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Mormon Media Observer: Top 10 LDS newsmakers of 2009
Mormon Times ^ | Dec. 30, 2009 | Joel Campbell

Posted on 12/30/2009 1:32:39 PM PST by Colofornian

The Mormon Media Observer looks back at the year filled with LDS newsmakers. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tops the list, based on a newsmaker's frequency in the news as well as the significance of their stories.

1. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada

The Senate Majority Leader led the battle to push through health reform in the Senate. News coverage of Reid made a household name and the divisive debate made him out to be both villain and saint. He may still face a tough battle in his home state of Nevada to save his seat.

On Christmas The New York Times wrote:

"WASHINGTON -- It was the pinnacle moment of his political career. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, on the verge of making history by shepherding through far-reaching health care legislation, was called upon by the clerk to cast his vote. And Mr. Reid, who had fought tirelessly for months to get the health care bill adopted, looked up from his desk and said, "No." ...Mr. Reid's oh-no vote capped one of the more remarkable stretches in what is shaping up to be one of the more remarkable careers in American politics, characterized in no small part by the sheer inscrutability of much of what he says and does. In the end, of course, Congressional leaders are judged on one thing alone: whether they come up with the votes. And Mr. Reid -- the miner's son from Searchlight, Nev., the amateur boxer who worked his way through law school as a Capitol Hill police officer, who has a knack for mumbling and off-the-cuff gaffes -- had the votes."

2. Stephenie Meyer

The release of "New Moon" attracted media attention around the world. Here's a sampling of the some of the worldwide headlines: "New Moon takes biggest bite," "Vatican denounces the 'deviant' Twilight Movie," "Mormon who put new life into vampires."

The Sunday Mail of London wrote: "Her teenage vampire books outsell Harry Potter -- but she's a devout Mormon who lives modestly in Cave Creek, Ariz., and eats at the local burger joint. For a woman who has sold more than 85 million books and has been hailed as the new J. K. Rowling, it is a remarkably modest home. Set down a dusty dirt trail, the four-bedroom property blends seamlessly into the desert landscape -- low and sand-colored with just a few cacti for decoration. Only a high-tech camera and newly installed metal gates give some hint of the occupant's desire for privacy."

3. Elizabeth Smart

The young woman endured brutality and came to court this year to face her abuser, Brian David Mitchell. After attending Brigham Young University, she is preparing to serve a mission in France. She was named Utahn of the Year by the Salt Lake Tribune. The excellent tribute by Trib columnist Peg McEntee reads:

"She had wanted to confront Mitchell with her eyes and words, but, predictably, he sang his hymns and was removed from the courtroom. When it was over, Elizabeth Smart strode, tall and straight, into the rest of her life. For so many of us, her astonishing homecoming restored hope when there seemed to be none, and the knowledge that even terrible times can end, and end well. And she taught us this: Faith, whatever its source, can make amazing things happen."

4. Jon Huntsman Jr.

President Barack Obama named Utah's former governor U.S. Ambassador to China. He took his post in August. Huntsman played host to Obama during a visit to China in November. Chinese media lauded Obama for the choice for Huntsman's understanding of Chinese language and culture. Huntsman previously served a U.S. ambassador to Singapore.

5. Orrin Hatch

Sen. Orrin Hatch was a key opponent to health care reform and taken on foes like the Bowl Championship Series. He also played a role in honoring the Sen. Edward Kennedy at his death. Over the years, the pair made an interesting senatorial odd couple. Along with speaking at Kennedy's memorial service, Hatch penned this piece in Newsweek. He also penned a Hanukkah song which was both complimented and parodied on "The Tonight Show."

6. Glenn Beck

The firebrand talk show host continued to attract attention on his national radio and TV shows, through his books and in the news media. The picture of Beck sticking his tongue out made it on the cover of Time magazine and parodied on several comedy shows. Here was Time's assessment:

"Glenn Beck: the pudgy, buzz-cut, weeping phenomenon of radio, TV and books. Our hot summer of political combat is turning toward an autumn of showdowns over some of the biggest public-policy initiatives in decades. The creamy notions of postpartisan cooperation -- poured abundantly over Obama's presidential campaign a year ago -- have curdled into suspicion and feelings of helplessness. Trust is a toxic asset, sitting valueless on the national books. Good faith is trading at pennies on the dollar. "

7. Mitt Romney

Emboldened by conservative supporters, Romney is keeping his eyes on 2012 presidential prize. Romney has been delivering a lot of keynoters and political endorsements around the nation and is getting ready to launch a book-promotion tour. A National Public Radio blog recent said this about who is a GOP frontrunner for 2012:

"Answer: No one so far. Mitt Romney, the venture capitalist and former governor of Massachusetts who ran a pretty good campaign in 2008, remains the class of the field but kept a low profile in 2009. Mike Huckabee led in some polls of Republicans that also found Sarah Palin popular. But Huckabee ended the year uncertain about running (and damaged by a clemency scandal from his days as Arkansas governor). Romney remains too much a general election candidate, a problem for the Democrats to be sure but far from the average Republican activist's cup of tea. His past positions on social issues were too styled to Massachusetts, and his Mormonism still leaves the party's religious base lukewarm at best."

8. Max Hall

BYU football quarterback Hall got his 15 minutes of national fame after the BYU-Utah football game when he said: "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them," Hall said. "I hate everything about them. I hate their program. I hate their fans, I hate everything. ... I think the whole university, their fans and their organization, is classless." He later issued an apology and was sanctioned by the Mountain West Conference.

9. John Yettaw

The Missouri man widely noted in international media for his Mormon faith was held for a time in a Burmese prison charged with crime related to a swim across a lake to one of the world's best-known democracy figures, Aung San Suu Kyi. He left Myanmar with a U.S. senator. Despite his good intentions, Yettaw gave an unfortunate impression of Mormons to the world.

10. Michael Otterson

He was the spokesman behind the LDS Church statement at the Salt Lake City council meeting in early November that appears to be changing the politics in Utah for gays.

"The Church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage. They are also entirely consistent with the Church's prior position on these matters. The Church remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman. I represent a church that believes in human dignity, in treating others with respect even when we disagree -- in fact, especially when we disagree."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2009review; antimormonthread; elizabethsmart; fakemitt; fauxromney; flipflopromney; glennbeck; hallucinatingmitt; huntsman; lds; mormon; reid; romney; topten; vampire; yettaw
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To: Elsie
Most was abandoned when the ill-advised handcart compaines left.

You need to read up on the history elsie.

261 posted on 01/12/2010 3:48:16 PM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: Godzilla
#156 - "This is actually the more interesting part and confirmed by Einstein, light, life and matter are one and the same.

Is that stating that " 'life' is part of the Einstein theory of realtivity."? Nope.

#199 - "Hmm, I gave you . . . and Einstein's equations. . . . You may want to start with Feyman's chapter on the Special Theory of Relativity.

I notice that you conveniently skipped Schrodingers equation reference, with the ... : ) And did you read Feynmans chapter on Relativity? My guess is you didn't. You should.

#204 - "What part of life is matter and energy don't you get?

The question still stands and makes no reference to Einstein either.

Son, you can easily go back, just as I did and see that my question was specifically asking for scientific references supporting your incorporation of 'life' into Einstein's theory. You are computer saavy enough.

Boy, you can easily go back and see that I was making the point that everything is a wave function. Cherry picking and leaving parts of quotes out doesn't help your case.

Just point out the differences at the wave function level between Life and/or Energy and/or matter and/or carbon chains and/or photons, etc. and I will be happy to give you references proving you wrong : ) Absolutely everything is a wave function.

262 posted on 01/12/2010 4:09:03 PM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: Godzilla

BLACK KNIGHT: All right; we'll call it a draw.

ARTHUR: Come, Patsy.

BLACK KNIGHT: Oh, oh, I see, running away then. You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off!

263 posted on 01/12/2010 4:24:24 PM PST by ejonesie22
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To: LeGrande
Really now, *sigh* less than honest in your reply

Is that stating that " 'life' is part of the Einstein theory of realtivity."? Nope.

Your reply clearly stated "light, life and matter are one and the same" which was "confirmed by Einstein" - Strike one

And did you read Feynmans chapter on Relativity

Feynmans' chapter was titled "Special Theory of Relativity", created by - Einstein. Strike two

The question still stands and makes no reference to Einstein either.

Have you forgot what the term "context" means, Foul tip

Oh, I see you conviently left off this one

#225 - (GZ)"I have only asked one question, not 20, and that is to point me to the scientific journals/articles/books that specifically link “life” to Einstein’s relativity equation."
(LG) "And I replied by asking you what is different in 'life' to make Einsteins equation not applicable to it? "

Probably the most damning one of all which totally sinks your claim, now found to be not only baseless, but intellectually dishonestly defended too. Strike 3.

Boy, you can easily go back and see that I was making the point that everything is a wave function. Cherry picking and leaving parts of quotes out doesn't help your case.

Oh, incase you forgot your challenge was your claim of life being a component in Eistein's relativity equations - Please leave the field with what little honor you can still muster.

Just point out the differences at the wave function level between Life and/or Energy and/or matter and/or carbon chains and/or photons, etc. and I will be happy to give you references proving you wrong : )

Still waiting for the references to show that life is a component of Einstein's laws of relativity and special relativity.

Absolutely everything is a wave function.

Brush up on your wave functions skippy - not applicable to anything larger than the smallest bacteria. You are dismissed for the day.

264 posted on 01/12/2010 4:31:58 PM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Godzilla

You’re just having fun now aren’t you...


265 posted on 01/12/2010 4:33:59 PM PST by ejonesie22
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To: reaganaut

Again.


266 posted on 01/12/2010 4:35:00 PM PST by ejonesie22
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To: ejonesie22
You’re just having fun now aren’t you...


267 posted on 01/12/2010 6:28:13 PM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Godzilla

Here

http://discovermagazine.com/2009/may/01-the-biocentric-universe-life-creates-time-space-cosmos

Enjoy


268 posted on 01/13/2010 7:11:31 AM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: LeGrande

Great fodder for ID (are you a closet ID?), loaded with maybe’s, could, unproven theories, speculation, intuition. Light on hard facts you claim to exist, but that is par for your course. But regarding my specific, other than smoke and mirrors still doesn’t answer the specific question posted.


269 posted on 01/13/2010 8:33:31 AM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Godzilla

Okay :) Try this “The Road to Reality, by Roger Penrose”


270 posted on 01/13/2010 9:58:08 AM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: Godzilla

Okay :) Try this “The Road to Reality, by Roger Penrose”


271 posted on 01/13/2010 9:58:23 AM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: LeGrande; Godzilla
Dude, give it up, you are cold busted, whipped, exposed, punch drunk.

You are like Pee Wee Herman saying "I know you are but what am I"

If I was you boxing coach I would be throwing in the towel, Zilla is just using you as a punching bag now.

It isn't even funny any more.

Ok, its still a little funny...

Try not to bleed too much.

272 posted on 01/13/2010 10:17:38 AM PST by ejonesie22
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To: LeGrande
Not a book gracing my shelves. His applications of phyics is not useful in my area of work. But perhaps you are referring to another of his books "The Emperor's New Mind" (1989), where he argues that known laws of physics are inadequate to explain the phenomenon of consciousness. My, guess he disagrees with your assumptions of a life variable component in the Relativity equation huh?

Even more remarkable is that, though he makes no religious claims, he essentially endorses ID in another book of his-

"There is a certain sense in which I would say the universe has a purpose. It's not there just somehow by chance. Some people take the view that the universe is simply there and it runs along–it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accident to find ourselves in this thing. I don't think that's a very fruitful or helpful way of looking at the universe, I think that there is something much deeper about it, about its existence, which we have very little inkling of at the moment." (A Brief History of Time)

I guess that may answer another question - your inner ID is coming out. Celebrate it!

273 posted on 01/13/2010 10:49:58 AM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Godzilla
"The Emperor's New Mind"... where he argues that known laws of physics are inadequate to explain the phenomenon of consciousness.

That was discredited. The wave function collapse is too fast.

I guess that may answer another question - your inner ID is coming out. Celebrate it!

Where do you get ID from the wave function collapse?

274 posted on 01/13/2010 10:59:50 AM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: LeGrande
That was discredited. The wave function collapse is too fast.

Ah, so your proponent on one hand is readily discredited on the other LOL, pragmatic aren't you. Wave function collapse - your god of life collapsed? But then the laws of physics STILL cannot explain the phenomemon of consciousness. So if your mathamatical/physics hero fails . . . . . .

Where do you get ID from the wave function collapse?

has nothing do with wave function collapse - if you bothered to read my post.
"There is a certain sense in which I would say the universe has a purpose. It's not there just somehow by chance. Some people take the view that the universe is simply there and it runs along–it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accident to find ourselves in this thing. I don't think that's a very fruitful or helpful way of looking at the universe, I think that there is something much deeper about it, about its existence, which we have very little inkling of at the moment." (A Brief History of Time)

Perhaps your reading comprehension is to blame for your confusion.

Continued in The Emperor's New Mind, Penrose calculated the probability. Including what he considered to be all variables required for human beings to exist and live on a planet such as ours, he computed the probability of our environment occurring among all the possible results of the Big Bang. He came up with number that has 1 followed by 10^123 zeros. He stated:

"This now tells how precise the Creator's aim must have been, namely to an accuracy of one part in 10^10^123. This is an extraordinary figure. One could not possibly even write the number down in full in the ordinary denary notation: it would be 1 followed by 10^123 successive 0's. Even if we were to write a 0 on each separate proton and on each separate neutron in the entire universe- and we could throw in all the other particles for good measure- we should fall far short of writing down the figure needed. " (The Emperor's New Mind)

Its OK to express your inner ID here LG - you are among friends.

275 posted on 01/13/2010 11:24:37 AM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: ejonesie22
In the windmills of your mind. . . . . .


276 posted on 01/13/2010 11:26:36 AM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: Godzilla
Ah, so your proponent on one hand is readily discredited on the other LOL,

His early attempt was. That is why I guided you to a later attempt.

Wave function collapse - your god of life collapsed? But then the laws of physics STILL cannot explain the phenomemon of consciousness. So if your mathamatical/physics hero fails . . . . . .

I am not attempting to explain consciousness or life. That is your job. I am just answering your question to provide sources that equate life, matter and energy.

"It's not there just somehow by chance."

QM is both probabilistic and deterministic. Obviously you don't understand it very well.

Continued in The Emperor's New Mind,

I didn't source the Emporors New Mind. You did.

It is now up to you to differentiate between Life and Matter/energy.

277 posted on 01/13/2010 11:37:06 AM PST by LeGrande (The government wants to take over the entire Health Care industry to fix Medicare and Medicaid.)
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To: Godzilla
You never played football at Alabama back under Bear Bryant did you?

He never liked to run up the score on an already whooped opponent...

Of course the opponent also was not usually some lunatic who won't admit being whooped and worse kept diggin their hole deeper and deeper...

278 posted on 01/13/2010 11:39:37 AM PST by ejonesie22
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To: Godzilla
It has passed into the surreal...
279 posted on 01/13/2010 11:40:49 AM PST by ejonesie22
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To: LeGrande
His early attempt was. That is why I guided you to a later attempt.

Yet you cannot cite page number from that work that incorporates "life" as a variable within Einstein's equation.

"It's not there just somehow by chance."
QM is both probabilistic and deterministic. Obviously you don't understand it very well.

That reading comprehension thing again huh? The quote above is NOT mine, but that of Penrose. It is safe to assume that HIS understanding of QM exceeds your own - and since HE made that statement, he has solid reason for that statement.

It is now up to you to differentiate between Life and Matter/energy.

You still haven't provided adequate references to support your assertion yet. And you still haven't apologized for your earlier lying. So your credability on this issue is strained to say the least.

BTW, Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene fails to define life - even in your terms. Probably can chalk that up to not getting the memo eh?

I didn't source the Emporors New Mind. You did.

Yes I did, to allow lurkers to view other aspects of Penrose' works beside the distorted view of yours.

Now, please clean up your mess as you leave. :)

280 posted on 01/13/2010 11:57:21 AM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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