Salt Lake City is something of an anomaly in Utah. On the political map, it almost looks like a mistake, as if someone spilled a dash of blue paint on a red canvas.

One is a married, former walk-on from California. The other is an outdoorsy-type Arizonian who couldn't wait to be a Ute. Together, as the Utah volleyball team's setters, they supply the Utes' hitters with all the assists they need.

I used to work at The Chronicle many, many years ago, and in fact my time there had more impact on my career path and the joys of my later life than any other single event or decision. I rarely see The Chronicle, but today I picked up a copy while having lunch downtown. I was struck by the fairly significant grammar errors in two front-page leads.

U researchers are still piecing together an incomplete picture of the world of dinosaurs, but tonight, one of them unveils what little more humans know.

I can understand why our state legislators are so sensitive when it comes to the initiative for ethics reform from the Utahns for Ethical Government. No one wants to be the guy (or gal) who stands up and says unequivocally, "I oppose the proposed ethics reform." It just sounds bad, doesn't it?

Following an eight-month undercover investigation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has filed complaints with the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture against U research labs for violating federal law in its mistreatment of research animals.

Facing the prospect of a citizen initiative that would overhaul an ethics policy in the Utah Legislature, lawmakers have drafted an outline of a more mild counterproposal to at least partly heed calls for reform.

A Nov. 6 Associated Press headline was alarming: "Obama: Gov't working to ease pain of joblessness."

The margin of error for the Utah volleyball team is small if it is to climb back into the conference title picture.

Wednesday was a day of celebration to honor our nation's veterans at the U, as Utah veterans, young and old, gathered with students at the Union.