Archive for August, 2006

Holy moly! A bloke named Connor Boyack decided to take me up on my blog post challenge to create an LDS-themed Digg.com, and walla! Sustain’d is born!!!! So far, I’m really impressed. To read more about it, click here. Also, if you want to be notified of advancements, fill out the form here. Welcome...
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I’m sure you’ve all seen this, but if you haven’t, check out this SUPER lame Elizabeth Smart Interview on CNN with Nancy Grace.
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Hey! I’m gonna co-host KVNU’s For the People tonight with Tom Grover, and the topic will be the recent capture of Fundamentalist LDS leader Warren Jeffs. To prepare for the show, Tom sent me this: The Primer: Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Polygamous Communities. It was created by the Utah...
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As you all know, I love the Remys. They have a new podcast out which I found to be extremely interesting and moving. The theme is around changing perspectives–how we sometimes reinterpret experiences differently as we mature in life. The two main stories in this episode are: As some of you may know, John...
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Dave’s Mormon Inquiry is holding a vote regarding the inclusion/excusion of Mormon Stories on ldsblogs.org. Feel free to voice your opinions there (if you feel so inclined).  I promise not to be offended. 
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A buddy of mine just asked now much traffic ldsblogs.org and ldselect.org actually drive to my site. I thought I’d share: For all of 2006, here’s the breakdown: ldsblogs.org: 2492 referrals, which represents 9.2% of my total referrals. ldselect.org: 2244 referrals, for 8.3% of the total. However, if you consider the “long tail” of...
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This is so cool/interesting, I had to post–even though it’s not directly Mormon related. Someday I hope it will be. It is basically self-playing audio books (just plug your earphones in, and go!!!). Who will publish the first LDS audiobook on this technology?!?!?!?!
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I keep getting inquiries, so I thought I’d answer them once and for all from a single place. Is it true that ldsblogs.org removed you from their portal? Yes. Did they at least contact you before they de-listed you? No. I heard about it from someone randomly. Why did they do it? They said...
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OK…I suck at taking “vacations.” Just wanted to let you all know that “A View From the Foyer” has been reborn!!! Check it out here: http://www.thefoyer.org/ Whoever killed the old forum…shame on you! At least turn it over to someone else!!! (my uninformed 2 cents) If I’m missing something, please let me know.
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Holy crud! View from the Foyer is shutting down. Just had to blog about this one. Still on vacation.
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These videos are also available in videocassette and DVD format. If you wish to obtain a copy, please send an email to Dr. Ron Schow
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I love Doug Fabrizio (met him at Sunstone last week). I really enjoyed this interview w/ Mark Pinsky and Dennis Potter. It includes some interview footage w/ Southpark creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone on Mormons and Mormonism. This was a *really* enjoyable listen for me. Check it out here.
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In part 3 of this 3 part series on LDS homosexuality, we learn about a devout LDS family (the Horstmanshoffs), wherein 4 out of 11 children are homosexuals. The purpose of this video is to help LDS families learn how to truly love and embrace their homosexual children, and their partners (vs. merely tolerating...
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Hey! The Leonard J. Arrington Chair in Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University is now accepting applications. Details can be found here. Position Summary: Utah State University is seeking a senior scholar to fill the endowed Leonard J. Arrington Chair in Mormon History and Culture. The person holding this chair will play...
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This is a great article. Very interesting. It discusses specific serach terms in which Utah or certain Utah cities are among the most common in the world. “Consider that predominantly Mormon, family-friendly Utah leads the nation in searches on such terms as LDS Church President “Gordon Hinckley,” “Jesus,” the “second coming,” “scrapbooking,” “baby names,”...
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In part 2 of this 3 part series on LDS homosexuality, we learn about a man named Russ, who followed his bishop’s counsel to get married in spite of his same sex attraction, and the problems that came about as a result.
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I have been working w/ some folks affiliated with Idaho State University to post a 3-part video series on LDS homosexuality to the Internet. Today the videos were made available. Below is Part 1: “Go Forward”–the story of a young man who has sincerely tried to walk in the path outlined by President Hinckley....
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Unfortunately, the audio/screencast of my Sunstone presentation last week failed, so it’s gonna take me a few weeks to recreate that. In the mean time, here is a link to my PowerPoint presentation on “The Peril and the Promise of the Internet Within Mormonism.” Hopefully at least some of it will be valuable to...
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I had an amazing time at Sunstone. I hope to write more later. In the mean time, check out my friend Mark’s report on Sunstone. To me, this illustrates the positive role that Sunstone can play in people’s lives–especially those who have become disillusioned.
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Hey! Can anyone give me a summary of the differences between MormonWiki and FAIRWiki for my presentation on Friday? Who is the author of the content? Who is the intended audience? How are the 2 reconciled? Are they working together at all? Please help if you can.
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Check out this cool map of predominant religions per U.S. county (courtesy of the More Good Foundation).
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In preparation for my Sunstone Interent presentation on Friday, I stumbled upon this remix. Check it out. Kinda fun.
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I spent 11 hours at the FAIR conference on Friday, and I believe that I spent about 5 of them with Lou Midgley. The time with Dr. Midgley, and with the folks at FAIR (including Daniel Peterson), reinforced an important lesson that I keep re-learning regarding the Mormon Internet–we are sometimes not ourselves when...
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I’m here, live at the FAIR conference in Sandy, UT. I’ve shaken hands with a few of the top brass here within FAIR. I’ve had 2 absolutely amazing experiences so far, that I will share with you:
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For a long time, I naively believed that moderation was unethical and undesirable within the bloggernacle. Recently, I’ve had to tweak my approach. Recently I’ve noticed that mean-spiritedness on either side of the debate becomes a true obstacle to those who are sincerely seeking to have genuine dialogue.
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For those interested, a book signing that included Jimmy Parkinson (my cousin), Lee Benson and Harold Poole will be televised on C-Span2 Book TV this Sunday evening at 12AM Sunday morning EST, 9PM Saturday night PST. This book signing included a special appearance by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah (R). Some of you will...
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Hey! Remember that whole Tom Murphy/Blake Ostler exchange in Sunstone ? I don’t expect that you do–see “Yea, Yea, Nay, Nay: DNA Strands In The Book Of Mormon“. Anyway, Signature books has a response to Blake, addressing specifically some of his scholarship. Check it out, and then return to discuss. I’m pretty clueless on...
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Ok…let me state up front that I am an active and believing (though non-traditional in some aspects) member of the church. I love and deeply respect the church, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon, and believe that they all are inspired of God, and teach eternal truths. That said, after studying LDS history,...
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