Stuff I learned this week

I presented a paper at this conference on Thursday. Wow, there are a lot of smart people in the Triangle. We also had some super bright environmental economists from other areas come.

Roger von Hafen's presentation on BioFuels was particularly alarming. Do you realize that our mis-guided ethanol subsidies have raised the price of popcorn 40%! Talk about hitting us where it hurts! Oh, and it is causing the price of tortillas for poor Mexicans to skyrocket.

Holy Mole!

I made this today. It was fantastic.

The recipe is from Tyler Cowen (economist, ethnic food expert, and blogger. Check out his homepage.)

April and I modified the recipe slightly. We used poblano chilies and the pepitas I used never popped when I cooked them. I just cooked them to a darker color over medium high heat in a little oil. I used my cast iron pan for all the cooking.

Addendum: The sauce needs about 1 tsp salt.

leaves and elderberries

Hello!
We went on a ride yesterday, up Cub, through Hull Valley, down to Birch Creek. The road was the worst it's ever been, but we'd never seen the leaves so beautiful. We looked for elderberries along Birch Creek and found almost none. After going up and down Emigration for more than an hour, we found enough to bring home for what we thought was a batch of jam. Wrong - not quite enough. We have to go to Logan today, so I guess we'll go up Logan Canyon to get what we need. I think this jam will top the cost of doves in time and gas spent!
Mom

Ian's Antics

Today Ian says:

• I love my friend Jesus.
• What's my 'nother granma doin? (A little more prodding brought out that he was talking about daddy's mom.)
  

If you don't recognize the book in the picture, it is one of Ryan's TinTin collection.

Hibiscus

The Hibiscus that I got April for Mother's day has finally bloomed!

Ha Ha! We live in Paradise!

Wait. I'm thinking of Scott and Beatta...

New on my office door

The Best Insult I Heard Today

One of my neighbors who is economically blessed offered this phrase to describe the comments of some folks in elders quorum:

They have a Shapley Value of, like, zero.

I'm sure Ryan likes it, anyway.

Sun Valley fire

Hi -
Here's a couple of pictures of Fox Creek, my second most favorite place to hike. Chocolate Gulch, my favorite, was not burned at all. The grassy area surrounded by burn is a pond in the spring. There are still areas where you can see smoke, although the rain/snow on Tuesday and again this weekend should get it all out.

Also, Iconoclast Books in Ketchum is moving to a new "spacious" location up close by the LDS church. I think the store will lose all of its charm. The old creaky wooden floors, books piled everywhere - I'll miss it!

Another New Arrival

Hello to All:

Two days of living without a grill, however underpowered, motivated us to make the trip to Logan today. After much unsolicited advice from everyone I know regarding grills, I decided to trust the Lowe's guy. I asked about infrared burners. He said, "Well, if you want to be a connoissuer (using the term as if it were a dirty word)..."
I decided I didn't, so we picked one out. He then whispered, "If you want a display model, you can get 25% off."
"Display Model" means it has been sitting outside chained to other misbehaving grills all summer, getting coated with dirt and its owners' manual had been pretty soggy more than once. Perfect.
No one thought it would go into the Explorer assembled, but we just squeezed it in!

So, please welcome the Perfect Flame Norbert 2000 Meatblaster Grill to the family. Its maiden dinner will be, fittingly, Korean shortribs this evening.

Dad

Bathtime for Bonzo

Memorable Insults

For my birthday, a list of memorable insults I have received:

1. This sauce is "Olive Garden" good. (From dinner party guest)

2. That was actually not a bad lecture. (From student)

3. These specifications are parsimonious to a fault. (From anonymous review of one of my papers)

4. You are slicing the baloney a little thin. (Colleague's response to an idea for a paper.)

5. We don't bean .260 hitters. (Oh, wait, that was Varitek to A-Rod.)













Additional memorable insults always welcome...

Also for your entertainment, a picture of Jeff Foxworthy and Randy Johnson's love child:

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to our almost mid-thirties brother. I hope all your hopes and dreams come true and may your life expectancy be increased. For your birthday pleasure, I offer you these choices...
1) I will make cookie dough and you can chase me mercilessly through out the house while I try and save the dough from your grubby little paws.
2) You can pull your pants up to your arm pits and chase me through the house.
3) You can squat down on the lawn mower at Dad's house and chase me through the yard like a crazy man with a mission.
4) I will stand against a wall and you can throw rotten tomatoes at me.
AHHHH the joys of an older brother.
Happy Birthday!!!!
Alison

Fall on the Sofa

Has anyone seen any good movies lately? Any TV season premieres people are looking forward to?

For our part, we're excited about season four of The Office...haven't seen many good movies lately, although I did like Transformers quite a bit, despite it's extraordinarily cheesy dialog (almost as bad as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars). It would have been better if they had served cold cereal with milk during the show.

An Update on Ryan's Conditional Life Expectancy

According to the federal government, I have about about 44 years to live. My probability of dying this year is apparently 0.001468. Look up your own if you dare.

I have been reflecting on mortality for 2 reasons. First, I ain't getting any younger, and September always reminds me of that. Second, the first counselor in our Elders Quorum died, and I was called to replace him. I view it as a great opportunity to do work for the dead. (Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all week!)

FamilySearchIndexing.org

Hello!
I have just spent the last hour learning to do the new family history volunteer work that is available online. Did you read the article in the August Ensign? It was as easy as they say! I registered and started with my first batch of 50 names ALL BY MYSELF! That means that you can all do it! I read somewhere that you can choose the language and country to use (French, Spanish, German, Finnish), but I didn't see that. I'm doing 1900 census from Maryland. Try it! You can do it 10 minutes at a time if you want. Once you are registered, you can use any computer with internet.

Mom

Happy Birthday Alison!

Alison's Birthday Plans:


















Alison is rapidly approaching the big 3-O. Thank goodness Tobin is around to push the wheelchair and help with the complicated prescription medication paperwork.

Enjoy your special day Alison! As a present, check out a website I'm sure you'll love:

http://www.stuffonmycat.com/

The Passing of a Family Icon

It is my sad task to report the passing of a Bosworth Family icon. Alas, the Cheapie - Deluxe green Char-Broil grill which has graced our deck for so many years has, I'm afraid, scorched its last short rib. Not even the gentle touch of the Elder Wand and the word REPARO can help it this time.

Held in high regard by some of us (Beatta, for sure), disparaged by others (Ryan), it sat silently out there, in wind, snow, rain and sun, ready to perform its task. Through thick steaks and thin chicken breasts, through High School Dances and wedding receptions, it uncomplainingly fulfilled the measure of its manufacture.

Interment will be in an undisclosed part of the Franklin County Landfill. The owners ask that, in lieu of flowers, donations in the form of Lowe's gift cards be sent.

Spatulas and tongs at half-mast, please for a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Dad

Project

Now that we are both almost totally unemployed, I've decided to finish those projects that have been pushed aside for years (some of them for too long). The project of choice this week is to send out those photos I took of us at Easter in 2006. They are now obviously outrageously outdated, but hey, they are better than what we had before -- which is nothing.

So be on the look-out for some mail with a picture cd.

On a more cute note, Henkka can now recognize his cousin Hallie from the picture we have posted on our fridge -- and can say her name as well! Now we'll start working on Ian and Molly, whose photos also occupy the fridge door.

Pot Roast in the Crock Pot

Here is Ryan's modification of the All American Pot Roast Recipe from the family book. We had some friends over tonight and they wanted it, so since I typed it up I thought someone else might be interested.

Moving the Bar Sideways

Mom & I go to Church in Sun Valley "sometimes", and we go to Church in Preston "sometimes".

We believe that we can now be considered "less active" in two wards at the same time.