WE'RE BACK!
Just mark it down in your memory books: Bell South is an evil god.
It's been like falling out of a canoe in the Amazon.
And there we were Wednesday night, when we got the call from Raleigh that Joe Hackney will be the new speaker of the NC House, and we couldn't post a word about him!
Tomorrow morning at the Watauga County Administration Bldg., in the Commissioners Boardroom, Cullie Tarleton will be sworn in as the new representative from the 93rd NC House Dist. Following that, we'll hope to get back into some regular order with this blog.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 -- Families earning more than $1 million a year saw their federal tax rates drop more sharply than any group in the country as a result of President Bush's tax cuts, according to a new Congressional study.
The study, by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, also shows that tax rates for middle-income earners edged up in 2004, the most recent year for which data was available, while rates for people at the very top continued to decline.
"Bush Tax Cuts Offer Most for Very Rich, Study Finds," NYTimes, 8 Jan. 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
STEVE GOSS SWORN IN AS N.C. SENATOR
It was standing-room-only in the Ashe County Courthouse this a.m., as Steve Goss was sworn in as the new Democratic senator from the 45th district ... the "miracle candidate," who wasn't given much of a chance of beating Republican David Blust last November 7th but who pulled out a victory that stunned everybody and sent shock waves all the way to Raleigh.
"Steve Goss always beats the odds," said his daughter Kelly Sechrist. He was the first in his family to attend a four-year college, and he was the first person to reach "level 5 language competency" as a Baptist missionary in Japan years ago. Naturally, he would beat the odds again to give the 45th Senate dist. (Wilkes, Alexander, Ashe, and Watauga counties) Democratic representation in Raleigh for the first time in many years.
Goss took the oath with his hand resting on a Bible in his wife Phyllis' hands, opened to Romans 8:28: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."
Steve Goss is a man of faith, and he's also a progressive Democrat. He's hit the ground running, with the needs of the 45th district upper-most in his mind. He's going to make us a great state senator!
It was standing-room-only in the Ashe County Courthouse this a.m., as Steve Goss was sworn in as the new Democratic senator from the 45th district ... the "miracle candidate," who wasn't given much of a chance of beating Republican David Blust last November 7th but who pulled out a victory that stunned everybody and sent shock waves all the way to Raleigh.
"Steve Goss always beats the odds," said his daughter Kelly Sechrist. He was the first in his family to attend a four-year college, and he was the first person to reach "level 5 language competency" as a Baptist missionary in Japan years ago. Naturally, he would beat the odds again to give the 45th Senate dist. (Wilkes, Alexander, Ashe, and Watauga counties) Democratic representation in Raleigh for the first time in many years.
Goss took the oath with his hand resting on a Bible in his wife Phyllis' hands, opened to Romans 8:28: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."
Steve Goss is a man of faith, and he's also a progressive Democrat. He's hit the ground running, with the needs of the 45th district upper-most in his mind. He's going to make us a great state senator!
Friday, January 05, 2007
EVEN HICKORY TALKS ABOUT HOBBLING BIG-BOX RETAIL
You know you're in a changing world when you hear that the city of Hickory "is considering higher standards for retail stores of more than 25,000-square-feet." Wow! That vast wasteland of big-box-and-parking-lot landscaping has had enough?
"We just don't ask for a lot as far as our landscaping and architectural standards," admitted Hickory city council member Sally Fox. "We need to raise our level of expectation."
Ms. Fox is a big ole socialist, obviously.
But what brought this on? A new Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, that's what. "Lowe's is a lesson in that we didn't ask for a lot," councilwoman Fox said.
'Course, now that Hickory might be on the verge of asking a little more from huge corporations that want the right to blight and sprawl ... councilwoman Fox and her compatriots can expect the political backlash from those same big money interests whose sense of public responsibility does not extend past their profits.
Why, only last night Boone mega-developer Phil Templeton was heard to promise that he will now build something really ugly on State Farm Road, as revenge for the Boone Board of Adjustment's unanimous vote in turning back his special use permit request to build a huge addition on a former church structure in an R-1 neighborhood. You can't tell these rich guys they can't do exactly what they want to do without also suffering their wrath.
You know you're in a changing world when you hear that the city of Hickory "is considering higher standards for retail stores of more than 25,000-square-feet." Wow! That vast wasteland of big-box-and-parking-lot landscaping has had enough?
"We just don't ask for a lot as far as our landscaping and architectural standards," admitted Hickory city council member Sally Fox. "We need to raise our level of expectation."
Ms. Fox is a big ole socialist, obviously.
But what brought this on? A new Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, that's what. "Lowe's is a lesson in that we didn't ask for a lot," councilwoman Fox said.
'Course, now that Hickory might be on the verge of asking a little more from huge corporations that want the right to blight and sprawl ... councilwoman Fox and her compatriots can expect the political backlash from those same big money interests whose sense of public responsibility does not extend past their profits.
Why, only last night Boone mega-developer Phil Templeton was heard to promise that he will now build something really ugly on State Farm Road, as revenge for the Boone Board of Adjustment's unanimous vote in turning back his special use permit request to build a huge addition on a former church structure in an R-1 neighborhood. You can't tell these rich guys they can't do exactly what they want to do without also suffering their wrath.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
UPDATE ON THE GLOBE
Back last fall, the U.S. Forest Service issued two alternatives for "managing" the Globe, the large forest on the slopes immediately below the town of Blowing Rock: (1) "selective cutting" of the forest (which everyone recognized really meant, essentially, clear cutting the viewshed); or (2) no action.
A huge public outcry followed the announcement, along with tense public meetings between Forest Service personnel and Blowing Rock citizens, and some 1,200 letters urging "no action" flowing in to the Forest Service during the public comment period.
Meanwhile, Blowing Rock officials and concerned citizens began trying to get a legislative ball rolling in Washington, D.C., to designate the Globe a scenic area, to protect it from Forest Service "management." Local congresswoman Virginia Foxx was approached. She reacted angrily and rudely, essentially cussing out a Blowing Rock town council member for "putting pressure on her."
Meanwhile, and apparently in reaction to public outcry against the proposed timber harvest, the Forest Service announced a couple of weeks prior to Christmas a third alternative which was essentially # 1 above, reduced by approximately 20 acres of the total acreage proposed for cutting. The officials and citizens of Blowing Rock, not to mention numerous environmental groups, were not mollified. However, Virginia Foxx announced that she would support this alternative.
Those trying to save the Globe have given up on both Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry as potential champions in the U.S. House for introducing legislation that would grant a scenic designation to the area.
We hope those trying to save the Globe will approach Heath Shuler (or even David Price or Brad Miller) to introduce the legislation. Surely there's a Democratic member of Congress from North Carolina who will help us out up here!
Back last fall, the U.S. Forest Service issued two alternatives for "managing" the Globe, the large forest on the slopes immediately below the town of Blowing Rock: (1) "selective cutting" of the forest (which everyone recognized really meant, essentially, clear cutting the viewshed); or (2) no action.
A huge public outcry followed the announcement, along with tense public meetings between Forest Service personnel and Blowing Rock citizens, and some 1,200 letters urging "no action" flowing in to the Forest Service during the public comment period.
Meanwhile, Blowing Rock officials and concerned citizens began trying to get a legislative ball rolling in Washington, D.C., to designate the Globe a scenic area, to protect it from Forest Service "management." Local congresswoman Virginia Foxx was approached. She reacted angrily and rudely, essentially cussing out a Blowing Rock town council member for "putting pressure on her."
Meanwhile, and apparently in reaction to public outcry against the proposed timber harvest, the Forest Service announced a couple of weeks prior to Christmas a third alternative which was essentially # 1 above, reduced by approximately 20 acres of the total acreage proposed for cutting. The officials and citizens of Blowing Rock, not to mention numerous environmental groups, were not mollified. However, Virginia Foxx announced that she would support this alternative.
Those trying to save the Globe have given up on both Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry as potential champions in the U.S. House for introducing legislation that would grant a scenic designation to the area.
We hope those trying to save the Globe will approach Heath Shuler (or even David Price or Brad Miller) to introduce the legislation. Surely there's a Democratic member of Congress from North Carolina who will help us out up here!
MADAM FOXX BRAVELY DECIDES TO GET PARTISAN
The press conference staged by Patrick McHenry yesterday in the Capitol featured none other than Madam Virginia Foxx as one of the handful of Republican lawmakers whining that the new Democratic leaders of Congress were not granting THEM what THEY had previously denied to Democrats (though Foxx isn't mentioned here, she is mentioned here).
The McHenry & Foxx team has apparently regaled certain selected recipients in their districts with a whining memo suggesting that evil-doers (i.e., Democrats) have cut them out of the legislative process, thereby covering their own future failures to deliver for their constituents. "It's all the Democrats' fault." Yep. Minority status has its own special blessings.
The press conference staged by Patrick McHenry yesterday in the Capitol featured none other than Madam Virginia Foxx as one of the handful of Republican lawmakers whining that the new Democratic leaders of Congress were not granting THEM what THEY had previously denied to Democrats (though Foxx isn't mentioned here, she is mentioned here).
The McHenry & Foxx team has apparently regaled certain selected recipients in their districts with a whining memo suggesting that evil-doers (i.e., Democrats) have cut them out of the legislative process, thereby covering their own future failures to deliver for their constituents. "It's all the Democrats' fault." Yep. Minority status has its own special blessings.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
LIVING LONG IS AN EDUCATION
Fascinating long report in today's NYTimes about research into longevity. Why do some people live long and vigorous lives and other people don't?
The answer is education. The more you've got, the longer you live. So long as you don't smoke.
A graduate student in economics at Columbia University was apparently the first researcher to put two and two together. She discovered that people started living longer in direct correlation to forced attendance at public schools. States began passing mandatory education laws about 100 years ago. Those forced to go to school for more years, even when they didn't want to (natch), tended to live longer.
More education equals better health. (Unless you SMOKE, goddamn it!) No other factor accounts for longer life ... not wealth, not race, not being chosen by God to tell other people how THEY should live.
And you can't max out, apparently, on education:
Meanwhile, life for the uneducated tends toward the Hobbsian quartet of "nasty, poor, brutish, and short."
The uneducated and hence unhealthy tendencies in our culture were fascinatingly showcased last night on the premier episode of the new Courtney Cox sleaze-fest, "Dirt," on FX. It's a mirror image of dumb-dumb America totally wrapped up in celebrity. It's sickening to behold. I couldn't take my eyes off it.
Fascinating long report in today's NYTimes about research into longevity. Why do some people live long and vigorous lives and other people don't?
The answer is education. The more you've got, the longer you live. So long as you don't smoke.
A graduate student in economics at Columbia University was apparently the first researcher to put two and two together. She discovered that people started living longer in direct correlation to forced attendance at public schools. States began passing mandatory education laws about 100 years ago. Those forced to go to school for more years, even when they didn't want to (natch), tended to live longer.
More education equals better health. (Unless you SMOKE, goddamn it!) No other factor accounts for longer life ... not wealth, not race, not being chosen by God to tell other people how THEY should live.
And you can't max out, apparently, on education:
...it might be expected that after a certain point, more years of school would not add to a person's life span. That, however, is not what the data shows. The education effect never wanes.So, go on ... get that second doctorate!
Meanwhile, life for the uneducated tends toward the Hobbsian quartet of "nasty, poor, brutish, and short."
...less educated people are less able to plan for the future and to delay gratification.Shouldn't take more than a nano-second to understand why instant gratification is bad for one's health, though you might not have associated the "want it now" habit of contemporary Americans with a lack of education.
The uneducated and hence unhealthy tendencies in our culture were fascinatingly showcased last night on the premier episode of the new Courtney Cox sleaze-fest, "Dirt," on FX. It's a mirror image of dumb-dumb America totally wrapped up in celebrity. It's sickening to behold. I couldn't take my eyes off it.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
'REFORMING' NC TAX POLICY
We're not entirely sanguine about the prospects for a 'reform' of our state's tax policy led by Senator David Hoyle. We'll hope for the best. But the whole process needs close monitoring.
The Charlotte Observer story reports this:
We're not entirely sanguine about the prospects for a 'reform' of our state's tax policy led by Senator David Hoyle. We'll hope for the best. But the whole process needs close monitoring.
The Charlotte Observer story reports this:
Corporate income tax, as a percentage of overall [state] revenues, has declined from 12 percent 20 years ago to 7.4 percent. Personal income tax has risen from 47.5 percent to nearly 54 percent.In other words, the tax burden has been shifting more and more onto individual wage-earners and away from corporations. Do we expect Sen. Hoyle, the greatest friend to big business, to correct that trend? We don't know. We can always hope. We can also hold our breaths until we turn blue.
JIM BLACK FACING INDICTMENT?
What a lot of us have been hearing sub rosa ... was finally put into print by a poster on BlueNC, so we can now officially talk about the likelihood of Jim Black's going to jail and for how long. And about who will succeed him as NC House Speaker, as opposed to who SHOULD succeed him.
What a lot of us have been hearing sub rosa ... was finally put into print by a poster on BlueNC, so we can now officially talk about the likelihood of Jim Black's going to jail and for how long. And about who will succeed him as NC House Speaker, as opposed to who SHOULD succeed him.
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