The discussion leader: Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, described by some legislative observers as "nothing but a big bully," as "not Utah-nice" and as having the words "diplomacy" and "statesman" deleted from his vocabulary.
He once was ordered by Senate leadership to publicly apologize after he said at a public meeting in Tooele that HEAL (Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah) really stood for "Help Educate Anal Liberals."
Bramble reportedly spent the first half of his "civility" presentation talking about how civil he has been to others and the second half talking about how uncivil others have been to him.
Perhaps the folks at the Sutherland Institute could have Eagle Forum President Gayle Ruzicka lead a discussion on tolerance and 11-time political candidate Merrill Cook conduct a "humility" seminar.
Guzzlegate II? While filling up her car with gas on the corner of 400 North and 500 West in Bountiful, at 7:45 p.m. Thursday, a motorist spotted two empty police cars with the engines running in the parking lot of Sinclair. During the five or so minutes it took her and her husband to fill their car, get drinks inside and pay the tab, the officers sat at a table inside the station and chatted, while their cars remained running, eating up the $2.40 per gallon taxpayer-purchased gas.
For the record, one was a West Bountiful City police car, license 92742EX. The other was a Bountiful City car, license plate 97976EX.
Mixed messages: Salt Lake City recently sent out a flier to residents with tips on "how to conserve water." The flier was sent soon after a bunch of thirsty saplings were planted along a new median on 700 East.
Didn't get the memo: The daily watering of the lawn at the University of Utah's Beta Theta Pi fraternity at 70 S. Wolcott leaves standing water on the lawn every day. The lawn is usually so saturated, much of the water runs into the gutters.
Written by a basketball player? Utah Power's "Forecast" newsletter, sent with the company's latest billing, notes that recently purchased turbines "have a rotor diameter of 262 feet," describing that length as "longer than 2 1/2 football fields."
Actually, 262 feet (just over 87 yards) would land you on the opponent's 13-yard line of the first football field.
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Paul Rolly welcomes e-mail at prolly@sltrib.com
