Author Archives: Thom
The courage to challenge
I called a good friend of mine recently to catch up on life and discuss whatever came to mind. As it often does, the conversation turned to politics, and I expressed a view my friend did not share. He called … Continue reading
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Comedians: A license to be sub-human
I’m a little saddened by the results of the recent blow-up over Rush Limbaugh calling a liberal activist a slut. Rush apologized, but no one accepted his apology. People on the right began pointing out liberal pundits and comedians who … Continue reading
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Meeting Brandon Mull
It’s starting to seem like there’s an author under every rock down here. This morning we braved Costco (blowing Southwest Airlines away when it comes to making customers feel like cattle) for some shopping and found out that Brandon Mull, … Continue reading
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Beware the book fair!
I have a hard enough time getting in and out of the book store without buying something. Books have a siren song all their own. But several times a year the company I work for turns a large conference room … Continue reading
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Democracy and moderation
Utah, I’ve learned, is one of two states in the US that used a particular caucus system for selecting candidates for the general election. Each precinct’ party members get together and select not candidates for office, but delegates to a … Continue reading
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Dancing in the dark
Okay, this is kinda cool. The music grates a bit, but this is ingenious choreography.
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Barry Manilow and parental influence
I was recently reading the liner notes for a Barry Manilow compilation album, and was struck by this passage: His lifelong love of music was given a direction when his mother remarried Willie Murphy, a truck driver for Schaefer Brewery … Continue reading
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Gratuitous Hollywood
Last weekend my wife and I watched the old Jimmy Stewart movie “Shenandoah”, in which Stewart plays a Virginia farmer who has carved out a succesful farm with just the help of his sons and daughter. His wife has died, … Continue reading
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Concern for my daughter
At first I was going to write about Rush Limbaugh and how hypocritical the rapid, uncivil response has been. Then I wanted to write about Ms. Fluke and why everyone should pay for her contraception. But ultimately I decided I … Continue reading
The years of living dangerously
I grew up in a very dangerous time. During the 1970’s children were not required to wear seatbelts in the back seats, playground equipment was often mounted straight into the asphalt, we never wore helmets to ride our bikes (or … Continue reading
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