Michael Vaughan

The meaning of a city

In the poem “Choruses from the Rock” T.S. Eliot poses the following question.

Editorial opinion

All the riches in the world

 

In a few weeks, all registered voters in Weber County will receive a ballot in the mail for the library bond election. If the bond is approved, the Main Library will undergo a significant and much-needed renovation. A new branch library will be built in Roy. The North Branch will be expanded, and the Ogden Valley Branch will receive additional parking so that it may better function as a community center.

Michael Vaughan

Reaching the highest point in the golden years

Last week I heard a minor ruckus in my outer office. A student was chomping at the bit to get registered for the next semester. The student knew the classes he wanted to take, and he was a little frustrated that he would need to wait a while before completing his registration.

The preacher, Pigou and politicians

As a child my father was coerced into attending services at a Baptist church in rural Arkansas. Although the Baptist theology didn’t stick, my father held memories of the church services for the rest of his life. In particular, he remembered how his grandfather, Mack, reacted to one of the preacher’s sermons.

The limits of growth

Last year, the American Lung Association declared that the air quality in Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Uintah, Utah and Weber counties was unacceptable. If you ventured outside in December, January, or February you understand this assessment. The air quality along the Wasatch Front is pathetic.

A Sundance deadbeat

Ogden’s first 2013 Sundance film was shown at the Peery Egyptian Theater, and films continued at the Peery until Jan. 28, when the “Best of Festival” films was shown. I started attending the festival long before the films began playing in Ogden, and I have seen close to 200 Sundance films. 

More than a century of Christmas movies

The holiday season and movies go together. This year, major studios planned the release of popular films such as “Lincoln” and “Les Miserables” for the holiday season. Yet, the most popular movies to view during the Christmas season are Christmas-themed movies. Families gather around the television to watch their favorite Christmas classics. Over the weekend, I rewatched one of my favorite Christmas films, “Love Actually,” and I began to consider Christmas films through the decades.

A giftless Christmas

Last week, I read a newspaper article in the Standard that detailed the efforts of a group to create "a sane Christmas with a view of abolishing the indiscriminate giving of presents." Members of the group called for a "giftless" Christmas. You may be familiar with similar efforts.

An autumn marathon for entrepreneurs

During the first weekend in November, Ogden residents will rake the leaves that have accumulated in their yards. Families will snack on left-over Halloween candy. People will double check the date for setting the clocks back.

Economy needs structural changes

 

 

Both Romney and Obama could be described as fiscalists. They differ on their view of the ideal combination of tax rates and spending needed to cure the nation’s economic ails. They differ in regard to those who should bear the brunt of any tax increase or benefit from any tax cut. Nevertheless, the cornerstone of both candidates’ economic policies rests on a foundation of taxation and spending policies.

Weber State University

College towns

Ogden City officials are interested in working with Weber State University to make Ogden a truly great college town. I can certainly identify with the goal because I understand the enchantment of a college town.

These jobs are going and they ain’t coming back

"Down at the mill they’ve got a new machine. Foreman says it cuts manpower by fifteen." Bernie Taupin and Elton John wrote those lyrics more than 40 years ago, and they were writing of a time long before they were born. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the 18th century, people have understood that advances in technology may reduce the need for the labor of certain workers.

Pondering productivity

It is frequently asserted that colleges and universities should be run like a business. Proponents of this viewpoint contend that by emulating the best business practices, colleges could increase productivity and lower cost.

Countless politicians and entrepreneurs have made this assertion. Business authors have published dozens of books suggesting the potential for significant innovation and productivity gains on college campuses.

Yet, does the best available evidence support this belief?

It's pronounced Wee-ber

Dear Mr. Tim Cook,

CEO Apple Corporation:

Over the years, I have purchased many Apple products, and I have been consistently satisfied. I recently purchased an iPhone 4S. I am generally pleased with the product. However, I have discovered the phone has one serious defect. I hope your engineers will act swiftly to correct this problem.

Michael Vaughan

A great first impression

On the last Thursday in March, the sun rose on the eastern horizon at roughly a quarter past seven. The high ridge line above the East Ogden Bench would cast its continuous shadow on the city for another hour. Daybreak revealed that an overnight dusting of snow had fallen on mountain peaks above Ogden. On the Weber State University campus, almost 3,000 students from around the world were enjoying a splendid Utah morning for the first time.

The occasion for their first trip to Ogden was the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) that WSU was hosting. Students from across the country and five foreign countries came to the WSU campus to share their research and artistic creations. That morning, the visiting students heard from the Nobel Prize winning geneticist Mario Capecchi. On subsequent mornings, the students would learn from the award-winning author Anne Fadiman and the noted ethnobotanist Paul Cox.

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