the Chicago White Sox] have just announced that for the next three seasons, their evening home games will begin at 7:11 p.m. instead of the customary 7:05 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. Why? Because 7-Eleven, the convenience store chain, is paying them $500,000 to do so.
Energy Robin Hood to speak Oct. 18, Pyle Center
Randy Udall sees himself as a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Udall heads the Community Office for Resource Efficiency in Aspen, Colorado, which oversees the world’s stiffest tax on energy use. The tax, called “REMP” or Renewable Energy Mitigation Program, requires owners of new homes larger than 5,000 square feet to pay fees of up to $100,000 for excess energy use. — The Osgood File, July 31, 2003
Randy Udall, whose father (Morris) and uncle (Stewart) were conservation giants, will discuss America’s energy challenges at 7:00 p.m. on October 18, 2006, at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street, Madison.
Udall also write prolifically and insightfully on energy issues and the coming end of cheap oil. His articles include: Stud Muffins and Kilowatt-hours; When will the Joy Ride End?; Methane Madness; Cleopatra to Columbia.
He will also speak at 8:30 a.m. on the same day at the Monona Terrace during the Sustainability Energy Efficiency conference of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance.
Sponsored by Madison Peak Oil Group, RENEW Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and Wisconsin Green Building Alliance.
Links:
Community Office for Resource Efficiency – www.aspencore.org
Madison Peak Oil Group – www.madisonpeakoil-blog.blogspot.com
RENEW Wisconsin – www.renewwisconsin.org
Gaylord Nelson Institute – www.ies.wisc.edu
Wisconsin Green Building Alliance – www.wgba.org
Bringing it Home: Earmarks
Charles Taylor, wealthy businessman and banker, owns at least 14,000 acres of prime land in western North Carolina. He’s also the local congressman. So when he steers federal dollars to his district, sometimes he helps himself, too.
Last year, Mr. Taylor added $11.4 million to a big federal transportation bill to widen U.S. Highway 19, the main road through Maggie Valley, a rural resort town in the Great Smoky Mountains. His companies own thousands of acres near the highway there and had already developed a subdivision called Maggie Valley Leisure Estates.
Mr. Taylor also got $3.8 million in federal funds for a park now being built in downtown Asheville with fountains, tree-shaded terraces and an open-air stage. It’s directly in front of the Blue Ridge Savings Bank, flagship of his financial empire. He is among the richest congressmen with assets of at least $72 million, records show.
The Republican lawmaker is one of at least a half-dozen House members whose public actions in directing special-interest spending known as earmarks have also benefited their private interests or those of business partners, according to congressional, corporate and real-estate records. Among them is a senior Democrat, Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia.
More on earmarks.
Tammy Baldwin Ranks #22 (out of 435) in Congressional District “Grants”
$28.8B over the past 6 years.
Fedspending.org. Recipient Details:
I never heard from Tammy’s office regarding her Dane County earmarks.
Kudos to the “Sunlight Foundation” for making this information available to taxpayers.
I’m wondering if some of these are SBA or other government loans/grants?
Sunrise: Loveland Pass
Whale of a Show
A pair of humpback whales spent a half hour doing pirouettes last week within 50 yards of a fishing boat as photographers and a video crew recorded the scene.
“That was cool,” Ariel Miller, 11, the youngest passenger aboard the Salty Lady, said when the show was over.
It had been a rather frustrating day at the Farallones, not much going on besides the usual riffraff of western gulls and sea lions. A few speedy Dall’s porpoises finally came along, bow-riding in the late afternoon, just when skipper Roger Thomas turned his boat back toward Sausalito.
Recent Rental Cars – Hot American Iron: Hertz Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H
Preparing for some travel recently, I recalled reading a snippet of information somewhere that Hertz was bringing back their famed Mustang Shelby GT-H (called the Mustang GT350H in the 1960’s). Carrol Shelby’s Shelby Automobiles modified 500 Ford Mustangs [Shelby GT-H] and shipped them off to Hertz where they can be rented through the end of the year.
Following are photos and notes from a recent rental:
The journey began at the Hertz rental center where a “manager” must review the car and complete an extensive checklist with the prospective renter. The vehicle check includes the engine seal, placed to make sure that there are no repeats of the 1960’s practice of renting a GT350H and swapping engines (removing the powerful Shelby engine and replacing it with a lesser standard Ford motor). A nearby young father with babies in tow genuflected repeatedly as the manager checked over the 350 GT-H for me.
That the ‘stang is shipped with no transmission options [a slushbox (5 speed automatic transmission) is standard] is perhaps one of it’s only failures.
Forgiveness
The blood was hardly dry on the bare, board floor of the West Nickel Mines School when Amish parents sent words of forgiveness to the family of the killer who had executed their children.
Forgiveness? So quickly, and for such a heinous crime? Out of the hundreds of media queries I’ve received in the last week, the forgiveness question rose to the top. Why and how could they do such a thing so quickly? Was it a genuine gesture or just an Amish gimmick?
The world was outraged by the senseless assault on 10 Amish girls in the one-room West Nickel Mines School. Why would a killer turn his gun on the most innocent of the innocent? Questions first focused on the killer’s motivations: Why did he unleash his anger on the Amish? Then questions shifted to the Amish: How would they cope with such an unprecedented tragedy?
Via Gulker.
Another Camp Randall Wide Angle Photo: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats Football Photos
Luke Swan makes a great catch for an early touchdown [this photo shows Swan hauling the pigskin in].
The Wisconsin Northwestern Football series has been interesting over the years, with some rough losses mixed in with a few blowouts. Today, however, the Badgers had their way, despite a fumble or two; 41-9.
Many more photos here.