Obviously, what has been exposed to the public is exactly who’s raving (or is that ranting?). See the post immediately above.
Nevertheless Monty, “you guys” will be hosting an Olympics to host in under three years … Let’s hope that “you guys” can relax a little before and during that time, because I guarantee the TOTAL criticism “you guys” has EVER received will not equal what “you guys” will be getting that month.
Especially if the world comes to Utah and finds early curfews and no booze (or even soda). That would suck, and if that happens “you guys” will deserve every last blistering word of it.
And meanwhile every last one of “you guys’” religious practices that the rest of us think of as “different” will be put under a microscope by the world’s press.
So don’t say I didn’t warn you.
“Then you learn the lesson,
That it’s tough to be so cool …”
Not to worry, RTA. As it is, one can purchase booze even in Salt Lake City. I really don’t think the athletes competing will give a hoot about anything other than the competitions. And the foreign press will probably not be too concerned about “the microscope.” My bet is that’ll be left to the American press. “Sour grapes,” I guess, is the reason that’ll be the case.
And before anyone else launches into this: the corruption scandal has occasioned an investigation into the bidding practices over the entire history of the modern Olympics. I daresay not a single town which has been involved in that history will escape unscathed.
(Of COURSE the athletes are there mainly to compete, duh)
I daresay that as well though I place blame squarely on the corrupt IOC, and not the bidding cities.
But I think that you vastly underestimate the party atmosphere that accompanies the Olympics. There better be something for all those people to do after the sun goes down.
And like it or not the world press will in fact be turning a great deal of attention to the Church, who has been so very influential on the cultural mores and urban development in Utah.
(We already know about Mormons here in America and I think that because of this the American press will not be as quick to show an interest in them for the benefit of its consumers.)
If you want to bet on that I am perfectly willing, because I’ll win.
“Then you learn the lesson,
That it’s tough to be so cool …”
Okay, blueii…here’s a valid query for you:
Your actions above are those of one person who is ostensibly Christian. They’re an atrocious example of Christianity. Does that mean Christianity is bad or is it just you?
RTA: please stop taking logic cues from blue. 
There’s already a party atmosphere for sports present in Utah. At least, so I’ve heard. I’ve never been to Utah.
What? You’re unfamiliar with the ski lodges?
Sounds like a hoot. (rolls eyes)
“Then you learn the lesson,
That it’s tough to be so cool …”
Reading over this thread, I realized that some folks might be unaware that the LDS, an any other organization, has a heirarchy. If you do find yourself in the position of having some LDS Elder forcing an annointing on you, here’s a concept:
Say “Hold on a second, Elder, whilst I call your Bishop to see if he’s authorized your performing this against the dictates of your church. What’s his number? Yo, Bob! Where’d that elder disappear to?”
Pretty freaking simple. Too simple, apparently, for someone stuck in an ivory tower.
And yet so hard, for someone who has just died! 
“Then you learn the lesson,
That it’s tough to be so cool …”
You beat me to it, RTA! I was seriously considering putting that remark in there, myself.
Of course, what I was referring to was the annointing (as the dead folks have another avenue to protect themselves from that “terrible other ritual”).
Ya see; disagreements can be fun!
Just thought some folks would be interested in the joint press release over the proxy baptism of holocaust victims: http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/ldsagree.txt . The press release was issued by the LDS and the Jewish group in question who originally objected to the practice. I ask y’all to take note that both sides agreed to:
(1) Disallow proxy baptism of victims who did not have living family members who are members of the LDS church perform the ordinance.
(2) Remove from the rolls those proxy baptisms which did not meet (1).
(3) Allow for proxy baptisms by LDS members who are of the family of the victims.
(4) The LDS church promised to discipline any member who attempts to circumvent the agreement.
(5) Finally, the LDS church provided information on how to remove one’s relative’s name from the rolls if it did not meet the standards of the church to include the church abiding by the agreement in the link above.
Of course, bigots such as bluebird won’t even consider looking at the link, even though it’s from the “other side” of the particular question. But the rest of the planet can certainly check it out.
Bluebird-
The total number of “spouses” that Brigham Young had is far higher than the disgraceful 17 you mentioned. I have in front of me a delightful book, “Wild Women of the Victorian Era” by Autumn Stephens that mentions that Ann Eliza Young was wife #27. Her biography details what a miserable, stingy, abusive SOB he was and he subsequent divorce (in those days, divorce was a really big deal!).
I’m not sure what the total number of wives are, but it sounds like he sure bit off more than he could chew!
PR
YO! RTA!?!?!
Here’s a flash for ya - Not everyone who lives in Utah is LDS, including myself.
It is painfully obvious that you have never been to Utah. You really should refrain from making uneducated assumptions about things you don’t know anything about. The last report I saw published showed the State of Utah near the top of the list of population and business growth. We are having a hard time keeping up with the influx of people swarming to the State and it promises to get worse with the Olympics.
I am not going to belittle the State with stories of how much booze is consumed and who can out puke who, but I can assure you that the micro-breweries (ever hear of Squatters or Wasatch Brew?) and night clubs are a booming business in downtown Salt Lake City, as are comedy clubs, professional sports (Utah Jazz, car racing (Bonneville Salt Flats), Grizzlies Hockey, and :::GASP::: believe it or not, even strip joints and adult shops and nude beaches!
You shrug off the mention of Utah ski resorts. Do you know that Utah ski resorts are one of the countries biggest tourist attractions during the winter season? In fact, many celebrities own homes in and around Utah resorts (Robert Redford even owns his own resort, Sundance). The month of the Sundance Film Festival (ever hear of that?), the partying doesn’t stop. It merely slows down slightly the rest of the year. A good friend of mine owns a timeshare there and I spent three days and nights at the last Festival and believe me, it was a party. I still haven’t recovered.
Have you ever been? Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it.
Park City also hosts an all night party with sunrise hot air balloon launching. Hundreds of hot air balloons take off from the mountain at sunrise. There are weekly outdoor concerts (Dave Matthews was the last one I attended) on the mountainside. Depending on the performers, it sometimes has a Woodstock kind of feeling.
Ever hear of Moab? The entire town is full of hikers and mountain bikers and Harley riders and non-stop parties the entire year. You can literally walk down the main strip and have people pass you a drink (and maybe a joint).
During certain times of the year, Lake Powell is a huge party on the water and beach. You can literally walk from boat to boat in the coves and you can barely see the sand on the beach because there are so many people.
In Ogden, they have renovated an old street near the old train station, Historic 25TH Street. Four blocks of pubs, coffee shops, comedy clubs, night clubs, gift shops, micro-breweries. . . . Every weekend is nothing but a huge party that spills out onto the sidewalk and patios. The longer the night goes on, the more people who dance on the bar and tables.
We have a couple of movie theaters whose specialty is pitchers of beer while watching the movie. I can’t say that I enjoy the two times I went, the beer makes me pee every two minutes and I missed most of the movie.
I could continue, but I am beginning to sound like a tourist pamphlet.
I travel quite a bit for play and business. I have spent a lot of time in Seattle, Vegas (at least 4 times a year), California (southern and northern), Portland, Denver, Baltimore Inner Harbor, New York, Virginia Beach, Chicago, Washington DC, Alaska, Vancouver, Jackson Hole WY, Kansas City, the UK, and Germany. I can say with all honesty, that Utah compares quite well, if not better than most when it comes to partying.
>^,^<
KITTEN
He who walk through airport door sideways going to Bangkok. - Confucius
[joke]Not only that, Diane, but Provo, Utah also has a public swimming pool and a great library! Let no one say that Utah ain’t hip![/joke]
Bill! Where you been, man?
E-mail me or something.
Don’t be such a stranger.
SoxFan59
“Its fiction, but all the facts are true!”
[[During certain times of the year, Lake Powell is a huge party on the water and beach. You can literally walk from boat to boat in the coves and you can barely see the sand on the beach because there are so many people.]]
Gee, sounds like such fun. . .
Rich
C3:
What a young male Mormon has to do to get married is quite simple–be unmarried and of legal age in the jurisdiction in which he will engage in said marriage and contract said marriage lawfully with a currently unmarried female also of legal age in said jurisdiction.
Temple marriage however requires both parties to be “members in good standing” of the LDS church.
For more information, feel free to check: http://www.lds.org .
As far as parties go, those times of the year (Spring Break, the Boat Rally, the Biker Jam) certain areas of the Lake are packed for the simple reason to party. However, the place is so large that if you don’t want the crowds, you just go to another part of the lake and never see another living soul.
The place is HUGE - 187 miles long with 96 major side canyons and a coast line of approximately 1960 miles.
http://www.lakepowellmag.com/phototour.html
http://www.nr.state.ut.us/parks/tour.htm
>^,^<
KITTEN
He who walk through airport door sideways going to Bangkok. - Confucius
Well, upon careful reflection and “egged on” by bluebird’s call to “take the gloves off,” I’ve decided to print out and forward to the Dean of Students at North Carolina State University both this thread and the Mitochondrial DNA thread.
“Why,” you may ask, “would you do such a thing?” Well, the answer is bluebird is ostensibly a doctoral student and, according to the profile, has accessed this board from a state-supported university. The actions bluebird has taken in these two threads are express violations of the terms of service to which bluebird subscribed in order to use said state-supported equipment.
Another concern is that the “powers that be” might be more than a tad interested in what passes for research by one of their doctrinal candidates.
“doctrinal” should be “doctoral.”