David Rodeback's Blog

Disenfranchised? Not . . .
Ethan Millard claims that most of Utah's 1.5 million registered voters were disenfranchised yesterday. I think none of them were. What do you think?

Primary Aftermath
A quick look at selected election results from yesterday, and some analysis -- including my theory about how Tim Bridgewater narrowly lost a race he probably could have won.

I'd Like to Keep Being Spoiled
Not all of my elected representatives spoil me. Tim Osborn of the Alpine School Board does. I'd like to keep him there.

He Said, She Said, They Said, We Said
A brief exploration of the minor campaign flap du jour: Republican Senate candidate Mike Lee backing out of a debate. I guarantee we do not know the whole story, but there is ample reason to suspect that the real story differs somewhat from that of the debate's now-angry sponsors.

Anchor Babies and the Fourteenth Amendment
Does Mike Lee's and Tim Bridgewater's advocacy of denying automatic US citizenship to "anchor babies" (children born in the US to parents who are in the country illegally) mean they're ignoring the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, as some suggest? A little investigation removes all certainty; it's just not that simple.

RAQ: Utah's Senate Race and the System Generally
Recently Asked Questions and answers about the Mike Lee-Tim Bridgewater Senate race, the caucus/convention system, and . . . how do we really know what we're doing?

Lee and Bridgewater Debate in American Fork
Both candidates are conservative. Both spoke well and stayed on message. It was a good hour.

Primary Candidates Gather in American Fork (Part 1, Everything but Senate)
Primary candidates were (mostly) present or represented from three races in the first hour: Republicans for Utah County Commission; Democrats for US House of Representatives (Utah 2nd); and three candidates in a non-partisan race for Alpine School Board.

Labels as Alternatives to Thought and Effort
It is when labels become substitutes for serious thought and effort that they do us harm.

Join a Major Political Party. I Don't Care Which One.
To paraphrase our first president, it is the interest and duty of a wise people to restrain its political parties. At present, this is the only way to restrain and redirect our government. The only way to do that effectively in the short run or the long run is from the inside.

Lee over Bridgewater: The Abridged Version
Some people thanked me for the length and detail of my previous post. Some people asked for a shorter version, and here it is.

Mike Lee over Tim Bridgewater: My Explanation
I have wanted to evaluate the candidates thoroughly enough to be comfortable supporting one over the other. Meanwhile, you might say I've been staying not so much on the fence as within an arm's length of the fence. Now I'm finally ready to abandon the fence altogether and say, Mike Lee for Senate. Here's why.

Bravo, Daily Herald!
The editorial on Senator Bennett's defeat is excellent, insightful.

More Convention Notes and Aftermath
A real one-vote margin. An impressive twelve year old. A cautionary and revealing tale of closed and open primaries, in the context of Chase Everton's proposed caper.

Coup? Outrage? Right Wing Run Amok?
None of the three, actually. Senator Bennett was defeated Saturday in a proper, fair electoral process -- and he lasted longer in the voting than any of the right-wing radicals on the ballot.

Post-Convention Musings
I tweeted and tweeted and tweeted, and Facebooked. Why I'm not ecstatic about Senator Bennett's loss, even though I voted for someone else -- and it's not buyer's remorse. Some analysis of the Senate campaign. Some topics for the near future. A tribute.

Hi-ho, Hi-ho, It's Off to [Convention] We Go . . .
We can't be late!
We're delegates!
Hi-ho! Hi-ho! (with thanks and/or apologies to Bloom County and the Meadow Party)

State Delegate Due Diligence, Part Two
Enough candid notes on the Republican candidates -- mostly the US Senate candidates in Utah -- to displease nearly everyone who wishes to be displeased.

State Delegate Due Diligence, Part One
Tonight, my notes on the delegate experience so far. Tomorrow, lots of little thoughts about the various candidates.

An Evening with Neil Walter
Finally, my notes on a substantive evening with congressional candidate Neil Walter, touching on fiscal and economic matters, immigration, and other topics.

Notes and Numbers from the Utah County Republican Convention
There were a couple of surprises today -- at least to me -- in one of the county commission races. Parking was a challenge. Lots of good conversations were had among the delegates. And generally speaking, civility ruled the day at the Utah County Republican Party Nominating Convention at Mountain View High School in Orem.

Campaigns for County Commission
I'm studying candidates and issues a little more before tomorrow's convention, but here are some notes on the campaigns themselves, not so much the candidates and their issues.

Update on Republican House and Senate Candidates
The official list of Utah Republican candidates for the US Senate and House of Representatives, now that the filing deadline has passed.

Republican Candidates in Utah's Second Congressional District
Here's my initial take on Neil Walter and Morgan Philpot, who are vying for the Republican nomination to oppose incumbent Democrat Jim Matheson. At the end, there's a stellar quotation from Daniel Webster, which by itself is worth the price of admission (your reading time, I mean).

Where the Wild Thoughts Are
Join me for a few moments in imagining an alternate educational and political universe. Maybe it's crazy, but crazy can be therapeutic. And what if it's not crazy?

Media Coverage of Last Week's Town Hall Meeting
Also some mentions of the meeting in discussions of larger issues, and capers and potential capers on the parts of Congressman Jason Chaffetz and former Congressman Merrill Cook.

Reflections on Senator Hatch's Audience in American Fork
This long post is not intended to be a detailed report on US Senator Orrin Hatch's town meeting in American Fork on Wednesday, though it contains a lot of detail about things that were said there by the audience. It is more a collection of my reflections on that audience -- what they said, how they acted, how they fit into our participatory democracy. Fair warning is given: I do some name-calling. I identify some statements from the meeting as suggesting cluelessness, and some others as suggesting closed-minded right-wing zealotry. My months-old political optimism was threatened briefly by what I saw and heard; here I also explain what restored it. Finally, I tell you why I think all this matters.

One-on-One with Senate Candidate Tim Bridgewater
A brief look at field of challengers for US Senator Bob Bennett, and more lengthy notes on my 45-minute telephone interview with Tim Bridgewater last evening.

Mike Lee for Senate
Last week, Mike Lee declared his candidacy for US Senate, opposing fellow Republican Bob Bennett. I'll scrutinize the other candidates, too, but there's now at least one intelligent conservative in the race.

Accumulated Thoughts
On the Importance of Being Trivial. Things We'll Never Read. Doubly Cool. Watch Massachusetts on Tuesday. Thinking Democrats. What Do the Numbers Mean?

A Quick Look at Election Results
Results of American Fork races and a few other races of interest in Utah and elsewhere.

Where to Vote and What I'm Watching
In addition to races of local interest, at least four are of national interest, in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and Maine.

An Invitation, a Photo, and Campaign Hanky-Panky to the North and South
The photo's about the AF rap flap. The invitation and the hanky-panky are not.

The Federal Government Can Have One-Sixth of Utah -- on One Condition
There's nothing a multi-term Congressman or Senator understands better than quid pro quo. So if they choose the quid, we get to choose the quo. See what you think.

Two Questions, Please, Senator
If enough others have the same questions, Senator Robert Bennett has a potential problem in 2010.

I Think I Found a Great Candidate
For a House or Senate seat, I mean. Will he run? For what office? Where do I sign up to help the campaign?

Three Utahans: The Nominee, the Religious Bigot, and the Racist
Thoughts on three Utahans who made the news last week in unrelated stories.

Excellent Readings
Climate change, Obamacare, Sarah Palin, Robert McNamara, a jobless recovery, American Fork, and more.

Some Very Recent Readings
Cap and trade and the EPA cover-up; affirmative action and the Ricci case; and miscellany featuring such names as Franken, Huntsman, Whitman, and Palin, among others.

Miscellany
An assortment of curious tales from the national scene, a couple of local notes, and a weird Mormon moment.

A Primer for Aspiring Tyrants: Techniques Used by Experts
Tyranny is a growth industry now, you see. If you don't aspire to it, read this as opposition research.

Foolishness du Jour and a Perfect Rainbow
I really wish I had a photo -- of the rainbow and its setting, that is, not the foolishness.

Fleeting Wisps of Blogger Glory
A wisp for me from a reader's e-mail; a wisp for MFCC from the Deseret News.

A View of Governor Huntsman from the Left
Huntsman and conservative issues, Huntsman and China, Huntsman and Mitt Romney, Huntsman and 2016, etc.

Craig Frank's Folly
Zeal without wisdom is a dangerous thing, even when all it does is open its mouth.

Huntsman, Christensen, Cemetery, and Steyn
It almost sounds like a law firm, but it's really a state getting a new governor, a city getting a new fire chief, a minor update about cemetery expansion in American Fork, and a speech I suggest you read and re-read.

The Utah Children's Choir's 25th Birthday Party
It was a fine concert in a very comfortable hall.

More from the Convention: I Sided with Satan -- Again!
At least some of my fellow Utah County Republicans seem to think so. [Updated several times with more links, a made-up quotation about Satan Scanners (!), and a link to other blogs and some KSL audio. See the comments.]

The Utah County Republican Party Nominating Convention: Miscellaneous Notes
It was a full house. The Lincoln impersonators who sang the national anthem knew almost all the words. Some interesting things were said in speeches. And Senator Orrin Hatch is a class act.

Miscellaneous Thoughts
Beautiful music, ramblings about Earth Day, the national basketball championship you didn't hear about, a morsel of good news about property taxes in American Fork, and . . . have we lost our institutional mind?

Selected Education Bills at the Utah Legislature
Here is brief discussion of several bills proposed in the Utah Legislature on the subject of education, with links to bill texts, status reports, etc.

Some FrontRunner Follow-Up
Miscellaneous notes accumulated on the FrontRunner junket.

FrontRunner: My First Ride
I'm riding FrontRunner today as a surrogate VIP, blogging occasionally along the way. There are also a couple of notes here about American Fork Mayor Heber Thompson's State of the City address, and a link to it at afcity.org, so you don't have to search for it.

A Look at the Election Results: Utah
Races for Governor, Utah House and Senate, and more.

Where to Follow Election Returns on the Web
(I can't tell you where to go on television, since I don't have cable.)

David's Handy 2008 Election Guide
My election guide this time mentions not only the races and referenda, but also suggests some things to do before you go to the polls, what to take with you, an important thing to check while you're still at the voting machine, some helpful things you could do afterwards, and a good way to track the presidential election returns, if you're into that.

Excellent Readings
Excellent readings, with excerpts in most cases. The categories and their (sizes) are: Not About the Election or Its Issues (small). The Howler of the Week (small). What We'll Get If We Get Barack Obama (large). Economics Generally (medium).

Shouldn't I Be a Democrat?
My biography says so. My education says so. My long residency in the Northeast says so. My dissatisfaction with state and national Republicans says so. But I'm not. Here's what the Utah Democrats would have to do to entice me.

Property Tax Increase Follow-up
Quick notes on how things are going, and a little bonus commentary on the Alpine School District budget.

The Utah Election and an American Fork Vote
It's Ellis, Chaffetz, and a big NO to rezoning the Carson property in American Fork.

I Can Vote on Only One Race Tomorrow
I actually considered not voting tomorrow, because my mind was so open, where the State Treasurer race between Richard Ellis and Mark Walker is concerned. Now that I have read the candidates' web sites, I find I have a preference, after all.

Jason Chaffetz and I Share a Common Geography
He's running in Utah's Third Congressional District, but he lives in the Second, as do I.

My Tax Questions
The IRS is notorious for answering tax questions incorrectly more often than correctly -- but, either way, if you get it wrong, it's your fault. So I'm not asking them. I'm asking you.

Alpine School District's "What Counts?" Forum
A local gathering of fellow-travelers and critics to discuss what constitutes great schools. I'll tell you what that has to do with last night's meeting of an unrelated American Fork City committee.

Ah, the Humanity!
I could use a vacation. Show them you're the most important person in the room. And mind those foreseeable opposite consequences. (A veritable verbal mosaic of awareness ribbons, congressional deserters, cell phones, state and local legislators, defenseless wild bunnies and birdies, zealous residents, and boring neckwear.)

Bad Statistics: Denial and de Fanning of de Flames
Here I pick on the local and national media -- again -- for not getting their statistics right in the matters of violence in Iraq and local Boy Scouts of America executive salaries.

More Voucher Aftermath
A note on voucher-related political payback, the discussion of what to do with the state funds which cannot be spent on vouchers. I suggest we apply to funds to solving a specific, significant educational problem in Utah.

Voucher Aftermath
Some interesting and illuminating newspaper articles, some blog posts by Utah legislators, and a few thoughts of my own, including on how things will go in the next legislative session, where educational debate is concerned.

American Fork Wins. Utah Schoolchildren Lose.
Thoughts on today's election results.

David's Little November 2007 Election Guide
How I voted (early), and the outcomes I predict in American Fork, Salt Lake City, and statewide in the voucher matter.

Almost a Dozen Reasons Honest and Intelligent People May Have for Voting Against Vouchers
On the day before Election Day I, who already voted for vouchers, do my best to find some reasons why good, honorable, intelligent people might want to vote against them -- as opposed to the false or deceptive reasons filling the mailboxes and airwaves of Utah.

Illegal Anti-Voucher Flyer Drop at American Fork Wal-Mart
I was an eyewitness. I guess the law doesn't matter, if it's "for the children."

Provo's Municipal Broadband, and a Happy (Unrelated) Lawsuit Verdict
Two news stories of note.

Vouchers: A Report, an Ad, and an Op/Ed
That University of Utah report, a good recent ad about vouchers and future growth, and a good column in the Daily Herald.

George Will on the Utah School Voucher Referendum
Yes, Utah has the nation's attention for a few days.

Accountability? You Decide.
A careful look at the voucher bills themselves, focusing on fiscal and academic accountability.

The Rich, the Poor, and Utah School Vouchers
Someone asked me the other day, Won't vouchers benefit only the rich? Another related question is, Aren't the vouchers too small to help ordinary families? I'm not sure which family among the many I know is ordinary, but I do take up the arguments here, looking carefully at the bill itself and the opponents' reasoning.

Electronic Voting, and a Candidate's Homework that Didn't Get Done
First, I voted early, just to see if I hated it, and because I had already chosen all my votes. Second, here is a detailed look at actual data, which contradict one city council candidate's wild claim about violent crime American Fork.

Three Big Buckets of Money, and Other Voucher Details
. . . And how Radio Grandpa is lying, and Radio Mom is helping him do it.

KSL's Voucher "Truth Test"
KSL puts claims in pro- and anti-voucher ads to the test.

Accumulated Thoughts about the Voucher Debate
A surprise endorsement of vouchers, some notes on the anti-voucher playbook, and some logical thought.

Idle Thoughts from PTSA Meeting (not About Vouchers)
A logo, an applause sign, randomness, parliamentary procedure.

Another Voucher Meeting
Voucher opponents didn't bring their "A game."

Vouchers and the Public Schools
Here is the best explanation I can give of what may seem a contradictory fact: It is my commitment to and my belief in public schools which moves me to advocate school vouchers.

Buying a Used Car: A School Voucher Parable
It's a bird. It's a plane. Good grief, it's positively Orwellian.

Politics and Punch III: Vouchers and Other School Issues
Most of this post is devoted to gaping holes in school district officials' anti-voucher arguments, but there are a few other topics, too.

Politics and Punch I: Setting and Cast
Here I tell you who was there, where "there" was, what questions I submitted that didn't get asked, and so forth.

Yes, It Was a Push Poll on Vouchers
Ballot language on the voucher referendum, a push poll, things I didn't tell the pollster, some relevant cartoons, and another thought or two.

Political Facts of Life in American Fork
A quick look at some other folks' primaries, followed by a discussion of major ongoing issues in American Fork, as they relate to the election.

Guarantees?
Did Governor Huntsman mean it? Has he thought this through? Or did exhaustion and emotion just get ahead of his reason for a minute? Admittedly, the duress was considerable.

ConventionNext: Salt Lake City Mayoral Candidates
As an outsider, I found the candidate forum interesting. But don't expect a broad spectrum of views from these candidates.

Orson Scott Card on How We Live and How We Ought to Live
Foreign oil, domestic poverty, and no highway is ever wide enough . . .

Random Smokin' Thoughts
First, I have to say positive things about the Utah Jazz, because 'tis the season. Then I present my two-part plan for a kinder, gentler, less littered society. Preview: It's a pair of truces.

Hannity vs. Anderson: The Virtual Experience
I didn't attend the big debate, but I watched it later on the Internet. Here are my thoughts.

The Arts, the Jazz, the Debates, the Veto
Had I done any blogging at all last week, here are some things I might have blogged about.

Utah County Republican Convention: During
Miscellaneous notes and the fate of the opposition to "Satan's Plan" -- which is their term for illegal immigration, not mine.

Utah County Republican Convention: Before
You might not think a county party organizing convention would be interesting. But I've never gone to a political meeting planning to vote against a resolution opposing "Satan's Plan." What should I wear? Does it mean something that I bought a black car yesterday, or that my official Chris for Congress water doesn't stand straight, but leans to the left?

Briefish Thoughts on Several Subjects
Relatively brief musings on a time machine, Vice President Cheney's speech, his detractors, Superintendent Henshaw and the "extremists," and what could cause me to leave the Republican Party after tomorrow.

A Mulligan
I respectfully ask the chair's permission to revise and extend my remarks . . .

I Actually Like Public Transit
Most of the time. It served me well today.

Grab-Bag: Music, Vouchers, Freedom, and a Conservative Daydream
You might say it's leftover night. I happen to enjoy leftovers.

From the (Electronic) Mailbag
Three blog-related items arrived by e-mail last week.

Dorothy, This Ain't Panguitch Any More (Revised)
J C Penney wants to come to the Meadows in American Fork, along with some mixed-used development. This happy news prompts some more general thoughts about attitudes on the Wasatch Front.

The Arrogance of Dominance, and Vice Versa
In this lengthy post, I rip on Capitol Hill Republicans briefly, then Republicans in the Utah Legislature very slightly and ever so briefly, then Capitol Hill Democrats a little less briefly. Then I unload on the public education lobby at length, on the subject of vouchers and institutional arrogance. Finally, after you have paid the price in cognitive dissonance for a moment, I give you permission to call me names and think me evil if you really want to, because of my politics . . . but I still end up claiming a small victory. (This is truth-in-advertising: a long teaser for a long post.)

Miscellaneous Political Thoughts
Recycling in American Fork. The UEA checks its manners at the Capitol door. Who really represents me? An Oscar and a Nobel. And, finally, I manage to work the phrase barking moonbat into a sentence.

Holly Mullen: Excellent Blogger, Almost in Town
My long-time favorite American Fork blogger, DaltonGirl, does not share many of my political views. Neither does a new favorite, Salt Lake City's Holly Mullen. What does this mean? (I don't actually answer this question in this post.)

Infinite Shades of Grey
Some of our horror at the bad things which happen in "good" places, such as Salt Lake City, is rooted in our preference for black-and-white categories, instead of infinite shades of gray. That preference is actually dangerous.

A Utah Institute of Technology? Why Not?
The best idea I've heard lately is a little-discussed proposed direction for UVSC's future growth: a polytechnic university. (Think MIT, Cal Tech, Georgia Tech, etc.)

David's Plan for Utah's $1.6 Billion Surplus
There's something for everyone. One-fourth goes back to the taxpayer, and half goes to education, but not precisely how you might think.

Traffic School
Will Traffic School Guy be coming soon to a comedy club near you? He almost could. Here is the latest chapter in the continuing saga of my life as an alleged scofflaw.

Some Sample Limericks
I couldn't resist -- I didn't really try -- and I am quite unapologetic.

Two or Three Recent Encounters with Local Government
Water, water . . . well, not exactly everywhere. Hot chocolate is also mentioned. And then there's my recent life on the other side of the law in the People's Republic of Rockyland.

Notes from American Fork
False alarms, a zoning overlay, dark fiber for ASD, a much-improved inner-block development, and, most interesting of all, American Fork leans on UDOT.

I Don't See . . .
I've tried. I just don't.

The Alpine School Board Just Doesn't Get It (or Look What the Mailman Brought)
What I wanted to say really isn't printable in a well-mannered blog, but it did have something to do with wasting my money.

Re(nick)naming the Delta Center
I decided to be a slave to fashion and tell you what I think about what we used to know as the Delta Center. In the process, I identify the best nickname I've heard from someone else and offer my own suggestion for a nickname, too.

Here's How My Predictions Fared
I got all the easy ones and broke about even on the hard ones -- which is better than the Republican Party did nationally, by the way.

David's Little Election Guide
Here's a quick look at all the races and propositions on my ballot, plus a few more which might be on yours.

E-Interviews with School Board Candidates
The only contested race for a seat on the Board of the Alpine School District is between incumbent Keith Swain and challenger Tim Osborn, in the district which includes American Fork. LocalCommentary.com sent the two candidates the same questions, with an offer to publish their answers. Here they are.

The Republican Rally and My Dark Inner Thoughts
How my political career ended yesterday before it even wanted to be begin, and my dark thoughts on the occasion of a Republican political rally.

Signs of the Times
Here are photos of some signs I saw in southern Utah this weekend. I'm still laughing. You should, too.

Twinkies, Anyone?
I never buy Twinkies. I don't like them. But I did today -- as a political statement.

Locally: Five Short Notes
Broadband, 900 West, HDTV, Paris, and a meaningless statistic. Did you know lumpenproletariat is one word?

I Blinked for Two Days, and Look What I Missed
I missed Talk Like a Pirate Day, a coup in Thailand, tax tweaks, and angry Muslims. I didn't miss a good cartoon or an undeservedly obscure anniversary.

I Joined the Math Wars
Here's the text of a letter I sent last week to the principal and teachers at my children's elementary school.

Been Readin' My Dougall . . .
Catching up from vacation includes reading some blogs. Here's some good stuff from a familiar source.

How Does a Certified (Property) Tax Rate Work?
This gradually evolving article attempts to explain the Certified Tax Rate (CTR), which is used to calculate property taxes in Utah.

Beauty and Brains
Maybe it's by design. Maybe it just happened. In any case, there was an impressive improvement in an important detail. Apparently it is not fanciful to hope for beauty and brains.

Urban Musings
I spent the afternoon and evening in Salt Lake City and had a few thoughts along the way.

Quickly, Those Election Results
In case you haven't heard or seen them elsewhere, here are a few election results from yesterday's primary.

About that Closed Republican Primary
Is it good or bad that you have to be a Republican to vote in a Republican primary in Utah?

I Voted -- Electronically, this Time
Here's my report on the new electronic voting machines.

Apropos Tomorrow's Primary
The only incumbent I'd vote for in tomorrow's Republican primary is in a Congressional district I don't live in.

Miscellaneous Notes, Mostly Local
A local blogger, gravel roads, possibly offensive movies, and a letter that got a guy fired.

Miscellaneous Thoughts
Scattered thoughts which accumulated during a busy week -- on loan sharking, municipal broadband, science prowess, professionalism, and anti-Muslim graffiti.

Notes from the Utah County Republican Convention
Results of the convention and miscellaneous notes. Even bagpipes are mentioned favorably.

Exceeding the Bounds of Authority
The Sutherland Institute wants the Utah Legislature to assert authority that no government rightfully has. The Mayor of Kanab and a senior local church leader in American Fork seem oblivious to the bounds of their authority.

First Impressions of County Republican Candidates
Early notes on candidates for County Commission, County Attorney, County Treasurer, and County Clerk/Auditor. I'll even tell you which way I'm leaning on each -- but so far, I'm just leaning.

Notes from Utah's Dixie
Miscellaneous notes from Saint George, Utah, and the Utah League of Cities and Towns midyear event.

My Precinct's Caucus and My Party's Platform
I wasn't particularly pleased with either. The caucus was poorly attended and the platform is poorly written, whatever one may think of its political content. Do I expect too much?

Governor Huntsman, Sign HB77
Here's why I urge Governor Huntsman to sign HB77, which provides a mechanism for local governments and their voters to split school districts.

Recent Experiences with State and Local Governments
For once, American Fork City provided a happier experience than the State of Utah. I hope the good half of that is a trend.

We Three Kings (Kong): The Really Big Lobbies
Here's a look at three oversized, hugely influential lobbies in Washington and state capitals.

A Late, Exquisite Valentine
Notes on a late valentine, featuring a fine restaurant, a favorite bookstore chain, and two first-rate musical ensembles.

IHC's Leak and the Larger Security Question
IHC's recent leak of confidential (and presumably secure) medical records is only the tip of the informational security iceberg.

Notes on Utah Senate Bill 170
What's State Senator Al Mansell's agenda, anyway? And was he really kidding?

Miscellaneous Short Thoughts
Quick comments on American Fork City government, the law of gravity, Mr. Justice Alito, a couple of bills before the Utah Legislature, etc.

How Can Part of the Constitution Be Unconstitutional?
Some propose the repeal of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides for the direct election of US Senators by the people of their states. At least a few of them call the amendment "unconstitutional." This doesn't seem to make sense . . . but we'll follow it where it leads.

"Utah Rocks," or How to Spend a Billion Dollars
A quick look at major points in Governor Huntsman's refreshingly brief State of the State speech, delivered Tuesday evening.

Systems So Rigid We Don't Have to Use Our Brains
Long ago and in a hemisphere far, far away, I lived for a few months under a government that was even more rule-bound than our own. Almost every good thing I saw happen there happened in defiance of some rule, regulation, or law. A few years after that, the system collapsed under its own weight. The same thing may happen here, eventually.

The Daily Herald's Web Site: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Generally speaking, for the past few years the Provo Daily Herald's Web site has been excrucriatingly slow and difficult to use. Now there's a new look and better performance.

Local Gasoline Prices, a Pleasant Political Escape, and Good Readings on Many Topics

Rocky Anderson Has His Own Brand of Intolerance
Let's hear it for Mayor Rocky, whose campaign to become a major national political (cartoon) figure is going just fine, thank you, if his goal is to become the next Al Sharpton. . . .

Counting Voters Brought a Pleasant Surprise

Yes, I Would Vote for a Druid

4-H Talent Show at the Utah County Fair, A Year Later

Another Lawsuit (Now It's Solicitors)

Petty Tyranny Loses by a Narrow Margin

They're Not Helping the Children

How I Voted, and Some Predictions

Christmas Already?

It's Too Good to Be True If . . .

Contrast: A Public School Ponzi Scheme and the Emperor's New Math

The Arts in Utah Valley: A Microcosm