In odd news, from the ksl.com local news website

(KSL News) -- A construction crew working on the seismic retrofitting of the historic Tabernacle on Temple Square recently re-discovered a piece of history.

Workers came across a cement vault containing the remains of a Native American. The remains were originally found nearly 40 years ago during an excavation project under the tabernacle.

Under the direction of a Native American spiritual leader then, the remains were placed in the vault and left in place.

The bones were not damaged by the current project and will stay buried in the vault.

Did he just happen to be there when they built the place? Did the settlers build on a graveyard? Why is he there?

Did he just happen to be there when they built the place? Did the settlers build on a graveyard? Why is he there?

There's a Native American baby buried on my parents' property. It was buried at the foot of a tree before there was ever a house there (I'm guessing about 140 years ago).

I'm not sure why I mention this. But when I was a kid I thought it was cool.

The Native American Bones are WEIRD. If the vault was placed there 40 years ago, wouldn't they know not to dig there?

In other news:

Boss is being a real PITA about letting me have a day off to move. I worked this Sunday (at her request) with the understanding that I would be able to have this Friday off, but now I can't because she has it off (there are 4 other people in the office).

also just found out that I cannot move over two weekends, just one, and I have MUCH less help on the second. So, as broke as I am, I hired movers to do the furniture, while I can do the boxes. They are only available next Friday. I booked them, and then asked for next Friday off, instead of this Friday to, again, make up for working Sunday (I am an hourly employee and boss will not pay overtime).

She is, again, not sure, because she will be taking the day off to go to her cabin. I mean, I know it is a busy time, but WTF!?! I mean, I guess I can try to get my MOM to tke a day off work and supervise the movers, but she can't really drive in the city and she would have to.

This just sucks!

Under the direction of a Native American spiritual leader then, the remains were placed in the vault and left in place.

I just keep thinking "I hope they're not Chumash".

So...

Remember a few years back there was a study on those virginity pledges?

The earlier study found that a majority of teenagers who took the pledge did not live up to their promises and developed sexually transmitted diseases about the same rate as adolescents who had not made such pledges. It also found that the promise did tend to delay the start of intercourse by 18 months.

Well now the Heritage Foundation (a conservative group) has taken the same survey results and created a new study:

Challenging earlier findings, two studies from the Heritage Foundation reported yesterday that young people who took virginity pledges had lower rates of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases and engaged in fewer risky sexual behaviors.

...

But the authors of the new study used different methods of statistical analysis from those in an earlier one that was widely publicized, making direct comparisons difficult.

Independent experts called the new findings provocative, but criticized the Heritage team's analysis as flawed and lacking the statistical evidence to back its conclusions. The new findings have not been submitted to a journal for publication, an author said.

I think I just overheard Cynic Man: "Come, Cynic Boy - to the Cynicmobile!"

Your boss sucks rope, Sophia. That's just not right. No, you can't have the day off to move, which you have put in extra hours for in advance, because she wants to go to her cabin? Weak.

Independent experts called the new findings provocative, but criticized the Heritage team's analysis as flawed and lacking the statistical evidence to back its conclusions

The Heritage Foundation just asked teens and took them at their word, right?

The Heritage Foundation just asked teens and took them at their word, right?

Yes, how did you know?

Oops, forgot to post the link: [link]

eta:

Dr. Bearman said: "Our analyses showed that pledgers are less likely to get tested for S.T.D.'s, be diagnosed as having an S.T.D. and to see a doctor because they are worried about having an S.T.D. Most S.T.D. infections are asymptomatic, and therefore, people don't know that they have an S.T.D. unless they get tested. The use of self-report data for S.T.D.'s is therefore extremely problematic."

Yes, how did you know?

Heh. Didn't read the report, I just kind of figured.

ION not-of-this-world, NASA says it will send people to the Moon to build a base sometime in the next 10-15 years.

[link]

Hmmm.... I'm getting hungry for Tang and Space Food Sticks....