We live in wolf country and have seen or heard several on our travels. Even once exchanged howls with a pack.

Here is a thought for this Thanksgiving Day. Love to All, Bill

Tale of Two Wolves

An old Cherokee chief is teaching his grandson about life:

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

“One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.

“The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

“This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old chief simply replied, “The one you feed.”

fun art

patrick dougherty recently came to iowa to create an outdoor art installation on a lake near us. i took my kids there on a freezing cold day, but we had so much fun! i loved the concept and the construction of the installation. my kids loved the tunnel-ness and hide-ability. we were all happy.

i've never done a panoramic collage of photos, so this might not be the most graceful, but i love seeing the whole thing. it was really a U-shape, but i'm not so fancy with the panorama. (hurry & click it to see it big!)

Kai Richins wanted to put this Joke on the Blog. I added a category for future ones called "JUST JOKING." Click on the "RICHINS LABELS" under "Categories" for further categories and my suggestion about using them.

(Cathy, could you give Kai an invite at richinskai@yahoo.com and also Jonathan Richins at jonnierichins@yahoo.com).

Here is the joke:

I saw the weirdest thing on Wall Street today.
There were these little green arrows pointing up.
What are they for?

Trip to Bali

Aloha

I thought you might like to see some photos of our trip to Bali. Now where, you might ask where is that place? It is one of my favorite places I/we have visited in Asia...in Indonesia (Obama spent some time in Indonesia, you might remember). I/we have been there twice - for our 20th and 25th wedding anniversaries. I will put more on later when I get a chance to go through some other files.

Cheers...

















This is an beautiful cliff area in the southern part of Bali.


These are amazing creatures found in various places in Bali. But you have to watch your hat or sun glasses, as they steal them for food. Just after the above picture was taken of us, one of the monkeys tried to steal that hat of Kathy's. She just grabbed it in time...



This is the fire dance...which is a famous male dance in Bali. We saw this at sunset overlookiing the cliffs...really something to watch...also the sounds were quite amazing.



This is a most amazing rafting trip where anything goes, including going under a waterfall, getting stuck on rocks, going backwards over rapids and jumping off into the water to float down through a canyon, running into other rafts (on purpose) in the middle of rapids and also going to these hand carved rock cliffs which were incredible and covered an area ten times what you see here.

I will add more in a while...but must go now.

Cheers...

Topic Categories - An Idea

Aloha

I noticed that you can identify your topic when you do a blog post by putting a label in (see the box at the bottom right when you create a new post). So I suggest the possibility of the following (if you are interested):

I have created a topic area for the week of November 15 called "New President" where we can possibly have postings and comments about the politics of the "44th" president. This is under the "Label" - THE WORD.

So I have put this first one in THE WORD category, which I invite comments or other postings.

Label categories might include:

TRAVELS - Richins Travels (any of our amazing travels including explanations and photos)
EVENTS - Family Events (showing us what we are going to do or what has been happening in our/your families, for example Halloween or a B-day - explanations and photos)
THE WORD - This can be a discussion topic for the week...anyone can start one and it is OK to have more than one in any particular week (starting on Saturdays for the week...see the one I have put on for the week of Nov 15)
THOUGHTS - This about any thoughts you may have about anything (see the one Bill put on about wolves) 

NEWS - Exciting Richins family news (like a new job, or announcing that Belva and Carl are going to Denmark)
THE PLAN - Discussions on planning things/family events and get-togethers (planning aspects, for example planning Margaret Richin's 95th birthday this next year...if we want to)
MY ACTIVITIES - Individual activities and updates (for example, the recent note from Kelly on her new business - explanations and photos)
JUST JOKING - This is for funny jokes we know, hear or see (this is Kai Richins' idea so it should be fun!!)
Others (please suggest)

Another example, for Bill's trip to Finland, that would go under the "Label" of TRAVELS. This way we can click on TRAVELS and see all the exiting travels that we do or on other labels to see other activities and then they don't just get lost in the blog over time...If you want to - each of you can go back to some of the posts you have created and put the appropriate category label in under "Labels for this post" and it should show up under the category created...So Bill you might put your Finland trip under TRAVELS.

Now I am not suggesting we eliminate the normal way we do things, but it might be good to label things as we want to - so that we can go back to areas of relevance, read them and/or add comments to them...

I am not sure it this will work...but worth a try.

Cheers

Finland Photos

Here's a few photos from my recent Finland trip. Ice breakers in Helsinki, Cobblestones in Porvoo, Sandwiches in Helsinki, Water Front Property in old town Porvoo.

Enjoy, Bill

Wow! People really are talking on here!

I had no idea that people talk so much on this blog!

I didn't know that Eric put the article about Outdoor Discoveries on here! I have a sweet brother!

About Outdoor Discoveries. I started my camp in May and it has been thriving and it is my dream job. The article that came out last week was the first 'advertising' I have done since starting the camp-it has all be done by word of mouth and I am constantly wowed by the amount of families I have signed up each week. I send out an email each week and they sign up!

Tonight I was working with one of my families who just started coming in September and the child asked me why I didn't have a camp last Sunday-it was so wonderful to hear that a child missed me-I am making a difference in her life. My favorite quote was from this summer when we spent the day creating hula hoops and playing in the grass. Ryan's (almost 7) nanny had arrived to pick him up and he looked up at me and said "but I'm not done"

I am also working with a few families on how to raise their children and it's brilliant. It makes me giggle to see parents trust me with their children and the process of helping them help their children grow into compassionate responsible human beings. I am working on creating some sort of blog for families-I want to share my knowledge of how to work with children correctly and easily so that both parents and children are understanding one another and working with rather then against.

I am also starting a new experiment with a few 'dance moms' on creating dance clothing-the past few weeks I have been making tutus! I love it! I think that I may have to start wearing tutus everyday because they are so pretty! We have a website that is in the making and is just waiting on pictures to show off our creations. If anyone would like to special order tutus for the holidays let me know-I will come up with a family discount!

I do have a website for Outdoor Discoveries and I am looking for someone to help me make one way cooler but for now it is great.
check it out
outdoordiscoveries.org

Hope you are all well
movin fast and speedin up
kelly

Topic for week of Nov 15 - The New President

Aloha

My first try of putting a post on the RFN blog didn't work so well...so I am updating the first post with the following...

I have created a topic area called "New President" where we can possibly have postings and comments about the politics of the "44th" president. So I have put one in which I invite comments or other postings.

Just a few more thoughts on the new directions our country may be taking. There were many many articles written in this last week's Newsweek on "44." I thought a few captured quite well the sentiment. I also thought the Richins Blog might be interested in these. Any thoughts would be interesting to hear. See the following:

An Epic Moment, Yes. But Transcendent? No.
Which discusses the important message Obama offered to the voters.

Bring On the ‘Reality- Based Community’
A key article articulating the importance of science vs creating our own reality.

With a Little Help From Our Kids
Which talks about the changing demographics and shift in the makeup of America and its people and the importance this had on the election.

Obama's Third Way

Which discusses how most "Americans still identify themselves as conservatives than as liberals" but that there is a shift of how this is viewed toward the future.

Cheers...

Kelly is awesome!

Heh, Kelly. That is sooooooo cool about your Environmental Camp! I/we are so proud of you! You are doing awesome things to uphold the Richins name -- teaching young children to respect and enjoy their environment. You must be so proud, Bill and Ginger, of the great job you have done raising two very independent individuals who value the wonderful beauty that has been put on this earth for us all to discover! How awesome! I just wish our kiddos were there in Portland to take part in your exciting walks and hikes, Kelly. I think that is so impressive also that you had such a positive writeup in The Oregonian. The next time we are in Portland, will you remind me to get your autograph before your head gets too big, huh? Ha! Ha!

Here's a photo of the Skydive I made Nov. 9th. It was so fun. I went with a co-worker and a group of about six other people celebrating her birthday. I felt as free as a bird, enjoying the feeling of wind in my face and the unusual quiet all around as I fell through the air taking in the gorgeous North Oahu coastline framed by a rainbow. So nice.

Then, this past weekend, I took the boys to see The Sound of Music at a local all girls high school. They did an excellent job, and Kai liked it so much that I had to tell him to "sing in your head" when he started singing along with the song, "My Favorite Things." Ha! Ha! (I used to sing that to them at bedtime.)

It's been great catching up with you all here on this blog. This is an entirely new experience for me, and I like finding out more about you all. We certainly don't share political points of view, but it is nice to know what is happening in your families. Harold and I are writing a children's book, "Difference is a Good Thing" and I think our families show how it gets us all "going" when we share different points of view. I think it is a very good thing. Thanks everyone for being so open with your different points of view. All the best to you all. Love, Kathy R.

Kelly Richins, what a sister!

Check out what Kelly is up to in the Oregonian. She has started her own business and people seem to be paying attention.........she sent me this link.

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2008/11/outdoor_discoveries_keeps_kids.html

Outdoor Discoveries keeps kids exploring nature

by Jenn Director Knudsen, Special to The Oregonian

Thursday November 13, 2008, 1:58 AM

Participants' enthusiasm leads Kelly Richins to continue the camp year-round

Jenn Director Knudsen/Special to The Oregonian Ashley Corkett, 12, and Luca Perzik, 6, trade woolly bear caterpillars during an Outdoor Discoveries camp visit to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland.

The crisp chill of autumn, shot through with occasional raindrops, permeated the air on a recent Sunday morning at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Portland.

A group of schoolchildren paid no attention to the weather or the mud underfoot during a search for newts, salamanders, woolly bear caterpillars, beetles, birds, otters and native and non-native plants. The youths, ages 6 to 12, jaunted through the refuge with camp counselor Kelly Richins.

You read that right: Camp. Held in fall. As well as this winter.

Richins, 23, offered Outdoor Discoveries camp for the first time last summer. Kids from throughout the metro area met Sunday mornings at parks, refuges and gardens to explore the flora and fauna. It was also a chance to spend unencumbered time outside, away from the siren songs of media and retail.

Richins' charges so loved their outdoor experiences -- at the Audubon Society of Portland, Portland's Rose Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden and more -- that she followed through on her goal to make the camp year-round.

What children glean from outdoor education at school "isn't enough for a child's education," added Richins, who's studied the environment, worked in nurseries and schools and served in AmeriCorps. She's pursuing a bachelor's degree in liberal studies and education from Portland State University.

"I think all of them would be really sad if they didn't have the camp year-round," said Richins of the roughly 10 girls and boys who join her every Sunday.

They include siblings Ashley, 12, and Cameron Corkett, 8, of Beaverton.

They were on the four-mile round-trip trek through Oaks Bottom, Ashley bundled in matching gray scarf and hat, and Cameron in a lightweight black jacket.

Ashley gushed about why this venue -- and all she's been to with Richins -- is "so much fun."

"We saw so many different animals," she said, concentrating more on finding new ones.

"Birds, crawfish, otters, caterpillars ..." Her words trailed off and she followed with her eyes as her brother strayed from the path to investigate a runaway squirrel, then scooped up an ailing salamander that soon died in his hands.

Well down the trail, Cameron carefully laid it to rest in the wetlands, the otters' muddy habitat.

With her campers, Richins encourages frequent stops, to answer questions or simply wait for the kids to decide to move on.

An Idaho native, Richins said she grew up hiking and backpacking throughout the West with her younger brother and folks; her dad in particular hoofed it with the goal of getting from point A to point B, limiting time to wander.

Richins absorbed her dad's love of the outdoors, but not his style. She wants her campers to direct where the group goes.

"I am their slave," Richins said with a chuckle. "I want this to be there for them."

Richins self-funds her low-cost camp with a part-time job. She said Outdoor Discoveries' biggest expense is memberships at venues where she takes her campers, including the World Forestry Center and Oregon Zoo.

As temperatures drop, some Outdoor Discoveries activities will be indoors, such as at museums and climbing rock walls.

Kathleen Corkett, mother of Ashley and Cameron, likes that Outdoor Discoveries meets Sundays. She says she promotes "low-media influence" during the week, so having her kids explore nature on weekends distracts them from screen time.

Richins' camp is stealthily getting some kids excited about nature. Allison Bially's daughter Danielle, 6, complains five minutes into a hike with Mom. Not so at Outdoor Discoveries, said Bially, a Bethany resident.

"Two weeks ago they were having so much fun, they didn't have time for lunch," Bially said. "But don't print that!"

Outdoor Discoveries

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday
Cost: $30 per child; $50 total for siblings
Bring: Clothing appropriate to the weather and a sack lunch
Upcoming camp venues: OMSI, Portland Art Museum, Audubon Society of Portland
Information: 208-520-3825; kelly@outdoordiscoveries.org or visit
outdoordiscoveries.org

See more in Washington County Weekly

I probably used BO and B.O. both- those are His initials, aren't they? Sorry they refer to something offensive. I like the nickname P-Bo- kind of hip, like J-Lo

I thought throwing out a post about what type of dog would break the tension- didn't mean to create more

BO and Family Pets

I like the nickname "Bo". It is simple and easy to say. It is not insulting or negative. I am assuming that if Emily ment B.O. (as in body oder) she would have said B.O. I might even go as far as to call him P. Bo for President Obahma. That's a pretty hip nickname!

An as for the pig....Pet pigs are very, very smart and people love their pet pigs. I was referring to his comment about lipstick on pigs. That seemed to have really helped his campaign so I thought honoring a pig as a pet made sense. It is all in good fun!

Afterall, we don't have any laws (yet) that says we can't joke around about our President and his pets.

I'm off to Tahoe this weekend with a friend and her kids and mine. I'm so excitted. Talk to you next week.

Comments Comments Comments

I suggest that much of the interesting input posted recently by such well versed authors as the Kathys, Emily, Harold, Eric, ... could be better placed as new posts rather than as comments. Comments to older blog enteries are perhaps not so obvious as new posts.

That said, I finished up and posted a final(?) comment to Eric's question about the World Trade Center collapse mechanism.

Fall flooding means good rafting on the Sky komish and Wenatchee Rivers!!

Just returned from a really fun trip to the North Cascades and Central Washington. My friends and I rafted on the Wenatchee, where I have been the last three summers, and also on the Skykomish. I had never done the Skykomish and it was truly an amazing place. Huge waves and some very technical maneuvering through the famous "Boulder Drop". I have been very busy with school, I wish I could write more. There has been some very interesting conversation on this site.

It's so good to hear from all of you.-Eric

World Trade Center - Response to Eric

Eric –

I am aware of this issue at BYU. The professor’s work was extensively reviewed by the Physics faculty and found technically lacking. He thought he had evidence for explosives at the World Trade Center then wanted to make the jump in logic that somehow the US Gov purposely caused the collapse of the two World Trade Center towers. I am aware of cases at BYU where faculty have been censored when their teachings were in conflict with the LDS mainstream but this is not one of those cases. The professor continued his lectures of conspiracy theory using his evidence after an independent review showed his interpretation of the evidence was incorrect. The lectures were an embarrassment to the Physics Dept so he was let go (probably his contract was not continued, not sure).

Regarding the cause of the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC), I have the 2005 reports from NIST (the US National Institute of Standards and Technology) and can put them on CDs for you. They consist of a final report and 42 companion reports totaling several thousand pages making for some great bedtime reading. I know two of the NIST project managers and authors for these WTC reports who specialize in structural response and modeling fires in buildings - we hired them to do testing for us during our Wyoming manufactured home work. They did 1st class testing for us putting a great deal of importance on doing independent, defendable work. Conclusion: no conspiracy and I firmly agree with their findings. The collapse was due to the fuel load in the airplanes, extreme heat, and weakening of the structural members.

I have included 2wo photos of WTC beams I took at NIST.

One winter a few years ago, I read a number of books written by historians who looked in detail at the events leading up to and during the Dec 7, 1941 attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor. I have a strong interest in this history as my Uncle was killed on the USS Arizona. All concluded that no evidence exists for a US gov conspiracy.

I am sure we have many incompetent, even bungling individuals in our current federal government but few if any conspirators in mass murder. I could be very wrong but I sleep better at night this way.

Bill (Dad)

BYU Physics professor fired after 20 years for investigating 9-11

Some startling research,

Check out Steven Jones, BYU physics professor researches chemical and organic compounds at site of World Trade Centers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxOZJN4dHg

Also check out the BYU website...

http://www.physics.byu.edu/research/energy/

especially his first two written articles on the page...

S.E. Jones, et al. "Fourteen Points of Agreement with Official Government Reports on the World Trade Center Destruction", Open Civil Engineering Journal, April 2008.

K. Ryan, J. Gourley and S.E. Jones, "Environmental Anomalies at the World Trade Center: Evidence for Energetic Materials", Environmentalist, August 2008.

there are a lot more to look at.
Very interesting. I am only interested in the science he has to offer. I think he lost his job after 20 years of teaching.
Has anyone met this guy?
I hope to see you all soon.
eric

Nicknames

Interesting the need we all have for nicknames. After being saddled with Jr. at the end of my official name on my birth certificate and William (are you Bill, Billy, Willy, William?, I have been all these), we selected names for our two kiddos that are short and have no common nicknames. For the same reason, one of my best friends is actually “Tommy” on his birth certificate and Passport.

Now, Emily has selected BO for President-elect Barack Obama – that is actually an acronym, or just a short version of his initials. I often go by WR. At our lab, we have a document of official acronyms that is almost 400 pages! I have usually called our current President, “Junior” or “43”. He is after all the 43rd.

Did you know that no President has had a last name ending is an “a” until now.

Don’t forget to watch “You Betcha” on Larry King tonight.

Who is Pelagian?

I know who he was in history- but who is the California blogger with comments?

Now lets talk about the important issues

What kind of dog should BO get for the White House?

Notes from Finland

I am returning to the US in the morning. My friend Steve and I ran a workshop a few km east of Helsinki titled: “Identifying Structural Issues in Advanced Reactors.“ You can find out more at:

https://secure.inl.gov/smirt20ws08/default.aspx

This has been simply a wonderful trip. Finland is a beautiful country rich in history, landscape, and the optimism of the people we have met. I could easily live here. Lots of pines, birch trees, wildlife, lakes, and fine food. The standard of living is high. I’ll be back for sure. I started this morning with a great Finnish breakfast which I will try to duplicate at home.

I am indeed sorry if my earlier note expressing optimism and hope for our country and new leaders hit some readers wrong. My dad was too silent on many issues of importance… So here’s a parting thought and then I will leave well enough alone:

I personally have come to the conclusion that race in human beings is not a real concept. Our new President was born to parents who were of two different colors – he is not black, not white, but an American. We would do well as citizens of this amazing planet to cease using the polarizing concept of race. Considering our origins, we are all Africans.

Dialog and kindness are the paths forward – lets go there.

Happy Trails and Peace to all,

Bill in Porvoo, Finland

Another New Day

Another new day

Our country has made history. We have elected the most liberal president that we have ever had in history or is he just an empty suit? We have begged for higher taxes, for a government and judicial system that wants to run our lives, …we have chosen a president who is a master of rhetoric and beautiful hollow words. On this new day of hope, we now can look forward to a new day with a president who believes in partial birth abortion, a promise that we will be cared for from cradle to grave and money flowing in the streets- from “Wall street to Main Street” (what ever that means). I think that we have elected Santa Claus. It is almost Christmas, I guess this is our “New American Dream.” Belva

A New Day

I woke up early this morning to watch our country make history. I am in the country at a resort spa about 60km east of Helsinki in the small town of Porvoo, Finland on the sea. We are 9hrs ahead of the polls closing at home so I watched the results early Wed morning with Europe. After 8 tough years, the excitement here is unbelievable. Finnish TV is calling this the new American dream.

This is a day of hope not fear, of progress not threats, of cooperation not conflict, of common ground not misunderstanding, of addressing problems not creating strife.

Remember where you were today as we are witnessing a change of monumental importance for America. This is our chance to join the world community, address and embrace our differences, tackle environmental and energy issues, and to learn to communicate with our fellow world citizens. What a future we have!

Bill