Categories
culture politics

A Hidden Danger for Children

Image By Don Hankins

Identity theft is certainly not a danger anyone should take lightly but parents should be especially attuned to this danger because children are at higher risk to be victims of identity theft and, because they are children the crime is less likely to be discovered in a timely manner. Adults are more likely to be using their credit and checking their credit scores and thus are more likely to become alerted to identity theft in a timely manner. For children, the very fact of having a credit score is usually an indication that their identities have been stolen. The question is, what can parents do about this.

Categories
life

Unpack Your Bags

Photo by Alistair Ross

There is something that inherently resonates with people in the idea of maximizing individual potential. I’m thinking of this for myself but as I begin to write I realize that this is a very opportune time to address this idea in the midst of the Olympics which, in its essence is a worldwide public display of athletes attempting to do exactly that in their various sporting endeavors.

I like the image of the Olympic torch to symbolize this because I am not referring to athletic accomplishments specifically but to any personal endeavor. In the Olympic Torch Relay any person could theoretically be chosen to participate – I also love the image of the runner surrounded by supporters of many varieties.

I am fascinated with the first step in realizing or maximizing personal potential which is described in The Cure for the Common Life as unpacking your bags. It is the idea that each individual is uniquely qualified to do specific kinds of things – as opposed to the popular but perhaps misleading attitude that “you can be anything you want to be.” In an ideal world a person would not be excluded from being whatever they might want to be but even in that ideal world, just because someone can be something does not mean they are really suited to that something.

Categories
culture National politics State

Political Sacred Cows

Photo by Patrick Hayes

It is a political reality that in Utah if you wish to become Governor, Senator, or representative of House District 1 you must pledge allegiance to Hill Air Force Base (HAFB). (If you want to be a representative of districts 2, 3, or 4 it doesn’t hurt to pledge allegiance to HAFB either.)

This point was made clear again yesterday as the topic emerged for the democratic candidate for Governor and both his comments regarding HAFB and the comments of other political figures in the state were aired. This tweet by my state senator started a conversation that got me thinking about our sacred cows:

“If there is another #BRAC, #Utah needs seasoned Congressmen like Rob Bishop and Orrin Hatch to protect #HAFB–not a freshman Governor #utpol” –Todd Weiler

Categories
culture

Meeting Basic Needs

Photo by Howard Lake

In order to establish a healthy family it is necessary to meet basic physical needs. Nothing else can compensate for gaps in those needs being met and when they have not been met for a family it is difficult if not impossible to focus on other areas of need in building a healthy family. This is a concern that can be addressed at the level of individual families but also at a community level.

When we speak of physical needs in a prosperous nation like the United States we are generally speaking of financial needs because everything to meet our physical needs is generally available so long as someone has the money to acquire them.