Calming the Nu sea: "Hold the geography professor! Canadians will be relieved to learn that the folks at Nu Skin know Canada is not overseas from the U.S."
That's what Jan Hemming, Nu Skin media relations manager, wrote to tell us after reading Loose Change last week.As you may recall, Nu Skin sent the Deseret News a press release last week announcing new markets in Australia and New Zealand. In addition it stated that "Nu Skin also operates overseas in Canada."
Hemming said the Deseret News received an earlier version of the release intended for media in Australia and New Zealand, from which Canada would be overseas. The phrase was mistakenly transferred to the American version, she said.
Hitting the high notes: Composers Gilbert and Sullivan have apparently moved to Provo and abandoned musical scores in favor of financial statements.
According to a story in last Monday's Provo Daily Herald, "auditors of the Gilbert and Sullivan firm in Provo said Payson High School is in good shape fin-anc-ially."
The actual name of the Provo auditing firm is Gilbert and Stewart. William S. Gilbert and Arthur S. Sullivan are well-known for the musicals "H.M.S. Pinafore," "Pirates of Penzance" and "The Mikado." Both are now dead.
Twin peaks: Phoenix and Provo share something in common: Each has a mountaintop known as Squaw Peak.
Both peaks have had their names for many years, but now there's a movement in Phoenix to change the name. A Native American woman complained to the City Council that the word "squaw" is derogatory toward Indian women.
Squaw Peak, a north Phoenix mountain known for its popular hiking trail, got its name in 1910.
Provo's Squaw Peak received its name about 1850 after a conflict between Indians and white settlers. Big Elk, chief of the local Piute Indians, was killed and his squaw fled to the foothills. She died in a fall from the mountain, and the peak was named in her honor, according the the book "Utah Place Names." There are other versions to the story.
We haven't heard of a similar movement in Provo.
Rubbing Aladdin's lamp: SCERA Theater President Norm Nielsen couldn't have wished for bigger moneymakers than "Sleeping Beauty" and "Beauty and the Beast." Then he rubbed up against "Aladdin's" magic lamp.
In just seven weeks, "Aladdin" profits surpassed the all-time record set by "Beauty and the Beast" during its 22-week run. During the Christmas season, the SCERA turned away as many as 200 people at each showing. Many of the people are showing up at the theater for the fifth or sixth viewing of the Disney cartoon, said Lisa Pulham, a SCERA employee. "Alad-din" will probably play through February.
Walking into the theater is like walking into the movie. The lobby is decorated a la the Arabian Nights, complete with a sultan's palace. Employees even wear Arabian headdresses.
Looks like Norm's got his three wishes.
License plate o' the week: HU WISH - seen on a white Honda Accord. The owner's name doesn't happen to be Genie, does it?
"Loose Change" appears in the Deseret News on Mondays. To reach Dennis or Brooke, call 374-1162 or send us a fax at 377-5701.