Who Needs the News Media?
The Utah Senate has hired Michael Castner, lately of KSL Radio’s Nightside Project, as a communications consultant. Castner will help senators get their messages out, direct to citizens, with audio and video podcasting, among other means. See a post on the SenateSite.com explaining the hire, and Castner’s most recent podcast, plus other podcasts on Senate Radio. The Senate also has a video channel on YouTube. The Senate is increasing its capacity to communicate directly to citizens, avoiding the filtering and negativity of the news media, using Web 2.0 technologies.
Chamber's '08 Priorities
The Salt Lake Chamber has released a list of its 2008 legislative priorities (see press release), which include health care reform, preempting gridlock on Utah roads, funding for education and Downtown Rising. To read the chamber’s full report, click here.
Anti-Mormon Bigotry in SLC?
Tonight's episode of KUED's Utah NOW will focus on whether Mitt Romney's presidential candidacy has "unmasked a subtle form of religious bigotry in American culture" and whether there's "a sentiment of anti-Mormon intolerance" in SLC. Studio guests will include Dr. Robert Millet of BYU, Dr. Robert Goldberg of the Tanner Humanities Center, and Harvard Law School Professor Noah Feldman. The program airs at 8:30 p.m.
ARTICLE VI Screening
A VIP screening of the feature-length documentary, “ARTICLE VI: Faith. Politics. America,” is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Dumke Auditorium, 410 Campus Center Dr., University of Utah. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. and following the screening the host and filmmaker will take questions from the audience.
The film is described as “an intense discussion of the role of faith in politics.” RSVP by Monday, Jan. 14, to rsvpslc@outsideeyes.com, or call 949.296.1520.
Today in Political History
Jan. 11, 1861: The Alabama legislature votes to secede from the Union.
Jan. 11, 1944: President Roosevelt in his State of the Union speech to Congress proposes a National Service Act and a new set of rights that included: a right to a job, a right of decent income to farmers, a right to a decent home, a right to medical care, etc. (Source: Perspicuity)
Jan. 11, 1973: The Watergate burglars’ trial begins. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."
-- Mark Twain (Source: GMU.edu)
Utah Landmarks/Trivia
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks comprises 6,154 acres, and is an outstanding geological, scientific, and scenic area. Called a "Breaks" because of its abrupt, broken, and deeply eroded canyon, it is a 3.8-mile-long and 2.5-mile-wide amphitheater containing numerous ridges, cliffs, and spires eroded some 2,000 feet below the 10,300- to 10,500-foot elevation of the plateau. Iron and manganese oxide impurities produce an amazing variety of colors in the limestone cliffs that constantly change with the angle of the sun's rays. In the meadows bordering the six-mile-long rim drive, colorful wildflowers in season provide another resplendent attraction. Additionally, there are fine stands of bristlecone pine trees (Pinus aristala), the oldest of which is more than 1,600 years old.
Located on the Markagunt Plateau, Cedar Breaks can be reached via Utah Highway 14 from U. S. Highway 89, or from I-15 at Cedar City. Highway 143 runs to the area from Parowan and County Road 38 from Panguitch. About 500,000 people visit Cedar Breaks annually. (Source: Utah.Edu)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- American Spectator: Columnist Jennifer Rubin says John McCain's consistent support for the Iraq War and Gen. Petraeus' surge policy "offers more than 'I told you so' brownie points for him. It clearly places his commander-in-chief credentials above all rivals and cements his image as the 'straight talker' who does not trim his views to popular opinion."
-- Washington Post: Columnist Harold Myerson says the "same rifts that have characterized the [Democratic] party's presidential contests for 40 years" lurk beneath the '08 race: "Like Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Al Gore before her, Clinton is winning downscale and older voters, and the support of party regulars. Like Eugene McCarthy, Gary Hart and Bill Bradley before him, Obama has the backing of more upscale and younger voters, and independents."
-- The Guardian: Brit columnist Jonathan Freedland says America's two major political parties "are engaged in a kind of double blind-date. Democrats and Republicans are picking a candidate with no idea who that person will face come November. ... [B]oth sides are squaring up against a question mark."
-- Wall Street Journal: In an op-ed, Karl Rove says of the NH polling fiasco: "The dirty secret is it is hard to accurately poll a primary. The unpredictability of who will turn out and what the mix of voters will be makes polling a primary election like reading chicken entrails -- ugly, smelly and not very enlightening. Our media culture endows polls -- especially exit polls -- with scientific precision they simply don't have."
Lighter Side
“The best way to look at the U.S. tax code is like it’s a three legged mule. It’s ugly, deformed, and doesn’t do much good for anybody.”
—Former Rep. Dick Armey (Patriot Post)
Casual Friday
Fishing Report
Ice fishing is generally good at our trout reservoirs. Strawberry is good but can be spotty -- for the best action hike away from the crowds. Slush on top the ice makes snowmobiling difficult. Fish Lake is a very good choice; it offers nice splake, lake trout, rainbows and small perch. Many small reservoirs offer very good ice fishing.
Most reservoirs are filling; ice floats away from shore and a ring of thin ice forms around reservoir edges. You may need to jump or use a plank to bridge over a couple feet of thin stuff to the safe ice.
Bear Lake cisco run should start about Jan 20, and continue through the month. The lake is mostly open water, but that could change at any time. As of now, boats can be launched at Cisco Beach. Trolling is fair to good for cutthroat. See DWR's fishing report for more info.
Utah stream fishing is difficult because of all the snow. There's good action for whitefish and some browns if you can get to the water. Work small nymphs along the bottom.
Lees Ferry has good fly fishing for rainbows, with relatively mild conditions. Lees Ferry Anglers reports that fish are a little bigger this year. The big river is a great option for people interested in getting away from the snow into sunshine.
Outdoors Report
-- Morning News’ highlights favorite runs at Deer Valley Resort
-- Utah’s bison herds suffer growing pains in the Tribune
-- Antelope Island sheep get relocated in the Morning News
-- Find out about upcoming events in the Morning News’ Outdoor Notes
-- Check out the Tribune’s Outdoor Notebook and Recreation Roundup for sports and recreation activities this week
-- For the latest wildlife news and information and the fishing report visit the DWR website
New Films
-- The Bucket List: Tribune review
-- The Orphanage: Tribune review
Concerts
-- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Utah Symphony, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Abravanel Hall
-- “Rhythm of Ireland,” Celtic dance, through January 12, SCERA Center
-- Organ Recitals, every Saturday, noon, and every Sunday, 2 p.m., Temple Square Assembly Hall
Theater
-- “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” through January 19, Pinnacle Acting Company
-- “The King and I” through January 21, Music Theatre West, Logan
-- “The Vertical Hour” through January 26, Pioneer Theatre Company
-- “Don’t Drink the Water” through February 9, Hale Center Theater Orem
-- “Lend Me a Tenor” through February 9, Hale Centre Theatre
-- “Once Upon a Mattress” through February 9, Rodgers Memorial Theatre
-- “Forever Plaid” through February 15, Terrace Plaza Playhouse, Logan
-- “Man of La Mancha” through February 16, St. George Musical Theater
-- “My Valley Fair Lady” through March 22, Desert Star Theatre
Museum Exhibits
-- SF Recycled and Masters of West Coast Assemblage and Collage Exhibitions through January 26, David Kimball Anderson: To Morris Graves Exhibition through February 2, Salt Lake Art Center
-- Cinderella: Masks, Magic, and Mirrors Exhibition through March 31, Utah Museum of Fine Arts
-- Minerva Teichert: Pageants in Paint Exhibition, through May 26, Brigham Young University Museum of Art
Et Cetera
-- State Capital Building Open House through Saturday
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