Baby Advice - Post 1

I write this to provide advice to D2, who will soon be having his first baby.  Since I was there a year ago, I share my thoughts.  People will disagree with some and agree with others; these are just my thoughts.

• Deciding what to buy

Be careful what you purchase - people want to give you all sorts of gifts.  They won't give you enough to live, but certainly enough to start.  Some safe bets are clothing and burp cloths - you can never have too many.  Hold off on toys and other equipment to see what people will get you.

People tend to purchase cheaper gifts.  Blankets, clothing, diapers, etc.  Most people won't provide strollers, cribs, etc. unless they have loads of money and feel comfortable with you very personally.  But you never know - sometimes you get surprised.  Cheap doesn't imply chintzy; these are items you need and will want.  They are also the most neutral.

• Brand Loyalty and Compatibility

Pick a brand, any brand, it really doesn't matter which.  There are several good brands; it's more important you pick one you like for each class of items.  For example, we picked Avent baby bottles based on the milk pump we chose, then told everyone who asked.  So all our bottles are Avent bottles, our milk pump is Avent brand, our bottle caps, etc.  The only non-Avent milk item is the storage bags for frozen milk - those are Lanisoh, and that's because you pour it into a bottle before feeding baby.  We use Graco for baby seat and stroller, and honestly we picked it because John gave us a Graco seat.  Seats, strollers, car seat bases, etc. should all be one brand.  [JaNae says pumps are free if you give birth in a hospital - you'll have to ask her about that.]

• New vs. Used

Buy second hand - lots and lots.  Except diapers.  Used diapers are worth the crap they're filled with.  There are just so many people willing to spend buckets of money for new, brand name, items, and the market for used clothes seems so small, the clothes resell for $0.10-$1.00 each, but initially cost from $5-$25 each.  And since baby grows so fast, they're often only worn a few times.  Especially the newborn clothes.  Very good condition.   [Christina says never buy a used pump - health concerns.]

Garage sales seem to have better prices, often 10 for $1 kinda things, but they are real hit or miss.  You might hit 10 garage sales and find no clothes.  We've done real well finding toys there.

Craigslist allows you to search real well and with pictures, you can see what you're getting before you go.  But you typically pay a bit more.

Consignment sales are great, but the price moves up.  Quality is usually better, the variety is great, and the prices more predictable.

Power supplies in an emergency - part 2

When choosing emergency power arrangements, first we must decide what we need power for.  How much power we need determines the size of the generator.  If you only need to power a fridge, some lights and fans, then power needs are low.  When you start adding the microwave, the stove, the laundry, the air conditioner, amperage grows pretty quick.

As I think about it, there are several levels of emergency power preparation.
Level 1 - Primitive
Battery power supply for flashlights, phones, radios, etc.
Camping supplies for emergency cooking.

Level 2 - Basic
We all have a generator which already creates electricity - our vehicles.  Simple inverters can be purchased for $20-$50 and generate power from the cigarette lighter outlet.  These inverters will typically have 1 or 2 outlets, and provide 1-10 amps of power. This is enough power for some lights, phone chargers, TV, laptops, etc.  Many basic inverters will also have USB outlets.  A fridge will not work on this circuit - most full size fridges require a dedicated 15 amp circuit.

Level 3 - Car Battery Power
In the $100 range, we find inverters that connect directly to a car battery terminal.  These can carry more power because they use a larger gauge wire than the cigarette lighter (the larger the wire, the larger the load it can safely carry).  At this point you start getting 15-20 amps of power.  In a pinch, you can run a fridge or other single appliance.  This will save your food, but will run little else at the same time.

A few things to bear in mind when using your vehicle.
- Your vehicle is designed to convert stored energy (fuel) into motion energy.  They are not particularly efficient at creating electrical energy.
- Since it has a battery, you can run the engine periodically to charge the battery rather than running the engine full time.
- When using the battery only, there is a risk of running the charge so low the car won't start.  I don't have enough experience to know how long the battery lasts or how to determine if the charge is running low.  Also, the charge is drawn down based on the imposed load.  Larger loads drain the battery faster.

Levels 4-6 - Generator
Up to this point, we've kept our cost down and used mostly equipment we already have and will use periodically.  Purchasing a generator is when we cross the line into true "emergency preparation".  There are several levels of generator size and connection to the house, depending on budget and plans.  It can be done incrementally.  Due to their cost, when purchasing a generator, it's important to have a long term goal set.  These goals include final total amperage loads, fuel source, portability/permanence.

Generators are designed to convert stored energy into electricity and consequently are much more efficient than using our vehicles.

Since the generator creates exhaust, they typically must be operated outdoors.  In emergencies, generators are a high theft item.  Heavy chains, locks, etc. will be required to protect your investment.

Part of what makes a generator useful is the ability to power your entire home.  This is also what makes them dangerous.  Depending on your particular skills, this means either personal research or professional consultation.  In short, when there is a power outage, there exists the possibility that a generator plugged into a home could backfeed power into the utility grid and kill a utility employee working to restore power.  Any plan to a generator plugged into the house systems needs to include provisions for isolating the house from the utility grid.  In theory, turning off the main breaker accomplishes this.  Do your own research or consult an electrician on this.

Level 4 - Generator with extension cords
Every generator has multiple outlets.  Generators typically have (2) 110 volt duplex circuits (2 duplex means 4 outlets) and (1) 220 volt circuit.  The simplest way to use a generator is to plug extension cords into the generator.  Use the thickest cords you have - a power cord's ability safely transmit electricity is directly related to thickness of the wires inside the cord.  Using too big a wire has no penalty, whereas too small a wire carries severe risk.  Undersized cords will overheat and melt the insulation protecting the wire.  There is a penalty for long wires too - called voltage drop.  That's a homework assignment you can research on your own.  In short, don't use cords any longer than you need to.

Level 5 - Generator plugged into the house
Using extension cords, you can plug a generator directly into your house and power any outlet in your home - this is called "backfeeding".  This is dangerous and needs caution.  Given the low cost of a transfer switch, this level should be skipped.  I'm not going to dwell on this other than to say it is a dangerous option.  I really only mention this to make sure you don't research and find this option and decide to do it willy-nilly.

Level 6 - Generator with a direct connection to the breaker panel
The final method is the safest method, and once complete, is the simplest method.  A transfer switch is inserted into the breaker portion of the system.  A transfer switch is designed specifically to protect utility employees working on the line and also designed to insert the generator power into the house supply.

When you do this, remember your generator has a limited capacity.  The best way to limit the imposed load is to turn off the breakers.  At a minimum, unplug devices from the outlets.  Air conditioners are probably not an option for most generators.  Air conditioners, stoves, and clothes dryers require 220 power - if you want any of these, make sure you specifically plan for it - not all generators can provide that power.

A neat little guide to figuring out your power needs -
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/outdoor-living/detailpages/Whistler-Inverter-Lrg.gif

A brief explanation of backfeeding power into the house -
http://www.tcscooters.com/backfeed.htm

Power supplies in an emergency - part 1

The preparatory explanation took much longer than anticipated, so I broke it up into separate posts.

Sunday morning, Christina and I were discussing purchasing an emergency generator as part of our emergency preparation.  Not everyone is as fortunate as mom and dad and able to incorporate back up generators into their house design, and so the rest of us need to plan for how to use our existing house in an emergency.  Fortunately, with a basic understanding of how your house is built, we can incorporate generators into our house.

First, a brief explanation of basic house design.  There is an outside power supply - the utility supply line.  It runs to a meter, then the "main breaker", then to a distribution panel full of smaller "circuit breakers".  

The main breaker serves as a master disconnect - a single place to break the power supply for the entire house.  On household breaker panels, it is typically physically location above the individual breakers and is rated for 100-400 amps.  From this, all your other circuits are powered.

The main breaker supplies (2) sets of 110 volt power.  This technical detail means that all 110 volt devices and outlets are connected on either circuit 1 or circuit 2.  Each circuit has multiple sub-circuits, represented by the various breakers.  If all the breakers are on - then the power can flow from one sub-circuit to another.   Any 220 volt devices (electric stove, dryer, air conditioner) straddles both circuits.

A few items are directly wired to their respective breaker, air conditioners, stoves, and laundry dryers typically are on a "dedicated" circuit, meaning there is only one outlet or device tied to that circuit.  Most outlets and devices are daisy-chained together to make a "circuit".

As a side note - you will notice, if you add up the breaker values of all the smaller breakers, they will total more than the main breaker.  Electric breakers are sized based on theoretical actual usage.  It is not likely any home will run the air conditioner, dryer, fridge, stove, and lights in every outlet at any given moment.  And on the smaller, 20 amp circuits, it is unlikely a homeowner will run enough lights, vacuums, etc. to overload a particular circuit at any given moment.

All circuits are complete circles - there is an "in" and "out" and the daisy-chain always returns the out to the utility supplier at some point - devices become part of that in and out by completing the physical circuit.  Until there is a complete circuit, there is no power in the lines.

Since everything is tied together at the breaker panel, that makes possible using a generator to power your home, i.e., by correctly inputting power into any outlet, all other outlets have access to that power.  There are some limitations which will be explained in later paragraphs.  There is negligible risk to overloading the circuits because a) there is no power in the wires until a device is actually turned on and b) the breakers will trip if the demanded load is too high.

A side note, it is technically safe to hold hot electrical wires, so long as there is no out.  Trouble is, there's virtually always an out somewhere.  The biggest out in the world is "ground" which literally means the dirt you stand on.  Literally.  The three prong outlets - the third prong is ground, a backup in case the out is broken somewhere, and that ground is usually right at the house.

When purchasing generators, the critical value to be concerned with is "amps".  All home devices use 110 (120) volts (devices like the dryer and air conditioner are using 220, but technically they are using two 110 power supplies - that's why they have one wire more than other devices).  Every device consumes a different amp load.  A toaster might use 3 amps, a light might use 0.5 amps, vacuum might use 4 amps, an air conditioner might use 40.  When enough devices are on the same circuit to push the amp load over the designed amount (usually 20 or 30) the breaker.

Generators are often sold in "watts" which is amps times volts.  Therefore, a 3,000 watt generator can produce up to 25 amps.  Once you determine the amp load you want (or your capacity), you can then decide the generator size.  There's no sense in purchasing a 6,000 watt generator, because generally your house doesn't have the capacity to receive 50 amps without modifications (assuming you won't plug other items directly into the generator, and as your home is safely designed and efficient system, I would recommend against that).  If you plan to eventually make the modifications, then you can go ahead and purchase the larger generator.

Wow . . . all that description, and we have not even started talking about the actual emergency preparation.  I suppose that gives me something else to write.  For next time.

dp

Man up and make decisions

May 3, 2012

Where does one start their blogging after a decade of work?  All that vast knowledge is begging to be distilled out onto a single page, each thought wanting to be the one that is shared with the world. 

Today's thought will be on spending money on behalf of the subcontractors.

For whatever reason, our artist was unable to get scaffolding for himself.  In an effort to keep the work moving, my company rented the equipment directly and are now fighting with the subcontractor about who should pay for it.  The actual problem is not who should pay for materials, but rather, when are we going to do out job as managers and settle disputes and conflicts?

When the subcontractor is fussing about money, whether legitimate or not, the time to settle it is right then and their.  There will always be awkward conversations and difficult decisions.  We can either make the decisions as they come along or kick the can further down the road. 

Man up, make decisions, and move forward.  Do not wait till everyone is filling liens and then wonder how to make them all go away before the VP shows up.

Friendship

So the questions comes to me, what is the value of friends? Is it really worth the effort and time and expense?

Satan and Own Personal Devils

This began as a question. Both Christ and Satan (then Lucifer) seem to have understood salavation and exaltation. Both seem to have complete knowledge. Both were in positions to be the savior. Yet one was exalted and the other exiled, and unlike Napoleon cannot return. It now seems there are many parts to this question, and I intend to explore them. This near stream of consciousness needs lots of editing, but these ideas are worth pursuing.

What is the distinguishing characteristic between Lucifer and Christ?

Notice that Lucifer has an actual name, whereas the Savior is really only known through titles. The only name He is ever given is the very personal Jesus, and that is only given (according to classical Christianity) after His birth. Even His name, Jesus, is in itself a statement of a Jewish belief (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus), specifically "the Lord Rescues." Why this name was chosen instead of Daniel (a godly judge), Samuel (God has heard), Ahron (exaulted), or any of thousands of other names is not clear.

Perhaps because there was really no other reason for Him to come. If we were not rescued from ourselves and our mistakes, if there was only Justice and no Mercy, then nothing else would have mattered.

But I digress, back to the original topic - Lucifer and Christ. Consider that Lucifer has no gaps in his memory. He is not out tempting souls because he cannot quite remember what the plan of salvation is. He knows full well what happens to souls that choose one or the other (and choose they do, for no man can be forced to follow either mammon or God). When speaking to Jacob, Lehi says Satan strives to make all people miserable like himself (2Ne 2:18) (this may be the origin of the phrase - misery loves company). But that does not make sense. There is not enough reason in that.

Sadly I know there is someone somewhere saying "Satan does not need a reason, he's Satan." Everything happens for a reason; there are no truly senseless or reasonless actions. Everyone wants something and we (including God, Christ, and Lucifer) will only act in ways that bring us what we want. Rather, it is more accurate to say we want somethings, and that plural is what causes us to act "irrationally", that interaction of the somethings. I want to lose weight, I want to eat, I want to exercise, I want to sit on my duff. All these schizophrenic desires lead me to the final decision of: eat too much.

So what is it that Satan wants? From scripture and modern revelation it is clear that he wants all men to be miserable. But why? What does that accomplish? What does he gain? He cannot gain more power, for how can anyone gain power over God? Part of what defines God is the power He wields.

He cannot buy his way back into good grace, he cannot deliver our souls to God, for they are not his to deliver. Even after the chains are wrapped around our heads, they are wrapped and unwrapped by our own choices.

If he cannot gain power over God, can he gain power over us? Scriptures say he cannot put himself over us, but we can put ourselves under him. But how does this help him? The only way to make sense of this is to understand the next life. The Celestial Kingdom is filled with the righteous who live with God and His Lamb forever, but only a portion of them get to do anything, or rather we are not told what the rest of humanity gets on the other side. There are gaps in our understanding of the next life, and even what we do know is fragmented and difficult to piece together.

When I get miserable, I do not seek to make others miserable too; I hide in a corner and drown out my misery the only way I can (given that I am not supposed to drink, gamble, womanize, and can not afford to go to Disneyland each weekend) I eat, and play computer games. And even those I should not do, but I suppose if I have to choose a guilty pleasure, there are worse ones to pick.

Back to the original point, the difference between Christ and Satan. Can the difference be seen in the names? Satan comes from Hebrew "accuser" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan). This would fit with LDS theology. Moses 4 gives an account of how Lucifer became Satan.

*moment of epiphany*
Pride is the greatest of all sins. Lucifer "Son of the Morning" was proud of his position as a son of the morning, and demanded to be revered by those beneath him. This can only make sense in LDS theology.

Modern revelation (and some cryptic ancient scriptures) teach that all humanity existed previous to this life. In fact not even God can create life, He can only help advance it. Our existence is independent of any action on God's part, our advancement to bodies (both spiritual and temporal) are tied to God, but our existence is ours. That is why neither God nor Lucifer can take our choices, our choices are part of our existence.

The title "Lucifer" must have significance. As a son of the morning (or perhaps THE son of the morning?) he seems to have been one of the first to recognize and follow God (whatever that means for the pre-earth life). Understanding that the end game of creation is the ability to become a creator (or, as many foolishly chose to phrase it - become a god, technically accurate, but only in the same way that Clinton did not have sex with that woman. It is obfuscation used by people who have not thought it out completely).

The end game of creation is the ability to create. [Writer's block here. I'm having trouble making this next leap. Intrisically I know this is the correct thought pattern, but cannot seem to make the logic work. Perhaps there is an error.]

How did pride lead to the fall of Lucifer? Lucifer suggests his plan (I will be thy son . . . will redeem all . . . yada yada yada . . . give me Thine honor) as though it could work. And many Latter-day Saints like to dismiss this as a plan that could not succeed, hence why it was rejected. However, this is not supported by Moses 4 (the creation of Satan). Lucifer's plan was not rejected because "it won't work" rather that it destroys agency (Moses 4:3). Lucifer was not cast out for suggesting a bad plan (good thing too, because I hate to wonder about the plan I suggested. Details are sketchy, but I remember something about pickles and ice cream) but for "[seeking] to destroy ageny. In other words, he was cast out not for the idea but for the attempt to follow through on the idea; Lucifer was seditious and was cast out (as a person must sometimes amputate to save the body, so God "amputated" Lucifer to protect the rest). Remember, we (including Lucifer) exist independant of God, and so cannot be destroyed. The worst thing that can happen to us is be cast out (or perhaps to be stripped of our bodies and left merely to exist, remember, the body belongs to God, the existance belongs to us).

End game being creation. Somehow the power /glory /honor of God allows Him to create. Lucifer wanted the power of God (Moses 4:3). Lucifer wanted to create. Did he equate creation with additional power? Does the act of creation yield additional power? Why did he seek the power of God? He must have known that through God's plan, he would not succeed. Obviously patience was not a concern. What is time to immortal beings? He wanted power, but knew he could not succeed through the Father's plan and so sought another way.

But what was gained by being cast out? Satan is not shown to be a foolish imp, blowing in the winds of fancy and fads. Rather he is depicted as cool, methodical, and patient. If power is what he desired, why follow a course that leads to exile? Surely he did not think a mutiny against God would succeed. Something is missing from revelation. Either a mutiny against God is possible, or there are other avenues to power. Knowing God (not to say that I know much) it does not seem likely that Lucifer was surprised at exile. Lucifer knew his actions would lead to exile, and so either mutiny in heaven is possible or exile can lead to power. Or Lucifer did not fully understand the consequences of his actions.

But God's purpose would have been ruined if Lucifer was exiled while not knowing the consequences of his actions. We can reasonably surmise that Lucifer fully understood his actions and the consequences.

And this brings us back to the original question. Satan's purpose is to gain power (Moses 4:3). We do not know why he wanted power, only that he wanted it. Christ's motivation is less understood. "Thy will be done" (Moses 4:2) and His will is to "bring . . . immortality and eternal life to man." I do not know why God wants this. I can only surmise that it brings Him happiness to advance the state of lower beings. Why this brings happiness I do not know. And if happiness is the end goal of existance, then perhaps we understand Satan. Somehow, his happiness is tied to our misery (but not necessarily Lucifer's happiness).

Somehow the act of creation brings happiness. Or rather the end result of creation is happiness (creation itself appears to be a rather messy affair involving lots of pain and inconvenience on the woman's part and lots of pointless anxiety on the man's part).

Women in the workforce

http://www.topbuildingjobs.com/news.php/466da7468e75d/?articleID=17


It is true, as the article points out, that women do not make a large percentage of leaders in the top 100 construction companies.

But I do ask, how many of these companies have had substantial leadership changes in the last 20 years? If we take out all of the family companies, where leadership is kept in the family, then lets eliminate all the companies that have not changed top level leaders in 20 years, how many are left? I think then we will have a more accurate picture of women leading large companies.

Every company I have worked for was ultimately a family company. And the next generation of leaders at those companies is already picked.