O:9:"magpierss":23:{s:6:"parser";i:0;s:12:"current_item";a:0:{}s:5:"items";a:42:{i:0;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/700_billion_dollars";s:5:"title";s:19:"700 Billion Dollars";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/700_billion_dollars";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:04:12 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:19:"This is just crazy.";s:7:"summary";s:19:"This is just crazy.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1222221852;}i:1;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:60:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/space_shuttle";s:5:"title";s:13:"Space Shuttle";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:60:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/space_shuttle";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Mon, 8 Sep 2008 15:52:15 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:502:"NASA head Michael Griffin isn't <a href="http://www.space.com/news/080907-nasa-griffin-email.html">happy</a> about the US having a hiatus of 4 yrs between the shuttle retirement in 2010 and bringing the next generation US manned space craft online in 2014 (I've got to admit a lot of skepticism about the 2014 date).  Personally I really don't have a problem with retiring a system that costs about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_program#Costs">$1.3 billion dollars per launch</a>.";s:7:"summary";s:502:"NASA head Michael Griffin isn't <a href="http://www.space.com/news/080907-nasa-griffin-email.html">happy</a> about the US having a hiatus of 4 yrs between the shuttle retirement in 2010 and bringing the next generation US manned space craft online in 2014 (I've got to admit a lot of skepticism about the 2014 date).  Personally I really don't have a problem with retiring a system that costs about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_program#Costs">$1.3 billion dollars per launch</a>.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1220889135;}i:2;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:82:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/alternative_energy_renewable_energy";s:5:"title";s:35:"Alternative Energy/Renewable Energy";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:82:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/alternative_energy_renewable_energy";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Sat, 6 Sep 2008 02:54:30 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:571:"When I look at the issues that face our nation today, I honestly believe that the biggest issue facing us today is Energy.  In particular, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil">Peak Oil</a>.  Even though the Peak Oil theory is controversial, it managed to accurately predict the decline of oil production in the lower 48 states.  Some people believe that the peak has been reached already for the world.  I personally think we have reached it or shortly will.  I'm going to be talking more about this in the next several days and some ideas for dealing with it.";s:7:"summary";s:571:"When I look at the issues that face our nation today, I honestly believe that the biggest issue facing us today is Energy.  In particular, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil">Peak Oil</a>.  Even though the Peak Oil theory is controversial, it managed to accurately predict the decline of oil production in the lower 48 states.  Some people believe that the peak has been reached already for the world.  I personally think we have reached it or shortly will.  I'm going to be talking more about this in the next several days and some ideas for dealing with it.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1220669670;}i:3;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/back_in_the_saddle1";s:5:"title";s:18:"Back in the saddle";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/back_in_the_saddle1";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:58:13 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:130:"It's been a while since I've had this blog up.  I finally put it on a server that's not in my basement.  I hope this works better.";s:7:"summary";s:130:"It's been a while since I've had this blog up.  I finally put it on a server that's not in my basement.  I hope this works better.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1220216293;}i:4;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:83:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/careless_drivers_faster_speed_limits";s:5:"title";s:38:"Careless Drivers / Faster speed limits";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:83:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/careless_drivers_faster_speed_limits";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:10:59 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:803:"<p>Here is an <a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=811053">initiative</a> that I can support.  Basically this allows additional penalties to be assessed for careless driving.  This would be people eating, putting on make up etc.  You get pulled over for speeding you can get an additional ticket for eating a burger and wandering all over the road.  Just this morning I saw someone weaving all over the road.  I wasn't shocked to find out she was putting on makeup as she drove.  
</p>
<p>
But the part I like best is a proposal to raise speed limits to to 70 MPH on the wasatch front and 80 MPH everywhere else.  I-15 in Salt Lake County, I rarely see people doing under 70 MPH and usually a lot faster.  We need to reconize reality and raise the speed limits to the natural speed of the road.
</p>";s:7:"summary";s:803:"<p>Here is an <a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=811053">initiative</a> that I can support.  Basically this allows additional penalties to be assessed for careless driving.  This would be people eating, putting on make up etc.  You get pulled over for speeding you can get an additional ticket for eating a burger and wandering all over the road.  Just this morning I saw someone weaving all over the road.  I wasn't shocked to find out she was putting on makeup as she drove.  
</p>
<p>
But the part I like best is a proposal to raise speed limits to to 70 MPH on the wasatch front and 80 MPH everywhere else.  I-15 in Salt Lake County, I rarely see people doing under 70 MPH and usually a lot faster.  We need to reconize reality and raise the speed limits to the natural speed of the road.
</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1169035859;}i:5;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/iran_brain_drain";s:5:"title";s:16:"Iran brain drain";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/iran_brain_drain";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Tue, 9 Jan 2007 10:56:16 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1491:"The <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6240287.stm">BBC</a> is reporting about a brain drain from Iran.

<blockquote>
The number of educated young Iranians trying to leave the country appears to have increased in the last year since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office judging by the numbers sitting the IELTS exam.

The figures have increased two-and-a-half times this year over the same period last year, according to the Australian administrators of the test. 
</blockquote>

This puts an enormous strain on the economy of Iran.  Later the article mentions that an estimate 150,000 Iranians are leaving every year.  Estimates of the cost to Iran approach $40 billion dollars a year.  When you combine this with two other statistics this really puts Iran in a bad way.  First is that the fertility rate of Iran has plunged to about 1.8 (source: <a href="https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html">cia</a>).  Sometime in the near future Iran will be a very gray society(worse than the U.S.) and will have lost it's best and brightest youth to better opportunities.  When you combine that with the fact that sometime in the near future Iran will cease being a net exporter of petroleum.  Things look pretty grim for the long term in Iran.  

I would hope this would convince Iran that it needs to open up its society and economy.  Of course the very people that are most likely to move Iran this way are the same ones who are voting with their feet.";s:7:"summary";s:1491:"The <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6240287.stm">BBC</a> is reporting about a brain drain from Iran.

<blockquote>
The number of educated young Iranians trying to leave the country appears to have increased in the last year since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office judging by the numbers sitting the IELTS exam.

The figures have increased two-and-a-half times this year over the same period last year, according to the Australian administrators of the test. 
</blockquote>

This puts an enormous strain on the economy of Iran.  Later the article mentions that an estimate 150,000 Iranians are leaving every year.  Estimates of the cost to Iran approach $40 billion dollars a year.  When you combine this with two other statistics this really puts Iran in a bad way.  First is that the fertility rate of Iran has plunged to about 1.8 (source: <a href="https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html">cia</a>).  Sometime in the near future Iran will be a very gray society(worse than the U.S.) and will have lost it's best and brightest youth to better opportunities.  When you combine that with the fact that sometime in the near future Iran will cease being a net exporter of petroleum.  Things look pretty grim for the long term in Iran.  

I would hope this would convince Iran that it needs to open up its society and economy.  Of course the very people that are most likely to move Iran this way are the same ones who are voting with their feet.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1168340176;}i:6;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:79:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/democrats_in_control_of_congress";s:5:"title";s:38:"Democrats in control of congress again";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:79:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/democrats_in_control_of_congress";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Thu, 4 Jan 2007 13:50:56 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:230:"The democrats have control of congress again.  I just can't find it in myself to really care.  My opinion might change in a couple of months, but for now I don't really see how they can be significantly worse than the republicans.";s:7:"summary";s:230:"The democrats have control of congress again.  I just can't find it in myself to really care.  My opinion might change in a couple of months, but for now I don't really see how they can be significantly worse than the republicans.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1167918656;}i:7;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:72:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/religion_and_demographics";s:5:"title";s:25:"religion and demographics";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:72:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/religion_and_demographics";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Thu, 19 Oct 2006 01:25:38 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:122:"Here is a facinating <a href="http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7913">article</a> on demographics.";s:7:"summary";s:122:"Here is a facinating <a href="http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7913">article</a> on demographics.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1161221138;}i:8;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/warrentless_wiretapping";s:5:"title";s:24:"Warrentless wiretapping?";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/warrentless_wiretapping";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Fri, 29 Sep 2006 13:46:44 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:185:"<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060929/ap_on_go_co/congress_eavesdropping">Warrantless wiretapping</a> could become a reality.  I can't believe we are considering this awful idea.";s:7:"summary";s:185:"<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060929/ap_on_go_co/congress_eavesdropping">Warrantless wiretapping</a> could become a reality.  I can't believe we are considering this awful idea.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1159537604;}i:9;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/windmills_in_utah";s:5:"title";s:17:"Windmills in Utah";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/windmills_in_utah";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sun, 17 Sep 2006 22:19:03 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1483:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645201776,00.html">Windmills</a> are being built at an increasing rate in the U.S. in recent years.  I would like to see this trend continue.  At the current price to produce energy from windpower, it is probable that wind power will eventually be one of the cheapest forms of power available to the U.S.
<blockquote>
According to DOE statistics, wind power is the fastest-growing energy technology in the United States, expanding at an annual rate of 30 percent to 40 percent. Total wind energy capacity in the United States has more than doubled since 2002, and last month the industry hit the milestone of 10,000 megawatts of installed capacity  enough to power 2.5 million homes on the average day.
</blockquote>
Currently the trend is very positive, of course there are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power">drawbacks to wind power</a>.
<blockquote>
Because so much power is generated by higher windspeed, much of the average power available to a windmill comes in short bursts. The 2002 Lee Ranch sample is telling: half of the energy available arrived in just 15% of the operating time. The consequence of this is that wind energy is not dispatchable as for fuel-fired power plants; additional output cannot be supplied in response to load demand.
</blockquote>
So alls this means is that wind power can never be a complete replacement for other power source but only as a partial replacement for some of the power.";s:7:"summary";s:1483:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645201776,00.html">Windmills</a> are being built at an increasing rate in the U.S. in recent years.  I would like to see this trend continue.  At the current price to produce energy from windpower, it is probable that wind power will eventually be one of the cheapest forms of power available to the U.S.
<blockquote>
According to DOE statistics, wind power is the fastest-growing energy technology in the United States, expanding at an annual rate of 30 percent to 40 percent. Total wind energy capacity in the United States has more than doubled since 2002, and last month the industry hit the milestone of 10,000 megawatts of installed capacity  enough to power 2.5 million homes on the average day.
</blockquote>
Currently the trend is very positive, of course there are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power">drawbacks to wind power</a>.
<blockquote>
Because so much power is generated by higher windspeed, much of the average power available to a windmill comes in short bursts. The 2002 Lee Ranch sample is telling: half of the energy available arrived in just 15% of the operating time. The consequence of this is that wind energy is not dispatchable as for fuel-fired power plants; additional output cannot be supplied in response to load demand.
</blockquote>
So alls this means is that wind power can never be a complete replacement for other power source but only as a partial replacement for some of the power.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1158531543;}i:10;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/gas_could_be_heading_to";s:5:"title";s:35:"Gas could be heading to $2 a gallon";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/gas_could_be_heading_to";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 13 Sep 2006 09:17:56 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:229:"<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-09-11-gas-prices_x.htm">Gas prices</a> are dropping fast.  I've got to admit I'm surprised.  I honestly thought that gas was going to stay about or above $3 a gallon. ";s:7:"summary";s:229:"<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-09-11-gas-prices_x.htm">Gas prices</a> are dropping fast.  I've got to admit I'm surprised.  I honestly thought that gas was going to stay about or above $3 a gallon. ";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1158139076;}i:11;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:92:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/american_association_of_university_professors";s:5:"title";s:45:"American Association of University Professors";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:92:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/american_association_of_university_professors";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:54:44 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:800:"The American Association of University Professors doesn't seem to be <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645200780,00.html">happy</a> that BYU is looking at Steven Jones.   I always been a little leary of the whole concept of academic freedom.  Oh I believe in it.  I just don't think it should also mean freedom from consequences.  Professor Jones has espoused some very serious accusations.  There are of course consequences for saying stuff like he did. I don't know that you should get a free pass for accusing people of in essence help to kill 3000 people or to destroy the two tallest buildings in America.  

I of course don't believe this is any crime.  I do think that this should be something an employer should be able to look at on whether or not an employee can be terminated.";s:7:"summary";s:800:"The American Association of University Professors doesn't seem to be <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645200780,00.html">happy</a> that BYU is looking at Steven Jones.   I always been a little leary of the whole concept of academic freedom.  Oh I believe in it.  I just don't think it should also mean freedom from consequences.  Professor Jones has espoused some very serious accusations.  There are of course consequences for saying stuff like he did. I don't know that you should get a free pass for accusing people of in essence help to kill 3000 people or to destroy the two tallest buildings in America.  

I of course don't believe this is any crime.  I do think that this should be something an employer should be able to look at on whether or not an employee can be terminated.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1158098084;}i:12;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:76:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/byu_professor_placed_on_leave";s:5:"title";s:29:"BYU professor placed on leave";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:76:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/byu_professor_placed_on_leave";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Fri, 8 Sep 2006 23:06:38 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:488:"BYU placed physics professor Steven Jones on <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0%2C1249%2C645199800%2C00.html">paid leave</a>.  I'm somewhat ambivalent on this.  Though he is certainly has a right to his opinion, he really seems to have forgotten that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  And he really hasn't provided any.  Making flimsy implications of mass murder by government officials really doesn't seem the sort of thing BYU professors should engage in.";s:7:"summary";s:488:"BYU placed physics professor Steven Jones on <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0%2C1249%2C645199800%2C00.html">paid leave</a>.  I'm somewhat ambivalent on this.  Though he is certainly has a right to his opinion, he really seems to have forgotten that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  And he really hasn't provided any.  Making flimsy implications of mass murder by government officials really doesn't seem the sort of thing BYU professors should engage in.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1157756798;}i:13;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/been_a_long_time";s:5:"title";s:16:"Been a long time";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/been_a_long_time";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:40:28 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:637:"Well, this last summer was a huge blackhole for the blog.  It started with me helping my brother move. This proved to take almost every spare moment I had for an entire month.  My brother suffers from MS and is mostly wheelchair bound.  Also I completed several projects at work this last few monthes that hit hard as well as helping my wife have the time to devote to help the <a href="http://www.renacademy.org/">charter school</a> my children attend get setup.  All this combined plus a little bit of burnout to create a blackhole.  I'm feeling the itch to start posting again so we'll see what I can serve up here in the near future.";s:7:"summary";s:637:"Well, this last summer was a huge blackhole for the blog.  It started with me helping my brother move. This proved to take almost every spare moment I had for an entire month.  My brother suffers from MS and is mostly wheelchair bound.  Also I completed several projects at work this last few monthes that hit hard as well as helping my wife have the time to devote to help the <a href="http://www.renacademy.org/">charter school</a> my children attend get setup.  All this combined plus a little bit of burnout to create a blackhole.  I'm feeling the itch to start posting again so we'll see what I can serve up here in the near future.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1157719228;}i:14;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:54:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/deficit";s:5:"title";s:7:"Deficit";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:54:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/deficit";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:31:34 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:191:"The <a href="http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=5&issue=20060612&view=1">deficit</a> is dropping.  If we could control spending we would be running a surplus right now.";s:7:"summary";s:191:"The <a href="http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=5&issue=20060612&view=1">deficit</a> is dropping.  If we could control spending we would be running a surplus right now.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1150216294;}i:15;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:77:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/non_muslims_persecuted_by_iran";s:5:"title";s:30:"Non-Muslims persecuted by Iran";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:77:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/non_muslims_persecuted_by_iran";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Fri, 19 May 2006 09:19:36 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:938:"<a href="http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073">Iran</a> has a new law that requires non-muslims to wear strips of cloth identifying them.
<blockquote>
Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical "standard Islamic garments."

The law, which must still be approved by Iran's "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenehi before being put into effect, also establishes special insignia to be worn by non-Muslims.

Iran's roughly 25,000 Jews would have to sew a yellow strip of cloth on the front of their clothes, while Christians would wear red badges and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear blue cloth.
</blockquote>
This sure does remind me of what the nazi's did in Germany.  I hope Iranians come to their senses soon.";s:7:"summary";s:938:"<a href="http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073">Iran</a> has a new law that requires non-muslims to wear strips of cloth identifying them.
<blockquote>
Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical "standard Islamic garments."

The law, which must still be approved by Iran's "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenehi before being put into effect, also establishes special insignia to be worn by non-Muslims.

Iran's roughly 25,000 Jews would have to sew a yellow strip of cloth on the front of their clothes, while Christians would wear red badges and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear blue cloth.
</blockquote>
This sure does remind me of what the nazi's did in Germany.  I hope Iranians come to their senses soon.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1148030376;}i:16;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:68:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/mountain_ville_school";s:5:"title";s:28:"mountainville charter school";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:68:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/mountain_ville_school";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:03:31 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:181:"<a href="http://utahplannerscorner.blogspot.com/2006/04/alpine-council-chooses-wisely.html">NIMBY forces</a> fail to stop charter school.  Somehow I'm not surprised this was Alpine.";s:7:"summary";s:181:"<a href="http://utahplannerscorner.blogspot.com/2006/04/alpine-council-chooses-wisely.html">NIMBY forces</a> fail to stop charter school.  Somehow I'm not surprised this was Alpine.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1144965811;}i:17;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:58:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/term_limits";s:5:"title";s:11:"Term Limits";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:58:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/term_limits";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 12 Apr 2006 23:04:56 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:477:"CNN has an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/12/griffin.conyers/index.html">article</a> on John Conyers(D-Mich).  
<blockquote>
Two former staff members of U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Michigan, say the longtime Detroit congressman made them baby-sit his children, run errands and work on political campaigns while they were on his congressional payroll.
</blockquote>
Rep Conyers is now on his 21st term in Congress.  This whole case just screams for term limits.
";s:7:"summary";s:477:"CNN has an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/12/griffin.conyers/index.html">article</a> on John Conyers(D-Mich).  
<blockquote>
Two former staff members of U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Michigan, say the longtime Detroit congressman made them baby-sit his children, run errands and work on political campaigns while they were on his congressional payroll.
</blockquote>
Rep Conyers is now on his 21st term in Congress.  This whole case just screams for term limits.
";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1144883096;}i:18;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:74:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/dna_tests_to_prove_ancestry";s:5:"title";s:29:"dna tests to "prove" ancestry";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:74:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/dna_tests_to_prove_ancestry";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 12 Apr 2006 22:52:41 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1295:"The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/12/us/12genes.html?hp&ex=1144900800&en=7cb857e4ae15fb91&ei=5094&partner=homepage">New York Times</a> has an interesting article on DNA testing to show ancestry.
<blockquote>
 The results, designating the boys 9 percent Native American and 11 percent northern African, arrived too late for the admissions process. But Mr. Moldawer, a business executive in Silver Spring, Md., says they could be useful in obtaining financial aid.

"Naturally when you're applying to college you're looking at how your genetic status might help you," said Mr. Moldawer, who knows that the twins' birth parents are white, but has little information about their extended family. "I have three kids going now, and you can bet that any advantage we can take we will."
</blockquote>
I think the whole thing is somewhat silly.  What would prove to be an interesting test of the reliability of the tests is to take a group of relatively known ancestry.  Like mormons who have done a lot of genealogy and see how well the test holds up.  I pretty much know how all my ancestors got to America except for one native american ancestor dating back to the 1600's.  I'd be curious to see what it told me, though I must admit I'm not 99$ to 250$(what the tests cost) worth of curious.";s:7:"summary";s:1295:"The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/12/us/12genes.html?hp&ex=1144900800&en=7cb857e4ae15fb91&ei=5094&partner=homepage">New York Times</a> has an interesting article on DNA testing to show ancestry.
<blockquote>
 The results, designating the boys 9 percent Native American and 11 percent northern African, arrived too late for the admissions process. But Mr. Moldawer, a business executive in Silver Spring, Md., says they could be useful in obtaining financial aid.

"Naturally when you're applying to college you're looking at how your genetic status might help you," said Mr. Moldawer, who knows that the twins' birth parents are white, but has little information about their extended family. "I have three kids going now, and you can bet that any advantage we can take we will."
</blockquote>
I think the whole thing is somewhat silly.  What would prove to be an interesting test of the reliability of the tests is to take a group of relatively known ancestry.  Like mormons who have done a lot of genealogy and see how well the test holds up.  I pretty much know how all my ancestors got to America except for one native american ancestor dating back to the 1600's.  I'd be curious to see what it told me, though I must admit I'm not 99$ to 250$(what the tests cost) worth of curious.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1144882361;}i:19;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:78:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/shall_issue_states_growing_more";s:5:"title";s:38:"Shall issue states growing more common";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:78:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/shall_issue_states_growing_more";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Sun, 2 Apr 2006 15:21:16 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:252:"<a href="http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2006_03_26-2006_04_01.shtml#1143873304">Nebraska</a> recently joined the ranks of the shall issue states.  I'd recommend reading the whole article, a very fascinating look at the gun control issue in the U.S.";s:7:"summary";s:252:"<a href="http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2006_03_26-2006_04_01.shtml#1143873304">Nebraska</a> recently joined the ranks of the shall issue states.  I'd recommend reading the whole article, a very fascinating look at the gun control issue in the U.S.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143991276;}i:20;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/low_fertility_rates";s:5:"title";s:19:"low fertility rates";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:66:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/low_fertility_rates";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Sat, 1 Apr 2006 00:42:16 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:209:"Some German politicians are considering a unique approach to low fertility rates.  Just cut the <a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1934571,00.html">pension</a> of people who don't have children.";s:7:"summary";s:209:"Some German politicians are considering a unique approach to low fertility rates.  Just cut the <a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1934571,00.html">pension</a> of people who don't have children.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143852136;}i:21;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:59:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fancy_voting";s:5:"title";s:12:"Fancy voting";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:59:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fancy_voting";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 29 Mar 2006 20:46:48 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:3140:"<a href="http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/board-auth.cgi?file=/1954/19673.html">Black Box Voting</a> took a look at one of the fancy Diebold voting machines, and not surprisingly they were underwhelmed.  Of course they don't appear to be a friend of Diebold so I'm sure this colors their perspective, but the review of these machines shows them to be very underwhelming, especially when you consider the integrity of our elections is riding on these machines.
<blockquote>
While analyzing the memory storage problem, Hursti discovered a critical security hole in the foundation of the touch-screen. Then he found another in the "lobby," and another on the "first floor." Taken together, these present a potentially catastrophic security hole.

These are not programming errors, but architectural design decisions.

Black Box Voting is turning the "road map" of the most dangerous security findings over to the proper authorities. We won't let anybody sit on this for very long because elections are looming and elections officials need to know what to do now.

A concise and more formal report will be released from Security Innovation, Inc., and this will discuss the procedures for preparing a recovery path for these security holes. 
</blockquote>
The looseness of this whole thing really scares me.  Fortunately <a href="http://www.utahpolitics.org/archives/010640.shtml">Bruce Funk</a> was willing to go out on a limb and let an expert examine these machines.  And now we get a rather scary picture of what is being foisted on us in the name of election integrity.  Well I have to agree with Phil Windley, Bruce Funk is a hero who needs our thanks.
<br><br>
This <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_3646075">quote</a> from the Salt Lake Tribune really scares me.
<blockquote>
Joe Demma, chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, the state's chief elections officer, was plainly incensed with Funk for
allowing Black Box to probe the machines.
   "The problem is that instead of asking us or Diebold, Bruce Funk allowed a third party to put the warranty in jeopardy," Demma said in a telephone interview from Emery County. "If I sound frustrated, it's because I am frustrated. We don't know what they did to the machines. If Bruce would have just asked, we could have saved this forty grand."
   Diebold's $40,000 estimate is exaggerated to frighten other clerks from questioning the machines' integrity, Funk said. "What they are really saying is, 'We don't want anyone else to think of doing this.' " 
</blockquote>
Diebold and the state are acting like they have something to hide.  If these machines are so wonderful why are they so afraid of independent testing.  What are we going to do when we wake up one morning after an election and find out that some of the election machines malfunctioned, and that the results are lost forever.  This has the potential to make Florida 2000 look like a stroll through the park.  After all the paper ballots were still available in the case of Florida.  And independent analysis later showed that the result of the election was reasonable.  We won't have that option with these machines.";s:7:"summary";s:3140:"<a href="http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/board-auth.cgi?file=/1954/19673.html">Black Box Voting</a> took a look at one of the fancy Diebold voting machines, and not surprisingly they were underwhelmed.  Of course they don't appear to be a friend of Diebold so I'm sure this colors their perspective, but the review of these machines shows them to be very underwhelming, especially when you consider the integrity of our elections is riding on these machines.
<blockquote>
While analyzing the memory storage problem, Hursti discovered a critical security hole in the foundation of the touch-screen. Then he found another in the "lobby," and another on the "first floor." Taken together, these present a potentially catastrophic security hole.

These are not programming errors, but architectural design decisions.

Black Box Voting is turning the "road map" of the most dangerous security findings over to the proper authorities. We won't let anybody sit on this for very long because elections are looming and elections officials need to know what to do now.

A concise and more formal report will be released from Security Innovation, Inc., and this will discuss the procedures for preparing a recovery path for these security holes. 
</blockquote>
The looseness of this whole thing really scares me.  Fortunately <a href="http://www.utahpolitics.org/archives/010640.shtml">Bruce Funk</a> was willing to go out on a limb and let an expert examine these machines.  And now we get a rather scary picture of what is being foisted on us in the name of election integrity.  Well I have to agree with Phil Windley, Bruce Funk is a hero who needs our thanks.
<br><br>
This <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_3646075">quote</a> from the Salt Lake Tribune really scares me.
<blockquote>
Joe Demma, chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, the state's chief elections officer, was plainly incensed with Funk for
allowing Black Box to probe the machines.
   "The problem is that instead of asking us or Diebold, Bruce Funk allowed a third party to put the warranty in jeopardy," Demma said in a telephone interview from Emery County. "If I sound frustrated, it's because I am frustrated. We don't know what they did to the machines. If Bruce would have just asked, we could have saved this forty grand."
   Diebold's $40,000 estimate is exaggerated to frighten other clerks from questioning the machines' integrity, Funk said. "What they are really saying is, 'We don't want anyone else to think of doing this.' " 
</blockquote>
Diebold and the state are acting like they have something to hide.  If these machines are so wonderful why are they so afraid of independent testing.  What are we going to do when we wake up one morning after an election and find out that some of the election machines malfunctioned, and that the results are lost forever.  This has the potential to make Florida 2000 look like a stroll through the park.  After all the paper ballots were still available in the case of Florida.  And independent analysis later showed that the result of the election was reasonable.  We won't have that option with these machines.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143665208;}i:22;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/yet_more_on_the_stadium";s:5:"title";s:23:"yet more on the stadium";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/yet_more_on_the_stadium";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:49:57 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:941:"The <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_3642985">Salt Lake Tribune</a> has more on the soccer stadium. (Hat Tip: <a href="http://www.utahpolicy.com/pages/newsletters/daily477.htm">UtahPolicy.com</a>).  My favorite part of the article is this quote from Howard Stephenson (who has the dubious honor of being my senator).
<blockquote>
On the last day of the legislative session, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, failed on the Senate floor to kick "Soccer City, USA" to the polls.
   "I was surprised how many [lawmakers] were willing to give millions of tax dollars to rich team owners," he said in the waning hours. "When we're giving that kind of money to a private entity, there ought to be a public vote."
</blockquote>
I'm not certain why this so outrages me, since this is Salt Lake county and I live in Utah county, however it really is poor public policy and needs to be criticized even if it isn't my tax dollars being directly wasted.";s:7:"summary";s:941:"The <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_3642985">Salt Lake Tribune</a> has more on the soccer stadium. (Hat Tip: <a href="http://www.utahpolicy.com/pages/newsletters/daily477.htm">UtahPolicy.com</a>).  My favorite part of the article is this quote from Howard Stephenson (who has the dubious honor of being my senator).
<blockquote>
On the last day of the legislative session, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, failed on the Senate floor to kick "Soccer City, USA" to the polls.
   "I was surprised how many [lawmakers] were willing to give millions of tax dollars to rich team owners," he said in the waning hours. "When we're giving that kind of money to a private entity, there ought to be a public vote."
</blockquote>
I'm not certain why this so outrages me, since this is Salt Lake county and I live in Utah county, however it really is poor public policy and needs to be criticized even if it isn't my tax dollars being directly wasted.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143496197;}i:23;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:76:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/jay_evensen_speaking_sense_on";s:5:"title";s:38:"Jay Evensen speaking sense on stadiums";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:76:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/jay_evensen_speaking_sense_on";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sun, 26 Mar 2006 23:04:48 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:798:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635194195,00.html">Jay</a> lays it out in no nonsense terms how useful a stadium is.
<blockquote>
As I've noted before, there are few things on which economists of all stripes agree. One of them is that using tax dollars for stadiums is a bad investment. It never pays off. University of Chicago economist Allen Sanderson once told me the only investment with less economic returns would be a cemetery. He recently told the Boston Globe it would be better for officials to simply drop tax dollars from a helicopter.
      There may be a scuffle below, but at least the money would quickly be circulated through the economy.
</blockquote>
I personally don't understand this rush to create a stadium for a team that may not be here three years from now.";s:7:"summary";s:798:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635194195,00.html">Jay</a> lays it out in no nonsense terms how useful a stadium is.
<blockquote>
As I've noted before, there are few things on which economists of all stripes agree. One of them is that using tax dollars for stadiums is a bad investment. It never pays off. University of Chicago economist Allen Sanderson once told me the only investment with less economic returns would be a cemetery. He recently told the Boston Globe it would be better for officials to simply drop tax dollars from a helicopter.
      There may be a scuffle below, but at least the money would quickly be circulated through the economy.
</blockquote>
I personally don't understand this rush to create a stadium for a team that may not be here three years from now.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143414288;}i:24;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:53:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/iprovo";s:5:"title";s:6:"IProvo";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:53:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/iprovo";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sat, 25 Mar 2006 00:39:52 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:221:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635193762,00.html">Provo</a> wants to compete against private businesses.  This really just seems to be a bad idea to me.  Goverment shouldn't compete with private enterprise";s:7:"summary";s:221:"<a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635193762,00.html">Provo</a> wants to compete against private businesses.  This really just seems to be a bad idea to me.  Goverment shouldn't compete with private enterprise";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1143247192;}i:25;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/charter_schools1";s:5:"title";s:25:"Charter schools yet again";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:63:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/charter_schools1";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Mon, 20 Mar 2006 00:34:44 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:2330:"It looks like my family will get an opportunity to see if charter schoools are all they are cracked up to be.  My daughters got accepted in a charter school.  They will be attending <a href="http://renacademy.org/">Renaissance Academy</a> Fall 2006.  I'm certainly excited about getting away from the terrible math program forced on the parents by the Alpine school district.  The currently use something called Investigations math, and it basically sucks.

There is a lot of discontent with this math program among parents in the school district.  I was curious how this correlates to charter school enrollment.  

<br><br>

<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Group</th>
<th>count</th>
<th>percentage</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alpine School District enrollment(2004)</td>
<td>52825</td>
<td>10.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Utah state public school enrollment(2004)</td>
<td>489,445 </td>
<td>100%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alpine School District charter school (2006)</td>
<td>4640</td>
<td>24.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Utah charter school population(2006)</td>
<td>18598</td>
<td>100%</td>
</tr>
</table>
(source for <a href="http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/charterschools/directory.htm">charter school enrollment</a>)
(source for <a href="http://www.schools.utah.gov/finance/other/AnnualReport/04ar/Statistics/ENROLLMENT/Falenr04.xls"> Utah school enrollment</a> NOTE: this excel file opens up just fine in Open Office 2.0).
<br><br>
I found these figures to be fascinating.  Alpine school district is over represented in charter schools by nearly a factor 2.5.  This is represents 8.8% of the students in the Alpine district attending charter schools in the fall of 2006.  This rather large percentage is particularly interesting in the light that the charter schools tend overwhelming to be lower grade levels.  Personally I feel that this disparity is almost entirely due to the investigations math program.  It is enlightening how if you foist a lousy math program on the students in a school district, then give them other options, how this options then get used very aggresively.
<br><br>
I don't know where this will eventually lead, but I know where I would like it to go.  I would like to see full value vouchers issued to the parents of every student in Utah.  I personally feel this is the best way for our children to recieve an excellent education.";s:7:"summary";s:2330:"It looks like my family will get an opportunity to see if charter schoools are all they are cracked up to be.  My daughters got accepted in a charter school.  They will be attending <a href="http://renacademy.org/">Renaissance Academy</a> Fall 2006.  I'm certainly excited about getting away from the terrible math program forced on the parents by the Alpine school district.  The currently use something called Investigations math, and it basically sucks.

There is a lot of discontent with this math program among parents in the school district.  I was curious how this correlates to charter school enrollment.  

<br><br>

<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Group</th>
<th>count</th>
<th>percentage</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alpine School District enrollment(2004)</td>
<td>52825</td>
<td>10.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Utah state public school enrollment(2004)</td>
<td>489,445 </td>
<td>100%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alpine School District charter school (2006)</td>
<td>4640</td>
<td>24.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Utah charter school population(2006)</td>
<td>18598</td>
<td>100%</td>
</tr>
</table>
(source for <a href="http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/charterschools/directory.htm">charter school enrollment</a>)
(source for <a href="http://www.schools.utah.gov/finance/other/AnnualReport/04ar/Statistics/ENROLLMENT/Falenr04.xls"> Utah school enrollment</a> NOTE: this excel file opens up just fine in Open Office 2.0).
<br><br>
I found these figures to be fascinating.  Alpine school district is over represented in charter schools by nearly a factor 2.5.  This is represents 8.8% of the students in the Alpine district attending charter schools in the fall of 2006.  This rather large percentage is particularly interesting in the light that the charter schools tend overwhelming to be lower grade levels.  Personally I feel that this disparity is almost entirely due to the investigations math program.  It is enlightening how if you foist a lousy math program on the students in a school district, then give them other options, how this options then get used very aggresively.
<br><br>
I don't know where this will eventually lead, but I know where I would like it to go.  I would like to see full value vouchers issued to the parents of every student in Utah.  I personally feel this is the best way for our children to recieve an excellent education.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1142814884;}i:26;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:68:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/challenging_few_weeks";s:5:"title";s:21:"Challenging few weeks";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:68:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/challenging_few_weeks";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Fri, 17 Mar 2006 22:40:20 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:177:"The last 2.5 weeks have been a bit challenging.  Thus the lack of articles.  Fortunately everything is looking up some.  I should be posting some more articles in the next week.";s:7:"summary";s:177:"The last 2.5 weeks have been a bit challenging.  Thus the lack of articles.  Fortunately everything is looking up some.  I should be posting some more articles in the next week.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1142635220;}i:27;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:56:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/education";s:5:"title";s:20:"Educational Monopoly";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:56:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/education";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Mon, 27 Feb 2006 21:20:00 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1866:"<p>Scott is posting on something near and dear to my heart, the <a href="http://reachupward.blogspot.com/2006/02/magic-of-marketplace-in-education.html">education of my children</a>.  I read Scott's article with great interest.  And in my opinion the whole problem with public education can be summed up with one word "Monopoly".  Before the monopoly can be broken it's got to really hurt.  Well the Alpine school district provided a lot of hurt in recent years.  It's called "investigations math".  And it sucks <a href="http://www.oaknorton.com/imathresults26.cfm">big time</a>.  It is currently driving the <a href="http://old.heraldextra.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=71305">formation</a> of charter schools in the alpine school district.  I'm excited about this development.  It means that the monopoly is receiving a large blow in the Alpine school district. 
</p>
<p> I estimate that in my area of the neighborhood, that 10-30% of the grade school aged children will be enrolled in a charter school next year.  This is a very large increase over the past year.  Currently my oldest two children are on the waiting list for both Renaissance and MountainVille charter schools, and I'm reasonably hopeful that both will get in.  The reason why we are doing this.  We are committed to the education of our children and we like the choice that the charter schools give us in the education of our children.  In particular my wife and I despise the investigations math program.  I studied my daughters math worksheets and I can't make sense of some of them.  And I'm not exactly a math dummy.  I've got a degree in engineering, and minors in math and physics.  With any luck we will get a critical mass of students out of the direct control of the school districts, this will enable us to go to the next level, vouchers for our children.
</p>";s:7:"summary";s:1866:"<p>Scott is posting on something near and dear to my heart, the <a href="http://reachupward.blogspot.com/2006/02/magic-of-marketplace-in-education.html">education of my children</a>.  I read Scott's article with great interest.  And in my opinion the whole problem with public education can be summed up with one word "Monopoly".  Before the monopoly can be broken it's got to really hurt.  Well the Alpine school district provided a lot of hurt in recent years.  It's called "investigations math".  And it sucks <a href="http://www.oaknorton.com/imathresults26.cfm">big time</a>.  It is currently driving the <a href="http://old.heraldextra.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=71305">formation</a> of charter schools in the alpine school district.  I'm excited about this development.  It means that the monopoly is receiving a large blow in the Alpine school district. 
</p>
<p> I estimate that in my area of the neighborhood, that 10-30% of the grade school aged children will be enrolled in a charter school next year.  This is a very large increase over the past year.  Currently my oldest two children are on the waiting list for both Renaissance and MountainVille charter schools, and I'm reasonably hopeful that both will get in.  The reason why we are doing this.  We are committed to the education of our children and we like the choice that the charter schools give us in the education of our children.  In particular my wife and I despise the investigations math program.  I studied my daughters math worksheets and I can't make sense of some of them.  And I'm not exactly a math dummy.  I've got a degree in engineering, and minors in math and physics.  With any luck we will get a critical mass of students out of the direct control of the school districts, this will enable us to go to the next level, vouchers for our children.
</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1141075200;}i:28;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/40_year_mortgages";s:5:"title";s:17:"40 year mortgages";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/40_year_mortgages";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sun, 26 Feb 2006 23:11:47 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:3705:"The <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635187073,00.html">Deseret News</a> has an article on 40 year mortgages.  Quite frankly the whole thing terrifies me.
<blockquote>
      Heather MacKenzie, a broker who owns Orem-based Ideal Home Loans and also a residential mortgage regulatory commissioner with the Utah Division of Real Estate, said lenders are once again promoting 40-year mortgage products, which have been around for a number of years.
      MacKenzie estimates that about 15 percent of her loans this month will be 40-year mortgages.
</blockquote>
The whole concept of a 40 year loan just blows my mind, if I were 25 years old (and unfortunately I'm much older) and I took out a 40 year loan, I wouldn't pay it off til I was old enough to retire.  I could have kids and my kids could have kids(with a fair amount precociousiness another set of kids would be possible) before that debt would be paid.  I'm just dumbfounded by this whole issue.  If it stopped there I wouldn't be so shocked.  But recently I've learned of two new types of loans "interest only" and it's evil twin brother "negative amortization".  "Interest only" is fairly straight forward to understand.  You aren't paying down the principle of the loan at all, but "Negative amortization" is a very technical name for a very evil loan.  A "Negative amortization" loan can actually have you sinking deeper in debt for some of the term of the loan.
<blockquote>
Aaron Earnest, co-owner of Investment Lending Inc. in Orem, pushes niche mortgage products. About 10 percent of the company's business is made up of 40-year option adjustable-rate mortgages. The 40-year option ARM lowers a homebuyer's monthly payment even further through negative amortization.
      Earnest, 34, closed last week on an $855,000 house located in the Provo Riverbottoms. He financed the home using a 40-year option ARM. His monthly payments will be roughly $2,300, not including taxes and insurance.
      "My wife is very excited," Earnest said. "Of all of the loan choices that exist, the one that most perfectly meets our objective  which is to give as little to the bank as possible  is this 40-year option ARM."
      Under a traditional 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5 percent, Earnest's monthly payments would have been roughly $5,404. The money saved, he said, will be put toward personal investments that include property, municipal bonds and hard-money lending.
</blockquote>
I've got to admit some disappointment how casually the term negative amortization was tossed out in this article without a single word of definition.  But in the interest of completeness a little  lesson in negative amortization.  This <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/brm/mortgage-advisers/interest-only.asp">site</a> allowed me to compute the payment for an interest only loan.  Assuming a downpayment of $55,000 and an interest rate of 3.5%, I calculate that the monthly interest payment is $2,333.33.  So if the rate on this loan ever exceeded 3.5% the principle of the loan would actually grow for a while.  Of course, you can't get anything for free, eventually the money has to be paid back, and this type of situation virtually ensures that the eventually repayment amount will be larger.  This <a href="http://www.mtgprofessor.com/A%20-%20Amortization/how_does_negative_amortization_work.htm">article
</a> explains this type of loan more fully.
<br><br>
In the end, I would urge you to consider some of the <a href="http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1987.htm/ensign%20june%201987.htm/first%20presidency%20message%20pay%20thy%20debt%20and%20live%20.htm?fn=default.htm$f=templates$3.0">counsel</a>  of President Benson.  ";s:7:"summary";s:3705:"The <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635187073,00.html">Deseret News</a> has an article on 40 year mortgages.  Quite frankly the whole thing terrifies me.
<blockquote>
      Heather MacKenzie, a broker who owns Orem-based Ideal Home Loans and also a residential mortgage regulatory commissioner with the Utah Division of Real Estate, said lenders are once again promoting 40-year mortgage products, which have been around for a number of years.
      MacKenzie estimates that about 15 percent of her loans this month will be 40-year mortgages.
</blockquote>
The whole concept of a 40 year loan just blows my mind, if I were 25 years old (and unfortunately I'm much older) and I took out a 40 year loan, I wouldn't pay it off til I was old enough to retire.  I could have kids and my kids could have kids(with a fair amount precociousiness another set of kids would be possible) before that debt would be paid.  I'm just dumbfounded by this whole issue.  If it stopped there I wouldn't be so shocked.  But recently I've learned of two new types of loans "interest only" and it's evil twin brother "negative amortization".  "Interest only" is fairly straight forward to understand.  You aren't paying down the principle of the loan at all, but "Negative amortization" is a very technical name for a very evil loan.  A "Negative amortization" loan can actually have you sinking deeper in debt for some of the term of the loan.
<blockquote>
Aaron Earnest, co-owner of Investment Lending Inc. in Orem, pushes niche mortgage products. About 10 percent of the company's business is made up of 40-year option adjustable-rate mortgages. The 40-year option ARM lowers a homebuyer's monthly payment even further through negative amortization.
      Earnest, 34, closed last week on an $855,000 house located in the Provo Riverbottoms. He financed the home using a 40-year option ARM. His monthly payments will be roughly $2,300, not including taxes and insurance.
      "My wife is very excited," Earnest said. "Of all of the loan choices that exist, the one that most perfectly meets our objective  which is to give as little to the bank as possible  is this 40-year option ARM."
      Under a traditional 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5 percent, Earnest's monthly payments would have been roughly $5,404. The money saved, he said, will be put toward personal investments that include property, municipal bonds and hard-money lending.
</blockquote>
I've got to admit some disappointment how casually the term negative amortization was tossed out in this article without a single word of definition.  But in the interest of completeness a little  lesson in negative amortization.  This <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/brm/mortgage-advisers/interest-only.asp">site</a> allowed me to compute the payment for an interest only loan.  Assuming a downpayment of $55,000 and an interest rate of 3.5%, I calculate that the monthly interest payment is $2,333.33.  So if the rate on this loan ever exceeded 3.5% the principle of the loan would actually grow for a while.  Of course, you can't get anything for free, eventually the money has to be paid back, and this type of situation virtually ensures that the eventually repayment amount will be larger.  This <a href="http://www.mtgprofessor.com/A%20-%20Amortization/how_does_negative_amortization_work.htm">article
</a> explains this type of loan more fully.
<br><br>
In the end, I would urge you to consider some of the <a href="http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1987.htm/ensign%20june%201987.htm/first%20presidency%20message%20pay%20thy%20debt%20and%20live%20.htm?fn=default.htm$f=templates$3.0">counsel</a>  of President Benson.  ";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1140995507;}i:29;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/africa_must_save_itself";s:5:"title";s:23:"africa must save itself";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/africa_must_save_itself";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:29:49 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:827:"<p>
A facinating article on why <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/12/AR2006021201150.html">Africa</a> is having such economic problems.

<blockquote>
Economic development in Africa will depend -- as it has elsewhere and throughout the history of the modern world -- on the success of private-sector entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs and African political reformers. It will not depend on the activities of patronizing, bureaucratic, unaccountable and poorly informed outsiders.

Development everywhere is homegrown. As G-8 ministers and rock stars fussed about a few billion dollars here or there for African governments, the citizens of India and China (where foreign aid is a microscopic share of income) were busy increasing their own incomes by $715 billion in 2005.
</blockquote>
</p>";s:7:"summary";s:827:"<p>
A facinating article on why <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/12/AR2006021201150.html">Africa</a> is having such economic problems.

<blockquote>
Economic development in Africa will depend -- as it has elsewhere and throughout the history of the modern world -- on the success of private-sector entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs and African political reformers. It will not depend on the activities of patronizing, bureaucratic, unaccountable and poorly informed outsiders.

Development everywhere is homegrown. As G-8 ministers and rock stars fussed about a few billion dollars here or there for African governments, the citizens of India and China (where foreign aid is a microscopic share of income) were busy increasing their own incomes by $715 billion in 2005.
</blockquote>
</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1140046189;}i:30;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:65:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/vouchers_yet_again";s:5:"title";s:18:"vouchers yet again";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:65:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/vouchers_yet_again";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:25:43 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1649:"<p>
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184531,00.html">School Vouchers</a> seem to be continuing to gain momentum.  Arizona is a good example of this.
<blockquote>
Its not an easy calculation. She must strike a balance between the demands of the 30,000-member Arizona Education Association, which opposes school choice, and Arizona families, who support school choice by nearly a 2:1 margin, according to a recent poll by the Goldwater Institute. Already, 100,000 children in Arizona attend charter schools or private schools, thanks to a 1997 scholarship tax-credit program.
</blockquote>
If it weren't for the teacher's unions, we would have vouchers today.  When I read about the success of the Milwaukee program, I feel that the main thing we need is critical mass.  
<blockquote>
Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, a Democrat, faces a similar quandary. Like Napolitano, he faces re-election in 2006 and must choose between the educational establishment and students. Wisconsin is home to the Milwaukee school-voucher program -- perhaps the most successful choice program in the nation. This program helps 15,000 low-income, inner-city children attend private school and has been shown to boost graduation rates.

The Milwaukee voucher program has proven so popular that there arent enough scholarships to meet popular demand. The program limits participation to 15 percent of the student population. Gov. Doyle has vetoed several proposals to raise the cap, which means thousands of inner-city children now in the program could be sent back to public schools this fall under the state's system for rationing vouchers.
</blockquote>
</p>";s:7:"summary";s:1649:"<p>
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184531,00.html">School Vouchers</a> seem to be continuing to gain momentum.  Arizona is a good example of this.
<blockquote>
Its not an easy calculation. She must strike a balance between the demands of the 30,000-member Arizona Education Association, which opposes school choice, and Arizona families, who support school choice by nearly a 2:1 margin, according to a recent poll by the Goldwater Institute. Already, 100,000 children in Arizona attend charter schools or private schools, thanks to a 1997 scholarship tax-credit program.
</blockquote>
If it weren't for the teacher's unions, we would have vouchers today.  When I read about the success of the Milwaukee program, I feel that the main thing we need is critical mass.  
<blockquote>
Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, a Democrat, faces a similar quandary. Like Napolitano, he faces re-election in 2006 and must choose between the educational establishment and students. Wisconsin is home to the Milwaukee school-voucher program -- perhaps the most successful choice program in the nation. This program helps 15,000 low-income, inner-city children attend private school and has been shown to boost graduation rates.

The Milwaukee voucher program has proven so popular that there arent enough scholarships to meet popular demand. The program limits participation to 15 percent of the student population. Gov. Doyle has vetoed several proposals to raise the cap, which means thousands of inner-city children now in the program could be sent back to public schools this fall under the state's system for rationing vouchers.
</blockquote>
</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1139682343;}i:31;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:60:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/trade_deficit";s:5:"title";s:13:"Trade Deficit";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:60:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/trade_deficit";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Fri, 10 Feb 2006 15:34:58 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:117:"<p>The <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060210/economy.html?.v=16">trade deficit</a> has set a new all time high.</p>";s:7:"summary";s:117:"<p>The <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060210/economy.html?.v=16">trade deficit</a> has set a new all time high.</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1139585698;}i:32;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:71:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/ending_u_s_dependency_on";s:5:"title";s:29:"Ending U.S. dependency on oil";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:71:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/ending_u_s_dependency_on";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Wed, 8 Feb 2006 22:50:30 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:4600:"<br><a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635182568,00.html">John Hughes</a> of the Deseret News seems concerned about the U.S. dependence on oil.  I honestly share this concern, in particular our dependence on Middle East oil.  In believe our dependence on this oil serves only to fund radical Islam and it's war against freedom.  
<blockquote>
When a Texas oilman like George Bush says our addiction to oil is a problem and we have got to do something about it, it's time to do so.
      Unfortunately, although the president's focus on the problem in his State of the Union address was helpful, his suggestions for action will not alone solve the problem.
      The problem is that earth's supply of oil will ultimately dry up. Experts are divided about when that will be, maybe late in this century, perhaps early in the next. They do not question that it will ultimately happen. The event can be postponed, perhaps by drilling in areas currently considered unprofitable or environmentally questionable to develop. Deposits of oil shale, where rock must be processed to extract hidden oil, might yield a little more, although the process has hitherto been considered prohibitively expensive. In the end humans will have to run their world on some alternative source of energy.
</blockquote>
<br>
The major area where John and I differ in our opinions is the course of action to take.  John suggests to courses of action.  The first is a massive tax increase on petroleum
<blockquote>
One of the most dramatic and effective ideas to sharply reduce U.S. oil intake is at hand but will not be tried. That is to tax gasoline at another dollar, or two, or three a gallon, bringing it to the price level of some European countries. That would not only sharply cut consumption but also provide a bonanza for research into alternative energy. Such a move is considered political suicide for any proponent, especially given the recent public furor over gasoline at $3 a gallon caused by current market forces. Bush, like presidents before him, seeks solutions that will cause little or no pain to voting consumers.
</blockquote>
This course of action will obviously bring down oil consumption by Americans.  Unfortunately how this works is by delivering a crushing blow to our economy.  How crushing a blow I couldn't honestly gauge.  But I wouldn't be surprised at an effect rivaling the great depression.  At a minimum I think it would have an effect similar to the oil embargos of the 1970's.  The reason this course of action is considered political suicide, is because it is also economical suicide.  
<br>

The second course suggested by John Hughes is a massive project by the federal government similar to
the Manhattan project or the Apollo project.
<blockquote>
The answer must lie in some remarkable advances in technology to take place in both the kind of car, and the kind of fuel, that Americans use. Ideally this would require a program of extraordinary vision and scope like the Manhattan Project, which was devised to develop the atomic bomb, or the Apollo Project, launched to conquer space. But the Bush administration is offering no hope of funding for such a project.
</blockquote>
This is commonly repeated idea in America today.  Of course popularity doesn't translate to reality. The reason that the Manhattan and Apollo projects succeeded, is the precise reason that they will fail in this instance.  Both of these projects required success at <strong>any cost.</strong>  In other words efficiency and cost-effectiveness were irrelevant in both of these projects.  And for an alternative energy project to succede, both of these considerations are paramount.  Government has a poor track record in these fields.  The end result will be to see how much bacon each congressional members can bring home.  
<br>
I personally think that we can reduce and perhaps eliminate our dependence on foriegn oil.  In fact in an ideal world I would like to see tankers leaving American ports filled will biofuels for Europe and Asia.  I don't know how realistic this is, but in my opinion these are two of the better posibilities for this to happen.  The first is <a href="http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html">Biodiesel</a>, the other is alcohol from <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-02-01-ethanol-sidebar_x.htm">biomass</a>.  Ending U.S. dependence on oil is posible.  And perhaps these technologies will prove useful in doing so.  But their success is only possible if they are economical to produce, i.e. cost the same or less than current fuels.
<br>";s:7:"summary";s:4600:"<br><a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635182568,00.html">John Hughes</a> of the Deseret News seems concerned about the U.S. dependence on oil.  I honestly share this concern, in particular our dependence on Middle East oil.  In believe our dependence on this oil serves only to fund radical Islam and it's war against freedom.  
<blockquote>
When a Texas oilman like George Bush says our addiction to oil is a problem and we have got to do something about it, it's time to do so.
      Unfortunately, although the president's focus on the problem in his State of the Union address was helpful, his suggestions for action will not alone solve the problem.
      The problem is that earth's supply of oil will ultimately dry up. Experts are divided about when that will be, maybe late in this century, perhaps early in the next. They do not question that it will ultimately happen. The event can be postponed, perhaps by drilling in areas currently considered unprofitable or environmentally questionable to develop. Deposits of oil shale, where rock must be processed to extract hidden oil, might yield a little more, although the process has hitherto been considered prohibitively expensive. In the end humans will have to run their world on some alternative source of energy.
</blockquote>
<br>
The major area where John and I differ in our opinions is the course of action to take.  John suggests to courses of action.  The first is a massive tax increase on petroleum
<blockquote>
One of the most dramatic and effective ideas to sharply reduce U.S. oil intake is at hand but will not be tried. That is to tax gasoline at another dollar, or two, or three a gallon, bringing it to the price level of some European countries. That would not only sharply cut consumption but also provide a bonanza for research into alternative energy. Such a move is considered political suicide for any proponent, especially given the recent public furor over gasoline at $3 a gallon caused by current market forces. Bush, like presidents before him, seeks solutions that will cause little or no pain to voting consumers.
</blockquote>
This course of action will obviously bring down oil consumption by Americans.  Unfortunately how this works is by delivering a crushing blow to our economy.  How crushing a blow I couldn't honestly gauge.  But I wouldn't be surprised at an effect rivaling the great depression.  At a minimum I think it would have an effect similar to the oil embargos of the 1970's.  The reason this course of action is considered political suicide, is because it is also economical suicide.  
<br>

The second course suggested by John Hughes is a massive project by the federal government similar to
the Manhattan project or the Apollo project.
<blockquote>
The answer must lie in some remarkable advances in technology to take place in both the kind of car, and the kind of fuel, that Americans use. Ideally this would require a program of extraordinary vision and scope like the Manhattan Project, which was devised to develop the atomic bomb, or the Apollo Project, launched to conquer space. But the Bush administration is offering no hope of funding for such a project.
</blockquote>
This is commonly repeated idea in America today.  Of course popularity doesn't translate to reality. The reason that the Manhattan and Apollo projects succeeded, is the precise reason that they will fail in this instance.  Both of these projects required success at <strong>any cost.</strong>  In other words efficiency and cost-effectiveness were irrelevant in both of these projects.  And for an alternative energy project to succede, both of these considerations are paramount.  Government has a poor track record in these fields.  The end result will be to see how much bacon each congressional members can bring home.  
<br>
I personally think that we can reduce and perhaps eliminate our dependence on foriegn oil.  In fact in an ideal world I would like to see tankers leaving American ports filled will biofuels for Europe and Asia.  I don't know how realistic this is, but in my opinion these are two of the better posibilities for this to happen.  The first is <a href="http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html">Biodiesel</a>, the other is alcohol from <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-02-01-ethanol-sidebar_x.htm">biomass</a>.  Ending U.S. dependence on oil is posible.  And perhaps these technologies will prove useful in doing so.  But their success is only possible if they are economical to produce, i.e. cost the same or less than current fuels.
<br>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1139439030;}i:33;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:79:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/big_oil_companies_really_gouging";s:5:"title";s:34:"big oil companies really gouging??";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:79:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/big_oil_companies_really_gouging";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Tue, 7 Feb 2006 22:34:40 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:194:"<a href="http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2006/02/sampling-of-oil-profits.html">Big Oil</a> really doesn't seem to be gouging after all.  A profit of 8.5% really isn't all that great.  ";s:7:"summary";s:194:"<a href="http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2006/02/sampling-of-oil-profits.html">Big Oil</a> really doesn't seem to be gouging after all.  A profit of 8.5% really isn't all that great.  ";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1139351680;}i:34;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/interesting_loans";s:5:"title";s:19:"Interesting "Loans"";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:64:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/interesting_loans";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Sun, 29 Jan 2006 23:44:14 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:998:"<p>The <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635179979,00.html">Deseret News</a> found out that many local business are behind on their property taxes.  In fact many view it as a loan.  When read the terms .. er I mean penalties, I understood better.
</p>
<p>
<blockquote>
Delta had a much easier time obtaining what amounts to a $3.9 million loan from Salt Lake County taxpayers. Approval was automatic. No application was needed. No payments will be required for years. It eventually will cost Delta just a 2 percent initial fee, plus relatively low 10.25 percent annual interest.
</blockquote>
</p>
<p>
If this were a loan, then this would be excellent terms for the bankrupt Delta.
</p>
<p>
Part of what interested me was the part where they said they determined this by using computer analysis of public records.  I'm a computer programmer with a lot of systems and database experience.  I am curious what I could find out if I were able to gain access to a lot of these records.
</p>";s:7:"summary";s:998:"<p>The <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635179979,00.html">Deseret News</a> found out that many local business are behind on their property taxes.  In fact many view it as a loan.  When read the terms .. er I mean penalties, I understood better.
</p>
<p>
<blockquote>
Delta had a much easier time obtaining what amounts to a $3.9 million loan from Salt Lake County taxpayers. Approval was automatic. No application was needed. No payments will be required for years. It eventually will cost Delta just a 2 percent initial fee, plus relatively low 10.25 percent annual interest.
</blockquote>
</p>
<p>
If this were a loan, then this would be excellent terms for the bankrupt Delta.
</p>
<p>
Part of what interested me was the part where they said they determined this by using computer analysis of public records.  I'm a computer programmer with a lot of systems and database experience.  I am curious what I could find out if I were able to gain access to a lot of these records.
</p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1138578254;}i:35;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fighting_to_waste_money";s:5:"title";s:23:"Fighting to waste money";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fighting_to_waste_money";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Wed, 19 Jan 2005 23:26:41 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:694:"I've never understood the onset of insanity that happens with professional sports.  I certainly enjoy watching games.  But why spend public funds on a sports team?  Certainly there are much more important things on which to spend money.  Or if nothing better can be found perhaps it's time for a tax cut.  Afterall a sports team is suppose to be a profitable business.  If a team can't be profitable without a lot of support from the government, then the team should fold.  Or perhaps they need to rework thier cost structure to be profitable.  But now <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600105775,00.html"> two cities in Utah</a> are fighting to waste money on professional soccer.";s:7:"summary";s:694:"I've never understood the onset of insanity that happens with professional sports.  I certainly enjoy watching games.  But why spend public funds on a sports team?  Certainly there are much more important things on which to spend money.  Or if nothing better can be found perhaps it's time for a tax cut.  Afterall a sports team is suppose to be a profitable business.  If a team can't be profitable without a lot of support from the government, then the team should fold.  Or perhaps they need to rework thier cost structure to be profitable.  But now <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600105775,00.html"> two cities in Utah</a> are fighting to waste money on professional soccer.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1106177201;}i:36;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:77:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/vouchers_for_private_education";s:5:"title";s:30:"Vouchers for private education";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:77:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/vouchers_for_private_education";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Tue, 11 Jan 2005 22:10:57 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1916:"<p>Vouchers such a simple word that sure does create a lot of passion.  The Utah legislature has been trying to get vouchers passed for a few years now.  But the last two governors consistently took an obstructionist attitude towards the subject.  Well it's a new year, and for the first time in years there is truly a new governor.  And this one is at least somewhat in favor of vouchers.  FY 2003 the Utah Taxpayers association estimated the per student spending was <a href="http://www.utahtaxpayers.org/enterprise/2004/04.06.7_enterpise.html">$5,862</a>, compared to the voucher amount of $2,000.  Obviously the vast majority of money remains with the school district.  Of course much more is involved with the financing of a school district than the cost per student.  But the amount of money left to the district makes it hard to believe that the school system would be harmed financial</p> 

<p>To be honest the school system in Utah is actually fairly good.  Due in large part to the involvement of parents and the professionalism of Utah teachers.  However I would love to be able to have more control over the education of my children.  As a family we could figure out what sort of educational opportunities would be best.  More funding would permit private schools to create a large amount of specialization.  Some schools could concentrate of computers and science, others could create specialized programs around vocational training, or also schools with more emphasis on arts.</p>

<p>Vouchers are pretty much a winner for everyone except the teacher's union and education buearacracy.  The power of both of these groups is only posible due to the centralization of the schools.  Vouchers by their nature are going to decentralize education.  I personally believe this is why you see such fanatic opposition from these groups.  But I believe it is best for my children so my opinion is pretty set. </p>";s:7:"summary";s:1916:"<p>Vouchers such a simple word that sure does create a lot of passion.  The Utah legislature has been trying to get vouchers passed for a few years now.  But the last two governors consistently took an obstructionist attitude towards the subject.  Well it's a new year, and for the first time in years there is truly a new governor.  And this one is at least somewhat in favor of vouchers.  FY 2003 the Utah Taxpayers association estimated the per student spending was <a href="http://www.utahtaxpayers.org/enterprise/2004/04.06.7_enterpise.html">$5,862</a>, compared to the voucher amount of $2,000.  Obviously the vast majority of money remains with the school district.  Of course much more is involved with the financing of a school district than the cost per student.  But the amount of money left to the district makes it hard to believe that the school system would be harmed financial</p> 

<p>To be honest the school system in Utah is actually fairly good.  Due in large part to the involvement of parents and the professionalism of Utah teachers.  However I would love to be able to have more control over the education of my children.  As a family we could figure out what sort of educational opportunities would be best.  More funding would permit private schools to create a large amount of specialization.  Some schools could concentrate of computers and science, others could create specialized programs around vocational training, or also schools with more emphasis on arts.</p>

<p>Vouchers are pretty much a winner for everyone except the teacher's union and education buearacracy.  The power of both of these groups is only posible due to the centralization of the schools.  Vouchers by their nature are going to decentralize education.  I personally believe this is why you see such fanatic opposition from these groups.  But I believe it is best for my children so my opinion is pretty set. </p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1105481457;}i:37;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:83:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/legislature_session_starting_in_utah";s:5:"title";s:37:"Legislature session starting in Utah,";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:83:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/legislature_session_starting_in_utah";s:7:"pubdate";s:30:"Sat, 8 Jan 2005 23:20:58 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:3144:"Well we come to that magical time that occurs every two years around here.  So now the legislature can do all the things they want to but need the maximum amount of time to pass so that the electorate forgets about how mad they are at the legislature.  Two years ago for me it was the Legislature going after Credit Unions.  It sure looks like it's starting up again.  Of course the two biggest credit unions in the state already switched from a state to a federal charter.  So they are limited in what they can do.  However they are doing what they can.  The battle two years ago was so bruising for the legislature that they ended up backing off the original legislation considerably.  Utahns belong to credit unions very large numbers, and many of them like me are quite fond of their credit union.  (I think the world of mine, <a href="http://www.americafirst.com">America First</a>.)  Needless to say there was an enormous outcry from Utah citzens about this.  So the legislature passed a much weaker bill and basically formed a task force to look into to it in two years.  Well the two years are up and now we get to see what is going to happen.  But we can already get a <a href="http://www.americafirst.com/newsletter/article.cfm?ID=347&Month=11&Year=2004">taste</a>.  

<blockquote>
When the Legislature created the Financial Services Task Force two years ago, credit union officials worried that the House and Senate leadership stacked the task force with pro-bank legislators to eventually get a bill to impose new taxes on credit unions.

Their fears were bolstered during a task force meeting last week when its co-chairman, Rep. Jeff Alexander, said he was out of patience with the credit unions.

The Provo Republican said he has asked for input from the credit unions but after two years he has received no response, so he prepared a resolution for the Legislature without their input.

Sen. Mike Waddoups, a task force member, then told Alexander that he had a copy of a letter from the credit unions responding to that request that was dated December 2003. Alexander said he had not received the letter. Waddoups then noted the letter was addressed to Alexander. Alexander repeated that he had not received it.

Then, Scott Simpson of the Utah League of Credit Unions said he hand-delivered that letter to Alexander last December. He noted the credit unions also have given the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel staffer assigned to the task force 92 documents relating to the issue. Afterward, Alexander was seen chastising Simpson for publicly embarrassing him in the meeting. 
</blockquote>

Basically they are petitioning congress to go after Credit Unions.  I realize that many frame this debate in terms of fairness.  Ignoring the nebulous nature of fair on a macroscopic scale, I really don't care about fair.  Credit Unions have better service, better rates, more stability, lower fees, and generally more customer/community oriented than banks.  
<br><br>This is good for me.
<br><br>This is good for my family.
<br><br>This is good for everyone by providing low-cost capital to keep a strong economy.";s:7:"summary";s:3144:"Well we come to that magical time that occurs every two years around here.  So now the legislature can do all the things they want to but need the maximum amount of time to pass so that the electorate forgets about how mad they are at the legislature.  Two years ago for me it was the Legislature going after Credit Unions.  It sure looks like it's starting up again.  Of course the two biggest credit unions in the state already switched from a state to a federal charter.  So they are limited in what they can do.  However they are doing what they can.  The battle two years ago was so bruising for the legislature that they ended up backing off the original legislation considerably.  Utahns belong to credit unions very large numbers, and many of them like me are quite fond of their credit union.  (I think the world of mine, <a href="http://www.americafirst.com">America First</a>.)  Needless to say there was an enormous outcry from Utah citzens about this.  So the legislature passed a much weaker bill and basically formed a task force to look into to it in two years.  Well the two years are up and now we get to see what is going to happen.  But we can already get a <a href="http://www.americafirst.com/newsletter/article.cfm?ID=347&Month=11&Year=2004">taste</a>.  

<blockquote>
When the Legislature created the Financial Services Task Force two years ago, credit union officials worried that the House and Senate leadership stacked the task force with pro-bank legislators to eventually get a bill to impose new taxes on credit unions.

Their fears were bolstered during a task force meeting last week when its co-chairman, Rep. Jeff Alexander, said he was out of patience with the credit unions.

The Provo Republican said he has asked for input from the credit unions but after two years he has received no response, so he prepared a resolution for the Legislature without their input.

Sen. Mike Waddoups, a task force member, then told Alexander that he had a copy of a letter from the credit unions responding to that request that was dated December 2003. Alexander said he had not received the letter. Waddoups then noted the letter was addressed to Alexander. Alexander repeated that he had not received it.

Then, Scott Simpson of the Utah League of Credit Unions said he hand-delivered that letter to Alexander last December. He noted the credit unions also have given the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel staffer assigned to the task force 92 documents relating to the issue. Afterward, Alexander was seen chastising Simpson for publicly embarrassing him in the meeting. 
</blockquote>

Basically they are petitioning congress to go after Credit Unions.  I realize that many frame this debate in terms of fairness.  Ignoring the nebulous nature of fair on a macroscopic scale, I really don't care about fair.  Credit Unions have better service, better rates, more stability, lower fees, and generally more customer/community oriented than banks.  
<br><br>This is good for me.
<br><br>This is good for my family.
<br><br>This is good for everyone by providing low-cost capital to keep a strong economy.";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1105226458;}i:38;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:59:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fair_tax_now";s:5:"title";s:12:"Fair Tax Now";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:59:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/fair_tax_now";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Tue, 23 Nov 2004 00:41:40 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1004:"<br>I've read  lot of articles on the <a href="http://www.fairtax.org">fair tax</a>.  And it sure does seem to be a good idea to me.  I spent a lot of time and got a lot of headaches from doing my taxes from last year.  The complexity of it all scares me.  It would be very easy to unknowingly get a part of it incorrect.  This is even with using turbo tax, which makes it doable (eliminating small math errors, etc).  The problem is in the abiguity of the tax rules, basically what the heck does this mean.  I would really like to have those several hours back, and do something productive with them.  (I can't imagine how long a really complicated return would take, not my really rather simple return.)  I just think of all the money spent on compliance with federal tax laws and wonder what a boost that would be for our economy.  <p><a href="http://www.boortz.com">Neal Boortz</a> has an excellent <a href="http://www.townhall.com/columnists/nealboortz/nb20040827.shtml">article</a> on this.</p><br>";s:7:"summary";s:1004:"<br>I've read  lot of articles on the <a href="http://www.fairtax.org">fair tax</a>.  And it sure does seem to be a good idea to me.  I spent a lot of time and got a lot of headaches from doing my taxes from last year.  The complexity of it all scares me.  It would be very easy to unknowingly get a part of it incorrect.  This is even with using turbo tax, which makes it doable (eliminating small math errors, etc).  The problem is in the abiguity of the tax rules, basically what the heck does this mean.  I would really like to have those several hours back, and do something productive with them.  (I can't imagine how long a really complicated return would take, not my really rather simple return.)  I just think of all the money spent on compliance with federal tax laws and wonder what a boost that would be for our economy.  <p><a href="http://www.boortz.com">Neal Boortz</a> has an excellent <a href="http://www.townhall.com/columnists/nealboortz/nb20040827.shtml">article</a> on this.</p><br>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1101170500;}i:39;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:74:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/reporters_going_to_jail_for";s:5:"title";s:40:"I would go to jail.  Why shouldn't they?";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:74:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/reporters_going_to_jail_for";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Thu, 18 Nov 2004 16:30:11 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1380:"<br><p>According to <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138977,00.html">Foxnews</a> a reporter is going to jail.  Not for publishing a story but by refusing to reveal his source. </p>
<p><blockquote>A local television reporter was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for refusing to say who gave him an FBI videotape showing a city official taking a bribe.</blockquote></p>
<p>The article makes it clear that the man wasn't convicted for showing the video tape ..</p>
<p><blockquote>Taricani, 55, broke no law by airing the tape, which shows Frank Corrente, a top aide for Cianci, taking an envelope stuffed with cash from an undercover FBI informant.</blockquote></p>
<p>This story bugs me.  Not because the man was convicted, but that he is surprised that he was convicted.  It has never made any sense to me that jounalist should be a protected class in this manner.  If I had information on a crime and I refused to divulge it to a grand jury, I'm certain that the prosecutor would take a very dim view of this.  I think the only reason that there is this perception that journalist have this special privilege is that they constantly tell us that this is the case.  I realize that they will get less informants if they have to reveal their sources.  If a journalist has information on a crime, they should be required to reveal it just the same as I am.</p>
<br>";s:7:"summary";s:1380:"<br><p>According to <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138977,00.html">Foxnews</a> a reporter is going to jail.  Not for publishing a story but by refusing to reveal his source. </p>
<p><blockquote>A local television reporter was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for refusing to say who gave him an FBI videotape showing a city official taking a bribe.</blockquote></p>
<p>The article makes it clear that the man wasn't convicted for showing the video tape ..</p>
<p><blockquote>Taricani, 55, broke no law by airing the tape, which shows Frank Corrente, a top aide for Cianci, taking an envelope stuffed with cash from an undercover FBI informant.</blockquote></p>
<p>This story bugs me.  Not because the man was convicted, but that he is surprised that he was convicted.  It has never made any sense to me that jounalist should be a protected class in this manner.  If I had information on a crime and I refused to divulge it to a grand jury, I'm certain that the prosecutor would take a very dim view of this.  I think the only reason that there is this perception that journalist have this special privilege is that they constantly tell us that this is the case.  I realize that they will get less informants if they have to reveal their sources.  If a journalist has information on a crime, they should be required to reveal it just the same as I am.</p>
<br>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1100795411;}i:40;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/voting_in_a_state_where";s:5:"title";s:58:"Voting in a state where my vote doesn't change the results";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:70:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/voting_in_a_state_where";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Tue, 16 Nov 2004 22:29:31 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1092:"<br><br>I currently live in Utah county, Utah.  I suspect that this county is the most republican county in the US, with a 6 figure population.  The margin for Bush was approaching 8-1.  The drawback to this is that my vote doesn't matter.  So I vote for whomever I want.  The last couple elections I went ahead and voted <a href="http://www.lp.org">Libertarian</a>.  There isn't any point to attempting a "tactical" vote to keep one person out of office.  It's kinda of nice voting whatever way I want without worrying about it.  It is very rare that there is a race where it is even close.  This year there wasn't a single race for me to vote in that was even close.  My biggest problem with this is that the politicians get arrogant.  In Utah, the state legislature can override a citzen's initiative.  And they aren't afraid to do it.  The citizens of Utah voted in a term limits law.  Well the legislature overrode this just before it would have started to term limit some of the legislators.   Anyways, I think government would be served well if political races we more competative.<br>";s:7:"summary";s:1092:"<br><br>I currently live in Utah county, Utah.  I suspect that this county is the most republican county in the US, with a 6 figure population.  The margin for Bush was approaching 8-1.  The drawback to this is that my vote doesn't matter.  So I vote for whomever I want.  The last couple elections I went ahead and voted <a href="http://www.lp.org">Libertarian</a>.  There isn't any point to attempting a "tactical" vote to keep one person out of office.  It's kinda of nice voting whatever way I want without worrying about it.  It is very rare that there is a race where it is even close.  This year there wasn't a single race for me to vote in that was even close.  My biggest problem with this is that the politicians get arrogant.  In Utah, the state legislature can override a citzen's initiative.  And they aren't afraid to do it.  The citizens of Utah voted in a term limits law.  Well the legislature overrode this just before it would have started to term limit some of the legislators.   Anyways, I think government would be served well if political races we more competative.<br>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1100644171;}i:41;a:9:{s:4:"guid";s:82:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/election_fraud_vs_election_mistakes";s:5:"title";s:36:"Election Fraud vs. Election Mistakes";s:2:"dc";a:1:{s:7:"creator";s:9:"slamsmith";}s:4:"link";s:82:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/entry/election_fraud_vs_election_mistakes";s:7:"pubdate";s:31:"Mon, 15 Nov 2004 21:51:31 +0000";s:8:"category";s:8:"Politics";s:11:"description";s:1171:"<br>
<p>I've looked at the perception of fraud in this election with a lot of interest.  A lot of people are convinced that the Republicans stole the election.  I think this is a little too conspiritorial.  For this to work would have involved way too many people keeping thier mouths shut.  I just don't see how this can happen. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.moderateindependent.com/v2i21election.htm">Some</a> are convinced that difference between the exit polls and final results show that the election was fixed.  Others say that the polls were actually pretty accurate.  In the end I doubt that there was any large scale fraud in this election.</p>
<p>I'm much more worried about <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595105309,00.html">this.</a>
<blockquote><p>   A programming mistake caused punch-card reading machines in Utah County to not count 33,000 straight-party votes cast on Nov. 2.
      The machines added up the total number of ballots but didn't forward votes to the candidate columns.</p></blockquote>
<p>
If there are a few mistakes similar to this in states where the vote isn't so lopsided you might change the winner of those states.  </p>";s:7:"summary";s:1171:"<br>
<p>I've looked at the perception of fraud in this election with a lot of interest.  A lot of people are convinced that the Republicans stole the election.  I think this is a little too conspiritorial.  For this to work would have involved way too many people keeping thier mouths shut.  I just don't see how this can happen. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.moderateindependent.com/v2i21election.htm">Some</a> are convinced that difference between the exit polls and final results show that the election was fixed.  Others say that the polls were actually pretty accurate.  In the end I doubt that there was any large scale fraud in this election.</p>
<p>I'm much more worried about <a href="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595105309,00.html">this.</a>
<blockquote><p>   A programming mistake caused punch-card reading machines in Utah County to not count 33,000 straight-party votes cast on Nov. 2.
      The machines added up the total number of ballots but didn't forward votes to the candidate columns.</p></blockquote>
<p>
If there are a few mistakes similar to this in states where the vote isn't so lopsided you might change the winner of those states.  </p>";s:14:"date_timestamp";i:1100555491;}}s:7:"channel";a:8:{s:5:"title";s:10:"Slam Smith";s:4:"link";s:41:"http://www.slamsmith.us/roller/slamsmith/";s:11:"description";s:38:"The rantings and ravings of Mark Smith";s:8:"language";s:5:"en-us";s:9:"copyright";s:14:"Copyright 2008";s:13:"lastbuilddate";s:31:"Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:59:16 +0000";s:9:"generator";s:52:"Apache Roller (incubating) 4.0 (20071120033321:dave)";s:7:"tagline";s:38:"The rantings and ravings of Mark Smith";}s:9:"textinput";a:0:{}s:5:"image";a:0:{}s:9:"feed_type";s:3:"RSS";s:12:"feed_version";s:3:"2.0";s:8:"encoding";s:5:"UTF-8";s:16:"_source_encoding";s:0:"";s:5:"ERROR";s:0:"";s:7:"WARNING";s:0:"";s:19:"_CONTENT_CONSTRUCTS";a:6:{i:0;s:7:"content";i:1;s:7:"summary";i:2;s:4:"info";i:3;s:5:"title";i:4;s:7:"tagline";i:5;s:9:"copyright";}s:16:"_KNOWN_ENCODINGS";a:3:{i:0;s:5:"UTF-8";i:1;s:8:"US-ASCII";i:2;s:10:"ISO-8859-1";}s:5:"stack";a:0:{}s:9:"inchannel";b:0;s:6:"initem";b:0;s:9:"incontent";b:0;s:11:"intextinput";b:0;s:7:"inimage";b:0;s:17:"current_namespace";b:0;s:15:"source_encoding";s:5:"UTF-8";s:13:"last_modified";s:31:"Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:59:16 GMT
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