Is that a cell phone in your pocket?

I went to lunch with a friend today, and I mentioned the fact that I was having to switch the pocket where I normally keep my cell phone. Several times a day, I feel a vibration coming from that pocket only to pull my cell phone out and see that there was never a call. Now it's gotten to the point to where it does it without me even having the cell phone in that pocket. He knew exactly what I was talking about. It's a phenomenon called, "phantom cell phone vibrations."

Apparently there hasn't been an official scientific study on this phenomenon as yet. I'm sure there will be at some point though, but I guess since science doesn't recognize it then it probably doesn't really exist...right? (ok, I digress)

I did run across an interesting article on it though...

If you have a cell phone, this may have happened to you.

Your cell phone is set to vibrate, and you feel something pulsate in your pocket. You pull out the phone only to find no one is calling you.

As mobile phones have infiltrated American pockets as deeply as car keys and spare change, many users find that not only do the devices keep them in touch with friends and family, they also seem to play tricks on the mind.

No one knows why this happens, but theories abound.

You can read all about it here.

I'm just glad it's not the effects of radiation permeating my leg muscles...although that's probably the case anyway. I'll know in thirty years, I guess.

What to Blog About (and turn on the AC)

Hit the Back Button to Move Fwd blog has a good post for bloggers on what to blog about when you don't know what to say (via Lake Neuron).

Well, as you can tell, the blogging has been extremely light around here lately. It's not that I don't have anything to say...it's just that I don't have time to right now with the new job that started this week, traveling, holidays, etc. I promise things will eventually return to something semi-normal soon.

In the meantime, you should check out the great job of blogging A.C. Kleinheider is doing over at Nashville is Talking as their guest blogger for the week. I'll have to say that the five days of Kleinheider goes along well with the 008 days of 007 on SpikeTV this week.

Indeed it does.

A Tragedy in Nashville

A tragedy struck Nashville this weekend when an icon of the city was stolen. The sacred Nun Bun from Bongo Java was taken.

Crack reporter Trent Seibert comes off his capital hill beat to cover the story for the Tennessean...

Something crummy happened in Nashville on Christmas morning.

The Nun Bun was stolen, its owner said — and he fears the globally renowned cinnamon roll, famous for its resemblance to Mother Teresa, has been ripped apart and thrown away.

"My gut feeling is that it's destroyed," said Bob Bernstein, the owner of Bongo Java coffee shop, where the bun had been on display for nearly 10 years. "Someone took it, destroyed it and it's the last we'll hear of it."

Someone broke into the Belmont Boulevard coffeehouse yesterday morning, apparently with the sole purpose of stealing the pious pastry. Bills and loose change in charity-donation containers near the bun's glass display case were untouched, Bernstein said.

This was not the job of some amateur. They knew exactly what they were going for. Perhaps it will turn up in the international pastry market, but more than likely, it will end up in someone's private collection...never to be seen again.

For a history on the Nun Bun, go here.

Proposed Tax Changes on Business Software

Here's an interesting article a reader sent me this weekend:

A state board is proposing a sweeping change to make computer software used in business subject to property taxes, a move that some business leaders contend could drive up costs and hurt job growth in Tennessee.

"This would be a significant chunk of change," said Hayes Ledford, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s director of public affairs.

Read the entire article.

Christmas Photoblogging

Last Day

Tomorrow (Thursday) is my last day at my current job. I've been there for almost six years, and I'm spending a lot of time wrapping things up, finishing a select few set of last minute projects and transferring knowledge.

After I leave work tomorrow, I'm heading out of town for Christmas for a few days, and once I get back I'll start my new job on Tuesday morning.

The next week or so is going to be fairly interesting to say the least.

Ghost of Dan Rather?

"If people are manufacturing votes, I want to know about it. If dead people are voting, it could affect the outcome of my race."

For a second there, I thought that might have been the ghost of Dan Rather saying that.

It was actually Harold Ford, Jr. who is positioning himself opposite of his father's assertion that the votes of the dead for Junior's aunt, Ophelia Ford, were part of a vast right wing conspiracy to hurt Junior's bid for the U.S. Senate.

As for dead people's votes affecting his race? Of course they will. heh

(ht: B4B)

Bryant Calls for Televised Debates

Six of them to be exact. Blogging for Bryant has the details.

They (the three candidates) definitely need to do something. It's time to get this race going.

Special Session Pt II

Trent Seibert has an article in today's Tennessean regarding the special session on ethics. Instead of only repeating the self-congratulatory rhetoric that the politicians are using (which some media outlets are doing), he also addresses some of the concerns I expressed in my last post.

If the legislature adopts the recommendations that the ethics panel passed in November AS IS, then they will be doing nothing but rearranging the window dressings. Let's hope that there are some who have the guts to stand up against the leadership and push through real change.

Special Session on Ethics Called

Governor Bredesen has officially called a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly to address ethics reform (aka what they consider to be ethics reform).

The session, set for January 10th, will cover items that were addressed by the special ethics panel. If you'll remember, this special commission passed a set of recommendations in the form of a bill which will come before the Legislature during the special session.

The state General Assembly will evaluate proposed legislation covering three broad areas: The creation of an independent ethics commission; increased disclosure and regulation of lobbyists; and changes to campaign finance laws.

Sounds good, right? The only problem is that the entire proposal is full of loopholes!

I think it's a good time to go back and repost just what the special ethics panel did...or more importantly, didn't do. I may even repost this on January 10th for good measure.

---------
November 17, 2005
Ethics Panel Passes Something

Yesterday the General Assembly's special ethics panel put forth a proposal which will eventually be introduced before the whole legislative body.

Democrat lawmakers are patting themselves on the backs today, but was anything really accomplished? All that I've been able to see so far is a patchwork of items full of loopholes.

A few items may sound good on the surface, but if you read the fine print, you find that there's more than meets the eye.

There is a provision to subject the General Assembly to the state's open meetings laws. Sounds good, right? It's definitely something that needs to happen. However, the exception is that it will only apply to a group of lawmakers when there's enough present for a quorum. As Matthew White said, "Never do they have a quorum call in a room at the Sheraton." Exactly. This really changes nothing. I'd say that is big enough of a loophole that even Phil Fulmer could prance through.

Also included in the bill will be the potential to create an "independent" ethics commission to investigate lawmakers. I feel that the word "independent" is a tad misleading here. Two members would be picked by the speaker of the house, two by the speaker of the senate, two by the governor, and three by a joint list from the caucuses. I, personally, wouldn't consider an ethics commission independent whose members are appointed by lawmakers. In fact, that's about as independent as the state's former Tax Study Commission which was stacked by pro-income tax legislators to recommend a state income tax.

What else are they patting themselves on the backs for? A measure that would require legislators to disclose meals for paid by lobbyists or their employees...but only for meals exceeding $50. (Does that include gratuity?) The panel scrapped a proposal that would ban all meals from lobbyists. I suppose a lawmaker's gotta eat.

Another nice loophole was one that would ban "legislators from taking money from firms to perform consultant work and from pushing their interests before state boards, commissions and agencies — except for lawmakers who do that in their role as an attorney." Can anyone say, co-chairwoman of the ethics panel and House Majority Leader (Democrat) Kim McMillan?

What is really disappointing about this entire ethics panel fiasco were the proposals that were scrapped...mostly along party lines. They included recording of subcommittee meetings (another one I was really hoping for), putting votes online, and placing lawmakers' travel costs online...just to name a few.

From Trent Seibert's article in the Tennessean:

"Every time we came up with a proposal that dealt with opening up government, showing the people where money came from and where it would go, making access to their government easier by using the Internet, it was defeated, basically, on party lines," said House Minority Leader Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, who also served on the committee.

He said he would try to make changes when the bill comes before the full House. Gov. Phil Bredesen has said he probably will call a special session in January.

What is really going to change with the proposals put forth by this panel? To me, it looks like it's just going to be business as usual...just with an extra puff of smoke and a couple of mirrors.

I think the only way we can make any change is to start at the ballot box.
---------

Oh yes...and by the way...that little thing about the "open" meetings will expire at the end of the 2006 legislative session.

See you at the ballot box in '06.

That 70's Pimp

Someone found my site by searching for "The 70s pimp, known as Memphis Senator John Ford"

Good times.

Another Reason to Put On the Tux

A Spy Bar opening up in Printer's Alley.

For reference...here's the site for the Spy Bar in Chicago...and Cleveland.

Buchanan on Darwinism

Pat Buchanan has an excellent opinion piece out today on the merits (or demerits) of Darwinism.

Clearly, a continued belief in the absolute truth of Darwinist evolution is but an act of faith that fulfills a psychological need of folks who have rejected God. That picture on the wall of the science class of apes on four legs, then apes on two legs, then homo erectus walking upright is as much an expression of faith as the picture of Adam and Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Hence, if religion cannot prove its claim and Darwinists can't prove their claims, we must fall back upon reason, which some of us believe is God's gift to mankind.

Yeah...what he said. Read the entire thing.

And...now...I wait for the comments to come. heh

Question for Bredesen

The whole Tennessee Highway Patrol-gate just gets better and better...

Deputy Gov. Dave Cooley was closely involved in the Tennessee Highway Patrol's promotions process — a process that has drawn fire for being riddled with politics — a Tennessean investigation has found.

Cooley, the No. 2 man in state government and a longtime close associate of Gov. Phil Bredesen, was consulted on personnel moves in the THP, according to Lynn Pitts, who was ousted last week as the head of the patrol.

Yes...those personnel moves that were helped by campaign contributions to one Phil Bredesen.

So, Mr. Bredesen...what did you know and when did you know it?

What media bias?

Oh...that media bias...

While the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal is conservative, the newspaper's news pages are liberal, even more liberal than The New York Times. The Drudge Report may have a right-wing reputation, but it leans left. Coverage by public television and radio is conservative compared to the rest of the mainstream media. Meanwhile, almost all major media outlets tilt to the left.

Really no surprises...other than that NPR may not be as liberal as you may think.

The Dead Shall Arise...And Vote in Memphis

Ok...come on. Is anyone really surprised at this?

Election records of a September special election that put Ophelia Ford in a state Senate seat show that someone may have used the name of a man who had been dead for six weeks to vote.

Ford, a Democrat, beat Republican challenger Terry Roland by 13 votes in a race in which 8,750 ballots were cast. The election was to replace Ford's brother John Ford, who resigned in May after being indicted on bribery charges.

Yeah...I didn't think so.

Patriot Act Extension

Sharon Cobb (who has stopped allowing comments for the time being on her blog), posted a good cartoon today which mirrors my feelings exactly on the subject of the Patriot Act extension.

Tookie Who?

Who isn't talking about the Tookie Williams execution today? Who cares?

Whatever happened to the days of short appeals? The days of a quick execution?

Now, it seems that we forget about the victims altogether (easy to do after 25 years) and the criminals are able to take the spotlight. With that they receive all the attention while creating a new persona in order to appeal to people's emotions to spare their lives.

He asks for clemency. Too bad Tookie didn't give clemency to those he killed.

The Chairman's Birthday

Rex L. Camino beat me to the punch, but today is Frank Sinatra's birthday. He would have been 90 years old. He is, without a doubt, my favorite personality/singer.

I never got to see Sinatra sing live (being too young to do so), but I did get a chance to see Frank Sinatra Jr. a few months ago in Knoxville doing a tribute to Frank Sinatra. He also had Sinatra's orginal pianist, Bill Miller, playing with the Knoxville Pops.

So...in honor of the Chairman, spin a few of his tunes and have a nice glass of Jack Daniels (his favorite drink).

After all...it's Frank's world. We're just living in it.

Zeiss Ikon

A little photoblogging. This one is for my uncle, Lynn Cawthorne. I took a few pictures of an old camera that sits in his study the other day. It's an extremely old Zeiss Ikon from the 1920's (I believe). I'd like to take the thing out to get some pictures, but I don't think you can even get film for this thing anymore (it used plate film).

See a wider shot here.

Christmas Lights

Apologies for the continued light blogging. I'm actually transitioning between jobs right now (which is good news), so you can probably understand the reasoning. My new job starts at the end of the month, and things will be a bit out of the ordinary for now. I'll try to get back into some type of regular schedule of blogging soon.

In the meantime, you can enjoy the best home Christmas display ever.

Light Blogging

Light blogging will continue for the next day or so. Look for more blogging in the early morning and evenings at this point.

Photoblogging - Hassan Mosque

I'll leave you with a picture from the weekend. It's one I took a few years ago in Morocco. The Hassan Mosque of Rabat...

Not to be confused with the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the Hassan Mosque dates from 1195. The minaret stands over the remains of what was left after an earthquake in 1755.

The clouds coming off the Atlantic Ocean were extraordinary that day to say the least.

Still "a Positive?"

Is this what Harold Ford, Jr. was talking about when he called Kelo "a positive" ruling? (emphasis mine)

It's across the inlet from Palm Beach, but this town — mostly black, blue-collar and with a large industrial and warehouse district — could be a continent away from the Fortune 500 and Rolls-Royce set.

But Riviera Beach's fortunes may soon change.

In what has been called the largest eminent-domain case in the nation, the mayor and other elected leaders want to move about 6,000 residents, tear down their homes and use the emptied 400-acre site to build a waterfront yachting and residential complex for the well-to-do.

(ht: Glenn Dean)

More: By the way...that's 6,000 out of only 32,000 total residents. About 19%. Moving almost 20% of your poor residents out so the rich can come in? I'm sure those wanting a liberal Supreme Court based on one single issue can justify that.

Further Proof - Media Wall of Shame

SayUncle provides further proof that journalists need to know at least something about a subject BEFORE they write about it AND that bloggers will eat them alive if they misrepresent their intentions in doing a story. It also helps if they get their facts straight.

Who gets put on the media wall of shame today? Nashville Associated Press writer Rose French for her piece on Murfreesboro's Barrett Firearms the other day. Not only were a lot of her facts wrong, but she misrepresented her intentions to Barrett Firearms in order to secure an interview by saying it was only going to be a "business feature."

SayUncle has all of the details. Read it.

Update: SayUncle also pointed out a rebuttal (pdf) written by Michael Marks of the Fifty Caliber Institute. Marks takes Ms. French to task by discussing facts about the fifty caliber rifle and counters every piece of non-factual information French used (there was a lot) which can only be meant to cause hysteria.

Wow...Ms. French should be embarrassed.

Update II: Ripclawe reminds French of the AP's recent press release on their "news values and principles."

Outing Hitman not an attack on anonymous blogging

Sharon Cobb has stirred up a few people over accusations that the blogger known as Hitman from the blog "Bring the Noise" may actually be a "high ranking" member of the Bredesen administration.

Well, I've proved Hitman is blogging from a State computer, (see info below) and I will have his/her identity very soon as well. (See email to Lydia Lenker as well) Even if "Hitman" isn't doing this on direct orders of Governor Bredesen, he's blogging on YOUR TAX DOLLARS. That's not allowed.

After questions on this matter arose earlier in the week, I verified that he/she was working off a state computer because of the IP address he/she left when they commented on my blog a few weeks ago. I can also verify that it is the same IP address that Sharon posted on her blog which is actually a proxy address used by the state.*

Normally I consider the message more important than the messenger (as we have proven in the past). In fact, I agree with most of Hitman's opinions (except for his disapproval of TaBOR which kind of leads me to believe Sharon's assertion).

Now, if a person is just a regular, "lowly" state worker who is blogging on "company" time without the knowledge of his or her superiors, I don't care. If it's their personal opinion...whatever. However, if Sharon's accusations are true, then we might have a problem (Bill Hobbs seems to have some information that it may be true as well). If Bredesen OR someone in his administration is knowingly allowing a person to go out in an attempt to anonymously counter the message of those the administration doesn't agree with then it becomes nothing more than state sponsored propaganda...on your tax dollar. Sure, you may agree with the message (like myself), but that doesn't excuse the intentions. In fact, what's to stop them from also waylaying into something like TaBOR in an anonymous fashion on your tax dollar (another thing the administration doesn't like).

Who here likes state sponsored propaganda? Yeah...I didn't think so.

Let me make it clear...I have no problem with anonymous blogging. Some of my favorite bloggers are anonymous and they do an excellent job, but if someone of an official capacity, behind a veil of anonymity enters into the blogosphere in an attempt to influence opinion (aka propaganda), then it needs to be outed. On the other hand, if the blogger is not a "high ranking" official with this type of intention and is only a state worker with an opinion, then they should not be.

Sharon: If you find out that this person is not a "high ranking" official, do not reveal his or her identity. I hope that any media outlet also looking into this will exhibit the same restraint.

But if it is coming from someone in the administration...give 'em hell.

(*Note: As a humourous aside, it's funny what all you can find when looking up IP addresses on the Internet. A comment on a random message board left by a state worker actually led me to their personal web site that has pictures using parts of the old state penitentiary as the backdrop for some potentially questionable photography. No...I'm not giving you the link...heh).

More: For those that lean left in the audience, I point you to this story. If what Sharon is investigating is true, then it's pretty much the same thing.

Again, if it's not true, then it doesn't matter. I think Sharon has made clear (definitely in the comments) that she will drop the matter if it ends up not being what she thinks it might be. And...I'll still read Hitman and probably still enjoy his or her attacks on TennCare.

More II: Bill Hobbs in the comments over at Nashville Is Talking:

I'm more interested in whether the Bredesen administration, or some part of it, has decided on a policy of stealth engagement of the blogosphere, as that would be a major development in the history of the Tennessee political blogosphere.

However, Roger Abramson had this to say earlier on:

Putting aside the tattling on this fella for a minute, I have to admit to being baffled as to why Sharon Cobb would actually think that his little site is some giant covert propaganda operation working at the behest of the governor's office. I think, if they were even going to do that (why?), it would be put together a little better and have a little more--shall we say--readership.

It's pretty obviously just some guy with a blog site blowing off some steam like the rest of us.

It has begun

The end is near.

Thursday Car Blogging - New Land Rover

Ok...it's not a new Land Rover, but my old one did roll over to 00,000 on the odometer today. Whether that's accurate or not, who knows? Probably not as I'm assuming that this MPH odometer was installed after being brought over from Scotland (where it was a farm vehicle before being brought into the States) replacing the KPH odometer.

Either way, it was worthy of a quick picture.

All Apologies

Apologies for the light blogging as of late. Be sure to look for a couple of posts later this evening.