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Blog Watch
Strange New Voices at KSL Radio
At KSLBlog, Radio News Director Russ Hill explains why KSL Radio switched from CBS to ABC for its national news and why the station didn’t promote the change. . . . Thanks to Bart Barker for sending a note about Google Inc. launching a tool that lets subscribers to its blog-hosting service write and post blogs directly from Microsoft Word.
Utah’s Political Junkies
What constitutes true political junkieness? I not sure, but I recognize it when I see it. The reality is, there aren’t really all that many real political junkies. Most of us who enjoy politics aren’t obsessed with it. I don’t consider myself a true political junkie because even though I like politics and everything associated with politics – the strategy, the gossip, the policy, the people, etc. – it doesn’t consume my life. It’s more like a fun hobby.
Probably partly as a result of my training as a journalist, I tend to view politics with a little detachment, rather than being passionate about it. It’s a means to an end rather than an end in itself.
There are some folks, however, who are truly caught up in politics. We asked readers to send us names of real political junkies and here are the members of the Utah Political Junkie Hall of Fame:
Lisa Allcott
Kelly Atkinson
Jeff Bell
Joe Cannon
Maura Carabello
Mike Clement (in Las Vegas)
Mont Evans
Ron Fox
Doug Foxley
Dave Hansen
Howard Headlee
Meg Holbrook
Randy Horiuchi
Scott Howell (in California)
Gordon Jones
Stan Lockhart
Mike Mower
Jerry Oldroyd
Frank Pignanelli
Jack Powers
Paul Rolly
Don Savage
Bill Simmons (in Washington, D.C.)
Dave Spatafore
Spencer Stokes
Todd Taylor
Best Quote on Cindy Sheehan
“Ms. Sheehan has gotten more time with [the president] than most grieving mothers, and if she felt, during those unsatisfactory minutes, that there was a glass wall around him, it unfortunately comes with the job. A president has to protect himself from emotional predators, or he'd be sucked dry within a week of taking office.”
-- Presidential historian Edmund Morris, in a New York Times op-ed piece .
Huntsman Visits Payson
Gov. Jon Huntsman is scheduled to talk about his economic development plan in Payson tonight at 7 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Banquet Hall, located on the south side of the City Center.
Book Review
Almanac of American Politics
The 2006 edition of the “Almanac of American Politics” is out, and editor Charles Mahtesian, who happens to be a Utah Policy Daily reader, was nice enough to send us a review copy. Columnist George Will calls it the "Bible of American politics" -- and the scores of politicians, analysts, citizens, and scholars that pore over its every word with an almost religious devotion would agree: the biennial Almanac, published by National Journal Group, represents the gold standard of American political information.
As in past editions, the almost 2,000-page-long 2006 Almanac includes profiles of every single governor, senator and congressman in America, along with narrative profiles of their states and districts covering everything from economics to history to political trends.
New to this 2006 edition is, among other things, a fully detailed state-by-state analysis/national overview of the 2004 presidential election, and a statistical breakdown of the 2004 presidential vote by state and congressional district.
Described by one reviewer as "gourmet demography," the Almanac is full of maps, census data, and information on every political topic imaginable. Every page contains surprising and eye-opening facts and insights. For those who crave a deep understanding of American politics, the 2006 Almanac is, by far, the best compendium available on the subject.
For more information, click here, or order at Amazon.com.
Reader Response
More Defense of Liberals
From Andy Wilson: I just really hate this myth that keeps being perpetrated upon us by, yes, I will say it, the Right Wing Media. Of course by Right Wing Media I mean conservatives in the media who drive their agenda: the Limbaughs, the Hannitys, etc. But to hear it from Utah Policy. . . .I was just sad. I'm not a member of Democracy for Utah, but I have many friends who are. For those of you unfamiliar with them, go visit their blog yourself and see what they want. Sure, they're having a Bush Bash-- but they're also holding candlielight vigils for Iraq veterans, soldiers, and families of those killed in action.
(Read More)
Now You Know
Utah’s 5 Most Populous Cities (2003)
1. Salt Lake City, 179,894
2. West Valley City, 111,687
3. Provo, 105,410
4. Sandy, 89,319
5. Orem, 87,599
(Source: Almanac of American Politics)
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