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"Local" Archives
This blog attempts to provide intelligent commentary on current events at all levels -- from local to global. However, be prepared for other stuff too.
February 02, 2005
Castles in motion
I'm usually a proponent of gun rights. In my opinion, most of those calling for gun restrictions are doing it out of emotion, not reason. Law's need to be made with reason and in the case of gun control, the restrictions are largely (not completely) placed on the innocent law-abiding citizens, while not affecting the criminals. However, I am also a person of reason, and I think there are limits. Carrying loaded guns in a car is one of those limits. The supporter of the bill argues that loaded guns are allowed in our homes (our "castles"), so why not in our cars, which are an extension of the home? I would have to vote against this bill (if I had a vote). I don't have any overpowering feelings on this, but I don't think it is a good idea. I can see where the bill is coming from, but reality shows that cars are much less secure than houses and there tend to be a lot more bad feelings when driving than when you're lounging on the couch at home. And as I think most people know, emotions can make you do things you shouldn't. I'm afraid emotions are going into this bill as a part of basic gun rights.
Posted by Cameron at 09:24 AM
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September 15, 2004
He's back
It's not a secret that I don't care for Michael Moore. I think he's a pest, stirring up volatile emotions around the country with no real benefit. He's not the only one; they exist on both sides, but he's probably the most public.That's why I was surprised to hear that he's coming to UVSC in Orem, Ut, a conservative haven if there ever were one. It's costing $50K, a lot of money, and needless to say there's a lot of controversy. I think diversity can be good, but I don't think extreme wingers like him are helpful. I can't say I'd support the event , but it should be interesting.Update:
Apparently, the college in question, UVSC, is now looking to invite Sean Hannity, a less public, but still controversial right-winger. I think it would be much more constructive to get two rational people together from each side. But then again, fireworks are gonna sell more tickets. Sigh...
Posted by Cameron at 09:31 AM
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July 12, 2004
The gay challenge - Withdrawn
Due to the religious nature of the post that used to be here, I regret posting it and I've decided to withdraw it. I felt this was not the place to discuss such an issue.
Posted by Cameron at 10:14 AM
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June 23, 2004
Stupid is as stupid does
While he's still a part of the gene pool, this intelligence-challenged guy shows why the Darwin Awards exist.
Posted by Cameron at 09:05 AM
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June 22, 2004
No responsibility
While not new, this article about Utah's bankruptcy status really bugs me. Once again, Utah leads the nation in household bankruptcies. I'm pretty tight with my money, and I consider personal responsibility an extremely important personal trait that few seem to have anymore. How can people not understand that credit is not free money? I'd expect some folks to have problems, but not 1 in 36 households. And why Utah? Shoot, those Mormons are supposed to be fiscally conservative and reponsible. I know that Utahns get paid less than in most other states, and they do have bigger families, but yet you still see plenty of big Expeditions and Suburbans, as well as full parking lots at the high schools. I grew up in a household where bankruptcy could easily have solved a lot of problems. We had a big litter of children, and very little money. Throw some hefty medical bills in there and you've got yourself a prime case. But I'm proud of my father, for his integrity in working through debts; for not giving up and letting the taxpayers and financial institutions take the burden through welfare or bankruptcy. But we often did without. We didn't have a lot of what others take for granted. I remember being excited when mom would buy "store-bought" milk (the normal white liquid stuff in a jug), instead of the usual powdered milk she'd buy, or when we had the luxury of cold cereal. I don't mean to revel in self-pity, just show that there are ways to be very frugal when it's necessary. Because of my experience, this subject is close to home and I have little sympathy for people with no self-control and who look for the easiest way out.I'll now jump off my soapbox.
Posted by Cameron at 09:43 AM
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November 17, 2003
Fast & Furious
I happened across this article in the NY Times yesterday, remembering that Dan had had a recent struggle getting a decent internet connection. Low and behold, the main subject of the article was Sandy, Ut. -- where Dan's struggle occurred. I think things are getting better for a lot of people, but I can certainly empathize with those that can't get access. I've been without Internet at home now for nearly 5 months. I can't even get dial-up, but am fortunate enough to live 8 minutes from work.Update:
I also came across this other article in today's Times, which talks about Utah and high-speed internet access. Maybe the Salt Lake valley will be renamed Germanium Valley, complimenting Silicon Valley. I remember all the buzz in Provo a while back about fiber to the home, but it stalled. Now I know why. It'll be interesting to see if anything happens.
Posted by Cameron at 09:55 AM
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March 14, 2003
Elizabeth Smart
I figured I should write a little something about this whole matter, considering it is making top headlines and that it is so (geographically) close to me. It's also a breath of fresh air from the whole Iraqi war mess. I'm sure pretty much everyone knows about the Elizabeth Smart case. She was kidnapped from her bed early on June 5, 2002 at the age of 14. 2 days ago, after 9 months in captivity, she was found and returned to her family. She was found with her captors about 2 miles from where I work, so there is certainly a lot of attention around here.I want to say that I'm extremely glad she was found alive and (supposedly) well. I must admit that I kinda figured she'd never show up again, given the cases of so many others who have been kidnapped, abused, and murdered. I remember feeling really bad for Ms. Smart when she was taken and just how tragic and unexplainable the whole thing was. Fortunately, she's back, but there are a lot of questions running through everyone's heads about what happened to her and her true psychological and physical shape. Was she brainwashed? Was she sexually abused (something extremely tragic and maddening in my mind)? The first seems somewhat certain, and I hate to think about the second. Some say the captor, Brian "Emmanuel" Mitchell was trying to replace a daughter who ran away when she was 15 (from supposed abuse). Some say he's a self-proclaimed polygamist and wanted her for another wife. Depending on which one of these (or another, of course) hypotheses was the real one, Elizabeth's treatment could differ wildly. I sincerely hope she's ok and doesn't have any long term effects. Congratulations to her and her family. Welcome back Elizabeth!
Posted by Cameron at 08:50 AM
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March 02, 2003
Sadamned
For those of you unfamiliar with Provo, Ut, it is a very small, large town. Oxymoron? Not really. Provo has a population of over 100,000 people (during the normal school year at least), but due to the fact that the large majority of those residents are LDS, Provo nevertheless has a small-town feel.I bring that up, because (for better or for worse) it is rare for anything to "disturb" the public. That is why yesterday, when I saw a small group of people at an intersection protesting the war in Iraq, I was quite surprised. Things like that just don't happen. Many of the signs said things like "Honk if you love peace" and other innocent things like that, though I wasn't looking too hard at what they were saying. On a humorous note, I had the latest copy of The Economist with me whose cover says in big letters "Why War Would Be Justified." I tried to get to the cover and hold it up for the protesters to see, but alas, I was too slow. It made me think though, about liking peace. While not too many people were honking, I couldn't help but think that everyone (normal that is) likes peace. I would venture to say that even the hardest war-hawks in the Administration like peace. And why not? It's cheap and safe and gives everyone warm-fuzzies. However (and you knew this was coming, right?), I knew what was behind these people standing on the corner -- it wasn't just simple peace; rather an anti-war sentiment. I almost felt bad for them as I pictured their overly simplistic view that if we don't go to war, we will obviously have peace. What about Sep. 11? What about the millions being starved, deprived, and tortured in Iraq? What about the fear of letting a madman stay in control of Iraq? What about...? I don't think telling ourselves to be peaceful is going to work here. At times, force is needed. Is it right to attack Iraq? Perhaps only God knows, as only He knows what Saddam is up to. As The Economist put it in one of their latest articles (if you have a paid subscription), "Saddamned, perhaps, if you do; but Saddamned, also, if you don't."
Posted by Cameron at 09:22 PM
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February 19, 2003
Moronic drivers
I have a 35-45 minute commute each way to work every day. It's not uncommon to narrowly miss accidents or witness poor driving. Today however, I saw an act that was just downright moronic. Traffic is always heavy in a certain part of my commute and at this point, I was in stop-and-go traffic in the right lane (there are 3 lanes). A highway patrolman merged onto the freeway behind me from an onramp. No big deal. The middle lane seemed to be going a little faster, so when I found a hole, I quickly moved over (using my blinker as all good drivers do). The right lane continued to move very slowly, but mine was moving at a decent pace. However, as I looked back, there was an ever widening hole behind me. It turns out that the car behind me was afraid to pass the policeman. It's pretty common for drivers to be afraid to pass policemen at freeway speeds (though I quite enjoy doing it), but folks, they were moving probably 20 mph at this time! Luckily I was not caught behind that person, but c'mon, 20 mph? Learn to drive! There is absolutely no reason for that than pure idiocy. Thanks for letting me rant.
Posted by Cameron at 09:29 AM
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February 18, 2003
Banks vs Credit Unions. Part II
The fight I mentioned earlier between the banks and Credit Unions is making slow progress. The bill in question, HB162, was supposed to be discussed last Thursday, the 13th. There was some discussion and a lot of confusion over it on the 14th, but yesterday there was finally a motion as the House approved the bill, with a 5% tax on the states largest Credit Unions, by a margin of 43 to 32. I can't say I like this though as it will somewhat hurt me, reducing the benefits Credit Unions can offer members. I guess we'll just see what happens in the state senate.
Posted by Cameron at 03:25 PM
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February 13, 2003
Credit Unions and banks
Don't know the difference? Well, me neither. Actually I know that CU's are non-profit, required by federal mandate to hold a 10%+ cash reserve (for CU's with over $500k in assets) , and are supposed to return the rest of profits to customers. I also know that I think my CU, America First rocks. I'm still a member of a large bank in Utah, but I basically just keep a few bucks in there for emergency, since they have many more branches than the CU. An interesting fact is that nearly 1/2 of Utahns (around 1.3 million) belong to a credit union.America First pays me interest on any amount in my checking account, as well as my savings account (I think as long as you have $25 in there), they have great interest rates, and they hardly charge any fees (cancelling a check is the only one I've ever paid I think, and it was for about 1/2 as much as what a bank charges).I bring this up because the powerful bank lobbyists are trying to push through State Bill 162 here in Utah which would cause large CU's to pay up to a 30% business tax, limit commercial lending, and disallow expansion in all but their home counties. I wrote my state representative explaining my opposition to the bill and he wrote back saying he had made some changes to the bill that made it more appealing. I'm still not buying it. Just because the banks are losing customers to the CU's doesn't mean they should be able to tax them to reduce competition. Rather, they need to alter their business model or something else in order to win back customers. 1/2 of utah can't be wrong.
Posted by Cameron at 09:15 AM
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