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Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced his order to open fire on condemned murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner with a short tweet just after midnight on June 18. His tweet attempted to carry a grave tone (“May God grant him the mercy he denied his victims”), but it was announced in a medium still primarily used for light banter. Shurtleff defended his use of Twitter to the Associated Press by saying he regularly uses it to communicate with the public, but announcing through social media, with religious grandstanding, that he had given the approval to kill a man—by the old-fashioned firing squad, no less—seemed more like Bible-thumping by a fundamentalist preacher.
Sign Online
The Utah Supreme Court ruled June 22 that electronic signatures are valid for election petitions. The case the court heard involved Farley Anderson, a wanna-be independent candidate for governor, who collected the required 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot but was told by the Utah Elections Office that, because some of the signatures were electronic, the petition was not valid. The ruling likely sets a precedent thats extends far beyond Anderson, as at least two of the initiatives that are trying to get on the 2012 ballot—one would create a nonpartisan redistricting commission, the other an independent ethics commission—are collecting electronic signatures. Welcome to the Internet age, Utah.
Get Yer Smokes
On July 1, the tax on tobacco will jump one dollar, thanks to a bill passed by the no-new-taxes Utah Legislature in March. Who benefits? Not smoking cessation programs, which are not going to see any increased funding because the estimated $47 million in new tax revenue is simply being used to help cover the $1 billion shortfall that the Legislature faced in its general session. Nor will small businesses like Jeannie’s Smoke Shop in downtown Salt Lake City, which will be closing its doors and leave yet another empty storefront in downtown. Not that our so-called free-market legislators mind closing a business they disagree with by using government power or have any problem raising a “sin” tax, because only sinners are taxed.
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Josh
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Walk of Shame, The Lego Movie
New DVD/VOD Tuesday, June 17
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Drinking-Class Zero
Following a night of drinking, Wendy Simpson, 25, walked to a McDonald’s restaurant in West Yorkshire, England, where she was told that the counter was closed and only the drive-through was open but that she couldn’t be served
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How to Train Your Dragon 2
Dragon 2 shows DreamWorks is still willing to be daring
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Smoking Help, Farm Taxes & Gallivan Skating
Apparently, Salt Lake City officials believe that a premium price is justified for a small, outdoor rink with an ambiance that includes construction noise and heavy equipment ...
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Amendment Madness, Free Legal Aid & Lobbyist Influence
U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, plans to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow states to veto an action ...
- Nov 24, 2010
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Anti-affirmative action, TSA Protest & Federal $$
Legislators look to stop affirmative action. Jason Chaffetz still hates body scanners, but doesn't want to protest them in airports. And Utah legislators hate federal money a little bit less after elections.
- Nov 17, 2010
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