POSTED // Nov 5,2008 - nIf you’ve ever had the experience of reading a blog and not being able to figure out whether its author is a babe or a dude—and if you find that kind of information valuable—you’ll love GenderAnalyzer.com. When you enter the URL of your favorite blog, the analyzer uses its highly sophisticated, space-age atomic whiz-bang algorithm to determine the sex of a blog’s aut...

POSTED // Nov 5,2008 - n n8. Free hot dogs and kettle corn at select polling locations. n7. That liberal Tracy Aviary, whoever she is, had to be stopped. n6. Dancing With the Stars wasn’t on. It was either vote or cry. n5. Needed something to Twitter about between 10 and 10:05 a.m. n4. Office polls showed Attorney General candidate Jean Welch Hill would make a total AGILF. n3. Not ready for another elderly w...

POSTED // Nov 5,2008 - nA recently published research study found a strong correlation between teen pregnancy and teens who watched TV shows with strong sexual dialogue and content. The study found teens who consistently watched shows with sexual dialogue were twice as likely to become pregnant as those who didn’t. City Weekly asked Larry Eggett of the downtown Retro Rose antique store, what, if anything, should b...

POSTED // Nov 5,2008 - nWhen a bike accident paralyzed ophthalmologist Claude Gerstle from the neck down, he and his daughter Jessica, a Dateline NBC journalist, began delving into the highly politicized science of stem-cell research. Jessica then directed the film The Accidental Advocate, to be shown Thursday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. at The Leonardo, 209 E. 500 South. Special guests include Jessica Gerstle and U of U’s g...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - Would John McCain be better off if he had not selected Sarah Palin? Who would have been your choice for VP on that ticket?nJeremiah Smith: Even though Palin had a temporary effect, I think everyone would have seen McCain as the puppet he is before the election was over in any case. nnBrandon Burt: Is the question “Could any possible choice of running mate make you consider voting for McCain?...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - Lauren Buchman is 26. She works in a Salt Lake City advertising firm. She helped me write this column. I talked to her recently, just after she had visited western Colorado on behalf of the Barack Obama campaign. nLike tens of thousands of others under the age of 30, Buchman had volunteered to visit a battleground state in hopes of getting out the vote for Obama. The John McCain camp has a similar...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - Insurance CostsnUtah’s Legislature took the ax to health insurance for poor people on Medicaid this summer. A new study shows the picture isn’t much brighter for those lucky enough to have health insurance at their job. According to the Families USA study, Utah health-insurance-premium costs have increased at five times the rate of income growth since 2000. The average worker now pays...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - Everyone is familiar by now with the rumor that pops up this time of year. The details may vary, but the gist of the rumor remains the same: A Mormon temple—usually the one in Salt Lake City, but sometimes the one in Manti, and in recent years, the temple in Manhattan—will be, or has been turned into a haunted house for Halloween enthusiasts. Sometimes, it’s just for one night, s...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - In today’s pre-fab world of factory-made costumes and punch-’n’-go jack-o’-lantern templates, it’s easy to forget the true meaning of Halloween. nTo the ancient Celts, of course, Samhain was a very special time—it was the time when the entire village would judge you based on the amount of thought and creativity you put into your costume and Halloween decorations...

POSTED // Oct 29,2008 - nThe underdogs, the cage-fight and Kahlúa drinkers for Nader. Utah elections are typically snoozefests. We go through the motions, but everybody usually knows the winner before the first vote is cast. In a state accustomed to electing leaders by acclamation, the outcome is ordained. Add in widespread gerrymandering that cuts the state into dog-legged “safe” districts for incumbe...