 16.1 16 7.3 4 3,410
Spain 15.4 17 1.1 122 339
Israel6 14.0 18 6.3 6 1,929
Netherlands 11.2 19 1.5 93 671
Colombia 10.7 20 3.7 25 232
Greece 9.4 21 3.2 34 835
Taiwan 9.1 22 2.4 49 395
Poland 8.9 23 1.8 78 234
Singapore 8.4 24 4.3 13 1,736
Indonesia 7.2 25 0.9 136 31
Chile5 6.9 26 3.5 28 404
Norway 6.7 27 1.6 87 1,385
Algeria 5.7 28 3.8 21 160
Pakistan 5.6 29 2.8 43 31
Sweden 5.6 30 1.2 118 607

 

Notes

  1. Figures are in US $billions at 2010 prices and exchange rates.
  2. Percent GDP is for 2009.
  3. Percent GDP ranking is included because high expenditure countries are not necessarily spending at high percent of GDP.
  4. $159.3 billion of the U.S. budget is for “Overseas Contingency Operations,” to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  5. Figures for Chile and Saudi Arabia are for the adopted budget, rather than actual expenditure.
  6. Figures for Israel do not include spending on paramilitary forces.
  7. Figures for Japan do not include military pensions.
  8. Figures for the USA are for financial year (1 October to 30 September of stated year).
  9. Figures for China are estimates, including estimates for items not in the official defense budget.
  10. Figures for South Korea do not include spending on relocations and welfare of $974 million dollars.
  11. Figures for Italy include spending on civil defence, which typically amounts to 4.5% of the total.
  12. Figures for United Arab Emirates are uncertain and lacking in transparency. The only available source of data is from the IMF.

Sources

  • SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2011, http://milexdata.sipri.org.
  • Dollars per capita were calculated using 2010 populations via Wolfram Alpha.
  • U.S. military budget percentages from Wikipedia, accessed 4 June 2011.
  • DoD photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Clinton W. Runyon, U.S. Marine Corps.

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Dinosaurs at Hogle Zoo

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Tyrannosaurus Rex

Yesterday’s visit to Hogle Zoo with Jill, Adelaide, and my grandchildren found us encountering dinosaurs. Their heads and necks moved and they made noises so as to appear more life-like. The Dilophosaurus even spit water out of its mouth which scared my granddaughter Aurora and quite surprised me just as I was about to take its photograph.

The dinosaurs are presented in alphabetical order. If you click on the photographs, they will either show a larger version of the same photograph or a different shot of the same dinosaur.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus (different lizard) is the state fossil of Utah. The powerful skull of Allosaurus was a perfect meat-eating machine. The jaws were large and massive, with serrated teeth for cutting meat. The skull was composed of separated pieces that could be disjointed allowing him to swallow enormous chunks of meat whole. Allosaurus constantly grew, shed and replaced it teeth, some of which averaged three or four inches in length.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus

Dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus (double-crested lizard) had colorful crests that could have been used to attract mates. In the movie Jurassic Park, Dilophosaurus paralyzed its prey by spitting blinding venom in the eyes. There is no evidence of this but it does make for a good story.

Dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus with baby. They spit blinding venom in our eyes that felt a little like water.

Kentrosaurus

Kentrosaurus (sharp-point lizard) had plates along the low back tail that most likely served a defensive function. The tail had two pairs of sharp, two-foot spikes that were probably used for lashing out against predators. The plates may have had blood flowing through them to help heat and cool the dinosaur’s body.

Kentrosaurus

Kentrosaurus

Megalosaurus

Megalosaurus (great lizard) had curved teeth with a serrated edge and strong claws on each toe and finger. The curved claws were designed for seizing and holding prey, while the jaws were the main killing tool. Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be discovered, in England in 1676.

Megalosaurus

Megalosaurus

Parasaurolophus

Parasaurolophus (crested lizard) had a hollow head-crest that allowed it to make a sound like a trombone. The noise may have been used to “talk” to the rest of the herd, warning them about approaching predators.

Parasaurolophus

Parasaurolophus

Rhinosaurus

Rhinosaurus (horned nose) is characterized by its large size, an herbivorous diet, large horns, and a thick protective skin. The Rhinosaurus can exceed 7,700 pounds in weight and have a head and body length of 15 feet. They are extremely nearsighted; making the Rhinosaurus dangerous and unpredictable, and likely to charge unfamiliar sounds and smells.

Rhinosaurus

Rhinosaurus. This one looked the most life-like

Styracosaurus

Styracosaurus (spiked lizard) used its horns for defense and could charge like a rhino to protect itself. But because its frill was not solid bone and was easily punctured, some researchers theorize that it may have been able to flush the frill with blood creating eyespots to scare predators away.

Styracosaurus

Styracosaurus and baby

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus Rex (tyrant lizard king) was one of the largest animal predators. With a 5-foot-long head, 8-inch long teeth and a bite three times stronger than a lion’s, it could eat 200 pounds of meat in one bite. The little arms were extremely strong for holding on to struggling prey. It had a keen sense of smell, bone-crushing bites, and super speed.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus Rex

 

Notes and News

  • Not shown here but on display at Hogle Zoo: Coelophysis, Suchmimus, and Brachiosaurus.
  • Dinosaur details are from onsite information displays.
  • At 1 pm we were fortunate to experience first-hand feeding time at the zoo.
  • An extensive multi-animal habitat, called Rocky Shores, featuring polar bears, sea lions, seals and brown bears will open in the Spring of 2012.

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Brigham City Temple Walls

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Brigham City Temple installing an upper panel on the south side

Installing an upper panel on the south side of the temple

On Wednesday we saw a continuation from a week ago of the installation of the exterior panels of the temple. As a tribute to Brigham City and the pioneers, living peach trees will be planted in the grounds. The precast concrete panels have a peach blossom motif that will also be continued for the interior design, etched into the windows, stained glass, and other artwork. You can see the peach blossom motif on the walls in the photographs (click to enlarge).

Brigham City Temple from front of tabernacle

View of the temple construction from the doors of the tabernacle

Brigham City Temple one upper panel from afar

The first upper panel to be installed

Brigham City Temple one upper panel

The installation of an upper panel on the south side of the temple

Brigham City Temple two upper panels

The second upper panel being installed

Brigham City Temple three upper panels

Three upper panels installed

Brigham City History

The Co-op (continued)

Not all Co-op enterprises were in Brigham City. For example, the dairy was established in Collinston, about 20 miles north of Brigham City. Christian Hansen managed the dairy. His wife Elizabeth, who had made cheese in her native Denmark, supervised the dairy’s cheese production. They asked farmers to give the dairy use of their cows in the summertime in return for cheese and butter. Between 300 and 700 cows were left there each summer.

Brigham City’s Pioneer Days celebration in 1875 featured displays from 29 cooperative departments. The Brigham City Co-op became a model for other Mormon settlements to follow.

The Co-op maintained a high level of success until the late 1870s when a series of disasters occurred. Some of the problems were crop failures due to drought and grasshoppers, destruction of the woolen mill by fire and loss of the saw mill to the federal government. In 1878 a federal tax was levied on local currency used for trade, and $10,200 had to be borrowed to pay the assessment.

The combined losses were so great that after 1878 only the mercantile business remained in operation. In 1884 the federal government returned some of the tax money, and the new Brigham City Merchantile and Manufacturing store was built and opened in 1891. It continued to operate until the Co-op closed down in 1895. (From: Brighamcity.utah.gov)

Brigham City Temple north side

The north side of the temple

Brigham City Temple construction worker on the roof

I wouldn't want to be the construction worker on the roof of the temple

Brigham City Temple parking construction

The parking garage under construction

Brigham City Temple from side of tabernacle

View of the temple construction from the south side of the tabernacle

Brigham City Temple tabernacle

Photo Credit: Jill Willoughby
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Brigham City Utah Temple Walls

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Brigham City Temple walls

It is exciting to see the walls go up. One can be forgiven for missing the shiny new roof

It has been almost two weeks since we last had photographs of the Brigham City Temple. The news last time was the beginnings of the west spire. But just today the walls of the temple were being attached to the frame. Jill tells me that yesterday they were not in place.

I didn’t know that the walls were prefabricated offsite. Anyway, enjoy the photographs. I expect that the next visit will show an even more startling transformation.

Brigham City Temple walls closeup

This closeup of the side of the temple shows a prefabricated wall in the foreground

Brigham City Temple rain

Heavy rain fell all day

Brigham City Temple spire

The west spire now has as much completed as the east spire

Brigham City History

The Co-op

In 1865, Lorenzo Snow asked all the Brigham City merchants to unite their businesses for the common interest of the community. The purpose was to provide jobs for everyone and to make the people self-sustaining. Most supported the request, and on December 7, 1865, the cooperative enterprise was formed.

Lorenzo Snow, Samuel Smith, William Thomas and Alvin Nichols were the first stockholders. Stock was sold at $5 a share, and produce and labor as well as cash, were accepted. The first business was a mercantile store. When the store had made enough money, the association established its first industry, a tannery.

To comply with the Territorial Incorporation Act of 1870, the cooperative was incorporated December 15, 1870 and became the Brigham City Merchantile and Manufacturing Association, commonly known as the Brigham City Co-op. Almost every resident of the community was involved in some way.

The cooperative grew quickly during the 1870s adding such departments as a woolen factory, planing mill, boot and shoe shop, farms, harness shop, carpentry department, butchery, saw mill, adobe and brick yards, and a dairy. (From: Brighamcity.utah.gov)

Brigham City Temple walls attached

I am not sure what the construction in the foreground is all about

Box Elder Tabernacle

Grandson Bryson on the grounds of the Box Elder Tabernacle

Photo Credit: Jill Willoughby
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