One chart says it all:

It is emotionally satisfying for various liberal hacks and politicians to blame ideology and pressure groups for the failure of gun control in the Senate. But the reality is that Americans increasingly feel safe with a gun in the home and see it as a viable means of self-defense. Gun control bills are seen as potentially threatening that freedom. In addition, it is worth pointing out as I did in this post that crime is way, way down overall despite the increase in guns, so any attempt to limit law-abiding people from buying guns will not be popular.

And by the way, the claim that 90 percent of people favor background checks is highly misleading. As in every poll, it depends on how you ask the question, and it is also worth pointing out that the vast majority of legal gun sales already involve background checks.

Let me start this post by saying I sell internet fiber for a living. Mostly international fiber on undersea cables. So, anytime people are getting faster internet links, I think, “ka-ching” (you know, the cash register sound).

Big-time ka-ching every time Google expands somewhere, which is what is going on in Provo.

Google announced that Provo would be the third city to become a “Google Fiber City.”

What this means in practice is that people in Provo will get (according to Google):

if the deal is approved and the acquisition closes, we’d offer our Free Internet service (5 Mbps speeds) to every home along the existing Provo network, for a $30 activation fee and no monthly charge for at least seven years. We would also offer Google Fiber Gigabit Internet—up to 100x faster Internet than today’s average broadband speeds—and the option for Google Fiber TV service with hundreds of your favorite channels. We’d also provide free Gigabit Internet service to 25 local public institutions like schools, hospitals and libraries.

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Title: Standing on the Promises, Book One: One More River to Cross
Author: Margaret Blair Young and Darius Aidan Gray
Publisher: Zarahemla Press
Genre: Historical Fiction

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By Kathryn Skaggs

I don’t recall ever feeling to cherish a General Conference more than this latest one, because this one caused an epiphany beyond former realizations as to the dire necessity of our need to have prophets upon the earth; that they should speak and we must act.

That they did their part was glorious to me and tremendously faith reaffirming; giving me such a renewal of strength which, although I knew I was in need of going into conference, as we all generally feel, but when the injection came, it overwhelmed me in such a way that the strength of its force took me off guard; in that only after the fact did I realized just how deficient I had become; yet amazed that in discovering myself in such a weakened stated, even so I had miraculously, and unbeknownst, been sustained by His strong and mighty Hands; a humbling revelation.

Breaking away from past conference reporting…

By Kathryn Skaggs

Media Room: Trent Toone, Kathryn Skaggs

Saturday’s sessions of the April 2013 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), had me thoroughly engaged — every second, during each of the day’s meetings.

Perhaps I was unknowingly spiritually dehydrated? And one could easily blame it on the times we are living in, causing us all to feel as though the winds and the waves are literally refusing to obey — clearly heaving beyond their bounds. Also, I will confess, it could very well be that I was trying with all my might, mind and strength, to perform my social media duties with as much precision as humanly possible — no pressure!

Nevertheless, whatever the reason for my state of mind — even if all of the above — the words of living prophets and inspired leaders, when they began to come forth, for this famished soul, were like manna from heaven — and I did lap them up, not caring if I had to fall to the ground to consume every… last… word.

But wait. Let’s back things up a bit… because, at least for me (and I’m sure many of you will agree) that unusually, and not officially mind you, but this General Conference, actually began on Friday. That’s right. In case you missed it, on Friday, the Mormon Newsroom released back-to-back, two significant items of interest. And both, directly affecting the women of the Church.

The first, a 15 minute video discussion, featuring the three general President’s of each of the women’s auxiliaries, discussing equality and priesthood. And second, a press release, announcing a new Mission Leadership Council, which will utilize sister missionaries in the mission field, giving them much more responsibility for teaching and training sisters in the field, and counseling with priesthood leaders.

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