Blogging the world around me.
Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County Board of County Commissioners.
Coverage of the meetings of the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen.
Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County School Board.
Photos from my photoblog.
**note** I realize the date is wrong on the video. It would take 24 plus hours to encode it again to correct the mistake, so I'm leaving it as is and moving on.
The Lightbulb Conspiracy: The Untold Story of Planned Obsolescence is a documentary about how our economic system based on consumerism is really breaking our planet down.
“On the one hand, as scientists we are ethically bound to the scientific method, in effect promising to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but - which means that we must include all the doubts, the caveats, the ifs, ands, and buts. On the other hand, we are not just scientists but human beings as well. And like most people we’d like to see the world a better place, which in this context translates into our working to reduce the risk of potentially disastrous climatic change. To do that we need to get some broadbased support, to capture the public’s imagination. That, of course, entails getting loads of media coverage. So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have. This ‘double ethical bind’ we frequently find ourselves in cannot be solved by any formula. Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest. I hope that means being both.”
Stephen H. Schneider, author of the book Global Warming (Sierra Club), in an interview in Discover Magazine, October 1989.
The April 2009 temperature for the contiguous United States was below the long-term average, based on records going back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC.
The average April temperature of 51.2 degrees F was 0.8 degree F below the 20th Century average. Precipitation across the contiguous United States in April averaged 2.62 inches, which is 0.19 inch above the 1901-2000 average.
-SNIP-
U.S. Temperature Highlights
April temperatures were near normal across much of the United States. On a regional scale, only the Northeast (above-normal) and the West North Central (below-normal) deviated significantly from the norm.
New Hampshire observed its eighth warmest April, based on data going back to 1895. Unlike much of the Northeast, the Midwest experienced a cooler-than-normal month. From North Dakota southward to Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia, temperature averages were below normal.
For the year-to-date period, only two states, North Dakota and Washington, have experienced cooler-than-normal average temperatures. In contrast, much of the South and Southwest regions were above-normal. New Mexico had its ninth warmest such period on record.
Based on NOAA's Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index, the contiguous U.S. temperature-related energy demand was 2.3 percent below average in April.
-SNIP
Other Highlights
- International Falls, Minn., recorded 125 inches of snow so far this winter season, breaking the previous record of 116 inches set in the 1995-1996 winter season. Another seasonal snowfall record was broken in Spokane, Wash., where 97.7 inches of snowfall broke the old record of 93.5 inches set in 1915-1916.
- About eight percent of the contiguous U.S. was covered by snow at end of April, according to an analysis by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. Snow coverage during the month peaked at 30.2 percent on April 6, after a late-season winter storm hit the Midwest and Plains.
- The 263 preliminary tornadoes reported in April was above the three-year average of 200 confirmed tornadoes.
Scientists with the EPA explained that they were trying to maximize test readings in order to score the 28.5 points required to get federal superfunds. They’ve been trying for years, and they keep falling short. They tested where they knew chemical drums had been stored, and they tried to test as the winds blew favorably. They are even considering gerrymandering the site to maximize densities for readings.
A number of persons in the area have contracted cancer and/or died. No benchmarks were provided to the public to define normal death rates and normal incidences of cancer for other areas. The scientists said, rightly, that correlation did not constitute causation, but they would need to determine the types of cancers the residue chemicals and their byproducts produced.
MacQueen offered to produce petition signatures, reminiscent of sarcastic barbs about polls replacing fact. It was as if a couple more signatures could raise the ppm readings over the threshold. In a democracy, if one expert detects a fatal flaw overlooked by seven novices, he’s simply outvoted.
Dozens of protesters, including a Sylva man, were arrested Monday near Duke
Energy's headquarters as they called on the company to halt construction of a
coal-fired power plant in Rutherford County.
Police estimated about 250 people gathered in front of the building in Charlotte, loudly but peacefully opposing the $2.4 billion, 800-megawatt generator. Organizers said 44 protesters were arrested on trespassing charges after walking across a line set up by police. Officials from a coalition of environmental groups — which is fighting the project in court and in appeals to state air quality regulators — said they're trying to draw attention to their efforts.
Avram Friedman, 59, of Sylva, was the first person arrested. The executive director of the Canary Coalition, a Sylva-based clean air advocacy organization, said he was protesting to help his family.
“I'm doing it for my children,” Friedman, clad in a gray suit, said as an officer placed him in handcuffs. “This is a real threat. How can we just stand by and watch this go up and not do a thing?”
The Rabun County, Ga. Board of Commissioners called a special meeting on Monday, March 9, to inform newly-elected board members of the status of the former Fruit of the Loom textile plant. (Newly-elected commissioners Katheryn Granberg, Will Nichols and Tom Garrison joined Max Watts and Chairman Virgil Kilby on the board.) The county is planning a new municipal water plant on the site and is in the process of getting permits from the Environmental Protection Division. A discharge permit was applied for in February, and a 30-day public comment period for the permit will be announced soon.
The county purchased the water and sewer treatment facilities of the former Rabun Apparel, Fruit of the Loom plant in Rabun Gap in December 2007. Gibbs International of Spartanburg, S.C. bought the textile plant after Fruit of the Loom closed in 2006. Gibbs buys vacant plants to resell them. An agreement was made by Rabun County with Merrill Trust (the developers of Sky Valley Resort) for wastewater treatment.
I suggest that you counter their effort by writing in support of the construction of the plant, and state the economic need of the plant for the area as I have stated earlier in this post, and add additional ideas of your own.30 day Comment Period on Fruit of the Loom Plant now open!!
For over a year, we have been bringing you news of Rabun County's plans to convert the former Fruit of the Loom plant in Rabun Gap, Georgia to a municipal waste treatment plant. They have applied for their permit to dump 2 million gallons of treated sewage per day into the Little Tennessee River and that permit is now open for public comment.
***To review the draft permit, please click on the link at the bottom of this page and download the PDF file.***
Please submit a letter to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division with at least the following three requests no later than April 13, 2009:
1. Rabun County plans to use a chlorine treatment system. Please request that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division require that an Ultraviolet (UV) Treatment process be put into operation to ensure that the water quality will be good enough for the Town of Franklin to use as an alternative water supply and to protect aquatic life.
2. The State of Georgia just completed a Statewide Water Plan that outlines impacts to consider before an interbasin transfer of water is completed. Please request that these guidelines be written directly into Rabun County’s discharge permit.
3. Please request that the Georgia EPD hold a formal public hearing so that all of the various concerns and questions can be adequately addressed.
Mail your written comments to and make sure to reference Draft Permit #GA0039152:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Attention: Jane Hendricks
4220 International Park Dr., Suite 101
Atlanta, GA 30354It is best to submit your comments in writing to the EPD to make sure that they become a part of the official record. To read background information, click on the "news" tab (above) and browse past LTWA newsletters, available as a PDF.
There is so much more that you can do with your request! Please click here for a more elaborate description of suggested talking points and for a list of additional people to send copies of your comments to.
Since Earth Hour was recognized today, Saturday, March 28 from 8:30-9:30pm, I thought I’d see how the hypocritical, fear-mongering former Veep was celebrating at his home.
I pulled up to Al’s house, located in the posh Belle Meade section of Nashville, at 8:48pm – right in the middle of Earth Hour. I found that the main spotlights that usually illuminate his 9,000 square foot mansion were dark, but several of the lights inside the house were on.
In fact, most of the windows were lit by the familiar blue-ish hue indicating that floor lamps and ceiling fixtures were off, but TV screens and computer monitors were hard at work. (In other words, his house looked the way most houses look about 1:45am when their inhabitants are distractedly watching “Cheaters” or “Chelsea Lately” reruns.)
The kicker, though, were the dozen or so floodlights grandly highlighting several trees and illuminating the driveway entrance of Gore’s mansion.
I [kid] you not, my friends, the savior of the environment couldn’t be bothered to turn off the gaudy lights that show off his goofy trees.
The picture above is an example of the floodlights that were burning through Earth Hour, which is supposedly “lights off” time for those who get their rocks off by telling children that they will be burned alive because of the use of ventilators, refrigerators and cars. (The “312” is his address – 312 Lynnwood Blvd.)
If you’re unfamiliar, Earth Hour is where socialists and patchouli-dabbing tree-hugging hippies unite to dismiss electricity, fossil fuels and the modern conveniences that allow for historically unrivaled prosperity, longevity, health and quality of life throughout the world.
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Darkness and Light.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for the Dark Evil of Environmentalism, turning them on is a vote for the Light of Reason and against the fear-mongering environmentalists. I am urging the world to VOTE LIGHT and diminish the wacko agenda of the WWF. Their target is to reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
We can turn the tide on this stupidity...turn on every light in your house, and turn on the outside floodlights if you have them. As a bonus, you can also turn on every Television and Radio in your home. Turn up the heat or A/C depending on your location. Turn on your vehicle and let it idle for a few minutes during this hour.
It is time we stopped being mute, and doing nothing in the face of this environmental extremism. We must begin to cancel out their activities and Stand Up to them...and expose them as the idiots that they are!!!
Who is with me?
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Darkness and Light.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for the Dark Evil of Environmentalism, turning them on is a vote for the Light of Reason and against the fear-mongering environmentalists. I am urging the world to VOTE LIGHT and diminish the wacko agenda of the WWF. Their target is to reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
We can turn the tide on this stupidity...turn on every light in your house, and turn on the outside floodlights if you have them. As a bonus, you can also turn on every Television and Radio in your home. Turn up the heat or A/C depending on your location. Turn on your vehicle and let it idle for a few minutes during this hour.
It is time we stopped being mute, and doing nothing in the face of this environmental extremism. We must begin to cancel out their activities and Stand Up to them...and expose them as the idiots that they are!!!
Who is with me?
CROWD FUNDING
If you're of a mind, and can afford it, a dollar a month (or more) from enough people will make a huge difference in improving the quality of coverage of local meetings and events, as well as allowing remote weather stations and weather cams to be deployed throughout the county that you will be able to access online.
Currently, 20 people have pledged $99 a month. This is a tremendous help. Please visit www.patreon.com/MaconMedia for more information on how to contribute.
Businesses can underwrite this coverage by day sponsorships, surplus equipment donations, etc. Inquire at editor@maconmedia.com for more information.
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