iowahawk, who I wish I could write like on those days when I am not wishing I could write like Jeff Goldstein, has earned a "lanche" from the Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web.

He drew the attention of the WSJ for his poem in answer to UC Berkeley (where else?) student Cecilia Lucas who wrote a love poem to Hizballah.

An excerpt (from iowahawk, not the moonbat):

You were born in the Valley to a life in a suburban cage
Encino, where mean girls and cheerleaders
Drop bombs of hate on the unpopular girls
Shy poetry club chicks like you
With 1480 SATs and early admission to Berkeley
Fed by the violence and lookism of the dance squad
Raised in a four bedroom colonial
They wouldn't let you wear your Che T-shirt to prom
But your heart and your armpit hair still grew proud and strong

There is much, much more.

While you are there hit the tip jar. Guys like that should not be footing their own hosting fees.

The Snark of the Day Winner is found over at Lucianne.com in the comments on a post about American Tour de France winner Floyd Landis testing positive for elevated amounts of testosterone:

"The problem is testosterone is being measured using European men as the standard."

Ouch.

Cindy Sheehan's son died in Iraq and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

Local Congressman Mike Conaway has sponsored HR 5402, a bill to "To provide for the establishment of a partnership between the Secretary of Energy and appropriate industry groups for the creation of a transportation fuel conservation education campaign, and for other purposes."

From Congressman Conaway's blog we learn that:

If every driving American would increase their personal fuel efficiently by 5% a year we could save:

• 8.2 billion gallons of transportation fuel annually


• $24.6 billion in motor fuel expenditures (assuming $3 per gallon)

Or if every driving American would decrease their driving miles by 5 miles a week, we could:

• Reduce annual vehicle miles by 260 billion


• 12.8 billion gallons of transportation fuel per year


• Save $38.4 billion (assuming $3per gallon) per year in transportation fuel expenditures

Fair enough, I suppose.

But do we really need to spend $13 million dollars ($0.12 per family!) to make people aware of the fact that driving more uses more gasoline and that you can save both money and gasoline by driving less?

I think people are pretty much clued in on this already. This and just the fact of $3 gasoline is about as good a feedback mechanism as there is.

Odd Politcal Bedfellows Department: This doesn't have anything to do with the worth of the bill one way or the other, but it is just funny. Mr. Conaway's co-sponsors on this bill are Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) and William Jefferson (D-LA). So it is bi-partisan!

Pretty soon AOL will be free.

Just like cancer is free.

Which, after all, is all AOL is for a computer.

I thought I would post this before Eric saw it and posted it.

It is a video titled "Microsoft designs the iPod package."

Apple lovers rejoice. Even this committed Wintel jingo admits that this video has to be the truth.

Overheard in a local City Council meeting:

Councilman Dingus: "I see in the paper that we are already shopping for a date on which to place on the ballot the bond initiative for the new convention center. Would it be possible to find out the cost of the project first?"

Mayor Canon:

Councilman Dingus: "You know, so that we could be fully aware of our exposure."

Mayor Canon:

Councilman Dingus: "And because it looks kind of bad for us to be shopping for election dates when we don't even officially know the cost of the project."

Mayor Canon:

Councilman Dingus:

Mayor Canon:

Councilman Dingus:

Councilman Dingus: "I'm out of order again, aren't I?"

(Apologies to Jeff Goldstein, inventor of this genre)

I am sure that the feasibility study will easily make the case that marginal utility of the new convention center (that utility beyond what can be handled currently by the Midland Center...and the Chapparal Center...and the the Midland Horseshoe...and now the $45,000,000 Performing Arts center) will more than justify the $50-60 million dollar cost.

That is why you have them done.

Still in the feasibility study stage is the idea of a new and/or updated convention center for Midland. In Councilspeak the term "feasibility study" refers to that stage of development where an already decided on project is in the process of having its marketing plan and political campaign tuned for consumption by those who will foot the bill.

Today's MR-T column on the possible conflict between two possible initiatives...the first being being the afore mentioned multi-million dollar convention center, a convention center the demand for which may be even greater than (dare I say it?) the non-MISD demand for Grande Communications Field...and the second being an additional $30 million bond for the construction of classrooms for which the demand is here and now. By us.

At the risk of Copyright violations let us go through the article with our version of Google's web page translation:

MISD officials say they likely will pursue bond referendum while city officials ponder [a] bond for new or expanded convention center.

Translation: MISD officials say they likely will pursue bond referendum while city officials who will most certainly pursue a referendum for a new convention center are cursing their bad luck in MISD beating them to the punch.

A referendum on funding for a new convention center could appear on the ballot next May, according to city officials, at which point it would be subject to competition for voter approval with a $30 million bond election currently under consideration by Midland Independent School District trustees.

Translation:A referendum on funding for a new convention center would have appeared on the ballot next May....pending the outcome of the still not finished feasibility study, of course.

Mayor Mike Canon said a decision to pursue the construction of a new or expanded convention center has not yet been made and city staff are still examining data compiled by the consulting firm Convention, Sports and Leisure, International regarding the facility's feasibility. A decision by the city on whether or not to pursue the project should be forthcoming in early fall, he said. City Attorney Keith Stretcher said ballot initiatives can only take place in November or May, but holding the election in November would not provide a sufficient amount of time for public input, Canon indicated.

Translation: The decision to pursue the construction of a new or expanded convention center has already been made and the proponents of the project were already planning the campaign and lining up support in advance of the announcement of same in order to minimize the time for the organization of any opposition.

The city had expected to announce in the early fall that they would be pursuing the project and that the initiative would appear on the ballot next May. What won't happen is the initiative being placed on the ballot this November, however. That is a general election and if you think we are going to schedule this for an election that has any sort of turnout you are insane.

"I'm sure (holding both elections in May) will have an impact on the decisions of voters," District 4 City Councilman Berry Simpson said. "While it's two separate projects, they're still competing for the same tax dollars in a sense."

Translation: The last thing we want is for the voters to have in mind what they are already paying in taxes when we come looking to hang some more on them. This is one of those times when an informed and aware voter is a bad thing.

Should voters reject funding for a convention center in the spring, that would not necessarily represent a total defeat for the facility. Simpson said the community voted against a 0.25 percent sales tax increase to fund economic development activities twice before finally approving the measure. The whims of the electorate, in regards to funding large projects such as a convention center, are often determined by economic factors "we can't control that much," Simpson said.

Translation: Should voters reject funding for a convention center in the spring we are going to run it at them again and again until we get them to choke it down just like we did with the Economic Development Sales Tax.

The whims of the electorate, in regards to funding large projects such as a convention center, are often determined by economic factors "we can't control that much," Simpson said.

Editor's Note: Whims? Whims?!? Since the quotation marks are not surrounding the phrase "The whims of the electorate" in the original article I cannot be sure that these were Mr. Simpson's words or the words of Colin Guy (the MR-T's writer). If they are in fact Mr. Simpson's words then it gives us a pretty good handle on what he thinks of us rubes in "the electorate" doesn't it?.)

"I don't think anybody wants to overload taxpayers, we don't want to have to pay for more than we have to," Canon said. "On the other hand, we want to continue to address the needs of the community and provide good facilities and school services."

Translation: Convention centers are not free and the current council has no self-restraint whatsoever when it comes to these things so the taxpayers are just going to have to suck it up.

Canon said he would like to consult with representatives from MISD to discuss their plans for a May election and to attempt to "coordinate with them to the extent possible and to do what's in the best interest of the community." School officials have told the Reporter-Telegram that they likely will pursue a $30 million bond package in May whether or not city officials decide to proceed with a bond issuance for a new convention center.

Canon said he would like to consult with representatives from MISD to discuss their plans for a May election and to attempt to "coordinate with them to the extent possible and to do what's in the best interest of the community." School officials have told the Reporter-Telegram that they likely will pursue a $30 million bond package in May whether or not city officials decide to proceed with a bond issuance for a new convention center.

Editor's Note: I know the last two paragraphs are duplicates of each other but that is how it appeared on the web version of the article. I left it that way because I think that that is the way the conversation is going to go between the city and MISD.

City: "Say, could we get you to move your bond initiative?"

MISD: "No."

City:

MISD:

City:

MISD:

City: "Say, could we get you to move your bond initiative?"

MISD: "No."

MISD Trustee Linda Foster said she understands the need for a larger convention center because the city is turning business away, but "that doesn't stop me from understanding even more clearly the need of our kids."

Editor's Note: So we are turning business away, then? Perhaps. In the coming months it will be the task of the proponents of the convention center to convince the public that at the cost of tens of millions of our tax dollars we can turn less business away. Keep in mind that local government owned convention centers (and all purpose centers!) operate at a loss. Bigger ones operate at bigger losses. Nonetheless, you would still have to be one big Midland-hating aginner to balk at the opportunity to pay a lot of money up front for the privilege of incurring increased operating losses.

While raising property taxes is one possibility for financing a convention center, Director of Finances Bob McNaughton said the city also could finance construction of the facility with sales tax revenue. He said the 4(b) corporation that was established to administer the debt incurred by the Scharbauer Sports Complex could collect additional revenue from sales tax that is in excess of the sports complex's annual debt service and apply those funds toward the convention center. Pending voter approval, after the sports complex is paid for, the 0.25 percent of sales tax earmarked for the sports complex could then be applied toward the convention center.

Translation: While there are many possibilities for the financing of a convention center, Director of Finances Bob McNaughton revealed that anyone who thinks that the local pols are going to give up an income stream that they have gotten their hands on (even if they no longer need it) should be institutionalized.

Re-read that paragraph above. Is anyone else particularly struck by the existence of "revenue from sales tax that is in excess of the sports complex's annual debt service"....a surplus that is not being used to pay down the debt early?

Like we have said before, it is a good thing that we elected all these fiscally responsible economic conservatives, huh?

In June, the EZ Rider system generated ridership numbers (up 31% over the same period the previous year) causing an editorial writer at the MR-T to trumpet the "strength of EZ Rider".

This in a month where the EZ Rider system managed to generate enough revenue that, if annualized, would cover roughly 15% of the cost of its operations.

The editorial ended on a cautionary note:

"Still, we urge Midland and Odessa to keep exploring ways to add services the riders want while keeping an eye on costs to the overall public [Emphasis mine]."

Yeah....I get the feeling that the editorial writer is real sensitive to the cost side of the equation here, don't you?

More Windows bashing.

Brand loyalty is one thing....but sometimes you have to wonder if this particular fan base is secretly wishing for Apple to come out with a colonoscope.

Because, really, what would be better than Dan Rather in high-def?

UPDATE: Answer: Helen Thomas in high-def.

Wow. Arianna Huffington comes up with the idea of a soccer-style "Red Card" for politics..."something we could flash for campaign fouls and astonishing acts of bad political behavior that would immediately remove the perpetrators from the political pitch."

And Ms. Huffington seems to actually believe that vanquishing political opponents by means other than elections is an original idea.

I wonder if she even senses the irony of her device being called a "red" card?

It bugged me all through the NBA playoffs. I never could put my finger on it.

Then I happened to re-watch the movie Gladiator the other night.

More from Poor and Stupid, this time on global warming (or as we prefer around here, "global warming").

Dept. of Energy? $24 billion. Abolish it and spend the $24 billion on alternative fuel research, infrastructure upgrades, and energy research. Put the Dems on the defensive. Fund $24 billion on energy research? Keep a useless bunch of bureaucrats employed pushing papers? Your choice.

Actually, it ends up being a quick treatise on how to deal with the overspent fed budget in general. RTWT.

Why do we have the fastest growing economy in history? Competition is the key. But more than that, it is allowing competition to happen. Must reading from The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid:

From the losers' perspective, competition can be a difficult thing to accept. In the case of Wal-Mart, we're all familiar with the complaints of pre-existing smaller businesses that are crushed when a new Wal-Mart store gets built. But if somehow those pre-existing businesses could be protected from Wal-Mart, then there would be no innovation in retailing, and no productivity growth.

Nations that grow are willing to deal with the temporary pain of those who are dislocated by innovation -- having faith that they can find new work in a larger and more rapidly growing economy. Nations that can't bear that pain don't grow, or at least not as fast.

Read the whole thing.

Is it just me or does anyone else find that, when it comes to taking down a simple phone message, the most sullen and uncooperative people you will ever deal with are answering services?

From a guy who actually gets paid to write...in this case for the Palm Beach Post:

"Instead, for every Osama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi we can show a Bill O'Reilly, an Ann Coulter, a Rush Limbaugh, a Glenn Beck and a Sean Hannity. Idiocy parades unashamed in the streets on both sides of the war on terror."

Let's see.....Mass Murder on the one hand. Smuggling Viagra on the other.

The guy is right. It is a toss-up.

The Blogfaddah say that markets work and cites this article as evidence.

An excerpt:

"Rising gasoline prices this year are blunting demand for trucks, which account for a majority of sales at the three U.S.- based automakers. Fuel concerns are also boosting demand for more fuel-efficient cars, which dominate the product lineup of Japan-based Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co."

This is a hopelessly right wing view on the Dr. Reynold's part. If he had a correct worldview he would realize that the market "working" would be a situation where the car manufacturers and their unionized employees could keep on cranking out whatever they wanted to and that it would have been the oil companies that would have had to suffer massive changes in order to reduce the demand for oil.

When the the Access Alliance Call Center was first reported to be relocating to Midland I had joked:

"The really good news is that two different call centers announced their intentions to relocate to Midland so quickly that the Midland Development Corporation may have needed an emergency meeting in order to decide upon the appropriate incentives to offer them."

I remember thinking that the comment might have been a bit unfair and only ended up using it because I believed it to be so over the top that no one would have made the mistake of thinking that it was actually true.

Well.....now this from today's (7/1/06) MR-T:

"In other business at the 8:30 a.m. City Hall meeting, Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Vice President Blake Wallace said the new Texas ACCESS Alliance Call Center in the old Texas Instruments building south of the airport has exceeded hopes by creating 290 jobs.

Wallace recently said the MDC is deriving an incentives package for the center, which serves the Texas Health and Human Services Commission."

I just threw the most ridiculous statement I could think of out there for humor's sake and today I read that the MDC is actually doing it. What is slapstick comedy for the rest of us turns out to be established economic development policy.

Also in today's paper is the news that the "Local Economy Posts Double Digit Growth"....said growth being 10.8%...which is great.

But as great as 10.8% growth is...it still look pretty anemic next to the announced growth in the Midland Development Corporation's payroll....which is a whopping 33%

"MDC salaries will cost $308,438 this year and, if approved by the City Council, $407,325 next year, along with increases from $26,716 to $35,641 for payroll taxes, $27,367 to $42,645 for group insurance and $37,530 to $50,143 for retirements -- an overall increase from $400,051 to $535,754."

I am sure that, to the uninitiated, mouth-breathing, non-economic-developer-certified taxpayer that way after-the-fact "incentives" coupled with a quasi-governmental payroll increase that is three times the growth rate of a super-hot economy looks bad and all.

But just imagine how bad it would be if we had not elected *cough* fiscal conservatives.