Monday musings: June 21, 2010

Did you have a good weekend? I did. The weather here in Reno, Nevada has been unusual to say the least. Every time the weatherman predicts seasonably warm and sunny, the temperatures drop and the wind whips up. There is still plenty of snow visible on Slide Mt. and Mt. Rose.  Last night it was 42 degrees. But all in all, yesterday and today were grand, with reasonably warm days suited to bike riding and gardening.

I found a great new bike route that gives me a solid 20 miles in. From my house in South Hills, it’s 10 miles to the end of the pavement on the old Toll Road, that parallels Geiger Grade on the way up to Virgina City. It’s a sweet ride, all on wide streets with ample bike lanes, then a short but pleasant wind through a subdivision and then up through the sagebrush on the Toll Road. I did it in 1.5 hrs.

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Follow Oil Spill on ProPublica Facebook Site

This is exactly how the internet shines and enables us all to players in participatory democracy and the environment. BP and other corporations can no longer just ‘get away with’ their deeds in the vacuum of being remotely located or active in the dead of night … we can stay informed, and well informed at that.

ProPublica is stepping in where mainstream corporate journalism no longer has the ‘chops’ to go. Support them if you can and ‘Like’ their Facebook page - which is important. As a PR specialist, I can tell you that BP has their people watching the numbers of folks linking to sites that are not favorable of BP. That informs their decision making.

ProPublica: Covering the BP oil spill with excellent journalism

In this unfortunate age of sound bites and superficial reporting by the major networks and print media, it’s refreshing to get back in touch with journalism as it should be in covering the BP spill.

I recommend that my readers bookmark the ProPublica special page - dedicated to all news on the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico - for the latest in accurate and reliable information.

Monday Musings: June 7, 2010

Today was pretty darn good. Despite the winds, it was sunny and warm, and I ‘ve got to tell you … we’re ready for that around here. It’s been rainy and cold for far too long, and the weather really delayed a lot of my gardening plans.

Even my grape vines have leafed back out, and are producing - again - small clusters of grapes. This won’t be a banner year for grapes, but you’ve got to take those with the good ones.

I got tomatoes back into the front yard where they always produce big time, with the eastern exposure, while making up for lost time in the back around a trellis and patio table with shade loving plants, ground covers and mosses. Being a working ‘stiff’ all last summer took a toll on the yard.

Since this morning dawned brightly, I rolled out of the marital bed, into some jeans - with only one cuppa joe under my belt - to head over to the newest addition to the farmers’ market scene out here in South Suburban Reno.

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Friday Fish Wrap: June 3, 2010

Men, you’ve gotta love this: It only took ten minutes for me to get Mr. Maven into the Patrick James store here in Reno, saw the right sport jacket on the mannequin, asked Mr. Maven if he liked it (nod in the affirmative),  picked a 42 Regular off the rack, told Mr. Maven to try it on (nod in the affirmative), told the man to hold it until it went on sale next week … and out the door.

Badda bing, badda boom.

Walking out of the store, I said to Mr. Maven “didn’t I tell you that it would be painless?” He’s walking his daughter down the aisle on July 31st, and like other men who’ve been retired for uh, ‘a while’, he’s getting a bit low on sport jackets that fit around the middle. Hmmmm.

When we pick up the jacket, I’ll select the perfect tie and we’re good to go. I only wish the Mother of the Bride dress was as painless. Yikes.

Can you say Spanx to the Higher Power?

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Question of the Day: BP vs illegal immigrants?

Mr. Maven and I were sitting across from each other over the breakfast table, when he came out with this:

“I wonder who has done the most damage. Illegal immigrants or BP?”

Last night, I read this - from economist and former Labor Secretary, Robert Reich - on my Kindle before turning out the light. I think this could be the right answer for the Obama Administration, the environment and the American people.

Why Obama Should Put BP Under Temporary Receivership

By Robert Reich

It’s time for the federal government to put BP under temporary receivership, which gives the government authority to take over BP’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico until the gusher is stopped. This is the only way the public will know what’s going on, be confident enough resources are being put to stopping the gusher, ensure BP’s strategy is correct, know the government has enough clout to force BP to use a different one if necessary, and be sure the president is ultimately in charge.

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Monday Musings: May 17, 2010

Oh, I’m so very tired of the sound and fury so very early in the process. I refer to the upcoming Republican primary for both Governor and Senate. 

Somewhere out there, I can visualize the few rational old-timey Republicans, sadly shaking their heads about so many voters being disaffected - or just plain gagging in unison with the Dems - over the poor choices we get … candidates that are beholden to special interests or the extreme wingnuts.

If I believed we could slap them into conscious action, I’d so be there.

The sham anti-Sandoval ads are at it again. Telling us that the sham front organization doesn’t speak for the campaign insults our intelligence. Don’t the Reid people get it?

Now, the above concept has been lifted from the ‘weathervane’ ad against Bradley Byrne down in Alabama- where the GOP not only marries their first degree relatives, but attempts to destroy them politically. And, considering how sleazy they both are, you might be forgiven for wondering if they’re by the same equally sleazy political machine.

Reid is obviously sleeping soundly at night, safe in the belief that Liberals and Progressives would have serious qualms about voting even for a Republican ‘moderate’ that can’t seem to decide which side of the fence he’s on. Uh, maybe … maybe not.

This ‘weathervane’ approach by Sandoval tells me that he’s just not into the Tea Party ( a good thing ), but would like to have it both ways.

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