Internet Down Update

Well last week my dad clicked 'okay' on one of those software updates computers are always asking you to do. Well it turned out that the update loaded was incompatable with the way our system is now, and my internets been down for about a week. Thus I have been forced to do all my 'surfing' (already archaic 90's term aleart) during free spells on campus. Anyway my posting my continue to be iregular for a while as we try to sort all this out, but I did want to update you all on a few things.

First I finally finsihed the massive unabridged audio book of 'American Theocracy', written by the penatent author of 1969's 'The Emerging Republican Majority'. Phillips book is long and depressing, but I think he's mostly right. His theory, which is almost conventional wisdom at this point, is that the three biggest threat to the United States in the 21st century are: 1)A culture of debt, 2)Over dependence on imported oil, and 3) acceptance of radical religon in the political sphere (read the theocratic tendinces of Evangelicals, conservative Catholics, and my fellow Mormons). This book really crystilzed a lot of opinons that I have been slowely working towards for some time now. It's a downer, but worth a look, espically for moderate Republicans. So brace for America becoming the U.S. becoming the new U.K, and Chinese globel economic dominance, or express yourself at the ballot box.

I watched the 1979 film 'Escape from Alcatraz' Sunday night with my dad. The film is based on the true story of Frank Morris (Clint Eastwood), who along with two fellow inmates escaped from 'the rock' in the early 1960's, and were assumed drowned at sea. I belive they actully filmed this on Alcatraz island. Also Patrick McGoohan, who body of film work is tragically small (love 'The Prisoner'), is good as Alcatraz's slightly unstable warden.

Finally it looks like I'll be offering commentary on this weeks election on Joe's show on the 12th. It's called 'The Showcase' and is one 730 AM from 2-3 pm (or got to the University Pulse website at that time). It will be pretaped on Wendsday so I don't know how truely informed it will be. I will also be teaching the Elders Quarm lesson on Sunday, the topic is exercisng agency and making rightous choices, so it should fit right in with the theme of the week.