Soap Box: May 18-24 

Cover story, May 18, "Attack of the Killer Reboots!"
All movies I have no plan to support with my money—with maybe, just maybe, the exception of Spider-Man.
@artsetmetiersUT
Via Twitter

Speaking of killer reboots, we are recycling ignorance, too, and almost biblically. Stated in Isaiah-like terms, the unlearned man struts like a flower of the Renaissance because he is an expert in his trade. Has no one told him he has a responsibility to go to college? He admires love, marriage and children, and promotes peace and country music, but he sits idly by while autocracy and violence swirl across the land.

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The learned man, on the other hand, sits astutely ensconced in his office chair and stands haughtily by his lectern. He knows things vertically. He reads deep in his field. But what does he know of the horizontal breadth of disciplines needed to secure the nation and fulfill its citizens' needs? Does he remember the past, apprehend the present and know the future? He does not.
Robert Kimball Shinkoskey,
Woods Cross

Can't say that I agree completely with this ... some potentially wonderful films under "WTF."
@DaveBastian
Via Twitter

Well, at least it is nice when film critics reveal that they have no idea what they are talking about early enough that you can stop reading. Specifically, in the preview to It, Mr. Riedel says, "and I'm still waiting for a Stephen King adaptation to be good."

As a film critic, I would have thought that you have actually watched a large number of movies so you would know how wrong you are, or at least hope that you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comment if you hadn't watched many King adaptations. I could bring up a number of movies to prove the point, such as Misery, 1408, Stand By Me, The Dead Zone or The Green Mile. But, really, how wrong you are is pretty easily summed up in three words: The Shawshank Redemption.
Christopher Rose
Via cityweekly.net

Author David Riedel responds: While I admit I forgot entirely about Misery (easy to do when so many King adaptations are so wretched), I contend The Shawshank Redemption is a God-awful POS.

News, May 18, "A cowboy boot-wearing Rep. Stewart offers 'nebulous' answers during town hall."
Boot-wearing? More like boot-licking Trump sycophant.
John Barnhill
Via Facebook

New one same as the old one.
Gerald Larsen
Via Facebook

Representative Stewart, your comment that carving out a Democratic congressional district would be gerrymandering is narcissistic and ignorant. You preside over a gerrymandered district—that is why it's a full day's drive from downtown SLC on one end to Richfield on the other. Please stop with the fool talk.
Courtney Henley
Via cityweekly.net

This radical left progressive propaganda rag is the poster child of nebulism.
James Dubin Jr.
Via Facebook

Opinion, May 18, "Weiler's Words"
Regarding Mr. Rosenzweig's conversation with the good senator, two sayings came to mind from my Marine Corps days:

The first one, my top (master sergeant, USMC) told me as a new, young corporal after I was arguing with a lance corporal to do some task. His paraphrased advice was, "Don't argue with people not as smart as you." I found out it probably came from Mark Twain's saying, "Never argue with stupid people; they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience." The other saying was given to me after I became an officer, which was, "Don't argue with seniors or subordinates." I believe both sayings apply to Mr. Rosenzweig's attempts, even though he failed, but I sure give him credit for trying and hope he keeps up the good fight.
JH Thompson,
Ogden

Hi, Stan. I read with interest your opinion exchange and questions about sex education in Utah Schools with U.S. Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross.

We pay taxes to the state, and they infamously claim that all tax dollars are used for education.

That's a big, non-distinct and vague way to justify discretionary spending in a state with the lowest, or near lowest, per-pupil spending in the nation at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Methinks they direct it to college and university levels with research grants, business development applications, etc.

The feeling I get from Mr. Weiler's stance is that many of the parents are majority Mormon. Sex education is a topic of continuous religious monitoring through the Bishopric with interviews about curious feelings youth have at 12 and 13 when [sexual] interest begins. They teach gender-specific norms and expectations ...

Todd expressed worry of parents pulling kids out of the public school system because it's a delicate balance—that surprised me, considering that those parents can always send their children to a charter school that doesn't require certified or licensed teachers.

The corporate board can quash any talk of sex ed at the behest of a majority of parents. The idea of vouchers for charter schools is not dead. Accountability is not established. There are efforts to redirect federal education dollars to charter schools.

Finally, using words like "some" or "many" speaks to the perception of majority, minority. Surely that affects racial considerations as well?
Mike Cunningham,
Bountiful

Film review, May 18, Alien: Covenant
The true monster was David, who played God, like throughout the xenomorphs were just byproducts of a synthetic Android's spite of always being a creation. If a third entry were to come, it will be how David becomes the Yutani titan to Weyland company. That would be something to watch—like The Omen trilogy, only no religion involved. Just my two cents: Pretty much, the horror foreboding terror is David.
Charles Lewis
Via Facebook