Melo Shooting Suspect Exchanges Gunfire with Law Enforcement

Redheaded Blackbelt has the story.

Early Primary Race Polls

This pretty much sums up their predictive value.

Eight years ago, Gallup poll, 9/19-21/2003:

Wes Clark 22
Howard Dean 13
John Kerry 11
Dick Gephardt 11
Joe Lieberman 10

Four years ago, Gallup poll, 9/14-16/2007:

Hillary Clinton 47
Barack Obama 25
John Edwards11

….

Rudy Giuliani 30
Fred Thompson 22
John McCain 18
Mitt Romney 7

Can An Industrial Nation Reduce Power Consumption?

Conventional wisdom suggests that President Carter’s requests of his citizens to conserve was a political negative because people just don’t like to be told what to do.  I guess maybe the argument is that Japanese culture is different from ours.  We’re rugged individualists while they’re conformists, yada, yada, yada (our rugged individualism apparently being defined by mass consumption – the irony perennially lost).  Or perhaps it’s merely the exigency of circumstances – no doubt part of the truth.  We did make consumption sacrifices during World War II, but that was a different generation addressing a different world.  The point is, Japan has now proved that it’s possible to address energy shortages with reductions in energy consumption.

From A Different Kind of Luxury:

The best news however, is that through conservation and the reduction in electricity use in Japan since the disaster there have been no power outages.  Oizumi said, “By turning down air conditioners and reducing power usage, Japan has had enough power.  And that means that we do not need any more nuclear power stations, and that we do not need to restart any of the closed ones.  We have enough.”

Imagine that.

You’d think that something like this might warrant at least a human interest story after the sports report or something, right?  Too much to ask?

 

Guns or Grass

The ATF says you have to choose one or the other.  Can’t have both.

Thanks to Woods for the heads up.

Garberville on Youtube

Just took one of my periodic journeys onto Youtube to look for Sohum-relevant vids.  The first one is a sort of  “tour” of Garberville, most of it filmed outside of Garberville.  Kind of a deja vu effect early on, revealing that the guy had probably already scored some local product.

Here’s Andy Caffrey’s film on the “Port-o-Potty Revolution.”  (I get to mediate that thing next week!).

And these kids were hunting ghosts in the graveyard.

 

 

Perry the Ganja Candidate and Other Stories

I think over the past couple of months I’ve been more out of the loop on politics than I’ve been since I was like 12.  But I’m getting caught up, particularly in the GOP primary race, which really is kind of fascinating if disturbing to watch.

Obama is now making an issue of the GOP debate audiences, which have generated bizarre cheers over the past three debates.

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Rick Santorum is all over current-but-sliding frontrunner Rick Perry for being soft on marijuana (and gay marriage).  Perry does hold the position that the 10th Amendment should enable states to legalize marijuana.

….

With Perry’s campaign imploding, a new hope for the Republicans has arisen.  But is he the anti-Perry or the anti-Romney?

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No ride lists for BART?

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The Democrats managed to hold their ground for the first time in a couple of years.  FEMA money will be replenished for the moment, without sinking grants for development of hybrid vehicle technology to “offset” the additional spending.  It’s a small thing by comparison to some of the losses over the past year, and there will probably be a round 2.  But it’s something.

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In case you didn’t know, it is against the law to shine laser pointers into aircraft cockpits.  At least, without a license.

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There will be rallies to save the post office today, with accusations of GOP sabotage.

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Another rich guy wants to be taxed at higher rates.

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Lastly, if you didn’t hear it yesterday, find Democracy Now’s archives (actually, I think you can find it at KMUD) and listen to the press conferences and interviews of Josh Fattal, Sarah Shourd, and Shane Bauer and their families.  They are remarkable young people, if maybe just a bit injudicious.  Here’s a summary of their story.

Second Annual Fall Splendor this Saturday

2nd Annual Fall Splendor
October 1st, 2011

An evening of Indian Fusion Cuisine, a Fashion Show and Live Auction & Bollywood Dance Extravaganza at the Mateel Community Center

6pm: Cocktails and Appetizers
7pm: Indian Fusion Wild Copper River Salmon dinner by Chef Brett Shuler
9pm: Fashion Show and Live Auction by Local and Fair Trade Designers
11pm: Music by DJ David Starfire

The Southern Humboldt Community Park is proud to announce Fall Splendor, an evening of Indian fusion cuisine, fabulous fashion and musical beats. This enticing evening not only benefits the park but also provides a quality dining experience with fashionable entertainment to captivate the crowd.

Taking place at the Mateel Community Center in Redway, the doors will open at 6:00pm with an hour of cocktails and appetizers. A Copper River Salmon Dinner will commence at 7:00. The fashion show and live clothing auction will begin at 9:00pm with dancing to follow. Limited dinner tickets for the entire evening sold in advance only, for $75. Tickets for 8:30 entry for Fashion Show and Music sold in advance for $20 & $25 at the door.

Tables may be reserved ahead of time for six to eight persons. Tickets are on sale at the following locations:  Blue Moon Giftsin Garberville, Redway Liquors in Redway, and The Works in Arcata and Eureka.

You can call me for tickets at 923-2128

Wondering about those helicopters today?

I thought either marijuana raids or a wildfire, but this may be the explanation.

No More Gravy Train

Texas decides that having a last meal of your choice gives walking dead too much privilege.  They’ve now abolished the last meal.

Here are the last meals of some of the more famous killers.  I didn’t know they could get booze.

Addendum:  Through Calitics, I learned of an effort to put an initiative on the California ballot to ban the death penalty.  They call themselves “Taxpayers for Justice.”  But if their wording is accurate, it looks like Californians are more hawkish on punishment issues than ever.  The first two paragraphs:

September 22, 2011 – A new pollreleased Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) showed 54% of Californians prefer life imprisonment with no possibility of parole, with only 39% preferring the death penalty.

The PPIC report shows a clear preference for life in prison with no chance of parole for all adults across the state. Support was strongest among residents of Los Angeles (62%), Latinos (67%), and California residents under 35.

I mean, life in prison with no chance of parole for all adults across the state?  That’s tough!  I guess the rest of us would at least prefer that a crime be committed first.

The bill is SB 490.

A Bridge to Nowhere to Sell You

This is too amusing to pass up this morning.  Sara Palin may or may not run for President.  But just in case she does, you should send her money!

She knows her base.

Methinks her 15 minutes are just about up and she’s sucking it for all she can get.  Gotta make hay while the sun shines, which isn’t that long in Alaska in the coming months.