OCR Text |
Show Page 5 FEBRUARY 1,2007 THE GARFIELP COUNTY INSIDER SOMETHING NOT TO LAUGH ABOUT If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/ comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. Here at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife. Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad. Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about and we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't knowrightfromwrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. * ALL ABOARD! Our Brace Caboose is now making life easier for our patients in outlying communities: Beaver, Bicknell, Circleville, Delta, Ephraim, Fillmore, Gunnison, Manti, Milford, Junction, Monroe and Salina. On days we're in the mobile office, our office phone is forwarded to us, so we can still be reached. 1-888-BRACEME 150 E 200 N • Richfield, UT GRASSROOTS SUPPORT RESULTS IN NEW PROPOSED UTAH LICENSE PLATES RockArt, Skier, and Delicate Arch Represented on Two Plate Designs Utah motorists will have new license plates to choose for their vehicles at the beginning of next year if proposed legislation is passed by Utah lawmakers. Senator Dan Eastman has introduced SB73, which updates the current Ski Utah and Centennial license plates that feature Utah's iconic Delicate Arch. Craig Johnson, a member of the Utah chapter of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, said he and a couple of other "automotive enthusiasts" got together last November to see what they could do to get the current plates updated. "It came together a lot faster than I thought," said Johnson who is excited with the new ski plate. "It shows the larger, energetic skier along with the mountain background which is appealing and represents the state well." The current ski plate has been in circulation since 1985, and Johnson said it wasn't winning any beauty contests among plate collectors. "With the technology advances over the past 21 years, we can make more attractive plates than was possible in the past," he said. "We're delighted to see the Utah 'Life Elevated' brand on the new plate designs,'.' said Leigh, von. derEsch, managing director of the-Utah, Office ofTQiUr ism. "The plates will extend the reach of new branding by including 'Life Elevated' and we will continue to use the Greatest Snow on Earth®, which has been used to promote business and tourism in Utah for four decades." "As an industry, we're excited to see the state continue to support the 'Greatest Snow on Earth' slogan," said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah, the association that represents Utah's 13 ski resorts. "The petroglyph - decorated red rocks are an excellent backdrop to the license plate and I hope that Utah citizens will appreciate the American Indians' contributions to our state," said Forrest Cuch, director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs. "We are continuing to thrive and experiencing life elevated!" The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reports 2.1 million cars and trucks in Utah display the current Ski Utah and Centennial plates. "Both new plates work from a regulatory standpoint," said Brad Simpson, director of the DMV, who explained that the plates must be seen from 100 feet and display the word Utah. The DMV issues up to 600,000 new license plates a year. If the legislation passes, Simpson said the new plates would be available after the old inventory is depleted, which would be around the beginning of 2008. Motorists can continue to use their existing plates. 'V^MSI I II I IWII II V. LENDER V Mortgage "Giving You A Better Option For Your Mortgage Needs" Free Prequalifications - Give us a call. • Construction Loans • Lot Loans •Purchases •Refinance - Interest Only Loans - Investment and 2nd Homes - Home Improvement Loans -100% Financing Wayne Ott 435-590-6082 Sherrell Ott 435-679-8671 |