I couldn't let this go without a link: a story about "Caucasians," bowling, and a Lebowski Fest.
And there's video!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Greening Hawaii
Residents of Hawaii, with plenty of sun and wind but no oil, have begun a campaign to wean the islands from fossil fuels in 10 years.
Backed by Tetris licenser (for Nintendo, beating out Atari) and software entrepreneur Henk Rogers and his private Blue Planet foundation, the campaign is designed to supercharge a state effort to cut its reliance on foreign oil by 70 percent by 2030.
From a NYT editorial: "Jeffrey Mikulina, a longtime environmental activist in Hawaii, jokes that his home state, which is almost completely dependent on imported oil, is one supertanker away from being Amish. It also is one superheated ocean away from being underwater."
The NYT says that the plan includes revamping the obsolete electrical system of Hawaii's main utility to allow customers with solar panels to sell power back to the grid.
The push, should it be successful, seems like it could prove to other states that energy independence is a real possibility. This will be an interesting initiative to watch exactly for that reason. (Plus, I really like Tetris. Still.)
Backed by Tetris licenser (for Nintendo, beating out Atari) and software entrepreneur Henk Rogers and his private Blue Planet foundation, the campaign is designed to supercharge a state effort to cut its reliance on foreign oil by 70 percent by 2030.
From a NYT editorial: "Jeffrey Mikulina, a longtime environmental activist in Hawaii, jokes that his home state, which is almost completely dependent on imported oil, is one supertanker away from being Amish. It also is one superheated ocean away from being underwater."
The NYT says that the plan includes revamping the obsolete electrical system of Hawaii's main utility to allow customers with solar panels to sell power back to the grid.
The push, should it be successful, seems like it could prove to other states that energy independence is a real possibility. This will be an interesting initiative to watch exactly for that reason. (Plus, I really like Tetris. Still.)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Lee-gal Bills
The City Council's MLGW committee voted down a resolution approving the release of more than $426K in legal bills for former MLGW head Joseph Lee this morning.
The full council already voted against the measure in October, but then the minutes of that meeting were pulled after chairman Myron Lowery suggested a compromise of a lesser amount.
"[MLGW] President [Jerry] Collins has been working with Mr. Lee and his attorneys to work out a different or the same compromise and they have been unsuccessful," councilperson Barbara Swearengen Ware told the MLGW committee she chairs.
"We have the option to approve this or deny it. If it is denied, then we could possibly spend a lot more in attorney fees, because it will go to court."
Council members Wanda Halbert and Janis Fullilove wondered why the council was second-guessing the MLGW board, which already approved the full amount. The council has to approve any MLGW expenditures above $25,000.
"We are stepping all the way outside our responsibility," said councilperson Wanda Halbert. "Why are we talking about this? Are we trying to overrule their body? is that what we're trying to accomplish?"
Ware responded: "I think so, because the compromise offered a lesser amount. ... This body thought it had the authority to supersede what was recommended by the MLGW board."
Committee members Jim Strickland, Shea Flinn, Bill Boyd, and Bill Morrison voted against paying Lee's legal fees. Ware voted to do so.
"It's not like we haven't paid more [before]," Ware said. "It's just this case that has become the issue."
The measure will now be taken up in full council.
The full council already voted against the measure in October, but then the minutes of that meeting were pulled after chairman Myron Lowery suggested a compromise of a lesser amount.
"[MLGW] President [Jerry] Collins has been working with Mr. Lee and his attorneys to work out a different or the same compromise and they have been unsuccessful," councilperson Barbara Swearengen Ware told the MLGW committee she chairs.
"We have the option to approve this or deny it. If it is denied, then we could possibly spend a lot more in attorney fees, because it will go to court."
Council members Wanda Halbert and Janis Fullilove wondered why the council was second-guessing the MLGW board, which already approved the full amount. The council has to approve any MLGW expenditures above $25,000.
"We are stepping all the way outside our responsibility," said councilperson Wanda Halbert. "Why are we talking about this? Are we trying to overrule their body? is that what we're trying to accomplish?"
Ware responded: "I think so, because the compromise offered a lesser amount. ... This body thought it had the authority to supersede what was recommended by the MLGW board."
Committee members Jim Strickland, Shea Flinn, Bill Boyd, and Bill Morrison voted against paying Lee's legal fees. Ware voted to do so.
"It's not like we haven't paid more [before]," Ware said. "It's just this case that has become the issue."
The measure will now be taken up in full council.
Odds and Ends
— I don't know whether to be shocked or ashamed: USAToday's Report: Mass Media Harms Kids
I think it's mostly TV, but we all get painted with the same brush. The studies, done over 28 years, said that heavy media exposure increases the risk of obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol use, attention problems and poor grades, and that 93 percent of studies found that children with greater media exposure had sex earlier.
On the other hand ... at least they're well-informed.
— On a somewhat related note, if you're interested in plan B, Oxford, Mississippi, or Walgreens pharmacies, here's a first-person account about that.
— The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. has been in a recession since last December. I think the only person surprised by that information is John McCain.
— And this morning, the City Council's public safety and homeland security committee discussed the possibility of having Shelby County deputies patrol in Memphis with county sheriff Mark Luttrell and MPD head Larry Godwin.
Godwin said he was concerned "about the drain on the sheriff's department" and that they would have to figure out how the county officers would file reports.
"It would require those officers working for MPD, answering our dispatchers," he said. But more on that later ...
I think it's mostly TV, but we all get painted with the same brush. The studies, done over 28 years, said that heavy media exposure increases the risk of obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol use, attention problems and poor grades, and that 93 percent of studies found that children with greater media exposure had sex earlier.
On the other hand ... at least they're well-informed.
— On a somewhat related note, if you're interested in plan B, Oxford, Mississippi, or Walgreens pharmacies, here's a first-person account about that.
— The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. has been in a recession since last December. I think the only person surprised by that information is John McCain.
— And this morning, the City Council's public safety and homeland security committee discussed the possibility of having Shelby County deputies patrol in Memphis with county sheriff Mark Luttrell and MPD head Larry Godwin.
Godwin said he was concerned "about the drain on the sheriff's department" and that they would have to figure out how the county officers would file reports.
"It would require those officers working for MPD, answering our dispatchers," he said. But more on that later ...
Monday, December 1, 2008
Look Out, Herenton
In the wake of the arrest of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford, Gawker offered these words of wisdom:
"We're not saying the Bush Justice Department has been politicized, but the Bush Justice Department has been politicized. Also Langford is obviously corrupt as hell but so is Norm Coleman and no one will put him in jail, no matter how many impassioned, profanity-laced comments we leave on StarTribune.com.
Look: Black Democratic mayors across the country should just stop being corrupt for a while, until the new administration takes over and Justice transitions to caring about reading terrorists their rights or whatever."
Their headline: "With Just 50 Days to Go, Bush Still Collecting Black Democrat Indictments".
For more, click here.
"We're not saying the Bush Justice Department has been politicized, but the Bush Justice Department has been politicized. Also Langford is obviously corrupt as hell but so is Norm Coleman and no one will put him in jail, no matter how many impassioned, profanity-laced comments we leave on StarTribune.com.
Look: Black Democratic mayors across the country should just stop being corrupt for a while, until the new administration takes over and Justice transitions to caring about reading terrorists their rights or whatever."
Their headline: "With Just 50 Days to Go, Bush Still Collecting Black Democrat Indictments".
For more, click here.
Money Talks
Related to today's previous post, Memphis' budget will be the focus of tonight's Neighbor Talk on Comcast channel 18 WYPL.
Hosted by council chair Myron Lowery, the live, call-in program will feature city CAO Keith McGee and city finance director Roland McElrath. Callers can dial 415-2756 to ask Lowery, McGee, and McElrath questions.
From a release about the show:
"The City of Memphis is not immune to the economic challenges being faced across the country. Lowery’s guests will discuss the city’s bottom line and highlight the strategies and plans they recently proposed to the Council to address the shortfalls in revenues and other critical areas of concern that have commanded the attention of the administration and the legislative body. Information presented will be of particular interest to current city employees."
Put like that, I think if I were a city of Memphis employee, I would definitely try to tune in.
Budget hearing for the upcoming fiscal year (which starts in July) typically begin in February. Final budget approval generally occurs in June.
Hosted by council chair Myron Lowery, the live, call-in program will feature city CAO Keith McGee and city finance director Roland McElrath. Callers can dial 415-2756 to ask Lowery, McGee, and McElrath questions.
From a release about the show:
"The City of Memphis is not immune to the economic challenges being faced across the country. Lowery’s guests will discuss the city’s bottom line and highlight the strategies and plans they recently proposed to the Council to address the shortfalls in revenues and other critical areas of concern that have commanded the attention of the administration and the legislative body. Information presented will be of particular interest to current city employees."
Put like that, I think if I were a city of Memphis employee, I would definitely try to tune in.
Budget hearing for the upcoming fiscal year (which starts in July) typically begin in February. Final budget approval generally occurs in June.
City Shrink, part two
Something to watch for:
"Battered by record foreclosures and falling tax revenue, cities are laying off workers, raising fees and closing libraries and recreation centers," says today's USAToday.
A fall survey found that 79 percent of cities expect their finances to worsen in 2009 and that city finance officers expect revenue to decrease 4.3 percent this year.
At least we're not alone.
So what are other cities doing?
Philly is closing 11 of its 54 libraries, and 200 of its 23,000 employees will be laid off come the new year.
In Atlanta, they're cutting 4,600 employees' salaries, including the mayor's, by 10 percent.
In Seattle, they're trying to increase parking fee revenue and decrease spending on social programs.
What will we do? I guess we'll see. But popular targets from last year include libraries and community centers.
"Battered by record foreclosures and falling tax revenue, cities are laying off workers, raising fees and closing libraries and recreation centers," says today's USAToday.
A fall survey found that 79 percent of cities expect their finances to worsen in 2009 and that city finance officers expect revenue to decrease 4.3 percent this year.
At least we're not alone.
So what are other cities doing?
Philly is closing 11 of its 54 libraries, and 200 of its 23,000 employees will be laid off come the new year.
In Atlanta, they're cutting 4,600 employees' salaries, including the mayor's, by 10 percent.
In Seattle, they're trying to increase parking fee revenue and decrease spending on social programs.
What will we do? I guess we'll see. But popular targets from last year include libraries and community centers.
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