Two new hotels have been announced for downtown Salt Lake City. You don’t need a hearing aid to catch wind of the howls that this will make it even harder for Utah’s capital city to get the large convention center hotel it needs. Those howls are correct. A convention center hotel is a more remote possibility than ever, today. The overall premise behind the howls, however, is not … Continue reading
The Obama administration has brought more cases against current or former government employees suspected of leaking classified information than all previous presidents combined. It isn’t even close. The New York Times first reported that statistic more than a year ago, well before the end of the president’s first term. Now we learn that the Justice Department has secretly grabbed two months worth of telephone records from more than … Continue reading
Did Elizabeth Smart say Americans should abandon abstinence-only education? Was this the most important part of her recent speech to a Johns Hopkins human trafficking forum? That’s rubbish, in my opinion, and an insult to her real message, which had to do with the need to teach children not just to avoid going with strangers but to fight back, and of the need to teach them that no … Continue reading
C.S. Lewis once said, “We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.” In a nation where sex has become ubiquitous entertainment and pornography continues to color how men view women, should it be a big surprise when the man who was put in charge of the air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch at the Pentagon is arrested and charged with sexual … Continue reading
Is anyone surprised by the results of a recent survey that showed nearly a quarter of teenage drivers admitting they have been behind the wheel while high on something — alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs, to name a few substances? OK, I’ll admit to being surprised by the part of the survey that found almost 1-in-5 of them saying they actually thought drinking alcohol improved their driving, and … Continue reading
“Suicide by cop” is a part of our everyday language now. Wikipedia says that is a fairly recent phenomenon, dating to the early 2000s, although it appeared in headlines as far back as the 1980s. But it’s likely the act itself has existed for a long, long time. Desperate, suicidal people, sometimes aided by mood-altering substances, lack the nerve to kill themselves but want to goad police into … Continue reading
The question is whether the medical community and mainstream media outlets will be able to reach the teenagers who feel compelled to stuff teaspoons of cinnamon down their throats. Doctors say it’s important. Cinnamon, taken in such quantities, could cause permanent lung damage. This is because people who try this stunt tend to gag immediately, then inhale. The combination of cinnamon’s caustic chemicals and undigestible cellulose matrix makes … Continue reading
On Second Thought is a weekly feature that takes a lighthearted look at current events. Samoa Air has started charging people by their weight. This presents a new option for shy single people on Internet dating sites. From now on, just list your height, eye color and airfare to Apia. Maybe the airline can offer aerobics classes at departure gates for those looking for a quick discount. ❑ … Continue reading
UTOPIA has reacted to Google’s decision to take over Provo’s public fiber optic network by touting it as a vindication of its own business model. It “validates the vision our member cities have been working toward…” a statement on the consortium’s web site says. That’s not the story I’m hearing from the people involved in the Provo deal. Thursday morning I was part of a meeting between Provo … Continue reading
The Boston Marathon bombings, horrific and tragic as they were, should not have come as a huge surprise to people who have made preparing for terrorism their business. Ever since 9/11, officials have periodically warned that an attack might come at some large sporting event. This 2006 FBI alert (click here to read account) warned of a possible suicide bomber attacking some event, although the alert wasn’t specific. … Continue reading