Microsoft at it again...

Today we read "Microsoft Sued Over Bing Trademark".
While this is nothing new, after all, Microsoft is in the news a lot for some kind of Copyright infringement, but what is new it the following statement by Kevin Kutz, "[Microsoft] always respect[s] trademarks and other people's intellectual property, and look[s] forward to the next steps in the judicial process."... Really?

Lets Review:
Microsoft settles Paltalk copyright infringement suit

Microsoft's copyright infringement

Microsoft Found Guilty Of Character Input Copyright Infringement In China

Microsoft Ordered To Pay $290M, Stop Selling Word

And these are just some of the most recent cases...

Microsoft doesn't even respect it's customers and the users of it's operating systems, WHY would it respect someone's copyright or trademark?

From the Round File

Man shot in Bluffdale last summer now accused of sexual abuse
If you remember, this guy got into an altercation with a neighbor as he was supposedly "doing his rounds" as a neighborhood watch captain... he stopped to talk to a couple teen girls, and the neighbor intervened, thinking this dude was picking up on the girls... a gun fight ensued, and this guy got shot... the other guy got in trouble, but that might all change now, as we find out that there WAS CONCERN... the neighborhood watch captain now stands accused of sexual abuse... so maybe he was picking up on the teen girls?

Digital Abuse
Well, I guess it had to happen some time... when you carry around something that allows access to you 24/7/365 (your cell phone) that someone would just figure they could stalk you, follow you around electronically...

Lawsuit against Intermountain Healthcare draws calls for change
This is one of those points that should be covered in the Healthcare Reform... a way for Hospitals AND insurance companies to make sure they milk us for every last penny that they can...
But it prolly won't be covered, and that means more "reform" to try and fix a broken system... why don't they just fix what is broken and leave the rest alone?

Charities Upset Over Chase Facebook Contest
I have a hard time feeling sorry for the likes of, "Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)" or "Marijuana Policy Project"... I don't think their cause deserves $25000 nor do they deserve the chance at $1000000...
But to be fair, I don't think Chase should be rigging the results of a contest either...

Mitt Romney: President's stimulus package has failed
Well, no kidding. It was a failed policy under Bush, so it could only be a failed policy under Obama... But try telling the Democrats that... they think Obama's stimulus is better than Bush's... interesting, isn't it?

Syracuse man's arrest serves as wakeup call for parents
THis should be filed in the "what the hell are my kids doing" file...
When your child comes home from a friend's house on a new or different bicycle, you, as the parent, should ask, "hay, where'd that new bike come from?" You aren't supposed to say, "hay, nice bike!"
We should be more responsible as parents, so our children can grow up responsible.

A&E focuses on teenage Utah psychic
I love these kinds of stories... not that I believe in psychics or anything, but I like to hear about people getting some recognition for some special talent or ability. It isn't main-stream, but it is still kind of cool. Unless you ride a uni-cycle... (just kidding)...

Some Salt Lake County residents to pay fee for police force
I am confused by this. When we pay our city and county taxes, we pay for the services of Police and Emergency Services (fire, etc)... so why are they able to charge people in the Unincorporated areas an extra fee for the same service they are already paying for?
I will be writing a letter to someone on the Hill to get answers to that question... it seems like a penalty for living out of the incorporated areas...that isn't right and maybe not even legal.

KSL 5 News investigates major medical billing lawsuit
This is one of the things I have been talking about for a while now. These are the practices that need to be fixed, not everything else. If we could solve the issues with over-billing, insurance fraud, kick-back deals, etc, we could save a ton of money, and healthcare services would become cheaper.

The Myth and Mystery surrounding Guns

I am not from the Old West, I am not a "nut case" (although there are those that might argue with that)... I just happen to believe that we have a right to protect ourselves, our property, our families, and our friends.
Our Founding Fathers also felt this way, and often said so:

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the people's liberty teeth (and) keystone... the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable... more than 99% of them [guns] by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference [crime]. When firearms go, all goes, we need them every hour." (George Washington addressing the 1st Congress)

They intended the Constitution as a guide to protecting our Liberties, Freedoms, and Rights, and to outline Citizen's Responsibilities and the Government's Limitations. The Second Amendment protects our Right to Self Defense: not just to defend the country, but to defend our person; and not just from foreign enemies, but from domestic ones as well.

We have a problem in our country today...we have organizations and government representatives that would like to take our rights away, including our right to self defence, leaving us vulnerable and at the mercy of those who would harm us.
It all started in the 1830s, when Georgia tried to ban handguns, but the ban was struck down. This is the same situation we find in Washington DC, with the Heller Decision. We do have the right to own guns.
This trend has continued through the years and is still an issue today:

"If I could have banned them all- 'Mr. and Mrs. America turn in
your guns' -I would have!" (Diane Feinstein, US Senator, in a Statement on the TV program 60 Minutes, Feb 5 1995)

So, to help eliminate the MYTH and MYSTERY regarding guns, I would point you to a small book called "Gun Facts", its free, and it is an easy read.

I have posted other blog entries regarding gun safety and responsibility, so I won't rehash those, but I would also like to point you to some other resources for more information to help clear up any misconceptions you might have regarding guns and gun ownership.
Gun Control is kind of a misconception. It only controls those people who follow and honor the laws. A criminal, by definition, does not follow or honor the law. So who is affected in Gun Control? Certainly not what they were hoping. There are hundreds of quotes regarding "protecting our children" and "stopping crime", but if criminals are the ones causing crime, and they don't follow the law, then why would Gun Control protect our children and reduce crime?
The Logic is flawed.

Another thing to point out is the utter ridiculousness of our gun laws... First off, lets take the MOST DANGEROUS AND DEADLY consumer product made in the world -- no, it isn't a gun, it is an automobile. Now, lets look at the Licensing and Registration requirement for this, most dangerous, product...
Driving Test, written and in practice.
Photo ID, with identifying information.
Is good in all 50 states.
Does not limit size, shape, brand, model, or color of vehicle.
I can buy or sell it without keeping records.
I don't need Government Approval to buy or own one.
The government does not track how many I have, or how fast they go.

Now, what about Guns?
Some states require classes and a range test.
Some states have a photo, some have other identifying info.
Some states recognize an out-of-state permit.
In some states I cannot own one.
In some states I cannot carry it openly.
In some states I cannot carry it concealed.
I have to have special permission to own automatic weapons.
Some states ban scary-looking weapons.
Some states limit the number of bullets I can have.
Some states require paperwork when sold.
Feds require tracking and background checks.

A friend wrote this article that takes a look at how we could change the existing gun laws to make them simple and effective.
Part of the problem we face with Gun Laws is that they are just ineffective. We should streamline them to make them more effective, and enforce the existing gun laws with recommended punishments for abuses of those laws. That would reduce most of the problem right there.

Now, if that doesn't clear it up, or at least give you some idea that all the "Myth and Mystery" regarding Guns is simple "HYPE", then I don't know what will.

Cancer, no Cancer, Cancer, no Cancer...huh?

I recently read an article that says there is a link between cellphone usage and brain cancer:
Study: Cell phone cancer link

This study states:

A groundbreaking, $30 million study into cell phones has found a link between long term use and brain tumors.

and

The project carried out studies in 13 countries, talking to tumor sufferers as well as healthy cell phone users, It interviewed 12,800 people.

This study was conducted by the WHO (World Health Organization) which is funded by the UN.

In another study:
No tumour link to mobile phones, says study

We see a different conclusion:

Deltour's team analysed annual incidence rates of two types of brain tumour -- glioma and meningioma -- among adults aged 20 to 79 from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden from 1974 to 2003. These countries all have good cancer registries that keep a tally of known cancer cases.

This represents about 30 years of data and 16 MILLION people, with a result of:

We did not detect any clear change in the long-term time trends in the incidence of brain tumours from 1998 to 2003 in any subgroup," Isabelle Deltour of the Danish Cancer Society and colleagues wrote.

Hmmm. So who is right? a $30 million study to ask 12,800 people or a study over 30 years with 16,000,000 million people? Which one do you think is more statistically relevant? (and this is true even if we look only at the 60,000 cancer patients, not the full population).

So, this argument has been passed back and forth, back and forth, for years...and there still is no concensus on it.
Do cellphones cause cancer? I dunno...
But many really don't think so, "Cell Phones Don't Increase Chances of Brain Cancer"...

Well, one thing I do know for sure is, anything could cause cancer in the State of California... at least, that is what the label says...

UPDATE:
I found another study, but I don't know how it fits in this little battle...
Studies Find Harm From Cellular and Wi-Fi Signals

YMMV

Christians and Socialism

I have heard it time and again, people saying that the Church as established by Christ is rooted in Socialism. I disagree. Not to be contrary, but to clarify.

Yes, there are some things in the scriptures that can be interpreted as being socialist in nature, but Christ also taught about Stewardship, Responsibility, and Accountability.

“Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer.(D&C 42:42)” Let us hope that that spirit of independence that was with our pioneer fathers may be re-awakened in us, and that none who are Latter-day Saints holding the Priesthood of God will be guilty of being idle.”
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant)

In Genesis, the LORD tells us how life should be:

Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Psalms remids us why we should work:

Psalms 128:2
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

No person who has "made their way" ever got their wealth because they were afraid of work:

Proverbs 13:11, 19:15, and 21:25
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

Here is one of the "socialist" scriptures, only, it isn't what you think...

Acts 20:35
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

There are 2 parts here, we should labour to support the weak... not those that won't work or don't work... and we should GIVE our support, not have that support TAKEN from us.

To take what isn't yours is stealing:

Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

So when the Government takes my money and gives it to someone who could earn their own, that is stealing.

The Church in the time of Christ supported helping the weak, but for those that could work, work was required:

2 Thessalonians 3:8, 10
Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Whether or not you believe in the Book of Mormon, it contains many good words of wisdom.
This is essentially the Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have done unto you", would you like someone leaching off your labor, and would you leach off someone else's labor?

Mosiah 27:4
That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.

In this verse, we get the same feeling as from 2 Thessalonians 3:8 and 10 and 27:4, that we should all labor and help those that are weak, sick, or otherwise afflicted.

Alma 1:26-27
And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength.
And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely.

We are reminded to not be idle. Why? Well, we have all heard the phrase, "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop" - this might also explain why there is so much crime among those that use/abuse social services.

Alma 38:12
Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

and

D&C 52:39
Let the residue of the elders watch over the churches, and declare the word in the regions round about them; and let them labor with their own hands that there be no idolatry nor wickedness practised.

Even in the Doctrine and Covenants (another LDS Scripture), we get some good advice.
I think the message here covers many that are using/abusing social services, it is among these people that we have the highest crime rate in the nation:

D&C 56:17
Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!

Some might say this scripture supports socialism, but in reality, we are told to do as the gospel requires, and that is described above:

D&C 88:123-125
See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be einvigorated.
And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

Charity...the act of giving selflessly. Note: we should GIVE support not have our support TAKEN...
And in Thessaloniki, the saints were taught to "love one another" and to "work with [their] own hands" so that they would be "honest" and "lack nothing":

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

So, did Christ support socialism in the early Church? Well, one thing is for sure, He DID NOT support what we commonly call Socialism today. The LDS Church has social welfare programs, but they don't just give; they also require. If you can work, in any capacity, they require you DO something for your support. They have programs where you can make quilts, crochet, help stock shelves, work in the cannery, clean the churches, etc, etc, etc... and for things like making quilts, the Church will provide all the materials you need, but you provide the labor.
The Federal Government has been looking into an overhaul of our government's social services for many years, and they look to the LDS Church for ideas on how to fix things. Unfortunately, they are unable to create a program that requires something of the people using the services. I am not sure of all the details, but people are, basically, unwilling to do anything. They might suffer from the "entitlement" mentality - that somehow, they are entitled to or deserve something for nothing. Or it might be something else.
The one thing I do know for sure is, if we continue to support the modern day socialistic trend, we will fail, we will fall into a very dark place. If crime follows those that use/abuse social services, then the more people using/abusing services the more crime. And it doesn't help to have the government taking our money and giving it to those that don't deserve it.

Support Social Welfare reform, but not the current plans being touted by this adminstration. There are better solutions.

From the Round File

'Warrior Gene' Linked To Gang Membership, Weapon Use
While I think they have found something, "Warrior" is NOT equal to "Criminal". We should be careful about our conclusions on this kind of research, or people will come to the wrong conclusions. Cops most likely have the "Warrior Gene", violent criminals prolly do too, but anyone who has a desire to compete in sports (including fencing, archery, rifle or pistol shooting, or any of the martial arts) prolly has this gene.

Scientists Say a Dirty Child Is a Healthy Child
This actually makes sense to me. That is why we didn't get the Swine Flu vaccine. My kids all got the Swine Flu, and now they won't have to worry about it ever again.
We also teach good hygiene, and we have snakes, so we use hand sanitiser, but we aren't so "clean" as to deprive them of the necessary health benefits... or so this article leads me to believe.

Changes Coming to Credit Card Rates
So why has it taken them this long to respond to this problem? I got a credit card for emergencies... it had a 10% rate on it when I got it (and it even had a smaller introductory rate)... now it is as 29%... OUCH! needless to say, I don't use it.
Now, if we can just get the banks to understand... charging bounced check fees or overdraft fees is a bad idea.......
If my account is empty and a charge won't clear, how can I pay the extra fees too?

Environmental Chemicals Are Feminizing Boys
I am actually surprised that I haven't heard anything about this from the Homosexual groups...
I know "gender confusion" is something that tends to lead some people to homosexuality, but maybe there is another reason, one that is biological, but not natural...?


Air Cannon Ties Pirates In Knots
I have heard that some boats are using some of the military "active denial" systems for this, including HIGH PRESSURE WATER CANNONS, MICROWAVE PAIN MACHINES, SOUND CANNONS, and EMP CANNONS...this is the first time I have seen something this clever...and cheep!

Dell Defect Turning 2.2GHz CPU Into 100MHz CPU?
Oops. This shouldn't have gotten into the wild. I test software and hardware and I find many bugs in architecture as well as implementation. This one is serious, and I hope they make it right with their customers.

New device aims to make teens safer drivers
It wouldn't take any of my kids very long to figure out how to disable it, or simply ignore it. But it is an interesting idea. I believe there are some GPS units that already have similar functions -- wasn't it Avis who had one of their cars taken and the user took it across state lines...so they charged him for an out of state fee... by using the GPS onboard?
You can also track most cellphones by the GPS in them. Combined with mapping software, you should know just how fast they were going, and where they were.

Stay tuned for more randomness from the Round File!

The "Entitlement" Mentality as Fostered by the Government

It wasn't that long ago that people worked for their money. They would go out and earn a living. The world didn't owe them anything, nor did they expect anything for free.
Now, we fast forward to today. People feel they are "entitled" to a job. They feel they are owed something by society. They have no problems taking something that doesn't belong to them.

Part of the problem is Socialism. Socialism is a Governmental philosophy of "distribution of wealth". In other words, if I make $100,000 and you make $50,000, then they would take $25,000 from me and give $25,000 to you. Now we both have $75,000.
While this works in theory, the entitlement mentality spreads... after all, why should I do $100,000 worth of work when I can do $50,000 worth and get paid $75,000?

Once this process breaks down, we end up in the hurt-locker. No one is making $100,000, everyone still wants $75,000, but there is no one to pay us the extra $25,000...

Essentially, this is what is happening with the Healthcare debates. I would pay X number in taxes and that money would buy someone healthcare, and I would be required to have my own healthcare ...
Only, who will pay for my healthcare? Now, as the people realize they can get free healthcare, will they support the program with money of their own? Where is the incentive? It is the same as the scenario above.

And, if I am a big business, the Free Market says that if I am an idiot and I don't have a good product, or I don't do my marketing right, or if I have a failing business plan...then my business fails, and I go under. The Socialist plan is that they throw money at your business to save jobs and consume products from other companies... but it doesn't require that you be intelligent with your business.
The Government recently did this with the likes of AIG, Sally May and Ferdie Mac...and many other businesses...mostly banks, who made bad business choices and really stupid mistakes. Instead of letting them go under and reaping the rewards of their labor, the Government gives them money... now, where is the incentive to do better?

So now, instead of making good business decisions, the Telcos are asking for bail-out money. They have learned that you don't have to have a good business strategy, you just have to ask for Government support. Where is their incentive to succeed, to provide a great product or service? They don't have to market or sell to the customer any more, they just have to get the Government to give them money for them to succeed.

Telcos Want Big Subsidies, Not Line-Sharing

We are doing this to ourselves. We should be standing up and shouting, STOP! But where is our incentive?

The More You Buy, The More You Save

This is marketing hype... we hear it every day. And yet, it isn't even possible for the statement to be true. It is what we lovingly call an Oxymoron.
If you spend $50 to save 10%, you actually still spent $45. If you spend $100 to save 25%, you have still spent $75. $75 is still MORE than $50, so you have spent more... however, it is also true that 25% is more than 10%, so actually did "save more"...
This is how they get away with this marketing ploy...

As we read this, we think that somehow spending more keeps more money in our pockets...or saving money... But for this to be true, it would have to be like this:
If you spend $50 to save 10%, you still spend $45. if you spend $100, you should save 65% (or more) so you spend a total of $45... that way, the more you buy, the more you save...

Well, ok, so my logic is a little flaky, but the point I want to make isn't even about sales, but about Marketing...

Democrats: Health care bill saves money and jobs

Tell me... How does spending $1.2 TRILLION save money? Don't be fooled, the news media (or the Democrats) is (are) putting the marketing spin on this issue. It is the same Marketing ploy as the one described above.

What would really save money?
Working on how to solve the Graft, Greet, Corruption, Waste and Fraud that plagues the current systems, and find ways to prevent it from happening in the future.

But you won't see that advertised... it suffers the same fate as my slogan, "the more you buy, the more you spend"... truth isn't usually a big component of cheep marketing ploys.

Separation of State from Church

There has, I think, been a misunderstanding when it comes to the Separation of Church and State. I contend that it is the phraseology of these words that is the root and cause of the problem. We use the metaphor of, "The Separation of Church and State", but the evidence supports the more aptly worded phrase, "The Separation of State from Church".
First off, there is no such thing as a complete two-way separation: a separation of Church from State and a separation of State from Church.
The First Amendment of our Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...". This, in essence, prohibits the Congress from establishing a National Religion.
Further support of the separation of the State from Religion can be found in the writings of John Locke, "According to his principle of the social contract, Locke argued that the government lacked authority in the realm of individual conscience, as this was something rational people could not cede to the government for it or others to control. For Locke, this created a natural right in the liberty of conscience, which he argued must therefore remain protected from any government authority."
And again in the Danbury Baptist letters, where Thomas Jefferson replies, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."
Further on August 15, 1789, James Madison, the principal drafter of the Constitution said, in reference to the First Amendment, "Mr. [Peter] Sylvester [of New York] had some doubts...He feared it [the First Amendment] might be thought to have a tendency to abolish religion altogether...Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry [of Massachusetts] said it would read better if it was that 'no religious doctrine shall be established by law.'...Mr. [James] Madison [of Virginia] said he apprehended the meaning of the words to be, that 'Congress should not establish a religion, and enforce the legal observation of it by law.'...[T]he State[s]...seemed to entertain an opinion that under the clause of the Constitution...it enabled them [Congress] to make laws of such a nature as might...establish a national religion; to prevent these effects he presumed the amendment was intended...Mr. Madison thought if the word 'National' was inserted before religion, it would satisfy the minds of honorable gentlemen...He thought if the word 'national' was introduced, it would point the amendment directly to the object it was intended to prevent."
And later, in a letter to Edward Livingston, Madison further expanded, "We are teaching the world the great truth that Govts. do better without Kings & Nobles than with them. The merit will be doubled by the other lesson that Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Govt."
Then in the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, originally authored by Thomas Jefferson, but championed by Madison, we read, "... no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."
John Tyler, Jr., the tenth President of the United States is quoted in William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine of July, 1904, as having said, "The United States have adventured upon a great and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent-that of total separation of Church and State. No religious establishment by law exists among us. The conscience is left free from all restraint and each is permitted to worship his Maker after his own judgement. The offices of the Government are open alike to all. No tithes are levied to support an established Hierarchy, nor is the fallible judgement of man set up as the sure and infallible creed of faith. The Mahommedan, if he will to come among us would have the privilege guaranteed to him by the constitution to worship according to the Koran; and the East Indian might erect a shrine to Brahma if it so pleased him. Such is the spirit of toleration inculcated by our political Institutions . . . . The Hebrew persecuted and down trodden in other regions cakes up his abode among us with none to make him afraid . . . . and the Aegis of the Government is over him to defend and protect him. Such is the great experiment which we have cried, and such are the happy fruits which have resulted from it; our system of free government would be imperfect without it." (also referenced in Bernard Lewis', "THE ROOTS OF MUSLIM RAGE" and in The Cooper Union and or The Atlantic Monthly, September 1990.)
And while the SCotUS references the "separation" about 25 times, it is not unanimously held. Justice Rehnquist presented the view that the establishment clause was intended to protect local establishments of religion from federal interference and Justice Scalia criticized the metaphor as a bulldozer removing religion from American public life.
Not surprisingly absent from any source and resource on this topic is the idea or understanding that Religion must be separated from the State, only that the State must be separated from Religion. In other words, as a religious entity, I can have influence in the Government, up to but not including, the establishment of a State or National Religion.

(all references maintained at Wikipedia)

Visual-Spacial Learning

I have had a battle with Learning the way things are taught in the School Systems. They tend to teach to the Lowest Common Denominator. It was complicated by my being a little A.D.D.
I would get bad grades, and nobody could figure out why, because I was testing in the 97 percentile.
Well, here we are, more than 20 years later, and they have finally started putting things together.
Dr. Linda Kreger Silverman. Ph.D. has put into words what we previously didn't understand. It is called "Visual-Spatial Learning".
These are 3 things to look at when trying to decide if you are a Visual-Spatial Learner:

Visual-spatial learners think in pictures rather than in words. They learn better visually than auditorally. They learn all-at-once, and when the light bulb goes on, the learning is permanent.

They do not learn from repetition and drill. They are whole-to-part learners who need to see the Big Picture first before they learn the details.

They are non-sequential, which means they do not learn in the step-by-step manner in which most teachers teach. They arrive at correct solutions without taking steps, so "show your work" may be impossible for them.

This was my problem. I couldn't show my work in most cases (I did learn how to at least look like I was showing my work). I couldn't do things sequentially, but that is how it was being taught. And if I tried memorization and practice, my grades actually dropped.
I finally got out of High School with a 3.5, and finished my degree with a 3.7. I could have done a lot better, but the system is not geared to handle Visual-Spatial Learners.

This is my view of the world,

When you look at it this way, it is amazing I got out of High School!

There are some Great Resources on the Web:
The Gifted Development Center
Visual-Spatial Resource
and of course,
"Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner" by Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D. (ISBN: 1-932186-00-X)
(The review is HERE)

Now, there are many ways that we can deal with Visual-Spatial Learners, but the most common are to put them in Resource, get them a Tutor, or stuff them in something like the Sylvan Learning Center.
These aren't necessarily bad, but if we can learn to deal with them in the right way, and work with them in their learning experience, we might have a more successful experience.
Many schools are now offering programs designed to deal with people with "different" or "special" learning needs. These programs have been a long time coming. However, they also have a long way to go.
Something we did with my daughter is put her in a "Physio-Neuro therapy" learning environment. This type of environment is provided by Learning Technics.
There may be other programs out there, but this program uses a variety of things to re-train the brain to work more efficiently and re-learn pathways to accomplish learning. It also works more specifically with people that are Visual-Spatial in nature. (although they don't specifically advertise this, it is a byproduct of the methods they use to help students learn how to learn.)

SO if you have ever wondered why learning was difficult for you, or why it is hard for your child, take a look at this, see if it fits, and if not, there are other resources for other types of learning. Good Luck!

Windows 7 WARNING

So the first thing Windows 7 does is declare it is susceptible to 7 out of 10 viruses...

If that isn't bad enough, it now has a Zero-Day Exploit...

The last time Ubuntu had a Zero-Day Exploit was in 2007...

And to make matters even worse, most security products for Windows simply fail to preform as expected...

Oh, and that isn't all, I guess IE8 is now suffering more issues:
New Attack Fells Internet Explorer
and
Major IE8 Flaw Makes "Safe" Sites Unsafe

Choose the Blue Pill - Wake up and come over to Linux...

(oh, and as a side note, there are some great informations about keeping you and your children safe online... It doesn't really pertain to Linux, but it still might be useful...
Free Tool to Online Safety)

Now, it turns out that there might be more to Windows 7 and it's effect on hardware:
Is Windows 7 killing your hard disks?
While this is just an opinion, it would be a good idea to start looking into other support forums and see if it is the Hard-Disk BRAND, the Laptop BRAND, or the Operating System.

And one last point, Microsoft has given the bad guys information that they need:
Microsoft accused of helping virus writers
We know that Microsoft has made a lot of things "easy" on developers and on 3rd-party vendors, but remember, hackers are developers too, and mal/spy/ad-ware is only another 3rd-party application.

Sheeple - is 911 your best bet?

We have become accustomed to letting others handle our safety. We believe that somehow the police will save us. If that is truly the case, why do we also say, "There is never a cop around when you need one"?
Not to mention that Police and Fire services are some of the first for budget cuts when times get tough. Have you ever wondered why? I can tell you, it is because the police are NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL SAFETY...they are charged with the Safety of the Society as a whole.
If you want a personal protection type police force, we would have to have 3 officer for every 4 people (one officer per 8 hour shift, 3 shifts in one day). In the State of Utah, that would be approximately 217500 police officers in Utah alone (Utah's population is approximately 2.9 million) and if we pay them $30,000 a year, that would come to $65.25 BILLION for law enforcement only... To put this in perspective, the entire Utah State Budget for 2010 will be around $10 billion... You think taxes are bad right now?
There is a book, "Dial 911 and Die" that explains the problems with expecting or relying on the police to protect us.
The sad part is, we are told, by the police, to do nothing but dial 911... to acquiesce to the criminal and, essentially, become sheep.
Salt Lake City: Crime Tips
Under the section "If you are attacked or robbed: " you will find the following advice:

If the attacker is after your property, don't resist.

I refuse to be a Victim. You have the right to NOT be a victim. It is YOUR CHOICE.

Don't escalate this crime into a violent encounter.

If you are being robbed or attacked, it is already a violent encounter. You have every right to protect yourself and your property. You don't have to be a victim.
You will find similar advice from just about any and every Law Enforcement agency in the country. They give you a false sense of security. They cannot be with you 24/7/365, it just isn't possible...
Earlier this week, Shauna Lake, one of the reporters of Channel 2 News (KUTV) did a small piece on guns, it is called "Shauna Lake Learns How to Shoot". In it, she says that they cannot advocate that you go out and learn to shoot, get a Concealed Weapons Permit, and use a Gun for Self Defense... maybe I am just different, but I think that is exactly what people should be advocating. The police cannot protect you, it isn't their job (their job is "to society" not "to the individual"), it isn't their responsibility. It is YOUR responsibility, however, and one that you should take seriously.
Something you should know;
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, only 17% of the 4.7 million crimes in the US were committed with a gun. That works out to be 799000 crimes committed with a gun.
According to Researchers John Lott and Gary Kleck, legally owned firearms are used 2 to 3 million (2.5 million or so) times to PREVENT a crime from happening. Someone once estimated that the number was actually much higher, but we don't have hard statistics on that.
As you can see, people OTHER THAN COPS are doing a whole lot to help deter crime.
Criminals are cowards. they prey on the weak. This is something that any predator will do. Look at the Lion...does he eat other lions? No, he finds a smaller or defenceless animal to eat.
Why work harder than you have to?
The problem is, people (more specifically, the Bad Guys) find people that won't or don't fight back...the Police are telling you to not fight back... they are setting you up to be a victim. If people fought back, if they made the effort to tell the Bad Guys that "we aren't victims", the Bad Guys would go find easier prey, find something better to do...or they would find out the penalty for their crimes...either way, the threat is removed from society.
For more information on this subject, you can see the Civilian Self-Defence Gun Blog, it is a collection of the stories that you may or may not hear about "normal people" using their firearms to prevent crime.

If you think you are safe in your neighborhood, then you haven't been paying attention.
In the past few months, these are where some of the reported crimes have happened:
Rite Aid, Sinclair Store, Black Diamond, Check Into Cash, Tobacco Store, Wells Fargo Bank, Mountain America Credit Union, Golden West Credit Union, First National Bank, Deseret First Credit Union, Cyprus Credit Union, Southwood Pharmacy, Zion's Bank, 7-11, Family Dollar, Chuck-a-Rama, Far West Bank, Maverik Store, Tri-Mart, Boost Mobile, E-Z Loan, Wal-Mart, Pioneer Park, Ruelas Envios Y Multiservicios, Mormon Craft Store, Hampton Inn, Sam's Magazine and Video, Bob's Magazine, Key Bank, US Bank, Behive Credit Union, Washington Federal CU, Chase Bank, Henries Dry Cleaners, Holladay Pharmacy, Mr. Roberts the Cleaner, Walgreens, 5 Buck Pizza, Gift Basket Affairs, the U of U, Arctic Circle, some small restaurants and convenience stores, and HOMES in Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake, and Provo... there are many other locations, just see THESE GUYS for more information.

If you use any of these places for any reason, you could be the target of a crime. There is no way to know when or where a crime might happen, and that is one of the biggest reasons that we cannot rely on the police to be there for us.

Now, if you are ever involved in a Self-Defense situation and use your gun, there are a few things you should know.

1 - Most legal uses of a gun go unreported, just like many crimes.
2 - The first to dial 911 is the "victim" (i.e. is NOT the Bad Guy)
3 - If you carry a gun, you should also carry a cell phone.
4 - If you have just shot someone, call 911 state that you were attacked and to send an ambulance and the police (in that order). If they want clarification, you state the Bad Guy has been shot and needs medical attention.
5 - When the police arrive, give them the essential details: I was attacked, I defended myself, I responded according to my training.
6 - You next statement is important: I am "shook up" and I will gladly cooperate with your investigation fully - AFTER I have had time to calm down and when I have talked to an attorney.
(these are the same rights the police have, and they are YOUR rights as well)
7 - DO NOT volunteer any more information or you may find yourself in trouble.
8 - Contact an attorney and have them explain it to the police.
9 - Never forget, YOU were the "victim" (i.e. NOT the Bad Guy) and the other person was the aggressor.
10 - You were scared for your life, and felt that deadly force was the only way.

I hope this information is useful.

<<>>
Woman robbed at Provo gas station - December 2nd, 2009 @ 7:16am

Woman Wakes Up To Man In Her Bedroom - Monday, Nov 30, 2009 @11:48pm CST

Intoxicated man breaks in, fondles woman - December 8th, 2009 @ 11:13am

Armed men break into Ogden home during early-morning hours - December 8th, 2009 @ 4:08pm

Man critically injured in Woods Cross stabbing - December 17th, 2009 @ 9:57pm

Nevada man arrested for robbing woman in Tremonton - December 15th, 2009 @ 1:14pm

Roommates fend off would-be robber - December 20th, 2009 @ 3:40pm

Cab driver attacked in Salt Lake City - December 20th, 2009 @ 2:55pm

Would-be victims fight back against thieves - December 22nd, 2009 @ 12:16pm

Privacy and the Dodo Bird

We have been hearing it a lot lately...
"Illegal wiretapping", "national security", etc...
These are things the Government does, and how they excuse it.
Recently, the Attorney General said that he wanted the "Illegal Wiretapping" law suits thrown out because of the risk to "National Security" such law suit could bring.
Hmmm...
I am of the opinion that if doing something illegal exposes National Security, then the Government shouldn't' be doing something illegal! In this case, specifically, I am all for the law suit exposing "National Security" because it might teach the Government a little lesson...

However, it has a much chance of happening as a snowball surviving Hell.

Here is a list of other wonderful things that the Government is doing to invade your privacy and your life... I am also going to include information on how to protect yourself.

Md. Police Put Activists' Names On Terror Lists

The Maryland State Police classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their names and personal information into state and federal databases that track terrorism suspects, the state police chief acknowledged yesterday.

Don't we have the right to belong to any "non violent" organization we so choose?

CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police

Massive investment in CCTV cameras to prevent crime in the UK has failed to have a significant impact, despite billions of pounds spent on the new technology, a senior police officer piloting a new database has warned.

We see them going up all over. Many are for "traffic" management or accident identification, but they are used for a variety of things, including tracking people's movements.

U.K. turns CCTV, terrorism laws on pooping dogs
Since they have to use the camera system for something, I guess a violation of your rights and privacy is ok to justify the expense:

Recent reports in the U.K. media indicate that the laws are being used for everything but terrorism investigations:

* Derby City Council, Bolton, Gateshead, and Hartlepool used surveillance to investigate dog fouling.
* Bolton Council also used the act to investigate littering.
* The London borough of Kensington and Chelsea conducted surveillance on the misuse of a disabled parking pass.
* Liverpool City Council used Ripa to identify a false claim for damages.
* Conwy Council used the law to spy on a person who was working while off sick.

You are Destroying America. Yes, You.

These are the whining tantrum-throwers who live in such a fear-choked world that they will trade in America's Constitution and Bill of Rights for far less than thirty pieces of silver.

And isn't it good to know, if you are a Patriot, Religious, or associated to a non-mainstream Political Party, you can be placed on a Terrorist List and find yourself facing the FBI's Terrorist Task Force...
http://keepandbeararms.com/images/FBI-MCSOTerroristFlyer-Back.jpg
http://keepandbeararms.com/images/FBI-MCSOTerroristFlyer-Front.jpg

So, now the question is, what can you do? How can you protect yourself?
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to that question, but here are some tips:

THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

All too often, answers to these questions seem to be based, not upon any solid principle, but upon the popularity of the specific government program in question. Seldom are men willing to oppose a popular program if they, themselves, wish to be popular – especially if they seek public office.

Holding Government Office isn't supposed to be a "popularity contest" but a position of supporting the Constitution and the People of this Country.

UNDERSTANDING PRIVACY

He argues that no single definition can be workable, but rather that there are multiple forms of privacy, related to one another by family resemblances. His theory bridges cultural differences and addresses historical changes in views on privacy.

This book actually goes into exactly what is "Privacy", it should be read by all.

The EFF on Privacy

New technologies are radically advancing our freedoms, but they are also enabling unparalleled invasions of privacy.

You would think the ACLU would be one of the biggest Proponents of Privacy, and I think they try, but other organizations are doing far more, like the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).

Understanding the proper role of Government also includes understanding how the Government is supposed to work:
Essays Or Counsels - Civil And Moral

Know what is going on in your world:
Global Incident (Terrorist Activity) Map
News Map

Ass Free Citizens in this Great Nation, we also have the right to be heard. We are where the "buck stops" so we need to take responsibility. If you feel your voice needs to be heard, you can go to sites like Wikileaks.
Whistle while you work
Routine DNA Tests For Newborns Mean Looming Privacy Problems
And if you are concerned about Online Privacy, you can try:
EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy
EPIC Online Privacy Tools

Don't let your privacy go the way of the Dodo Bird. Fight for your Privacy Freedom. Write your legislators and let them know where you stand.

<<>>
So today there is an article in the news asking: "City surveillance: Crime deterrent or invasion of privacy?"
We already know my answer to this question, but seriously... if England cannot make it work, and they have more CCTVs per capita than the USA, how do we think we can make it work? Their laws aren't like our laws, the people have fewer rights, and are more willing or less capable of stopping the Government intrusion into their lives.

Police in Sandy have such a system, and call it a deterrent to crime.

Yes, maybe it is a deterrent, but yes, it is an invasion of our privacy.
Where and how do we achieve balance with this topic?

<<>>
To make it even more disturbing, there is an article that tells us how Britain is planning on installing CCTV in people's homes...how very 1984 of them...
UK Government To Install Surveillance Cameras In Private Homes
ANd before you tell me "its fake", well, here is the UK Government's White Paper on the subject... note the URL, this isn't some 3rd party, this is the Official UK Government's Web Site.

<<>>
Chicago's Camera Network Is Everywhere
Chicago seems to be getting into the act with their CCTV network... but here is something to consider:
1,000 CCTV cameras to solve just one crime, Met Police admits

So the question is, "Is this practice of using CCTV a violation of Privacy?" and the other questions to help answer that one...
If we set a standard, "the CCTV network is to solve crime" shouldn't that network be proven to solve a significant amount of crime?
How much crime balances the cost in privacy?
Would you let them put a camera in your home, if, some day it might identify a burglar?

Hmmm...

What is your price for your privacy?

<<>>
How do you affect Privacy Laws?
Read this...
How online life distorts privacy rights for all - By Zoe Kleinman - Technology Reporter, BBC News

Some privacy concerns are just now coming to light, and have been around for YEARS...
Routine DNA Tests For Newborns Mean Looming Privacy Problems

What can or should we do about them?

Thank God we have the Government

My wife suffers from a condition which requires some extremely expensive medications. I have insurance to pay for those medications, at least, in part, but there was still some extreme incompetence exercised this past week, as they attempted to fill my wife's prescriptions.
I ordered her medications last week, to give them enough time to get here before she runs out. I ordered them online, and gave them my FSA account information, just like I have in the past. I received a confirmation number and everything seemed to be good.
When they didn't show up by the end of the week (I had selected to get expedited shipping) I went back to the web site to see what the hold-up was. I found the order and the confirmation, and it said that they wouldn't be shipping the medications until the 13th. Really? It will take 13 days to ship something "expedited"?
Then I received a letter on Monday that said, "call member services"... Which I had to wait to do until Tuesday. So I called them, and found that they couldn't or wouldn't ship the medications for 2 reasons... First, there was a balance on the account of $85.00. Not only does this balance NOT show up on my online account information, but that was from a previous order 3 months ago, and I have not received a bill or any notification that there is a balance on the account.
Second, the FSA account supposedly has a $100.00 limit on prescriptions. I know this is false, as when I look back at the previous billings from the medication provider there are charges against the account for over $700.00.
So, the issues here,
#1 - I ordered the medication on the 1st and requested expedited shipping
#2 - They won't ship until the 13th
#3 - There was a balance on the account that was unknown to me for over 3 months
#4 - There is a phantom limit on my benefits account
#5 - I was given a confirmation # for the order, but it couldn't be filled because of #3 and #4
#6 - There is no remedy to fix this situation and get the medications faster

I paid the $85 balance, and the currently owed amount for the new order from another account, and it will still take another week for an expedited order...go figure.

So I started to think about how much things will change when the Government runs our healthcare. Will the billing errors and mismanagement go away? No. According to Obama, one of the main reasons that they are attacking the healthcare field is to get rid of "fraud and waste". If they know it exists and they haven't fixed it until now, there is no reason to believe they will fix it in the future.
How about wait times? If I have something that is important, like medications, will they make sure I have them on time when I order them? If you think so, maybe you haven't been to the DMV or had any dealings with the IRS? Things are done in 30 and 45 day cycles.
How about other benefits? My Grandmother, the wife of a WWII, Korea, Viet Nam vet, was supposed to receive my Grandfather's benefits when he died. They are now denying any claim for anything that my Grandmother needs. Their reasoning? Well, that is just it...she cannot get anyone to tell her why. She is lost in the bureaucracy.

I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to "universal healthcare"...especially in light of how efficient our government is... boy howdy! It will be a great day (in hell) when they finally pass that mess.

Just to let you know what to look forward to...take a look at how the Government Safety Regulations protect you:
How Terahertz Waves Tear Apart DNA

Now a team led by Los Alamos National Labs thinks it knows why. They say that although the forces that terahertz waves exert on double-stranded DNA are tiny, in certain circumstances resonant effects can unzip the DNA strands, tearing them apart. This creates bubbles in the strands that can significantly interfere with processes such as gene expression and DNA replication. With terahertz scanners already appearing in airports and hospitals, the question that now urgently needs answering is what level of exposure is safe.

Shouldn't they have figured out what was SAFE BEFORE they started using these machines?

Social Security and Medicare finances worsen

Social Security and Medicare are fading even faster under the weight of the recession, heading for insolvency years sooner than previously expected, the government warned Tuesday.

They cannot even manage the programs that they have currently, what will happen when we give them more to manage?

Health care bill reignites abortion debate

health care legislation that would prevent women from obtaining abortions through government-sponsored insurance or any plan that receives government subsidies.

They are already doing what they said they wouldn't do, dictate who and or what will be covered. The system is supposed to give healthcare, and now they are dictating what "healthcare" means.

Healthcare Proposal To Cost $725 Billion Tax Increase

The United States House of Representatives has rolled out its revised health system reform plan, and it is a hard pill to swallow. Advertised as costing “only” $894 billion over ten years, accounting tricks and hidden taxes indicate that the total cost could be much higher, somewhere between $1.1 trillion and $1.5 trillion. But, the biggest problem with the proposal is how to pay for it.

So, while they won't raise Income Tax, they have created NEW taxes and are finding ways to raise OTHER taxes. I guess you really cannot spend money you don't have... now if we could just reduce the National Debt... (oh, ha-ha)

Seriously, people, rethink this. Contact your Congresscritters(tm) and tell them to STOP this insanity. If they want to fix things, they need to go after the fraud and waste, give a little thought to tort reform, and work with the states to get "mandatory minimums" from the insurance companies.
Once that is done, THEN we can look at other possibilities (at the State Level).

From the Round-File

I have to wonder what we are doing with our money...
In Kansas, there is a Sea Urchin Study that is receiving something like 6 million in federal grant money... Has anyone noticed how close Kansas is to the Ocean?
Or how about a study to figure out why men don't like condoms... I think that study received 3 million...
So, what, are we looking to see what we could spend "all that money we don't have" on? Just deposit it into my account, and I will come up with some really stupid studies and products...

Fear Detector To Sniff Out Terrorists

Iraq Swears By Dowsing Rod Bomb Detector

These are just a couple examples of where our "copious quantities of cash" are going...

Prop. 8 Hate Redux

I read a news article that basically stated that the "Gay Movement" wants to "reconcile" with the Mormons (the LDS Church). I have to wonder, "reconcile?" I mean, that would indicate that the Mormons have done something wrong. I am still trying to figure that one out...so bear with me here.

My previous Blog Post on this issue, EXPOSED: Anti-Prop. 8 Hatred against the Mormons, explored the aftermath directed at the Mormon Church by the "Gay Movement". Mostly from a web site called, Mormons Stole Our Rights.

More recently, I wrote about the The Price of Prop 8. Outlining the Heritage Foundation's opinion and fact finding about the animosity between the "Gay Movement" and the Mormon Church.

Today, I have to address this petition that the "Gay Movement" has out on LDS Apopogy...

They open the petition with a quote by Stephen R. Covey;

“It takes a great deal of character strength to apologize … A person must possess himself and have a deep sense of security in fundamental principles and values in order to genuinely apologize.”

I find it ironic, just a little, that they quote an LDS Speaker who says, "A person must possess himself and have a deep sense of security in fundamental principles and values".
The LDS, in general, have a deep sense of security in fundamental principles and values, they are the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A Set of Teachings and Beliefs about the nature of God and our Relationship with Him. These teachings and beliefs also include a few codes of conduct that govern our lives: the Law of Chastity, the Word of Wisdom, and other items are the Values we hold sacred.
The "Gay Movement's" use of this quote is supposed to, somehow, excuse the fact that their behavior violates several of these "fundamental principles and values"?

They use another quote by Marilynne Robinson (Home, 2008);

“There is a saying that to understand is to forgive, but that is an error, ... You must forgive in order to understand. Until you forgive you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding.”

Then they get to the meat and potatoes of the petition, I will quote it and comment on it as we go:

We the undersigned, in the spirit of love and peace, earnestly seek to create a climate for reconciliation between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gays and lesbians who have been affected by the policies, practices and politics of the Church.

According to the WordNet at Princeton, reconciliation is "the re-establishing of cordial relations".
The same source says cordial is:
"affable: diffusing warmth and friendliness", "politely warm and friendly", and "sincerely or intensely felt".

The LDS Church has always had an "open door policy". You are welcome and invited to attend Church, Classes, and Functions (as long as you follow the codes of conduct), and even become a member (so long as you comply with the requirements for membership). The Church has never forbid or evicted anyone except on that person's decision to not follow the code of conduct, or their failure to comply with the requirements of membership... This is a choice of the Individual, not the Church.
The Church provides a loving and supportive environment for people to learn and become like God. Only when people sin is there conflict, and even then, only when they refuse to repent of their sins. The Church is all about the GOOD in life (and after this life).

There is another couple meanings to the word, "reconciliation" is also "getting two things to correspond."
And WordNet says "correspond" is to "match: be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics" or to "equate: be equivalent or parallel, in mathematics."

If they are using this definition of the word, then they are actually asking for us to become similar...or to become compatible...
Unfortunately, as I explained above, this isn't possible. It isn't Man's job to dictate the requirements of God. God set the requirement, it is listed out in the Bible and other Scriptures, and it is for us to follow. Homosexuality is what sets us apart. Since the Church cannot change God's law, the Church cannot become LIKE the "Gay Movement", but that doesn't preclude the "Gay Movement" from becoming LIKE the Church...it would mean they need to look to themselves for the Change necessary. Better yet, that "climate for reconciliation" has existed for years, it is called the "First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel", and it leads to Repentance, Forgiveness, and Remission of Sin.

We recognize that issues surrounding sexuality and gender orientation are complex;

I would have to disagree with this statement. While there may be something biological or physiological about SSA (Same Sex Attraction), the act of Homosexuality is a CHOICE and violates the Biological Imperative of sex. Homosexuality, like abstinence or celibacy, and heterosexuality is a choice.

... We believe that people of good will may have differing views about homosexuality, while maintaining amicable relationships.

Yes, the LDS have differing views, but that doesn't seem to be enough, not even for this faction of the "Gay Movement" who is asking for "reconciliation" or for the LDS Church to accept Homosexuality. That isn't "reconciliation", it is "capitulation".

True reconciliation requires that parties on both sides of this issue be willing to honestly examine their attitudes, behaviors (including past behaviors), policies and practices—and be open to understanding, forgiveness (both asking for and accepting), and apology.

I am curious what attitudes and behaviors they are referring to here. As to the policies and practices, we have already explained, these are DOCTRINES and are not subject to negotiation.

For individuals who have suffered or been forced to watch a loved one suffer mistreatment, misunderstanding, or demonization as a consequence of the LDS church's official policies, actions, and teachings regarding sexual orientation ...

Ah, here we are. Remember that I said they want "capitulation" not "reconciliation"? Remember the definition of "correspond" is to "match" or to "equate"...
They want the LDS Church to stop believing that Homosexuality is a sin. They want the LDS Church to change the Laws of God.
This is not possible. If the Church reverses the position of God on this issue, then the Church becomes false.

For Church leaders, reconciliation requires examining ways in which official statements, rhetoric, policy and practice have been injurious to gays and lesbians and their families and friends

How about the behavior of the "Gay Movement" and how it has affected the Church, it's Leaders and it's members?
We have already discussed how the LDS Cannot change the policy of God, so what more do they want?

have caused unnecessary pain and suffering, rejection, psychological and spiritual damage and even death.

Paul talked about this, he called it the "wages of sin". Nephi said, "wickedness never was happiness". These issues are all the direct result of people's failure to follow the Plan of God, nothing more. With one exception, "rejection". This is wrong to reject someone. We reject the sin, not the sinner. The Sinner is always welcome to come to the Lord.

This means scrupulously acknowledging such practices as “reorientation”-- reparative, revulsion, and shock-therapies

The "same old thing" right from the pages of the falsification play-book. "Shock-therapies" have never been used or endorsed by the LDS Church.

such teachings as homosexuality being an evil perversion, a condition that is chosen and changeable and one that can be overcome through fasting, prayer, sacrifice and heterosexual marriage

Ah, but it is a choice. I can feel attracted to a woman other than my wife. Using the logic here, I should be able to act on that attraction, and expect the Church to change it's position that Adultery is a sin. Then I should be able to ask the Church for "reconciliation" (aka "capitulation") and try to make my behavior "acceptable", because I hate being told I am a sinner.

and using scriptures that are taken out of context, mistranslated or that are highly selective to condemn homosexuality.

Something that might not be known about me. I speak Greek.
Here are the scriptures that they are claiming are "taken out of context" or "mistranslated"...
Levit. 18:22:

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

Levit. 20:13:

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Matt. 15:10-20:

"...For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man..."

In the Greek (the original language of most of the New Testament) the word for "fornications" is "pornia" which means "any form of illicit sexual behavior".

Since the Jews believed that Homosexuality was a sin, punishable by death, it falls squarely into this definition. He was not speaking ONLY of Homosexuality, but ALSO of Homosexuality.

And when Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, says:
Romans 1:21-32:

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools ... Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves ... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ... God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death ..."

Note here, Paul mentions "lusts of their own hearts", "dishonour their own bodies between themselves", "vile affections", "men working that which is unseemly", "fornication", "without natural affection"...

He doesn't stop at "fornication" or "pornia", but he is very specific and says it in several different ways, the most clear of which is, "for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another"

Are these the "selective" scriptures that they mention in the Petition? So the question becomes, why doesn't the "Gay Movement" show us the scriptures that support their position that Homosexuality is not a sin, or where God is "ok" with Homosexuality. Because as it stands right now, God isn't ok with it:
Alma 45:16:

... for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.

They finish up with:

It also means to repudiate publicly circulated articles, essays, books, speeches, and conference addresses that have stereotyped or demonized gays and lesbians.

More demands for capitulation. "Denounce what you believe"...

We believe that the time is right for healing over this issue to begin, for those on both sides to manifest forgiveness, magnanimity, and especially, love. ...

They don't want "healing" they want "justification". They want to feel that their behavior is acceptable. They want to have the LDS Church say, "Its ok"...
Sorry, as I have clearly shown, the Church cannot do that.

As I said in the beginning, there are a couple more meanings to the word "reconciliation", and the final one is theological,

Reconciliation, a theological term, is an element of salvation that refers to the results of atonement. Reconciliation as a theological concept describes the end of the estrangement, caused by sin, between God and humanity. John Calvin describes reconciliation as the peace between humanity and God that results from the expiation of our sin and the propitiation of God's wrath. Evangelical theologian Philip Ryken describes reconciliation in this way; "It is part of the message of Salvation that brings us back together with God. ... God is the author, Christ is the agent and we are the ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5)." Although it's only used five times in the Pauline corpus (Romans 5:10-11, 11:15, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Ephesians 2:14-17 and Colossians 1:19-22) it is an essential term, describing the "substance" of the gospel and salvation. Ralph Martin writing in the Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, suggests reconciliation is at the center of Pauline theology. Stanley Porter writing in the same volume suggests a conceptual link between the reconciliation Greek word group katallage (or katallasso) and the Hebrew word shalom, generally translated as 'peace.'

In other words, the "Gay Movement" should be less concerned about "reconciling" with the LDS Church, and more concerned with Reconciliation with God.

D&C 1:38:

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

So when we get right down to it, they don't want "reconciliation" they want "capitulation", they don't want us to believe what we believe, they want us to deny what is the truth and agree with their sinful practices and they want to feel better about themselves even though they live in sin. That is the short of it.

Obama breaks another promise...big surprise

Obama's platform was filled with promises of Hope and Change. He made several promises, and has been attempting to fulfil them with some measure of success. He has also failed on several fronts, and the failures are only getting worse and more frequent.
One of his promises was for "Open Government".
So, what of this "secret treaty" that the Federal Government has been working on?
It is called the ACTA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.
The Government has cited "National Security" issues concerning this treaty, and that is what has made it "super secret"...
Well, hello my Mega Powerful Decoder Ring (the Internet)...
Secret Copyright Treaty Leaked
Treaty = DMCA + Trade? How do they manage that?

If you notice the Internet Chapters, you will see the harsh requirements and restrictions. Just another way for the Government to control just about every aspect of our lives. Not to mention, giving the ISPs an excuse to ask the Government for subsidies for lost revenue and bail-outs when they fail because of the draconian law.

Someone asked, "How does an "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" fall into "National Security"? Haven't we had enough of that in the past 8 years?"

This just goes to show, Obama isn't about Change, unless that change is about making things worse...
Another Promise Broken, no "Open Government" for you!

Aren't we glad we elected him?

The Price of Prop 8

Abstract: Supporters of Proposition 8 in California have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, vandalism, racial scapegoating, blacklisting, loss of employment, economic hardships, angry protests, violence, at least one death threat, and gross expressions of anti-religious bigotry. Arguments for same-sex marriage are based fundamentally on the idea that limiting marriage to the union of husband and wife is a form of bigotry, irrational prejudice, and even hatred against homosexual persons. As this ideology seeps into the culture more generally, individuals and institutions that support marriage as the union of husband and wife risk paying a price for that belief in many legal, social, economic, and cultural contexts.

Compare and Contrast this with my comments back in November 2008:
EXPOSED: Anti-Prop. 8 Hatred against the Mormons

Conclusion: When people stand firmly by their beliefs about marriage as the union of husband and wife despite facing social stigmatization, economic hardship, and other reprisals, they provide an important example of civic courage and inspire particular vir­tues that are essential to the proper functioning of any free and open society. The freedom of parties on both sides of the marriage debate to voice their views and to promote them in public policy should be respected.

"The Price of Prop 8" by Thomas M. Messner, a Visiting Fellow in the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation.

From the Round File

Lets talk about current events.
Remember a month ago how Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? Well, we are back to normal, I guess, cause the Palestinians now accuse the U.S. of killing peace prospects. Sure sounds like something the winner of the Nobel Prize SHOULD do, don't you think?

Do you remember the BILLIONS of dollars for "stimulus"? And how that money was supposed to create jobs? I have posted the links a few times from Political Math that show how the Stimulus, like Cash for Clunkers, has failed. Well, Obama is finally admitting his failure as he warns more job losses coming.

But Obama is still determined, he says the Economy is Recovering, but experts are saying that if the Stimulus ends too soon, everything will come apart. So is the economy really recovering, or is it still too early to say?

One of the biggest dangers to our way of life is all the Social Programs the government is trying to foist upon us. The Free Market system really does work. The American people are showing their support of businesses that are Honest and have (at least some) Integrity, and were Fiscally Responsible and Business Savvy enough to avoid taking Stimulus and Bail-Out dollars. Ford is actually doing quite well as they show a profit and their shares soar.
It seems to me that the People have Spoken with their actions. Go Ford!

And, wasn't Obama supposed to have done something about the Oil Companies? Why are Gas Prices going up again? How is it that we keep getting hit from all sides? Why doesn't Obama keep any of his promises?
Ok, enough with the questions already...we know why, and it is only going to get worse from here.

Why the "Legal System" isn't a "Justice System"

Some time ago, a guy decided to make some art out of some construction barrels, you know, the big orange and reflective monster things in the road?
He made a monster out of a few, and the company loved it, and even hired him to create more art for them...but the police filed charges against him, even though the "victim" wasn't a "victim"...
Barrel art nets arrest, notoriety for NC student

Now, in Provo, Utah, we have a similar situation. Some kids decided to emulate a McDonald's ad by rapping their order in the DriveThrough. When asked to order normally, they repeated the stunt, only slower...
They were then asked to order normally or leave, and they left...to later be arrested and charged with "Disturbing the Peace"...
Now, hold on, they complied with the Business's request to leave...
Teens cited for burger ‘rap' in drive-thru

Its getting to where you aren't safe being a kid. How sad live will be when the simple act of living will get you arrested for something, charged with a non-crime (no victim) and have your record tarnished.

And where do you draw the line between "expressionism" and "bullying"?
Teachers strike back at students' online pranks

Welcome to the USSA

Russia finally won. We were warned that they would make us "communist" -- so, maybe not, but we definitely are moving to Socialism and Totalitarianism...

Totalitarianism: characterized by a government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control; of or relating to the principles of totalitarianism according to which the state regulates every realm of life

Now, lets go through "Change.gov" in the Urban Policy department:

Create a White House Office on Urban Policy
The Federal Government is going to get involved on a LOCAL level, not just a State Level

Fully Fund the Community Development Block Grant
They are going to take FEDERAL Tax Dollars and Return it to the LOCAL Governments and Businesses
Why not just let the Local and State governments KEEP the money in the first place?

Support Regional Innovation Clusters
Again, a form of LOCAL Control exerted by the Federal Government, dealing with BUSINESSES

Support Job Creation
Government Jobs

Enhance Workforce Training
Government Training for Government Jobs

Increase Access to Capital for Underserved Businesses
Elimination of Free Market and Capitalism (if a business is failing due to bad policy or mismanagement, they will fund those companies; think Bail-Outs)

Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators
More Government Sponsored Jobs

Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders
Heavy Local Business Regulation by the Federal Government

Strengthen Core Infrastructure
Government Transportation System

Improve Access to Jobs
More with the Government and Controlling Jobs

Invest in a Skilled Clean Technologies Workforce
More Federal Dollars coming back through the system to Local Jobs

Lower Interest Payments by Creating a New Mortgage Interest Tax Credit
Federal controll of the housing and lending markets

Increase the Supply of Affordable Housing throughout Metropolitan Regions
Federal controll of the housing markets at the Local Level

Establish 'Promise Neighborhoods' for Areas of Concentrated Poverty
Seperation of the Poor into Government Sponsored "gettoes"

Increase the Minimum Wage
Further Government control over the Local Business

Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit
Making you feel like you aren't being raped when they steal your hard earned cash (or the bread off your table)

Help Low-Income Workers Enter the Job Market
Government sponsored Workforce

Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities
Federal Government directly involved in the building of Local Communities and heavy regulations on and within those communities

Use Innovative Measures to Dramatically Improve Efficiency of Buildings
More Federal Regulations on Local Businesses

Foster Healthy Communities
Federal control over Every Aspect of a Local Community

Support Teachers in Urban Schools
Federal Government involved directly in Local Education

Expand Early Childhood Education
More Government control, they have to make sure they have people Government Trained for their Government Jobs, while they Live in their Government Housing

Reduce the High School Dropout Rate
Sure, and just how is the Federal Government going to do that? Arrest and confine kids until school is over?

Support Local Law Enforcement
Great, now we will have Para-Military Cops, not just regular Cops

Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Supports
The current explanation as to why this isn't done is "it is too expensive", so we live with an 80% recividism rate; so just how does the Federal Government think it will pay for these programs?

End the Dangerous Cycle of Youth Violence
Federal Government directly involved in YOUR family and raising YOUR kids...wait, aren't they YOUR responsibility?

Address Gun Violence in Cities
Only Gun Violence? What about the problem of Violence in General? To address something that is only 3% of the problem seems like a complete waste of time, money and other resources

Safeguard Mass Public Transportation
The Federal Government does not have any Mass Transit systems...so they will now control all transit?

Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families
And not fix the problem of taxation? If you give breaks to some and not to others, then a smaller and smaller group are paying for more and more of the tax burden

Strengthening Fatherhood and Families
And Motherhood doesn't need to be strengthened? Women are the #1 users of Meth

Support Parents with Young Children
Again, the Federal Government getting directly involved with YOUR family

Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities
Why do we need this? Oh, yah...because the taxes are going to be so HIGH that Mom and Dad have to work just to make ends meet, so the kids will be raised by the Government program

Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure
More regulation on an industry that could and will regulate itself (it isn't sustainable over time, especially in this economy)

Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans
Sure, force banks to make bad loans, this makes a lot of sense

In short, the government wants to Tax, Borrow and Spend YOUR MONEY to force you to get a Government Job at a Government Sponsored and Regulated Workplace, to live in Government Housing in a Government Designed, Operated, and Regulated Community, with Government Loans, and to send your kids to Government Sponsored Schools, unless they are troublemakers, in which case, they will go to Education Camps. The Government will control all aspects of their Education, so they will be prepared for their Government Jobs. They will control Law Enforcement and somehow control Recidivism and Violence. I can only imagine what that means.
They will control transportation, which means "papers please"...
And then the whole healthcare thing...

When did it become the Federal Government's job to provide for my life and wellbeing?

This is sounding more and more like the USSR, and is definitely fitting in the definition of Totalitarianism.
Does it sound like a place YOU want to live?

The Government of Billions

I have mentioned the following site before, but he is really amazing with how simple he puts the whole money issue, politicalmath.wordpress.com
However, he even stops short of showing you exactly what it is that you are doing when you let the Government throw numbers around like $900 billion, and $1 trillion.
These are numbers that have been used to show how much it will cost to do "bail outs" and "stimulus"...but what is that number?
Recently, with the advent of the Socialist Healthcare Reform, they have used $900 billion and $1.x trillion to tell us what it is going to cost...
Ten we get new news about a push for Broadband Service in the USA...since when is it the Government's responsibility to make sure I can surf the web, even if I cannot afford to put food on the table...???
This just doesn't make any sense. Especially with 3 of the worlds LARGEST telecom industries RIGHT HERE IN THE USA...
Isn't it THEIR responsibility to bilk us out of our money?
Obama Looks Down Under For Broadband Plan

Now then, lets take a closer look at what a TRILLION dollars looks like...
I borrowed this from something that had no attribution

We’ll start with a $100 dollar bill. Currently the largest U.S. denomination in general circulation. Most everyone has seen them, slightly fewer have owned them. Guaranteed to make friends wherever they go.


A packet of one hundred $100 bills is less than 1/2" thick and contains $10,000. Fits in your pocket easily and is more than enough for a week or two of shamefully decadent fun.


Believe it or not, this next little pile is $1 million dollars (100 packets of $10,000). You could stuff that into a grocery bag and walk around with it.


While a measly $1 million looked a little unimpressive, $100 million is a little more respectable. It fits neatly on a standard pallet...and you would need a pickup truck to haul it around.


And $1 BILLION dollars... now we’re really getting somewhere...and you would need a semi to haul it.


And for the Grand Finale, I give you $1 Trillion dollars...it would fit in a very large Warehouse...(2 palets stacked at 4x4x4 each, or just over 8 feet tall and 16 square feet wide, times 1000, or about 80,000 square feet of warehouse space)


So, the next time you wonder where all your money has gone, just remember, YOU ELECTED HIM, YOU ELECTED THE CONGRESS, and YOU AREN'T DEMANDING "REAL CHANGE" ... you are just letting them spend, spend, spend, and spend some more...

In order to deal with the Democrat Spending Spree, and to save all the forests and trees everywhere, we should print the following money, it would keep spending high, but we could carry around the national debt in our pockets...

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.
– Thomas Jefferson