Important Day for Football

Today is a great day in history without which Saturdays would just be another boring day, without food, fun, thrilling excitement and upsets.  Today in 1873 the schools of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers drafted the first set of rules to American Football.  Yes these schools started it all with their adoption of rules.

Birth of the Definitions Man

Yesterday Oct 16 1758 Noah Webster was born in West Hartford, Connecticut. His father was Governor of CT. He attended Yale at the age of 16 and served in the Connecticut militia. Yes he later became the author of Websters dictionary. In America he created the blue speckled book which was a grammar book for schools. At the time people spelled words how they wanted like colour or color. His dictionary unified the spellings and gave us the wonderfully fat resource that it is today!

He also wrote for textbooks, newspapers, loaned money to them and wrote essays for the Federalist political party. He even wrote out and through his cousin (a senator) got the first laws for copyrights set up.

Besides that I wanted to share with you a bit of an essay he wrote

"But every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country; he should lisp the praise of liberty, and of those illustrious heroes and statesmen who have wrought a revolution in her favor.

A selection of essays, respecting the settlement and geography of America; the history of the late revolution and of the most remarkable characters and events that distinguished it and a compendium of the principles of the federal and provincial governments, should be the principle school book in the United States. These are interesting objects to every man; they call home the minds of youth and fix them upon the interests of their own country and they assist in forming attachments to it, as well as in enlarging the understanding."

The man who was obviously dedicated to education and study, be he was also politically active and a patriot in his own right. While I would think that there maybe study material that is so important in life, he still wrote that the study of the country, history, heroes and its government was of the most importance.

Considering the state of the country now where we listen to someone who stands at a microphone and utters words that we can relate to and throws in the words change and hope as much as possible falls on uneducated ears. We are not studying of these things and most are ignorant of the bills and acts that have been and are being past and debated! Government by the people and for the people. Considering these words, if we are not educating ourselves with these most important things can we then govern ourselves or others adequately?

Today in History

Many times I look up in a book or search online for things that happened in history. Im sort of a history buff so here it is.

Today in 1779 Samuel Huntington is elected head of the Continental Congress. He was from Connecticut and was in the Connecticut Assembly (back then the equavilant of the state congress), a governor there and in the supreme court for that state. He signed the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence. He was the first to be what was called the President of the United States in Congress. A position at the time was considered to be the president. A farm boy who self taught himself by borrowing books from church, libraries and local lawyers. In his position of head of continental congress he handled, supported and urged for funding of the revolutionary war.

Today in 1781 American forces with the help of french forces and navel fleet started its siege of Yorktown where Gen. Cornwallis was with his force. The story goes that 5500 men landed in Rhode Island with Gen. Washington. The plan was to recapture New York City held by the British. The french Gen. Rochambeau spoke with Gen. Washington and got him to agree that the attempt was futile and that an attack at the less fortified Yorktown in conjunction of the fleet would prove successful. On September 28th, 1781 they started the attack with bombardment by the fleet and then attacks by the French and Americans. Obviously this lead to the surrender of the British there. Cornwallis who said he was sick gave it up to his second in command to surrender. The French fleet blocked the bay so they couldnt get out and the Treaty of Paris was signed and this was the last big battle of the war!

Today in 1787 Congress through a vote approved the constitution and it was sent to the state legislatures to approve! Im so glad for the constitution that we have today. Though people may interpret it different it has given us the freedoms and laws we enjoy today!

Remembering the Attacks

Today is the terrible day in history where so many people brave in the last minutes of their lives and in their everyday lives lost them in the attacks! I remember being on my mission the day it happened and watched the second tower fall in disbelieve that something like this was happening. I couldnt believe it.

I remember knocking on doors to help talk to people in the hopse to lift their spirits. We knocked on the door of a man who told us he found out his wife was dead and he was on the line with the airline right then to try and find out for sure! The look on his face and the sound of his voice is something I will never forget!

This day will always be something for me to remember. I also remember how close everyone was. People treated each other different. People prayed more and business men and country hicks drove around in trucks with flags mounted in the back or all over their cars. Even the politicans seemed to side with each other and that is a rare day indead.

So here is to hoping that the survivors and their families and all the families of those who lost someone may find hope, peace and happiness. I have no trouble seeing pictures because I like to be reminded. But if you are one who will ber traumatized dont scroll down to these the photo.

Defining Moments

In life there are always defining moments were we succeed or we faulter, have fun or not and so on. Im not philosopher or self help guru or anything like that. But I had a difining moment around 9 am as i was getting out the door in Connecticut. Rode my bike to a friends house and watched as the first tower ablaze fell in ashes and smoke.

Since there I have not only been a sucker for September 11th stories, rememberance, but also it drove me to be more open minded and active in politics and in my faith as well.

Please watch this video! Know if you are having a hard time in your circumstance that there is relief and hope!

The Fourth, Our Independence Day

Long post mostly because of pictures, just a warning. We went to the only parade in the county in Morgan Hill. It was quite nice, though there were a lot of gaps. It wasnt too hot like we are used to back home. Here is a shot my wife took of us while the flag was coming around! You will see the flag later.
My georgeous wife and my cute kids (next 2 pictures). They had a good time. See the people in the backgroud, Baby J helped himself to their pretzels they had fun sitting with him. We also sat next to a few people from the ward that we knew under some shade though it started to get cold actually.

Here is all of us just waiting for the parade to start, it was a good time. Pretty low key and it wasnt to busy though we ended up at the end of the parade route on accident. They didnt throw any candy and it was rare we got flyers given out which was sort of odd for us since that is standard at parades back home.

Of course waving and clapping happen at the parade. Baby J prefers to wave and here he is waving mom's hand instead of his own! Found it quite funny so here is a picture of it!

Here is what Baby J calls "Pear Pain" or toddler talk for airplane. These were flying above us several times. Took a few shots but this is the best one I had. Quite nice though and Baby J kept talking about them all day long!

Of course it isnt the Fourth of July without a color guard somewhere! Here is one from veterans around the south bay area! Sure appreciate their hard work and sacrifices for us and those currently serving!

We did go to fireworks later in Morgan Hill, but yours truely remembered the camera but forgot the memory card so the camera wouldnt take any pictures. I have a few measly pictures on my cell phone but they arent much of value since they didnt turn out good.

I sure love the fourth! It is a great time for remembering the soldiers and founding fathers and people who made our country great. I particularly have an interest in the founding fathers and their wisdom in making the government. It may have not been exactly what they wanted to set up but it is a great government and nation! Their hard work, leadership and sacrifice has gotten us to where we are today. Sometimes I reflect on current issues and things that have been said. For example how we are not a Christian nation. I hope the point was that we are a free religious belief nation. But when you have Benjamin Franklin who at the Convention of Congress just a few short days before they approved our current constitution said they often have and should consult the help of the Father of Lights who illuminates all understanding. We are a christian nation. Point is we should remember the founding fathers and their meaning and desires more when laws are made and actions committed!

Abandoning the Cause

I as well as a few family members and friends enjoy a book called "The American Patriot's Almanac" by William J Bennett and John T.E. Cribb.

A few days ago there was an entry that just got me thinking a lot. April 29th was the day that the U.S. Forces withdrew from Vietnam and also war torn Cambodia. The leader of the Cambodian people that the U.S. forces support was named Prince Sirik Matak. He said to the U.S. Forces in a letter:

"Thank you very sincerely for your letter and your offer to transport me toward freedom. I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion. As for you, and in particular for your great country, I never believe for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty. You have refused us your protection, and we can do nothing about it. You leave, and my wish is that you and your country will find happiness under the sky. But, mark it well, that I shall die here on the spot and in my country that I love, it is no matter, because we are all born and must die. I have only committed this mistake of believing in you."

He was shot by the communists forces that came into take over the country and shot Prince Matak. He got not treatment or care and suffered 3 days before he died. Our great country started with the passions of those patriots who spoke similar statements. "Give me liberty or give me death".

Sometimes I feel that things like this are sold out for the easier way, or a more convenient path by people and politicians alike. Let us keep these kinds of believes and values in our hearts and make them apart of us! We will all be better for it.

"Gold, Gold, Gold from the American River"

On our tour of San Francisco we learned about a Mormon settler named Samuel Brennan. He started out as a printer for the New York Messenger in NYC. After the prophet Joseph Smith was murdered he and 240 others boarded the Brooklyn ship and sailed to what is now San Francisco. He took a printing press with him and so he started the first newspaper in California next to union square in what is now Chinatown. It was called the California Star.

What is interesting is Brennan travel to meet Brigham Young, President of the church at that time, and urged him to have members of the church come to California. Brigham Young decided to settle mainly in Utah, Idaho and Arizona with few settlements in Mexico and a few in south end of the central valley in California.

Brennan had some workers from Sutter's Mill come into his hardware store in San Francisco and buy some supplies with gold. It is said that he went to the mill and gathered the tithes of the LDS workers gold they found in their spare time. With that gold he bought up every shovel he could find and then ran through the streets shouting "Gold, Gold, Gold from the American River". He kept buying gold supplies including pans for 15 cents each. He resold them in his stores in San Fran for $20 each. He sold his store in Sacramento one month after it opened for $150,000. He started buying up land in San Francisco.

Brigham Young sent messengers out to San Fran to meet with Brannan probably asking for his tithing. According to legend he said "You go back and tell Brigham Young that I'll give up the Lord's money when he sends me a receipt signed by the Lord". Sure he was a successful business man buying land in Hawaii and all over California. He started his own travel business in what is now Calistoga where he bought land and planned a resort. A railroad company and ferry service were offered there and to places on the east bay like Vallejo.

Here comes the life lesson. He and his wife got divorced and according to law half of all his money was to be paid in cash. Most of it was in real estate so he had to sell things off, declared bankruptcy on his railroad/ferry company and sold it. He and his wife parted ways. He moved to San Diego and started drinking. Apparently remarried there and got into some sketchy land dealings with the Mexican government in Sonora and got into a lot of debt. He finally worked and paid it all off and soon died without money for a funeral but he was debt free.

The tour guide said it best when you turn your back on how you were raise and your faith and values nothing good can come from that. I think that is true. There you go with some more history.

Hero and Example

In reading about American history I have found inspiriation and examples in men who served the cause of freedom during the Revolutionary War.
One of the great examples is Henry Knox. When he was 12 he lost his father and worked as a clerk in a bookstore to support his mother. He eventually opened his own bookstore in Boston which was looted by the British and used to house British soldiers and commanders. This is also where he met his wife Lucy Flucker. Sadly her parents were Loyalists and when the Americans surrounded Boston on all three sides her parents chose to flee. Henry Knox and Lucy Flucker Knox chose to separate due to Henry siding with the Americans and her loyalty to Britian and her family. Lucy did not however go back to England as her family did. She never saw her parents again and remained homeless the entire 8 years of the war as Henry served in the war. They did remain loyal to each other and kept in correspondence.
He served under Aretums Ward in Bunker Hill and then introduced himself to General Washington who was impressed. He was named Colonel of Artillery and suggested to Washington that they obtain the artillery they captured at the battle of Fort Ticonderoga. He was sent to go get it. By ox-drawn sled through snow, sleet and heavy mud pits back to Boston aprrox. 300 miles in 56 days. There were a total of 59 cannons are mortars that the ox-drawn sleds bear the whole way. These were the cannons used on Dorchester Heights that were used to scare the British out of the city.
After the many retreats in New York he was with the Army when they crossed the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to Trenton, New Jersey over Christams night through very strong winds and heavy snow and fog. The battle there was successful and he returned his troops back safetly as well.
He was also present in the battle of Princeton and others. During the winter of 1777 while the army was bunkered down for the winter he went back to Springfield, Mass. and improved the artillery there and established the Springfield Armoury which was of use throughout the war.
Washington spoke very fondly of Knox and relied a lot on his expertise and judgement sometimes.
He later served as the First Secretary of War for the United States of America under the Articles of Confederation and continued in Washington's first Presidency. In his position he was in charge of Native American relations. He was actively and publicly opposed to the position of the American Government which was more or less play nice but take as much land as possible. He wanted better treatment and tolerance for the Native Americans. He said it was against the whole belief system that started the American Revolution and warned that it would cause costly wars with the nations. He wanted the government to see them as forgien nations and set up enclaves and work with them as such. Obviously this didnt happen. But it shows that he kept his Revlotionary spirit throughout his life and political career.
For me he was a great man who knew the cause was right and even when he had to separate from his wife for the war and politically so to speak he still chose to serve the country that I now life in and vote in.

Connecticut - History

As all of you know CT is a liberal state with a lot of liberal thinking. This seems to have always been the case. The state was founded by the Dutch settlers who left Mass. Bay (Boston area) and settled the "Connecticut Colonies" "New Haven Colonies" and "Saybrook Colonies".
Members of the Connecticut and New Haven colonies (the main population of the state still today) came up with the Foundamental Orders. Bascially it was the first document of its kind in the Colonies. It is compaired to the Constitution and in particular the Bill of Rights. In it are outlined rights of an individual to government structure. It was taken by the governor to England and approved by king Charles II.
In 1662 it was replaced by the Royal Charter which basically was the same thing. This one wasnt approved by the successor king James II. In discussions between the govenor he appointed (Sir Edmund Andros) and the colonial delegate the lights were put out and the document was thrown out the window and hidden in a crevis in a tree which is now called the Charter Oak, named after the charter that it hid.
The story now told is that Gov. Andros demanded the charter. A duplicate was made in advance to his arrival from England and was used in negotiations with the appointed govenor later. The Historical Society in Hartford claims that they have the original charter on display today in Hartford.

Battle of New York

After the "Boston Seige" as I like to call it some of the troops disbanded and went home. G. Washington was asked my the Continental Congress to defend New York which was the next battle ground for the British.
G. Washington and some of the other leaders thought it was silly trying to even defend the city for several reasons, two being it is a hard place to defend since there is lots of water and serveral islands. This meaning you have to divide your forces and you are wide open for naval attacks.
On to New York they went. The Americans came into the city with a mixed feelings from the citizens, which is the second reason for not defending NY. Most of the city were Loyalists, especially those on Long Island which later became the first battle point.
May people dont realize the conditions of the American soldiers during this battle. First the soldiers were barely 18 or just over. Some of the leaders were older but the main force were in their late teens and early twenties. Most of the original main army in NY came from Connecituct (yay for CT). There were groups of men from MA, PA, MD, NJ there.
The men came into the town and I'm sad to say actually acted like their ages. These farm boys away from home probably for the first time were now in a big city full of booze and women. Naturally you can tell what this lead to. Many rapes and disorderly drunken conducts took place which G. Washington took very seriously and started court martials.
Once they were diciplined and became more orderly these crimes were few. Washington and the other leaders orgainzed them as best they could. They were going into a war with young boys who were farmers and only had experience shooting game and birds. They didnt even have their own uniforms, save a few divisions of men. During the fighting on Long Island and just outside Brooklyn they were ordered by Washington to put a small branch of evergreen on their hats to aid with some type of uniform identy. To give you an idea of how bad this was is a story of 5 scouts sent to stand watch in the Jamacia canyon. They were their waiting when they say a small group of soldiers come. Well natually they fell in with the group thinking they were Americans when they were acutally the lead group of the British army going through the back ungarded way at night to attack.
The British out numbered the Americans 2-1 in troop count. And not to mention that the American soliders were mostly sick with disentary, small pox and other diseases. It is bad because they had no place to go to the bathroom cept holes in the ground. All they did was throw a new layer of dirt over it each day, talk about easy way to get sick...Im getting sick just writing it.
Washington decided to divide his forces on the what is now Manhattan and Brooklyn and on Long Island. When the first attack came to Long Island the Americans held them off for 6 hours and within 6 miles. It was said that the fighting was fierce that soldiers were seen running around beside themselves apologizing and forgiving offenses and so shocked from the sight of dead and wounded. Shortly after that attack naval units and troops were to land on the main land and attack as well but the wind shifted as they were getting close and they couldnt sail forward from Staten Island up the East river in between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The blessing of the wind kept it a land battle.

Connecticut - New London

New London was my 3rd area. It was the 13th official city founded in CT. It was a port of entry port and for a long time was considered the best port on the Long Island Sound. In the 19th Century it a big port especially for whaling and that helped the town prosper.

As many people know there are a lot of lighthouses in the New England area. There are two within the mouth of the Sound and Thames River.

Electric Boat a huge contractor for subs and aquatic weapons defense is located just over the river in Groton. the Nautalisc (decommissioned sub) is dock permanently in Groton and is open for tours. New London is home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Connecticut College which is considered one of the best programs for a Liberal Arts degree. This is probably true since the whole state is liberal and it is the only degree offered at the college.

Phizer has a huge campus there that also houses part of their Research and Development. I knew someone who worked there as a researcher and they dont get paid as much as you would think, but I for one would still like their salary!

During the Revolutionary War the Continential Army had a Fort that protected to Entry to the Sound. Fort Trumbull is at the edge of the sound. Huge cannons and a big costal fortress building are featured. Benedict Arnold found out about the base and reported it's activities to England. He also ordered the city to be burned down. Funny part about it is they still have a house with a plaque saying Benedict Arnold lived here.

On the other end of the spectrum, Nathan Hale lived here. He and a group of men went to Boston to assist with the stand-off and "seige" of the Brit Soldiers there. G. Washington in a effort to boost low moral of the troops there let the men elect their own captains. Nathan Hale was elected. Soon after the Brits vacated Boston by trickery and blessings from God by the weather control, most of the CT men went back home. Hale elected to stay and went to New York with the army. During the fighting in NYC he helped resuce a supply ship for the army. After the Brits took New York he volunteer to work as a spy and reported back on the Brits troops to G. Washington. He was caught by the Brits. Before he was hanged he gave a stirring speak to the men which boosted moral. He quoted from the play Cato and said

"How beautiful is death, when earn'd by virtue!

Who would not be that youth? What pity is it

That we can die but once to serve our country."

Great words from this partiot and honorable many who died for his country. I wish more people were like him today

*This blog author is against whaling of all kinds*

Connecticut - Tobacco

Many times I reflect back on Connecticut and my mission and I miss it. I served twice in one area, Windsor. It is just north of Hartford only a few miles and is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. Right across the Connecticut River is Enfield, East Windsor where I also served and South Windsor.

Believe it or not this is an area that has a lot of Tobacco Farms. I remember driving around and seeing sheets hung up across the fields. They hang cheese cloth like material around the tobacco to prevent any flying bugs or pest. It also helps to keep in some humidity and works a bit like a greenhouse.

You can see the tobacco grow and grow until somtimes it grows over and out of the nets. Once harvest time comes workers put it on a truck and hang it like its on a hanger. They take it to a tobacco barn where it hangs and dries in the heat and sun. This is a process called curing. I have included pictures of a barn in CT(middle left). You can see the bacco hanging in the barn. The barns have the sides open up to let in extra heat and air. It seems like every other plank of wood to build the outside bends outward while it dries and then you can close it after the bacco is done.










The tobacco in the south has a chemical added to the soil to take out the akaline in it, which makes it taste a bit different. In the north, like Windsor area, it is all natural. More tobacco in the Northern states comes from Connecticut than any other parts of the country.

Let it be known that the use of tobacco, except for sick cattle is condoned by this blog author! But the beauty of nature and farming is evident. Also it is more for the nostalgic appeal to author.

4th of July

I dont know if anyone knows the lyrics to some of the songs we sing about America but here are some links.
America the Beautiful
My Country Tis of Thee

There is music with these as well. So read the words and feel the meaning behind them and you will get a deeper sense of appreciation for the founding fathers, pilgrams and those who came to this country fought and died to protect our liberty!
We sang America the Beautiful in church today and I thought of the founding fathers and the condition of the country then and today and during September 11th. I was quite an experience for me I dont think I will forget!

You can also watching this video put out by students at BYU a few years ago. Okay it was more than a few years ago but it protrays the Continential Congress quite well and gives you a lot of history and ultimately a better idea of the struggle, urgency and meaning of our independence and Constitution!

A More Perfect Union