The DNews' Elaine Jarvik waded into a dreary controversy when she asked readers to "come up with one word that best defines Salt Lake City."

This is the kind of lame newspaper "reader-involvement" exercise that is supposed to give everyone a warm feeling about their hometown. A booster's wet dream. But as usual, SLC proved it might be best described as "self-loathing."

"You responded with humor, earnestness and anger. Some of you couldn't resist poking fun at the city and the state," wrote Jarvik. "And that, as usual, caused some of the rest of you to suggest a change of address."

When residents and natives refer to their hometown as "judgmental," "second-rate," "bigot," "narrow-minded," "boring" and "materialistic" (the last two exemplified by Gateway, above)— yes, that could encourage Chamber of Commerce chief Lane Beattie, himself, to hop the first bus outta town.