O:9:"MagpieRSS":23:{s:6:"parser";i:0;s:12:"current_item";a:0:{}s:5:"items";a:25:{i:0;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-8602609368712488708";s:9:"published";s:29:"2012-07-19T22:12:00.000+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2012-07-19T22:12:06.572+02:00";s:5:"title";s:36:"Capital and Tax Cuts for the Wealthy";s:12:"atom_content";s:3271:"A concept that Republicans push and have done so for the past 35 years, is the idea that targeted tax cuts for the wealthy will trickle down and affect the economy in positive ways, through business expansion, job creation, etc.  This idea is hinged on the fact that those in higher tax brackets put a higher percentage of their earnings into investment than those with more modest incomes.  This hypothesis is certainly true, particularly at the low end of the income range, where every dime goes to pay for food, housing, healthcare, etc.    Where this hypothesis runs into trouble is with the fact that investment capital is highly mobile.  Investments may not take place in ways that help the country that instituted the tax cuts.  The tax savings could just as easily go to swiss bank accounts, or to Bahama based equity firms, which in turn funnel money to companies that employ workers in Taiwan, China or Indonesia.   Even individuals with their 401K such as myself, may have some money tied up in overseas international funds.    The point I would like to make, is that as a national tax policy for generating jobs or revenue, there simply is too much leakage of the money that was meant for investment in American jobs from tax cuts provided for the very wealthy.  It should come as no surprise, that the economic crisis that we are clawing our way out of occurred after several years of significant cuts to the highest marginal rate for federal income tax, as well as a reduction in the capital gains tax.  If the Republican hypothesis for national economic growth is true, our unemployment rate should be at an all-time low.  The fact that it isn’t belies the fact that the simple solution of tax cuts for the wealthy does nothing for economic growth, but everything for explaining the growing disparity in our country between the well off and those who are struggling.  It also explains the shrinking middle class.    This is why I suspect that Mitt Romney does not want to release his tax returns.  Like many businessmen who took advantage of the favorable tax treatment they received from the George W. Bush administration, I think you will find that Governor Romney’s money trickled down, but not to U.S. taxpayers.  I suspect, it made its way to tax safe havens and from there invested in jobs overseas.  If this is the case, and I am Mitt Romney, I wouldn’t want to release my tax returns either.  I think that Mitt Romney will use every excuse and every diversionary tactic that he can to not release his taxes, because beyond Mitt Romney’s own personal finance, it would expose the fallacy of Republican economic policy.  It would show how many jobs that Mitt and his millions shipped away from our shores, to Communist China of all places.   The ironies of such a reality would expose what Republicanism is all about in our common era, a move to an autocratic State controlled by the few.    The Republicans have their own propaganda network, their own funding mechanism and a trainload of divisive social issues to work with.  It has worked very effectively for many years.  At what point will the pain, humiliation and economic decline of the masses be enough to make them see that they’ve been duped?  I have no good answer for that one.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/8602609368712488708/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=8602609368712488708";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8602609368712488708";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8602609368712488708";s:4:"link";s:84:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2012/07/capital-and-tax-cuts-for-wealthy.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"4";}}i:1;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-2372152344019489779";s:9:"published";s:29:"2011-08-11T19:06:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2011-08-11T19:16:32.214+02:00";s:5:"title";s:34:"Chaffetz and Lee- Specifics Please";s:12:"atom_content";s:1465:"There continues to be press about teabagger darlings Chaffetz and Lee getting accolades for opposing the debt ceiling legislation as not being aggressive enough on spending.  That being the case, I have one simple request for these guys, detail what you would like to cut and how much those savings will accrue through time.  Certainly they wouldn't just make blanket political statements without having something specific in mind to cut.  Is it social security?  Is it medicare?  What is it?  People have a right to know your intentions.  
<br />
<br />Or is your intention purely political demagoguery?  If I am not making it financially, I would look at a breakdown of my expenditures.  I would weigh my options.  I might consider working a second job to bring in additional revenue.  This is how grownups deal with the real world.  Nothing so far has shown me that Mike Lee and Chason Chaffetz are grownups.  They live in a magical world of pure ideology.  If we just do this magical thing (cut taxes and reduce spending(whatever that is)), there will be prosperity in the land and all will be well in Zion, errr, America.  
<br />
<br />Magical thinking and public policy are bad combinations.  Perhaps Rep. Chaffetz and Sen. Lee have some concrete cost savings they aren't telling us.  Until they provide their own realistic solution, I can only conclude that they are merely second rate demagogues living detached from reality.  I hope they prove me wrong.  ";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/2372152344019489779/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=2372152344019489779";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2372152344019489779";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2372152344019489779";s:4:"link";s:85:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2011/08/chaffetz-and-lee-specifics-please.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:2;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1714009040507500348";s:9:"published";s:29:"2011-08-02T18:46:00.001+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2011-08-02T18:46:24.069+02:00";s:5:"title";s:14:"Crisis Averted";s:12:"atom_content";s:3649:"That will be the headlines.  “Crisis Created and Nearly Implemented” is what should be the headline.  This was the fruits of the 2010 elections.  Republicans, who for years had no problems with massive deficits, and as a matter of routine increased the debt limit without blinking an eye, now took aim on deficits during a Democratic Presidency and an economic recession of Republican making.<br /><br />The cause of the deficits is really pretty simple.  You have a nation at war, that doesn’t want to pay for it.  You have a nation that has made commitments to its seniors, who when it has become too expensive, has decided not to fund it.  <br /><br />The Republican solution for everything is to lower taxes.  Their hero Ronald Reagan did that and they revere him to this day.  Ronald Reagan lowered taxes and began a massive re-armament of the military that resulted in a substantial growth in the deficits.  Ronald Reagan’s major complaint against Jimmy Carter was his massive $64 billion deficit.  In response to Republican criticism, Carter had already reduced taxes.  Reagan once in office massively reduced them while never committing to any politically difficult cuts, such as in medicare or social security.  And Reagan did this during a period of high interest rates, leveraging the country at a high cost for future generations.  <br /><br />Fast forward to the teabag led revolt against common sense.  These people are from my generation and I know where they got their political compass.  They understand half of Reagan’s legacy, but not the other half.  People prone to make heroes out of people are very capable of selective memory and self-delusion.  Mike Lee, Jason Chaffetz and their ilk live in this delusional world of hero adulation, and have lost touch with reality.  They created a crisis that didn’t need to be out of shear misreading of history and what it means today. <br /> <br />Running deficits is not the best idea, certainly of the magnitude we are running currently.  However, these deficits are being made during an economic downturn where interest rates are low.  Tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans which have been preserved in the fatally flawed compromise that even right-wing nutjobs like Mike Lee voted against left those cuts intact.  The Republican reasoning for lower taxes for the wealthy is that they are the ones likely to invest money in our economy.  However, capital is mobile.  Much of the tax cuts implemented by George W. Bush went to real estate, and to foreign investment, areas that had little lasting impact on our economy.  The manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy continues to suffer while we buy cheaply made goods from China.  This is the real problem we face.  Not some mythical creeping socialism in the paranoid minds of Mike Lee, Glenn Beck and others.  <br /><br />This bad deal didn’t need to be made.  Action is needed, but not the actions that are being taken.  If the economy turns around, the deficits will shrink.  This deal lessens the likelihood that the economy will turn around.  And this is the result of right-wing black-mail.  To quote James K. Galbraith from Salon “This deal validates the making of real policy under the appearance of extreme threats. That process will not end here. And while Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid escaped in the first round, they are set up to fall in the second. The deal creates a new junta to force those cuts before the end of this year. The process is repellent, cruel, undemocratic, and designed to leave blood on the ground but not on anyone’s hands”.  From self-deception, comes self-destruction.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1714009040507500348/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1714009040507500348";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1714009040507500348";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1714009040507500348";s:4:"link";s:66:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2011/08/crisis-averted.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:3;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-5170599763317537118";s:9:"published";s:29:"2011-04-26T00:59:00.001+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2011-04-26T00:59:17.979+02:00";s:5:"title";s:21:"So What Has Happened?";s:12:"atom_content";s:2811:"I have not written much in a while and have spent more time asking people I know of all stripes questions in order to try to understand where they are coming from.  Obviously, I'm not tuned into the "tea party patriots", "biblical constitutionalists" and other right-wing movements which dot our landscape and I am at a loss to understand what is going on with the mindset of so many in our ailing Republic.  There are several themes I've gathered listening to people and hearing them out. <br /><br />First- the government is the enemy.  No one ever uses the term "our government" any more because "the government" has become a catch all scapegoat for all that ails people.  All problems can be twisted into "the government did it".  Corporations move operations overseas, and the problem is "government regulations made them do it or environmental policies are driving our jobs overseas."  <br /><br />Second- "they" losely defined has taken over "our country" (not government) and "we" need to take it back.  "they" seem to be a conglomeration of minorities, liberals, feminists, non-Christians, etc.  There is this "they" out there that is a powerful coalition that wants to make our country some mamby pamby, lovey dovey country of intellectuals and slum dwellers.  I'm still digesting and analying what's going on here, but it is quite bizzare.<br /><br />Third- Manifest Destiny version 4.0 After westward expansion of America ended, in the 19th century (version 1.0), imperialist expansion via Spain's crumbling empire (add Hawaii) (version 2.0) and American Cold War Hegemony (version 3.0), we now find a new trend in America.  The idea of America as a vessel for Protestant Christian culture has been reborn in Manifest Destiny version 4.0.  George W. Bush tried this with version 3.5, but bungled it with his ill-thought out invasion of Iraq.  This version has worked out the bugs of the premature release and has more traction behind it.  This is the pure form, ideologically rich with symbolism and not as tainted with the greed of version 3.5.  The world should fear this version.  <br /><br />Fourth- Timidity among the left-  If you lead, people will follow.  There has been a lack of leadership on the left that has left movements to the right relatively unchecked.  The President's willingness to compromise has compromised his mandate.  Liberals and moderates wonder who it was they helped to elect, and why is he letting nutcases walk all over him.  They cling to Jon Stewart and Colbert to give them to calcify their spine.  If you've got to go to Comedy Central for your political edification, you are in trouble.  <br /><br />These are just some of the trends I see.  Like my credit score, "it ain't good."  But atleast I know, it wasn't the government's fault my credit score ain't good.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/5170599763317537118/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=5170599763317537118";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/5170599763317537118";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/5170599763317537118";s:4:"link";s:72:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-what-has-happened.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:4;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-8833503130541712164";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-10-28T16:21:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-10-28T16:51:15.040+02:00";s:5:"title";s:26:"The Future of our Republic";s:12:"atom_content";s:3295:"The future of our republic will be decided elsewhere.  Utah's essentially single party status has made them irrelevant to national politics and merely play a role as defining the outer reaches of conservative and nativist extremism that's possible if the Republican noise machine succeeds nationally.  <br /><br />Places like Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Nevada and Pennsylvania will likely determine whether the Democrats continue to control the Senate, and a broader belt of midwestern and far-western states will determine whether they control the House. The Mormon belt and the Bible belt are now the solid red bastion of conservative extremism, and is it any wonder, that these areas are also those areas with the most devout followers of fundamentalist religious faiths?  Correlation doesn't always equate with causation, but I have a hard time not linking these two.  <br /><br />My concern is long-term about the future of our country.  Keyne's maxim that "in the long run, we're all dead" may be true, but I have children, nephews and neices and I care about future generations of our country.  If we are to create creative solutions to the problems of today, and to our future, we will need to as a society have a great deal of attributes antithetical to religious or political dogmatism.  We will need flexibility, creativity, accountability and transparency.  Religious dogmatism is anti-thetical to all those things that we will need to create the best solutions to whatever problems we face in the future.  <br /><br />The feedback loop goes as such- people during periods of stress and uncertainty, look to ideologies that provide certainty.  These ideologies result in poor solutions to pressing problems which results in greater stress and uncertainty, followed by more dogmatic adherence to certainties.  This is what I fear for our country.  Eight years of Bush created a disaster economically and morally for our country.  Conservatives response to this has been that the problem was Bush's lack of adherence to "true" conservative principles.  Conservative ideologies, like a drug to an addict, provide escape from reality but temporary comfort, but provide a scarcity of creative solutions to the problems we face as a country.  And like an addict, when the addictive behavior creates more problems, the solution is more of the drug.  <br /><br />We face an intellectual and moral crisis in this country.  Those who look backwards into the past for solutions to the present limit our options and bind us with inflexibility.  This is the paradigm I see in Mike Lee and tea partiers.  And I don't believe me and my little blog will make a difference in the intervention our country desperately needs if we the people, will take responsibility, and look to flexible solutions, not dogmatic myths about ourselves.  The politicians are a symptom of a problem that goes much deeper.  It lies in us, the American voter and people and our susceptibility to demagoguery and delusion.  <br /><br />The answers to our problems are rarely simple.  Let's move forward looking for the best solutions, not to dogmas based on authority.  Progress in our Republic is still possible, but I fear this election will stunt our growth and bind us for generations to come.  I hope I am wrong.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/8833503130541712164/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=8833503130541712164";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8833503130541712164";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8833503130541712164";s:4:"link";s:74:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/10/future-of-our-republic.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:5;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1307739156387439354";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-10-18T19:35:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-10-18T19:39:35.999+02:00";s:5:"title";s:24:"Question for Republicans";s:12:"atom_content";s:2065:"I want real answers, not the usual Republican spin about “waste and inefficiency” that is in government.  Republicans have controlled the executive branch of government for 20 out of the last 30 years.  It was the Democratic President, Bill Clinton who finally brought the deficit under control, but let’s spare that debate for a second.  Let’s look to the future.  Republicans want to continue the W. Bush tax cuts.  What specific expenditures are you willing to cut to pay for it?   I WANT SPECIFICS (note, we liberals try not to use all CAPS when writing because it makes us look like angry conservatives, but I’m willing to meet them half way). <br /> <br />The vast majority of the federal budget is in the areas of social security, Medicaid, Medicare and National Defense.  Once you get beyond these areas, any material cost savings (ask your Republican accountant friends what material means) will have to come from these areas if they are to really affect the deficit.  Spending through earmarks barely show up as a factor compared to the obvious elephants in the room.  So what is it?  Do we cut the military?  Social security?  Medicare?  Tell me.  Keep in mind that baby boomers are now beginning to retire and the projected costs of social security and medicare are only going to increase, no matter what inefficiencies you business geniuses can find.  <br /><br />So what is it?  As a car buyer, I’d like to know what is under the hood.  Is it a four, six, eight cylinder, or lawn mower engine?  Or is this just the typical Republican "cut taxes and borrow" engineless Lamborghini that looks so good in advertisements, but doesn’t exactly get me to work?  My eyes are weary from watching posturing teapartiers and other clueless know-nothings yell at the top of their lungs that government needs to be reined in.  Well here’s your chance.  Chaffetz?  Lee?  Bishop?  Rein it in.  Specifically what are you going to cut? Is there any engine in this car you’re selling, or do we need to get Fred and Wilma to show us how it really works.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1307739156387439354/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1307739156387439354";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1307739156387439354";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1307739156387439354";s:4:"link";s:76:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/10/question-for-republicans.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"5";}}i:6;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-6922101509595760397";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-09-09T19:36:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-09-09T19:39:44.072+02:00";s:5:"title";s:28:"More Bagging on Tea Partiers";s:12:"atom_content";s:2862:"Insanity is defined by some as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  Terminal insanity is doing more of the same because the problem before was you didn’t take a pure enough form of the drug.  Tea-party Republicans are like alcoholics, deciding that the pinot noir version of conservatism was insufficient, and we need to go to straight bourbon, or in the case of Sen. Inhofe, only vodka without a chaser. <br /> <br />Self-destruction is often the result of self-deception.  How true this is of today’s xenophobic, conspiracy mongering, Beck worshipping, followers of nonsense peddled from the Marketing Firm of Piddle, Pooh and Woo (aka Fox News).  The age of enlightenment had a brief and tenuous re-birth, only to awaken the demons and demagogues who may have faced a temporary set-back, but have not changed their goals and aspirations. <br />  <br />This being said, I acknowledge that the tea partiers come in different stripes and many in the corporate elite are worried.  There is a populist element to this uprising that should worry them.  For years, your corporate Republicans have worked hard to sell middle-class Caucasians of voting against their own economic interests in favor of corporate interests by diverting their attention with social issues and by fostering cultural wars.  Their success has now created a monster that may devour them as well.  TARP, was as Republican as a flag lapel pin, and many Liptonites don’t subscribe to that brand of Republicanism.  Where will all this sort out in the backrooms of Republican-ville, I can’t tell at this point.  <br /><br />During September of 2004, I had the pleasure of meeting with Sen. Bob Bennett and listened to him tell our group that his election was assured, and that it was going to be a Republican year.  He rather smugly indicated that social issues were going to doom the Democrats this year.  I thought it rather arrogant at the time that he considered his re-election a matter of fact with two months to go in the campaign.  Even so, Bennett was an effective Republican senator who represented corporate interests as well as any good conservative could.  He was pragmatic enough to work with others to make sure Utah got its share of funding projects for things like roads and public transit.  Replacing him will be an ideologue who has more passion than wisdom, whose devotion to irrational dogma is not out of political opportunism, but out of deep-held belief.   This new brand of Republican believed Reagan’s rhetoric, never seeing that the rhetoric was purely a political strategy rather than a recipe for good governance.  And he will represent one vote in fifty in our Republic.  And there are enough like-minded individuals who could join his ranks, that those of us devoted to enlightenment ideals should be very concerned.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/6922101509595760397/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=6922101509595760397";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6922101509595760397";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6922101509595760397";s:4:"link";s:80:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-bagging-on-tea-partiers.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:7;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-3532897229633757344";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-09-08T00:38:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-09-08T00:42:21.210+02:00";s:5:"title";s:24:"Taking the Country Back?";s:12:"atom_content";s:2448:"As I’ve watched movements in public opinion, I’ve been struck by how many angry Caucasians are railing about “taking their country back.”  What do they mean?  Is it a Republican President they want?  A Republican Congress?  Do we need to remind them of how great it was having that dream team dominating our government?  Just how far back do people want to take us? <br /> <br />Conservatives by definition are opposed to change, and perhaps a President with too much melanin is more than they can handle.  In listening to so many people who’ve had their hemorrhoids patriotically inflamed by Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, a lot of them focus on a concern about “socialism” as if they know what that is.  How many of them if pressed might think of socialism as any government program that they don’t think will benefit them?  Services that do benefit them must surely be exempt from the socialist paradigm. <br /> <br />Mostly what I’ve seen in this country, is that the monster that Republicans have created coming back to devour not only Democrats but their own.  The conservatives of the past didn’t fail because conservatism doesn’t work, it failed because conservatives weren't conservative enough.  If only a more pure brand of conservatism would be employed, surely our country will return to some mythical past that is more a creation of conservative minds than of careful and reasoned scrutiny.  <br />  <br />Restorationism certainly is appealing in the hornet’s nest, as the predominant religion teaches itself as a restoration of “true Christianity” in contrast to the fallen away versions that dot the landscape.  Restoring a non-historical myth is as Mormon as funeral potatoes and jello salad.  It doesn’t surprise me the appeal this has to the faithful here.  The question I haven’t figured out, is what kind of landscape do these people really see as their ideal future.  How much of the twentieth century do they want to abandon?  Civil rights?  Deposit insurance?  Social Security?  Regulations on clean air and water?  Until I hear specifics from those who garb themselves in a drink they don’t drink, I don’t know what to think of these people.  <br /><br />If you want to take America back, let me know where you want America to go back to.  Or as Sen. Bennett hinted, there is much more heat than light in this movement, and though the water is boiling, the teabags have yet to be immersed.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/3532897229633757344/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=3532897229633757344";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3532897229633757344";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3532897229633757344";s:4:"link";s:71:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/09/taking-country-back.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:8;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-9065673251030918173";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-09-07T21:52:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-09-07T22:01:10.094+02:00";s:5:"title";s:18:"New Gardening Blog";s:12:"atom_content";s:2382:"I Obi wan liberali, being of somewhat sound mind, have decided to add to my blogging repertoire. Since some of my latest posts over at the "hornet's nest" have been more about gardening and nature than strictly in the world of politics, I have decided to create a new blog for that purpose. This will free me to take on fellow gardeners who may be deranged enough to be tea partying morons during the weekdays but shovel wielding gardeners on the weekend. <br /><br />Just a word about the name of the blog. I got back into gardening over the past few years for several reasons. One has been financial. Times have been tough at the Obi residence and raising food to eat has been one method of surviving in the wreckage left by W. and his neocons. Second,I found myself heavier than I wanted to be and my doctor told me to lose weight or die. I have turned to a vegetable centered diet, and combined with regular workouts has resulted in a weight loss of fifty pounds so far. Third, environmental considerations have led me to want to produce food locally to not only feed myself, but family and friends. Giving others the bounty of your collaboration with nature is deeply rewarding. Also, I garden with the intention of not only feeding humans, but critters as well. Whether it's hummingbirds, robins, spiders or one of many species, I try to be somewhat accomodating, even though I lose some food to nature. The rewards however, are more butterflies, hummers and other birds, and other creatures that add biodiversity to my residence. <br /><br />For me, gardening isn't about a victory over nature, it is a collaboration with nature for mutual benefit. There are limits to my collaboration, as squash bugs are not tolerated because they don't just eat the juices from squash plants, they infect the vines with a virus that kills the plants. So there are exceptions. <br /><br />I hope in this blog to discuss gardening concepts and share ideas with others about what has worked for me and what has not. I may also recommend certain plants and their uses and warn people of invasive plants that are bad choices to foster in your garden. <br /><br />So, if you are interested in gardening and nature, read along and we can hopefully learn from each other. <br /><br />So here it is.  Come pull some weeds with me.  <br /><br />http://obisvictorygardenandnaturepreserve.blogspot.com";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/9065673251030918173/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=9065673251030918173";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/9065673251030918173";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/9065673251030918173";s:4:"link";s:70:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-gardening-blog.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:9;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:69:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-169840462227329296";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-04-23T23:10:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-04-23T23:31:16.008+02:00";s:5:"title";s:32:"Celebrating Earth's Biodiversity";s:12:"atom_content";s:2392:"With Earth Day's passing yesterday, I would like to talk a bit about biodiversity.  We really do live on a remarkable planet.  Just driving down the road, you can see a wide variety of plants and animals.  On our dinner table, you see the same thing, plants, and animals that eat plants, all consumed with little thought to their origin or their makeup.  As someone plagued by what Edward O. Wilson calls "biophilia", one of my favorite things to do is just pittle around in my yard and watch the wildlife.  And I plant as many different types of plants as possible, knowing full well, that a diversity of plants will bring a diversity of animals.  <br /><br />One hobby I have that also enables this biophilia is hiking.  Recently, I was in St. George for a golf tournament.  I arrived a day early, in order to get a day of hiking in.  The St. George area is a marvelous place to hike with an interesting assortment of flora and fauna.  At the northern edge of the Mojave desert, you have many species of plants unique to the mojave interspersed with plants that thrive in the colder, slightly moister great basin desert.  Joshua trees, a signature plant of the mojave mix with stansbury cliffrose and other common great basin regulars.  Turbinella oak, an evergreen oak with holly-like leaves replace the gambel oak of the great basin, but sage brush (artemisia species) and rabbitbrush (chrysothamnus) are found in both desert environs.  <br /><br />I enjoy taking a pad of paper with me and documenting what plants and animals I see, any interesting tracks I get a good look at as well as make notes about any interesting geologic formations and rocks that I see.  Seeing basalt overlaying sedimentary navajo sandstone created an interesting contrast between two different types of rocks, one old and rapidly eroding, and one younger, but heavier and denser and less prone to erosion.  <br /><br />The point I would like to make in this post, is to look around and observe the great beauty and diversity we have the good fortune of surrounding ourselves with.  Enjoy this diversity, even if we get a bee sting once in while, or poked by a cactus.  We also have to remember that though the earth's biodiversity is resilient, it isn't omnipotent.  God did not create this, and God will not protect it, that job is left to us.  <br /><br />And with that, I wish everyone a happy earth month.";s:12:"link_replies";s:165:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/169840462227329296/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=169840462227329296";s:9:"link_edit";s:81:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/169840462227329296";s:9:"link_self";s:81:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/169840462227329296";s:4:"link";s:83:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/04/celebrating-earths-biodiversity.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"4";}}i:10;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-3382450905772268110";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-04-15T17:22:00.006+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-04-15T17:35:14.451+02:00";s:5:"title";s:49:"Earth Day Shout-out to the All-American Penstemon";s:12:"atom_content";s:3887:"<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O3ItSOZVoA0/S8cxeI6xM6I/AAAAAAAAADA/Ol68HwteP_g/s1600/wasatchpenstemon.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O3ItSOZVoA0/S8cxeI6xM6I/AAAAAAAAADA/Ol68HwteP_g/s320/wasatchpenstemon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460387467069830050" /></a><br />With Earth Day only a week away, it is time to talk about our local environment again.  In my previous post, I gave some thoughts on the use of native plants.  One family of plants I’d like to highlight is the wonderful flowers known as penstemons.  Penstemons are truly American plants, having evolved on this continent.  There is some debate as to which botanical family to place them in.  Most references put them in the family Scrophulariacaea, but Wikepedia has them in the family Plantaginaceae.  I’m not a trained botanist, so I’ll leave the debate to them, but I generally consider them in Scrophulariaceae for what it is worth. <br /> <br />Penstemons are snapdragon like flowers of which many are stunningly beautiful.  They have co-evolved with insects and other pollinators of North America.  Many penstemons are red, and clearly co-evolved with that unique American bird, the hummingbird.  As a hummingbird lover, I’ve planted plenty of wonderful red penstemons such as P. rostriflorus, P. barbatus, P. eatonii, P. cardinalis, P. pinifolius, and P. subulatus.   Pink varieties such as P. pseudospectabilis and P. parryi are also good hummingbird magnets. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O3ItSOZVoA0/S8cxK7yh31I/AAAAAAAAAC4/KarDe7p4ED8/s1600/sideyard.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O3ItSOZVoA0/S8cxK7yh31I/AAAAAAAAAC4/KarDe7p4ED8/s320/sideyard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460387137128095570" /></a><br /><br /><br />Many penstemons utilize insects for pollination, and many of them are the most strikingly beautiful penstemons.  P. cyananthus (Wasatch penstemon), P. palmeri, P. strictus, P. angustifolius and P. grandiflorus are among the pantheon of beautiful insect pollinated species.  Bumblebees in particular like several of these species.  P. palmeri, with it’s big pink snapdragon like flowers fit a bumblebee just perfectly.  I’ve seen many small butterflies take a real liking to diminutive penstemons such as P. rydberghi, P. procerus and P. virens.  <br /><br />Because penstemons evolved on this continent, their co-evolvers in the animal kingdom utilize these flowers liberally and they are wonderful plants to add to your garden if your intent is to attract different types of wildlife to your yard.  I’ve also seen birds eat penstemon seeds, particularly during the cold winter months, so leave some penstemons standing through the snowy winter months.  <br /><br />Some considerations regarding penstemons that you should know.  First, they can be difficult to germinate depending on the species.  Many need cold treatment for a month or two in order to break the seeds out of dormancy.  Also, most penstemons don’t like getting too much water.  Penstemons and petunias tend not to make good bed fellows.  Soil needs to be fairly well-drained.  It also takes some patience with penstemons, because many don’t bloom their first year.  They also aren’t as available as other flowers, primarily because they take more effort to grow.  But for those willing to make the effort, it is truly worth it.  <br /><br />So you want to be a real American? Grow American.  Try some penstemons.  The critters will thank you, as will your eyes.<br /><br />(Photo Notes)<br />Top Photo- Penstemon cyananthus (Wasatch Penstemon)<br />Bottom Photo- Penstemon rostriflorus among roses, the hummingbird's favorite flower in my yard.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/3382450905772268110/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=3382450905772268110";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3382450905772268110";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3382450905772268110";s:4:"link";s:87:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/04/earth-day-shout-out-to-all-american.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:11;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-7391312952491353060";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-04-01T00:43:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-04-01T00:49:41.125+02:00";s:5:"title";s:39:"Some Thoughts on Planting Native Plants";s:12:"atom_content";s:5137:"When I ask people about flowers or shrubs in their yard, I sometimes ask them, “are they native?”  Invariably, the answer is that they don’t have a clue, with one exception, quaking aspen.  Why does it matter?  First let me address this issue in a couple of ways.  <br /><br />First of all, there seems to be a culture here in Utah where the ideal is to recreate a British countryside look.  Lots of grass, well manicured bushes and shrubs, meticulously spaced seems to be the desired look for most Utahns.  It is almost a status symbol to have a large lawn that is green and weed free.  Some homeowners associations demand it and some city ordinances enforce the maintaining of green zones of grass.  The second ideal people look for is a bug-free yard.  Companies make a fortune killing the few remaining bugs that dare access such a sterile landscape.  What is left is a monoculture of lawns, boxwoods and Norway Maples, with weed barriers, sterile mulches and sparse plantings of understory bushes and flowering plants.  <br /><br />Some ambitious Utahns may put in some Dutch bulbs for the spring, or some annuals for the summer.  Petunias, marigolds and perhaps impatiens is the limit of plant diversity in many yards with a few irises thrown in for good measure.  Admittedly, for most people, they want their yard to look as good as possible with the least amount of work.  And the results are an abundance of non-native, often invasive plants that aren’t bothered by “pests”.  And the result is predictable.  Few species of animals living among us that are adapted to only a few types of plants.  <br /><br />As we approach the planting season for our yards, I’m going to make a plea to my fellow Utahns.  Let’s be a little tolerant of our little bug friends.  Let’s help them out.  If you want to keep them out of your house and want to call the Orkin man, that is fine, but bugs are what makes our overall ecosystem work for most species, including our own.  The same pesticides that kill unwanted bugs, also kill honeybees, native bumblebees, butterflies and their larvae, as well as a host of crawling things that actually make the world an interesting place to live in.  <br /><br />And how do we help our bug friends?  Plant many different types of plants, weighing heavily towards native plants that have evolved on our continent concurrently with the bugs that utilize them.   You may see some eaten leaves in the process, but you can’t have butterflies, if you don’t have caterpillars.  And most birds depend upon protein rich insects as food for their brood, even many seed and fruit eating species.  During the next months, I’m going to post about some of the wonderful native plants that I have had success with and encourage people to use them in place of grass and non-native ornamentals.  The critters that will thank you include butterflies, moths, bees, spiders, robins, kingbirds, hummingbirds, finches and juncos.  If you have small children, introduce them to the different species you see and encourage an interest in them.   <br /><br />For the record, I have my fair share of lawn.  I have small children and a well kept lawn is a valuable play area for small children.  But I also have large tracts that I use for vegetable and fruit gardening as well as wildlife forage.  And yes, I consider wildlife to be anything not domesticated.  I don’t treat all wildlife equally.  Mice that come inside are exterminated.  Squash bugs that take a nab at my butternut bushes will not survive the summer.  But I try to be as tolerant as possible of wildlife in my yard and relish the fact that I’ve seen some rather unique species come to my yard.  I’ve heard my share of whisperings from the neighbors about all the darn bees that come to my yard.  Well, I haven’t been stung once in my yard, though one of my daughters was once.  Considering how much time we spend in the yard, that isn’t a big concern unless you have allergy problems.  <br /><br />One more note before I end this post.  Some plants are better than others at attracting critters, particularly the right kinds of critters you want in your yard.  So many people plant aspen trees in areas that are not suited for them, that I recommend you stay away from them.  Insects, disease and wind will really take a toll on weakened plants such as an aspen in the wrong location.  There are many better choices.  Also, some closely related plants native to the area are great choices.  For example, gambel oak, a white oak, which usually grows as a bush is a good native plant to have in your yard, however, it grows best as a bush.  However, a closely related white oak, “bur oak” grows tall and majestic and provides the local wildlife with the same type of forage they would get from a gambel oak, but in a more tree-like form.  I will address issues like this in more detail in future posts.  <br /><br />So let’s let the critters have a break.  We’ve taken so much of their territory from them, let’s share some of our space with them. And I promise, you'll see more butterflies, moths and birds as a result.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/7391312952491353060/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=7391312952491353060";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/7391312952491353060";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/7391312952491353060";s:4:"link";s:91:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/04/some-thoughts-on-planting-native-plants.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:12;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-6923723928767506791";s:9:"published";s:29:"2010-01-05T00:23:00.000+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2010-01-05T00:25:28.894+01:00";s:5:"title";s:49:"Enlightening and Interesting Defense of Darwinism";s:12:"atom_content";s:2661:"With the 150 year anniversary of the Origin of Species, we have been deeply rewarded with a couple of first class books in defense of the biological sciences which has Darwin’s elegant theory as the base of those sciences.  It is unfortunate that books of these types are needed, but to those of us who find biology interesting at a novice’s level, we get to be rewarded as excellent writing scientists such as Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne grace us with an interesting and passionate exposition of the evidence for evolution and the profound power it has in explaining so much of the natural world in which we live.<br /><br />Richard Dawkins in his book, "The Greatest Show on Earth", starts off comparing deniers of evolution to hypothetical deniers of ancient roman society or to the less hypothetical deniers of the holocaust.  Dawkins points out that those who deny evidence do so for ideological reasons and are unlikely to be swayed by his book.  It is the author’s  intent to give enough ammunition to those not snared by superstitious or nonsensical ideologies that they can confidently oppose such ideas in the public contest for the hearts and minds of the public as a whole.  <br /><br />Like Darwin, Dawkins starts with a lot of evidence from the world of artificial selection to show what can be done through different selection pressures and does a good job of connecting artificial selection to natural selection and explaining what selective pressures occur in the natural world from both “natural selection” and its subset “sexual selection.”  <br /><br />Likening it to uncovering a crime, Dawkins goes through the evidence bit by bit and shows that the evidence is overwhelming except to those who have been blinded by dogma or disinterest. Dawkins gives some great examples to show how Darwin’s theory has been used to direct new findings in the study of genetics, paleontology, etc.  Such examples as bipedal African apes, or four limbed “Titkaalik” fish, show the power of understanding Darwin’s theory, and how you can look for evidence and find exactly what you hypothesized you would find.  <br /><br />For those of us who already accept the reality of evolution, the book provides additional interesting insights that Dawkins’ previous books such as “The Selfish Gene” and “The Ancestor’s Tale” got our minds salivating for.  Though it is unfortunate that a defense of Darwin’s elegant theory is necessary in a world where tribal bronze-age dogmas die hard, for those of us enamored by the incredible wonder and beauty of the natural world, such a defense is deeply rewarding  and awe-inspiring.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/6923723928767506791/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=6923723928767506791";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6923723928767506791";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6923723928767506791";s:4:"link";s:91:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2010/01/enlightening-and-interesting-defense-of.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:13;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-8947828788751541966";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-11-25T22:59:00.002+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-11-25T23:41:20.070+01:00";s:5:"title";s:28:"When Evidence Doesn't Matter";s:12:"atom_content";s:3347:"I have a very dear friend of mine who is a devoutly religious Southern Baptist. She believes what to me are alot of goofy, unsupported things, such as a worldwide flood, an earth just over 6,000 years old, and that the human species, like all species was specially created by God, with man created in God's image and all other organisms put in place by God for God's divine purposes relating to his special creation, mankind.  To me this is goofy, but in the real world I live in, I am perhaps the goofy one, asserting foolishly that based upon the best available evidence, the earth is around 4.5 billion years old, all animals and plants evolved through natural processes from a common ancestor, including humans.  I base my thinking upon evidence that to me seems convincing.  Evidence, catalogued by the best minds, in a systematic way, with an ability to falsify things that don't hold up to scrutiny.  Everything I believe is based upon evidence as I see it, recognizing that evidence is fallable as is my interpretation of the evidence.  Because of that fallibility, I am willing to entertain other ideas if additional evidence can make me rethink what I had concluded previously.  <br /><br />The other day, this friend of mine approached me with some piece of evidence for what she described as "intelligent design."  It was a pretty lame piece of evidence relating to the complexity of the eye, but had a simple explanation.  But I asked her, what level of evidence would I have to present to convince her that man evolved from common ancestors of other primates, mammals, etc.  My dear friend told me, "that no amount of evidence could sway me from the truth that I know deep in my heart to be true."  <br /><br />I then said, "but you approached me with what you believed was evidence that evolution was false." "I could be convinced that evolution didn't happen."  "Cambrian trilobyte fossils partially digested inside a icthyosaur would make me rethink some of what I currently think about the evolution of species.  A homo erectus fossil amidst brachiosaur remains would do the same thing."  I said in as nice a way as I could, that "why should I even consider any evidence you present to defend your case, when no degree of evidence would convince you to reconsider yours.<br /><br />Recently, two excellent books were published outlining some of the best arguments for evolution since Douglas Futuyma tackled the issue in the 1980's with his book "Science on Trial, the Case for Evolution."  Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution is True" and Richard Dawkin's (arguably my favorite author) "The Greatest Show on Earth" in slightly different manners tackle the issue with great eloquence, passion and insight.  I'm currently drafting my book reviews of both of these excellent books.  These books aren't written for my dear friend and her associates.  Evidence doesn't matter to these individuals because it isn't the basis for which decisions are made in their personal paradigm for evaluating truth.  But to those for whom evidence does matter, even in some aspect of your life, I recommend reading both of these books.  Not only will you understand how convincing the evidence is for evolution, you come away with a new appreciation for just how awe-inspiring life is on this pale blue dot, in the far corners of an insignificant galaxy.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/8947828788751541966/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=8947828788751541966";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8947828788751541966";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/8947828788751541966";s:4:"link";s:79:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-evidence-doesnt-matter.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:14;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-4485770785224855537";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-08-26T20:06:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-08-26T20:51:27.691+02:00";s:5:"title";s:18:"Carrying the Torch";s:12:"atom_content";s:3167:"With the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy, my heart sank, even as I knew his passing was imminent.  When his brother John F. Kennedy said that "the torch has passed to a new generation of Americans", who would have thought that his little brother Teddy would have been the one who carried that torch most effectively.  Despite character flaws that afflict all of us, Ted made a real and significant contribution to our country.  For those of us who see through the pretty packaging to see the callous and disturbed reality of American conservatism, we've lost an eloquent ally.  <br /><br />For those who want to understand that callous and disturbing reality of American conservatism, I invite you to go to KSL.com and read the comment section regarding the death of Sen. Kennedy.  Also look at how those comments are received by the Utahns who frequent that news outlet.  I would love to say that I am astonished, but the sad reality is that I've come to expect it.  One reason I have stopped posting so much is that I've lost faith and heart in my fellow Utahns.  I've seen too much anger, entitlement, and sheer ignorance for me to stomach.  Perhaps a lesson I can learn from his experience is maintaining optimism in the face of so much loss. <br /><br />In 1980, I cast my first vote for President of the United States.  It wasn't at a polling place, but at what we now refer to as a "precinct caucus".  I voted for Ted Kennedy over Jimmy Carter, whom I felt had showed a lack of leadership and had given into conservatives on too many issues.  Ted was unashamed of his liberalism, even more so than I was.  Politically, I was more moderate, but I admired Kennedy for his leadership and for his sticking to his guns.  The conservative movement, led by Ronald Reagan, and nourished by tax protesters, and other fringe groups threatened the progress that had been made in civil rights, equal opportunity and environmental responsibility.  In this environment, a vote for Ted seemed the prudent choice.  <br /><br />I still remember the dirty looks I got with my Kennedy bumper sticker back in 1980.  Alot of people told me I was number one on their list with hand gestures.  I was heart-broken when Kennedy lost the nomination yet doubly determined after Kennedy gave his great and compelling convention speech.  Despite setback after setback here in the hornet's nest, that flame continued in the depths of my soul, to try to make a difference in the public realm.  I have continued my involvement in politics, but have felt lately like that flame was beginning to die.  The senseless futility of trying to reason with birthers and their lot, is just not worth it. <br /><br />Ted Kennedy fought the good fight, but he did it with a grace I've never possessed and never will.  His advesaries acknowledged his effectiveness and his genuine sincerity.  He carried his brother's torch for my entire lifetime.  I can only hope that I can regain enough heart to try to carry my part of that torch, that the vision of a more just and rational society, is not not just an illusion, but a real possibility for our Republic.<br /><br />Rest in peace Ted.  You've earned it.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/4485770785224855537/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=4485770785224855537";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/4485770785224855537";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/4485770785224855537";s:4:"link";s:66:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/08/carrying-torch.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:15;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-3373309881151493225";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-07-21T00:14:00.003+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-08-10T23:25:51.157+02:00";s:5:"title";s:41:"Frugality Essay II- Reducing Energy Costs";s:12:"atom_content";s:4410:"There are far greater resources than this blog on how to reduce energy consumption, but let's face it, as a society, we have been gluttons for energy use on many levels, including the size of our homes, the size of our cars, the distances we travel to work, our dependence on the automobile, etc.  There are other areas of energy consumption than the usual that people talk about that I would like to address in my essay. But here are a few tips I offer for reducing energy consumption.  Don't do so to reduce CO2 emissions, do so to save money, and let your savings also help the environment. <br /><br />1- If you have to drive, don't drive large trucks and SUV's unless your profession requires it or you have large numbers of people to haul.  I commute from Tooele to SLC every day.  I try to ride the bus as often as practicable, but when I take my car, I am amazed at how many single occupant trucks and SUV's I see commuting everyday.  You see them pull up at the Maverik and fill up, and off they go, driving like lunatics with their pedal to the metal.  It's always good to either have a truck or know someone who will let you borrow one.  But unless it is essential to your business, people who commute in large trucks and SUV's are wasting money, they are supporting the trade deficit, and by sending funds to countries that harbor and teach radical islam, they help fund terrorism. <br /><br />2- Passive solar saves more money than you think.  Passive solar, for those not familiar, is all about landscaping.  It is about understanding where the sun shines at different times of the year, and taking advantage of the sun, or protecting us from the heat it produces depending on the time of year.  Air conditioning is a major expense, as is heat.  If you don't think the sun produces heat in the winter, just look into the hills.  North facing slopes will be covered in snow, and south facing slopes will often be free of it, even during some fairly snowy years.  What it means, is that you want to plant deciduous trees on the south part of your house, which, shorn of their leaves in the winter, will allow heat to hit your house and windows.  Oaks, maples, and other dense trees on your south side of your yard can cool things down remarkably during the hot summer months, but allow enough sunlight in to make a difference during the winter.  As for the north side of your house, plant conifers which will block cold north winds during the winter. A little unrelated gardening tip.  Plant a large conifer such as a blue spruce in such as way that it provides shade to fruit trees such as apricots or preaches in the spring, which will cause them to bloom later and less subject to be caught in a frost.  <br /><br />3- Watch less television and read.  Television uses up alot more electricity than a lamp with a compact fluorescent.  If you have more than one television, make a rule that both shouldn't be on at the same time.  Limit TV time for everyone, and I think you'll see not only less energy consumption, but less snackfood consumption as well.  Ditto for video games.  Lazy bodies build lazy minds.  Staying physically and mentally active vrs. parking in front of the cerebral dimmer will save money, energy and ultimately, give you a better quality of life. <br /><br />4- Buy local and buy simple.  Wherever you are, there are those who raise food or make goods for sale. Goods that have less transport, use less energy in general.  And if you really want to support local agriculture, buy honey locally.  It may cost you a little more, but the honey will generally be better than you can buy in the store, and you will be supporting pollinators that just may be pollinating your own garden.  I always recommend farmer's markets and roadside stands whenever possible.  And if the neighbor lady is selling homecanned raspberry jam, you generally can't go wrong.  Also something to consider, foods seem to be the most nutritious when they've been processed the least.  And the processing is an energy consumer.  Potatoes use less energy than potato chips.  Fresh broccoli from a farmer's market uses less energy than frozen broccoli, unless it is winter time and the fresh stuff at the store comes from Argentina.  Don't buy strictly on the basis of energy consumption, but it doesn't hurt to add it into the equation.  <br /><br />This is all for now. Live long, and live responsibly.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/3373309881151493225/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=3373309881151493225";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3373309881151493225";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/3373309881151493225";s:4:"link";s:86:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/07/frugality-essay-ii-reducing-energy.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"2";}}i:16;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-6040917903132762708";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-06-22T22:58:00.003+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-06-23T00:35:24.391+02:00";s:5:"title";s:48:"Frugality Essay I- What We Eat and Public Health";s:12:"atom_content";s:6190:"You want to save money?  Then take care of yourself.  There is a relationship between private health, and private wealth.  Given this reality, there is a relationship between public health and wealth as well.  We as a country spend an enormous amount of money on medical care.  Can we as a country reduce this cost?  What is our role as individuals?  This is an enormously broad subject, but the implications are significant enough where I think we should at least begin the conversation.  There are a few ideas that I would like to explore and discuss regarding frugality and health, but this essay will focus on frugal eating and personal health. <br /> <br />Some people erroneously believe that eating healthy means eating expensive.  I would like to challenge that notion and give some examples of frugal and healthy eating choices.  <br /><br />1- On Obi’s frugal list of healthy foods are whole grains.  As a recovering Mormon, I remember well people with cans of wheat in their basement (two years supply).  You want to save money and improve your health, open the cans and use them as a surprisingly inexpensive and filling food.  But don’t think wheat is all there is.  I’ve come to really appreciate rye, barley, oats, triticale, spelt and other grains.  And you would be surprised how adaptable whole grains are for inclusion in your diet. <br /> <br />Everyone knows that oatmeal is a healthy breakfast alternative.  There are a wide range of choices that are relatively inexpensive.  This morning, I had rolled rye that I purchased at Whole Foods.  I estimate the cost of a good sized serving, including soymilk and berries, at $.1.05.  Compare this to something from the drive-thru at McDonalds.  Another favorite of mine is 7-grain mix either from Whole Food’s bulk bin or Bob’s Red mill.  You save money if you can find it at Whole Foods.<br />  <br />I boil whole grains and use it in yogurt, as a substitute for hamburger, and as a filling addition to canned soups.  I also make whole grain bread.  For a Democrat in Utah, pounding whole wheat bread dough can be very therapeutic.  And the smell you get from home made whole grain bread is well worth the effort.<br />  <br />2- Anyone who has read my blogs know I’m full of beans.  And that, is a good thing.  Yeah, I’ve been known to rattle the neighbor’s windows a time or two, but in so doing, I’ve got sound nutrition in an inexpensive package.  Beans are extremely adaptable and you can add all kinds of home grown veggies into them, such as tomatoes, spinach, corn, peppers, onion, etc.  Also, add some boiled rye or barley (see item 1) and you’ll get a very complete protein without the addition of expensive and fatty meat products.  <br /><br />As a Mormon missionary, I had $250/month to live off of.  That included rent.  A favorite we came up with was “slumgraten”, which was beans mixed with anything else you had left in the kitchen.  It was filling, nutritious, and cheap.  You want to save money, stay full, and eat healthy, open a can of beans, whether black, pinto, garbanzo, etc. <br /> <br />3- Don’t read the leaves, drink them, and tea-leave me, you won’t be sorry (pretty weak, I know).  I admit, this is an uncomfortable subject to bring up with the Mormon crowd, but if D & C 89 were to be re-written today, it would probably say, drink tea, and ban the soda.  Tea is loaded with anti-oxidants and both black and green tea are rightly viewed as healthy drinks.   Add a little fresh citrus, and it is even better for you.   But let’s do some comparison shopping.<br />  <br />Obi wan loves his diet coke.  However, when times are tough, an area I can save a lot of money is by shunning the cola for tea.  Here is how it plays out.  I can get a 44 oz. refill at Maverik for $.95 or get a 12 oz. bottle for $1.25.  Let’s compare to tea.  I recently bought 100 Lipton tea bags on sale for $2.50.  So a cup of tea costs a whopping $.025.  Well, since I like my tea strong, I steep two bags for a whopping $.05.  Now admittedly, I got a good price, and you might prefer one of the premium teas.  Let’s say you found a really expensive tea with 20 bags for $4.  That is still only $.20/cup.   That is still over six cups for the price of one bottle of soda.   Now admittedly, you may want to sweeten your tea, but even so, the cost of the sweetener is insignificant compared to what you would pay for soda.  <br /><br />Green tea, arguably the most healthy tea, is a bit more.  I paid $3.45 for a box of 40 tea bags.  That is still much more inexpensive than soda.  Just remember, that steeping your own tea is the only way to save money here.  Bottled teas will cost you as much or more than soda.  But making tea is not rocket science.  A cup of water and a microwave is all you need. <br /> <br />4- My last suggestion for now, is to rethink your landscape.  Many edible plants are also quite attractive and can be used in your yard.  Herbs such as basil, oregano, chives, and many others both add flavors to dishes while looking good mixed with flowers.  Fruit trees are a great idea (excepts out on your curb or near paved areas) and often look very attractive in the spring.  Apricot, peach, cherry, as well as less common trees and shrubs like serviceberry, look good while also providing fruit.  In the right location, grapes also provide an adaptable and edible vine.  <br /><br />Teach your kids early and often which plants are edible and which ones are not.  Some flower’s leaves actually taste good and are edible like agastache foeniculum and other members of the mint family.  Asparagus is an attractive plant when it isn’t producing succulent spears.  Experiment with different edible plants and give your children space and opportunity to grow their own food.  <br /><br />I hope this is a good start on our journey towards practical frugality.  Eating healthy won’t eliminate trips to the doctor’s office, but will reduce the risks associated with chronic ailments.  Medical costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy in our economy.  Let’s take care of ourselves and teach our children good principles in nutrition as well as frugal living.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/6040917903132762708/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=6040917903132762708";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6040917903132762708";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/6040917903132762708";s:4:"link";s:85:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/06/frugality-essay-i-what-we-eat-and.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"4";}}i:17;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-2787143672737569273";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-06-15T17:08:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-06-15T17:16:19.673+02:00";s:5:"title";s:35:"Frugality:  A New Paradigm for Life";s:12:"atom_content";s:3714:"There are certain parallels in history that provide lessons for us.  One of those lessons is the need for frugality, no matter what your circumstances.  As this decade winds down, I’ve been thinking what defines the last decade.  I recognize the risks involved in defining a period, because there are exceptions and inconsistencies that need to be given their due weight.  But when I think of this decade, I think of entitlement and excess.  <br /><br />We saw this at both the personal level, as well as the government, a sense of over-reaching that was careless and costly to our long-term future as a people and Republic.   To some extent, I don’t know whether to attribute this to excessive optimism, or pathological delusion.  One of the books which so categorized the period, and influenced to a great extent, neocon economic and social policy was “Dow 36,000.”  In this book, the notion exists that the markets are on an upward trend and it is best to get on board.  There is no underlying growth in productive capacity or production behind these phenomena, just an increase in the value of existing assets as bid up by a public with greater access to markets and with a demographic population bubble desperately saving for a retirement (baby boomers) that is looming in the near future.  <br /><br />This in retrospect was faith-based economics.  Ultimately what creates wealth is productivity and production, not the bidding up of existing assets well above what their return on investment suggests.  Economic faith, without a foundation in works, creates a soufflé, ready to collapse under the weight of any shock or crisis in the kitchen.  So was it with this paradigm during 2008. Both at the government level, as well as the personal level, Americans lived beyond their means.  Cuts in taxes were made without any plan to lower spending.  Americans racked up credit card debt in order to keep up with the ever increasing variety of electronic toys available.  Much of it was financed on the basis of rising home prices, unrealized gain on existing assets (people's home values).  People sought to catch the wave of outer rim of the bubble, Using equity gained from their old home, to buy a bigger new home, with the intention of using ever increasing equity to build their future.  POP!! You know how that went.   <br /><br />So where do we go from here?  Conventional wisdom suggests that we “stimulate” the economy in a most Keynesian of fashion.  It is true, that demand will stimulate production, but we must be cautious where the benefits of that production go.  Is it to retail employees at Walmart, or to manufacturers in China or the Philippines?  Is it to provide second or third homes for the wealthy, or is it to update sewage systems, water systems, and roads?  <br /><br />Ultimately, what I’ve concluded is that Americans have become somewhat spoiled and entitled.  The time has come for the resetting of priorities in our personal lives and as a government.  This doesn’t mean we have an inactive government.  Our strength as a country comes both from the public and private sectors.  But we need to think strategically as a people, and prioritize wisely where we deploy our finite resources.  <br /><br />To some, this may sounds like retrenchment.  I rather like to think of it as realignment.  It is a realignment of our objectives and our culture.  Whether it will work or not, I have my doubts, but I am going to explore this paradigm and discuss ways that we can as individuals, and as a nation, restore our foundation in the areas of economics, health and quality of life.  It may be an interesting voyage, but I’m willing to see where the trade-winds take us.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/2787143672737569273/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=2787143672737569273";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2787143672737569273";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2787143672737569273";s:4:"link";s:83:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/06/frugality-new-paradigm-for-life.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"4";}}i:18;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1049238526181357914";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-05-03T20:12:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-05-03T20:35:44.690+02:00";s:5:"title";s:24:"Some Thoughts On Torture";s:12:"atom_content";s:2551:"Let's face it, our nation under the previous administration had a systematic program that encouraged the use of torture for intelligence purposes against individuals deemed to be our enemy.  What amazes me is the silence of so many Americans regarding this practice.  And even among those who are appalled, it amazes me how easily they turn into apologists for those who committed these acts, giving credence to their motives, as a way of justifying a desire to let them off the hook for crimes committed against humanity.  <br /><br />How often have we heard criminals justify their actions with best of intentions?  Some were trying to feed their family or their habit.  How many murders were "misunderstandings" gone awry.  How many went along with a friend who committed atrocious acts and rather than having the courage to intervene, allowed friendship or devotion to supercede any sound moral code?  <br /><br />First of all, let me say, that the decision of whom to prosecute and whether to prosecute is not the President's.  That should fall to the Attorney General.  However, the complicated thing here, is that the A.G.'s office, though under a different administration, was a party to the criminal violations for which the evidence is ample and overwhelming.  Because of the past role of his office, the legally ethical thing to do is to call a special prosecutor, someone beyond rapproach, to investigate who did what and what criminal culpability they have.  <br /><br />This is not a political or a partisan issue.  It is a legal matter of the utmost importance in a nation that other nations look to as a role model for fair and impartial administration of the law.  Politics of all kind need to be separated from this issue.  The evidence of wrong-doing is public, and there are plenty of witnesses who have publicly said what happened. If our nation does not come clean on this, we'll have no moral authority in the world to combat other nations who engage in the torture of those they decide to detain.  <br /><br />There are maybe 6 or 7 (depending on your point of view) defining moments in our nation's history when people made the right decisions for the right reasons which defines our greatness as a nation. Failure to separate political realities on the torture issue and the war crimes that have been committed, from the legal necessities of enforcing the statutes, treaties and constitutional provisions that have been violated will either help us cement our greatness, or set a precedent that will haunt us for generations.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1049238526181357914/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1049238526181357914";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1049238526181357914";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1049238526181357914";s:4:"link";s:76:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/05/some-thoughts-on-torture.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"6";}}i:19;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1373725755997580275";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-04-19T05:27:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-04-19T05:37:26.552+02:00";s:5:"title";s:14:"RIP Bill Orton";s:12:"atom_content";s:1402:"I just heard the news that former Congressman Bill Orton had lost his life in an ATV accident at Little Sahara.  Bill Orton came to the Congress via one of the worst political mistakes in recent memory, when Karl Snow's campaign to replace Howard Nielson produced an add showing Karl Snow and his family, and a single Bill Orton and his.  Even in conservative Republican land, that add was offensive enough to land Bill Orton a job as a Democratic Congressman in one of the most conservative districts in the country.  <br /><br />And Bill Orton took advantage of the situation.  He worked hard and did his homework.  I remember watching him at meetings discuss in detail issues that were complex.  He took his job seriously, and served his constituents well.  He was a bit conservative for my taste, but given his district, I was willing to cut him some slack.  <br /><br />After losing his Congressional seat to Chris Cannon, he remained active in the Democratic party and ran a very respectable race for Governor, I believe, in 2000.  Bill continued to speak out on issues important to him and remain involved. And all Utahns owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to our state.  <br /><br />I very much appreciated the times I was able to work with Bill over the years.  I didn't always agree with him, but always respected him and I wish the most sincere condolensces to his wonderful family.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1373725755997580275/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1373725755997580275";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1373725755997580275";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1373725755997580275";s:4:"link";s:66:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/04/rip-bill-orton.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"1";}}i:20;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1939506622235678290";s:9:"published";s:29:"2009-04-16T17:35:00.002+02:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2009-04-16T17:40:01.514+02:00";s:5:"title";s:20:"Ode to the Tea Party";s:12:"atom_content";s:2111:"I have been inspired to come out of retirement.  I owe it all to the "grass-roots" tea parties that dotted out nation yesterday.  I may have to limit my scope in what I post, but I think I've worked it out so I can atleast post periodically.  <br /><br />Here is my Ode to the Tea Parties<br /><br />Obi’s Ode to the Tea Parties<br /><br />Black tea, grean tea, tea, tea, tea,<br />I heard it from Sean Hannity,<br />Damn those taxes damn Obama,<br />Damn his wife, his dad and mama,<br />Just like patriots boarding ships,<br />Let’s chuck the bags and shun the sips,<br />And fight our cause for God and nation,<br />This thing called taxes from representation,<br /><br />Our cause is just our brain cells few,<br />We’re mad at those who voted blue, <br />We’ll yell “let’s take our nation back”,<br />“Let’s storm the dam, let’s make it crack,”<br />Eight years of Bush just ain’t enough,<br />Of runaway spending and talking tough,<br />There’s so much more that we can trash,<br />In our economy that we helped to crash,<br /><br />And never mind the Constitution,<br />Let’s overthrow the institution,<br />Let’s protest loud, they’ll hear our plea,<br />With help from Beck and Hannity,<br />We’ll party on with bags and strings,<br />We’ll see if Glenn Beck cries or sings,<br />Let’s protest this Obamanation,<br />Taxes left from the Bush Administration,<br /><br />We’re born again we’ve seen the light,<br />Deficit spending is our fight,<br />Ok for Bush but shame on Obama,<br />Let’s foam at the mouth as we ramp up the drama,<br />Our grass-roots movement pimped by Fox,<br />Buy some Lipton by the box,<br />As we who’ve always voted red,<br />A movement given up for dead,<br /><br />We’re still around our cause is proud,<br />With Rush and Plumber guy leading our crowd,<br />As Glenn Beck’s gets all misty-eyed,<br />Waving the flag and filling his pride,<br />With angry words from Atlantic to Pacific,<br />Rhetorically lame no proposals specific,<br />Our tea party may not make much sense,<br />But at least we’ve got anti-oxidants.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1939506622235678290/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1939506622235678290";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1939506622235678290";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1939506622235678290";s:4:"link";s:68:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2009/04/ode-to-tea-party.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"5";}}i:21;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:69:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-125004573295420328";s:9:"published";s:29:"2008-12-20T06:23:00.002+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2008-12-20T06:40:18.229+01:00";s:5:"title";s:45:"The Schwartzeneger Plan and It's Implications";s:12:"atom_content";s:2708:"In California, Gov. Schwartzeneger is contemplating forcing state employees to take a de facto pay cut, by requiring them to take a certain amount of pay without leave.  Laying off employees is also being considered.  I understand that there are shortfalls, but I wonder how state employees of California feel about them taking the hit because others made bad economic decisions.<br /><br />I'm sure this will also come to Utah.  The past several years, with budget surpluses and a booming economy, our legislature has cut taxes, primarily to the well to do, but not entirely, also reducing the sales tax on food.  When revenues are down, does the legislature restore the old tax structure, or do they decide to put the burden of the economic downturn upon Utah's public employees?  <br /><br />Let me get this out of the way first, and it is a perception I get from talking to so many conservative legislators over the years, that they consider public employees as inherently lazy, with bureaucracies that are top-heavy and inefficient, with plenty of fat that can be cut if they can be prodded through accross the board budget cuts.  <br /><br />I have spent some time around those in state government, and I can say unequivocably, that this perception is grossly exaggerated.  My wife worked for the state for some time, and found herself overwhelmed with a caseload she couldn't possibly handle, and when there was a failure to meet all the impossible legislatively mandated requirements, that were inadequately funded, the blame never fell upon the legislature, but upon "those evil bureaucrats."  <br /><br />My wife works for the state, and so my position is biased.  I'll admit that.  But putting the full burden of budget shortfalls upon state employees, who are only trying to do their jobs the best they can seems short-sighted.  Also consider, that state employees who are laid off, will take their accrued leave with them, creating a short-term cash-flow problem, increase the cost of their unemployment insurance, as well as further exacerbate our economic problems by increasing the unemployment rate and causing fewer people to be able to spend money to buy cars, houses, appliances, etc.  <br /><br />Utah legislators would be wise, to find solutions to their budget woes short of layoffs or reductions in the effective pay to their employees, many of whom have made sacrifices to remain in their jobs when better opportunities were available to them.  Many came to believe strongly in the efficacy of the services they were providing and felt a considerable degree of job satisfaction in serving the public and making a difference in their lives.  <br /><br />Anyway, something to consider.";s:12:"link_replies";s:165:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/125004573295420328/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=125004573295420328";s:9:"link_edit";s:81:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/125004573295420328";s:9:"link_self";s:81:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/125004573295420328";s:4:"link";s:79:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2008/12/schwartzeneger-plan-and-its.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"3";}}i:22;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-4349428195253669845";s:9:"published";s:29:"2008-12-19T19:25:00.003+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2008-12-19T19:35:44.318+01:00";s:5:"title";s:38:"Change I'm Having Trouble Believing In";s:12:"atom_content";s:1471:"The Rick Warren inaugural invitation is a real slap at those who supported Obama as a principled yet pragmatic leader.  Certainly, his willingness to put people in his cabinet who may have divergent opinions has showed that pragmatic side.  However, inaugurations carry powerful symbols that can't be ignored.  Rick Warren's lack of respect for homosexuals and non-believers should disqualify him from giving him such a forum. <br /><br />So what is the change we were supposed to believe in?  Was it merely competent government? Or was it a fundamental change in direction and change in the ways things are to be done.  More than anything, will Obama use the bully-pulpit to speak out against intolerance?  Or will he continue to give a forum to those who wish to use the apparatus of the state to harm those they demonize?  <br /><br />We'll all survive a prayer from this wingnut.  Since there is no God, I'm pretty sure whatever Rick Warren says in his prayer will not be given any divine traction. But enabling intolerance isn't respecting a diversity of opinion.  Some opinions aren't worthy of respect.  Do I respect the way muslims treat women?  No.  Do I respect the way Mormons treated people of African descent for the majority of their history?  No I don't.  And I don't respect many of the viewpoints of Rick Warren and am troubled that this man will have a prominent seat at an inaugural that was supposed to represent a change in direction for our country.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/4349428195253669845/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=4349428195253669845";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/4349428195253669845";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/4349428195253669845";s:4:"link";s:89:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2008/12/change-im-having-trouble-believing-in.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"3";}}i:23;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-1633432934750855155";s:9:"published";s:29:"2008-12-03T06:36:00.002+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2008-12-03T06:46:51.841+01:00";s:5:"title";s:26:"Congrats to Secretary Rice";s:12:"atom_content";s:1293:"I come from a long line of renaissance men.  My father was a politician and a musician.  How impressive is it for our first black secretary of state, to perform classical music before a British Monarch?  Pretty significant when you think about it.  Condi Rice found herself in a very difficult situation, surrounded by a boatload of alpha males who were supremely sure of themselves such as Rumself, Cheney and Powell, and ultimately she outlived all of them in relevance.  <br /><br />I actually have a fair amount of respect for Condi Rice.  Do I agree with all her decisions and whether she had the backbone to say "George, I don't think the evidence warrants our invasion."  Yeah, Condi Rice has faults, as do most of us.  But she also had the courage to "reset the assumptions" regarding American policies in Iraq and ultimately send Rumsfeld into historical malignancy.  <br /><br />Admittedly, Condi is a mixed bag, as are most of us mere mortals.  But I was moved by how she was moved by Obama's election.  Her performance before a foreign queen, displaying her skills not in diplompacy, but in the arts, speaks well for her.  And I honor her in this post, by acknowledging that despite her checkered record, she can still uplift in the realm of the arts.  <br /><br />Nice job, Condi.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/1633432934750855155/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=1633432934750855155";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1633432934750855155";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/1633432934750855155";s:4:"link";s:78:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2008/12/congrats-to-secretary-rice.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:1:"0";}}i:24;a:13:{s:2:"id";s:70:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231.post-2927732207169530489";s:9:"published";s:29:"2008-11-28T08:21:00.002+01:00";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2008-11-28T08:48:36.510+01:00";s:5:"title";s:26:"Gratitude and Thanksgiving";s:12:"atom_content";s:3662:"Being ungrateful to those who have benefitted you is to me one of the greatest inujustices you can engage in as an individual.  As an atheist, I don't atrtibute bad things, nor good things to this supernatural hand.  But I do recognize that my life has been positively benefitted by many individuals.  Gratitude for those individuals should not be a once a year thing, but since it is Thanksgiving (or atleast it was a half hour ago), I feel I should say something about those who have benefitted me during the year.  <br /><br />First of all, I am grateful to be employed.  In our current economic environment, being unemployed does not sound like a place I want to be.  I'm glad that my employers have looked at my job performance and found me worthy of further service and compensation. <br /><br />Second, I deeply appreciate my family.  I have three wonderful daughters and a wife who is educated and informed.  Both my wife and myself have masters degrees and I am grateful for the standard it sets for my daughters.  I value education and I wish my daughters to also value it.  <br /><br />Third, I appreciate my country, for rejecting the fear and supernaturalism of the Republican message espoused be John McCain.  I also am grateful for the rational, evidence/competence based paradigm our future President espouses.  <br /><br />Fourth, I appreciate those who serve in our military, who have been put in a very difficult situation, fighting a war in mesopotamia that we never should have fought.  <br /><br />Fifth, I appreciate all those who have defended our country in the past.  From my ancestor Samuel Boynton who fought the British at Lexington and Concord, to the 2nd Maine at Little Round Top, to the Marines who stormed Fallujah in the second battle for the city, I honor those who have fought and died for our country and express gratitude for their service and sacrifice.  <br /><br />Sixth, I also express gratitude for the many religiously devout members of my old ward who invested their time and energy to make me a better person.  Though I have rejected their faith-based beliefs, I have never disavowed the scope of their positive influence upon my life.  <br /><br />Seventh, I express gratitude for the freedom I have to express my opinions, whether they are popular or not.  And I appreciate all those who have challenged what I have written for it has made me think better.  One of the great diffences between the religious paradigm and the scientific one, is that challenging the status quo in one realm is heresy, while in the other realm, it is an essential part of the dynamic.  <br /><br />Eighth, I appreciate the fact that I am so spoiled with physical comforts and time to think, that I am granted the ability to pontificate upon the ideas that I hold dear.  <br /><br />Ninth, I appreciate that I still have a mind to engage in worthwhile dialogue.  My mother died far too early from the effects of alzheimers.  It yet still may get me, depending on how the genes and environment things work out.  But given her fate, I value every year where I am capable of meaningful dialogue.  <br /><br />Tenth- I value everything I've learned that makes my life interesting and meaningful.  Whether it is geologic information that makes rock formations come to life, or biological insights that unite me as a member of a great and diverse family of animals, plants, microbes and other organisms, I appreciate all I've been able to learn and how it has given me perspective.  <br /><br />And to those who occasionally read my blog, I am thankful for you.  Your insights and wisdom have been invaluable, even when you have been wrong.";s:12:"link_replies";s:167:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/2927732207169530489/comments/defaulthttp://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1096954374118087231&postID=2927732207169530489";s:9:"link_edit";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2927732207169530489";s:9:"link_self";s:82:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default/2927732207169530489";s:4:"link";s:78:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/2008/11/gratitude-and-thanksgiving.html";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:3:"thr";a:1:{s:5:"total";s:2:"10";}}}s:7:"channel";a:14:{s:2:"id";s:45:"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1096954374118087231";s:7:"updated";s:29:"2018-05-29T08:09:07.276+02:00";s:5:"title";s:22:"The Utah Hornet's Nest";s:8:"subtitle";s:82:"Trying to make sense of life in the Hornets Nest that some call the Beehive State.";s:42:"link_http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed";s:58:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default";s:9:"link_self";s:62:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default";s:4:"link";s:39:"http://theutahhornetsnest.blogspot.com/";s:8:"link_hub";s:32:"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/";s:9:"link_next";s:92:"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1096954374118087231/posts/default?start-index=26&max-results=25";s:11:"author_name";s:16:"Obi wan liberali";s:10:"author_uri";s:51:"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830";s:12:"author_email";s:19:"noreply@blogger.com";s:9:"generator";s:7:"Blogger";s:10:"opensearch";a:3:{s:12:"totalresults";s:3:"173";s:10:"startindex";s:1:"1";s:12:"itemsperpage";s:2:"25";}}s:9:"textinput";a:0:{}s:5:"image";a:0:{}s:9:"feed_type";s:4:"Atom";s:12:"feed_version";N;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:4:"etag";s:70:"W/"4ac6fc3b065962e02daa8317193027e22c44f4a731cd1deb1809e4545b3a3685"
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