November 1, 2007
In this week's Pulse
Do not miss news editor Angela Tant's cover story on the changes that are currently being planned to the state's Open Meetings Law. The piece brings the issue right home with illustrations about how...Posted by joe lance on 12:43 PM
October 3, 2007
Farr beyond reason
While my understanding is that the paper version will start hitting the streets on Thursdays, instead of Wednesdays, this week's Pulse is online today. In it, I opine briefly on the "crack tax" appeal...Posted by joe lance on 9:55 PM
September 27, 2007
In this week's Pulse
The little alt-weekly that could, did, and made the AAN this year. Former (as of today) editor Bill Colrus reflects on this and other accomplishments in his farewell editorial. My connection to the Pulse...Posted by joe lance on 8:59 PM
September 19, 2007
In This Week's Pulse
Bill Colrus interviews Ken Burns. The Queen shoots straight about the scene. Angela Tant talks outside the box. I talk about Sons of Volunteers. Plus, there's all the other Pulse-y goodness....Posted by joe lance on 6:21 PM
August 28, 2007
In This Week's Pulse
Regarding a special online story that continues to develop, I want to make a quick statement, as this week's column does, in part, address this topic: I am not part of any organization or...Posted by joe lance on 11:43 PM
August 15, 2007
..And in Last Week's Pulse
Since I use this blog category as a de facto file folder for all my Pulse columns, I would be a poor accountant if I didn't make an entry for last week's column, which...Posted by joe lance on 9:31 AM
In This Week's Pulse
Through only minute amounts of collaboration, the Pulse sounds a chord of inquiry in the direction of the Chattanooga Mayor's office. (Music theory bonus question: what kind of chord sounds "interrogative"?) The lead news...Posted by joe lance on 9:27 AM
July 25, 2007
In This Week's Pulse
"Working folks need raises, too, ladies and gentlemen of the council." That sentiment, from Pulse Beats, blends nicely with my own Civic Forum column on the subject of public employee raises, HR consulting firms,...Posted by joe lance on 6:35 PM
July 18, 2007
In This Week's Pulse
Smoking, drinking, dining, and a few more tasty sins of excess, plus taxes for dessert. It's the annual Dining Guide, so be sure to check out the whole issue. And on that note, my...Posted by joe lance on 11:03 PM
July 11, 2007
Warding Off Corruption (updated)
This week's Civic Forum column is up at The Pulse, and is all about the biggest (to some) trial to come out of Operation Tennessee Waltz, in these parts — Sen. Ward Crutchfield goes...Posted by joe lance on 1:01 PM
July 4, 2007
Red, White and...No, Just “Red” and White
Pulling back the sheets on the anti-immigration reform outcry After my last column on immigration ran, I was taken to task, mostly notably by a Pat Buchanan enthusiast, for insinuating that the loudest voices...Posted by joe lance on 9:02 AM
June 20, 2007
If This Tent Gets Any Bigger, It May Collapse
What it means to be an early 21st-century Republican A Pew Research poll recently revealed that, in America’s heartland, the political pendulum has begun to swing away from solid support for the Republican Party....Posted by joe lance on 6:38 PM
June 13, 2007
The Topics Server - The economics of immigration and drugs as a public health issue
Last week, I wrote about wanting to see an increase in public discourse. The old-fashioned town square, complete with a town hall (which may or may not double as a Unitarian/Congregationalist church) might still...Posted by joe lance on 10:26 AM
June 6, 2007
Let's Take It Outside - It's time to end the "culture war" (one way or the other)
This is going to be a long, hot summer. It is also going to be an exceptionally loud one. Above the usual din of car stereos, motorcycles, personal watercraft and landscaping equipment will...Posted by joe lance on 8:28 AM
April 25, 2007
This is Home, This is Main Street
City struggles to find its true identity What makes a city attractive? Notwithstanding the scads of papers and books that exist on the subject, I think we have a case study right here. Whether...Posted by joe lance on 12:27 PM
April 11, 2007
Guard Your Local Cable Franchise Like It’s Your Remote
I want competition as much as the next guy, but not at this cost I noticed the ads for “cable” first. Cable is great, they preened. I scratched my head, and flipped to a...Posted by joe lance on 12:26 PM
March 21, 2007
Senatorial Equinox
The man on the fence gets hit from both sides The Tennessee Senate felt another shift in its teetering balance last week when former Speaker Pro Tem Micheal Williams (Maynardville — and that’s his...Posted by joe lance on 11:51 AM
March 14, 2007
It's Time for New Country Commission Meeting Times
Discussion has begun anew over what time of day the Hamilton County Commission should hold its regular meetings. Some of us may not even know what time the meetings are, currently. (They’re at 9:30...Posted by joe lance on 10:10 AM
February 28, 2007
All Bottled Up - Dogs, dial-up, dumb laws, and drinking on Sunday
Interim state Sen. Shea Flinn (Memphis) isn’t wasting a second in his predecessor’s (Steve Cohen’s) seat. In addition to proposing a constitutional amendment that would authorize casino gambling (bring it on, I say), he...Posted by joe lance on 9:15 AM
February 21, 2007
Where There's Smoke, There's A Lawmaker
Weighing public health concerns against individual rights Multiple initiatives involving tobacco are coming before our Legislature this session. A keyword search on the General Assembly’s website yielded 100 results. Judging solely by their abstracts,...Posted by joe lance on 1:04 PM
February 7, 2007
The Pre-K Debate - Glorified babysitting or scholastic insurance policy?
You heard the man. Governor Bredesen, in his annual State of the State address, outlined a funding initiative (based on the iffy cigarette tax) to increase the number of pre-kindergarten programs in the state....Posted by joe lance on 9:54 PM
January 24, 2007
Legal Sex Acts
Our legislators’ screwy plan to legislate morality This first part of the legislative session is when lawmakers spend very little time reading each other’s bills, and a whole lot of time strutting in front...Posted by joe lance on 8:21 PM
January 18, 2007
In the Pulse: Three for One
First, read Angela Tant's article. Then, read Bill's editorial. Now, you done? Here's my stuff: Rejecting FOIA - A look behind government’s closed doors Something must be done about the tendency for local governments...Posted by joe lance on 8:23 PM
January 10, 2007
In the Pulse: The Glorious 105th - Immigration reform, cheaper food, and HOPE dollar-drooling mark Jimmy’s ninth term
Vintage Speakers While most of the attention given the new Congress is deserved—after all, how many Framers, regardless of whether they should have, imagined that the Speaker of the House would one day be...Posted by joe lance on 9:19 AM
January 3, 2007
It Isn't Always Nice to Be Noticed
The Center for Public Integrity has published yet another must-read article on the many ways lobbyists and legislators are (all too) connected. This time, they're specifically looking at state legislators' family members who happen...Posted by joe lance on 7:47 AM
December 20, 2006
In the Pulse: Top Ten Predictions for 2007
Whee, Next Year Is Election-free - Top ten predictions for what our government does with its mandate I took a gander at last year’s top ten list, and found that I batted somewhere close...Posted by joe lance on 7:32 AM
December 6, 2006
Civic Forum
Sci-Fi Comes True...but only out West so far Tennessee’s political landscape erupted last week over a poorly researched report that intimated serious electoral repercussions were due Senator Mark Norris of Collierville. The word was...Posted by joe lance on 7:25 AM
November 29, 2006
No More Frênch Fries - They're Christmas Fries
You want Christmas? You got it. This season, I'm dropping the "happy holidays" and "season's greetings" of years gone by. I've seen the error of my ways. And to make up for all those...Posted by joe lance on 7:22 AM
November 22, 2006
Thanks, and No Thanks
My annual outpouring of gratitude A great big thank you goes to the voters of Tennessee, for your choice in the U.S. Senate election, so that Bob Corker’s nice mother can finally get some...Posted by joe lance on 8:21 AM
November 15, 2006
Election Roundup 2006
Tennessee’s vote sends mixed messages The message heard around the nation by sometime Thursday afternoon (when U.S. Sen. George Allen conceded to rival Jim Webb) was a loud cry from independents, swing voters, bipartisans—whatever...Posted by joe lance on 9:45 AM
November 1, 2006
Unlock the Mind, Then Approach the Voting Booth
A liberal libertarian's endorsements And, just for fun, we have predictions! Being overly partisan has one “advantage,” if you want to call it that. It’s easy to fill out a ballot on Election Day....Posted by joe lance on 7:59 AM
October 25, 2006
This Scary Story is Real
The Tale of the Haunted House and the Military Commissions Act Forget the skulls, ghosts, witches, and frightening caloric intakes. These days, it takes an act of Congress to get us in the Halloween...Posted by joe lance on 12:45 PM
October 18, 2006
Sniffing Our Way Through the Ballot Bouquet
Don’t abstain. You have choices, some better smelling than others If you’re sick and tired of the two frontrunners for the United States Senate race in Tennessee, but at the same time are at...Posted by joe lance on 1:34 PM
October 11, 2006
The Last Blue Bag
When recycling (and our plan for it) becomes garbage Announcement: We regret to inform you that, due to constraints on the common sense, we’re slashing a citywide service by at least 75 percent, while...Posted by joe lance on 8:54 AM
October 4, 2006
No Wonder People Fail to Vote
Oh, the inanity: dirty tricks, braggadocio, empty promises No wonder people fail miserably at showing up to vote. All of the big-ticket 2006 campaigns (and some of the smaller ones) have missed the mark...Posted by joe lance on 9:49 AM
September 27, 2006
Attention Corruption Shoppers - Please bring your malfeasance to the register
The window on unethical behavior is closing Welcome again to autumn, when we indulge in some of our favorite things: college football, Halloween, apple cider, and a chance for the ever-reaching spread of bureaucracy...Posted by joe lance on 10:25 AM
September 20, 2006
Like a Stump on a Log - Bob Corker needs to step up the smiles
Despite any fanlike emotions that spring forth as one traverses the 21st Century Waterfront in downtown Chattanooga, Bob Corker is not a celebrity. His talents lie in more practical realms: business decisions, budget oversight,...Posted by joe lance on 7:23 AM
September 13, 2006
Cleaning House in the Tennessee Senate
Preparing for a new Lieutenant Governor A giant sigh of relief went up from around the state with news of Governor Phil Bredesen’s recovery from a mysterious illness. The reason we’re all glad to...Posted by joe lance on 9:06 AM
August 30, 2006
Off the Stump and Into the Crowd
Old-fashioned campaigning in the post-modern era Tennessee’s 2006 U.S. Senate election may turn out to be the most expensive ever. Millions of dollars have been raised around the state (and, as many detractors on...Posted by joe lance on 12:11 PM
August 9, 2006
Out With the Old, In With the...Old, Mostly
Meet your new government It’s a painful realization: many of the scant 28 percent of Hamilton County voters who even bothered to register an opinion last Thursday only got curious the day or so...Posted by joe lance on 10:36 AM
August 2, 2006
Throwing Recyclists to the Curb
The task force’s first task is to define itself The first meeting held by the Mayor’s task force on recycling was a rough start, by all accounts. At least one city official complained privately...Posted by joe lance on 9:53 AM
July 26, 2006
For Your Voting Consideration - The Civic Forum endorsements
There’s no need for a long introduction here—let’s just get right to the point. Each elected office* that will appear on ballots in at least one precinct in Hamilton County on August 3 is...Posted by joe lance on 7:34 AM
To Bob or Not to Bob
Why you should—and shouldn’t—vote for each of the U.S. Senate candidates The major political parties’ respective senatorial campaign committees -- you know, those powerful cadres of cash-wielding kingmakers -- are watching our little long,...Posted by joe lance on 7:28 AM
July 19, 2006
Three Big Mistakes
Early-voting vignettes plucked from around the state When gamesmanship comes home to roost Just as early voting got underway, Chattanooga acted as host to one of the year’s more bizarre political stories. The tale...Posted by joe lance on 1:30 PM
July 5, 2006
House Data Gain?
Primaries offer little insight into the major parties’ struggle for Capitol control All ninety-nine seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives are included in this election cycle. The Democrats have maintained control of the...Posted by joe lance on 9:24 AM
June 28, 2006
Inevita-Phil-ity - And when your choices aren’t your own
Nominee by Decree Governor Phil Bredesen has managed his way through more than one seemingly intractable situation during his term. That figures, as he’s reportedly a highly skilled manager. He might have seen the...Posted by joe lance on 10:50 AM
June 21, 2006
Who’s Headed for Washington? Breaking down the 2006 federal midterm primary elections
There are a few weeks left during which we can imagine that our ideal slate of candidates has been elected. It’s like those fantasy sports games, only with a different kind of “player” and...Posted by joe lance on 5:02 PM
June 14, 2006
Dirty Deeds - How effective is Hamilton County’s pollution solution?
Emitting we have a problem Fourteen months or so ago, Hamilton County implemented a vehicle emissions testing program as an EPA-approved alternative to actually having healthy air quality. Well, they had to do something....Posted by joe lance on 11:26 AM
June 7, 2006
Vote for the Newcomer in 2006 - End social promotion for legislators
The 2006 legislative session ended on Saturday, May 27. In order that we voters make the most informed decisions in the upcoming elections, it’s good to review what did and did not happen in...Posted by joe lance on 7:45 AM
May 31, 2006
The New Poor Richard’s Almanac - why blogging is important to the public interest
Blogging, bloggers, blogosphere. One can’t shake a stick without stirring up a covey of blogs. We’re about to choke on blogs, but scarcely know what they are or, more to the point, what they...Posted by joe lance on 12:01 AM
May 26, 2006
The Eminent Front (it's a put-on)
The 104th Tennessee General Assembly, 2006 edition, has not proceeded without some reaction to the nationwide eminent domain controversy. Just what that reaction is, or how much it will accomplish in the end, is...Posted by joe lance on 10:50 AM
May 15, 2006
What Election? - The one you didn’t show up for. That’s what election
This is where you – nearly nine chances out of ten say it’s you – are soundly berated for abandoning your civic duty and for failing to flood the precincts with your voting...Posted by joe lance on 2:01 PM
May 7, 2006
General Assemblage Assessment - Find out what your representative and senator say and do regarding the items that matter to you
The county primaries are over – it’s assumed you voted – and now the big push is toward August. In the meantime, however, the 2006 legislative session has churned along, hidden as it is...Posted by joe lance on 3:04 PM
April 30, 2006
That’s the Ticket - Thumbs up and thumbs down for county primaries
The mailers arrive in duplicate these days and local websites are plastered with lo-fi GIF ads (some local sites, anyway). The Hamilton County Election Commission is geared up for twelve grueling hours at the...Posted by joe lance on 12:13 AM
April 23, 2006
Banned-Aid - Patching up the Michael Weber story
[Author's note: this was written before the 4/23/2006 editorial by CTFP Executive Editor Tom Griscom was published.] There’s little doubt that Chattanooga Times Free Press editor Tom Griscom feels caught in the middle after...Posted by joe lance on 9:10 PM
April 18, 2006
Why Vote in Primary Elections? - Because we pay for them either way
Democrats and Republicans have intra-party elections to determine which candidates will represent their policy platforms when the general public goes to the polls. Yeah, you say, and so do the Constitution, Green, Libertarian and...Posted by joe lance on 2:13 PM
April 9, 2006
Your Papers, Please - Then kindly get back to work, thanks
A decree went forth, and it said, “The big, flag-waving issue of the 2006 midterm elections shall be immigration.” Whence this decree? We don’t know. The effects are evident, though their cause is not....Posted by joe lance on 2:22 PM
March 26, 2006
Taking on the Winners
[Cross-posted from The Pulse] COULD SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN “BAKER’S DOZEN” TO THEM? In case this story’s latest developments slipped past you, I’ll bring them up again here. Investigators are up to 12 now. Twelve...Posted by joe lance on 9:34 AM
When Is an Elephant Not an Elephant?-And other uses for chipotle
[Cross-posted from The Pulse.] PARTY FOUL Out in the West Tennessee county of Henry, the Mexican girls are likely scarcer than in El Paso. That’s probably fine by some, including an openly racist candidate...Posted by joe lance on 9:25 AM
March 3, 2006
Of Ports and Courts - Fear is the enemy of the mind
[Cross-posted from the March 1, 2006 Pulse.] Twenty years ago, I was a big fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. I still am, even though I haven’t read one in at least a decade....Posted by joe lance on 2:42 PM
February 21, 2006
Why Should You Care About the Tennessee Waltz?
[Cross-posted from the February 15, 2006 Pulse -- click the link to see the article with pictures and published citizen reactions] Front-page illustration Rebuilding Trust: A lesson in triple meter REMEMBER THE NIGHT A...Posted by joe lance on 4:20 PM
February 10, 2006
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes - Lawmakers turn and face the strain (of honesty)
[Cross-posted from the Pulse.] Partisan Pendulum There will be major changes to the Tennessee General Assembly in 2006. Unfortunately, I’m not referring to any that might be brought about by the new ethics bill....Posted by joe lance on 11:55 AM
February 3, 2006
All Gums - Our new, toothless ethics bill
[Cross-posted from The Pulse, written well before the events of 2/2 and 2/3] RE-FORMED ETHICS REFORM Watching the special ethics session’s progress must be like watching the Wright brothers’ first few flight attempts –...Posted by joe lance on 9:03 PM
January 28, 2006
Let’s Be Judge-Mental: A high-level roll call of robes
Cross-posted from The Pulse, January 11, 2006 So many judges are up for re-election this year that it’s easy to become confused. Add to their number the pack of attorneys that scavenges one prematurely...Posted by joe lance on 9:06 AM
Breathing Life Into A Drowned Soul - How do we resuscitate an addict's free will?
Reprinted from The Pulse, January 25, 2006 Leroy is 22 years old. Just days ago, he was released from a local men’s correctional facility, where he served his second sentence in as many years...Posted by joe lance on 9:02 AM
January 6, 2006
Phil’s Special Session - What’s so special about it, anyway?
[Cross-posted from the Pulse.] Tuesday, January 10, at noon local time, the General Assembly gavel falls on a special session called by Governor Bredesen. The Governor set up the Citizens Advisory Group on Ethics...Posted by joe lance on 6:36 AM
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,...Posted by joe lance on 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...Posted by joe lance on 8:23 AM
December 16, 2005
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...Posted by joe lance on 1:41 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...Posted by joe lance on 5:17 PM
December 2, 2005
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...Posted by joe lance on 9:16 AM
November 24, 2005
Lance's List of Love - Things for which I am thankful
[Cross-posted from The Pulse] Yes, you might think it odd that a column so usually devoted to griping about low voter turnout or lobbyist liaisons – not to mention the fact that it stands...Posted by joe lance on 9:19 AM
November 19, 2005
"For Sale" Sign on City Hall
[Cross-posted from The Pulse] [Gratuitous intriguing back-story: In last week’s issue of The Pulse, the Backbeats section rang up Chattanooga City Council member Marti Rutherford’s desire to rid her “main drag” of payday loan...Posted by joe lance on 3:17 PM
November 11, 2005
Not A Spectator Event
(Cross-posted from The Pulse) How simply can I put this? Government ethics reformers should not employ partisanship in crafting meaningful changes to Nashville’s “business as usual.” The disappointing experience, as consistently revealed in media...Posted by joe lance on 7:07 AM
November 4, 2005
The Bland Leading the Blind
(Cross-posted from The Pulse) You all know the fifth-grade science lesson: The pituitary gland regulates growth so that we don’t end up with misshapen, unsynchronized bodies (we accomplish that ourselves via the various appetites...Posted by joe lance on 6:57 AM
November 1, 2005
Center Lane Closed Ahead
(From the October 26, 2005 Pulse) So I was driving to pick up the boy recently (this is being published on his first birthday – happy birthday, Trey!), and I decided to tune the...Posted by joe lance on 11:06 AM
October 13, 2005
Relocating the Lobby to the Ground Floor - Laws don’t create ethics. Voters do.
Cross-posted from The Pulse. Dated portions abridged as necessary.. UPDATE: Also, the subtitle "Laws don't create ethics. Voters do." is not mine. I wanted to find a way to say that here before and...Posted by joe lance on 10:16 PM
September 28, 2005
Pulse Article: Ethics in the Hog Wallow
Note: cross-posted from The Pulse. Link A branch of the Tennessee General Assembly met at the Marriott in downtown Chattanooga on Tuesday, September 13 – but it wasn’t the House, nor was it the...Posted by joe lance on 2:26 PM
September 7, 2005
Were We Finished Here?
NOTE: This entry has also been published in The Pulse, Chattanooga's Alternative Weekly. Yes, Chattanooga has undergone incredible improvements in recent years. But isn't there more we could do? I ask, rather rhetorically, in...Posted by joe lance on 3:07 PM