Posts for Thursday, June 15, 2006

Question #25839 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Board Question Board Question #25763

Actually, there is an LDS response to the Da Vinci Code. I don't know if it's been published or not, but I think it has. It's called What Da Vinci Didn't Know: LDS Perspectives on the Code. It's written in part by Professor Richard Holzapfel from the BYU Religious Education Department. It clears a lot of things up.

-Agatha

A: Dear Agatha,

I did see that particular book for sale in Deseret Book the other day... actually its existence made me nauseous. But, I'm sure it makes some people happy.

That is all.

Horatio.

A: Dear Agatha,

Thanks for the info!

- Katya

Question #25830 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Money/Finance

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Regarding Board Question #25746, the IRS website has a great tool that they designed

to help employees to ensure that they do not have too much or too little income tax withheld from their pay. It is not a replacement for Form W-4, but most people will find it more accurate and easier to use than the worksheets that accompany Form W-4.

You can find this handy tool at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96196,00.html

- Government Employee

Question #25829 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Science - Agriculture

Comments

Q:

Dear Petra and the 100 Hour Board,

In regards to question Board Question #25612, I finally figured out the site I was looking for was probably in their folklore collection, so yesterday I sent an email to the very nice Mr. Williams who curates the collection and he referred me to this page: http://digital.lib.usu.edu/fife.php, which is actually a collection of vernacular architecture, but I believe it was what I was looking for.

- Done Looking

A: Dear Done Looking,

Agriculture, architecture, same thing, right? I'm glad you found what you were looking for.

-Petra

Question #25809 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Social Science - Psychology

Relationships

Q:

Regarding Board Question #25547 and Board Question #25716,

I asked my professional therapist friend about this very problem, and this is what he said:

"If you want to stop, don't insist that you stop, since this is likely to create a paradox in your mind. Notice and acknowledge and then treat the thoughts as equivalent to wanting something to eat, something to which you can't get access. Try something like, "Oh, there I go obsessing about Billybob, again. Tough cookies! Life goes on." (I chose cookies rather than a more expression expletive. Choose whatever works for you.) Then go on about your business at lower efficiency because of the obsessive thought."

- Rwelean

Question #25797 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Comments

College/University - Graduate School

Q:

Dear GRE Taker,

I just took the GRE last month and I used the free software from their website. http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=302b66f22c6a5010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=d687e3b5f64f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
That link is really long. Sorry. The software has two complete sample tests in the program that you'll take the actual test in, with timers and all. Plus, it gives you a score afterwords on the multiple choice, which can be reassuring or scary. I also had a book that was great for studying, but the PowerPrep software was the biggest help.

- Bored Engineer

Question #25794 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

LDS - Doctrine

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Regarding Board Question #25555, it should also be noted that the leadership of the LDS Church did not ask its members to write their senators and protest gay marriage. If a member of the LDS Church told you that, they were not listening carefully enough to what their Church leaders told them. What the leaders of the LDS Church asked their members to do was write their senators and let them know their opinions on the matter of gay marriage. Therefore, all members of the LDS church, whether they be for or against gay marriage were encouraged to make their opinions known to their Senators.

If the act of letter-writing was done in church, with everyone looking over everyone else's shoulder to see what they wrote, then that would be one thing. However, the request was that members of the church go to the privacy of their own homes to write the letters, where no one would pressure anyone else to express their opinions in a certain way.

You may say that the LDS Church made the request knowing that many of their members would write their Senators and protest gay marriage. However, I know of very few organizations, either for or against gay marriage, who would simply tell their members to make their opinions known to their Senators on the matter and then leave it at that. Considering the case that Pa Grape made in Board Question #25555 that the LDS Church is against gay marriage, this is a surprisingly neutral statement indeed.

- Conrad

Question #25782 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Sports

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I enjoy watching basketball except for when foul-calling gets excessive. It just gets slow and frustrating to watch. It always irks me when a game ends with a whole string of deliberate fouls by a team attempting to tie it up or get the lead at the last minute, and I've always wished there were some rule against it. However, I was reading an article that said, "The NBA had to change the rules because opponents were chasing (Wilt) Chamberlain around the court, trying to foul him, at the end of close games." Does this mean there IS some kind of rule against using fouls this way at the end of a close game?

Go Mavs!

A: Dear Go Mavs,

I'm watching game 2 of the finals right now and so answering this question seems appropriate.

Before the last two minutes of the end of the game, if a team is in the penalty and they intentionally foul a player, said player is the one who has to shoot free throws. This technique is used against people who have a low free-throw shooting average. For instance, the Pistons did this with Wallace, who is a horrible shooter. This technique is also often used against Shaq and it is called "Hack a Shaq." In game 1 of the finals Shaq shot nine free throws and made one. Very effective.

However. Within the last two minutes of the game, if the team intentionally fouls a player without the ball, the team whose player was fouled can select any player to select the free throws.

Fouls away from the ball during the final two minutes of a game, any player on the team of the fouled individual can shoot the free throw shot attempt, but only one shot is taken. The ball is then awarded to that team again, who inbound the ball from the sideline after the free throw, regardless of whether the shot was made. If there are less than 14 seconds on the shot clock, the shot clock is set back to 14 seconds. (Unless there is less time than that remaining in the game; then the shot clock is turned off.) See NBA rule 12-B, section X, available at http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_12.html?nav=ArticleList
for greater detail on the subject.

So recap: in the past you could foul anyone anytime and the fouled person had to shoot the free throws, but now you can't foul in the last 2 minutes intentionally or anyone can shoot the free throw.

The end.

-Zantedeschia

Question #25780 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Academics

Q:

Sorry to plague you with questions, but someone has to keep the question count up, after all! Another question regarding a class - I'm signed up for a Japanese literature in translation class in the fall. I've heard the professor is amazing. My question - I know it says "in translation", but does that mean that you need not know any Japanese? I've taken the equivalent of 101 and 102, but I'm sure any heavy literature (or light literature, for that matter) will be way over my head. Thank you!

~San Ignazio

A: Dear San Ignazio,

As far as I can tell, you shouldn't have to actually know any Japanese to do well in the course. I'm sure you'll be able to tell really quickly on the first day of class, but the fact that the man teaching the class isn't Japanese tells me that the class will likely be conducted in English.

That said, I think you might be jumping the gun a little by taking a 350 level class after the equivalent of 102. Perhaps something a little slower (like, say, 201) might be more up your alley. I just finished taking 322 after four years of study, and it was exactly at the speed I needed to be going.

You could also email the professor and see what he had to say about everything. I'm hesitant to post his address online, but if you send me an email (theboardoptimistic at gmail.com), I'll send you his email address.

Good luck and all.

- Optimistic.

Question #25779 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Health - Pregnancy

Q:

Dear Mojoschmoe,

"If you're on Accutane and you're female though, they require you (if you're sexually active) to be on a form of birth control to make sure you don't get pregnant. They had my friend go on two just to make sure. So, hormones will be flying. :)"

Really? I'm a girl and I didn't need to. I just had to wait two months before getting pregnant....I didn't exactly have a problem doing that, but I can see how a married women would definitely need to.

-Emetelai

A: Dearest Emetelai:

Huh. I thought it might be because different doctors do different methods, but the FDA had a pretty strong stance on Birth Control use for Accutane. I'll quote some for you:

"Female patients will not get their first prescription for Accutane unless there is proof they have had 2 negative pregnancy tests. The first test must be done when your prescriber decides to prescribe Accutane. The second pregnancy test must be done during the first 5 days of the menstrual period right before starting Accutane therapy, or as instructed by your prescriber

While you are taking Accutane, you must use effective birth control. You must use 2 separate effective forms of birth control at the same time for at least 1 month before starting Accutane, while you take it, and for 1 month after you stop taking it. You can either discuss effective birth control methods with your prescriber or go for a free visit to discuss birth control with another physician or family planning expert. Your prescriber can arrange this free visit, which will be paid for by the manufacturer.

You must use 2 separate forms of effective birth control because any method, including birth control pills and sterilization, can fail. There are only 2 reasons you would not need to use 2 separate methods of effective birth control:

You have had your womb removed by surgery (a hysterectomy).
You are absolutely certain you will not have genital-to-genital sexual contact with a male before, during, and for 1 month after Accutane treatment."

Accutane does really really bad things to babies (you can get more information at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/accutane/medicationguide.htm). I can understand why the FDA would want to be careful with this drug on the market.

That's all I can gander. Hooray!

Mojoschmoe

A: Dear Emetelai,

I was on Accutane but I had it prescribed outside of Utah where "I won't have sex" is more wishful thinking than reality among the umnarried women my doctor saw. Sadly, a doctor can't always go by a patient's willingness to tell the truth. I remember being told that if I became pregnant, I would agree to have an abortion in order to go on Accutane because of my specific case and the terrifying birth defects the child would endure. Accutane is a very serious and powerful drug and a doctor can't be faulted for taking extra precautions.

-Accutamed

Question #25778 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Academics

Language & Linguistics

Q:

Well, 100 Hour Board, since you don't seem to be inundated with questions at the moment, I'll ask to my heart's content. Do any of you have experience (second-hand is fine) with Latin 201? I'm registered for it in the fall and I'd like to know what to expect, as I'll also be taking 8 credits of music, practicing like crazy, and probably a religion class and a math class as well. What's the workload like, and is Cecilia Peek a good professor? I'm taking 111 right now and loving it; so, in short, please advise me on the Latin track.

~San Ignazio

A: Dear Founder of the Jesuits,

You, sir, are mistaken. We have quite a few questions in the inbox, it's just that we're having trouble answering them on time. (But I don't think this question will go over hours.)

Anyway, I have actually never taken Latin 201, but I can count at least 5 family members and 3 close friends who have. I sent your question to two of them.

Tolkien Boy says:

Your experience in Latin 201 will depend a great deal on how hard you worked (and were worked) in Latin 111. Unfortunately, Latin 201 is not your Wheelock's Latin. Many of the rules that were taught you in beginning Latin won't apply, and there will be more rules to learn and memorize.

I am hardly a linguist, and Latin 201 was very difficult for me, though an enjoyable endeavor. It took usually about two hours of outside work to prepare for each class (I was in a spring semester class, MTWTHF, two hours each day). Because I liked to get everything right, I would usually pull an all-nighter before each test. There were a few shining stars in my Latin class who studied less, but at least an hour and a half study for each class period was normal. Some studied as much as three and a half hours every day.

That being said, the constant work paid off. Latin is a very rewarding, and the knowledge of how to work things such as the passive periphrastic is surprisingly useful outside of Latin class. If you love the language and the literature, suddenly understanding a passage can be one of the most amazing experiences in academic life.

I don't know much about Dr. Peck, though I've heard that she focuses quite a bit on the declensions and the conjugations, and will drill you on these often, having you tell both their form and their function. If she follows standard 201 procedure, you'll be reading from Caesar's Bellum Gallicum, a delightful little book that reads like a morbid Latin Dick and Jane primer. You can hope to get book 7, which is the dramatic conclusion of the wars when Vercingetorix gets his and a lot of people are transfixed (literally, impaled) by various building materials (from materia, lumber), but you're more likely to get Book 1, which you will remember from Wheelock ("The land of Gaul is divided into three parts...").

In any case, best of luck to you, and remember, aude esse semper idem.

Mishkin27 says:

It's been several years since I took Latin 201. First of all, Professor Peek is a superb professor. I fully endorse taking a class from her. If she follows tradition, and it's highly likely that she will, the class will be reading Caesar's Gallic War, in conjunction with most other 2nd-year Latin classes across the nation. The professors at BYU usually like to read something else too, just to mix it up a little. In Greek courses with Dr. Peek, we read portions of the New Testament; I don't know what she'd do in a Latin course, though. (I took 201 from Dr. Lounsbury, and he didn't follow tradition: we read Caesar's Alexandrian War and selections of Petronius Arbiter's Satyricon.) As far as the work load goes, the reader can expect anywhere from 20 to 60 lines per night to translate. If the text is particularly easy or the students are particularly advanced, more may be assigned. In my experience, Professor Peek bases the course load, at least in part, on the abilities of her students that semester. I imagine it will require a similar amount of time and energy as Latin 111 did: as little as 1 hour/night for advanced students, and upwards of 3 or even 4+ hours/per night for slower readers. If the Board reader wants specifics, I suggest he talk to Professor Peek herself; she's approachable.

- Katya

Question #25777 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Academics

Board - Writers

Q:

Are certain departments more popular than others for Spring/Summer classes? The only classes I'm taking during spring and summer are requirements for my music major, a dance class, and Latin, and I was curious as to what kinds of classes others take during the off-season. What kinds of classes are you Board members taking (those going S/S, of course)?

~San Ignazio, soon to be finished with a year of Latin

A: Dear Iggy,

I've never taken classes Spring/Summer before, but for my Special Education major, I'm required to take courses in the order they tell me to. When I applied, the application stressed that you would have to take courses during Spring/Summer. So that's what I'm doing right now, and these required courses are the only ones I'm taking this Spring/Summer.

-Wilhelmina Wafflewitz

A: Dear San Ignazio!

This is also my first Spring/Summer here at BYU, aside from the summer term I did at BYU-I after I graduated high school, but that is besides the point. I would think that GE classes such as American Heritage, Economics, Biology, Calculus, etc, would be popular to take during the Spring/Summer as werf would like to get through them as quickly as possible. Much like ripping off a band aid. Lets find out.

The BYU homepage notes that student population drops to around 12,000 for Spring/Summer. According to the registration page on Route Y, heres some of the class/department breakdown:

Accounting (200): 381
American Heritage (100): 586
Economics (110): 492
Calculus (112,113,119): 650
English (115): 527
Biology (100): 544

So, that at least gives you some idea of how busy certain departments are. I imagine some of this has to do with visiting students coming for summer, but still looks like generals are common during spring/summer. As for myself, I'm enjoying (and I use that term loosely) my IT classes this spring and will look forward (used even more loosely) to Calculus 2 class in the summer.

-the newbie

A: Dear Santus Ignacio,

I took a class last summer term (summer 2005) and am taking three classes this spring. That's the only way I was going to be able to graduate on time. I took Hist 364 (Utah history) with Novel Concept last summer, although I didn't realize that dear sweet Novel was in the class until the second to last day of the course (although, granted, I wasn't a writer until the last two weeks of the class). I'm currently enrolled in Japan 345 (Japanese culture), IP&T 286 (technology in education) and HEPE 129.

I don't see any sense in taking difficult classes during the spring and summer. From the stories of people that I've spoken with about the subject, it seems like most people agree. Why take hard classes during the time of the year you feel most like relaxing?

- Optimistic.

A: Dear San Ignazio,

Try taking some RMYL classes. They aren't as full as you might think they would be. Camping skills is always fun. I have been dying to take fly fishing but I may not get the chance.

-Pa Grape

A: Dear San Ignazio,

Yes, some departments offer more spring/summer classes than others. It seems to be a general correlation with size, where bigger departments offer more classes; this should be no surprise. It also, of course, like everything else, depends on supply--how man professors are willing to teach summer classes--and demand. (Because, please, let's be honest: who really wants to study phonetics in their summer months?)

As for me, I'm not taking classes right now (or, for that matter, ever again at BYU), but in the past two spring/summers I've spent in Provo, I've taken Bio 100, Elang 324 (History of the English Language), Arabic 201/301 (in the intensive summer program), Pyschology 375 (Cognition), and English 251 (Introduction to Criticism, or some junk like that). I've never really tried to take easier classes or anything, but my springs and summers tend to be more relaxed anyway, simply because I have fewer classes.

-Petra

A: Dear San Ignazio,

Classes I've taken Sp/Su:

A Htg 100
Chin 101
Fren 420
Fren 491R
Hum 201
Ling 230
Ling 330
Mus 115
Phscs 150
Phscs 167
VAStu 103

- Katya

Question #25776 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Questions about Girls

Social Science - History - United States

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

One more weird question...how did pioneer women deal with the menstruation cycle? I've heard rags...but I don't see how that work...

- Hooray for tampax

A: Dear Tampax Celebrator,

Probably the same way we do, minus the modern conveniences. A rag could work the same way a pad does, and women probably just put it on and went on with life. Ladies in those days were pretty busy!

Nike

A: Dear Hooray-

Most of the world's women still deal with their menstruation cycle in essentially the same way today--a friend of mine has sent tampons to a former mission companion as gifts, and as odd as that sounds, it has been much appreciated.

-glad it's not my problem

A: Dear hooray,

It's important to keep in mind that, even though their method of hygiene was rudimentary by our standards, pioneer women didn't have their periods as often because of several factors. Pioneer women of childbearing age had more children than modern-day women and thus menstruated less due to pregnancy hormones and the fact that they breast-fed more (causing their periods to stop). Due to a difference in hormones in their food (read: none) their period started later and were less frequent due to malnuntrition. Also, menstrual cycles were shorter and lighter due to aforementioned nutritional concerns.

-technical

Question #25775 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Music - Instruments

Strange Things People Do

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I can't whistle :( Any suggestions?

- Spanky

A: Dear Spanky,

Stop trying.

-flippant

A: Dear S,

I learned to whistle by practicing. When I was ten or eleven, I just started blowing air in and out, and thinking of notes. They didn't turn into "ooh's" or anything like that, but after experimentation with licking my lips versus not, etc., I got to the point where I could do it. I was self-taught. Some people say I can't "really" whistle if I have to lick my lips sometimes, but I don't hear them whistling...

Not Mother of a Painter,
The Great and Powerful Oz

A: Dear Spanky,

See also here and here .

If all else fails, there's always here .

Good luck.

- Lavish

Question #25774 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Random

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

How do finger snaps work? Where does the sound come from? How do some people do it so loud?

- I only snap with my right hand

A: Dear Snapper,

According to this extremely credible website , the sound of a finger snap is from the impact of your finger against your palm. The friction of your fingers rubbing together only makes a brief rubbing sound. Try snapping slowly too, you'll notice that the sound comes from the end of the snap- when the finger hits the palm. That said, the harder your finger hits your palm, the louder the snap.

As for only being able to snap with your right hand, it appears that many people can only snap with their dominant hand. Not all, but many.

- Lavish

Question #25773 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Animals

Science - Biology

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Some spiders have 8 eyes...how does that affect their vision? Does it just increase their depth perception, like our two eyes do? I just can't figure out why you'd need 8 eyes, but then, I'm not a spider. If that really does improve their vision, one has to wonder why other creatures don't have 8 ears to improve their hearing or multiple noses or something...

- Sure God knew what he was doing

A: Dear Sure,

This website should answer all your questions.
http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/toolkit/hairy/see.htm

So it turns out God did know what he was doing! He's so smart. But I wonder if He could have made them less ugly...

- de novo -

Question #25772 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Health - Hygiene

Q:

Dear Nike and the Anti-Shower Brigade,

We hear at PETPAS (People for the Ethical Treatment of People Addicted to Showers) are abhorred at your recent comments regarding long showers. Long showers are one of the great wonders of the modern era, and are responsible for an untold number of benefits including healthier skin, increased emotional and psychological well being, the elimination of countless diseases and deadly bacteria, and a host of other benefits which have yet to be discovered. In fact, many scientists believe that the cure to Cancer, AIDS, and H5N1 will one day be discovered in the shower. Please encourage your readers to take healthy and long showers, as the future of the world may one day depend on it!

Sincerely,

PETPAS

A: Dear PETPAS,

Okay...I'm holding in laughter because I think you're kidding, but just in case you aren't, I'll take you seriously for a sec. Far be it from me to discourage finding the cure for cancer, etc., but I really don't think you can get much cleaner in 40 than you can in 8-10. It's just the same old water hitting you for 30 more minutes. And with the state of Utah and the United States encouraging responsible water usage, I can't see the justification in taking such ridiculously long showers. You can relax without wasting water!

Anyway, your response made me laugh. I wasn't sure how to react to it, and if I'm going to be lambasted, so be it, but I'm still laughing.

Viva los duchas cortas!

Nike

Question #25771 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Relationships - Marriage

Social Science - History - United States

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I've got this weird question, but one that's plagued me my wholel life...So, pioneers and other 19th century folk often lived in one-room houses/cabins, or tents, I suppose, while they were coming across the plains. So, if they just have the one room, but they have children, in the same room, and other children came along after those children....how did that work??? Seems like an uncomfortable situation for both parties, to me. I hope you're catching my drift! I just wouldn't know where to look for that kind of information, and I think people would think I was a pervert if I asked in school or something...you know you've all wondered it, too!

- Hooray for modernism

A: Dear Modern,

Perhaps they just weren't very...vocal about what they were doing. Or maybe the children just accepted it as a fact of life and didn't think too much about it. Or maybe the parents waited until the kids were sleeping outdoors (in the summer) or with friends...I don't know. Ideas.

I could say a lot more, but for the sake of...well, BYU, I guess, I won't. :-)

Nike

A: Dear Modernism,

Let's take a walk down the aisles of the census and general demographics:

Most parents were farmers. Sometimes men would come home for lunch, sometimes not.

Most kids under the age of 3-4 can't remember much anyway and take naps. Kids over the age of five go to school or somehow learned to read and write. Once you hit roughly 14-15, you could be hired out to another family to help earn extra cash. High school during the 19th century was like our bachelor's degrees today where you had to go to special schools for the education. People also did a lot more visiting back then than they do these days, and spent literally weeks (sometimes) at relative's homes.

Further, since you were wondering, current demographic tend to have the first three children born all together within five years, and then after that a small time gap and then more kids. By the time the oldest kids are school-age, then there suddenly seem to be more kids along...

I think that you think that they only procreated in the evening, and that people stayed at home in nuclear families huddled around boxes of entertainment like they do today.

Also, not everyone crossed the plains at the same time. It took literally years for people to start at their original place and then come across. During that time, well, people were creative, and usually only had one kid every other year. It could happen without being right in front of everyone.

And yes, I am very glad that I am anonymous right right now,

A few thoughts from the Peanut Gallery, though nothing proven

Question #25770 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Sports

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

With the Tour De France coming up I've been wondering a really random fact! What exactly do pro cyclists do when they need to use the bathroom during a race? I mean-those races are several hours long! There are a lot of odd theories going around and I was just wondering if anyone actually knew instead of me having to guess all sorts of weird ways that this could be accomplished-for all I know they train themselves to not have to go for like 10 hours at a time, but you know that can't be the case for everyone! So what do you think?

-The Cheeky Chickie

A: Dear Cheeky Chickie,

I don't just think, I know. According to a vaguely official-looking website,

With longer stages lasting up to seven hours, it's inevitable that nature calls.

Riders try to go to the bathroom before the start of the stage. When the need for a bathroom stop is urgent, riders will pull off the side of the road to take care of business. Sometimes in longer stages the bunch will organize a bathroom break to allow several riders to stop while the remainder of the bunch rides slowly until they catch up.

Etiquette calls for riders not to attack when another rider is answering nature's call. Sometimes, riders will even ease off the back of the bunch and take care of business without even stopping, a delicate, sometimes imprecise maneuver.

There you have it. I never thought I would live to see the day I ended up discussing athletes relieving themselves from the seat of a bicycle. The perks of being a Board writer, I guess.

-Petra

Question #25769 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Relationships - Breaking Up

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

so last sunday my boyfriend, now my ex-boyfriend, broke up with me. he said he didn't love me the sameway anymore, and so he decided to end it. i can see where's he's coming from and everything. and that sometimes people fall in and out of love, and that maybe what we felt was not the same type of love. i can also see that his mother wasn't very happy with the relationship, because he still had 2 years of high school left, then 2 years for a mission. anyway i understand it and i was okay with it, because he still wants to be very best friends with me. i want that too. but it's alot harder for me because i'm still way attracted to him. i still really like him alot. seeing him with other friends is painful, and he's still all i think about. i don't want to forget about him, or hate him or anything, but i don't want to live my life wanting something i can't have. what do i do?

Thank you so much!

- The Short Blonde One (still loves phish)

A: Dear Short Blonde Phish Lover,

I know this is easier said than done, but don't worry about it. At this stage in your life, you will have SO many more dating experiences before you find the right guy (most likely) that you ought to just enjoy yourself. Assuming you're old enough to date, go out on group dates and get to know a variety of people. Have fun! And if this guy comes home from his mission and he's the right one, great - but until then, what can you do? His job right now is to finish high school and prepare for his mission, not seek a companion, and it would probably be best for him if you helped him in that regard. Then when he gets home, you can see where you are.

Seriously, don't take this too hard. Difficult to do, I know, but there are lots of fish in the sea and you have so much time ahead of you. Enjoy yourself and let serious romance wait while you figure out who you are and what you want out of your life. I promise you'll be grateful you did! If I had even a little of the time back I wasted worrying about boys in high school, I could have done so much! But anyway, just relax and enjoy where you are. Serious romance and all that comes with it will come in time.

Good luck!

Nike

Question #25768 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Athletics

Sports - Athletics

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,
Is there any way to purchase video copies of BYU sporting events (b-ball, football and volleyball)? In particular, from around 2003-2005? They have a lot of sentimental value for me and I'd like to show my grandkids (I'm in them).

Iflp4U

A: Dear Iflp4U,
Since I don't know what videos you are interested in, I would contact BYU Television for more information about getting copies. They have copies of everything. For more information about how to contact BYU Television, visit www.byutv.org, call 1-800-298-5298, or write to them at

BYU Broadcasting
2000 Ironton Boulevard
Provo, UT 84606

-ABC 123

Question #25756 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Relationships - Affection

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Will my first kiss really be that great? I've waited so long that I don't want to waste it, either...how will I know when it's the right time? I don't want to regret it, or for it to not be romantic. If you could do it over agian, would you wait until you were engaged or something to have your first kiss?

- VL and hopeless romantic (perhaps because of being VL?)

A: Dear VL,

Your first kiss will be good if it's with the right person. The reality of it is, if you haven't kissed anyone before you're probably going to be slightly awkward about it. No offense. My point is though that if it's someone you really like, not just someone that you're kissing to get your first kiss over with, it'll be good. It won't matter if it doesn't go well, you'll still go home smiling because you care about the guy. I don't know. I don't regret my first kiss. Oh, and I definitely wouldn't wait until I was engaged to kiss someone. I'm rambling.

Here. I'll summarize. If you kiss someone when you feel ready, it'll be right. Don't worry about how good it is physically, it'll get better. Don't let people pressure you into getting kissed and don't try to kiss someone just to have a first kiss.

- Lavish

A: Dear VL,

I agree with Lav. Your first kiss will be fabulous if you're ready and if it's with the right guy. Don't kiss someone just for the sake of kissing. My first kiss was when I was pretty young and it was actually really...well, icky.

Alas, life goes on, and now I have a much better kisser in Mr. Nike...

Nike

A: Dear VL,

You know, I waited a pretty long time before I kissed someone. I really, really liked the guy, and because of that, as Lavish said, the memory of my first kiss is a sweet thing.

The kiss itself was pretty awkward. We were both VL at the time, and had no idea what we were doing. We became much better kisssers as we continued to date, without ever crossing any of those lines you're not supposed to cross. I can think of lots of kisses that were much more romantic than our first kiss. That's part of the fun of being in a relationship--growing together. If all you've got to look forward to is your first kiss, and it's supposed to be your best and most romantic, then what's there to look forward to as you continue to date?

If you guys are both ready and feeling good about the relationship, the memory of your first kiss should be a happy one, but I bet it won't be the best one of your relationship. If everything goes really well...one of your best kisses should be in the temple, right?

Good luck, don't be too uptight, and romance is what you make it to be--you've got a lot of control over your first kiss, but don't assume that the whole success of your relationship will be in whether he makes you go weak in the knees with the first peck.

-Novel Concept

A: Dear VL,

Are you a guy? If so, contact me, and we can both find out the answer to your question.

-Tangerine

A: Dear VLahr,

I remember quite fondly my first kiss and the accompanied awkwardness that came with it. Not because it wasn't right or because it was rushed. It was just awkward. So, don't be upset or worried if it is awkward...under any circumstances. Sometimes thats just the way it is, no matter if it's rushed, right, or absolutely perfect.

But don't let it get you down, just relax and enjoy your relationships as they come.

-the newbie

A: Dear VL-

I would have waited longer, but only because the girl in question wasn't really the ideal person to have been dating at the time. If there had been a pretty great girl before then, it would have been even sooner, and I'd feel pretty great about it.

It won't be especially romantic. It may be enjoyable, and it will be a nice little memory, but don't think it is the epitome of life. If you do, you'll be disappointed when it happens.

-The Franchise

Question #25713 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

LDS - Doctrine

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

This is a somewhat doctrinal question. I was reading in Lectures on Faith (sixth lecture, 9th section) and had a question. Throughout this lecture the speaker explains that it is through sacrifice that we are blessed, and further that through sacrifice we can obtain eteranl life. In one of the sections (9) it says, "And in the last days, before the Lord comes, he is to gather together his saints who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice". My question is what covenant is this(specifically) and what sacrifice must we make to make this covenant. I guess I know that we make alot of covenants in the Church but I don't think alot of us, possibly just me, really know what we are covenanting to but rather going with the flow of religious tradition.

Sorry and one more...in D&C 84:39 it refers to the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Not being one who has personally recieved the priesthood I am not sure if I was ever told or fully understood, but what is the oath and covenant of the priesthood?

Hope this isn't too much.

- One trying to understand.

A: Dear One trying to understand,

Here is my understanding. The passage in Lectures on Faith (which mentions and goes along with Psalms 50:3-5) talks about covenanting with the Lord by sacrifice. I see that as meaning that the sacrificing is the mode of making the covenant.

The sacrifice referenced in Lectures on Faith is a complete sacrifice. If we back up a little to section 7, we read:

. . . a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; . . . Whan a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to his his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain.

It is a complete sacrifice that is required. This is the law of sacrifice. The best explanation for this law is in a talk by M. Russell Ballard called, coincidentally, The Law of Sacrifice given at a CES symposium at BYU back in 1996.

After His mortal ministry, Christ elevated the law of sacrifice to a new level. In describing how the law would continue, Jesus told His Nephite Apostles that He would no longer accept burnt offerings but that His disciples should offer "a broken heart and a contrite spirit" (3 Ne. 9:19-20; see also D&C 59:8, 12). Instead of the Lord requiring our animals or grain, now He wants us to give up all that is ungodly. This higher practice of the law of sacrifice reaches into the inner soul of a person. Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: "Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!" (" ‘Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness,' " Ensign, May 1995, 68).

How is it we show the Lord that we have symbolically put ourselves upon today's sacrificial altar? We show Him by living the first great commandment: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). When we overcome our own selfish desires and put God first in our lives and covenant to serve Him regardless of the cost, we are then living the law of sacrifice.

The law of sacrifice requires us to give up all ungodliness. Giving up this iniquity and putting the Lord first is our part of the covenant. We serve him, sacrificing all. The Lord's half of the covenant has already been discussed. It is eternal life.

As for your second question, it is answered by Joseph Fielding Smith in a General Conference report at the October 1970 conference. It can be more easily found on page 183 of the Doctrine and Covenants student manual. In reference tot eh oath and covenant of the priesthood, he said:

As all of us know, a covenant is a contract and an agreement between at least two parties. In the case of gospel covenants, the parties are the Lord in heaven and men on earth. Men agree to keep the commandments and the Lord promises to reward them accordingly. The gospel itself is the new and everlasting covenant and embraces all of the agreements, promises, and rewards which the Lord offers to his people.

And so when we receive the Melchizedek Priesthood we do so by covenant. We solemnly promise to receive the priesthood, to magnify our callings in it, and to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. The Lord on his part promises us that if we keep the covenant, we shall receive all that the Father hath, which is life eternal. Can any of us conceive of a greater or more glorious agreement than this? . . .

To swear with an oath is the most solemn and binding form of speech known to the human tongue; and it was this type of language which the Father chose to have used in the great Messianic prophecy about Christ and the priesthood. Of him it says: "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." (Ps. 110:4.)

In explaining this Messianic prophecy, Paul says that Jesus had "an unchangeable priesthood," and that through it came "the power of an endless life." (See Heb. 7:24,16.) Joseph Smith said that "all those who are ordained unto this priesthood are made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually," that is, if they are faithful and true.

And so Christ is the great prototype where priesthood is concerned, as he is with reference to baptism and all other things. And so, even as the Father swears with an oath that his Son shall inherit all things through the priesthood, so he swears with an oath that all of us who magnify our callings in that same priesthood shall receive all that the Father hath.

I read that those who honor their priesthood and magnify their callings while living the gospel will inherit eternal life. Remarkably similar to the law of sacrifice, isn't it? I believe that in order to fulfill the oath and covenant of the priesthood, you have to live the law of sacrifice and vice versa.

I hope all of this has helped answer your questions. Feel free to submit again if I missed something.

-Pa Grape

Question #25622 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Business

Language & Linguistics - English Usage/Grammar

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I've been reading Mr. Writing Person (mr-writing-person.blogspot.com). As he suggests, I'm working on using subjugular normative form for emphasis in my writing. ("Swang" for "swing," and "brang" for "bring," for example. In use: "Suddenly, the door swang open!!!") I'm having problems identifying others, especially since some seem to be doing double duty with past tense forms, like "sang" for "sing." Also, "thank" seems to be the subjugular normative form of "think," but I'm not sure. "He thank about it long and hard" reads funny.

I'm beginning to suspect that Mr. Writing Person is a filthy hack who's putting everyone on. So my question is, why did McDonalds stop selling the McDLT? I loved that sandwich.

Also, is Mr. Writing Person related to Mister Language Person? If he's not, who is he?

- Continually Learning Mom

A: Dear Continually Learning Mom,

According to Wikipedia,
the McDLT, an attempt to make fastfood burgers seem more homestyle, healthful, and tasty, was discontinued because McDonald's was being criticized for the amount of nonbiodegradable solid waste it was producing, and the McDLT's packaging was about twice the size of that of other burgers. The good news? According to this article, the Big N' Tasty, introduced in 2001, is really the McDLT. It may not have the fancy polystyrene packaging to keep the meat hot and the veggies cold until assembly, but with the Made for You process, that doesn't really matter. Each sandwich is made upon being ordered, so your food hasn't been sitting under a hot lamp. (It was a sad day when they switched to Made for You. It meant that at the end of the night, there was no longer a bag full of unsold sandwiches for me to take home.)

And now for your second question. I emailed your question to Mr. Writing Person, who responded with the following:

I've poked around a bit and discovered that y'all on that Board Thang like to have secret identities. I do too, and I'm not divulging it, even if you threaten me with killer otters or worse (like ALBINO killer otters). What I CAN tell you is that I and Mr. Writing Person's copy editor share some striking similarities: we're both Computer Science graduate students, we're both decent spelars and grammerizers, and we both harbor a secret passion for soggy Grape Nuts. Our widest divergence is in the fact that I actually like to write fiction as well as academic papers.

Regarding Mr. Writing Person's relationship to Mister Language Person: Mr. Writing Person has covered that in his "fack," which you should feel free to quote. . . .

In case you want the inside scoop: the relationship is nothing more than inspirational, and I am not making that up. Speaking of which, "Inspirational Relationship" would make a terrible name for a rock band.

Anonymously Yours,
Mr. Writing Person's Alter Ego

Lacking albino otters with which to threaten Mr. WP, we'll have to settle for reading Mr. Writing Person's Fack (FAQ) in his blog. In the Fack, we discover that it is entirely possible that Mr. Writing Person is the child, through immaculate conception, of Mister Language Guy. I don't know about you, but I would have been surprised to learn anything else. The sort of linguistic ability they both possess just doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of good genes with generations of training.

Even though Mr. WP is the progeny of Mister LG, there is far more to him than just language. He is well-rounded and nicely edged. If you explore his Fack, you'll discover that he's a gourmet chef. You might want to try his broccoli & tomato puree soup for special occasions. For a simple yet elegant dessert, use his strawberry & vanilla concoction. The special ingredient gives it a zest that will please any palate, even those discriminating Utahns. Mr. WP is a master of wilderness survival, and is environmentally aware, encouraging his readers to learn more about the plight of the panda. If you want to learn more about who Mr. Writing Person really is, his Fack is a must-read.

s for your allegation that Mr. Writing Person is a "filthy hack" and is "putting everyone on," all I can say is that I'm sorry you don't recognize a lingual revolution when you see one. Mr. Writing Person's grammars not only reflect current trends in grammar, but guide the English language in the direction it desperately needs to go. Throw out your Strunk & White. All you need is Mr. Writing Person.

Thanks, CLM, for introducing me to this grammar guru.

--Ambrosia

*Mr. Writing Person's Alter Ego, thanks for providing this information.

Question #25257 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Academics - Departments

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I had heard that the accounting department or an accounting club is selling accounting tee shirts, which have the same kind of theme that Mastercard has for their commercials. Where do I buy the tee shirt at? Who do I have to contact? How much does it cost?

Luke

A: Dear Luke,

I tried calling the Accounting Department to get a lead on this but every time I asked, the person had not heard of this shirt. I would suggest calling them again.

BYU Accounting 2-4235

-tried, no dice

Question #25217 posted on 06/15/2006 3:01 a.m.

Transportation - Automobiles

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Approximately what percentage of people in the US drive manual cars vs. automatic? What about worldwide?

- pumpkin13

A: Hello, Unlucky Pumpkin -

I'm sorry this took so long to get back to you on. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get straight answers from people about this sort of thing. For half of the question, it was easy - a quick poke around yielded me an EU case study entitled 'Transmission Trends in Passenger Cars & Light Commercial Vehicles in Europe' dated October 2000. I thought I was in clover as it gave me some really nice information. If you'd like to read the whole thing, you can find it here: http://www.kgpauto.com/Initiatives/trans2000.PDF

Information for other places is much harder to come by. I Googled my brains out, I emailed car-talk, I talked to people in the know, I even called car dealerships to get average numbers of cars sold with Standard transmissions vs. Automatic and at last I have some numbers for you.

According the European study, "80% of motorists still choose manual transmissions ... and there remains a widely held association of automatics with poor fuel consumption and inferior acceleration. Many drivers with limited experience of automatics also claim to feel uncomfortable and less in control."
The author attributes this fact to the fact that: "Historically, European vehicle manufacturers have produced their own manuals, but bought automatics from outside, and it has been conjectured that the manufacturers themselves have suppressed demand for automatics in order to retain maximum utilization of their in-house manual transmission manufacturing capacity, and to avoid reliance upon outside sources for such a significant part of the vehicle."
And the fact that automatics were brought in from elsewhere served to elevate prices. This creates a little bit of a cycle; because they're so expensive, people don't buy them, and because no-one buys them, they're not comfortable with them, and because they're not comfortable with them, they're not willing to shell out the extra cash.

Things appear to be almost exactly the opposite in the United States, where from 80%-85% of the population drive automatics. This, I attribute to the traditional American love of big cars. Think about all those baby-boomers cruising around in their Lincoln Town Cars and their Cadillacs, mothers in their minivans and dads in their SUVs.

It's the great American dream you know; 2.5 children, white picket fence and a car that gets gallons to the mile, or a nice sports car with an automatic transmission.

Use this information carefully.

- Guy, who drives a standard transmission, and needs to teach his wife sometime this month, and who hopes this is coherent, because he's feeling rather ill and cranky.