Friday Fish Wrap: February 11. 2010

What a day this has been. The Egyptians have done it, and I offer my heartiest congratulations to them. However, once the big party has ended, and the revolutionary hangover has passed, they’re going to have to figure out what’s next. Like how to transition from military rule and martial law to a truly democratic government of the people. It’s sure to be messy, but I believe they have it in them to do this.

This chain of events has got to weigh heavily on every other despot in the Middle East. I hope they haven’t been sleeping well. Apparently, Glenn Beck is staying awake nights as well. In his Thursday Fox rant, he’s deeply concerned that the entire Egyptian revolutionary movement is about commies and fundamentalists coming together, taking over Egypt to implement a ‘new world order’. Yup.

If you weren’t sure that this man is bat-shit crazy yet, then watch. Either he’s crazy or one of the biggest showman-opportunists that ever walked upright.

Back at the ranch here in Reno, Nevada the budgetary woes are claiming more victims each and every day I open the ever shrinking Reno Gazette-Journal. Today, 100 more city employees got notices and the police substation in the National Gee-Whiz-Answer-To-All-Our-Problems Bowling Stadium was closed. Yet. Yet…. there are ‘More Funds for Commission’, as in doubling the funding for Economic Development.

Yes, I know … in hard times you must attract new business, and the way to do that is with an Economic Development council … commission … department … whatever. Gee, whatever did anybody do before these sacred cows came to town? I’m just one housewife, but it seems to me that we’d all be better served to spend that extra money where it would really count - like education. I mean, will companies still continue to come here without an educated workforce? Can our Economic Development commissions promise them enough tax breaks - that’s really the incentive we’re talking about, right? - in these hard times to overcome continued FAILS in our educational system?

Furthermore, as our quality of life indicators, infrastructure and social services begin to show even more strain due to slashed budgets, how long do the Economic Development gurus think it will be before companies take a second, bleaker look at Nevada and say “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Thinking about this last night, I got doing a bit of research at the Pew Center on the States. This is a goldmine of fascinating tidbits.

Did you know that of all the states, Nevada ranks right there beneath Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma for Science and Engineering Doctorates in the workforce? Only Florida ranks lower. This certainly speaks to the level of education required running Keno tickets.

However, a full 19% of our 8th graders score at or above proficient levels in science. Better yet, 0.27% of our college students are earning degrees in science and engineering. That moved up up one level from the bottom. The number of Nevada citizens holding degrees is the lowest of all the western states. The number of college degree holders who moved here during the boom - uh, not so good at 23.4%. That’s the lowest of all the western states.

Where Nevada really shines is the number of college degree holders beating a path out of the state, the highest rate in the entire nation! Do ya think?

Most of the above figures came from data gathered before the economy tanked. What do you think they’ll be going forward?

Where are the jobs of tomorrow? Not in running Keno tickets. They’re in science, engineering and technology - AKA ‘Clean Energy Jobs’, at which Nevada ranked near the bottom in 2007.

Offering more tax breaks to beg companies to re-locate here is just the opposite of what the state should be doing to bring us closer to just even fiscally. It’s just simply nuts. Touting Nevada’s lower taxes - such as our low, bargain basement corporate tax rates - also hasn’t paid off. Every surrounding state has higher corporate tax rates, and good business seems to flock to them just as much, if not more. The surrounding states have personal income taxes, too. Business goes there anyway.

So don’t jive me with “lower taxes brings business in”. That’s simply not true.

When will people get wise to these Economic Development snake-oil salesmen? You can sorta, kinda look the other way when everything is fat and happy, but we’re broke and in the ditch. We can’t afford this nonsense anymore, but everybody is too scared to admit it.

I encourage you to really look through the Nevada pages on the Pew Center for the States. Go through all the tabs, including Bills Coming Due. Look at things like projected incarceration rates, infrastructure, emergency preparedness. It’s not a pretty picture.

Well, I went to the orthopedic guy this morning and the news isn’t very good. I did tear my ACL and there are probably two minor tears on the MCL. I can get by for a while wearing a brace - even ski if I’m very careful. But the bottom line is I’ve got to get an MRI, and then figure out the when and where of surgery to replace the ACL and repair the MCL. Crap. Double crap. I’ve got to get with this, since the rest of my body - hips, the left knee, both ankles - are taking a beating since they’re doing more with less.

I hurt. All over. So, if I’m a little crankier than usual, that’s why. The upside is that I can receive a ‘new’ replacement ACL from a cadaver. That’s too cool.

It also pisses me off that I have to go MRI shopping. It seems to me that being hurt should be the most that I have to deal with - but such is medical care under the auspices of ‘market driven’.

Fuck ‘market driven’ for-profit healthcare, and the insurance company horse it rode in on.

Oh, we sold the ‘98 Camry. Grandma’s car is gone. No more ‘discussions’ about driving. I had it on Craigslist one day, and sold it for cash - $3,700 in greenbacks - the next. You’ve gotta love Craigslist.

Oh, friend Ty Whitaker would like me to give all early warning to note the date of the 2011 Lahontan Spring Wings Bird Festival.  This is a great opportunity to see some of the best of Nevada’s migrating birds fairly up close. The Lahontan flyway is one of the best in North America, and if you are any sort of nature lover, this is a great family activity.

You can also get information at SpringWings.org   The dates are May 13, 14 and 15, 2011 at the Stillwater NWR, out near Fallon, Nevada. Check it out on Facebook, too.

I didn’t attend last year, but hope to this year.

Well, that’s enough for now. It’s time to avert my eyes from the computer screen, and to the Kindle, or the current copy of American Prospect accompanied by a steaming cuppa tea. Mighty Leaf ‘Green Tea Tropical’.

Oh, one more reminder that the Reno Skeptics are hosting a showing of ‘Creation’ (the Darwin BBC film) tomorrow night at the Sparks RoundTable Pizza on Baring Blvd., 6:00 p.m. in honor of Darwin Day. Buy your own beer and pizza. I’ll be there.

Stay warm. Stay employed if that’s what suits you. Stay healthy.

Laugh occasionally at the absurdity of it all. I’ll let myself out.

-maven

Monday Musings: January 24. 2011

This should be an interesting week, what with the State of the State by newly minted Nevada governor, Brian Sandoval this evening, and the State of the Union, tomorrow night by newly minted centrist president, Barack Obama. The casual observer might walk away with the notion that half-measures, baby steps,  middle of the road, lukewarm is what will save the day. We wouldn’t want bold, decisive, “I said it, and I own it” action. Nosirree.

Keep cutting, gutting and slashing essential services like education and Medicaid - often referred to as ‘greater efficiencies’. As though that’s ever worked in the past. This is the oldest trick in the bureaucratic books. Make the little guy squeak, then he’ll be happy to have his taxes raised to get the local roads plowed - while the untouchable defense budget and the military-industrial complex goes right along fat and happy.

There are some that ‘get it’ however. PLAN (Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada), with their director, Bob Fulkerson leads the way, bearing the flag of reality. Watch and remember during tonight’s State of the State:

“No new taxes, means no solutions”. Never a truer word was uttered, Bob. As Fulkerson points out, slashing programs and budgets to reduce the states’ budget deficit, unfairly places a disproportionate share of the burden on those who can least bear it.

And this same logic extends from the local and state level to the federal and national level.

On Sunday mornings, Mr. Maven and I enjoy our coffee while watching CBS’ ‘Sunday Morning’ - and have done so since the days of it’s original host, the late Charles Kuralt. Yesterday, I thought “Oh, great. Let’s suffer through another annoying commentary by Ben Stein…”. Normally, this is where I’d go refreshen the coffee.

This cut a bit too close to the bone. When the ever-monotone, to the right of Atilla the Hun, Ben Stein thinks Obama might just be the choice of a revitalized GOP, I know we’re in trouble.

Saturday evening was interesting. We attended a MeetUp of the Reno Skeptical Society, Skeptics in the Pub. The venue has got to change - the Sierra Gold was far too noisy and, once we moved to the patio, too frigid. However, this looks to be a good group with a positive agenda - to promote the use of critical thinking/reason in our culture and community. We had 21 attendees, and were we not shivering too hard to think clearly, it would’ve been a neat opportunity for discussion, observation and discovery. I was a little ‘skeptical’ of the youthful tilt of the group, but found them to be warm and welcoming.

To this end, I’ll be posting more content related to skepticism on this blog (see the Baloney Alert category ). I hope you will consider attending with us next month. Until their website is up, you’ll have to follow them on MeetUp.

I want to let you know about a couple of upcoming events, which I plan to attend:

On Thursday, February 3, 7:00 p.m. Director of the Hayden Planetarium, Neil deGrasse Tyson, author, skeptic and astronomer, will speak at the Redfield Auditorium in the Davidson Mathematics and Science Center. His topic: “The World as Seen Through the Lens of a Scientist”

deGrasse Tyson follows in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Carl Sagan, making science accessible, and encouraging critical reasoning skills. He has appeared many times on PBS’ NOVA, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show and more.

In February, date and location to be announced, the Reno Skeptics plan a showing of the BBC documentary, ‘Creation’, about the extraordinary life and times of Charles Darwin. Stay tuned.

Later tonight, we plan to watch what may become a favorite tee-vee program - and successor to ‘Boston Legal’ - Harry’s Law with Kathy Bates. We saw the series premier last week, and though the premise is a real stretch of the imagination (poverty law office and shoe store ) it’s great fun to watch Bates and her cohorts romp through it. File under: ‘improbable but entertaining’.

Also new, I’m looking forward to seeing Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais’ ‘An Idiot Abroad’. File this under ‘cruel but potentially gut-wrenchingly funny’, as they send round-headed naif Karl Pilkington (gotta love the name) to the ends of the earth- just to see what happens when Karl ‘encounters’ stuff.

On Tuesday, February 1, the Urban Institute is offering a really timely webcast:”What Policymakers, the Public, the Press, and Parents Need to Know about Economics … in 90 minutes or less”. Should be great. You can sign up at the Urban Institutes’ website, or just watch the video afterward. I’ll try and post it here. Why watch this, you ask. Because economics in the driving force behind it all, dearie. Everything that keeps you awake at night, has economics at the root. Well, most of it. Economics didn’t have anything to do with why you drank that late cuppa joe. Hmmm. Or maybe it did … while you were getting the tax receipts out of the shoe boxes.

As you may have noticed, I’ve gotten Religion. See, Brent … I can be saved. I’ve joined the Pastafarians, hence the FSM symbol. That’s the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Ladybird Kat has taken over the house, as undisputed queen, now that poor little Asta is gone. This isn’t bad except that I have to wash and change the sheets and pillow cases more often. Sneeze. This cat has the most eerie resemblance to Alfred E. “What me worry?” Newman.

Finally, I’ll be posting some yummy recipes and foodie ideas today and tomorrow, so stay tuned for that. And I’ve posted a few of my backyard birding photos to the gallery in addition to Facebook. Enjoy.

The knee is about ready to test on the slopes. Too bad there ain’t any new snow. I’m waiting for some new, as the frozen corduroy won’t be the best thing to test it out on.

Cheers. Stay employed, stay healthy.

-maven

Sinking your teeth into Edge. Ummmm. Delicious.

I stumbled across the most interesting website this evening. The Edge is simply an intellectual candy box filled with the most delicous mixed assortment of treats!

Here’s what they say About themselves:

Edge Foundation, Inc., was established in 1988 as an outgrowth of a group known as The Reality Club. Its informal membership includes of some of the most interesting minds in the world.

The mandate of Edge Foundation is to promote inquiry into and discussion of intellectual, philosophical, artistic, and literary issues, as well as to work for the intellectual and social achievement of society. Edge Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit private operating foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The third culture consists of those scientists and other thinkers in the empirical world who, through their work and expository writing, are taking the place of the traditional intellectual in rendering visible the deeper meanings of our lives, redefining who and what we are.

In the past few years, the playing field of American intellectual life has shifted,

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