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Chamber's 'Final Vision'
The Salt
Lake Chamber has posted the Final
Vision of its Downtown Rising project (for more info
and for documents relating to the process that led to the
Final Vision, click
here).
After-School Care Lacking
According to a 2006 study recently
released by the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS),
about 58,000 Utah elementary school-age children do not participate
in any type of afterschool activity or care, and more than
30 percent of all Utah households with school-age children
reported some type of challenge in accessing out-of-school
time care (both formal and informal). The DWS report
is highlighted in this week's newsletter from United
Way of Salt Lake www.utahpolicy.com/uw/ImpactMatters.htm
along with other compelling information regarding afterschool
activities and parental involvement in education.
Sutherland Updates Schools Website
The
Sutherland Institute has launched a new version of
its Utahschools.org website, which
"ranks all public and private schools in the state empowering
parents to choose the school which best fits their child's
education needs" (see press
release).
Human Emotion & the Economy
In his Tea
Leaf Economic Update, Utah economist Jeff
Thredgold discusses the role of human emotion, including
fear and greed, in the economy.
Washington Watch
Hatch Introduces Jobs Protection
Bill
Sens. Orrin Hatch and Max Baucus
introduce legislation "to protect the jobs that U.S.
financial services companies have created in the U.S., by
keeping the industry on an equal tax footing with its international
competitors" (see press
release).
Cannon Condemns 'Intransigence'
Rep. Chris Cannon says of the House Judiciary
Committee's vote to authorize subpoenas in the U.S. attorneys
firing case: "It is clear that the stubborn intransigence
on this issue by Senate Democrats is done solely to score
political points. ... [T]he Democrat leadership has apparently
decided to reject the offer by the White House of a smooth
path to the truth without turning this into a show trial.
We have serious problems that need solutions and empty 'investigations'
and political posturing is not problem solving."
National
Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- RealClearPolitics:
Columnist Dick Morris asks: "When will
the Bush administration grow some guts? Except
for its resolute ... position on Iraq, the White House seems
incapable of standing up for itself and battling for its point
of view. The Democratic assault on the administration over
the dismissal of United States attorneys is the most fabricated
and phony of scandals, but the Bush people offer only craven
apologies, half-hearted defenses, and concessions. Instead,
they should stand up to the Democrats and defend the conduct
of their own Justice Department."
-- The
Hill: House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi "is holding the implied threat of lost
committee seats over the heads of Democratic Caucus members
who may vote against her $124 billion Iraq war supplemental
bill. Faced with the possibility of losing the first really
big vote since taking majority control in the November elections,
Pelosi is talking tough to wavering lawmakers and isolating
those opposed to the bill."
-- Newsweek:
Columnist Howard Fineman says the campaigns
of the various '08 presidential candidates have become uncontrollable:
campaigning "is not something the candidates
do. It is something that's done to them."
-- New
York Post: Columnist Zev
Chafets notes that Rudy Giuliani is
"the first serious presidential candidate in history
with a vowel at the end of his name. Oddly, so far in this
year of ethnic- and gender-identity politics, Rudy's Italian-American
heritage hasn't been much of an issue. Much more attention
has gone to Hillary's 'favorite daughter'
campaign, Barack Obama's quest
for African-American authenticity, Bill Richardson
self-depiction as the first Hispanic candidate and the Mormon
beliefs of Mitt Romney. Almost nobody has
focused on Rudy as the Italian Stallion. Yet."
Today in Political History
March 22, 1882: Congress outlaws
the practice of polygamy. (Source: National Journal 2007 Calendar
of American Politics)
March 22, 1972: Congress sends the proposed
Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to the states for
ratification. It eventually falls short of the three-fourths
approval needed. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
"We used to root for the Indians against
the cavalry, because we didn't think it was fair in the history
books that when the cavalry won it was a great victory, and
when the Indians won it was a massacre."
--
Dick Gregory (Source: History Quotes)
Utah Trivia
The controversy surrounding the
construction of the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell is often
cited as the beginning of the modern-day environmental movement.
(Source: Fast Facts)
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
Conan O’BrienThe California
legislature announced that they have moved their state’s presidential
primary from June to February. When asked why, a California
lawmaker said, ‘Because it’s really fun to hear Governor Schwarzenegger
try to say ‘February’.
David Letterman: “Top Things Overheard
At Osama bin Laden’s 50th Birthday Party”: “Who’s up for ‘Pin
the turban on the bind Sheik?”’; “Death to these novelty candles
that light again after you blow them out!”; “Mullah Omar’s
running late—he forgot to change his clocks”; “To fool United
States Special Forces, we had the bakery personalize the cake
‘Happy Birthday Debbie”’; “For he’s a jolly good fellow, which
the infidels will deny”; “I hope you don’t already have season
one of ‘Who’s The Boss?’ on DVD”; “No cake for Osama—he’s
ballooned to 102 pounds!”
Jay Leno: President Bush is back from his tour of Latin America.
He said it really opened his eyes. He said, “It’s amazing.
We thought we had a lot of illegal aliens here. They’re all
over the place down there!” ... According to a recent poll,
anti-American sentiment is running high in Mexico. Half of
Mexico’s population say they have a negative view of the United
States and the other half are already here. ... It’s chilly
here [in L.A.]. But it’s terrible weather back East. Another
massive snowstorm has hit the Northeast. Or, as environmentalists
call it, a “temporary global warming hiatus.” ... An elite
military unit made up of Native American Indians is now being
used to track down terrorists in the Middle East, including
Osama bin Laden. They’re over in Afghanistan right now. They
haven’t found bin Laden yet, but they did open 13 casinos.
Blog Watch
-- Ten
Big Questions For interviews Provo Mayor Lewis
Billings.
-- Rep. Steve Urquhart proposes a voluntary market-based
solution to Escalante Valley's water crisis, and solicits
feedback.
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