Meteor Lights Up the Sky in Utah

Just after midnight, I walked downstairs in my house and turned the heat up a notch. On my way back up the stairs there was a flash of blue light that lit up the sky. I couldn't imagine what happened to cause such a big flash. My two sons came running into my bedroom to see if my husband or I had seen the flash. I noticed the flash was blue and my son, Trevor, saw a yellow flash that followed the blue one. We looked outside a couple minutes later, but we couldn't see anything. Later today, we discovered that what we witnessed was the meteor that hit Utah(some people believe it was in southern Utah). I read the news story about this event in the Salt Lake Tribune. It was reported that someone has heard that this event was witnessed in California, Nevada, Idaho and Colorado, in addition to Utah.
I have always been fascinated with the sky. I remember constantly watching the sky as a young girl. It is amazing how something as constant as clouds can be ever-changing. I know of nothing more specacular than the sky. A couple of years ago, I took an Astronomy class in college. Unfortunately, it was during the summer months (accelerated for college) and online, so I missed out on the full experience of the class. However, I still loved learning about the planets, stars, suns, meteors (meteroids, meteorites), etc. Soon after reading a chapter in my Astronomy book about galaxies, I had the most amazing dream about a galaxy. I believe I will always be fascinated with the wonders of the universe.
Last night's (or rather, this morning's) meteor event was another amazing part of science that intrigues me so much. It was awesome to read about the meteor event and to see the picture that was taken of the aftermath. When I showed the picture to my son, Trevor, he told me how he took a picture of a similar scene this morning. He showed me the pictures he took, and sure enough, it is of the same scene. To view the article, visit http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13814412.

UVU Celebrates Cultural Diversity

Orem--Utah Valley University kicked off its Global Engagement Week with the International Community Festival in the Student Center Ballroom Monday.
The festival brought together a diverse crowd of students and members of the community from all around the world. Children and adults alike had the opportunity to learn about a variety of cultures by visiting booths filled with authentic crafts, country information, games and ethnic finger foods.
Remembering Our Culture (ROC) entertained attendees of the festival throughout the night with song and dance performed by international students from local universities. Group members represented countries from all over the world: South America, Philippines, Korea, Japan, China, Mexico, Native America, the Polynesian Islands, the Mediterranean Sea and many other beautiful places.
The International Community Festival was one of the many events scheduled to take place during Global Engagement Week (GEW). UVU is promoting cultural awareness by encouraging students and the community at large to participate in this week's events.
"The International Committee chose 'Together We Can' as the theme because when international students come to UVU they frequently feel that they are not part of the community," said Dr. Blair Van Dyke, Coordinator of International Affairs at the Orem Institute of Religion and member of the University International Committee. "This festival is intended to bring international students and members of the community together. As students have the opportunity to get more involved in the Utah Valley community, they feel more comfortable here and we get to know more about them and the rich and diverse cultures from which they have come."
GEW offers students and the community the opportunity to participate in several activities during the week, including the International Food Extravaganza, Japanese Cultural Night, Native American Pow-wow, an International Ping Pong Tournament and other activities. GEW encourages UVU students to become more productive citizens in the global society.
"If you want to be a globally competent graduate, you need to take every opportunity to learn about other cultures," said Maryna Storrs, program coordinator for the Office of International Affairs and Diplomacy. "The reality is that when you graduate, you're going to be in the market place where global skills and knowledge will put you up front."

My Response to "News War"

We watched a section of the film News Wars in my Reporting for the Mass Media class today. The film told the true story of Josh Wolf, a news reporter who was arrested and sent to prison for refusing to release part of the footage from some film he recorded of anarchist action against the G8. FBI agents told him that someone tried to start a police car on fire during this event and they needed the footage of the film he recorded because they thought it would help them find out who did it. He released part of the film, but when he refused to release the rest of it he went to prison. Josh served 226 days in prison--the longest time in history served for defying a court order to release information.
To be honest, I have mixed feelings about whether the FBI (or other government agency) should be able to ask a journalist to hand over information to help in an investigation. I believe in the freedom of speech to the fullest extent. Thomas Jefferson said, "The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when premitted freely to be expressed." I certainly believe in the freedom of speech. It was so important that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees our right to the freedom of speech. The reason I would consider siding with the FBI would be in the case of protecting Americans from acts of terrorism. Because it is illegal for anyone to withold information in an investigation, journalists should not be treated any different than anyone else. Current policy from the U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney's Manual states: "In all cases, members of the Department must balance the public's interest in the free dissemination of ideas and information with the public's interest in effective law enforcement and the fair administration of justice." Therefore, I believe that the situation should determine the action taken.

A Band of Miracles

About a month ago, I received a phone call from a dear friend of mine, Lisa, who told me about her husband, Chad, witnessing a tragic event. I found out that Chad was a bus driver for the American Fork band. They were coming home from a competition (that they won) in Idaho. On their way home the bus driver in the bus directly in front of Chad's bus (a lady who he knew well) passed out and the bus wrecked. Lisa told me what she knew had happened up to that point, which included the fact that one woman was killed in the accident. At that time we thought she was the mom of one of the kids, but later found out that she was one of the band leaders. This heroic woman noticed that the bus driver was unconsious and jumped up to grab the wheel to avoid an accident. Although they still crashed, the fact that she grabbed the wheel saved many lives that day. Tragically, she died in the process. The accident left some of the AF band students pinned under the bus, but the medical teams were able to rescue them without any more deaths. Needless to say, this was a tragic time for the American Fork band members and their families. Thanks to the teacher who gave her life to save others, many people witnessed a miracle that night.
I have been following some of the follow-up stories about the American Fork band. And, to my amazement, they are continuing with outstanding performances. I think this is a wonderful tribute to their teacher who died. I saw another article about the AF band and noticed that they have earned a trip to Indianapolis for the Grande Nationals. In my opinion, the miracle lies in the fact that in only two days they raised a quarter of a million dollars to send the band on this trip. For people to be able to donate that amount of money in this economy is amazing. I am so happy for them! I have a strong feeling that they have angels watching over them. Good Luck American Fork Band! To read this article, visit http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/american-fork/article_a27ab011-5522-5ba6-be92-f9ae726c88f4.html

My Mock Obituary (A Difficult One to Write)

Ann Petersen, age 41, passed away November 10, 2009, at her home in Lehi after choking on her gum during a bubble gum blowing contest with her family. Her family resides at 4042 Bounty Cove Lehi, Utah. Ann died doing what she enjoyed most--having fun with her family. She is now enjoying the family reunion in heaven with her two sons, mother and two sisters who preceded her in death.

Ann's life was about being a wife and mother to her beloved family. Her marriage to David L. Petersen of Springville was the most important decision she made. Dave and Ann were united for time and eternity on March 6, 1987 in the South Jordan LDS Temple. Together they had two sons, Christopher and Trevor. They were later blessed with a daughter, Mikayla, who Heavenly Father sent them through the gift of adoption. She was sealed to their family on April 30, 2002.

Ann had a competetive nature and enjoyed participating in games with family and friends. She enjoyed learning new things and sharing her knowledge with others. She was known as "the cake lady" to neighbor children, as she often baked and decorated birthday and wedding cakes for friends, family and neighbors. Ann enjoyed decorating cakes and coming up with creative themes for the cakes she made.

Ann was a student at Utah Valley University, where she studied public relations in the Communications department. She was passionate about writing articles about other people's life accomplishments. When she was an intern for United Way of Utah County, she discovered just how much she enjoyed writing articles about ordinary people who do extraordinary things for other people. Ann believed that anyone could be a hero--a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, friend or neighbor.

Ann served in many callings as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She enjoyed teaching in her many Primary, Young Women and Relief Society callings. She loved serving the members of the Church, especially the children.

Ann is survived by her husband David; her children Christopher, Trevor and Mikayla; her dog Pogo; her dad Clair Brown; three brothers, Lynn Brown (Nancy), Donald Brown (Joy) and Paul Brown (Lesley); and two sisters, Carol Messerly (Tony) and Debra Parker (Stewart).

A celebration of Ann's life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 13, 2009 at the Pilgrim's Landing 3rd Ward Chapel 3610 West Newland Loop, Lehi. Friends and family are welcome to the viewing services Thursday, November 12, 2009 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Wing Mortuary 118 East Main, Lehi and again at the Pilgrim's Landing Chapel prior to the funeral services from 8:00 -9:30 a.m. Friday.

Rather than purchasing flowers, the family has requested donations go to the Primary Children's Medical Center. Donations will be accepted at the funeral home.

It's That Time of Year to Help the Food Bank

I had the opportunity to write an article last week for the UVU Review. The article is about the Utah Valley Parking & Transportation Services teaming up with the Utah Food Bank to get donations for this very busy Christmas season. I enjoyed writing this article because it gave me the chance to interview Tena Medina from the UVU Parking & Transportation Services and find out what they are doing to get the donations--it gave me an inside perspective. Every year they give UVU students an opportunity to donate cans of food to reduce the late fees from parking citations. Last year they received 2500 pounds of food for the Food Bank. I am excited that the article was published and I look forward to writing more articles. Read the article at http://www.uvureview.com/2009/11/09/help-the-food-bank-help-yourself/.

Making a "Beary" Big Difference to a Child

It is a tramatic thing when anyone is involved in some type of disaster, but it is especially sad when a child (or children) have to deal with such a difficult thing. I was reading through some articles in the Daily Herald and found a story about the Alpine Educational Support Professionals (AESP) in Lindon who are collecting Teddy Bears to comfort children involved in disasters. The act was inspired by the president of AESP, Kimberly James, whose husband had been suffering from some health issues and a police officer went to the trunk of his car and got a couple of Teddy Bears for her children. This act of kindness helped Kimberly realize how important it is to have something to comfort a child during a tramatic experience.
I am always inspired by stories where someone makes a difference in the lives of others--especially children who may be suffering. When disasters happen, adults are usually so busy trying to take care of the problem that the children's worries are left unattended. It is amazing to me that the police officer in the above scenerio took the time to think about the children and the fact that they needed to be comforted through a difficult time. It made such an impression on the children's mother that she was able to take that experience and turn it into a project that would make a difference in the lives of other children. Another thing that makes this story so great is the fact that so many people are taking action and donating Teddy Bears or other stuffed animals to help comfort children in their community. This story has inspired me to want to reach out and make a difference for children in some similar way. I hope to be able to report what I am going to do about bringing this thought to action in the near future (so look for my posting on the subject). To become inspired (or just to satisfy your curiosity), view this article at: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/lindon/article_e40a86bc-8ff6-50c8-8db1-9b7575144b33.html

One Nation Under God

America was founded on the principal that we are one nation under God. This saying is part of our pledge of allegance, as well as a firm belief that many people hold dear to their hearts. I have noticed in the past few years that there is a movement to try to get people in our country away from including God in our lives. Prayer was taken out of our schools and certain people have been trying to get the words "In God We Trust" taken off our currency.
I realize that there are many people who worship God differently than I do. I also realize that there are people who do not believe in God at all. All people should be given the opportunity to worship (or not) as they desire. One of the primary reasons the for establishing the United States of America was to move away from the religious restraints in England. Our ancestors moved to America to have the right to practice religion however they wished.
I recently found an article in the national news section of the Salt Lake Tribune that told of a young man who was fired from his job because he refused to remove a button he wore that said, "One Nation Under God." Although I have seen much of this type of thing going on for the last several years (and, sadly, I am no longer shocked), I can't help but wonder what has brought our country to such a place where one can no longer wear a button that states that we are, indeed, one nation under God. To view the article about the man who was fired from his job, follow this link: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13660703

Local Elementary School Recieves Generous Donation!

I read a lot of news articles online and, of course, the news is filled with sad stories of crime, accidents and death. The news is actually quite depressing most of the time. I can only take so much of the sad, depressing and illegal stories in our community. I know there are people in our very own community that do good deeds for other people. For this reason, I like to look for stories that tell about how people reach out and make a positive difference for those who could really use the help. I came across a story about how the people who run the Farmer's Market in Provo decided to take their earnings and use it to help children in their area get the school supplies they needed. What impressed me the most was the amount the Farmer's Market donated--$7,665. This had to have been a sacrifice for those who donated the money, especially in today's economic situation. This shows me that no matter what economic state we are in, there are still people who continue to give to those who are in need.
My best friend is an elementary school teacher. I know for a fact that she has had to use her personal money to purchase some of the school supplies for her classroom. It is amazing to me that a country as wealthy as ours is in need of so many educational tools. It makes me sad to see people in third world countries struggle in this area (as well as many other areas), but I find it absolutely unbelievable that children in our country are also going without much-needed school supplies. I hope I am not misunderstood--I realize that our country is a lot better off financially than third world countries, but how can we be struggling so much with tools to educate our children to the point of the teachers having to purchase some of their supplies or having other people donate them? I am grateful that there are people like the wonderful people at the Farmer's Market who are willing to reach out to children that need school supplies and help them have the tools they need to learn. To read the article about this post, visit http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_147afaf8-92d6-5609-87be-017fc2a9afa9.html

Harry Potter and the Wizarding World Comes to Lehi

Lehi—John Hutchings Museum of Natural History, 55 North Center Street, will be transformed into a Wizard's Museum three Saturdays during the month of October.
Wizard enthusiasts can participate in a variety of activities for $1 per person on October 10, 17 and 24 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. as the artifacts and specimens become enchanted and the museum is changed into many a famous place from the world of wizards.
“We chose the Harry Potter theme because it creates a positive family-friendly atmosphere,” said Valerie Meade, program director at the Hutchings Museum. “Children of all ages love Harry Potter and it is funny how many adults are into it.”
Each Saturday offers a variety of activities for children and adults alike, including the Amazing Wizarding Magic Show by Magical Johnson, the Advanced Potions teacher demonstration, a chance to buy candy from Honeyduke's Candy Store, a fortune-telling session with the famous Professor Trelawny and more. The magic shows are performed at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The potions demonstrations will begin at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Carl Timmerman will share his campfire tales as he takes his listeners back in time and tells some of Utah's most fascinating ghost stories Saturday, October 17. There will be a costume contest Saturday, October 24th. Come dressed as a favorite Harry Potter character. Fun prizes will be awarded for creativity.
The Hutchings Museum is known for its year-around school field trips that provide teachers the option to choose from one of the field trip packages for their students. Children can learn about Native American Studies, Fossils, the Wild West, Rocks and Minerals, Pioneers, Birds, Eggs and Animals.
“Student groups come in quite often,” said Susan Shoell, employee of the Hutchings Museum. “I learn so much from the students. It's fun to teach them and gather their knowledge.”
The museum will host a number of events this year, including the Lehi Family Week November 24 to the 28 and Christmas in Lehi beginning November 28. For more information about special events or the museum, visit http://www.hutchingsmuseum.org/, or call Valerie Meade at 801-768-7180.

Supporting Our Country

I read an article in the Daily Herald today about the Ronald Reagan Academy in Springville. On Wednesday night students gathered together to listen to state Senator, Mark Madsen, U.S. Senate candidates Tim Bridgewater and Attoryney General Mark Shurtleff, as well as Governor Gary Herbert. I think it is great to have public forums that allow our children to learn about politics and gain leadership skills. Regardless of one's political affiliation, I believe our future leaders need to really understand how the country is run. If our chidren grow up without a good understanding of the history of our country, as well as its current situation, how will they ever know how to be strong leaders? I get excited to read about events, such as this one, that tell about how the students feel about being future leaders. In this article, one boy was quoted who has a desire to become Mayor one day. A girl was quoted who, although she wants to just lead a normal life, said she would be sure to always vote. I think it is important to teach our children to vote so that we can always stay a democratic society. My favorite quote from the article was a girl who said, "Part of taking responsibility is supporting the candidates we believe in. The country is only as good as the people that lead it and we are the people that lead." I couldn't have said it better myself. To read this article, visit http://heraldextra.com/news/local/south/springville/article_1cf25a9d-d23c-5d46-9ec2-f539ac5f6e40.html

Making a Difference

One of my greatest passions is reading (and writing) about people making a positive difference in the lives of other people. I came across a great article published in the Daily Herald this week about a man who lives in Alpine, Utah. This man had the opportunity to visit an orphanage in Indonesia. This experience had such an impact on his life that he decided he needed to take action and help the children in Asia and South America with much needed school supplies and scholarships.
I am impressed with the fact that this man saw a need and acted on it because he not only had the means to do so, but also the desire to make it happen. He wanted to share the gift of knowledge and found a way to make it happen. I believe that it doesn't matter if we are rich or poor, we can find ways to reach out to other people in the community and make a positive impact in their lives.
I know that I personally have a lot of work to do toward reaching my goal of making a positive difference in the lives of other people. I am inspired to do better in this area as I read articles of people who take action to help others in need. To read this article, visit http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/alpine/article_b07b5827-3993-5b65-8cf7-e7ed1bb18a62.html.

How sad is this????

I came across an article on Fox News that told about a couple who had in Vitro fertilization done in order to get pregnant. This couple was fortunate to have had the procedure work. This mother and father have bonded with this baby-- felt him move, hiccup, kick, etc. Apparently this couple who went to such lengths to conceive this baby was told that the infertility clinic implanted the wrong embryo inside of her. How devastating is that! This lady is about to give birth by c-section in about two weeks. Can you even imagine going through the entire pregnancy and bonding with this baby just to have to give it up? What makes a parent a real parent anyway? Is it just sharing the same genetics? I don't think so.
I can empathize with this couple because my husband and I also had a difficult time getting pregnant. We have been blessed to have two children biologically. We have also been blessed to have a child through adoption. She is no less our child just because we didn't give birth to her. Her birth parents are not the ones who have gone through life with her-- taking care of her. Just because they share the same genes, doesn't make them her parents.
I can also empathize with the couple who are asking for this child because it was their embryo that was implanted into this woman. It would be difficult to know that your child (genetically) was with someone else. However, this baby has already bonded with the parents who are giving birth to him in a couple of weeks. In my opinion, this couple should have the in Vitro procedure and try to have a baby together that has not already bonded to another set of parents. Check out the article at http://www.foxnews.com/. Look under the Health section. The title is Mom Implanted With Wrong Embryo to Give Up Baby.

ACORN in the news--again!

After many scandals associated with ACORN, which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the House voted to discontinue their federal funding. In my opinion, this is a good thing. Although it has been difficult for me to follow news as much as I should, I have been listening to Glenn Beck on my way home from college. He has been discussing ACORN's most recent scandal about a couple who were posing as a prostitute and her pimp that are advised from ACORN employees to lie about their profession and her money laundering. I heard the audio on Glenn's program. After listening to his program about the scandal, I was pleasantly surprised to see the headline House votes to strip ACORN of all federal funding. Apparently, the Senate has already voted to deny housing and community grant funding from ACORN.
It seems like there have been so many scandals in the news over the past few years that are allowed to continue without consequences to their actions. Although ACORN is known for its left-leaning views, it really doesn't matter to me what political affiliation an organization is associated with. Any time there is corruption involved, every organization (or individual) should be held accountable.
To view the article from the Salt Lake Tribune, visit http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13359311.

Keeping our children safe

What could possibly be more important than keeping our children safe? I can't think of anything more precious than our children. As we are busy raising our children, we often find ourseves needing some advice. With the internet at our fingertips, it is easy to find advice. However, we all need to be careful from whom we take advice. I came across an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about a web-site created by the collaborative efforts of the Utah's Department of Health, Safe Kids Utah and other partners. I checked out the web-site at http://www.safekidsutah.org/ to see what it was all about. I am very impressed with the articles on this web-site. There are articles about a variety of topics: travel tips, amusement ride safety, trampolines, ATVs-- to name a few. There are classes offered to parents, as well as events that the whole family can attend. As I looked further into the web-site, I also noticed a newsletter that gives safety advice on a variety of subjects. There really is something for everyone.
Whether you are a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or friend, there will certainly be a time when you are going to be responsible to help keep a child safe. Check out the article at http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13291780.

Helping others in the community

I am so inspired to be a better person when I read stories in the news about people who come together in the community and help a family or an individual who is in need of a helping hand. Since most of us have needed (or will need) some help to overcome difficult times in our lives, it is great to know that we can count on family, friends or community members to give us a helping hand when we need it the most. I came across an article in today's paper (Thursday, September 3, 2009) about a recently divorced woman who has three children to raise. In addition to her children, she also has her mother, who has a disability, living with her. She received a flier from her son's preschool that told about the Habitat for Humanity project to build a new home for someone in need. Although she knew it was a long shot, she signed up for the project and attended the meeting for prospective recipients. She and her family were chosen to be the recipients of this wonderful project!
Utah Valley University has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to build the home for this family. The university's construction management team will oversee the project. One of the great things about this project is that it is a "win-win" situation for everyone working on the project. The recipient family are required to help build the home-- under the supervision of UVU Construction management team. It also gives the volunteers an opportunity to give service and to add the experience to their resumes.
You can follow the link to the news story at http://heraldextra.com/news/local/central/orem/article_b56446e9-579b-52b0-9ba6-fa88eeec2201.html