The Utah Department of Transportation is looking at postponing about 30 road-improvement projects this year because of asphalt scarcity, which was just made worse by the bankruptcy filing of Sen Material, which supplied about 60 percent of UDOT's asphalt.

The asphalt industry is in crisis because the material is a bi-product of oil refineries. Because they can make higher profits in gasoline production now, they are not producing as much asphalt, causing shortages all over the country.

UDOT was already facing a crunch because the price of the asphalt oil jumped from about $350 a ton at the first of the year to $900 a ton this month, said UDOT spokesman Nile Easton. He said major projects like the Legacy Parkway will still go forward, but about 30 other projects slated for this year will likely be held for at least a year.

That, in turn, has placed a burden on the private contractors who do much of the work for UDOT, said Easton.

Paying one's dues: Being a Republican legislator in Utah isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

Whatever benefits they might get, like free Jazz tickets from lobbyists, are more than offset by their yearly assignment of sitting on a golf course for five hours in 100-degree heat and acting friendly to the jerks even they can't stand.

It was the annual Utah Republican Party's fundraising golf tournament at Thanksgiving Point on Friday. Lobbyists and other party contributors paid $1,500 a foursome to play the course. Two legislators at each hole sat on lawn chairs throughout the day, greeting the golfers as they played through.

Some of those lawmakers baking in the sun Friday probably harbored envy for Senate President John Valentine and House Speaker Greg Curtis, who got to scurry around the course in golf carts, greeting players along the way.

That might be another incentive for legislators to run for leadership positions.

Refine the mailing list: Utah Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Springmeyer received two political solicitations last week.

One was from the Republican National Committee saying his membership is "about to expire. This could not come at a worse time. The RNC must quickly rebuild."

The other came from John McCain, saying, "This election is going to be about big ideas, not small schemes and failed policies of the past."

Dumbing down America? Jeri Cartwright, a public-relations executive in Salt Lake City, sent me these bloopers found on résumés that were compiled by Linda Kruse, director of human resources at MHTN Architects and teacher at the University of Phoenix:

* Quick typist, about 25 words per minute.

* I am a rabid typist.

* Please disregard the enclosed résumé it is out of date.

* Thyping.

* Education: U. of U. August 1880 to May 1984.

* I am sicking and entry-level position.

* Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.

* I work here full-time there.

* References: John Burton - Deceased May 15, 1999.

prolly@sltrib.com