The winners and the losers

• Winner: This week, 194 Sterling Scholar finalists competed for the chance to be winners in one of 13 different categories, and they did so in front of an impressive array of judges who have excelled in these areas. The annual Sterling Scholar competition, sponsored by this newspaper, is exactly what so many critics of modern culture say is needed — it is a high-profile recognition of high school students with talents in things other than athletics. More than that, however, it is an annual reminder of how so many members of this state's rising generation are loaded with real potential.

• Loser: Animal rights advocates say the early jail release this week of a man convicted of brutally torturing a dog is another sign that Utah doesn't take such crimes seriously. But the county had little choice, considering Marc Christopher Vincent had been a good prisoner. The real slap in the face, for animals as well as animal lovers, came earlier this month when state lawmakers refused to pass a bill that would have raised such torture to a felony.