tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121380422012-01-06T19:30:43.499-07:00John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-35705210717353010142011-02-23T16:04:00.003-07:002011-02-23T16:09:31.206-07:00

President Barack Obama has decided that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and has directed the Department of Justice to quit defending it. Supporters of gay marriage are declaring a victory. Detractors are up in arms. There's one problem that only a few people seem to get, President Obama doesn't have the authority to do that. Only the Judicial Branch, and ultimately the Supreme

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-22178853816975129852011-02-16T09:08:00.000-07:002011-02-16T09:08:40.366-07:00

In Austria, a free speech activist has been charged with inciting religious hatred and faces three years in prison after criticizing Islam and Shariah law. Don't think it can happen here in America? With "political correctness" protecting everyone except those who agree with the current left-wing agenda through vilification of opposing ideas, I suspect it won't be long before jail time for

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-36712793265282387542011-01-17T10:06:00.001-07:002011-01-17T10:54:59.122-07:00

There are a ton of left-wing bloggers, vloggers, so-called journalists, and media moguls that are trying to call Sarah Palin stupid because she used the term “blood libel” in a video she recently posted to the web. The video was done in response to a cry from the media to respond to criticism that she was somehow connected to the events of the recent shootings in Tucson, Arizona. The accusations

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-30390515130110841092010-09-27T10:50:00.000-06:002010-09-27T10:50:48.566-06:00

Yesterday, I watched an astonishing film on POV, a PBS series of independent documentaries, called The Oath. It chronicles the rise of a “reformed” Al Qaeda operative Abu Jandal a.k.a. Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden’s former bodyguard. After leaving bin Laden's service, he was captured at the Pakistani border and became a prisoner at Guantánamo Bay facing war crimes charges. It's a little hard to

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-91436953793570507682010-09-21T19:29:00.000-06:002010-09-21T19:29:37.133-06:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that the US is poised to donate $50 million to the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. They area non-profit group dedicated to clean-burning cookstoves to under-developed countries that currently use open fires within their homes. Such cooking practices create large amounts of carbon monoxide and black carbon soot that can significantly

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-29928299304723705352010-09-15T14:03:00.002-06:002010-09-15T14:04:08.091-06:00

This Friday, September 17, is the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. That's quite a reason to celebrate, if you ask me.  According to this news article, you better not try doing it in Andover, Ohio. Members of the recently formed Andover Tea Party had petitioned the city to allow them to hold a rally commemorating the signing of the Constitution. They were denied due to, get

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-12515738261220332382010-09-10T11:21:00.000-06:002010-09-10T11:21:32.398-06:00

Never forget what they did to us. Never allow them to do it again. Never surrender your American Values and Freedoms because of fear or politics. "These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-84314350784198694122010-09-08T11:21:00.000-06:002010-09-08T11:21:52.772-06:00

By now you've heard the plans of a Florida pastor to burn a copy of the Koran on 9/11. You've probably also seen the insane about of outrage in the media over it. Actors, senators, you name it - they're all pontificating about how stupid and terrible it is. It is stupid. It's also well within the rights of this pastor and his congregation to burn them. Here's where I see another example of a

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-69631891142597759182010-08-18T12:32:00.000-06:002010-08-18T12:32:54.330-06:00

The media chest thumping about the proposed Cordoba mosque to be built 2 blocks from Ground Zero in New York City is reaching a fever pitch. Most articles I've found show a clear support for allowing the mosque to be built. I have to agree. It's on private property. It's being funded privately. There is no legal reason I can see for stopping it from being built. Indeed, plans have been approved

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-48143974389118793362010-08-11T10:44:00.000-06:002010-08-11T10:44:30.805-06:00

By now, you've probably heard many of the Right Wing pundits on radio and the web thumping their chests and pontificating about how terrible our First Lady Michelle Obama is being for taking a trip to Spain. “How dare she!” they rant, “When our economy is so terrible.” Sorry folks. I don't buy it. I don't even care. If I had the money to travel to take a vacation with my kids to Spain right now,

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-82669680482706283572010-08-06T09:48:00.000-06:002010-08-06T09:48:10.526-06:00

Hey everyone! It's been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry about that. Of course, it's been so long I'm probably just talking to my computer. Or rather typing to it. I doubt very many of my original readers will be finding this post anytime soon. Of course, that's never been anything different, has it? Bloggers really aren't “talking” to people. They're writing stuff and hoping people will read it.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-75275153491774080912008-07-03T17:44:00.002-06:002008-12-09T11:02:36.563-07:00

I love Independence Day. I don't do a lot to celebrate, outside of watching fireworks, but I always take time to remind my family, and myself, of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.For example, I can blog about my government and not have to worry about being harassed, arrested or killed for my words.Sadly, not everyone in the world can do that.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-23373366554141711052008-05-09T12:08:00.001-06:002008-05-09T12:10:36.810-06:00

Over the years I've held a lot of different jobs. Some were better than others. All of them taught me something. One of the most disturbing was the year I spent as a tracker for the Child Protective Services system her in Utah.One the one hand, I worked closely with children whose parents were downright abusive. It really opened my eyes as to just how much better my own upbringing had been. My

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-6196522466902058212008-04-02T17:18:00.003-06:002008-12-09T11:02:36.795-07:00

I've noticed a horrible trend of increasing incidents of violence within my home state of Utah, and across the rest of the United States as well. The latest victim in the news is 7-year old Hser Nay Moo, a beautiful young girl from Burma. She had been abducted a couple of days ago and was found dead, late last night. Reports say that the police already have a man in custody and that he has

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-37322028033995013472008-03-28T11:07:00.002-06:002008-12-09T11:02:38.253-07:00

Questar Gas, which really holds a monopoly for natural gas delivery in Utah, has made a mistake and wants Utahans to pay for it. They screwed up calibrating some of their meters, and now say that about 500 customers owe them more money, about $600,000 more.Interestingly enough, they didn't tell anyone. They just billed them for a "correction." Bob and Ann Slattery's natural gas bill jumped from

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-65143660815237970612008-03-24T13:15:00.003-06:002008-03-24T13:17:39.937-06:00

Jack Daggs of Heber Utah was convicted of running several fraudulent business scams for over a decade. He was sentenced to six months in jail, and reimbursement of all the money he scammed his victims out of, at a rate of $2,000 a month, only covering out-of-pocket losses. Nothing for pain and suffering.Get this. Daggs wants to be reimbursed for the phone calls and drive time he spent on the

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-70522373056739245182008-03-18T13:33:00.002-06:002008-12-09T11:02:38.417-07:00

Mitt Romney was forced to talk about religion; I suppose it was inevitable that Barack Obama would have to talk about race.It was an interesting, and powerful speech. I didn't get to hear all of it but, after reading the whole of it on Senator Obama's campaign website I've got to say, I'm impressed. I'm beginning to better understand why people are being inspired by him. Many pundits have tried

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-29664466836530365802008-03-10T10:24:00.001-06:002008-12-09T11:02:38.821-07:00

Drugs have been found in the drinking water of America's cities. 24, of the 28 major metropolitan cities that were tested, were found to contain caffeine and trace elements of various human and animal pharmaceuticals. In the Washington DC area, anti-depressants, pain relievers, anti-seizure medications, antibiotics, and anti-psychotics were found in the water. Other cities water supplies were

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-47866141111034073322008-03-03T13:26:00.003-07:002008-12-09T11:02:39.840-07:00

Let's get started with part three, in our continuing series, addressing Claudi (Fran) Davilla's comments to me about Mitt Romney. As I said before, she brings up some very important topics and I want to address them. Frankly, she's given me the impetus to actually blog about them, as opposed to just sitting back and saying, "I should blog about that.""Personally, I cannot understand how a

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-8231226149840095282008-02-25T14:31:00.002-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.143-07:00

A week or so ago, one of my readers, the amazing Claudia (Fran) Davila, posted a comment, here, about Mitt Romney, religion, and violence (war). Fran is amazing and she brought up some very important issues. I'd like to continue addressing them, today. Check out my previous post, for the first part of this discussion.Let's pick up where we left off with Fran's posted comments."And he

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1590228434301843752008-02-21T12:35:00.003-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.307-07:00

A week or so ago, one of my readers, Claudia (Fran) Davila, posted a comment here about Mitt Romney, religion, and violence (war). I have the highest amount of respect possible for Fran. I really do. She's awesome. If you have yet to go and read her blogs, especially those on sustainable living and her post-oil survival guide, you should.Because of my respect for her, even if I don't agree with

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-25777203391287380712008-01-28T19:17:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.400-07:00

If you live in Utah, you probably already know that Gordon B. Hinckley, beloved Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away quietly at the age of 97 yesterday. He will be missed by all members of the LDS Faith, including myself, and many others as well.My seven year old daughter took the news the hardest. It often surprises me how close of a connection my

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-2299332236625863262008-01-09T15:51:00.000-07:002008-01-09T15:52:48.267-07:00

With all the hub-bub surrounding the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses, you’d think I’d be blogging more about about them. It’s been quite the spectacle, I have to admit. What I think is interesting is that those that won in Iowa, lost in New Hampshire, and vice versa. It’s still anybody’s game, it seems.A lot of what I’m seeing going on, though, just reminds me of just how stupid people really are

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-87216077807234441222007-12-11T17:52:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.644-07:00

I figured the presidential candidates would wait until after Christmas to start flinging the poo.I was wrong.Huckabee asks if Mormons believe Jesus and the devil are brothers.Romney campaign releases a negative ad against Huckabee.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-61718441880813793882007-12-06T17:19:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.793-07:00

This morning, Mitt Romney delivered his "Faith in America" speech at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.But most of you knew that, already.I didn't get to hear it as it was being broadcast, but I have finally read the transcript.It's interesting.I'm not sure what it's going to do for him, but it's interesting.Overall I think it was a pretty powerful speech. The views

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-9278477512643199832007-12-04T15:10:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:40.970-07:00

As many of you know (and may have blogged about), Mitt Romney is going to give an address on Faith in America this Thursday. Unless you've been living under a rock, you also know that Romney is a Mormon - a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.All of this has come about because of a fumbled answer on the Bible during a presidential debate in Iowa, and the rising of Mike

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-53654748506722335192007-11-21T16:44:00.001-07:002008-12-09T11:02:41.177-07:00

I'm not sure what's happening, but for some reason my kid's schools want to ignore American history. Or at least part of it.You see, I've always grown up with this weird notion that the first Thanksgiving Day celebrations in America started in 1619 in Berkeley, Virginia. It's located about 20 miles upriver of Jamestown, and was the first permanent settlement in the Virginia colony.The Berkeley

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-87195254603929022632007-11-20T15:42:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:41.499-07:00

It amazes me how little press this has gotten. Then again, it's taken me quite some time to blog about it, as well. It shouldn't surprise me, though. This is happening in a small town in central Utah.I shouldn't pontificate too hard, though. The only reason it caught my eye is because my father grew up there.Gunnison is the site of the largest gasoline leak in Utah's history. It's estimated that

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-73464064696157762702007-11-12T16:54:00.001-07:002008-12-09T11:02:41.693-07:00

Happy Veteran's Day

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-42216842857844065442007-11-07T18:35:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:02:41.871-07:00

Just a couple of quick notes today.First, the Utah School Voucher Program (Referendum 1) was overturned to the surprise of nearly no one. What did surprise me was the spread. It was a near landslide opposition. That put me, once again, on the other side of the majority.No surprises for me there, either. I just thought it would be a closer contest than it was.Second, I wanted to bring your

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-34942904825236643312007-10-31T12:40:00.000-06:002007-10-31T12:43:17.567-06:00

Happy Halloween!Just a quick post today, I'm afraid. I've been very busy with my day job, and not been able to blog about some of the things I've wanted to.With that in mind, let me give you this "link karma round-up" of things I've been finding about the ongoing saga of the Utah School Vouchers:KSL News Report on 'Truth in Advertising' in voucher ads is getting KSL some flak.Spending on voucher

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-34347067232868051982007-10-11T14:46:00.001-06:002008-12-09T11:02:42.014-07:00

A couple of days ago, Senator Harry Reid (D - Nevada) spoke at Brigham Young University (BYU) about the importance of public service. Since then, he's been the subject of scorn and ridicule on a few local and national talk shows. Not always by the talk show hosts, to be sure, but certainly by many of those who called in.Some of them are screaming about how he's deserted his faith. Some even want

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-11791625858970377732007-10-03T13:23:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:42.223-07:00

Most of you know by now that President Bush has vetoed the expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP created a bridge between Medicare and standard health insurance programs. It was designed (by a Republican dominated congress when it first went into effect, BTW), to help those people who were making more money that was allowed to get medical help through Medicare, but

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-26457132636845587852007-10-02T18:38:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:42.579-07:00

In case you don’t live in Utah, don’t follow national news, and/or live under a rock, you’re probably aware of the Utah school voucher program that’s being voted on for repeal – otherwise known as Referendum One.Basically, the voucher law created a program where people can apply for assistance, in the form of a tuition reimbursement, to send their K-12 kids to a private school. Depending on

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-78469791142460634282007-08-28T19:05:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:42.751-07:00

Recently my friend Mark Hansen blogged a bit about service'Twice, now, in as many weeks, I've been face-to face with beggars. For some reason, I always feel funny. A big part of me always wants to go over and give some money. I usually do. At the same time, a big part of me is conscious of a lot of social pressure not to.'We're not really helping them, we're told. We should give to organizations

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-16344963173414281662007-08-22T15:50:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:42.915-07:00

Sorry I've not updated the blog for a while. I've been incredibly busy at work, and I've just not had time to write much beyond what I do for my day job.It doesn't look like it's going to end in the near future, either. I've got at least a couple more weeks of darkness and insanity to wade through before I'll actually get to see some light at the end of the tunnel.So, it looks like I'm going on

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-52043349951795407612007-07-31T17:24:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:43.092-07:00

Dear God,How are you? I’ve been meaning to contact you because, from what I hear, things just aren’t all that good right now. Your children are tramping all over this world you’ve created for us, killing each other, both in secret and in plain sight. They’re hurting each other, old and young. They’re acting in deprived ways, wounding each other physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-59155654788158568062007-07-16T18:58:00.000-06:002007-07-16T18:59:20.596-06:00

Fourteen things that make me mad, in no particular order:1. Mean people.2. Stupid people (often they're the same people).3. People who don't respect their neighbor's privacy / property / person.4. People who don't tip their waiter/waitresses.5. Hypocrites.6. Employers who value money more than the welfare of their employees and customers.7. American's who don't vote because it's "a waste of time.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-61875429246289115192007-07-03T14:12:00.000-06:002008-12-09T11:02:43.510-07:00

In the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson mentions five key elements that the then British Colonies wanted in establishing a new nation: Justice, Domestic Tranquility, a Common Defense, the General Welfare, and Liberty.As we get ready to celebrate the founding or our great nation, I wonder about how well, in my own life, I am pursuing and promoting these ideals. I'm not

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-2721913084512803362007-06-28T15:31:00.000-06:002007-06-28T15:33:25.118-06:00

From the Basement's Three-Step Insta-Blog:Step 1: Insert recent national or local political concern here.Step 2: Make fun of it.Step 3: Pat self on back for creating the illusion that you are politically active.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1434869605320987032007-06-18T15:08:00.000-06:002007-06-18T15:14:00.422-06:00

There is an inequality in our country when it comes to Mother's Day vs. Father's Day. We just need to look to our popular media to see it. When Mother's day rolls around, we get ads talking about giving Mother flowers, or bath beads, or trips to the day spa. On Father's day we talk about giving Dad tools, and barbequing. Let me get this straight. On Mother's Day, Mom should be honored by

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-71385737737023194532007-06-13T13:16:00.000-06:002007-06-28T15:34:56.006-06:00

In spite of having at least two oil refineries in northern Utah, and gas prices dropping two cents a gallon nation wide, Utah's gas prices shot up four more cents.There's lots of continuing debate as to why this is happening. We get this from one KSL report:. . . . there's a simple reason behind the price: "There's a price control that's in operation that we just simply don't know about."Yes we

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-47284571567215432202007-06-05T14:20:00.000-06:002007-06-12T20:26:08.295-06:00

The latest news, about the recently foiled terrorist plot to blow up some major fuel cells at JFK airport, is about how Google Earth was allegedly used by the terrorists to gain aerial intelligence about the airport. In its defense, Google is right in saying that such information is hardly limited to just Google Earth. There are several commercial sites that offer detailed aerial photography of

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-76692834784869265682007-05-30T16:27:00.000-06:002007-05-30T16:31:37.883-06:00

It seems that the Utah Taxpayers association has gone insane. They've proposed a gas tax hike to help improve roads and public transportation in Utah. I'm all for better public transportation. Lord knows we need it. What I'm not in favor of is paying insanely high gas prices.The proposed increase is 25 cents per gallon. If we add that to what I'm already paying for a gallon of gas in Tooele, I'd

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-9264056817843210342007-05-21T20:16:00.000-06:002007-05-21T20:18:32.217-06:00

The world turned upside down for me today. I'm not sure what state I'm living in anymore.How weird is this:Al Sharpton visits Utah to have a friendly visit with some of the top leaders of the LDS Church, and broadcasts his radio show from KSL, a Bonneville Media station. (Boneville Media is own and operated by the LDS Church).Two state governers, Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA) and Jon Huntsman (Ut)

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-10330483436152330842007-05-08T16:23:00.000-06:002007-05-08T16:30:09.780-06:00

I used to laugh at the old guys wearing signs that said "the end of the world is near" but thanks to the FDA, Applied Digital Systems, and the VeriChip, I just quit laughing.According to this 2002 Wired magazine article (by way of CAM Law):The Food and Drug Administration has ruled that an implantable microchip used for ID purposes is not a regulated device, paving the way for the chip's

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-31699103163786238902007-05-03T15:13:00.000-06:002007-05-03T15:27:51.466-06:00

My father has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. As bad as that is, it didn't come as a surprise. He's been losing his memory, and ability to stay focused, for a while. Some days he's more lucid that others. The bottom line is he's going down hill.Watching my father's health fail reminds me of just how fragile our lives really are. Every week I continue to steel myself for the time when I

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-87391753990103385722007-04-12T17:59:00.000-06:002007-04-12T18:47:14.549-06:00

My oldest daughter, Violin Girl, has been facing a bit of social injustice lately. She's being teased at school for being a good person. You see, she's been sticking up for the underdogs in her 6th grade class. The "popular kids" don't like being called on the carpet for being mean, so to prove their point, they've started being mean to Violin Girl.Here's one example. The other day Violin Girl

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-59896309927791700232007-04-03T18:38:00.000-06:002007-04-03T18:50:03.711-06:00

I'm having a rough time getting excited about anything going on in Washington D.C. these days. I'm just fed up with all of the political maneuvering, name calling, and revisions to recent history by the pundits. It's getting so bad, I'm starting to shut down emotionally and intellectually. The Republican and Democratic Party leaders seem to be at each other's throats more than they are trying

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-66450589798301467002007-02-14T19:08:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:15:36.123-06:00

We had quite a bit of random violence inflicting itself upon Salt Lake City the other day. A man walked through the Trolley Square mall shooting random people with a shot gun. Several people were killed. Even more were seriously hurt. This has been a real tragedy for us, here. It's sobering when the violence we see other places on the news comes home.My prayers go out to the families of the

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-59812417831059932252007-02-13T15:47:00.000-07:002007-02-13T15:55:40.698-07:00

Frannie, a blogger I'm rather fond of has a posting at one of her sites that you should read. It's about some of the economic, societal, and resource management difficulties we're facing right now, and offers some in-your-face solutions that deserve more than just thought.The irony is that I'm just passing on the information 3rd hand. She's actually referencing another blogger, James Kunstler. In

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-7322105532854232042007-01-23T13:58:00.000-07:002007-01-23T14:02:29.646-07:00

Right now, as I blog, the Sundance Film Festival is going on in Park City, Utah. Sundance is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the nation, if not the world, and it's going on right here in Park City, with some shows in Salt Lake City as well.Sundance is no stranger to controversy. This year, though, there's one movie that's getting some buzz. If half of what I'm hearing is true, I

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-87369338101626989862007-01-17T16:37:00.000-07:002007-01-17T16:39:15.428-07:00

Last night, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman delivered his yearly "State of the State" address. I think my state's governor is on to something. I can only hope that he's going to be able to put through the things he's talking about. Let me give you a preview.As for education:These fine teachers, and thousands of their colleagues, deserve our sincere appreciation. To show this gratitude my budget calls

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-84040471812839273632007-01-08T21:03:00.000-07:002007-01-08T21:07:17.034-07:00

Health Care may be coming up in the next Utah legislative session. It seems we have a budget surplus of over 1 billion dollars in the state. Now everyone wants a piece of the pie. I'm not against given it to some of them, as long as they handle it well. It looks like one Utah State Senator (D), Scott McCoy, wants to got beyond deciding what to do with the surplus and create a Utah state

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-37600121018581782352006-12-18T19:13:00.000-07:002006-12-18T19:15:57.479-07:00

My computer has started acting up a bit. About a month ago it started getting slow. In fact, as the month progressed it got slower, and slower, and slower . . . kind of like and old man on vicoden. Anyway, like any hack hacker, I started looking at my system processes.Now, I don’t know what even half of these things do, but I’m willing to screw around with them. I’m kind of dangerous that way.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-16831416417727705432006-12-06T12:55:00.000-07:002006-12-06T12:56:49.328-07:00

The Iraq Study Group Report came out this morning. From what I've heard, there are no real surprises (or smoking guns) here. I've only started perusing the actual report (hat tip to the AP for the pdf link), it's 160 pages long.The recommendation that may just be the most difficult one to deal with is the call for greater diplomatic talks with Iraq's neighbors. In times past our government has

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-66049168458489906242006-11-27T20:33:00.000-07:002006-11-27T20:34:45.813-07:00

It seems that in all the hub-bub and, in the case of a few Massachusetts judges, conspiracy surrounding same-sex marriage laws, someone forgot that these same couples might just be like many hetero-sexual couples in more than one respect. They’ll want to get divorced, too. It turns out that a lesbian couple that got married in Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage is legal, has filed for

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-66965680833823325772006-11-22T17:53:00.000-07:002006-11-22T17:58:18.352-07:00

The trial of accused polygamist Warren Jeffs is underway. The actual charge he's facing is being an accessory to the rape of a child. He was said to have forced a 14 year old girl into marriage and sex with her first cousin. What blows my mind is that it took six years for us to get to this point. Now that young woman is 20 years old. This is going to be an interesting, and difficult, case to

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1163033484697856382006-11-08T17:51:00.000-07:002006-11-08T17:52:42.556-07:00

This is soooo disappointing. As for the election results, nationally, I got what I (grudgingly) wanted. At the state and county level? One person I voted for got in. That’s it. Out of a half dozen positions or so, only one.It sucks to be me.Let it be known that for the next two years you can’t blame anything that goes wrong in Utah on me. I didn’t vote for it.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1162510331863289922006-11-02T16:32:00.000-07:002006-11-02T16:36:49.486-07:00

This upcoming election has been really strange for me. It’s a pretty important one for my city and county. I can’t think of a year when so many important local positions have been up for grabs. From state and national senate and house seats, to the local county commissioner, I’ve got a lot of votes to cast this year.The real strangeness has come in trying to decide who to vote for. From the bulk

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1160082721057732552006-10-05T15:12:00.000-06:002006-10-05T15:12:01.103-06:00

My wife and I have made an agreement in order for us to better organize our household. I’m going to make the decisions regarding all the “big stuff” and she’s going to make the decisions regarding all the “little stuff.” By “little stuff” I mean things like where our children go to school, what businesses to frequent, what banks to use, what cars to drive, where and how we spend our money, and so

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1159297916496587232006-09-26T13:11:00.000-06:002006-09-26T13:11:56.600-06:00

Utah’s gas prices have risen (or rather 47 other states prices have fallen) to a point where our average gas prices are now the third highest in the nation. We’re only being beaten out by Hawaii and Nevada. Yup! Californians now pay less for a gallon of gas than Utahns do.For a few weeks now the question on many people’s lips has been “Why?” Utah has five of its own oil refineries, so

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1158616267746419612006-09-18T15:51:00.000-06:002006-09-18T15:51:07.826-06:00

It looks like the western deserts of Utah won’t be temporary hosts to tons and tons of nuclear waste after all. Whoopee! The leader of the Goshute tribe doesn’t like it, but oh, well. I know plenty of members of the tribe that do. In fact, back in May, against tribal leadership, they sued the Feds for allowing it to happen.I really hope this is over. Of course, the BLM decision can be appealed,

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1157661818587207682006-09-07T14:43:00.000-06:002006-09-07T14:43:38.700-06:00

The pundits have started punting again. I shouldn’t be surprised. By trying to lay out the case of the CIA “secret prisons” clearly, President Bush has just given his detractors all the fuel they need to get up on their high horses and pontificate about how Bush needs to be stopped and how they are sooooo much better and more civilized than he is. The rest of the world likes to get in on the Bush

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1156974806960135872006-08-30T15:51:00.000-06:002006-08-31T13:18:08.573-06:00

Today in Salt Lake City, President Bush had come out to be the keynote speaker at the national American Legion convention. Yesterday V.P. Cheney and Secretary Rice came out and spoke. Condolezza Rice is just a cool woman on all counts in my book. I'd agree to have her three-headed love child, if my wife would let me.With all large scale public figures comes large scale controversy. I'm cool with

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1156517877701998452006-08-25T08:56:00.000-06:002006-08-25T08:57:57.746-06:00

This morning I was reminded exactly why I hate the FDA. It's broken. It has been for years. There is a faction within the FDA that would like to make vitamins and other diet supplements available only by prescription, and yet they've decided it's alright to make Plan B the so-called “morning after” pill has hit the shelves as an over-the-counter drug. Only women who are 18 years old, or older,

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1156277232810252112006-08-22T14:07:00.000-06:002006-08-22T14:09:48.143-06:00

Guess what? From the Basement seems to be more “good” than “evil.” Not much more, though. Maybe I need to repent more.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1155672237246439932006-08-15T14:03:00.000-06:002006-08-15T14:03:58.453-06:00

Yet again Utah Senator Chris Buttars, in his on-going quest for local political power, is trying to bypass the Utah State Constitution. Last session he championed the dubious topic of teaching divine intervention in schools. This time around he wants the state senate to be able to fire judges they don’t like.Get a load of this:"That is the only way to make the public aware of some of these

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1154471162990214512006-08-01T16:26:00.000-06:002006-08-01T16:26:03.000-06:00

Here’s something you don’t see every day. The mass media is actually reporting on how badly the guards are being treated by the detainees at GITMO. Usually they ignore this part and just try to paint these accused war criminals as poor victims of our military.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1153957233923582872006-07-26T17:40:00.000-06:002006-07-26T17:40:34.053-06:00

At what point do we give up our rights, or infringe on the rights of others, in the name of safety? This is not a new argument. It was certainly debated with the Patriot Act. It’s become a local Utah issue as well with the Destiny Norton case. For those who don’t know, Destiny is a five year old girl who came up missing a few days ago in Utah. This poor girl was missing for several days only to

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1153189280096542912006-07-17T20:21:00.000-06:002006-07-17T20:21:21.126-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I started asking questions about what Liberty really meant. I’ve been reading John Stuart Mill’s take on the matter in his book, On Liberty, and he’s got some interesting things to say. With that reveal, I’d like to start exploring Liberty of Thought and Expression today.In America we call it “freedom of speech” and it’s guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Mill considered all

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1152555641589877252006-07-10T12:20:00.000-06:002006-07-10T12:21:25.513-06:00

I feel a rant coming on. Two rants, actually.First off, I woke up this morning to discover that my own Utah Senator Orrin Hatch has helped get a music producer (that just happens to be signed with the same music label the Senator Hatch is signed with) out of jail in Dubai. On the surface this is a good thing. I don’t want any American rotting away in a jail cell in Dubai. Where this gets sticky

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1152127936949779552006-07-05T13:32:00.000-06:002006-07-05T13:34:06.010-06:00

We use the words “freedom” and “liberty” so often when discussing America, and rightly so. Unabashedly we can proclaim that we are a land of liberty. Just recently we celebrated those freedoms by observing Independence Day. I wonder, though, if we have used these terms so often that we’ve become unthinking about them. Along with the hot dogs, ice cream and fireworks, I’ve been contemplating what

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1151349457016433832006-06-26T13:17:00.000-06:002006-06-26T13:19:43.203-06:00

It’s probably not new to anyone that the New York Times, and other media outlets, recently disclosed a federal program to investigate the financial records of suspected terrorists using records subpoenaed from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or Swift. Financial records have been a tried and true intelligence gathering system for many years. If you can track where

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1150834409010592072006-06-20T14:13:00.000-06:002006-06-20T14:15:08.693-06:00

If any of you have talked to me about economics, you probably know that I’m really not happy about NAFTA. I blame it for being the “straw” that eventually “broke my career’s back” and drove me away from printing and visual media into my new career dealing with the internet. Yes, Virginia, I am one of the people who lost their jobs when the work went to Mexico after NAFTA was signed. Don’t tell me

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1150136820974266402006-06-12T12:27:00.000-06:002006-06-12T12:27:01.056-06:00

I admit it’s been a couple of weeks since this news story broke, but this kind of disturbs me. Richard Ceballos, a supervising district attorney in Los Angeles, had sent a memo out raising some questions about whether or not a deputy sheriff had lied to obtain a search warrant in a case that has come before the Los Angeles court. Later on, he testified as much at a trial, bringing into question

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1149874707793353122006-06-09T11:38:00.000-06:002006-06-09T11:38:27.856-06:00

You know, just when you start to respect someone’s innovative and fun approaches to writing and illustration, they start getting “innovative” with the truth. One of the talented staffers over at BoingBoing has bypassed his brain and republished an opinion piece that rewrites the facts behind the War on Terror in order to push an anti-Bush agenda. I know, I know. None of these kinds of tactics are

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1149640798886368062006-06-06T18:39:00.000-06:002006-06-06T18:39:58.953-06:00

It’s interesting to note that the idea of a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman only was quashed today. Senator Kennedy went so far as to accuse people who are against same sex marriage as being “bigots – pure and simple.” I think he’s full of crap. I wonder, does that make me a bigot against rich and narcissistic white men who pontificate on how they are so

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1149108083513324722006-05-31T14:41:00.000-06:002006-05-31T14:41:23.583-06:00

WARNING: I’m going to get very politically incorrect, here. In fact, the subject, and my comments, may be downright offensive to some.When I first saw this article, I did a double take. It turns out that a convicted murderer is trying to get the state of Massachusetts to pay for a sex change operation. Will wonders never cease? Perversion and feelings of entitlement seem to keep going on. Get

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1148339953858006992006-05-22T17:19:00.000-06:002006-05-22T17:19:13.956-06:00

Guess what! From the Basement is worth money! Wow. I’d have never guessed. Any one wanna buy it? My blog is worth $2,258.16.How much is your blog worth?

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1147713993991937112006-05-15T11:26:00.000-06:002006-05-15T11:26:34.046-06:00

Sorry no blogs of late. I’ve been having some more problems with my gall-bladder and it finally ended up in surgery a couple of weeks ago. You can read more about it over at my Campus Codger blog.The world is getting weirder and weirder, though. Today I hear the President is thinking about putting National Guardsmen on our southern border to help support our border patrol for a while. At least

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1144890478443753852006-04-12T19:07:00.000-06:002006-04-12T19:07:58.520-06:00

I can’t believe myself. I missed the fact that today is Yuri’s night! 45 years ago today, Yuri Gagaren was the first man to orbit the earth. 25 years ago today, John Young and Robert Crippen flew the first Space Shuttle flight to orbit. How cool is that?Excuse me while I go party.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1144202329639240592006-04-04T19:58:00.000-06:002006-04-04T19:58:49.693-06:00

For a long time, I’ve lamented the fact that the media doesn’t seem to know how to tell a news story. Before you get your journalistic panties in a bunch, let me explain. Quite simply, most media outlets are getting lazy, and getting their facts wrong. In some cases, they’re ignoring the facts altogether. Take this article by Tomas Sowall as a better example than I can give. I just wish I could

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1143581605166573762006-03-28T14:33:00.000-07:002006-03-28T14:36:29.843-07:00

One of my favorite science fiction authors, Stanislaw Lem, died yesterday. His stories were always unique, and original. Most of you will know him as the author of the story “Solaris.” Two different groups have made this story into a movie, including Andrei Tarkovsky, in 1972, and by Steven Soderbergh, in 2002. This last version starred George Clooney and Natascha McElhone. Both versions were

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1142973599725382362006-03-21T13:39:00.000-07:002006-03-21T13:39:59.776-07:00

It’s been a while since my last post and a lot has gone on in the news. Much of it is definitely blog worthy. Now I just need to decide what has me motivated enough to blog about here.……………………Nope. I got nothin’.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1141245672097570982006-03-01T13:41:00.000-07:002006-03-01T13:41:12.143-07:00

Today is the last day of the Utah State Legislative session. After having wasted our time on several silly bills that will amount to very little, they are finally buckling down on some real issues.One bill that was passed back on February 22 caught my eye, though. Utah Senate Bill 97 (Student Club Amendments) passed the Senate, 18 to 11. I don't know if it's hit the House yet. This is a bill that

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1140638637053429292006-02-22T13:03:00.000-07:002006-02-22T13:03:57.380-07:00

This is a bit old, but check out this article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. File this under “weirdness.”The government concluded its "Cyber Storm" wargame Friday, its biggest-ever exercise to test how it would respond to devastating attacks over the Internet from anti-globalization activists, underground hackers and bloggers.Participants confirmed parts of the worldwide simulation

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1139270112289435642006-02-06T16:55:00.000-07:002006-02-06T16:55:12.596-07:00

I’m a big advocate for “doing the right thing.” Whatever that is. As a parent it’s even more important to me to instill this kind of thinking in my children. I want them to follow moral principles. I want them to live just lives. I want them to treat others with consideration and mercy.Sometimes doing the right thing sucks.Three months ago my wife called me on the phone and told me that we had a

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1138773830420790742006-01-31T23:03:00.000-07:002006-01-31T23:03:50.453-07:00

There's been some talk on the net about the Oregon state assisted suicide law. The Supreme Court seems to have upheld it, but it still bothers me. Mostly I'm concerned for the situation it may put Oregon doctors in.What happens to a doctor in Oregon that personally opposes assisting a patient in committing suicide? Can he refuse to help the patient kill themselves? I have heard of court cases

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1138739454687064762006-01-31T13:30:00.000-07:002006-01-31T13:33:14.243-07:00

Remember back in grade school when kids would segregate themselves into groups or cliques? You didn’t play with kids in the other cliques because they had some other horrible and indefinable “wrongness” about them. They just weren’t “cool.” Maybe they even had (gasp) cooties. Looking back at those times we can see how silly they really were. I mean, we all just wanted to go play and have fun,

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1138328662535240602006-01-26T19:24:00.000-07:002006-01-26T19:24:22.580-07:00

You’ve read me rant about the cost of health care and insurance companies before. This article (by way of Back Talk) is really interesting, though. The author hits several points on the head. This quote is pretty telling:Americans want more health care for less money, and when they don't get it, they indict drug companies, insurers, trial lawyers and bureaucrats. Although these familiar

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1138140933046685772006-01-24T15:15:00.000-07:002006-01-24T15:15:33.600-07:00

Yesterday morning I had another incident with my gall bladder. Some of your may recall that I had a previous attack, but that I’m putting surgery off. I’m still putting it off because I’m not entirely sure it’s not related to my gastric problems.As you may recall my doc had prescribed Nexium for me, but I had to go “off” if when my insurance company refused to pay for it. Guess what? More tummy

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1137623589506124692006-01-18T15:33:00.000-07:002006-01-18T15:33:09.560-07:00

Over this last week we saw both Martin Luther King Day, and the birthday of Benjamin Franklin. These two important figures helped shape America as we know it today, and I think it’s good to remember them and what they did for us. I’m sure many read reminded themselves of the famous “I have a dream” speech as part of that. It’s sad to me that the things they helped create, are being squandered by

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1137018772831406562006-01-11T15:32:00.000-07:002006-01-11T15:32:52.886-07:00

Here’s some good news for the folks out in the western deserts of Utah. You, people like me and the Goshute Indians. Cedar Mountain, the proposed site for all a trainload of hot nuclear waste material, has been declared as wilderness, and is now protected from certain kinds of building. That means you can’t build railroad lines through it, and PFS (the evil people who want to dump this stuff on

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1134695669388979422005-12-15T18:14:00.000-07:002005-12-16T09:57:21.863-07:00

It looks like the whole “evolution vs. creationism” battle has hit the federal courts. If this article is true to what’s going on, the whole thing is absolutely silly. Bizarre may be a better word. First off, it looks like Cobb County, Georgia schools put a sticker on their biology books saying, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1134607183398025482005-12-14T17:39:00.000-07:002005-12-14T17:39:43.420-07:00

I don’t think I’ve ever been driven so nuts as by the people who are all over mourning the death of Tookie Williams. All kinds of “evidence” is crawling out of the woodworks to say that he wasn’t a co-founder of the Crips gang. What’s next? He didn’t murder all those people in cold blood after all?Give me a freaking break.  This dirtbag was convicted over twenty years ago on several counts of

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1133901560268594102005-12-06T13:39:00.000-07:002005-12-06T13:39:20.496-07:00

Utah prides itself on its health care. We’ve been told for years that because of the research and efforts done here, mostly at places like LDS Hospital, the University of Utah Hospital, and Primary Children’s Hospital, that we’ve got access to the best health care in the nation.Or maybe not.According to this report Utah’s HMO’s are severely lacking. Just take this example:Collectively, Utah's

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1132084855741875632005-11-15T13:00:00.000-07:002005-11-15T13:00:55.783-07:00

I gotta tell you the truth. This scares me. The good folks in Baltimore and now going to use your cell phone to keep track of traffic patterns. Now they’ll be able to track your movements through the city whether your cell phone is in use, or not. As long as it’s turned on, they can figure out where you are. The potential for abuse is staggering.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1131673791921529742005-11-10T18:49:00.000-07:002005-11-10T18:49:51.966-07:00

November 11 is Veteran's Day. As a USMC vet, it's an interesting day for me. I didn't serve in combat, but I did serve stateside during the Libya debacle, ermm . . . conflict. Another fun bit for me is that November 10th is the traditional birthday of the USMC. Two days in a row I get to celebrate. How cool is that?One of the nicest things someone ever did for me on Veteran's Day was to remember

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12138042.post-1131487087984062162005-11-08T14:58:00.000-07:002005-11-08T14:58:08.056-07:00

It’s official. I stink. For the first time in at least five years I haven’t voted. Today, I suck.I woke up this morning and felt terrible, so I blew off a college chemistry class and slept in. I got up, and started heading to work, realizing about half way there that I should have stopped at my local precinct and voted. I work late today, so my only hope is to get home before the precinct closes.

John Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990607882342384818noreply@blogger.com1