The winners and the losers

• Winner: Salt Lake County health officials made the right decision this week to lift a ban on backyard skating ramps, if only temporarily. The concerns people have about such ramps, which are used primarily by skateboarders and snowboarders, have to do with noise ordinances, not with the activity itself. If activities surrounding a ramp are creating too much noise, enforcement officers should respond and take appropriate action, just as they would if a backyard basketball game got out of hand.

But in an age when too many kids are stationary all day in front of computer screens, it makes little sense to remove a popular form of recreation and exercise from private property. We hope the county makes its move permanent when it reconsiders the ban next spring.

• Loser: When legislative candidates decline to answer questionnaires sent by a general circulation newspaper, they rob people of a chance to better understand their positions on important issues — a vital part of the decision-making process leading up to an election. And yet only 35 percent of state House candidates and 46 percent of Senate candidates responded to a survey sent recently by this newspaper.

This is the Information Age. Candidates may think they are providing information through their own Web sites or through fliers they distribute, but those often fail to confront controversial or difficult issues. Maybe that was the point the unresponsive candidates were trying to make. To see a list of the people who did, or didn't, respond, go to deseretnews.com/utah/election/candidate.

• Winner: Don't be fooled. Fast-food restaurants wouldn't begin posting the calories and fat content of their offerings if they thought it would cost them business. Most likely, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Food (all owned by Yum Brands Inc.) have calculated that people won't be discouraged by the information when it goes on menu boards later this year.

But it's still a good move. People really interested in losing weight should appreciate the information, which will help them make informed choices.

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