Last year President Hinckley issued a challenge to all members of the LDS Church to read the Book of Mormon by the end of 2005. I have no good excuses but I never made it past 1 Nephi 3. Thank goodness for the principle of repentance!!! I’ve decided that I’m going to take up President Hinckley’s challenge a little bit late and finish the Book of Mormon over the next six to nine months. Its going to go a little bit more slowly than it normally would (the book really isn’t that long) because I want to blog my thoughts and questions as I study and read. The point of this post is to ask for volunteers to join me.
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The people who make Scotts fertilizer are close to making it through all the red tape and government regulation so they can release genetically modified grass that resists weeds, crab grass, and doesn’t need as much water or mowing. Very cool. This would have been available quite a while ago if it weren’t for the mamby-pamby crybaby “environmentalists” who have an irrational fear of anything “GM” (genetically modified) related.
Read this very cool Wired article about the grass and the guy who is going to make it happen. I was surprised by how much turf there is planted in North America and what the positive and negative effects are. Hopefully this technology will go a long way toward making everyone happier…cleaner water…cleaner air…less time spent mowing, fertilizing and weeding.
Katherine Lopez of National Review wrote an article on a topic I’ve thought a lot about over the past couple years. Could the government, by expanding the definition of what discrimination is in civil rights legislation; end up coercing my religion to abandon some of its moral positions?
Catholic Charities, the arm of the Catholic Church that runs its charitable activities, recently announced it was going out of the adoption business because in some places it was being required by law to provide adoptive services to homosexual couples. Laws which prevent discrimination against homosexuals have compelled the church to run its adoption service in a way it finds morally offensive so it has decided to stop providing the service.
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Here’s a funny story that was passed around by email through my office today. I’m posting it here instead of emailing all of you with it. Aren’t I nice?
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I love computer games…in fact…I love them more than I should and have wasted countless hours of my life playing them. Here is a great op-ed by Will Wright, the creator of The Sims and many other computer games, describing his philosophy about the value of videogames as a form of entertainment and an outlet for human creativity and imagination. It is really a fun piece to read. Here’s my favorite part:
Society, however, notices only the negative. Most people on the far side of the generational divide - elders - look at games and see a list of ills (they’re violent, addictive, childish, worthless). Some of these labels may be deserved. But the positive aspects of gaming - creativity, community, self-esteem, problem-solving - are somehow less visible to nongamers.
I think part of this stems from the fact that watching someone play a game is a different experience than actually holding the controller and playing it yourself. Vastly different. Imagine that all you knew about movies was gleaned through observing the audience in a theater - but that you had never watched a film. You would conclude that movies induce lethargy and junk-food binges. That may be true, but you’re missing the big picture.
Cool. Of course if you really do need to cut back on your videogame consumption I can say from experience that starting your own business and having two kids is a good way to do so…but even with that I still like to sit down to a little World of Warcraft from time to time :-).
Lawrence Kudlow has a great post on his blog about the current hoopla regarding immigrants both legal and illegal. I agree with him completely and think that the US should allow far more legal immigration than it currently does while at the same time enforcing the borders with more boots on the ground and better technology. We should allow everyone who wants a better life for themselves in…as long as they can prove they are no threat to our security and that they won’t be a drain on our economy. Illegals who are currently working in the United States shouldn’t be considered felons and shouldn’t be transported back to their countries…but they should have to pay back taxes and fines if owed and should be moved to the back of the line for green cards while still being allowed to work in the U.S.
Ok…finally…here are some pictures from the happiest place on earth!
Corryn was very excited for the Merry-Go-Round but decided later that her favorite was the Haunted Mansion.
Melia found a duck much more interesting than Donald.
They decked out the castle in celebration of our visit. Yay!
More pictures later…its time for bed now. I’m tired.
Lisa and I took the kids to California this week to visit Mickey and friends. Even better…Grandma and Grandpa Damron are here to deal with the kids while Lisa and I live it up!!! It is fun and there will be more blogging than normal as I brag about our adventures. More info and pictures to come.
I hate stoplight cameras. The whole idea that cities and municipalities are encouraged to make money by shortening the timing on their yellow lights and installing cameras at intersections to automatically ticket red light runners seems lame and crooked. I’ve also wondered how the method for collecting the fines ever made it into policy since it so obviously flies in the face of the idea that everyone should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Tickets go to the registered owner of the vehicle…even if he wasn’t the one driving the vehicle at the time of the alleged infraction.
Here’s a cool story:
Minneapolis calls the camera program its “Stop on Red” campaign. But the ACLU argued that the cameras do not prove an infraction, and place the individual in the position of having to prove innocence when all other criminal law requires that arresting authorities prove the individual’s guilt.
The ACLU won the case in Minneapolis and the cameras were declared unconstitutional. Well Duh.
Hat tip: Instapundit
Ann Althouse has a great post this morning on new laws in England that require Science teachers to discuss creationist theories in their classes. She finishes with this concern which I think is valid:
I wonder if in the end the religionists will be happy. The science teachers, most of whom won’t like having this imposed on them, will be pressing students to use the tools of science to question the assertions made by religion. Won’t this teach them not to believe? Students who hold to the belief in creationism will be shredded in any classroom debate that is framed in scientific terms…
She’s exactly right. Students should learn science in science class and religion at home or in religion classes. Science teachers should never be required to try to teach intelligent design or bring up discussion about it in their classes. I know this post is a few weeks late in regards to legislation in Utah but I saw Ann’s post and thought is was a good analysis of the issue.
Its about time. Radio From Hell finally has their show available for Download on their webpage. YAY!!!! One of the things I missed most when I moved away from Utah nearly 8 years ago was listening to a quality morning radio program. Now RFH is available for everyone to download and listen to at their convenience.
One of my favorite movies is Forrest Gump. The story and acting and stuff are all great but the real reason I love the movie is the scene about 3/4 into the movie when Forrest finishes running back and forth across the country. He looks dead tired from all the running when he stops on Highway 163 in Southern Utah which runs between the little town of Bluff, Utah and Monument Valley, Arizona. It is the most beautiful place on earth (Here’s a great picture). I’m often embarrassed when I watch this scene with anyone else because I always have to wipe tears off of my face. I only lived in the area for 9 months or so on my mission but that part of the world is very dear to me in a way that is kind of hard to describe. I don’t know of another place where the air is so clear and where everything is so quiet and peaceful. (more…)
Dan made a couple of comments in one of my previous posts about the Democratic Party’s status as the “un-Mormon” party of Utah. I was going to answer with follow up comments then decided to make a post out of this issue.
First, here’s Dan:
It is tough to change Utah culture so that Democrats aren’t considered un-mormon. The Democratic party is the party of wack job Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi. It is the party of abortion and welfare. I don’t see how these values are compatible with Utahns’ values of industry, self reliance, and the value of work.
The Republicans might have problems, but I don’t see how the Democrat’s big-government values will resonate with Utahns–unless the Democrats can convince people that since many of them have a patriarchal church, they need a patriarchal government.
He followed up with a post that backpedals a bit (after a well placed threat from Nate) but I think he was making a fair point. Democrats in Utah have to contend with an image problem brought on by the wackjob lunatics who are often their national voice. (more…)
