Macon County Commissioners 06-25-2010 Meeting Live Coverage Starts at 2pm

The Macon County Commissioners will be meeting today at 2pm. I plan on being there to cover it.

Here is the Twitter Widget to follow the meeting. I will be using the hashtag #MaconGov.




Here is the agenda for that meeting...

MACON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

JUNE 28, 2010 – 2 P.M.

AGENDA

1. Call to order and welcome by Chairman Beale

2. Announcements

A. Recognize Alan Durden, new Cooperative Extension Director

3. Invocation

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Public Comment Period

6. Adjustments to and approval of the agenda

7. Public Hearing – (Transit)

A. Federal Transportation Administration Grant……...…Attachment #7

1. Public Hearing

2. Adoption of Resolution

8. Reports/Presentations:

A. Report on bid opening for K-4 School (County Manager)

9. Old Business:

10. New Business:

A. Easements………………………………….…………..Attachment #10A

1. Town of Franklin

2. Duke Energy

11. Consent Agenda…………………………………………………Attachment #11

All items below are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. No separate discussion will be held except on request of a member of the Board of Commissioners.

1. 
   
   
   Minutes…………………………………………………Attachment #11A
2. 
   
   
   Finance ………………………………………………....Attachment #11B

(1) Budget revisions (2) K-4 School Resolution.

3. 
   
   
   Tax Department (1) Refund (2) Releases……………..Attachment #11C
4. 
   
   
   Resolution – Rural Center Grant……………………….Attachment #11D
5. 
   
   
   Animal Control Enforcement for Towns……………….Attachment #11E

12. Appointments……………………………………………………Attachment #12

13. Closed session (If necessary)

14. Adjournment/Recess

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Supreme Court Affirms Second Amendment

The scary part is that it was a 5-4 decision. Our Republic, and Constitution, hang by a thread.


Here is an excerpt:

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

Syllabus

MCDONALD ET AL. v. CITY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ET AL.

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

No. 08–1521. Argued March 2, 2010—Decided June 28, 2010


Two years ago, in District of Columbia v. Heller, this Court held that the Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of self-defense and struck down a Dis-trict of Columbia law that banned the possession of handguns in thehome. Chicago (hereinafter City) and the village of Oak Park, a Chi-cago suburb, have laws effectively banning handgun possession byalmost all private citizens. After Heller, petitioners filed this federalsuit against the City, which was consolidated with two related ac-tions, alleging that the City’s handgun ban has left them vulnerable to criminals. They sought a declaration that the ban and several re-lated City ordinances violate the Second and Fourteenth Amend-ments. Rejecting petitioners’ argument that the ordinances are un-constitutional, the court noted that the Seventh Circuit previouslyhad upheld the constitutionality of a handgun ban, that Heller had explicitly refrained from opining on whether the Second Amendment applied to the States, and that the court had a duty to follow estab-lished Circuit precedent. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, relying on three 19th-century cases—United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U. S. 542, Presser v. Illinois, 116 U. S. 252, and Miller v. Texas, 153 U. S. 535— which were decided in the wake of this Court’s interpretation of theFourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause in the Slaughter-House Cases, 16 Wall. 36.


Held: The judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded.




Source: SCOTUS Wiki, McDonald v. City of Chicago


Here is the full decision:McDonald v. City Of Chicago

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Inama Nushif

The Dune Universe is littered with characters I adore. Chani is perhaps one of the favorites of my favorites. The following song, "Inama Nushif" is from The Children of Dune miniseries and is played during a video montage of the cleansing of the house as threats to the Atreides are removed and the twins Leto II and Ghanima are born to Paul's Fremen wife, Chani. 






"Inama Nushif", Music and Lyrics by Brian Tyler


Inama nushif (She is eternal)
Al asir hiy ayish (No malice can touch)


Lia-anni (Singular and ageless)
Zaratha zarati (Perpetually bound)


Hatt al-hudad (Through the tempest)
Al-maahn al-baiid (be it deluge or sand)
Ay-yah idare (A singular voice)
Adamm malum (speaks through the torrent)


Hatt al-hudad (Through the tempest)
Al-maahn al-baiid (be it deluge or sand)
Ay-yah idare (A singular voice)
Adamm malum (speaks through the torrent)


Inama nishuf al a sadarr (Forever her voice sings)
Eann zaratha zarati (through the ages eternally bound)


Kali bakka a tishuf ahatt (Sacrifice is her gift)
Al hudad alman dali (one that cannot be equaled)


Inama nishuf al a sadarr (Forever her voice sings)
Eann zaratha zarati (through the ages eternally bound)


Kali bakka a tishuf ahatt (Sacrifice is her gift)
Al hudad alman dali alia (that Alia will one day equal)


Inama nushif (She is eternal)
Al asir hiy ayish (No malice can touch)


Lia-anni (Singular and ageless)
Zaratha zarati (Perpetually bound)

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Senator Robert Byrd Dead

Robert C. Byrd, , a conservative West Virginia Democrat who became the longest-serving member of Congress in history and used his masterful knowledge of the institution to shape the federal budget, protect the procedural rules of the Senate and, above all else, tend to the interests of his state, died at 3 a.m. Monday at Inova Fairfax Hospital, his office said.

Mr. Byrd had been hospitalized last week with what was thought to be heat exhaustion, but more serious issues were discovered, aides said Sunday. No formal cause of death was given.

Source: Washington Post
Related: Wikipedia


My condolences to his family. 


I have nothing good to say about the man, so I won't.

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NC General Assembly 06-28-2010 Legislative Calender

Today is Monday, so the North Carolina General Assembly won't be officially meeting until late this evening. Here is the current legislative calender...

IMMED. AFTER SESSION	Ways and Means/Broadband Connectivity (House) Post Conviction Release Bonds. (S1077)	Rep. Fasion's Desk
7:00 PM	Session Convenes (House)	House Chamber
7:00 PM	Session Convenes (Senate)	Senate Chamber

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The Moon Sets

The Moon sets during an eclipse. 

The next lunar eclipse won't be visible from North America until December 21, 2010. It seems to me that most of the lunar eclipses happen when it is cold weather, but that is about to change. The next two eclipses after the December 2010 eclipse will happen on April 15, 2014 and September 28, 2015. Then, back to cold weather for the Jan 21, 2019 lunar eclipse.


Of course, the big one that I'm waiting on is the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. I'm already making plans for that one...

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Macon County Commissioners 06-28-2010 Meeting Agenda

The Macon County Commissioners will be meeting Monday at 2pm. I plan on being there to cover it. Here is the agenda for that meeting...

MACON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

JUNE 28, 2010 – 2 P.M.

AGENDA

1. Call to order and welcome by Chairman Beale

2. Announcements

A. Recognize Alan Durden, new Cooperative Extension Director

3. Invocation

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Public Comment Period

6. Adjustments to and approval of the agenda

7. Public Hearing – (Transit)

A. Federal Transportation Administration Grant……...…Attachment #7

1. Public Hearing

2. Adoption of Resolution

8. Reports/Presentations:

A. Report on bid opening for K-4 School (County Manager)

9. Old Business:

10. New Business:

A. Easements………………………………….…………..Attachment #10A

1. Town of Franklin

2. Duke Energy

11. Consent Agenda…………………………………………………Attachment #11

All items below are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. No separate discussion will be held except on request of a member of the Board of Commissioners.

1. 
   
   Minutes…………………………………………………Attachment #11A
2. 
   
   Finance ………………………………………………....Attachment #11B

(1) Budget revisions (2) K-4 School Resolution.

3. 
   
   Tax Department (1) Refund (2) Releases……………..Attachment #11C
4. 
   
   Resolution – Rural Center Grant……………………….Attachment #11D
5. 
   
   Animal Control Enforcement for Towns……………….Attachment #11E

12. Appointments……………………………………………………Attachment #12

13. Closed session (If necessary)

14. Adjournment/Recess

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Humans vs Zombies

I don't know how I never heard of this game before...


 From Wikipedia...

Humans vs. Zombies (also called Zombies vs. Humans, The Zombie Game, or HvZ for short) is a live-action game predominately played at college campuses where players begin as Humans and try to survive in a story where Zombies have begun to rise from the dead. The game was created in the fall of 2005 at Goucher College by students Brad Sappington and Chris Weed. Weed and fellow players have since created an official website with rules and information for other universities to create and customize their own HvZ game. Since the game's creation, Humans vs. Zombies has been played at various colleges across the United States, at ANU in Canberra, and CSU in Wagga Wagga, both in Australia. Attempts have been made to bring the game to the United Kingdom, with the first being in Northampton, and the most recent being at the University of Sussex and the University of Kent which boasted over 350 student participating.

The ultimate goal of the game is for either all Humans to be turned into Zombies, or for the humans to survive a set amount of time. Humans defend themselves using socks or dart guns, stunning the Zombie players; Zombies are unarmed and must tag the Humans to gain a kill and avoid "starvation", forcing them out of the game. Safe zones are established so that players can eat and sleep in safety.

Here is even a documentary about the game, which is how I first discovered it...








I wish this had been around twenty plus years ago when I was the age of these kids. it would have been a blast!!!


Visit the official website for the game.

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NC General Assembly 06-24-2010 Legislative Calender

Today looks to be a typical half-day Thursday in the North Carolina General Assembly...

8:30 AM	Finance (House) Homebuilder Property Tax Deferral Change (H1249) Turnpike Authority Toll Enforcement Changes. (H1685) Burlington Charter/Real Property Lease. (H1688) Matthews Public-Private Projects. (H1919) Burlington Economic Development. (S1120) UNC Nonappropriated Capital Projects. (S1154) Rev. Laws Technical & Admin. Changes. (S1177) Extend Emergency Foreclosure Program. (S1216) Allow Wheel Locks for City of Fayetteville. (S1331)	544 LOB
9:00 AM	Judiciary I (Senate) Gov't Ethics and Campaign Reform Act of 2010. (H961) Determining Senior Resident Sup Ct Judge. (H1398)	1027 LB
9:00 AM	Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources (Senate) Improve River Basin Modeling. (S1170)	643 LOB
9:30 AM	Rep. Dollar/Press Conference Ref: Constitutional Budget Reform - HB 2079	Press Room LB
9:45 AM	Session Convenes (House)	House Chamber
9:45 AM	Session Convenes (Senate)	Senate Chamber
IMMED. AFTER RECESS	Judiciary II (House) Orange/Alamance Boundary. (H1933) Homeowner and Homebuyer Protection Act. (S1015)	421 LOB
IMMEDIATELY AFTER SESSION	Transportation (Senate) Motor Vehicles Law Changes. (H1729)	1027 LB
12:00 NOON	Health (House) Health Choice Program Review Process (H382) Allow Electronic Suprvsn./MH/DD Facilities. (S721) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (S1151)	544 LOB
12:00 NOON	Environment and Natural Resources (House) Study Impact Of Toxins On Health. (H2015) UST Operator Training Program. (S1337)	643 LOB

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Square Foot Garden Update: June 23, 2010

Sometimes, it pays to follow instructions as put forth. Well, not just sometimes, it would behoove you to go ahead and do the way you're instructed pretty much all the time...especially where the Square Foot Gardening method is concerned.


I had this 'super-bright' idea on building trellis system for less money than the one detailed in Mel Bartholomew's book. My idea involved using 2x2s and when I built my test of concept structure...it proved to be none to sturdy. Without at least three foot long 2x4 studs to support it, I'm afraid it would come down in the first big wind while loaded down with produce. So, I'm gonna go with the more expensive pipes and rebar plan he details in his book.


The top-most photo in this post is of what I ended up doing instead of trellis building today, I transplanted my Watermelon and Cantaloupe that were in danger of becoming root-bound in their peat pellets.


The first 4x4 garden is coming along nicely, though it still looks a little bare since none of my other seedlings (the ones that I haven't managed to kill) are big enough to be transplanted yet. Six of the sixteen squares remain empty.





I may breakdown and get some plants from a local greenhouse or at the tailgate market in town. All but one of my heirloom peppers have died, and the one that is left is on life support after a severe mauling by slugs while it was on my porch, as can be seen in this photo:





On the good side, I did build something useful yesterday. A squirrel feeder. I used an eight foot long 2x2 and attached a foot-long piece of 2x4 to the top with a deck screw and put an upward facing deck screw in the 2x4 to put corn on. The materials cost less than $5 and took less than 15 minutes to build and install. I put it right outside my office window so I could enjoy the squirrels while I worked...and to entice them away from the bird feeder. So far, they have treated the corn as an addition to their diet and have continued visiting the bird feeder. LOL.

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NC General Assembly 06-23-2010 Legislative Calender

It looks like today is another busy day in the North Carolina General Assembly according to the legislative calender...

9:00 AM	Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate) Remove Sunset/e-NC Authority. (H1840) Reconveyance Fees Prohibited. (S35) Possess Prescription Drug/Not Drug Traffick. (H1307)	414 LOB
9:00 AM	Finance (House) Remove Sunset/ Priv. Sale Local Gov't Bonds. (H1936) Graham Deannexation. (H1960) Increase Drivers License Restoration Fee. (S655) Regulation of Appraisal Management Companies. (S829) Amend Electronics Recycling Law. (S887) Rev. Laws Technical & Admin. Changes. (S1177)	544 LOB
10:00 AM	Public Utilities (House) Consumer Choice and Investment Act Changes. (H466) Caswell Internet. (H2067)	1228 LB
10:00 AM	Pensions and Retirement (House) Brevard Academy/Retirement Election. (H1778) Increase Wilkesboro Firemen's Pension. (H1941)	415 LOB
10:00 AM	Local Government I (House) Charitable Solicitations/Greensboro. (H1992) Allow Wheel Locks for City of Fayetteville. (S1331)	425 LOB
10:00 AM	Education/Higher Education (Senate) Honors Courses in Healthful Living Classes. (H901) Substitute Teacher Unemployment. (H1676) Carteret Schools May Administer Oath. (S1115) NC Biotechnology and Agriscience School. (S1199)	643 LOB
11:00 AM	Transportation (Senate) Drivers Licenses Change Expir./8 yrs to 65 . (S181) Pedestrian Safety Improvements. (S595) DOT Powers and Duties Changes. (H1734)	1027 LB
11:00 AM	Local Government II (House) Durham Stormwater Facilities Assessments. (H2069) Abolish Rutherford County Coroner. (S1238) Town of Pembroke Occupancy Tax. (S1298) Forest City/Convey Property. (S1421)	1425 LB
11:00 AM	Health Care (Senate) Medicaid Dental/Special Needs Population. (H1692) Develop Special Needs Dental Care Workforce. (H1693) Update Long-Term Care Statutes. (H1698) Consumer Guidelines for Hearing Aid Purchases. (H1705)	544 LOB
12:00 NOON	Pensions & Retirement & Aging (Senate) State Health Plan/Court-Ordered Guardianships. (S1392) Reciprocity for ORP Service. (H1998) Retirement Technical Corrections. (H2054)	423 LOB
1:00 PM	Commerce, Small Business, and Entrepreneurship (House) Well Grouting Inspection/Bond Requirement. (H1246) Improve Child Care Nutrition/Activity Stnds. (H1726) ATV and PWC Sales Tax Holiday. (H1913) Brunswick Co. Economic Dev. Comm. Membership. (H1920) Catawba CC/Exception to Umstead Act. (H1964)	1228 LB
1:00 PM	Ways and Means/Broadband Connectivity (House) DV Cases/Review Criminal Record. (H1812)	415 LOB
1:00 PM	Finance (Senate) Equal Tax on Cigars That Look Like Cigarette. (S1184) Align Cigarette Discount with Costs. (S1196) Reinstate Cigarette Tax Stamps. (S1197) Goldsboro-Wayne Airport Authority/Changes. (S1445) School Board Candidate Filing Fee. (H76) Statesville Deannexation. (H337) Military Wartime Veteran Special Plate Change. (H1143) Municipal Tax Certification. (H1673) Caswell Beach Sewer Treatment Fee. (H1687)	544 LOB
2:00 PM	Energy and Energy Efficiency (House) Chapel Hill Energy Efficiency/Renewable. (S1114)	421 LOB
2:00 PM	Marine Resources and Aquaculture (House) Clean Marinas Amendments. (H1708)	425 LOB
3:00 PM	Session Convenes (House)	House Chamber
3:00 PM	Session Convenes (Senate)	Senate Chamber

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