Feedback from July 18 and Beyond 

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Cover story, July 18, "BYU's E-Scarlet Letter"

The most Utah/BYU story ever. People not from Utah are so confused by this.
Alison Ecks
Via Facebook

Fabulously written, interesting and timely article about the BYU-bred Instagram account. Well reported and researched, too. I appreciated the information on and examples of the panopticon gaze.
Linnea Charnholm,
Draper

Step outside of the U.S., and intimacy, love, sex, etc. are not perceived as weird and wrong. Only in the U.S. does this seem to be a thing.
Blaine Lafreniere
Via Facebook

Vomit inducing. Literally. This makes me sick.
Jen Mattson Stewart
Via Facebook

So typically BYU.
Mike Schmauch
Via Facebook

Stupid ...
Mimi Mtjk
Via Facebook

Opinion, July 18, "No Voice is Louder Than Silence"

My wife and I recently visited the beautiful state of Utah and stayed in Park City with neighbors who are also very close friends. They also happen to be staunch Republicans who refuse to accept any single one aspect of Trump's (and his eunuch followers) many despicable personality traits which were very well-defined in the Michael S. Robinson Sr. piece in your local newspaper.

It was my wife—a past lifetime Republican but now registered Independent who absolutely cannot tolerate the fifth grader (I'm being very kind there) who currently occupies the White House—who passed Robinson's article to me.

We knew we couldn't ask our close friends to read it, because that would have triggered a complete and disastrous fallout which would have affected our remaining vacation together.

That is the sad part.

Close friends, who happen to be neighbors, have got to the point, as the direct result of Trump's vile rhetoric, where sensible political comparisons or discussions cannot take place.

It's articles similar to the one penned by Robinson, that should be directed to the Trump audience with the hope that at least some of his base would have the intelligence to have a bell ring and see through this lunatic's childlike behavior, ignorance and personality.

Great article Michael, should have more opinions like yours published. Keep it up.

Fred Greetham,
Polk County, Fla.

Hits & Misses, July 18, "Borderline Terrorism"

LOL! Borderline terrorism! As opposed to one who steps over the border to actual terrorism?
Sheryl Hussein Ginsberg
Via cityweekly.net

Dine, July 18, "World of Torta-Craft"

Yo quiero una.
Brendiux Quiroz
Via Facebook

A&E, July 11, "Geekonomics"

It's not expensive to be a geek. It's expensive to be a consumerist. FOMO? Really? I'm sure this was meant to be a light-hearted article, but it really comes across as entitled and #firstworldproblems. Geek "culture" is a new thing. Fifteen years ago, there was just "nerds" and it was all one umbrella; geek culture, in its entirety, was created by corporations to make money. If your hobby is buying stuff and subscribing to streaming services, you are a hobbyist consumer. That's it. I get what the article is saying: there's so much to be interested in. But most people don't need to consume it all (as much as the corporations wish we would).
Mara Arctictis Binturong
Via Facebook

That FOMO feeling is how the internet got so popular for filling in the gaps. @StarWarsExplain, Wookiepedia and @FullOfSith give me so much depth into the expanded Star Wars universe. I'd be lost without them.
Kieran Gunn
Via Twitter

Online news post, July 22, "Approved to Grow: State awards eight out of 10 licenses for medical cannabis program, leaving one applicant complaining"

Is this freedom? How many of their buddies got the licenses?
Dave Caldwell
Via Facebook

The fix is in. And only eight to "avoid overproduction." So much for the free market. In other words, the 8/10 is to maintain an artificially high price ... and profit. Pure BS ... but exactly what we should expect from the Utaliban.
Mike Coronella
Via Facebook

He's absolutely right. It's state imposed oligarchy.
Spencer Gordon
Via Facebook

Dear Soapbox:
I've heard people complaining that nobody is writing anything nice about Cowardly Captain Heelspurs, so I thought I'd give it a try.
Ah well ... um ... I'm thinking! Hey, the mean old media isn't going to have Ronald the Donald to kick around much longer and the taxpayer doesn't have to worry about funding a presidential memorial library; that idiot hasn't read a book since Dick got Jane knocked up. There, you Trumpasites, how's that?
Sincerely,
Alan E. Wright
Salt Lake City