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December 31, 2005
Digesting Paper
We've been lucky. {Knocks on hard rock maple} The boy hasn't been prone to putting things into his mouth. It's a silver lining to the whole eating struggle, so I'll take it. Lately, though, he's found one substance too tempting for even his finicky texture palate: paper. I've tried explaining all about the bleaches, dyes, fetid wood pulp and so on, but he just shrugs and chirps merrily along with the full intention of ingesting the next scrap that happens to fall below the childproofing threshold.
Along those lines, get your bowl and your spork, and let's dive into today's Chattanooga Times Free Press. It's the last one of the year, you know.
The blogworthy editorial is (on the) right at the top. Titled "Bullish on Chattanooga," it points to recent construction numbers as positive indicators for a great 2006 here. I thank the Free Press editor for toasting progress and forecasting growth. Let's grow responsibly.
Councilwoman Sally "Free Speech Zone" Robinson's district covers much of the North Shore, but I think Moccasin Bend is in Linda Bennett's area. Regardless, Ms. Robinson predicted development at the National Park to be a "catalyst for the kind of visitor-based economy we've developed." (B5) In the same article, Enterprise South is called a top issue for local officials in 2006. (Metro) I'd say "yeah."
An announcement I figured was coming when Election Commissioner Mike Walden got his name dropped from the Sheriff race buzz finally got pre-announced today: Sheriff Cupp is expected to run for re-election. (Metro) His Republican primary mates will likely not budge an inch. There seems to be a history of former chief deputies vying for the top job; and it makes sense, as Sheriff is a very alpha-male type of position. (Apologies to the couple dozen or so female sheriffs.)
Make sure you read Mike Weber's front-page story on lobbyists' campaign contributions. That's one area of disclosure that Tennessee law already covers; but if you'll remember, a 2005 CTFP story noted the huge differences in what lobbyists have reported contributing and what legislators have reported receiving. Less of the former, more of the latter, in case you forgot. Then again, it's probably confusion's fault. Who is supposed to know, really, that when you take money from a bagman, when that money is a campaign contribution (Ulysses Jones, Jeff Miller); an intake of cash for to gamble (Lois DeBerry); or, uh, whatever else (Kathryn Bowers, William Cotton, Ward Crutchfield, Roscoe Dixon, John Ford, Michael Hooks, Charles Love, Barry Myers, Chris Newton)?
Speaking of disclosure, I'm going to take this last opportunity in 2005 to pout about not getting an elected public disclosure commission out of this whole ethics schmadoodle. Instead, we have an "independent" ethics commission (as independent as powerful politicians' hand-picked toadies can be) that will try to enforce more regulation (as opposed to a simplified full disclosure mandate) that still has loopholes. (And some of which could come close to violating the First Amendment.) Why don't we just audit the process and let it work, and audit the auditors as well, through the ballot? For the last time (this year), people must be informed participants in a democratic republic, else the result is a sullied shadow, and a mockery.
Whew. That feels better. I'm glad I read the paper. Time to feed the boy.
Posted by joe lance in Political News at 12:17 PM
December 30, 2005
Love to Debate
The special election to replace Chris Newton -- the only legislator indicted in Operation Tennessee Waltz who seems to have looked at the 27 8x10 color glossy photographs with the paragraph on the back of each one and made the only plausible plea -- is coming up very soon. Absentee/early voting is going on now, and the election is January 12.
Voters will get at least one chance to hear the two candidates (appointed interim Representative Sally Love, a Democrat, and Republican nominee Eric Watson) debate on Friday the 6th at seven in the morning.
Meigs County, Polk County, and those parts of Bradley in play, make sure you vote.
At this point, the only two known candidates are the Democrat and the Republican. If I come across news of any Independent, Green or Libertarian candidates, I'll post them here.
Posted by joe lance in Elections at 8:54 PM
Find the Funds
"Chattanooga/Hamilton County gave back $70,805 that it didn't spend, which was 5.7% of its allotment. It had the highest return rate in the state and started a waiting list this year."
That's the answer; the obvious question is, "didn't spend on what?" That would be utility payment assistance. This is federal money allocated to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The follow-up question is "why?"
According to Anne Paine's Tennessean article, "not many" people asked for the help last year in Hamilton County. The local coordinator blithely assumes that they were otherwise helped or "they didn't know" about the federal program. (The latter could be true; people don't pay attention.) The story in Metro Nashville seems to be that the distribution agency just can't keep up with the requests, so when the funds expire, they must be returned. This year, LIHEAP requests in both cities are far outnumbering the ability to respond. Winter just started last week.
I have a different sort of angle on which to question this story. When the counties give the money back, where does it go? We who pay federal taxes are the origin of these funds. I know that my modest salary doesn't do a whole lot in that regard, but it counts. What's more, I'm one of those pinkos who doesn't mind having my elected fellow citizens disburse my common-pocketbook contribution to folks who are in a rough (and cold) spot. But, hey, hypothetically speaking, if not all of the funds were needed because charitable organizations or some other means were keeping everybody warm, can I, um, have my part back, please? Where did it go when you "returned" it?
Seriously, I believe that the need is great. Energy prices are way up, and the effects of that on food and other essentials are being felt too. Wages aren't up that much. It's cold out. You have some people whose poor choices have gotten them in a bind, and still others whom are simply less fortunate. They all could use assistance, regardless. Even though the objective viewpoint is "that's not my problem," many of us take it upon ourselves, through one or multiple means, to at least make a dent in it.
But if bad organization and inefficient processing result in people being turned away from a resource that's supposed to help them, then nobody wins. The cash-strapped are still cold, a bigger burden gets placed on charities, I'm still out my taxes, and people from all sides of the political polygon lose hope in this grand experiment we call our "government."
Like I said this morning about a different problem altogether, I want to rise above merely complaining about the problem. I want to view it from all the relevant angles and work with others to forge solutions. I'm open to dialogue with local LIHEAP coordinator Jo Anne Watkins or with anyone else (including you, DR) on the matter.
Hat tip: Bill Hobbs. (Never mind the somewhat energized argument in the comments there. That's a different topic.)
Posted by joe lance in Government at 8:22 PM
December 29, 2005
News and Announcements
First of all, if you want a good wrap-up of the latest state civics stories, drop by Adam Groves' Simply I.
There's also the latest Tennessee Highway Patrol fiasco.
Jay Bush of Blogging for Bryant has a good post on the Senate race. I definitely don't agree with all of it, but it's a well-done entry, and is based on a typically adept Frank Talk (again, not that all points are agreed upon here). What's interesting to me is that now we're seeing the Republicans become serious about the threat posed by Congressman Junior. Each GOP candidate is framing comments with an "I'm the one to beat Ford" context (duh, Joe, it's a primary).
If someone took the time to plot Tennessee voter values on a graph, I assess Bob Corker as being the US Senate candidate closest to the resulting rightward-tilting bell curve's peak. I believe that his appeal has the breadth to not only capture the most votes, but to also result in the highest number of Tennesseans feeling like they're adequately represented. Mix in the man's high energy and unstoppable drive, and we get what looks like a winning combination. However, Ford's D.C.-insider backers will do their best to make sure that their chosen one picks up the seat, and that's why it's important to ensure that the person chosen to oppose him can indeed win. Nathan Moore appears to agree.
Closer to home, there will be some changes to this blog as of the first of the year. The name will change, the look may get updated a bit (and you can probably tell that I'm tinkering even now), and it may even be mentioned in a couple of major regional publications. Apologies are offered up front to all those who'll update their blogrolls to reflect the new name after it's unfurled. 2006 is going to be such a good year to blog.
Posted by joe lance in Bob Corker for Senate | Elections | Site News at 1:31 PM
December 27, 2005
How Much for Not Enough? (Answer: $100,000?)
I have mixed responses upon thinking of next week's special ethics session. When it comes right down to it, nearly $20K a day is a lot to spend for legislation that could have passed last session, or last year, or a long time ago. Or, some say, isn't needed at all because it won't change the fact that the "Tennessee Waltz" crimes were against existing law.
Here's what some others said.
It's "better than nothing." -- H. Monroe
"I see nothing that's going to change the business as usual going on at the state Capitol." -- Blake Wylie
"Maybe we can get the lobbyists to pick up the tab." -- Michael Silence
TUES UPDATE: "We don’t do anything the first six weeks we’re there (in regular session)." -- Lt. Gov. John Wilder
"I suspect we're going to have a lot of fighting before we get anything done, just based on what I've heard and seen so far." -- Rep. Gerald McCormick (R-26)
"None of the ethics legislation that's pending would have had any effect on [the Tennessee Waltz] investigation. We have bribery laws on the books, and it's always been illegal to hand over bags of cash." -- Mark Greene, President, TLA
"I feel I've been smacked in the face." -- Gary Marlar
"Morons." -- SayUncle
Posted by joe lance in Government at 10:01 AM
Watch the O.C.
"The newly released records show that the five suspected votes were cast in sequence at Precinct 27-1." [Emphasis added.]
I remain confused about the September 15 special election to replace former State Senator John Ford. The Shelby County Election Commission continues to behave very strangely. Side note -- I'm for non-partisan election commissions, period. The officials didn't want to release information to the public about suspected ballot fraud because they thought it would interfere with the TBI's investigation.
But one member of the commission decided to spill the beans -- not to the press, but to a powerful and connected lobbyist who's based in Miami, Fla. Granted, said lobbyist is the former longtime Congressman from the Memphis area who happens to be the sibling of the State Senator who resigned and of the State Senator whose victory is in question. I'm confused by Commissioner O.C. Pleasant's assertion that there wasn't "'anything wrong with it,'" though. Technically, I guess there wasn't. It may prove to have very little impact on the criminal investigation. After all, I side with The Commercial Appeal on their desire for copies of the ballot applications. Pleasant sounds too defensive, though.
And again, why did Harold Ford, Sr. launch his own investigation in the first place? He says in the article that the reason was to clear his name -- but he wasn't in this election, was he? [Actually, in a way he was: his robo-calls were said to have given sister Ophelia a last-minute edge.] Then he is quoted in the very next sentence, "'Thank God the TBI is going to investigate this now.'" Now? I think we have the Shelby County Attorney General to thank for that, first of all, and secondly, I'm sure they could have done a fine job without your "help," sirs.
This issue is much more important than the gamesmanship between Republicans and Democrats [and among rival Democrat factions] suggests. Sadly, the upcoming decision facing the State Senate will likely echo this partisan obfuscation. And through and beyond it all, the Shelby County Election Commission seems to need some serious public oversight and remedial action. I'm sure some Memphians might wonder at why I'm nosing in on them from over here; so be it. Election fraud can impact all levels of government, so that (or any) commission's actions have the potential to directly affect us; and I value the kinds of questions I'm learning to ask in case we ever, ahem, need to query our own local elections office.
Posted by joe lance in Elections at 9:42 AM
December 24, 2005
I Just Got A Note From Santa
Yeah, apparently his GPS-enabled mobile had fallen into a cup of eggnog, and he was here a tad early.
Fortunately, he was still able to do his magic, as I was out and the wife and boy were asleep already.
He also left a quick note on the fireplace. (Who out there knows the best way to remove red spray paint from brick?)
The note read "Milk and cookies? People, please: BOURBON." (You can thank me later for translating that from what I can only guess was proto-Danish.)
Oh -- and I checked with a veterinarian on this -- someone might want to give Prancer (I think?) a couple of Immodium (would that be Immodia?). I now know why Christmas trees (real ones, that is) are designed to be so pungent.
Y'all have a Robert Earl Keen kind of Christmas, now, ya hear?
Posted by joe lance in Miscellaneous at 8:59 PM
December 23, 2005
What Now? Top ten local stories to watch in 2006
[Cross-posted from the Pulse.]
It’s harder than it looks to avoid treating this as a set of predictions, but we assure you that the following assessment is the result of scientific best practices. Er, except the order. That part we’re leaving to chance.
Crutchfield and Cotton Face Trials
Federal court. The stark legal paper leads off with “The United States v. You.” Heels clack on marble. There are marshals, but none of them is named Mize. (Luckily, one of your attorneys is named Hank Hill.) Breathless constituents and nervy reporters follow every move you make. This is likely the scene playing out in a couple of indicted local officials’ dreams. One wonders how the scheduling will work out when Ward Crutchfield is expected at trial in Memphis and in session with the State Senate in Nashville. Regardless, a host of us will be watching. Many ’Noogans live in the 10th Senate district; some have asked if they should get to put a pinch hitter in the General Assembly until Senator Crutchfield is either exonerated or convicted.
The U.S. v. Crutchfield proceedings will take place in Memphis, but the local media will have a camera-friendly story right downtown in the William Cotton trial. He should have time for it, though, since he doesn’t serve on committees.
Adams and Bailes Face Off
Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Stuart James has made numerous allusions to his party “targeting” the District 8 County Commission seat. Entrenched incumbent Curtis Adams displays confidence that his very public party switch in 2005 won’t faze his support base. Democrats countywide, who seem both bitter about Adams’ departure and glad to see him go, are placing their hopes in John Bailes. For his part, Bailes is campaigning vigorously to inform voters that his is a very real candidacy, and not merely a token in what is arguably a referendum on Adams. Election 2006 will be a top local story across the board, but we see the 8th District as garnering the most attention. The primary election is on May 2; the general is on August 3.
Water Works
Water – without which we would literally die (meaning, how the heck would they make beer, sweet tea and Coke®?) – should buoy a story to the top on its merits alone, next to air maybe; but if you mix in a utility, a municipality and a, um, liquidation, its placement is sealed. It seems that it’s the municipality part that muddies things. Of course, if the potential seller won’t budge on its proposal of keeping Tennessee-American’s parent company together, this story will quickly sink in the rankings. History shows that it could come back yet again, though, in another year.
(Say, why is there no entry here for air? Will clean air not be a top local story in 2006? What about those emissions tests, anyway?)
Enterprise South
This story will be about sound. Whether it ends up being about the sound of gleaming, ever-so-slightly squat Eurostyle autos jiggling new tires as they roll off the line, or about the sound of lonely tree frogs echoing across Redoubt after the last shin guard has been packed away, we think the public will be listening. If the better part of a year goes by without some vital signs, someone had better start asking some questions.
Bob, Bill and Phil
At least three Chattanoogans are running for statewide office in 2006. Bob Corker, our popular former mayor, is running for the seat being vacated by Senator Bill Frist. Corker leads the fundraising overall, and has substantial leads over his major Republican primary rivals (all the best, Jeff Moder), and has done both for a whole year now. If you just follow the money, Corker and Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. are the likely general election contenders. Though the state GOP might have us believe otherwise, national Republicans are nervous about Ford, Jr.; however, chances are that a Republican will preserve his party’s hold on the seat. Thus the local big story: one of “our boys” has a really good shot at the United States Senate. These campaigns have been grass-rooting it, and of late have held some private waistcoat events, but come January they will hit the big ON switch. Hold on to your campaign buttons, try not to watch too much TV, and recycle those flyers.
We’ll also elect a governor next year, and there’s not as much definition to this race. Governor Phil Bredesen seems to be creating a challenge for himself, with all the allegations of cronyism and cover-up, ostensibly because the other party just hasn’t created that challenge for him. Scooter Clippard bowed out, Fred Thompson was just a pipe dream, and we’re beginning to think that Beth Harwell may not announce after all. Enter Chattanooga businessman Mark Albertini and former karate instructor Walt “Combat” Ward. Albertini, a Tennessee Temple grad and former U.S. Marine, has launched his gubernatorial bid on what might be called a cultural conservative platform. Walt Ward is going to throw a few punches in the Democratic ring.
North Shore Development
Renaissance Park will open and will help define the North Shore on that western end. Look for zoning tweaks and best-use arguments all the way up and down Frazier, too. What started before Coolidge surely is not complete. Amenable public-private balance will likely be achieved, but there will be some bumps getting there.
Southside Landfill
Developers, community leaders, elected officials, and entrepreneurs will continue striving to forge the right solution for the old Wheland property. Things could get heated. There’s sure to be some kind of slagheap as the outcome, but no one can say for sure whether it will be the literal kind. (The latest development suggest a bird sanctuary is coming instead.) [UPDATE: Yes, I completely blew this one. Carry on.]
School Board Dynamics
Yeah, “school bored” is a top ten story. Five out of nine seats are for the taking, and the anti-Register crowd seeks vengeance on those they deem pro-Register board members. The stupid thing is that this fight will take place after Register has resigned. But once both camps are dug in, it wouldn’t do to just call off the battle, now would it?
Groovy New Juvy?
Yet another Grand Jury has returned yet another recommendation for a new jail and a new juvenile detention center. They forgot to drop off the cash needed to build them, though. This is a serious subject that well deserves a great deal of attention. All possible options should be carefully reviewed, and we expect coverage of all sides in the discussion. This issue is likely to be key in conversations people have with the candidates for Sheriff: Dave Alverson, Anthony Chatman, Andy Derryberry, Billy Long, Jim Swafford, and (potentially) current Sheriff John Cupp.
Some Sleaze Epic
You know it, too. Some kind of likkered-up, whore-baitin’ “scandal” that doesn’t deserve mention on the long end of a Saturday night possum hunt, let alone being scrawled across the six o’clock news, will have the whole town murmuring. We don’t want to predict it in specificity, so we’re giving you this one list item to imagine your version of what it might be. Now go wash your mind out with soap.
Posted by joe lance in Bob Corker for Senate | Community | Elections | Government | Pulsations at 9:51 AM
How Now, Ophelia? - The dead elect the living in Shelby County
[Cross-posted from The Pulse.]
Democracy is great, but somehow I think its definition should be limited to “the living people rule.” (Side note for my freepier friends: I am not implying that our constitutional republic is a democracy, okay?)
Are you following this story? Let’s catch up: You’ll recall that in May, former State Senator John Ford (D-Memphis) resigned amid federal indictments and general scandal. A special election was called to replace the outgoing Senator. In August, the Democratic primary had several contenders, but the top two vote getters were Rep. Henri Brooks and Ford’s sister, Ophelia. Ophelia Ford won by a mere handful of votes – twenty, if memory serves. (Four handfuls, then.) There were questions as to the authenticity of some of the ballots, but Rep. Brooks decided not to contest.
[UPDATE: Here's lobbyist Leslie Hafner's correction to the above.] "I think Rep. Brooks did contest. The appeal was to the State Democratic Party and they were the ones that decided not to throw out the primary results." [Thanks.]
Ms. Ford went on to face Republican nominee Terry Roland, who had handily won against his opponent (John Farmer, whom is running for Congress in the 9th District seat being vacated by John’s and Ophelia’s nephew Harold, Jr.). Most predictions for the September 15th general election’s outcome were for a Democratic landslide, given the 29th District’s voting history; but Roland mounted a serious challenge (with some heavy-hitting campaigners and good publicity) and was beaten by an even narrower margin than was Ms. Brooks. On that election night, one precinct’s ballots were mysteriously missing for a while then showed up at the Election Commission later via police escort. The vote count ended somewhere right at a dozen votes in favor of Ford, (That’s two hands and a half, for those keeping count.)
The Shelby County Election Commission certified Ford’s victory by a single-vote margin, along party lines (typically these certifications are unanimous), and several Commissioners were not present for this vote. I don’t know about you, but something about that strikes me as being odd.
Fast forward to now – no, wait, rewind to when Terry Roland was seeking legal support for a challenge to this extremely close and ambiguous outcome. A brouhaha erupted when the attorney Roland employed for his cause turned out to be on the Shelby County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee. Roland is a Republican, remember? So naturally, instead of citizens uniting to ensure fairness and accuracy regardless of political party, the Shelby County Democrats made their committee member walk the plank (since he refused to abandon his client). Partisanship trumps community, or something along those lines.
Okay, fast forward again. Fortunately, people didn’t let this election go without further inspection. Research has resulted in reports that the names on some ballots (two, as of this writing) were those of people who had died weeks before the election. The Commercial Appeal, Memphis’ mainstream daily, has also identified several other ballots that bear the appearance of fraud. Because of these reports, the District Attorney has invoked the TBI to investigate the matter further.
Terry Roland is naturally interested in the outcome of these investigations, but he shouldn’t count any chickens. This could go in several directions. A new election could be required; or, depending on the timing, the State Senate could refuse to seat Ford, and Shelby County could name an interim senator. The Civic Forum applauds Roland for avoiding the instinct to point fingers at his erstwhile opponent regarding the deceased voters and other, erm, mistakes (after all, we haven’t been told for whom the dead and unregistered voted), because the darkest cloud in this whole story hangs over the County Election Commission. This is the body that should have exercised more control over the accounting, and that should have, well, noticed the irregularities months ago. It is nothing short of discouraging to learn that someone deliberately placed dead people’s names on ballots, but it’s downright depressing to view that in the context of how the whole election was managed. By the way, if you had happened to let your mind wander a bit and had wondered whether the dearly departed in question had been processed at the Ford family’s funeral parlor: you can put those ugly rumors away, since Ophelia’s other brother (Harold, Sr.) made sure to promptly quell them with facts to the contrary.
We should all learn more about our election commission’s purpose, and integrate ourselves into its functions as provided by law (I’m talking here about volunteering to be an independent poll observer, but there are other ways, too). The people can only rule if their elected and appointed officials are placed under the appropriate amount of scrutiny.
Posted by joe lance in Pulsations at 8:23 AM
December 21, 2005
Was No One Going to Say Anything?
In light of all that this site tries to do and be, I just noticed a glaring fault: at no place on it can be found a link to help get a person registered to vote.
Expect changes on that front soon. Other, bigger changes are in progress as well.
Posted by joe lance in Site News at 10:51 PM
December 20, 2005
Start Your Engines
Where to start? First, my thanks for all the kind thoughts and wishes as I was flat on my back for thirty hours while fighting off some kind of viral attacker.
Next, my quite belated sighs of relief that no serious harm befell Sarah Moore or her pregnancy in the auto accident. And may the [bleep] who hit-and-ran be caught and justly punished.
Now, the blogorama. It looks like we are starting to see a couple of real campaigns for the US Congress. The 12/31/05 FEC filing deadline and its perceived import may have something to do with a recent ramping-up of activity.
The New Republic opined that Congressman Junior could win. What seems more likely is the way TNR stacked things up v-à-v Ford vs. the GOP. Bottom line: Bob Corker can beat Ford, and will make a much better Senator. If the radical wing manages to nominate Ed Bryant, I'm not so sure Ford wouldn't win. (Van Hilleary? I'm not sure why he's in this race, but I never profess to know everything.)
The smart move displayed by Corker's campaign has him squarely facing the general election opponent early. Bryant responded quickly with a proposed members-only debate schedule. A couple of comments at Bryant's unofficial campaign blog briefly suggested this may have been too quick a thrust, and that it smacks of desperation. One question: is Jeff Moder invited to the six GOP primary debates? (By the way, read his holiday greeting.)
Let's next dig the US House-9th seat, where John Farmer declares that he will stay in the field [pun intended] no matter how the odds could be stacked against him. I don't know if he's right, that the Democratic front-runner is indeed Nikki Tinker; or if he's underestimating Ron Redwing or perhaps Lee Harris. Or Laura Davis-Aaron. Here's a name that gets a lot of Google my way (as much as "a lot" is here): Tyson Pratcher. What do we know about this potential candidate? The others?
Most of the other House seats are sleepy, especially in primary season. We can do better than this, can't we? But wait. It usually starts smaller, more local. More on that later.
Posted by joe lance in Bob Corker for Senate | Elections at 10:21 PM
December 17, 2005
Three Guys Named Earl
Please welcome Earl the farmer, Earl the Vietnam Veteran, and my memory of a homeless guy named Earl in DC.
Earl would make just about anyone who has ever joked about "tinfoil hats" or "black helicopters" a mite self-conscious upon meeting him. He was the real deal, a grade A-1 conspiracy theorist. He would come into the coffee shop after the morning rush, buy a cup of java, and set about his daily evangelistic task.
See, he had papers with him. His manifesto, an epic of sinister CIA plots and dizzying arrays of shadowy connections, read a lot more like a scholarly publication than a Clancy novel or whatnot. This was not some pencil-scrawled madman's diary; it was typewritten text that reflected the embers of a once-roaring academic mind, or so went his street bio.
Earl would draw his unsuspecting conversation partners in, and would lower his voice, speak very fast and begin sharing with them all the secrets of which they had been unaware. He could go on for hours about the CIA and its hand in controlling society by way of radiation sent out from black boxes hidden inside utility-pole electrical transformers. Of course, he would rejoin, these are on every corner; it is just their ubiquitousness that makes such innocuous-seeming fixtures the perfect vehicle. "Transformers." The word does take on a chilly sort of new meaning, if you're able to roll with his thought for a moment.
The listener would occasionally be regaled with a story of abuse by Park Police. Earl claimed to have been shot by them, and this is where one would wonder where truth's dividing line really was.
The coffee shop's manager was totally cool, but one or two employees were annoyed by Earl and his tales of treasonous transgressions. I simply learned something great from that man. He somehow found a way to show me that each one of us can be as strident, as earnest, and yet as hopelessly off the mark as he was. Also, if you talk incessantly about something really weird and boring, people will give you money to shut up and go away.
Posted by joe lance in Miscellaneous at 11:43 PM
Mmm, It's Bürgerliches
I keep contemplating a name change for this site, but haven't finalized one yet. (I have one picked out, but the wife thinks I could pick a new one that would encompass more of the site's topic areas.)
Meanwhile, I came across the fact that Google translates the blog's current title into Deutsch like so: "Bürgerliches Forum Chattanooga-Hamiltons." (Before you get too committed to telling me otherwise, yes, I spent enough time as a classical-music radio announcer, a music library cataloger, and a grad student in theory and composition to know that "bürger" has very little to do with a grilled ground beef sandwich.)
I'll consider any name suggestions you want to submit. I want the name to be shorter, brand-ready, and indicative that the pages it names are all about Chattanooga's and Tennessee's civic matters -- obviously including, but not limited to, elections and politics. I'll probably spin off the Music and Nature topics to another blog.
Posted by joe lance in Site News at 9:16 AM
December 16, 2005
FBI Informant Tattles on Ulysses Jones
Don't know the publication down here in the valley, but something called nashvillepost.com has posted an interview with the FBI's Operation Tennessee Waltz helper Tim Willis. The most interesting part of it is where Willis describes an encounter between Rep. Ulysses Jones (D-Memphis) and himself. Willis claims that Jones refused FBI-supplied bribe money when it was offered in an office, but out in the building's hallway Jones was all, yo, you can give me that money now.
I haven't seen any corroborations or refutations, so read this story with those facts in mind. Whatever the case, there seems to be a need for a look into this. You'll remember that Ulysses Jones commented that some facts related to the investigation "raised eyebrows." Indeed they do.
And if you're like me, you'll remember that his office gave you the cold shoulder when you called about ethics legislation that was before his subcommittee last Spring. (To be fair, the individual with whom I spoke was nice enough, but the clear message that came through her was that someone was tired of hearing from all these people about ethics legislation. Way to put the pressure on, y'all.)
I am putting House District 98 into the "purge" category because these citizens of Memphis need to elect a more clearly honest individual to replace one who's barely hanging on to that identifier.
Posted by joe lance in State House Elections at 8:09 PM
Good Cop, Bad Cop - Cotton is in, Pitts sets sail, water talk cooler
[Cross-posted from the Pulse.]
Is the Heat Off?
Our civil protective forces have had a few too many unsavory moments in the media spotlight of late; let’s take just a moment to solemnly recognize the many faithful officers who put themselves in harm’s way every day for you and me. These men and women really do see us, their fellow citizens, at our worst; and they act like professionals. They perform a most vital component of keeping an orderly society. All without raping us, driving our confiscated cars and boats, exposing themselves to us, or shaking us down for bribes and political favors. Good for them. Now, what’s wrong with these other crazy cops? I do have to say that I’m going to miss our former highway patrol chief’s jowls and their starring roles in those “Thuh Heat Is Awn” public service announcements. Those advertisements made for perfect video post cards to send to friends in, say, Boston.
2006 Election Highlights: County Commission Districts 3 and 4
A few County Commission districts will see both primary and general election contests next year. District 3 is now officially an open seat – Charlotte Vandergriff has chosen not to seek it again – so it was no surprise to see a couple of candidates qualify early. Terry Conley and Al Smith will face off in the Republican primary in May. There may be others, too, as it’s early yet. No official Democratic candidacies have been launched as of this writing, but one rumor has North Chattanooga clergyman Barry Kidwell forming a campaign team. In District 4, the Democrats will have the primary energy – that is, if William Cotton is not convicted of his felony bribery and conspiracy charges by May. Cotton has said that he will seek re-election, so we’ll see a rematch of the extremely close 2002 race between him and Dr. Warren Mackey. Another rumor I’ve come across says that Cotton will see his indictment count rise soon, this time based on the investigation into alleged election fraud in that same 2002 contest. I don’t know how one could survive all of these charges and still be in the running, but stranger things have happened in politics. Whatever the case, the Democrat chosen on May 2 will be opposed by Brian Caldwell, whom I don’t expect to see challenged in the Republican primary. This will be an interesting general election. District 8 is guaranteed to get the spotlight next year, but the 4th could see a significant shift in electoral power dynamics, no matter whether Caldwell or Mackey is the winner.
TAWC Amongst Yourselves
The city is once again looking at acquiring the Tennessee-American Water Company. It’s not exactly déjà vu: the opinion pages seem to be much quieter on this issue than my memory says they were when former mayor Jon Kinsey attempted a takeover. I’m curious as to why so many took the side of a firm that they didn’t really know, but now that the company is voluntarily for sale, that may be a moot point. Should Chattanooga buy it? I’m comfortable sleeping on this one for a fortnight or two. This decision should be made carefully. I look forward to hearing our community build consensus.
Posted by joe lance in Pulsations at 1:41 PM
December 14, 2005
Notes on the Run
Here's what crossed the read line on the blog-o-meter today.
Fellow Chattanoogans TylerHall and M.Kelley offer some dope on CSS and PHP. I haven't taken the PHPlunge, er, still. I have had some good CSS, though: whee!
Speaking of technology, Michael Silence published a link to the KNEC's happy little file that shows every single solitary candidate that has "picked up papers" in their county elections. I'm still saying that between the Chattanoogan, the CTFP, and our very dear Civic Forum we get an accurate picture here. And don't forget live-blogging.
Speaking of elections, who is this mystery GOP candidate for Governor? From Chattanooga? [UPDATE 12-15: Here's a name, a blog, and a website.] Meanwhile in Nashville, a popular talk radio host is practically begged to run. I say "Yes." I echo the Scene's editor in an uncertainty as to whether I would vote for him, but a solid thumbs-up to him for providing voters who just need that (R) what seems like a viable, articulate and concerned individual as an option.
Yesterday, in case you missed it, Bill Hobbs scathed the Tennessee Press Ass. Sorry. Assn. Event flyer: "'[J]ust what does [blogging] mean to the newspaper industry? See just how [blogging] can be a threat to newspapers and what our industry can do to meet the challenge and turn blogging into a positive force.'" Bill: "P.S. Blogging already is a positive force."
"RADICAL MILITANT LIBRARIANS" -- now there's a phrase.
Posted by joe lance in Miscellaneous at 5:11 PM
December 13, 2005
Your County Election Watch
This is just to briefly mention that Brian's Blog is to Knox County what this one is to Hamilton County, in terms of election tracking.
I also should acknowledge that Chattanoogan.com is where I've learned most of my information on Hamilton County's 2006 elections, so far.
But back to Brian -- this is excellent. Now, where are all of the other county/district bloggers? I know that Mark Rose has a category on Right Minded for State Senate District 17 (he supports incumbent Mae Beavers), but I am not aware of others. I'm still hoping that Bob Krumm will run for State Senate, as that would give us an inside look at a district campaign.
If you blog or are planning to blog your county or district's 2006 elections, drop a comment here and I'll link to you from a new site section devoted to local election blogging.
Posted by joe lance in Elections at 7:14 AM
December 12, 2005
Monday Night Clippings 12-12
Ophelia Ford's election to the State Senate seat her brother resigned harbors additional questions.
Another State Senator, Jeff Miller of Cleveland, has a smart newspaper editor on his case pretty regularly.
There's interesting Ford-friendly analysis on next year's Senate election in the Knox paper, via a pro-Ford blog.
Quote of the last while or so: "With all respect, Governor Bredesen goes through more sacrificial lambs than the Old Testament."
Non-political definition: Loxian. The language salmon utter as they're being smoked.
Posted by joe lance in Political News at 10:06 PM
December 11, 2005
Be Still My Herat
Shortly after September 11, 2001, when US troops were being sent to Afghanistan to root out our former friends the Taleban and to capture our former friend Osama bin Laden (by the way, did we ever finish those?), I started reading about Central Asian history and culture. I suppose I have this need to picture where the soldiers will be. I read about a city in northwest Afghanistan (by current borders) that has lived through a lot of armed conflict and its consistent forerunner, commerce.
We've all heard of The Great Silk Road that connected Europe and the so-called Far East, but do we know much about the areas in between? While Europe was slinking through the Dark Ages, great and shining cities appeared like mirages in the high desert. (Yeez, who's writing this?) Stops along the long overland trading route became cosmopolitan wonders as ethnicities and experiences commingled under a pan-Islamic blanket. These places beckon the traveler in me. Sammarqand. Tabriz.
One day, I guess it was late in 2001, I got to hear some recently recorded sound from a restaurant in Herat. The clip included music -- hey, it sounds like one could merely go out for tea and end up hearing a live band, much different from our beer-and-karaoke fare -- and the tunes were astonishing. Something that sounds like a sitar, a pair of tablas, okay, I know that; but wait, there's other percussion, and another stringed instrument, and that reed pipe (that is surely the ancestor of the oboe) that I more often associate with Morocco. The food there must be what inspired the "heaven" concept in so many Near Eastern religions. This is the land of apricots, almonds, pistachios, figs, pomegranates -- and 100 varieties of grapes grown in the area. Who knows? Rice could be made with raisins in it and not be rice pudding, but something far, far better.
I would love to pack up the wife and kid and just head on over to Herat. I am a peaceful person; don't you think we could just hang out, drink some tea or some wine, listen to some music, and eat some good food? Perhaps if we sent a special request to a Mr Ismail Khan, we'd do pretty well. It seems a high risk, still, and there are plenty of places in the good ol' USA that we haven't yet seen, where we could get in and out a lot more safely. Uh, wait a minute.
Does that flight connect through Istanbul?
Posted by joe lance in Sunday Drive at 9:29 PM
December 9, 2005
What We Could Learn From Israel - The birth of a proud new middle
[Cross-posted from the Pulse]
Shimon Peres left the party. He says that he’ll back Ariel Sharon in a new party. Sharon recently left his own party – the ruling right wing Likud, opposite to Peres’ Labour – and announced that he is, basically, going to make a run for the leadership of a new, more moderate Tel Aviv government. Moderate? Is that the right word? It could be said that promoting an independent Palestinian state is a bold move. It’s a strategic shift that, on so many levels, fails to connote “moderation.” I have recently encountered the famous term “immoderate centrist” (famous for its use by Giuliani mayoral chronicler Fred Siegel), and I suppose this could be a better fit. Semantics are so underrated. (Or should that be “under-appreciated”?) Oversimplification is another fun toy: in the United States, it seems that the “party on the left” and the “party on the right” are in a race to absurdity, and that the resulting gap in representation for those that span the great middle is becoming embarrassingly noticeable.
Our national political parties have become their own special interests. Their leaders are devoted to improving certain metrics: votes, elected positions and, above all, raised dollars. Sure, some individuals are involved because they really believe that advancing their favorite party’s platform will benefit the country, and they have to get the dollars, votes and seats to do that. But I have evidence that I’m not the only one who senses a certain futility in continuing to act through the parties as they exist, and calls instead for new thinkers to step forward. In the space of a day, I began this column; saw David Broder’s “A Pox on Both Parties” op-ed in the Washington Post; heard part of Terry Gross’s interview with the authors of Off Center, which argues that the ruling right wing party here has shifted the center toward the right; and read James Bolt’s opinion letter “Find Moderate Point Between Left Wing, Right Wing” on a local news website. Bolt says, “Somewhere between these regions of extremism, there is a fine balance point of moderation. This place allows for reaction to the needs of both left and right. This place is called common sense.” He also calls it “our metaphoric gyroscope.” You know what he meant.
It’s too bad that moderates are often viewed as weak-willed. It’s really too bad that all too often they’re viewed that way because it’s an accurate description. Some who are labeled “moderate” lack passion, others are just stupid, and many more are craven opportunists. There is strength, though, in recognizing the respective values brought to the table by liberals and conservatives, and to steering a steady course that utilizes the merits of each. (Never mind how we got from the table to the boat.) Israel’s lesson has something to do with the fact that the two major party’s leaders are the ones taking the “immoderate” steps, and not a couple of backbench splinter groups. Yes, one might say that Labour left Peres; after all, they voted him out of leadership. Still, instead of heading off to his factional clubhouse to sulk, he has joined his former political foe – here, imagine Tom DeLay and Nancy Pelosi – and engaged in this courageous rally for peace.
How radicalized and entrenched will the Democrats and Republicans have to become before some of their brightest defect and jointly form a new political organization? I can’t answer that. I can only watch and report as it does or doesn’t happen. The 2006 Congressional elections portend to be a bellwether. Let’s keep an eye on Israel, too.
Posted by joe lance in Pulsations at 5:17 PM
December 8, 2005
Deconstructing "Liberal"
Who wrote this? "Although the Democrats are often called "liberals," they increasingly don't seem to have any political philosophy....I see them as having nothing to offer except accommodationism or feeble bleating about the injustice of it all."
If you guessed Glen Dean or Nathan Moore or John Norris Brown, I could not fault you, but you'd be way wrong. In fact, it was Middle Tennessee Green Party Chair Elizabeth Dachowski, who also sums up the connotative history of the word "liberal" (and, bonus, mentions why liberals who are trying not to be seen as "liberal" shouldn't get away with the "progressive" cop-out).
She's obliquely wrong about one thing, though. Her remark that the George W Bush administration's economic and trade policies are called "liberal" in French loses its punch when you remember that the term "neoliberal" (or "Neo-liberal") (as in a regeneration of the 19th-century liberals' attitudes on capitalism and international trade) enjoys wide English usage to describe the same policies.
In 21st-century America, there is a tug-of-war over the electorate. Each side amasses votes by employing a plethora of aggregation algorithms, most of which have to do with good dentistry and better sound bites. There are no meaningful labels for either side. Case in point: there's a lot more consumption than conservation happening at the behest of the current government. We might as well call the two parties "Coke" and "Pepsi."
What labels are used is not important. Of importance is what a politician will do while in office.
Posted by joe lance in Politics is Personal at 11:14 PM
December 7, 2005
Wednesday is Pulse Day
I can't blog and write a weekly column at the same time. Well, I could; I guess I could. There are differences, though. The primary one is in the time. What I submit to the Pulse editors here in the next several hours will be published next Wednesday. What I write on this blog will be published in minutes (depending on "ever how much" Comcast sucks). That changes a lot in terms of the scope and of the tempo. I may try it sometime, but for now I'll just point you to my public blogroll and you can pick and choose from my backlog of unread posts. Each section is sorted in descending chronological order.
Posted by joe lance in Site News at 10:18 PM
December 6, 2005
Disguising the Hook Might Help
I just got another phishing e-mail -- well, there were two of them.
They had the same sender and subject, and were adjacent in my Inbox. I opened the first one, because I'm always curious about the graphics people choose, the spelling mistakes they make, and so on, in these poor attempts to gather my non-public personal information. The graphic for First Tennessee Bank was okay, but the e-mail was pretty lame. The first option they listed was a link where I could just give them my ATM/VISA check card number and PIN. Ha ha. Oh, the problem, this e-mail said, is that my account has been locked due to incorrect logins.
The second e-mail is where this starts to get a little bit interesting, and I'm going to ask you readers for input on what some of it might mean. The raw HTML came through as plain text. Oh, goody. I can see hrefs and so on. There is one that looks like this: [a href="http://www.shlong.at/red/.www.firsttennessee.com/"] https://banking.firsttennessee.biz/servlet/ftb/index.html[/a] (I replaced the open and close indicators with brackets so that you could see it.)
So tricky, these guys. Use an authentic URL as the text of a hyperlink when the link itself points to another server entirely. Do they expect to catch many with this?
But the real question I have for you is: what does an Austrian band named "Shlong" have to do with this phishing attempt? Anything? Nothing? Is there a double-theft going on with these things, where not only the phishing target is tricked, but an unsuspecting site may play host to the faux links? Or does someone need to tell Interpol about these Shlong fellows?
Posted by joe lance in Miscellaneous at 11:45 PM
December 5, 2005
Monday Night Clippings 12-5
A. C. Kleinheider, a self-avowed "crunchy con," argues for IRV (that's Instant Runoff Voting), in a post that's ostensibly about minor parties being able to officially endorse major party candidates and still field their own. I'm not sure where I stand on cross-party endorsements, but I'm definitely pro-IRV for elections where it makes sense.
I have a friend, a flat-out Boortz fan, who always reminds me that "corporations never pay taxes." (He sez that they just pass the costs along to you an' me, the consumers.) True enough, but read Bill Hobbs' expansion on a recent Tennessean story if you want to learn how some corporations not only get us to pay their taxes -- they get us, through our elected government, to give them lots more money that we've already paid in our taxes to the State of Tennessee. From me to you, Nissan, free money. This friend of mine doesn't believe there's such a thing as "corporate welfare." I think we have a terminology difference, but I'm going to have to ask him about this Nissan story to make sure. Oh, and regardless of whether you, like some of Bill's commenters, think that the incentive makes a sound investment, just think about the way the related legislation came about. This isn't a partisan thing. Bill and I are hardly ever on the same political platform, but when he's right, he's right.
Meanwhile, here in District 8, this cold and wet weather is not dampening the Bailes for Commissioner campaign. "It's time for change."
Whatever you think of the now-reduced charges brought against Congressman Tom DeLay, if you think there's any problem with the idea of funneling money through "527" PACs and national parties to election campaigns in order to circumvent state election laws, you should read this brief article by the Center for Public Integrity and realize that there's a systemic thing here, and not a single incident.
It's cold, and I'm tired. More whenever I can catch a moment.
Posted by joe lance in Politics is Personal at 10:53 PM
December 3, 2005
The Universe, Weather, and Food
Here are the topics of interest today:
Uniform granularity. Read that sentence in the imperative. It's like the old joke about "Drink Canada Dry." I don't know, but it seems that if the Universe is too complex to be reduced to an elemental sameness, that would speak against a "designer" concept. Perhaps.
Look outside. Light fog, chilly temperatures, and rain comprise one of my favorite weather packages. Daylight itself looks like it had to be coaxed awake -- no, more like it woke up at the usual time, but can't get around to doing too much.
Think about your food. For a period of some months, the wife and I have been un-vegetarian. It's a long story, because this marks the second time in my life that I've taken to shredding the flesh of docile beasts with the grinding jaws of carnivorism, after being raised with a "healthy" (downright) fear of ingesting dead animals. This time around, parental paranoia about foods that would cause acid reflux flare-ups in our infant led us, through convenience and its vicious allies, to slaver at the butcher's offerings. We feel that the boy's innards are toughening up now, so I say it's time to bring on the soy and the other (better) legumes. Yes, and the dairy -- though I have an analogue about that. Most dairy production is to the meat industry as corporate orange groves are to "managed forest" timber farms. The mission is to find small-farm organic cheeses and such that don't empty the wallet (sorry, Greenlife, but it's kinda hard to shop there as of now). Here's the thing: it's one idea to know what you fed an animal its whole life, and to slaughter that animal for to feed your household; and it's quite another for these stock-pen hormone-injected creatures to be your daily bread. Believe it or not, I can see this from both sides, as I am still a meat-eater (I had a turkey sandwich in between starting this post and now). I'm just in the mode of thinking about my food. How I got there? By realizing that for the past several months, I've been able to eat a different diet only because I have avoided really thinking about it. Some of us are quite naturally comfortable with gnawing around the gristle; others aren't.
Posted by joe lance in Miscellaneous at 12:28 PM
December 2, 2005
Friday Blog Blogging
Catching up..
I heard on the news that North Carolina wins the game of "Mille Bones." There were some thoughts yesterday from R. Neal (via Silence). Then there are MooreThoughts. I mentioned it in my latest Pulse column, too.
Man, he really did bring the noise, hunh? I think Roger Abramson said it best: "It's pretty obviously just some guy with a blog site blowing off some steam like the rest of us." UPDATE: Adam Groves has a good roundup, too.
Congress 2006: LeftWingCracker sheds just a little light on the 9th District.
Senate 2006: Pensieri on a Corker fundraiser and how it may translate to votes.
Bill Colrus and H. Monroe both say, in their respective ways, "Let there be Christmas."
I received a very appreciated mention from one of the best blogs I've seen in a while. I mean that in terms of content (elections) and XHTML/CSS style. Just so you don't think I'm all about pointing out only the good, I will also show you my first published pan. Scroll down, there are two -- the letter from Libby regards an earlier column of mine.
There is a lot more to be linked and read, but I guess you'll have to find it yourself. I'm getting ready for an office Christmas party that I'll be entertaining as part of The Shani Hedden Group. Yes! We're live at the Trade Center tonight. I need to polish the Ibanez and tighten up the input jack on the Innuendo.
Posted by joe lance in About Blogs | Elections | Guitar Blogging | Political News at 10:09 AM
Put Frosty in the Electric Chair
[Cross-posted from The Pulse]
Hats Off to Vince Guaraldi
Yes, holiday decorations are up, meaning that EPB revenues are likewise soaring. I don’t understand why some un-religious types get all worked up about nativity scenes and such, as long as they’re tasteful. One of the hardest lessons I have to (repeatedly) learn is “pick your battles” (I’d rather fight them all). So, let’s not worry about whether a display can be construed to have a religious subtext; let’s first join together to wipe out tackiness. I am much more offended by a giant inflatable Frosty the Snowman (which, unless you’re an initiate in you-know-what, you think not to be a religious icon) than by a demure little donkey-and-manger set. I do draw the line at live nativity scenes, though: when it’s freezing out, that’s just cruel to every creature involved. Remember that Hamilton Place store whose window displays featured bathing-suit models that lay on painted plywood for hours? That was pretty bad, but at least they were indoors. I’m also bracing for weeks of unbearable music. Once in a while, though, I’ll get lucky and catch a number from A Charlie Brown Christmas. That and the lacquer-thinner eggnog will get us through, y’all.
Killing Time
The United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. As of this writing, 997 persons have been put to death since, and with a few executions scheduled to take place at or around press time, the “milestone” number of 1,000 will likely be reached when you read this. (For the record, I generally discourage the trivial practice of celebrating round-numbered occurrences.) In no way does this column advocate against seeking justice for the victims of horrific crimes, but there are some troubling facts about what some call state-sponsored killing that at least bear consideration. First, what if the prosecution gets it wrong (or the defense is inadequate)? It’s difficult to imagine serving a long sentence when one is innocent; but recent technological advances have resulted in much-delayed exonerations. A high number of capital cases are overturned (one study put it at 65 percent). If the wrongly accused has been put to death, there is no taking it back. Of course, we know that the time between conviction/sentencing and execution can be quite lengthy, so there may be a chance to reverse the situation if evidence demands it; but that leads to the second hard fact, namely taxpayer expense. It costs us a lot more to feed, clothe, house, and kill a death row inmate who justly initiates every possible appeal option than it would to sentence her to, say, life (no parole) at hard labor. Lastly, think about the company we keep: China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The United States joins these pillars of human rights in proneness to snuffing out the lives of citizens.
Don’t mistake the enumeration of these points as an outright stance. This is a complex ethical problem, and I can’t pretend to have the tightly sewn solution that will convince all to think one way about it. These facts are meant to inform the argument, i.e. to augment the traditional “eye for an eye” sentiment that drives the majority of opinions on the subject.
One-Horse Town?
The post call has sounded, the gates have sprung, and they’re off! Hamilton County’s 2006 election season officially began on November 18. Expect weekly coverage (of varying degrees) in this column between now and August; but for now, let’s try to fill a few more ballots with challengers, shall we? Are you qualified and willing to hold a local elected office? Find out more at the Hamilton County Election Commission’s website (http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/). Click on “Candidate Guide” for details.
Generation X Getting Old
Billy Idol turns 50 on November 30. Fifty.
Posted by joe lance in Politics is Personal | Pulsations at 9:16 AM