What I Said Was, "We Need to Stand Behind Them"

Cross-posted from my Google+ account.

Riiiiiight.  In other words, just pretend I didn't say, "[they] didn't build that" or ever so subtly imply they're not paying enough in taxes (their "fair share") or that their success came from Government infrastructure (oh, and let's ignore they paid for that infrastructure, anyway).

Here's the full and glorious context of how he's "always struck" at the egotism of people who take credit for their own, hard-earned success (again, this coming from the world's greatest orator and Nobel Peace Prize winner who won because he wasn't Bush):

"There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me -- because they want to give something back.  They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own.  You didn’t get there on your own.  I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart.  There are a lot of smart people out there.  It must be because I worked harder than everybody else.  Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.  (Applause.)

"If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help.  There was a great teacher somewhere in your life.  Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive.  Somebody invested in roads and bridges.  If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that.  Somebody else made that happen.  The Internet didn’t get invented on its own.  Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

"The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.  There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own.  I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service.  That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires."

Yep, there's the real ticket to American economic success:  Re-elect the One, have small business owners team up with government bureaucrats to help them put out any economic fires they have or may encounter and make sure these business owners pay their fair share (read: more) in taxes (because they're not paying enough for those roads, bureaucrats, or firefighters).

Oh yeah, what's another quote of President Obama recently "taken out of context" about American business/the economy?  "We tried our plan and it worked."  (Except for that whole promise about keeping unemployment under 8% and the country struggling through its worst economic recovery since the Great Depression.)  I want to hear him argue this quote was taken out of context and that his plan didn't work -- at least we'd be getting somewhere.

Today's Spiritual Message: In re Aurora Shootings - Laws and Shaping Behavior

In the aftermath of a terrible act of evil and a great tragedy in my native state, I feel inclined to share a few thoughts.  First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families of this despicable atrocity.  I am inspired by the bravery displayed by a few and deeply saddened at the loss and suffering of so many.

Many years ago, Enoch the prophet witnessed God weeping over the earth and inquired,

How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;

Moses 7:29. 32-33.  I know Heavenly Father must weep over the great evils constantly manifest in the world, today.

For some, it took only hours or, perhaps, even minutes, after the Aurora chaos to shout it's time for the country and its elected officials to finally get tough with gun laws!  We heard a similar cry and laws were passed in the wake of the 2008 housing and financial meltdown, yet we still see dishonesty and corruption in those sectors.  I invite you to consider the following insights from Elder D. Todd Christofferson in October 2009 on the subject of using laws to shape and control behavior:

"'Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Our increased reliance on laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we’ve become.'

". . . Reactions [to the financial meltdown] have focused on enacting more and stronger regulation. Perhaps that may dissuade some from unprincipled conduct, but others will simply get more creative in their circumvention.  There could never be enough rules so finely crafted as to anticipate and cover every situation, and even if there were, enforcement would be impossibly expensive and burdensome. This approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone. In the memorable phrase of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, 'We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Caesar.'

"In the end, it is only an internal moral compass in each individual that can effectively deal with the root causes as well as the symptoms of societal decay. Societies will struggle in vain to establish the common good until sin is denounced as sin and moral discipline takes its place in the pantheon of civic virtues.

"Moral discipline is learned at home. While we cannot control what others may or may not do, the Latter-day Saints can certainly stand with those who demonstrate virtue in their own lives and inculcate virtue in the rising generation."

Two final quotes, in parting:  “The gospel of Jesus Christ provides answers and solutions to all of the world’s problems," and, "The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/be-prepared-be-ye-strong-from-henceforth?lang=eng and http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/little-children?lang=eng

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Chrome OS Keyboard Shortcut: Select Screen Shot Region

Okay, I'm about one year late to the party on this one, apparently, as noted by the date from François' post from last August.

In case you missed it, I hope you enjoy the shortcut, via François Beaufort:

"<Ctrl> + <Shift> + <Maximize> [the key to the left of the dim screen key] = Take a screenshot of the selected region."

Selected range screenshot of my Apps/place usually known as the desktop.

I'm all in favor of cutting out extra steps, and selecting a particular range of a screen shot was certainly one of them.  Provecho.

Yesterday's Spiritual Message: If You're Reading This

Belated Happy Fourth of July!

On the Fourth, my family and I wanted to get into the patriotic feeling of the day, and we did, in part, by watching this video dedicated to soldiers who have fallen in war, fighting for our country.

As a husband and father, this really tugged and tugs at my heart strings.



I realize there's much more to America than simply those who have fought for it.  Yet, without the ultimate sacrifice given by so many, I doubt whether we would have the great land we have, today.


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Today's Spiritual Message: Saving Your Marriage

Cross-posted from my Google+ account

If only our world had the opposite mentality of Hollywood about marriage.

I Am Wolf: Bar Study & Its Incidental Consequences

Recently, I feel like the wolf in this clip:

 

About all I understand anymore is the language of "stick it to the bar!"  Although, I suppose the clip would be more analogous if the fox and company found the wolf reading in the musty dungeon of a law school library . . .

Thanks to the F-Word for posting this video on his blog, where I first saw it.

Today's Spiritual Message: Memorial Day Heroes

Some people feel uncomfortable calling our fallen soldiers "heroes."

I am very comfortable calling them hereos, and, on this special day in their remembrance, I want to say, "Thank you."  Thank you for paying the ultimate price, so we can live a better, fuller life in the greatest nation on earth.

Thank you.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13.

"Our Great God": Simple Evidences of the Book of Mormon's Authenticity

Update:  I came across another insight this morning that I think you'll enjoy.  In the Book of Mormon, the phrase "redeeming love" is used only three times.  In every instance, it refers to the "song" of redeeming love or "singing" redeeming love and is spoken of by two contemporaries, Alma and Ammon.  Again, what remarkable, sophisticated, and unique character and background development for a mere (yet incredibly scheming and conniving(?)) farm boy!  [end update]

Some people disregard the Book of Mormon because they insist upon seeing the gold plates from which it was translated.  In reality, 11 people did see the plates and gave their names as a witness to the world that they saw them.  Of these witness, though many were excommunicated and some became very hostile to Joseph Smith, none of them ever denied what they saw.

As I have read and pondered the Book of Mormon, again and again and prayed to know its truthfulness, I have relished one challenge in particular:  On every page, the reader is asked to question whether Joseph Smith merely made up what's on the page or whether he actually translated it through the power and authority of God.

The other day, I came across such an instance I'd like to share with you:  Character development.

The Prophet Joseph Smith received little more formal education than an elementary school student, or perhaps even less.  In spite of this deficiency, he translated a work of 531 pages via dictation in only sixty-five to seventy-five days(!) (How Long Did It Take to Translate the Book of Mormon?).

Setting aside the Book of Mormon's length, the sincere reader is invited to consider its content, which brings us to the thrust of this post:  Unique individuals have unique manners of speaking.  Some speak with an accent or use characteristic words or phrases.  The other day, I came across the latter while reading in Alma 24.

In this chapter, a people who had violently opposed another (the Lamanites opposing the Nephites) for many years, accepted the doctrine of Christ and repented of their sins.  As part of their sincere repentance, they decided to physically bury their weapons of war, deep in the earth, as a witness of their conversion and sincerity (illustrated below).

The king of this group, in encouraging his people to bury their weapons, gave an uplifting sermon, and used the unique phrase "great God" five times in only eight verses.  I thought about how often I'd read that phrase in the Book of Mormon and performed a search of "great god" to check.  The search returned only five hits in all 531 pages of the Book of Mormon -- all five instances spoken by this same king, in a span of eight verses.

I was astounded.  I assumed this would be a more common phrase in a book that uses the word "God" in something around 1,300 verses.  What an ingenious touch from a mere farm boy!  Right?

The Lamanites burying their weapons of war as a witness of their repentance.

I leave you with another challenge, given by the late Hugh B. Brown:

I believe the Prophet Joseph Smith was a prophet because he did many superhuman things. One was translating the Book of Mormon. Some people will not agree, but I submit to you that the Prophet Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon did a superhuman work. I ask you … to undertake to write a story on the ancient inhabitants of America. Write as he did without any source of material. Include in your story 54 chapters dealing with wars, 21 historical chapters, 55 chapters on visions and prophecies, and, remember, when you begin to write on visions and prophecies you must have your record agree meticulously with the Bible. You write 71 chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and, here too, you must check every statement with the scriptures or you will be proven to be a fraud. You must write 21 chapters on the ministry of Christ, and everything you claim He said and did and every testimony you write in your book about Him must agree absolutely with the New Testament. 

I ask you, would you like to undertake such a task? I would suggest to you too that you must employ figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narrations, exposition, description, oratory, epic, lyric, logic, and parables. Undertake that, will you? I ask you to remember that the man that translated the Book of Mormon was a young man who hadn’t had the opportunity of schooling that you have had, and yet he dictated that book in just over two months and made very few, if any, corrections. For over 100 years, some of the best students and scholars of the world have been trying to prove from the Bible that the Book of Mormon is false, but not one of them has been able to prove that anything he wrote was not in strict harmony with the scriptures. …

Today's Spiritual Message: Love Her Mother

How can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in today's increasingly toxic world?



Also, it seems like mothers particularly love it when fathers take care of the kids late at night . . .

Riley Nelson: Office Quarterback

This video appears to be a tamer shout-out to the iconic Tarry Tate: Office Linebacker videos.

While I was, um, a little less than amazed with most of the acting, I'm confident most Cougar faithful will find many golden nuggets to sift out from this production.

Enjoy:

A high-five to the first commenter who can recall the story behind the ending touchdown scene.

Today's Spiritual Message: The Sting of Death Is Swallowed up in Christ

A classmate of mine at law school recently passed away.  I write this post with full respect for his memory and for his family's grief for, even though the Savior knew He would momentarily raise Lazarus from the dead, the scripture reads, "Jesus wept."  John 11:35.

Having lost my own father at a young age, I have experienced the loss of a loved one at an immensely personal level.  However, although I sometimes feel stricken with the absence of his society and the inability to personally know him any better than I did as a little boy, I will always remember how I felt at peace when he died, even at that tender stage of life.

An ancient Book of Mormon prophet, Abinadi, explains why I could so peaceably accept my father's sudden and unexpected departure from my life:

6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.

7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Mosiah 16:6-9.

Thus, because Jesus Christ is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25) of all mankind, such that all will be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:22, Alma 11:42-45), I am and was able to accept the death of my father or of anyone else as only a temporary parting, a brief season of separation.  Indeed, a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, likewise answered Job's question, "if a man die, shall he live again?" by declaring, "he shall live again."

The true meaning of Easter is so much more than tasty chocolates or enjoyable Easter egg hunts:  It is the resurrection of all mankind.

Truly, what sweeter words can we hear than, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen."  Luke 24:1-7.  As Paul explained,

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now is Christ brisen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Cor. 15:19-22.

While we rightly and  invariably grieve for those we have lost, knowing that Jesus Christ died so that we all may live, again, we boldly proclaim, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"  1 Cor. 15:55.  As Abinadi concluded, "But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ."  Mosiah 16:8.

I know and testify this is true because the sting of my father's death was and is swallowed up in the resurrection of Christ.

Chrome 20 Has Landed On Chrome OS Dev: What Happen'?

I have a lot of mixed feelings, here. On the whole, I think I'm disappointed with how the OS has changed: I feel like a lot of precedence has been given to making the system feel like a traditional OS, rather than to ease of use . . . It's almost as though Google got freaked out it was too forward thinking and had to take a few steps back to a desktop-like feel.

Before, I could easily see what time it was, what my battery/network were like, and even if I had caps lock on. Now, if I want to see those things, I have to dedicate a solid chunk of my screen or flip my mouse down, anytime I want to see them (thank goodness for extensions like Cool Clock).

Why move the apps section to a spot only on the launcher? I liked before, how it was right on my new tab page, ready to go. I feel like I'm taking a step back, having to go all the way down to the tile icon, rather than typing ctrl+t.

Is the reworked OS a step forward or, ironically, a step backward?

What's with the hold and drag down to minimize a window?? Is that the revolutionary anti-desktop thinking in this version?

What happened to the keyboard shortcuts to re-size windows?

WHAT HAPPENED TO PANELS??!!? Panels were one of my favorite parts of Chrome OS. I gather that whole concept's been jettisoned. WHY OH WHY?

This is a smattering of my initial reactions. Maybe things will change or maybe I'll get used to the newfangled-ness.

At the end of the day, I feel like I'm using a glorified Linux without the native applications. What gives, Google?

Am I simply having a knee jerk reaction, or has anyone else had similar reactions?

New, Online General Conference Music Player

Cross-posted from my Google+ account

lds.org has added a simple, dynamic, and awesome General Conference music player at http://www.lds.org/general-conference/music?lang=eng

A user can listen to music from every General Conference session, dating back to October 2008, with more apparently on the way.

The player includes snappy features like click-to-play, group selection, randomization, and, perhaps my favorite, keyboard shortcuts (space bar for play/pause and arrow keys for skip).

Rejoice!

I'm also pleased to see there's easy access to downloads. On the other hand, I'm failing to see any bulk download options. If there are bulk download options already built-in, and I'm simply missing them, would someone please let me know?

Today's Spiritual Message: Happy Easter!

Cross-posted from my Google+ account:

On this Easter Sunday, I would like to share my brief witness of Christ's divinity and His centrality to our post-mortal life:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. 15:22

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 1 Cor. 15:19

And [Christ] suffereth [the pains of all] that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. 2 Nephi 9:22

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world. Doctrine & Covenants 11:28

I know these scriptures are true and that Jesus Christ is who He said He was: our Savior and Redeemer, the author of our salvation and the resurrection of all people.

Please join the discussion at mormon.org/easter and learn more about the resurrection at http://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/resurrection.p4?lang=eng&letter=r

Finally, organize files in Docs, while they're open

Cross-posted from my Google+ account:

Wahoo!

The moment we (i.e., I)'ve been waiting for.

Yesterday's Spiritual Message: What the Prophet Said

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormons), there are many prophets and apostles.  On the other hand, there is only one president, like Peter, who is authorized to exercise all authority delegated to man.  The name of this president is Thomas S. Monson, and he gave his principal address ("talk"), yesterday, morning.  I hope you enjoy it.

To watch or listen to any message given during the five sessions of General Conference over the weekend, please visit this link (text will be available Thursday).

Memo to MSM and other liberals: Harry Reid is (also) a Mormon(!)

Cross-posted from my Google+ account:

Occasionally, I see headlines like the one below (The Mormon factor won't go away for Romney), and, over the next few months, as the MSM rolls out a vigorous defense of its liberal-in-chief, I'm certain we'll see plenty of whispers and silent gasps that Mitt Romney is a Mormon (and he was even a Mormon Bishop before he became a politician!): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/mitt-romney-mormon-bishop_n_1386592.html

What's this man's religion?

On the other hand, how often do we hear that the, arguably, second-most-powerful man in the world, Harry Reid, is also a Mormon? Hmm.

Maybe the MSM and its liberal friends would bluster, "Well, Harry Reid's not really a Mormon!" Excuse me? In 2007, I physically sat in attendance when Senator Reid declared, "I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it" (italics mine). http://byudemocrats.org/?p=32

Wait, so why attack Mitt Romney for his odious beliefs and, let's face it, weird lifestyle, when Senator Reid says they're the very reason he's a Democrat?

As I shared this past December, 76% of Republicans said they were comfortable with having a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a Mormon) as President of the US. Democrats? Only 46% said the same:

https://plus.google.com/110524638589641892271/posts/iCdBL3RvZSW

WHY?

Dare I be so recklessly bold as to submit the survey results were likely contextual to Mitt Romney's presidential run and merely represent liberal opposition to a conservative president? Are Democrats simply ignorant of Senator Reid's declaration of faith or do they brush it under the rug, so long as he supports abortion and ballooning the size of government and the welfare state?

So, tell me, my liberal friends and MSM, when are we going to start gasping and whispering that, horror of horrors, SENATOR MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID IS A MORMON!?

Today's Spiritual Message: Mormonism 101 from a modern Apostle of Jesus Christ

A brief introduction to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from one of its modern-day apostles, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.



Please see http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/harvard-hosts-mormon-apostle for more.

Cross-posted on my Goolge+ account:  https://plus.google.com/110524638589641892271/posts/3oheH5GsciR

Today's Spiritual Message: Come Listen to Living Prophets

In the book of John, Philip informs his friend Nathanael he's found the Messiah.  Nathanael responds, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see"  John 1:45-46.

In our times, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaim the Savior has established His Church on the earth, again, with prophets at its head.  Some might respond similarly to Nathanael, "Prophets in our day?"  Like Philip of old, we invite you, "Come and see."

Is there a "line-item" +1?

Cross-posted from my Google+ account:

A number of US presidents have requested "line-item" veto powers, enabling them to approve most of bill, while rejecting any specific portions they dislike.

In judicial opinions involving multiple judges, they have the option to agree completely, disagree completely, agree in part, agree with the reasoning yet reach a different conclusion, agree with the conclusion for a different reason, and more.

What about the ability to +1 a specific word, sentence, paragraph, etc. only?

I guess the ! mark is what would happen if I tried to +1 only a specific portion of something . . .

I often would like to +1 certain parts of a post, web page, and so forth, yet would prefer to avoid giving a +1 for all of it.

How many non-legal people out there (I'm in law school) would like to see this same functionality, or does everyone recommend I keep my legal ramblings to myself? (See! Maybe you'd like to +1 only the last clause of the preceding sentence and reject the rest!!)

P.S. I guess the +1 image from above is now actually this: