The most recent installment of the biweekly Hamblin/Peterson Deseret News column is now up:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865649325/Kings-and-conversion.html   Posted from Monterey, California     Read more

    It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure on the world. John Steinbeck (d. 1968)   Posted from Monterey, California     Read more

    I’m not especially competent to judge the argument scientifically and, for reasons specific to my own particular theology, I don’t actually have much invested in the issue.   But the kerfuffle is interesting and, to some extent, amusing:   http://www.wired.com/2016/03/science-journal-invokes-creator-science-pushes-back/   Plainly, from their names, the three co-authors are know-nothing Bible Belt rubes from the rural American South.   It’s satisfying to see such an article withdrawn and suppressed!  We can’t be too protective of the tender minds... Read more

    It’s difficult to tell from a newspaper article how firmly grounded this allegation is, but, if it’s true, it both shocks and (potentially) sheds instructive light on several facts about her biography:   http://www.sltrib.com/home/3613791-155/shocking-historical-finding-mormon-icon-eliza   Posted from Monterey, California     Read more

    Those tempted by Caesarotrumpism should consider this extremely important article, written by two retired military officers who happen also to be attorneys and experts on military law:   http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/03/03/donald-trump-commander-in-chief-war-crimes-military-torture-civilian-targeting-column/81271916/   I’m very grateful to Michael Schroth, himself a lawyer (based in Ohio), for bringing this item to my attention.  I hope it gains a wide readership.   Posted from Monterey, California     Read more

    It being Friday, Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture has published a new article:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/science-and-mormonism/   Surprised?   Posted from Monterey, California     Read more

    “Nine Tales of Trump at His Trumpiest”   Perhaps one of the slogans of those who oppose Caesarotrumpism should be “Remember Vera Coking!”  There may still be some hope, though it’s waning rapidly, of recalling a few Trumpists to dim recollections of human decency.   Posted from San Jose, California     Read more

    Egotist, n.  A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.   Lottery, n.  A tax on people who are bad at math.   Bore, n.  A person who talks when you wish him to listen.   In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.   Posted from San Jose, California       Read more

    I only caught a few minutes of the Republican debate tonight.  But it was enough time for me to see Donald Trump make a coarse comment that, before the past several months — that is, before The Donald became an active candidate for the presidency of the United States — would have been utterly unthinkable in a presidential debate:   http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432338/trump-boasts-his-anatomy-i-guarantee-you-there-no-problem   So far as I can tell, the audience thought it was hilarious.   I’m beginning to... Read more

    http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/3551393-155/study-utah-quite-different-from-rest?utm_content=buffer4cba9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer     Read more