| OCR Text |
Show Monday, September 11,2006 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Experts say BYU prof wrong on WTC theory SALT LAKE CITY—A Utah professor's theory that the World Trade Center was brought down by explosives is nonsense, experts say. Physicist Steven Jones, co-chairman of a group called Scholars for o/n Truth, has been placed on paid leave by Brigham Young University while the Mormon church-owned school investigates the ."increasingly speculative and accusatory nature" of his claims. Jones questions official findings that explosive jet fuel from hijacked airplanes turned steel floor supports rubbery and brought down the World Trade Center, suggesting hidden explosives imploded the skyscrapers. "Number one, why would you bother with the planes if you could bring down the buildings with bombs?" said William Connolly, director of New Jersey's Division of Codes and Standards and an advocate for strengthening buildings against terrorist attacks. "Second, that whole theory is just utterly inconsistent with the evidence," Connolly told The Deseret Morning News of Salt Lake City. "This happened in plain view. The National Institute of Standards and Technology had very detailed pictures analyzing it in a very detailed way. We know exactly what happened and exactly why they fell, and it has nothing to do with bombs," he said. Leslie Robertson, chief architectural engineer of the World Trade Center, said Jones' theory was "utterly ridiculous." Connolly and Robertson were featured on the recent PBS program "Nova: Building at Ground Zero," which examined why the buildings failed in a minute-byminute re-creation. Jones, a physicist at BYU since 1985, remained in seclusion on Saturday, refusing interviews. In a CD recording of one of his lectures, obtained by The Associ- ated Press, Jones said a "puff of smoke" that issued from under the impact zone of one of the towers as it gave way was evidence of an explosive charge. He discounted the chance the smoke was blown out by air pressure as the tower started collapsing. Jones showed side-by-side images of the collapsing World Trade Center towers and other buildings deliberately brought down by implosives, saying there was no difference in they way they fell. He gave the lecture Feb. 1 at Utah Valley State College. For years Jones has been working on cold fusion, claiming he's THE ASSOCIATED PRESS gotten the elusive energy source to work, though "it's still not enough Physicist Steven Jones has been placed on paid leave from BYU as the school to power my flashlight yet," he told investigates his claims regarding the destruction of the World Trade Center. the Deseret Morning News in interviews before he was suspended said to be embarrassed by his as- towers was a question best left on Thursday. sociation with a 9-11 conspiracy to engineers, not physicists like Jones. The newspaper reprinted some theory. The Associated Press of Jones past comments on SaturAt the University of Utah, Physday, casting him as isolated from ics Department Chairman Pierre Information from fellow BYU professors who were Sokolsky said destruction of the The Deseret Morning News Dual-track income tax plan unusual, NEED MONEY? likely to exist for years WE NEED YOU! Brock Vergakis Associated Press Writer SALT LAKE CITY—Utah's lawmakers have spent years trying to simplify the state's income tax code. In the end, tax forms will likely mirror a multiple-choice test. Legislators are on the verge of approving an income tax plan this month that would require taxpayers to choose whether to file taxes under the current system with its multitude of deductions and a top rate of 7 percent or another plan minus the deductions and a lower rate of about 5.4 percent. The intent is to lure wealthy people and their businesses to Utah with the new lower rate. The result is that Utah will likely end up with one of the nation's most unusual and complex tax systems for years to come. "Many Utah taxpayers have grown accustomed to the use of various deductions such as home mortgage interest rate deductions and charitable contributions," said Gov. Jon Huntsman's spokesman, Mike Mower. "In order to preserve those deductions it's almost certain the dual system would continue for a long period of time for an indefinite period of time." That's very different from what Huntsman and many legislators fought for earlier this year. The plan was for everyone to file their taxes under a lower, single rate of about 5 percent. That would have made the state competitive in attracting businesses, the governor contended. Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona all have top income tax rates lower than 5 percent while Wyoming and Nevada don't have state income tax. The Huntsman-backed plan breezed through the Senate. But it died in the House in the final minutes of the legislative session that ended March 1 because it eliminated too many deductions. Huntsman and Senate leaders said they would likely wait until next year to take another stab at the proposal after the price tag on the plan ballooned from $70 million to more than $200 million when mathematical errors were discovered. But the House, where all 75 members face re-election this November, was not as patient and began seeking a compromise this summer. That effort resulted in the "dual-track" plan lawmakers are expected to approve in a special session. The Associated Press You could qualify for a special blood program if you have recently been diagnosed with any of the following: * Herpes Simplex Ull •C/iictenPox/S/ii/igles tfa •Mononuc/eosis • Epstein Ba/rWn/s •Other conditions may be suitibk callfordetails. Qualified Doners receive $200 per donation, plus mileage reimbursement1 Please contact (888) 806-5215 for more information. M Calls are Confidential Site #04-030 "Further screening may be necessay In order lo qualify: WELLS FARGO The Next Stage® Talk with a Wells Fargo banker and get your PhD in Money-omics. Okay, so Wells Fargo can't really give you a PhD, but we do have all sorts of tools to make it easier for you to handle your money on your own. From checking and savings to a College Combo® specifically designed to help you be financially successful. And best of all, you'll get someone to answer your questions and help you make sense of it all. Why wait for someday? Stop by Wells Fargo, visit wellsfargo.com/student, or call 1 -800-WFB-OPEN (1-800-932-6736) today. fells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. |
