See Hear Speak No Evil

Archive for the 'my two cents' Category

Jan 07 2009

more on drinking from the utah senate

we’re fortunate here in utah that most of our state government body has embraced social media. from senatesite.com

It’s likely someone in your current circle of family and friends is still alive today because of those unique laws [utah alcohol regulation laws]. If we mimic other states’ law we may soon mimic their fatality rates.

we don’t have low alcohol-related fatality rates because of our alcohol laws; we have low alcohol-related fatality rates because the 80 percent (source: google [an inside joke]) of utah’s population is LDS. how can we statistically prove the laws in utah, as they stand, have affected alcohol-related fatalities?

we can’t.

here’s something i DO agree with (in part):

1. We’re concerned by violence done by impaired drivers on Utah streets.

2. We’re concerned by the harmful impact of underage drinking.

3. At some level we’re concerned by the harmful effects of overconsumption.

i’m not sure i would use the term “violence” as they used it in the first point there, but i’m concerned about all of these things. but i’m also concerned about the protection of my rights. i want my private information to be kept private. i want to make my own choices.

particularly of note…the comment left by dominique. i’ll copy and paste it here…

Dear Senator Waddoups:

As I read the KSL article in regards to the alcohol legislation you are proposing, I was truly amazed at how backward thinking this legislation really is.

I was reared in a large Mormon family in Northern Utah. Alcohol was forbidden in our home. We were not even allowed to discuss alcohol. Whenever a TV show had alcohol, the evils of alcohol were reiterated and often the channel was changed. I know this took place in most of my close friends’ home as well.

In spite of “hiding” alcohol from all of us, my group of LDS friends had an incredibly high amount of alcohol abuse. Alcohol became, literally, the forbidden fruit that everyone would do anything to partake of. I was the designated driver, even though that term did not exist at that time. I sobered up so many of my friends and “hid” them in my bedroom so their parents, and mine, wouldn’t find out.

We knew the consequences of being found out. It wouldn’t be a good tongue lashing, although that would be included. The consequences of partaking of alcohol were physical and emotional abuse.

At 35, I took my first drink. I do have alcohol in my home. It is visible and my sons have grown up with visible alcohol in the home since their early teenage years. I drink responsibly, and never partake more than 1 ounce per hour if I know I have to drive. My children have learned from a healthy example of responsible drinking. There have been no negative experiences.

In contrast, I cannot tell you how many times one of their friends comes to our home, fearful of the same consequences of my youth. We have even had Mormon relatives come to us terrified of being “found out”. We have helped so many of them sober up and when appropriate, have helped them open a discussion with their parents and families.

Hiding alcohol is not the solution. The “alcopops” experiment has already shown signs of dismal failure. This legislation will harm, not help.

Our economy is on life support. Our health care system is in dire straights and too many of our families have no access to health care. Our infrastructure also needs attention. Too many people who fit into one of the many “other” boxes cannot find suitable employment or housing due to discrimination. We’re exploiting and plundering our non-renewable resources at unprecedented levels.

Better we find the path to health care for even the “least of these, my brethren”; we forbid housing and employment discrimination; we invest in solar and wind power so our precious non-renewable resources are used prudently; we revive our economy with jobs rebuilding our infrastructure; we educate our children to make our world a better place.

I beseech you to concentrate your intellect, your compassion, your honorable efforts, your time and talents into what really matters today.

Respectfully,
Dominique Storni

she makes a great argument, does she not?

ok, i’ll quit talking about liquor for a while. at least the laws of liquor. i reserve the right to post about my personal consumption of liquor at any time.

**edit 12:28 p.m.** this just in from thetruant.com (utah’s very own theonion.com-type newsite) go read it after you’re done here…

7 responses so far

Jan 06 2009

ripping down the zion curtain

Published by jess under my two cents

it’s no secret that drinking in utah can be complicated. with that said, i’ve traveled enough to know that it can be complicated in most states. some states have ENTIRELY DRY COUNTIES. many states have state-controlled liquor stores - utah is one of these states. recently, an 18-yr-old was able to purchase liquor at a state store in vernal.

however, a recent state law moved so-called “cheer beer” (wine coolers and other flavored malt beverages like mike’s hard lemonade, bacardi raz, and smirnoff silver) OUT of grocery and convenience stores and INTO the state controlled liquor stores. this law was designed to keep minors from buying “alco-pops” as these drinks were labeled by some douche bag at the utah alcohol control board, or whatever it’s called. (DABC…btw..) maybe the media labeled the drinks as such, i’m not sure. it doesn’t matter. you also can no longer purchase these “cheer beers” in bars, either.

governor jon m. huntsman has long wanted to remove the private club law from the books. for you out of towners, the private club law says you have to have a membership to any bar in utah in order to buy mixed drinks. you have to provide them with your personal information and pay a membership fee just to get in the door - whether you plan to order an alcoholic beverage or not. the thinking here is that if you buy a membership, you are likely to drink less and then you definitely won’t drive AFTER drinking. see the logic??

me neither.

currently, this is a hot topic in utah and is being argued before the state senate. the senate president, michael waddoups, is completely against changing ANY of the liquor laws and has said that he will fight for the status quo. his wife was hit by a drunk driver a few years ago (she lived, i believe), so he’s got a personal interest in this legislation (which is see as a slight conflict of interest). he believes that this stupid private club law will continue to keep drunk drivers off the streets.

he’s dead wrong (no pun intended). it only puts a stigma on the state of utah and makes it difficult for people who are on vacation to have a drink while they are relaxing. this state relies heavily on tourism year round and drinking is something tourists do.

now waddoups is getting even crazier. he wants to put up barriers to prevent children from SEEING alcohol being poured in restaurants. this idea has been brought up before and the barriers are commonly referred to as “zion curtains.”

from the deseret news: (h/t to tom grover)

“Restaurants are turning into bars,” Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said. “It’s making it look attractive. Kids see it and wonder what they’re missing. I think we need to be a little more strict.”

mixing drinks behind a “zion curtain” or behind closed doors makes them all secret (imagine me wiggling my fingers and talking in a spooky voice…) and mysterious and kids just can’t help but wonder, “hey! what is IN that glass??” do kids really Damien: Omen II the movie Quid Pro Quo trailer

wonder what they are missing?? what planet does this guy live on? what if my son sees a scantily clad woman? does he wonder what he’s missing? what if he reads a story in a book about drinking or smoking or killing? does he wonder what he’s missing then?? don’t insult the intelligence* of children, mr. waddoups. and let me do my own damn parenting, thank you very much.

*while i believe children are as intelligent as adults, they are nowhere near as wise. that is where PARENTING comes into play…

“I just don’t think the message we want to send is, ‘Look at the pretty bottles,”‘ he [waddoups] said.

waddoups’ kind of thinking irritates me to no end. there is no free agency. don’t we teach our children to be responsible? i know that is my biggest job as a parent: to teach my children. i follow a fairly basic philosophy when it comes to choices: here are your choices, and here are the consequences of those choices. every choice has a consequence. and while the term “consequence” has negative connotation, not every consequence is negative. there are positive outcomes to our choices. i’m not just talking about drinking. i’m talking about every single choice we make. that is how i’ve taught my kids. in addition to choices and outcomes, everything needs to be done in moderation. there IS too much of a good thing, even if you do want to eat 27 cups of spinach for dinner. trust me, your bowels will pay you back tomorrow.

there is no easy answer here, but i will tell you this: making prohibition-type laws will NOT decrease alcohol consumption or get people to quit drinking and driving. education is paramount. i’m in favor of liberalizing liquor laws, and stiffening the penalties for people who ARE dumb enough to drink and drive. for minors who try to sneak into bars and liquor stores and restaurants to imbibe. people who are caught driving under the influence typically get off way.too.easy. let’s up the penalty for the first offense, and triple it for each additional offense. driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. the state should consider seizure of the property of the offender and sell it at state auction or donate it to charity. offenders should face stiff fines and be required to do an insane amount of community service hours. rehabilitation should be mandatory. we don’t have room in the jails for these people; so rehab, fines and community service are the way to go.

maybe THESE penalties will be scarier than the ultimate life sentence: death. we all know drunk driving kills. and that doesn’t dissuade the drunk driver. it’s time for judges and communities to be strict on the consequences of the law…and it’s time to consider stiffening the penalties exponentially. but limiting the alcohol consumption is the backwards way of doing this.The Merry Gentleman dvd

12 responses so far

Dec 10 2008

8 ways to Green your holidays

Published by Al under my two cents

this entire article came from ENN… see more here

‘Tis the season to give, celebrate and renew. It only takes a small commitment to protect the environment. Here are eight simple ways you can make a difference this holiday season:
1. Rethink the Gift Wrap
It’s time to think outside the box, for real. Not only are most wrapping types wasteful, but its been done, year after year. Break out of your comfort zone and create some great looks with reuse items found around your house.

* Bows
* Bags
* Fabrics
* Newspaper comics
* Magazines
* Decorative boxes

These scrap items can be used to make that gift even more special. They can also be reused year after year.

2. Keep the Trees Truly Green

If part of your celebrations include a Christmas tree, choose to recycle it once the festivities are over, find local treecycling centers through Earth911.

If you want to recycle your tree, do not use tinsel or spray it with fake snow, as tinsel and white trees cannot be recycled. You can also use a live, uncut tree and replant it after the holidays or just decorate a house plant or tree in your yard.

3. Hang up your Cheer
Though ornaments have traditionally been used with Christmas trees, they can be hung from any place in the house. String them with lights to dress up a window or hang them outside. Either way you approach it, ornaments are a great craft and reuse project.

Make ornaments at home with items you may normally recycle:

1. Paper towel rolls
2. Old calendar pictures
3. Holiday wrapping paper

If you have any left over ornaments from holidays past, donate them to your local thrift store or pass them on to family and friends.

4. Keep Energy Low & Excitement High

It is easy to let energy get the best of you during the holiday months, but you can fight back with some easy ways to keep the bills down. Use a timer on your house and tree lights to avoid keeping them on all night, cuddle up next to a fire burning an eco-friendly log and keep your water heater warm with insulation.

5. Just Call
Some of the best holiday greetings don’t come in the form of paper. Forget that card and pick up the phone. It is pretty likely that most of your family and friends would prefer some real talk time over words in a card.

If sending cards is part of a die-hard tradition, save old holiday cards and create new ones by cutting the card down. Old cards also make great ornaments or can even get laminated for coasters. You could also send e-cards and save paper, or you can buy new cards made with post-consumer content.

6. Celebrate in Style Up hd
Holiday parties are some of the best times to see friends, share gifts and eat a lot of food. Instead of opting for paper and plastic, use dishes, silverware and cloth napkins instead of disposable utensils and paper products.

Don’t have enough reusable plates for everyone? No problem! Make it BYOP, and have everyone bring their own plates, forks and cups. You can even make a game out of it and have people trade with each other. In addition, give out leftovers so you won’t waste food. Plus, your guests already brought their own to-go containers!

7. Shop Smart

This holiday shopping season may be tighter than years past, so it’s time to get strategic. Many online retailers not only offer free shipping, but by getting it directly delivered to you, your car can stay parked in your driveway. If you do venture out to the mall, plan a trip with friends to carpool and save resources, and try to consolidate your shopping trips into as few as possible.

8. Resolve That Resolution
Though New Year’s is still a ways off, now is a great time to begin planning your changes for 2009. Want to buck that plastic habit, get that commute to be a group affair or increase your recycling efforts? The new year is a national time where change is praised and encouraged. Do some research, and start the new year off with a plan. Hold onto your hat 2009, here we come!

2 responses so far

Oct 22 2008

I am mad!!!

Published by Bridge under bridge, my two cents

Last night when I checked my email I had received 13 messages from my husband’s aunt. I am mad because these emails were very hateful and were the bullshit emails spewing crap about Obama.

Here is basically the subject line from the emails I received…

*Community group named Acorn.
*How Obama supports Kenya.
*Huge gap in Obama financials.
*Second American Revolution.
*Muslim terrorist.
*Secret foreign money flooding Obama’s campaign.
*Then again… Secret foreign money flooding Obama’s campaign.
*Obama to explain why he doesn’t follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.
*Fannie Mae CEO calling Obama and the Dems the “Family” and “Conscience” of Fannie Mae.
*On or about October 5th, Biden will excuse himself from the ticket, citing health problems, and he will be replaced by Hillary. This is timed to occur after the VP debate on 10/2.
*Video with the Star Spangled Banner.
*Jay Leno saying we need to blame the media for people hating George Bush.
*Sarah Palin can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.
*Pictures of Muslims marching through the streets of London.

I sent back and email to her that said,

“Will you please take me off of your email list that you send political or religious emails to? I would appreciate it.

As a registered Democrat I will be voting for Obama. The amount of hurtful propaganda certain people are circulating through email is ridiculous.”

Have you received these emails? Are you mad? I hate spam emails in the first place. Even if I was voting for McCain I would be mad about these emails.

This week I have actually heard these two comments…

“I hope (insert name here) votes for McCain. You know if Obama becomes president we will lose our guns.” This was said by an older gentleman working at a Cal Ranch store.

“I can’t believe you would vote for Obama. He is a Muslim.” This was said by someone who I am related to.

First of all, the Democrats can’t get rid of guns. They can pass legistlation to make it harder to get guns, but they can’t take your guns away. You know… the right to bear arms and all? They can’t take guns away unless they could ammend the Constitution and that is HARD. Secondly, I am very embarassed that someone I am related to actually fell for the propoganda and slander. /sigh

20 responses so far

Apr 14 2008

Today’s enviro-friendly tip- Fish

Published by Al under al, health, my two cents

I just came across this post over at Ancora Imparo about how one goes about making the right choices when purchasing fish. And by ‘right’ I mean purchasing fish from that are either fished in a sustainable manner (think Alaskan salmon or Maine lobster) or farmed in a sustainable and enviro-friendly way.

I have actually used the card before (when I ate fish, that is) and found it very information and useful. Really, it made me think about what I was going to buy. This translated into scruitinizing all of my food purchases and taking the time to consider the where’s and how’s of my food choice impacts on the greater global community.

For example, I will choose an apple grown with pesticides in NM or CO or even WA over an apple grown without pesticides in Chile. One must take into account the transportation cost and petroleum used to get that organic apple from Chile to my local store in Albuquerque. I do know that I have the option to spend 10 minutes at the grocery store contemplating these issues, while many others do not. However, it only takes a few seconds to consider the location where your food is produced and begin to make decisions based on the ideas you come up with. It really boils down to what is important for you and where you can make small personal changes that make a global impact.

As this blog says, when you start asking questions about where and how, the suppliers start to wake up and realize they have to change their practices or business is lost.

7 responses so far

Apr 03 2008

Your Carbon Footprint, if you please

Published by Al under al, my two cents

Ok, so I’m currently on a roll with this blogging about being more sustainable and friendly to our ole’ Mama Earth (yeah, I call 2 posts in a row “a roll”).

First, I’d like, no LOVE to congratulate you for kicking my ass and taking names at the PC quiz. You rock, readers.

Today, I calculated my carbon footprint. I’ve used a variety of different websites to do this before and each of them calculate your footprint differently. I’ve seen some that will tell you how many planets we would need if everyone on the planet lived the same way I did (if I remember correctly, it was approximately 4.3 planets if you live your life like I do).

The one I took today calculated the amount of carbon I use per year and gives me the option to purchase offsets (I’d like to note hear that you can purchase offsets for vacations/flights on both Travelocity and Orbitz. Also, if when purchasing a ticket via the Delta website, you have the option to buy offsets for your flight there as well and it’s CHEAP! $12 for an international flight.)

Anywho- so I came across this website today where I calculated my carbon tonnage (and it’s from the UK, bitches, so they say ‘tonnes.’) It seems that I’m not doing as bad as I thought but am no where near where I’d like to be.

How am I best going to change this, readers? I commute via bicycle to work at least 2 times a week (when I’m actually in the office and not in the field). But when not commuting via bicycle, I drive my car instead of taking the bus.

If my new goal for the month is to take the bus at least 1 time per week, again when in the office, is this going to make me feel better while decreasing the amount of carbon I put into the atmosphere? Probably. I just have to get it into my head and DO IT. It’s the same when I bike. I have to tell myself before I go to bed and when I’m waking up that I’m going to bike that day and, in doing so, force myself into it.

Alternatively, I should be able to carpool to work. There are 2 other people that live within a mile of me. There’s no reason that we all should be driving separately. It’s ludicrous.

I’m also gearing up to join a CSA (community supported agriculture), basically a local farm, in the area that not only grows and distributes organic and locally grown food but help other farmers in the northern New Mexico area sell their produce as well. It means the amount of carbon used to get my food to me is decreased and my footprint lessened.

Any other ideas?

8 responses so far

Apr 02 2008

April is Earth month

Published by Al under al, humor, my two cents

First, Bridge, I love the new banner but why I gotta be Weird Al? Dude. Seriously, you coulda at least found a pic of him while doing his ‘Fat’ video. Just cuz you put together the banner doesn’t mean you should be the only hottie.

Second, and the real reason for my post.

April is Earth Day month. So I thought I’d pass along a few things, through out the month, that I come across (and believe you, me, there’s a possibility to be a lot). Today, I came across this little PC quiz which is designed to give everyone a little education about various ways you can green your PC usage. My score, 75/100 (yes, that’s a C).

I know I can be a bit excessive when it comes to a variety of these environmental/green tips, but once I made them habitual, it was easy, and (maybe most importantly) my electricity bill went down. So a few tips from Al, the resident Greenie (and apparently only male) at SHSNE:

- use power strips for your computer, tv/vcr/dvd/stereo, appliances in the kitchen. When these things are not in use (i.e., during the day when no one is at home) shut off the power switch. These electronics really DO consume energy when plugged in but not on. And don’t forget the cell phone charger. I only leave a lamp on my bed side table and a little radio plugged in. Everything else gets shut off when I’m not in.

- turn off your computer at night. Seriously, when did we decide that they should be left on constantly? I even do this at work. As I said, excessive.

-switch all your incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent. And I don’t want to hear the argument that you don’t like the quality of the light the fluorescent puts out. They’ve got variety, BABY! You don’t have to worry about your kitchen looking like some horror flick where the lights flicker on and off. You can purchase bulbs that will put out similar light quality to that which you are accustomed. And if cost is a problem, think about the long term savings (and usually you can get some sort of refund). I’ve had the same bulb in my living room lamp for 4 years now. psst… read this for more information about CFLs

-Think LOCALLY! If you can find locally grown produce, meat, dairy (as I’ve seen at both Jess and Bridge’s in CV), purchase it. It takes far fewer fossil fuels to produce and move those products (even if they’re not grown organically) than it does to buy the same product produced 3 states away and shipped here for our consuming pleasure.

And from my green heart to yours… thanks.