Archive for category Personal
“just a second” OR … “just a minute”?
Posted by Roger Brown in Civics, Personal on December 14, 2010
Another thought for the day:
When some people say “just a second” they’re pretty close to being literal. You literally only have to wait for 5 to 10 seconds at the most. Or if it will be longer, they say “just a minute” or “give me 2 minutes” and they’re pretty close.
I appreciate the precision of their communication.
I love accuracy of language. It eases communication and prevents misunderstandings. When you deal with people all day long, believe me, little things like that add up. And true business professionals and relationship counselors and diplomats know that keenly. It is so important to not understate things.
Reminds me of this quote:
Words are a means of communicating, and
faulty signals give wrong impressions. Disorder
and misunderstandings are the results. Words
underlie our whole life and are the tools of our
business, the expressions of our affections, and
the records of our progress. …
It was Paul who said: “Except ye utter by
the tongue words easy to be understood, how
shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall
speak into the air.” (1 Cor 14:9.)
source: Spencer Kimball, 1975
So thank you to all those that communicate with precision, neither overstating nor understating things! 
On forgiveness…
Posted by Roger Brown in LDS, Personal on August 2, 2010
wow, this is powerful. it touched me to the center. thank you to the people that shared their lives in it.
Forgiveness: My burden was made light.
Forgiveness and the power of Jesus Christ enable a man to survive losing his wife and several children in a car accident—and allow the offending driver to begin rebuilding his own life. Read President James E. Faust’s talk on forgiveness: http://bit.ly/alS1ui.
Immigration Reform? Yes! AND with welfare reform!
Posted by Roger Brown in Civics, LDS, Personal on July 14, 2010
Wow, check out this article:
This part is sad:
“One woman on the list who spoke to KSL but asked not to be identified said she had a green card and would become a U.S. citizen next month.
“I have my papers,” she said. “Why did they put me on that list? Now it’s been 15 years since I got my residency. … I’m angry.”"
I’d like to make a few points:
- This country was mostly built on immigrants. As far as i know all of my ancestors immigrated here to the US from different countries all over Europe.
- The laws need to be obeyed while we are fixing them. I love this quote from Abraham Lincoln:
“Bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible; still, while they continue in force, they should be religiously observed.”
source: speech given Jan. 27th, 1838 - Yes, we need to reform the immigration laws but they go hand in hand with other laws:
- Labor laws like minimum wage
- Social Security benefits
- Other government welfare programs
Immigration laws need to be seriously relaxed.
Humans are an asset — look at all of the entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants over the past 400 years in America!
Also, those that complain about the laws need to remember #2 above. And if they’re going to directly or indirectly advocate breaking the laws they need to publicly admit that they are being “civilly disobedient”.
As long as we have massive corruption and inefficiency in our current government welfare systems including social security we can not adequately reform immigration law. They go hand in hand together. That’s at least one of the reasons that many want to immigrate here i think.
And employers need to be accountable.
Lastly, in case anyone misunderstands, I think that we should allow a whole lot more people to legally immigrate here — many, many, many, many more.
The only requirement should be a criminal background check i think.
Other than that, let’s let people move here that want to be part of the American experience!!! I know it has surely blessed my life and my family’s! Makes me think of my recent post on micro-credit or micro-loans.
Sincerely,
Roger
P.S. I almost forgot — the national and states’ debts!!! That goes hand in hand with immigration and welfare reform too!! We need balanced government budgets immediately!!! Cut up the government credit-cards!!!
P.P.S. What can you do about it?!
Find your state and federal legislators at the link below — EMAIL and CALL them TODAY!
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/
residents of Provo, stand up for property rights!!!
Posted by Roger Brown in Civics, Personal, Provo on July 12, 2010
HUMONGOUS Town Hall Meeting tomorrow, Tuesday July 13th @ 5:30pm @ City Hall
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New amendments to existing state laws were recently passed and signed into law by the Governor on March 30th.
While many people have rejoiced because these amendments started to restore rights that were taken away — others have been fuming about it ever since it passed.
These people do not believe that you should have a right to be a wise steward over your own property — specifically they don’t believe you have the right to determine how many unrelated people live in your own home.
Check this out!
#1 – S.B. 45 Substitute – UTAH FIT PREMISES ACT AMENDMENTS
http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/sbillenr/sb0045.htm
*****QUOTE*****************
This bill:
. prohibits counties and municipalities from placing a specified limit on the number
of unrelated individuals allowed to occupy a single-family unit;
***************************
Wow! Sounds huge by itself — but if you keep on reading you get the details — actually the state legislators said they could have a “specified limit” and that limit is 3.
Don’t ask me why they contradict themselves! 
Anyway, why is this big for Provo?!
In 14 out of 34 neighborhoods in the city, there is a limit of 2 unrelated adults per “single-family home” — even if it’s a 3, 4, or 5+ bedroom house — CRAZY!
So any zoning officer or Provo City official that tries to tell you that you can’t have 3 single adults in your home is either ignorant of breaking state law! It is against the law to limit it to only 2!
#2 – H.B. 381 – MUNICIPAL LAND USE PROVISIONS
http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0381.htm
I’ll let you read this one on your own — it’s very important but not as exciting as the one above.
To get a little background please read this article to be printed in Tuesday morning’s Deseret News:
*** http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700047661/Controversial-state-zoning-laws-subject-of-Provo-town-hall-meeting.html ***
PLEASE COME to the meeting!! Send a family member or friend if you can’t come.
This is of extremely serious import – please come!
Roger Brown
801-356-1032
http://ProvoCitizens.net
P.S. Here’s just one comment from those that oppose the partial restoration of rights — someone who is supposed to just pass on the facts without bias -
“Unfortunately, these bills limit the power of cities to engage in various activities
which can help neighborhoods and maintain safe places for people to live.”
source: July 9th email from Kurt Peterson, Joaquin Neighborhood Chair
People, your property rights are at stake!
***Please forward this email to at least 2 other Provo residents.
P.P.S. City Hall is at 351 W. Center St.
P.S. Know someone that wants to receive these emails?
Micro-loans to help our neighbors out of poverty?
Posted by Roger Brown in Civics, LDS, Personal on July 7, 2010
Wow, have you all seen this documentary!? I was reminded of it recently because of my friend DI who helps out people regularly through micro-loans:
Micro-credit and the Future of Poverty:
source: http://byutv.org
I hope to lend real soon. Check it out and get involved through a handful of different organizations such as:
Roger
video — The Mediator
Posted by Roger Brown in LDS, Personal on July 4, 2010
here is a video that has touched my heart:
The Mediator (10:33)
source: http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,6635-1-4786-2,00.html
favorite video channel?
Posted by Roger Brown in Internet, LDS, Personal on May 25, 2009
This is one of my favorite video channels online — http://youtube.com/mormonmessages — very inspiring and uplifting!
It is a blessing to be able to watch these videos from modern day prophets so easily!
P.S. Rufus, the advisor to Bill & Ted would say that it’s “modern technology William!” 