Oak Island Light at Night

OIlightatnight, originally uploaded by Watts4.

Been trying some long exposure shots and here's one I took this weekend of the Oak Island Lighthouse.

Post-Oil Society

James Howard Kunstler has two articles on Alternet about oil dependence/peak oil/American society, and they're worth a read. I don't agree with everything, and neither do the worthy commenters, but there is real truth here, the harsh kind of truth we humans don't want to face:

Pricey Gas? That's Reality

Ten Ways to Prepare for a Post-Oil Society

"We have to live differently. We're going to have to re-inhabit and reconstruct our civic places -- especially our small towns -- and we're going to have to use the remaining rural places for growing food locally, wherever possible.
Our big cities will probably contract, while they densify at their centers and along their waterfronts. Our suburbs will enter a shocking state of economic and practical failure.We cannot imagine this scenario because we have invested so much of our collective wealth the past 50 years in the infrastructure for a way of life that simply has no future.
We'd better start paying attention to the signals that reality is sending or we will be living in a very violent, impoverished and demoralized nation. And we have to begin somewhere, which is why I suggest we start by rebuilding the national passenger railroad system. It would have a significant impact on our oil use. It would put a lot of people to work on something meaningful and beneficial to all ranks of American society. The equipment is lying out there rusting in the rain, waiting to be fixed. We don't have to re-invent anything to do it.
The fact that we are not even talking about such solutions shows how unserious we are."

Impertient Questions from McGovern

...for George W. Bush. George McGovern is back writing for the Nation, and he has lots of questions for the president. He begins with a tale from a great NC Senator:

"Once when Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina had to handle a tough question from Mike Mansfield, he said, "You know, Mr. Leader, that question reminds me of the old Baptist preacher who was telling a class of Sunday school boys the creation story. 'God created Adam and Eve and from this union came two sons, Cain and Abel and thus the human race developed.' A boy in the class then asked, 'Reverend, where did Cain and Abel get their wives?' After frowning for a moment, the preacher replied, 'Young man--it's impertinent questions like that that's hurtin' religion.'"

Well, Mr. Bush, Jr. I have some impertinent questions for you."

continue to story

Heels Win ACC Championship

From Jim Hawkins at Inside Carolina:


One of Dad's fraternity brothers at the Championship in Tampa:

Billy Packer is an Ass

Even people who don't follow Carolina/Duke or the ACC are incensed by Billy Packer's remarks after "the incident" with Gerald Henderson:

"Anonymous said...
I am a 48 year old former athlete with a family. I have much more to worry about than the outcome of a ballgame. However, I still enjoy watching games with my son and it is a wonderful way to bond with him. We sit and watch and cheer for our favorite teams.

My son was quite surprised at my reaction to Billy Packer. I was yelling at the T.V. for his absurd analysis of the situation. I have never written an e-mail regarding a sporting event in my life. This is my second one since Sunday evening. Enough said!"

It's not just Carolina fans who think Packer was out of line. This is like one of those political scandals where the cover-up becomes worse than the crime. It's somewhat understandable how play can get out of hand, and a foolish action can lead to a bloody mess. But the real problem for me is the aftermath....no apology from Henderson to speak of, Coach K insinuates that it's Roy's fault for having Tyler in the game, and Billy Packer says 11 times in 4 minutes that it was not intentional, that it should have been just 2 free throws like any other foul. And he's defending his comments today. More from Charlotte Observer here:

PACKER: I felt the call was just not consistent with common-sense refereeing. I've seen the replay probably a dozen times. The more I see it, the more I believe what I said on the air. It should have been a shooting foul, and that's it. There's no way it was premeditated, that Henderson said: "I'm going to go get Hansbrough."

Bloody T

BonObama

Back when John Edwards was our Senator, I e-mailed to encourage him to meet with Bono when he was coming to the Hill to see Jesse Helms. To my knowledge, Bono and Edwards only met fairly recently, and I have not seen pictures or anything out there of the Edwards or Obama meetings. Here's an old favorite:



Obama and Bono together? Sounds good to me! I'd like to be a fly on the wall in that room...

Bono seeks Obama's help By Mike Dorning

February 28, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Presidential candidate Barack Obama discussed global issues with U2 singer Bono on Tuesday.

The two met for about a half-hour in the Illinois senator's personal office in the Hart Senate building to talk about the ONE Campaign, a non-profit organization that the Irish rock star helped form to combat AIDS and world poverty, according to Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for Obama.

"Bono was making rounds on the Hill to build support for the ONE campaign. He particularly wanted to meet with Sen. Obama since he's a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and has been active on international poverty and global health issues," LaBolt said.

LaBolt said the two did not discuss particular programs or legislation but "had a general discussion about how foreign assistance to the right programs [anti-poverty, global health] can boost our security and the standing of the U.S. around the world."

Lottery Plan

From WECT:
"Gov. Mike Easley has proposed a shift in lottery revenue he says will boost ticket sales and send more money to the state's public schools.
The plan: drop the percentage of proceeds that goes to schools and put more money into prizes.
He says the move will entice more people to play, and pay. The move comes as schools across the state are expected to receive $200 million less than what was promised in the first year.
Easley believes his new plan would generate $500 million more than was made in the lottery's first year."


Hey, there's a plan! Our schools are swindled by the failing lottery, and now Easley wants to lower the percentage of proceeds that go to schools, so schools will somehow make more money in the long run, you know, when "thinking people" see how much the lottery odds have improved, we'll easily have 3 times as much revenue. Lottery players are just that smart, and so is the Gov. I can't wait to see how this plays out, the anticipation rivals a scratch-off card from the Citgo.

JFK, Jr. Thought

Been thinking about the '08 Presidential campaign and here's what I wrote to a friend who asked me about it recently:

"Yeah, I really like Obama, too. He's the kind of guy you can get excited about, and face it, the Hillary machine must be stopped. You know, if JFK Jr's plane had not gone down, he'd have Hillary's Senate seat, and he could be the one we were all excited about (like Obama) and have the political organization/money machine (like Hillary). It's a shame really, 'cause I always kinda thought he would make a great president someday, and we desperately need a great one.

Could Obama be great? Yeah, he could, but we could have had JFK, Jr. Kind of a random thought, but there you go.

Can we get excited about Edwards? I dunno anymore. He's like McCain....both are trying to make their party bases happy by somewhat selling themselves out. Not that there's anything unusual about that, just ask Romney. Edwards also has a hint of used goods from the Kerry debacle... Edwards is not such a fresh face anymore, and he doesn't have much more experience now than when he ran last time. Obama is fresher and his chalkboard empty....people are throwing in with him without knowing where he stands on many things, and that's a great benefit to him. Speaking ability goes a long way, just ask Reagan, and Obama is amazing....Edwards may be a bit too much (gulp)... Jimmy Carter. I'm not really thinking about it much though! ;-P Still got an Edwards tag on my blog...for now..."

Not sure if this has been discussed, but check out what happens to "Obama" on my spell checker in Outlook Express:





It's a vast right wing conspiracy, I say. Or is it left wing? Rush Limbaugh probably has something to do with this!

Sting: Re-ASS-essed by Slate

"Sting may have given the Police lyrics and melodies; but just as critically, (Stuart) Copeland, who founded the band and whose intricately manic polyrhythms define its sound, prevented Sting from impressing too much of his character on its music. Unyoked from Copeland, Sting was free to become what he is today: one-third spirit in the material world, two-thirds scented candle."

Ouch! And I thought I was tough on Sting. Since I last blogged about his-lutness, he's re-banded with the ol' boys for a swing and a dance at the Grammy's, doing a watered-down version of the overplayed yet brilliant "Roxanne". Bo-ring!

Here's what I wrote back in October '06: Well, maybe if some of the big rock stars out there sang rock music, it wouldn't be so stagnant, Mr. Sting. But no, some egotistical rock stars quit their good band, go on to release whiny white boy reggae/jazz fluff, do commercials for upscale car companies, and brag of sexual prowess, before giving it all up and doing albums of "Dowland lute music". Sting is through with rock and he admits it....finally, 20 years after the fact.

Now, it seems that Sting has changed his mind again and is willing to sing old hits for big dough after all. Maybe he reads my blog? If so, may I suggest starting your next set with "Next to You" or "Can't Stand Losing You" or "So Lonely". I love that album. I wish he'd sing like that again....I mean, if he's doing it for the money, he might as well do the best possible impression of the old Sting (the pre-scented candle Sting).

Carolina Basketball, '57, '82 Style

Adam Lucas does the Heels proud once again, with this great piece about the recent celebrations in Chapel Hill.

Maryland fans....Poor Duke!

Time-Out for Billy

From the Chapel Hill News:
By Patrick Winn, Staff Writer

CHAPEL HILL -- Billy Ray Penny talked greasy as a chicken-and-cheese biscuit.
He was the third-shift king of Time Out Restaurant, a Franklin Street institution synonymous with long lines, late nights and drunken appetites.
For more than 10 years starting in the mid-1980s, Penny held down Time Out with an attitude. Customers not only expected Penny's custom insults. They loved them.
For a certain generation, buying biscuits from Billy was like watching a live UNC-Duke match-up or drinking from the Old Well. It was a rite of passage.
Penny, raised in Pittsboro, died Jan. 20 after a brief illness involving his heart. He was 49.
This is how his former boss, his sister and a few of his customers remember him:
"He was like the Don Rickles of Chapel Hill. He abused people in a loving way. These kids would come in all hours and he'd say, 'Your daddy's wasting his money on you.' They thought it was hysterical."He loved getting a rise out of people. The night we won the championship in '93, Billy put on a Duke shirt and wore it all night long.

I feel honored to have been put down by Billy several times.

Congress, Stand Up!

Eric Margolis has an interesting article in the Toronto Sun about the Congress and the powers they are a supposedly endowed with. Needless to say, Cheney and Bush don't see it this way.

"White House defenders claim Congress had no constitutional right to interfere in the detailed conduct of war. Not so. The essence of America's political system that has been a beacon to the world for two centuries is the remarkable system of checks and balances conceived by its founding fathers to prevent the emergence of an autocrat, despot, or monarch. It is precisely Congress's duty to stop a president and vice-president who have lost touch with reality, violated the constitution, and are taking America over a cliff. Congress must cease its timidity and stop entreating the president as if he were king. He is only chief executive of the republic, one man among many. Congress is the board of directors. The president, in spite of his supporter's efforts, is not the sacrosanct embodiment of America; that role belongs to Congress.

At a time when America is reeling in defeat, and plunged in deepening confusion, Congress must roar, not whimper."

Agreed. Congress, let's hear your roar....it's time to stand up for your branch and the American people. The White House thinks they can ignore Congress and the will of the American people, and for that, they must pay the price.