The Past 3 Years

Three years ago I was just a few weeks into law school, I was becoming the mortal enemy of my Torts Professor, who thought me an idiot and made fun of me in front of a large group of my peers, and I was studying harder than I'd ever studied in my life. I'd applied to a number of law schools, but I applied late in the game (which meant some schools wouldn't even consider my application, and other schools had already filled up on their average students and were saving their last few slots for exceptional ones--and as my undergrad grades weren't exceptional, they didn't accept me). A handful of quality law schools did accept me. Of these, the University of Cincinnati was both the most affordable (in-state tuition the first year, some scholarship money, and public) and best (most highly ranked--on par with the University of Utah Law School). It was a long ways away from home, but April and I visited beforehand and I was very impressed by the law school--much friendlier than my visit to the U of U. April interviewed and found full-time work (which changed to Saturday-only work once Peter was born).

I made a handful of friends. Four of us formed a study group (the only two Mormons in our class, plus two religious Catholics--Sam and Jesse--who were both around my age and both married). I never felt very smart in our study group, so I was surprised when I got back grades for the semester--I was in the top 10% of my class. The other members of the study group had also done well, especially Jesse, who was first or second in the class (out of about 120). Best of all, I got an "A" on my Torts exam, and therefore an "A" in the class (shocking my professor, I'm sure).

Second semester I also excelled, again making (just barely) top 10%. Peter was born half-way through the semester. Soon after exams ended, I found a job with a law firm (I was the only first-year student they interviewed, but somehow managed to beat out all the second-year students). At about the same time I was also called as Elder's Quorum President in my small ward. I worked full-time that summer, and kept working part-time when I returned to school in the fall. My grades dropped a bit (down to top 15%, and then my last semester down to top 20%). I spent a second summer at the law firm, and continued working there until I graduated. I also continued serving as EQP. A few months before I finished law school, the Cincinnati office of my firm laid off two of their seven attorneys. They informed me they wouldn't be able to hire me as an attorney after law school.

I did a few interviews in Ohio and Kentucky, but was unable to find work. With no job prospects, we decided to move back to Idaho. I'd interviewed at a couple of jobs in Idaho over Christmas break (in Twin Falls and Pocatello), but no luck. With far fewer jobs available due to the job market (which hit both attorneys and new graduates particularly hard) my competition was much stiffer. Once we moved back I applied for jobs and studied for the Idaho Bar. Degen (pronounced "Day gun") was born. I interviewed for jobs in Twin Falls and Boise, again with no luck. I took the bar, April started working per diem at a nearby hospital (hospital jobs seem to be recession-proof), and I've been a stay-at-home dad since. I spend several hours a day searching for and applying for jobs, do the shopping, cooking and dishes, and take care of a two-year-old and an infant.

After the bar, I drove down to Carson City, Nevada for an interview, and the Geo's transmission decided to go out on me 40 minutes outside of Twin Falls. Tow, transmission replacement, rental car, and an extra night of hotel ran about $1,400. We thought about just getting rid of the car, but we can't afford a replacement right now, and it's our only vehicle. I thought that after such a difficult experience things would get better (maybe, for example, I'd get the Carson City job), but no such luck.

I did pass the bar. Of course, it's the Idaho bar, and most the people I was competing against were graduates of a bottom-of-the-barrel law school (the University of Idaho), but it was still a relief to pass.

Last week I talked over the phone with an attorney in small-town Montana; it was basically an interview, and he invited me up to Montana for a second, in-person interview. The day before the interview he called me to tell me he found someone else for the position. The next day, a job opened up in Boise, and I set up an interview for that. Again, the day before the interview (today), I received a phone call telling me the job had already been filled. I'd already paid for the hotel room (and it's not refundable).

So I'm incredibly frustrated at how things are going. When I started law school, the economy was fine. UC grads were getting good jobs. It's not like I went to graduate school to study English or History--I did graduate work that almost guaranteed a decent job after graduation. And I worked incredibly hard for three years so that I could get a good job. Now, with a moderate amount of student debt, two kids, expensive car repairs and two cancelled interviews, not to mention an empty bank account, I'm struggling. I'm applying for jobs as far away as rural Alaska and D.C. (and for graduate work in Belgium). I enjoy being closer to family, but part of me wishes we'd stayed in Ohio, where I had friends nearby and a friendly, welcoming ward to go to each Sunday.

If you hear of a job opening that has anything to do with the law--even if it isn't specifically an "attorney" job--let me know. And I'll keep searching, applying, and (hopefully) interviewing. Wish me luck. In this economy, I'll need it.

What Music To Avoid

In church today, a woman told a story about her college days and a roommate who played hard music too loud. The intended message was that hard music is bad and makes the spirit leave. I think that's the wrong approach to take when evaluating music.

From the LDS church publication, For the Strength of the Youth, which seems to be the most authoritative church statement about music:

"Choose carefully the music you listen to. Pay attention to how you feel when you are listening. Don’t listen to music that drives away the Spirit, encourages immorality, glorifies violence, uses foul or offensive language, or promotes Satanism or other evil practices."

It's usually pretty clear what music "encourages immorality, glorifies violence, uses foul or offensive language, or promotes Satanism." At least if you're paying attention to the lyrics. But how to evaluate "music that drives away the Spirit?" Can music drive away the Spirit if it doesn't encourage immorality, glorify violence, etc.? Probably, although perhaps not as often as we think.

Elder Gene R. Cook spoke once to my mission; he stated that, due to an interaction he had with a famous rock star, he and his family never listened to rock music. (Personally, I think the rock star was probably just having some fun with Elder Cook at Elder Cook's expense, and Elder Cook took him seriously when he should have realized the guy was pulling his leg, but whatever). Contrast that, however, with Brother Richardson, a member of the Sunday School General Presidency. While details like a General Authority's tastes in music are generally not well-known, I took a class from Brother Richardson at BYU prior to his call as a General Authority. My notes from that class clearly indicate that Brother Richardson is a Styx fan. Not exactly the stance Elder Cook takes. I think that as we have more and more General Authorities who were teenagers in the 60's and 70's, more and more of them will be rock fans.

One trend I have noticed--people who don't like rock or hard music are very quick to identify their dislike as "music that drives away the Spirit." I think that's a bit dishonest (whether they realize it or not). I don't like country--in fact, I cringe when I hear country. I don't like most pop. I don't like rap. But as long as that music doesn't fit any of the categories listed above (encourages immorality, etc.) I'm probably not going to say that it drives away the Spirit. I just don't like it.

The true test for whether music that doesn't encourage immorality, etc. drives away the Spirit? First, do you like the genre? If you don't, you might have difficulty determining whether it drives away the Spirit or if you just don't care for the genre. Second, if you like the genre, do you feel the Spirit withdraw when you listen to it? There's one classic metal band that I get "bad vibes" with when I listen to. I love the sub-genre, the vocalist has a great voice, I like the music, but I just don't like the feeling I get when I listen to them. Some of their songs might "promote evil practices." But much of their music doesn't, and I still get those bad vibes. That's clear evidence of music that drives away the Spirit. The ugly feeling I get when I listen to country? Not so much. That's just a matter of taste. As is, I think, most people who claim that a whole genre of music drives away the Spirit.

The funny thing in all of this is that, while genres like metal might get attacked more than they deserve, genres like pop, which are overflowing with the "encourages immorality" bit, are often seen as harmless. I can honestly say that my large progressive/power metal collection is very very light on encouraging immorality, foul language, violence, and Satan-worship. In fact, if immorality is mentioned, it's more likely to discourage the practice than it is to encourage it. And, other than the one band mentioned above, I haven't eliminated any of my music due to language, etc. Even my heaviest music is low on the categories mentioned in For the Strength of Youth.

The take-away message? Don't assume that your dislike of a genre corresponds directly with the Spirit withdrawing. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's morally bad. And you might want to pay more attention to the lyrics your kids are listening to than how much you don't like their favorite genre.

What I've been watching

Veronica Mars: available on Hulu. Think Buffy without the vampires and more solo. Or what Nancy Drew would be like in real life. Recommended by Jay, and I really liked it too.

Falling Skies: a sci-fi set in the very near future, following an alien invasion. Spielburg's involved, and it's actually a very professional TV show. There are some pretty significant similarities to John Christopher's Tripods books (anyone else read those as a kid?) A large group does its best to stay alive. It's more character-oriented than action-oriented; action freaks might find it a bit slow (I think the pace is perfect). And one of the actors is Moon Bloodgood, who has a winning streak--all three of the TV shows she's starred in are great (Day Break, Journeyman, and Falling Skies). I think she's a character actor (all of her characters seem to have the same personality), and her three series are all modern-day sci-fi shows, but she does a great job in all of them. I highly recommend this. The last few episodes are available for free on TNT's website.

I gave up on V a long time ago. It had potential, but it failed. I'm starting to give up on White Collar too. It's not as much fun any more.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Review of Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is a service Amazon offers--for $80/year, you get quick free shipping from Amazon (Amazon only, and not other sellers at Amazon). You also get to watch a selection of TV shows and movies for free.

First, the shipping. $80 is a bit much to pay for free shipping if you're just a casual shopper, especially when other sellers often offer cheaper prices than Amazon. We regularly buy diapers and wipes from Amazon (they have good sales, and you can "Subscribe," get an even better deal, and then cancel the subscription once the item ships). I very occasionally buy other items that are on sale (or that I need on emergency basis). Not enough to warrant paying $80. But, students get Amazon Prime free for a year (minus free TV/movies). And after my free one year subscription ran out, they offered me another year for half price. $40 for free shipping and free TV/movies. I did the math, and it's still not a bargain, although I think we'll come out a little bit ahead with all of the diapers we buy. What about the free TV/movies? Isn't that a big deal?

Not really. The selection isn't great unless you're a Doctor Who fan. Lots of British stuff. Not much else. The most popular TV shows right now are Doctor Who, Monty Python, Torchwood (a Doctor Who spinoff), and the Terminator TV show. Unless you like British TV (some of it, admittedly, is pretty good), you'll be disappointed by their selection of free videos. You're better off sticking with Netflix. Even if Netflix rates have gone up.

If you're a student, and you buy from Amazon, go for the free year. If you regularly buy from Amazon, consider it. If you buy from Amazon occasionally and you're a huge fan of British TV, it might be worth it. Otherwise, don't bother.

Norway

My heart goes out to Norway today. This peaceful, beautiful, civilized country has been rocked by two terrorist acts that killed about a hundred people. Norway has about five million people, so per capita this terrorist act killed twice as many Norwegians as the 9/11 acts killed Americans. Even worse, most of these killed were young people.

Disturbingly, initial news reports from certain sources immediately blamed Muslims for the attack. Rupert Murdoch has been in the news lately for some horrible things one of his newspapers in England did; his newspapers and radio stations (Washington Post, Fox News, and others) were the primary (although not the only) news sources blaming it on Muslims.

It turns out it was a Norwegian. A gun-loving, immigrant-hating, apparently fundamentalist Christian, white guy. Not surprising, since almost everyone he killed was pro-immigrant. And all of a sudden instead of a "terrorist," he's a "madman," and many newspapers somehow don't substitute "Muslim" for "Christian" or even "fundamentalist Christian"--they just leave out his religion altogether.

Perhaps it's a lesson. In the Western world, far-right Muslims aren't the only ones capable of horrific terrorist acts. Far-right Christians are also very capable (remember the Oklahoma city bombings?)

Immigration issues in the U.S. are also quite heated, even though the number of immigrants is probably decreasing right now (mainly due to economic conditions). I was too quick to judgment in blaming the Arizona shooter for being like this Norwegian (when it appears that the Arizona shooter was indeed just a madman, who believed crazy things from both the right and the left). But we need to be on guard here, and watch out for those who get so caught up in anti-immigration rhetoric that they take their guns and their bombs and cause terrorist attacks.

Meanwhile, please join me in prayers for the good people of Norway.

Help! I'm Being Persecuted!

A recent blog post on a Mormon blog (written by a guy who's the brother of a friend from high school) got me thinking about persecution. More especially, how the people who most often complain that they are being persecuted against are not the people that are the most persecuted.

I remember a friend from Wisconsin saying that one day some racist graffiti aimed at blacks appeared in his school's bathroom. The community outcry was enormous. Eventually, the perpetrator came forward--a black student who wanted to raise awareness of racism. Meanwhile, no one said a word about the persistent racist anti-Hmong graffiti in that same bathroom. No one seemed to care that real persecution was being dealt to the Hmong minority.

I'm not trying to say that racism against blacks doesn't exist. It does. I've seen it. But when our society sees that racism, it usually takes notice and pushes back. Meanwhile, groups that are persecuted more frequently usually endure their persecution in silence.

Another example is seen in the comments of the above-mentioned blog post--repeated graffiti on a Muslim mosque. Persecution? Yes. Complaints of persecution? Not so much. But we can imagine how other religious groups who are not persecuted (or persecuted to a lesser degree) might react--they (or at least many of their members) would be quite angry and complain publicly.

Now I realize that many fellow members of the LDS church are having a hard time with a recent musical. I think the musical is in poor taste. But I'm not going to call it persecution. Persecution, to me, is more than just making fun. Persecution is calling a peaceful religion "dangerous." It's destruction of property. It's denying people jobs or services. Does it happen to the LDS church? Sure. But it's relatively rare, and those who persecute members of the LDS church are generally branded (justly) as bigots. But when Islam is called a "dangerous" religion, as it often is? Fewer people come to its defense.

A little over a year ago I was visiting an EQ meeting in a ward I didn't belong to. The subject of homosexuality came up, and the class members started talking about how much homosexuals were persecuting members of the LDS church. I should add--this ward was in an area that's overwhelmingly LDS. I doubt any of these men were friends with someone who was openly homosexual. And I'm certain that an openly homosexual person living in their neighborhood would face constant harassment (heck, I know for a fact someone in that neighborhood was harassed--graffiti again--for just being English). But, somehow, it was them persecuting us.

Now I realize that a few members of the church have lost their jobs due to their involvement with Proposition 8. I also am confident that there are other isolated incidents of homosexuals persecuting members of the LDS church. But these class members weren't talking about persecution they had experienced, or that someone they knew had experienced. The persecution was pretty far removed from their actual lives. And yet they were still spending the majority of a priesthood meeting complaining about it.

Had this discussion occurred in my ward at the time, a place where people knew me well enough to take me seriously, I would have spoken up. After all, I had classmates and friends who were homosexual, and I sure wasn't being persecuted for being LDS. As I was a stranger, I pretended the baby I was holding was acting up, and I walked out.

Perhaps, as members of the LDS church, we should focus more on making the places we live more welcoming to all peaceful people, and less on complaining about being persecuted.

Yet Another Church Statement on Immigration

This one's actually fairly specific and detailed. The question I have is why the church needs to keep making statements on immigration. Actually, I think I already know the answer--they keep on making statements about it because the members of the church ignore or skew the previous statements.

http://newsroom.lds.org/article/immigration-church-issues-new-statement

Vaccines and the LDS Church--The Early Years

In the early 1900's, smallpox was a dangerous disease. Fortunately, a vaccine existed. The vaccine was rather primitive, and, like today, many people believed for various reasons that it was better to not take the vaccine.

In the late 1800's, the LDS church's stance on vaccines for smallpox was unclear. Charles W. Penrose, editor of the Deseret News at the time, took a vocal stand against the vaccine, placing his faith entirely on priesthood blessings instead. He later became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, replacing Abraham O. Woodruff. Woodruff also refused to become vaccinated. He was made a member of the Twelve at the age of twenty-three, and died less than eight years later, in Mexico. Cause of death? Both he and his wife died of smallpox. Had Woodruff been vaccinated, there is a very good chance he would have become the president of the church. His suspicion of medicine, and his over-reliance on faith, resulted in his early death and changed the course of church history. Had he lived as long as Penrose lived, for example, he would have been prophet from 1945 to 1965--twenty years. George Albert Smith would never have been prophet. David O. McKay would have been the prophet for only five years instead of nineteen.

Joseph F. Smith noted in 1910 in the Improvement Era (the church magazine at the time) that his guardians had vaccinated him against small pox as a child, and "I am as satisfied as I can be that had it not been for vaccination, I would have had the disease in very bad form. I believe that our elders ought to be vaccinated. Now, I know that this will not be in accordance with some people's views. We receive word that many of our elders, who have failed to attend to this matter, are exposed to the disease and become affected with it; and recently a number of them have had to be taken to the pest-houses to be cared for."

By 1926 (and perhaps earlier) it was standard for LDS missionaries to be vaccinated for smallpox.

In fact, around that time the church supported compulsory (forced) vaccinations for smallpox. Utah, however, still refused to make a compulsory vaccination law until 1931, when they were forced to do so by the federal government.

I'm having difficulty tracking down a date for when the church officially started supporting compulsory smallpox vaccinations. If anyone can find more details, let me know. I should point out that Joseph F. Smith became the president of the church in 1901, but I am not certain when his views about vaccination were first publicized. I therefore do not know if Woodruff was ignoring advice from his superiors when he refused to receive the vaccination.

Billboards

Having driven I-15 between South Jordan and Idaho Falls quite a bit these past two weeks, I've noticed a huge number of billboards. I almost think there are more billboards on I-15 in Northern Utah than there are on the entire stretch of I-80 (which runs almost 3000 miles).

In any case, a few things I noticed.

A huge number of billboards focusing on plastic surgery. Must be a Utah thing.

A billboard for doctors that referred to the children's song "Head, shoulders, knees and toes." Nothing like a silly children's song to give you confidence in your doctor...

A "Pass it On" billboard with a picture of Jackie Robinson and the statement, "Here's to you Mr. Robinson." Nothing like a reference to the Simon and Garfunkel song about an adulterous woman going after a young man to praise a pioneer in civil rights...I've seen that billboard before, and I really wish its owners would realize how stupid and offensive it is and take it down.

There were also quite a few clever billboards. Nothing, however, nearly as good as this:

That's just incredibly awesome. Although I've got to wonder if it negatively affects the amount of business those vending machines, etc. get.

Utah County Republicans put party over religion

If you've been following the immigration issue in Utah, you know that Utah recently passed an immigration law, and you know that the LDS church supported the law. The law is actually a collection of laws--a comprehensive immigration reform. Anti-immigration types call it unconstitutional (which it might be) and amnesty.

So how do members of the church respond? In Utah County (where more than half a million people live, the majority LDS) Republicans voted to repeal it. Or at least part of it. Wow. The church has come down pretty hard about it's opinion on immigration lately. And many members are in denial, while others lean towards apostasy (especially, apparently, many in Provo and surrounding cities). Meanwhile, the church has to repeat itself to members who don't believe it means what it says.

Over two years ago, a missionary from what was formerly the Cincinnati mission was deported. (I know because I was here, in Cincinnati, at the time). He had gone to high school in the U.S., and the prophet sent him on the mission even though he wasn't legally in the U.S. Now a branch president in Utah is being deported. Part of me wonders if a member of the church in his stake reported him. The church newspaper, the Deseret News, didn't have a single article about the missionary. Fortunately, they've changed their approach now and did an article about the branch president. They've also done other articles about members who have been deported. (The Salt Lake Tribune, of course, reported about both the missionary and the branch president). The church has made itself more than clear--some things matter more than our immigration laws. Unfortunately, those who put politics over their faith aren't getting the message. That's their right, but they need to understand that that's what their doing, and that their church disagrees with them. They need to understand that while they can still be members in good standing, they are in exactly the same position as LDS opponents of Proposition 8 were a couple of years ago. They are disagreeing with church leadership.

Random things

So I just realized blogger has a number of new features, including a map of who's looked at my site. For some reason, it claims that my blog site has had 14 views from Iran this past week. What's up with that?

Also, anyone else paying attention to the church's stance on immigration? The church makes itself clear, and then just days later has to repeat itself because the anti-immigration crowd refuses to believe it and keeps calling church headquarters to ask if that's actually the church's position. I'm a bit curious about what church statements cause people to leave the church (either officially or unofficially). I'm betting this ranks way up there. Above Proposition 8. Above anything else in my lifetime. What do you think?

Had an interview today. Not sure how it went. Would be a great place to work--it's a company that places international healthcare workers in the U.S. But it's an incredibly tough market out there for young attorneys. People say it will work out, and I'm sure it will, but frankly I just want a decent job that pays enough so I can support my family, and I don't want to wait even more time for it. We've spent the last three years in poverty, with April and I both working part-time while I attend law school. I'm ready for that to end. It's scary not having a job lined up, especially with another kid on the way. Hopefully something will work out--and soon.

Chuck and Game of Thrones

I already knew Chuck's creators have great tastes in music (Rush, anyone?). Now Chuck's reading "A Game of Thrones." (The very beginning of Season 4, Episode 20). Awesome.

Can a good Mormon be a Democrat Survey

Apparently, less active Utah Mormons are almost twice as likely to believe that a good Mormon can't be a Democrat as are active Mormons. Any ideas on what can explain that? Granted, it would be nice to know sample size on this survey, and it's very limited geographically, but it's still an interesting result.

The Killing

So, AMC has a new show--The Killing. It's a dark, Scandinavia-influenced detective story that takes place in Seattle. Very good (consistent with AMC TV shows within the last few years, and perhaps even better). And the lead actor, Mireille Enos, is apparently LDS. With the possible exception of Dollhouse (where the lead actor was raised LDS), this is the only TV show I know of with that distinction.

Did I mention it's good?

Amazon might still have the first two episodes for free. If you're into good TV, and aren't turned off by the PG-13 nature (did I mention it's dark?) you're in for a treat.

The move

So, we've decided to move.

The economy is horrible right now for new graduates. I'm attending a quality law school, and, under most circumstances, law school graduates from the University of Cincinnati have no problem finding good jobs. Large law firms, mid-sized firms, small law firms, judicial clerkships, government jobs--not a problem. Heck, we even had ourselves a president (President Taft) and Supreme Court Chief Justice (ummm--Chief Justice Taft) back in the day. And we're still the most-respected law school in the Cincinnati area.

Problem is, no one's hiring, except for the government. The Cincinnati branch of the firm I'm clerking at just laid off two of their seven attorneys. Most of my classmates can't find work. Those that have found work either have good connections (we're talking life-long family connections here) or fantastic law school grades (top 15% of the class--where I'm at--apparently don't cut it).

Last year was the same--and I think the lack of jobs led to UC Law's drop in the Law School rankings. Still decently ranked, but a bit lower than when I first entered. I think Ohio is dying. Good grades, two years of Law Review, fantastic job experience (two years clerking for a mid-sized firm), and a (rare in law) science/medicine background aren't good enough for me to be hired in this economy, so we've decided to pick up and move. Better to be jobless and be close to family than to be jobless and isolated.

I think the job market is a little better out West. April's from Idaho Falls, so we've decided to move out there as soon as I graduate. I sent in my Idaho bar application today, and I'll take the bar there in late July. Hopefully the fact that I'll be living in Idaho will be a big help in finding a job there--employers are more likely to ask for an interview when you're already in the area.

We move right after graduation, in mid-May. So we're packing, I'm looking into getting a two-way radio and a wireless FM modulator (April will have a CD player in the car while I'll be driving the moving truck, so I need my music to keep me going), and we're looking into how to get the cheapest moving truck. And, of course, I'm still looking for job openings out there. Wish us luck.

Immigration Reform in Utah

Utah has actually gone forward and passed sensible immigration reform. Presiding LDS Bishop, Bishop Burton, spoke at the signing ceremony.

"Our presence here testifies to the fact that we are appreciative of what has happened in the Legislature this session...We feel the Legislature has done an incredible job on a very complex issue.” (Quoted from the Salt Lake Tribune).

LDS anti-immigration types who opposed the immigration reform weren't as happy, with statements ranging from full-blown denial to what looks like apostasy.

“I am shocked that the church would support a bill that literally sacrifices 50,000 Utah children, who are the victims of identity theft, for the benefit of illegal aliens...The church has sent so many conflicting messages, I just don’t know where they are coming from.” (Ron Mortenson, Center For Immigration Studies).

Actually, the church has not sent conflicting messages. If you believe they've been sending conflicting messages about immigration, you haven't been paying attention. They supported the Utah Compact, after all.

“David Burton has a right to be present or to be involved in any affairs concerning the faith, but he does not speak for the First Presidency.” (Morales-LLan, head of Legal Immigrants for Immigration Law Enforcement).

Actually, it sounds like he was there on behalf of the First Presidency, and so he does speak for them.

Wonder how Russell Pearce, the LDS Arizona state senator who was the leading force behind Arizona's extreme anti-immigrant laws, feels about this?

Don't get me wrong. Members of the church have a right to believe what they want to. It's just fun to see these people "shocked" by the actions of the church. They continue to get notice that the measures they support--measures such as driving all illegal immigrants from the country--don't conform with the church's stance on the matter.

Best free online place to store pictures

We store our pictures on our PC, and sometimes I'll copy those pictures to a CD. However, I've decided I need an easier way to provide backup in case our PC crashes. What's the best online place to do this? (I'm thinking along the lines of Flickr, etc.)

What I'm looking for:

1. Easy copying (we use a Kodak software, and it would be great if I could copy whole folders of pictures).

2. Reliability

3. No degradation of picture quality (so, for example, if we upgrade to a better camera with more megapixels, I want to be able to save that same quality online).

Any recommendations?

Between Family and Beliefs

I have an LDS friend here in Cincinnati who is very outspoken about his beliefs regarding gay marriage. He sends out mass emails on the subject, attends rallies that support the traditional family structure, and writes blogs about the subject matter. He was even interviewed at one of the rallies he attended, and he told the journalist that he had a gay brother but he was still fighting against gay marriage. The gay brother found out about the interview, got mad, and, needless to say, stopped talking to my friend.

Meanwhile, I myself find myself occasionally getting into arguments with my parents. For example, they donate considerable amounts of money to a conservative Christian group that refuses to hire Mormons because they don't fit the group's definition of Christian. I should have probably just brought up that fact and then let it go (although even bringing it up made my mother raving mad). But I was a bit surprised that my parents defended this bigoted group, so I kept arguing with my mother about it.

I think many of us are involved in things that can cause conflict within the family. Where do we draw the line on our involvement? Do we go all-out and get into full-blown arguments and attend rallies that directly attack our family members? In other words, do we put our causes, often good causes, and place them ahead of our family relationships? If we want to have strong family relationships, we need to make those relationships a priority.

My mom's family sets a good example. Two of her siblings are not active in the LDS church. One is what I'd call a fundamentalist Christian (not sure of the denomination). The other went inactive--although I hear he's attending church now. Despite the differences in belief, the family is still close-knit. It hasn't torn the family apart like it could have. And that, I believe, is a good thing. Family is, after all, more important than causes.

TV update

"Justified" is back and should be showing up on Hulu shortly. I consider it the best show on TV. Very smart. And a new show, "Chicago Code," is looking pretty decent. Cop show about getting rid of government corruption. You can check out reviews on www.metacritic.com, one of my new favorite websites.

Chuck's gone downhill ever since Chuck gained physical superpowers. Not sure if I'll continue watching. White Collar is decent.
The Cape is a disappointment, as is No Ordinary Family.
Rubicon was canceled (I still highly recommend the slow-pace thriller).

We had a couple of years of great TV, and now it feels like it's gone downhill again. Guess I'll go back to watching my X-Files DVDs again.

Help me out--what else is good out there? Doesn't necessarily need to be current.

Mormon for President, 2012

If you haven't heard, Romney's not the only Mormon with aspirations for the Presidency in 2012. Jon Huntsman, former governor of Utah and Ambassador to China (who also happens to have exquisite tastes in music--in other words, a progressive rock fan) also apparently has aspirations for 2012. Now I happen to think that it's probably just a test run for 2016, and I don't think a moderate Republican has much of a chance of winning the primaries in 2012 (although I would argue that a moderate Republican is the only one that would be able to beat Obama).

Anyway, that brings me to a wonderful little graph that details Republican contenders for 2012. Take a look.



The good news is, Romney and Huntsman are both sane. The bad news--only three of the 13 contenders are sane, and there's doubt as to whether the majority of people voting in the Republican primary will vote for a sane candidate. And then there's the problem of religious bigotry in the South, which would probably seriously hurt two of the three sane candidates. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.