Shades of Ian Fleming... Just as the author of the James Bond novels had his hero involved with a Russian agent in the Spy Who Loved Me, the recent resignation of CEO Patrick Byrne from Utah-based Overstock.com has all the intrigue of a spy novel. Byrne's story involves the Russian woman Maria Butina who is serving 18 months in federal prison on a technicality related to … [Read more...]
Swedetown
Welcome to Swedetown Salt Lake City, Utah—Swedetown is several thousand miles from Stockholm, and in many ways, it is also a couple thousand miles from downtown Salt Lake. If you haven't heard of it, don't be surprised. It is truly a hidden part of Utah. It is a several block section around Hot Springs Road and 1500 N. Still can't place it? Try thinking about the oil … [Read more...]
Is hemp the new cash crop?
Moab farmer going to pot Hemp in Moab? "I've been beating weeds down for years so I figured I might as well let them grow." Will Fryer, owner of Castle Creek Winery in Moab, isn't just talking about morning glories or goat head thorns. He is talking about weed with a capital W, otherwise known as hemp. Once a staple used in the manufacture of sailing ship rigging and … [Read more...]
Every farmer is a gambler, every gardener is a believer
Thank a farmer Every farmer is a gambler, every gardener is a believer—he or she is betting that tiny seeds buried in the ground will bring forth a bounty of crops. To closely watch a plant grow strong throughout the months and then see flowers transformed into fruits and vegetables, is miraculous. It humbles one into realizing there is a provident power in the … [Read more...]
Papa Noel: Christmas in Peru
To be Papa Noel at Navidad it is necessary to live Papa Noel for the other 11 months of the year...... Christmas Present For the third year I have had the joy of appearing as Papa Noel for school kids and residents of Cajamarca. This year I started the day at an upscale private school where kids pulled out their cell phones to snap a selfie with the fellow in the red … [Read more...]
A Backyard Becomes One of the Top Acoustic Music Venues in Salt Lake
Title : “Kris' backyard has become one of the top acoustic music venues in Salt Lake City.” - musician Marv Hamilton On Sunday afternoons at her Millcreek home, Kris Thorne hosts top music acts from Utah and beyond. Chairs are set up in her yard, a band arrives, people socialize, potluck dishes are shared, and a crowd settles under spreading shade trees for great … [Read more...]
The True Problems of Life: an Escaped Billy Goat
We spend so much of our time worrying about events that may or may not happen. I assure you, most of our problems do not compare with that of an escaped billy goat. The street on which I live is a major route for farmers to bring their livestock to the slaughterhouse. In Peru, there is no antiseptic isolation of farm animals and people. You often see sheep in the parks … [Read more...]
Arley Curtz: Pipe Making and Memory Collecting
For Arley Curtz, a pipe is more than just a way to smoke tobacco. It summons up a time when pipe smoking was both acceptable and part of a gentler civility in our culture. Curtz is a pipe maker and collector of smoking pipes. He has over 300, ranging from simple corn cobs to handmade antiques. Each one has a story. As the smoke from a pipe curls upwards, it allows Curtz a … [Read more...]
Sherlock Holmes in Salt Lake City
A young writer is facing a blank page. What to write about? He's got it! A detective solving a case involving murder revenge, sexual predation … and Brigham Young! Throw in as a sidekick, Dr. John Watson, late of the Afghan Wars, and you have the makings of A Study in Scarlet. And the detective? None other than the esteemed Sherlock Holmes with the mailing address 221B Baker … [Read more...]
Tuition Free Classes for Seniors
If you are over 62, read this story. If you know someone over 62, read this story. In fact, everyone should read this story, because it is about HB 60, one of the best laws ever passed by the Utah legislature. HB 60 allows seniors over 62 (yeah, it is confusing) to attend classes at state-sponsored universities and community colleges for only a $25 registration fee. That … [Read more...]
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