Is Moroni really this big?

Take a look at this picture of one of the Moroni statues with workers around it. Are these things really that big? I always thought it was life-size. That's crazy. In fact, I don't believe it. Maybe the statues are different sizes? Say, smaller on the smaller temples?

I don't know.

Laughing on the Internet

In this post, I will examine the methods that have been used to express laugher while chatting online.

LOL. The most common method of expressing laugher, the acronym 'LOL' (Laughing Out Loud), traces it's past to the beginning of internet chatting. Commonly users use LOL or lol even when not physically laughing out loud. It has evolved a feminine connotation, and is especially popular among teenage girls.

Haha. Haha is an approximation of the sound of laughter, and is probably the second most common method of expressing laughter on the internet. Unlike LOL, haha does not necessarily imply physical laughter, and does not carry a feminine connotation. Haha is commonly used simply to be polite, unless coupled with continuing -ha's, in which case the user is likely amused and, depending on the number of -ha's, may actually be laughing out loud.

ROFL. An acronym for "Rolling on the Floor Laughing", ROFL is generally used when the amusement requires physical laughter. In a way, ROFL has evolved past LOL on the amusement tier. It should be noted that ROFL is sometimes overused by overenthusiastic users.

Aha. Aha is another approximation of the sound of laughter, and usually implies an unenthusiastic tone (sometimes even sarcastic). If someone says aha, they are probably not really laughing. The exception to this is if the user types continuing -ha's, in which case they are probably actually amused, and, depending on the number of -ha's, may actually be laughing out loud.

Heh. Heh is yet another approximation of the sound of laughter, and like aha, usually carries an unenthusiastic connotation, but never a sarcastic one. Heh is used when a user finds something mildly amusing, but is not actually laughing.

LMAO. Another acronym, LMAO is possibly even higher than ROFL on the amusement tier, but the two are often used together. LMAO is generally only used if the user is physically laughing. LMAO has fallen out of common use, however, except among a certain subsect of internet users.

Lolz. Lolz is a perversion of LOL used by internet geeks. It is now commonly used mockingly towards internet geeks (but usually when really laughing); however, usually the mere knowledge of lolz designates one a geek and/or nerd.

ROFLMAO. An acronymic combination of ROFL and LMAO, ROFLMAO usually means the user is laughing out loud, and is often used in combination with LOL. Generally it is an overexaggeration.

Other less common examples include Lawl and Lulz, sarcastic versions of LOL and Lolz, as well as a host of others, such as lolicopter, lolocaust, loltles, etc.

Supposedly Controversial Questions

1) Would you do meth if it was legalized?
uhmmmm .....no.

2) Abortion: for or against?
Generally against.

3) Would our country fall with a woman president?
"Fall"? What does that mean? Like collapse? Be taken over? Zombies from a mutated cancer cure rampaging the streets of New York?

No, I dont think that a female president would mean the end of the country.

4) Do you believe in the death penalty?
positively.

5) Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already?

not really. I'm tired of all of this Ron Paul Libertarian crap.

6) Are you for or against premarital sex?
"For" or "against"? That's a weird way to phrase it. I suppose my answer would be "against". For me personally, anyway.

7) Do you believe in God?
Yes.

8) Do you think same sex marriage should be legalized?
No, but I'm becoming slacker on civil unions.

9) Do you think the immigration of Hispanics should be stopped?
Another stupidly phrased question. Illegal immigration should be stopped, but legal immigration should made easier and continued.

10) A 12-year-old girl has a baby.
Sucks for her. That's what happens when parents are idiots.

11) Should the alcohol age be lowered to 18?
I don't really care. I don't see what difference it would make, nobody I know has had trouble getting alcohol since we were in middle school.

12) Should the war in Iraq be called off?
Be "called off"? Whoever made this survey was an idiot. You don't just call wars off. But to get at what the questioner surely meant, no, surrendering to terrorists is a stupid and dangerous idea.

13) Assisted suicide is illegal.. do you agree?
Yeah. There's a whole episode of Law & Order: SVU about it.

14) Do you believe in spanking your children?
Spanking, slapping, beating.... No, i'm kidding. Yes, I'm cool with spanking.

15) Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars?
Heck yeah I would. I'd burn a live kitten for a million dollars. (No, I'm kidding again...well, I don't know....)

16) It's between you and a person who is being kept alive by life support machines, who lives?Hmm. If they have no chance of recovery, I'd pull their plug and live. But if they have a >50% chance of recovering, I'd let them have it.

17) Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers?
Afraid? Fear is the path to the dark side.

See, I'm not -that- nerdy...

So be careful what you say about me, because according to nerdtests.com, I am NOT that big of a nerd.

Layout

In case you're wondering, I'm well aware that the layout of this page is crappy, and the logo at the top is skewed (and stupid looking; I actually have a much cooler one done).

I would fix it, but what with my dial-up internet and all, I just don't have the patience. I'm actually considering just moving to WordPress.

But we will see.

So I was thinking....

Okay. So let's say that John McCain does choose Mitt Romney as his VP. I don't think anyone is noticing an unintended consequence this might spark.

All of the people on the far-right like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh like to use Obama's middle name. I guess calling him Barack Hussein Obama makes him sound more Muslim. Or maybe they think people will confuse him with Saddam and try to hang him.

Well what if the the lefties want revenge? Mitt Romney is the perfect target. They could easily start calling him Willard Mitt Romney all the time, and we all know the negative connotations that come along with a weird name like Willard. For one, it makes me think of a chicken's internal organs (I don't know...). What if it does that for everyone else?

I can just see it. Young, charismatic Obama with a name like a terrorist, and old Mitt with a name like a dead chicken.

McCain's VP search team should take a second look at the number-one guy on their list.

Just so we're clear.

States should be able to enact laws like Louisiana has where child rapists can be executed in extreme circumstances.

People should be able to carry concealed handguns whether they live in Washington, D.C. or in Montana.

How disappointing the Supreme Court is. Two wrong judgements on Gitmo and child rapists, and barely made it by with upholding the Second Amendment (5-4 is a little too close).

Oh, and according to Mike Allen over at Politico, Mitt Romney is at the top of McCain's veep list.

Do people think it's cute to end their sentences with a bunch of explanation marks and then ones??!!!!!111

I know you're not taking your finger off the shift key too early. Do you think in your head, "Oh my, I better leave some 1's on the end so people will think I'm in such a rush typing!!!!!11" Do you like people thinking your an idiot?

Stop doing it. It's intentional, and I don't like it.

Historic Nauvoo Not in Major Danger from Flooding

Yesterday I posted the Deseret News article about the protection efforts going on at Nauvoo and the surrounding area to protect the historic buildings from flooding. But according to at least one source, the historic buildings that were once home to early Latter-day Saints are not in significant danger.

The temple and modern town of Nauvoo are located up the bluff, well out of the way of any danger from flooding. In the 1993 flooding (which should be noted, however, that it was a foot lower than this year's projections), the only building in any remote danger was the Nauvoo House, and it was easily protected by sandbagging. Compared to other areas, Nauvoo is expected to have only minor flooding, mainly at Water Street on the river and the end of Parley Street (near the end of the picture of Joseph and Brigham).

Most of the protection efforts will be in the nearby town of Niota, which is in major danger of flooding damage.

The biggest problem right now in Nauvoo is that a major road connecting Nauvoo to the only open bridge across the river is currently flooded. This road is the only major access point in about a hundred miles. Nauvoo residents who need supplies, groceries, or who need to get to work are having to take long, circuitious routes to make it, if at all anymore.

Historic Nauvoo in Danger of Flooding

Here's a photo of sandbags holding back water at the Nauvoo House, and another of the statue of Joseph and Brigham surrounded by water.

From today's Deseret News:

A call for volunteers to fill sandbags to help protect historic Nauvoo, Ill., and surrounding areas went out last week. It was answered in force by members of The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints, including BYU Folk Dancers, young performing missionaries and young sister missionaries assigned to Nauvoo. Employees and missionaries working for NRI or Nauvoo Restoration Inc. — which handles LDS historic preservation and restoration projects in Nauvoo — and senior missionaries from the Illinois Nauvoo Mission also pitched in.

Together the groups worked to fill sandbags and protect the historic Nauvoo House — once home to Joseph Smith Jr. and now owned by the Community of Christ church — and Niota, a small neighboring community, said Sister Donna Whisenant, who is serving as a LDS public affairs missionary with her husband, Vern, in Nauvoo. They are from Provo.

Lachlan Mackay, historic sites director for the Community of Christ church, said Tuesday he woke up knowing that the historic Nauvoo Housewas going to be threatened by the rising Mississippi. Worse was the fact that he didn't have a plan of action to protect it.

Working with government agencies, the community and the LDS Church, Mackay said they were able to shore up the levee behind the NauvooHouse. The LDS Church responded to his request for help by hauling 150 cubic yards of sand to the historic structure, where members of BYU'sFolk Dancers filled the bags.

While there are still concerns that the levee will hold when the river crests today, the BYU students said they felt lucky to help. "It was cool to work alongside members of another faith with a common goal of serving and protecting our heritage," said Tina Campbell of Hurricane, Washington County.

Kelsie Wagstaff of Holladay echoed her sentiments: "I felt so lucky to be able to help the community prepare for the floods and protect the Community of Christ properties of Joseph Smith."

In the meantime, at the request of Mayor John McCarty of Nauvoo, the young performing missionaries, including the Nauvoo Brass Band that performs in the city during the summer, some senior missionaries, and NRI went to help in Niota.

"I've developed such a deep love for the people of Niota and the surrounding areas. They are hard working people with beautiful homes and farms. It has been a wonderful opportunity to show our love for them by helping to bag dirt and sand for the floods," said Sister Mandi Jensen, a missionary from St. Ignatius, Mont.

LDS missionaries from the Illinois Peoria Mission and the Missouri St. Louis Mission will join the efforts today, working in Quincy, Ill., and Keokuk, Iowa, and on the Hunts Levee, which is located between the two cities and protects Keokuk.

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700235658,00.html