Is Anyone Paying Attention?

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Obsessed—Not

Lynn Vavreck, UCLA political scientist: “Most people don’t care about politics. They’re not running around with these preformed opinions in their head. They worry about what they’ll make for dinner and how to get their kids to bed. And that hasn’t changed. For us, that’s an alien world. We think about  politics all the time. But we’re not normal. The 24-hour news cycle has not really affected the average American who isn’t into politics. And that’s really important to remember.”

Ezra Klein, political blogger: “I think most people in Washington believe voters would make better decisions if they spent more time following politics. But I spend a lot of time following politics, and quite often, I couldn’t be happier that voters are tuning out the inanities that obsess this town. Better that they worry about real mountains rather than hyped-up molehills.”

—Ezra Klein, blogger and columnist, 

“Always remember: ‘We’re not normal,’” 

Wonkblog, The Washington Post, 4/20/12

• Editorial Comment: If a Gingrich falls in the forest, does it make a sound? Give me a ring in November, willya?

• RERUN: Terrific! Did you miss yesterday’s WORDs from writer extraordinaire E.B. White, about the writer’s responsibility? Click here.

• Of interest: Study: J-school grads’ unemployment rate better than average

News from our award-winning student news site, The Hard News Café 
• HNC Weekly News Roundup 
• JCOM honors Class of 2012, outstanding students; awards scholarships 
• Decision nears on proposed Oneida Narrows dam, but fight not over yet, by Allie Jeppson 
• USU honors its athletes, teams of the year at USTARS dinner, by Rebecca Holliday
• Cancer foes generate hope doing laps all night for Relay For Life, by Rebecca Holliday
• Mendon historian loves to discover and share the past, by Josh Ruggles
• New names in Nibley: City manager Zook and municipal judge Cook, by Tmera Bradley
• Hyrum city promises help for home owners in Wapiti Bluff subdivision, by Tara Alvey
• Wellsville turns down request for commercial rezone, by Jimena Herrero
• Aggie TV News for April 19, 2012 
• USU journalists dominate annual regional Mark of Excellence Awards 
• JCOM Prof, SLTrib Photographer Win Journalism Ethics Award 
• GUEST COLUMN: Obama leads the way in kindness, civility, by Helen Cannon

PeezPIX by Ted Pease 
Catalog here

Good Doggone.
Lulu the Bighearted Dog left us much too soon. 
2002-2012 RIP