Why are you crying?

Distracted walking? There’s a law for that

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Mark Shenefelt

The earphone cops are coming. Legislators in New York and Arkansas are fiddling with proposals to penalize distracted pedestrians. Specifically targeted are people texting while walking or those jogging with headphones. The crackdown on pedestrians follows a surge of legislation … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged distracted driving, ipod, jogging, Legislature, pedestrians, running, texting | 14 Comments

Gun-control bills probably dead on arrival

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Mark Shenefelt

Gun-control advocates are pushing a bill in Congress to ban high-capacity ammo magazines, but it seems obvious the legislation won’t get anywhere anytime soon. President Obama and many congressional Democrats are wary of inciting the National Rifle Association lobby heading … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged animal rights, Cheney, Congress, Giffords, Glock, gun control, guns, high-capacity magazine, humane, Legislature, Loughner, National Rifle Association, Obama, Tuscon shootings | 6 Comments

Uncle Sam saves a little Utah flower

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Mark Shenefelt

Federal agencies are trumpeting their 25-year successful program to bring back a Utah desert flower from the brink of extinction. The Maguire daisy has been removed from the government’s endangered species list. Protection began in 1985 after the flower’s survival … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged Congress, endangered species, environment, Legislature, Maguire daisy, mining, politics, southern Utah, tea party | 1 Comment

Why we will keep right on arming the mentally ill

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Mark Shenefelt

It’s past time for us to do something to get guns out of the hands of crazy people. But it won’t happen, because we’re collectively bat-guano nuts ourselves. I’ll just say it: The Arizona shooter (I’m not going to use … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged Arizona shootings, guns, politics | 32 Comments

Confessions of a vacation neurotic

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

I’m coming up on a fairly long stretch away from the office. My resolve will be tested. Vacations quaintly are designed to give your body and mind a break from work and an opportunity to do things you can’t do … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged e-mail, job, office, vacation, work, workplace | 5 Comments

Scapegoats aplenty in Roy plane crash aftermath

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

The crash of a light plane into a Roy neighborhood on Dec. 5 had many elements common to such accidents. This blog post focuses on how the crash’s aftermath progressed to the identification and savaging of scapegoats, under the category, … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged airport, city council, Godfrey, ogden, plane crash, Roy | 9 Comments

Ploy to kill health-care law has roots in history

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

Rep. Rob Bishop is at the fore of an effort in the House to chip away at the health-care reform law via an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It’s a state’s rights move that seems unlikely to get far, but … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged Congress, Health care, militia, nullification, Obama, politics, protest, state's rights, tea party | 6 Comments

Mini-blizzard and the media-technology hype

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

It was a potentially deadly blizzard roaring toward Utah on Tuesday. Everyone had plenty of warning, and many made preparations and got home early. Did our saturation of information help save the day? Or was the Blizzard of Death an … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged blizzard, Facebook, snow, Twitter, weather | 5 Comments

Pressure to lower concealed-weapon age on campuses

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

A Texas court fight is highlighting the issue of whether people ages 18-20 should be able to carry concealed weapons in public. Specifically, the practical question is: Should college students under 21 be able to pack guns on campus? Campus … Read More

Posted in Why are you crying? | Tagged Brady Campaign, college campus shootings, concealed weapons, concealed-carry permits, guns, NRA | 5 Comments

Hatch’s budget bluster lacks detail

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Mark Shenefelt

Sen. Orrin Hatch has a prescription for our government’s ills. It is, sadly, a vague agenda of toothless resolutions and go-nowhere message bills. His opinion piece in the Standard-Examiner today is loaded, of course, with the expected attacks on liberals … Read More