Traveling from downstate to upstate

I have a couple of thoughts based on things that have been in the paper lately, but I will save them for tomorrow. In the meantime, I will write a quick entry about how I think I'm beginning to understand, at least slightly, why there is a rift between upstate and downstate. I'll focus on driving, since that's something everyone above and below the canal is used to.

As I've mentioned more than once, drivers downstate are a little slower and tend to drive the speed limit on both lanes of the highway. After being down here for a few months now, I probably have started driving slower as well. Upstate, however, the drivers are maniacs. I was up in Wilmington over the weekend to enjoy the Patriots-Giants game with some friends up there and upon getting on 95, I was surprised at how fast people were going (and I was still going faster than the pace of traffic).

What was funny, to me anyway, was that I thought to myself that downstate drivers aren't nearly as reckless. Granted, some of these nuts were probably out-of-state, but still. Fast downstate is like 60 in a 50, as compared to 90 in a 55 upstate. Thankfully, I adjusted quickly and was able to get to my destination without any incidents. It's no wonder that most of downstate drivers appear to never want to travel beyond Kent or Sussex County. And now, I see why it's no wonder that upstate drivers hate the way downstate drivers drive and vice versa.

Tomorrow or next time I'm going to write about this Lockmeath and Wal-Mart intersection and why Dover should think about closing off more intersections and move toward a more limited access thruway system. And why the Levy Court or city of Camden needs to adjust the intersection within the Camden Walmart property.

Tags: driving in delaware

Counterpoint: There is value in anonymity

This letter to the editor appeared in the November 28, 2007 edition of the Delaware State News on page 8. It appears to be a direct counterpoint to another letter to the editor (posted in its entirety here). My personal views are more in line with this author's. Maybe he will chime in and give his thoughts since he beat me to the punch in the paper.

There is Value in Anonymity
Andrew Alea, Dover, Delaware

Having followed the growth of internet communications, I read with interest Judson Bennett's letter ("Require bloggers to name themselves," Nov. 22). I, too, wonder how effective and influential anonymous speech or this "blogging phenomenon" can be. One conclusion is certain: there is value in anonymity.

In exercising my "worldwide expressions of opinion on the Internet," I respectfully disagree with Mr. Bennett's written points, particularly with his general belief that all anonymous commentary represents cowardice. Granted, some anonymous comments are inflammatory and generally uneducated. Others reflect more reasoned thought and value. In the end, all are merely exercises in public speech. Whether they are in so-called "anonymous Delawarean" blogs or by Delawareans or other citizens in anonymous or signed comments (either printed or online), the comments are afforded protection under the First Amendment.

I am neither going to attempt to give a history lesson on the freedom of speech, or give as an example the eighteenth century papers, published under anonymous pseudonyms, that received mass public attention in support or against ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Certainly Mr. Bennett did not mean to include those persons as "gutless phonies," although I am sure his position existed back then as well. Rather, I will simply quote from the U.S. Supreme Court in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission to support my point of why his view is too narrow: "The decision in favor of anonymity may be motivated by fear of economic or official retaliation, by concern about social ostracism, or merely by a desire to preserve as much of one's privacy as possible. Whatever the motivation may be, at least in the field of literary endeavor, the interest in having anonymous works enter the marketplace of ideas unquestionably outweighs any public interest in requiring disclosure as a condition of entry."

Mr. Bennett's efforts at creating a more productive discourse by prohibiting free speech in these new "literary endeavors," while perfectly within his right to do so, misses the point behind the practice. Signing your name to something does not equate to legitimacy any more than by using a pseudonym. Any reader of online commentary recognizes the value differences in commentaries that are fraudulent, libelous, or otherwise uninformed and spiteful with those that are not. At the very least, if Mr. Bennett (or anyone else) is offended by or disagrees with a published comment, he should post the counterpoint on the same forum, which should publish it. Otherwise, the public has only one opinion and Mr. Bennett's hope for a "level of true legitimacy and a high standard that would be honorable and respected" has no hope of existing.

The point of anonymous free speech, according to McIntire, is to protect "unpopular individuals from retaliation-and their ideas from suppression-at the hand of an intolerant society." Mandating disclosure, as Mr. Bennett proposes, overlooks the value of anonymity.

Tags: andrew alea blogging letter, anonymous speech protected in delaware

Point: Require Bloggers to Name Themselves

This commentary/letter to the editor was printed in the November 22, 2007 edition of the Delaware State News on page 7. In a two sentence summary, Judson Bennett argues that the only way for blogging to achieve a level of true legitimacy is for bloggers to identify themselves in their posts and commentary. According to Mr. Bennett, any anonymous blog or post (by virtue of its anonymity) is crap. I disagree, mainly because the implication of his position lumps this blog into the mix, despite my attempts at insightful commentary.

Consequently, I'll gladly debate the merits of this issue, and please feel free to post a comment for me to respond to if it's really a bigger issue than I think. Similarly, I'll gladly provide a link to his blog on this blog (turnabout, however, is fair play). Further commentary (although not the actual letter) is posted on this blog.

Require Bloggers to Name Themselves
Judson Bennett, Lewis, Delaware

The blogging phenomenon has reached a whole new level, and it is indeed addictive. It's a worldwide expression of opinion on the Internet, and it is interesting. I like it myself, and I do definitely participate. This remarkable situation definitely gives folks a venue to share opinions. However, I wonder how effective these venues are in changing people's minds, or if indeed they are truly influential?

The owners of some local Delaware blogs, Delaware folks like Dave Burris, Mike Mathews, Dana Garrett, Jason and others, are actually pure editorialists-interesting, amusing, irritating and provocative. They are much like weekly columnists in newspapers, with the exception of the comment sections. Herein lies the huge rub for me. When I write something, I do it as me-Judson Bennett. When I comment on someone else's blog, I do it as me, Judson Bennett. You know who I am and I take real responsibility for what I say.

Frankly, I hate published anonymity, especially when people take mean-spirited shots at others or about any significant issue. Those who write anything using a "handle" are cowards. Many of these people are, in reality, terrified, insignificant little pipsqueaks who make themselves feel 10 feet tall when they can say whatever they want, while hiding behind a pseudonym. I equate these jerks to some weak sister who gets behind the wheel of a car and suddenly becomes an omnipotent aggressive driver. Otherwise, they would be terrified to open their mouths, because in reality, they do not have the courage of their convictions.

When anybody writes something, they should be required to use their real names or not be permitted to blog. It's that way when someone writes a letter to the editor in a newspaper. The person's name, address and phone number are required by the paper before the comments are published. People who speak or write anonymously are fake, what they say is fake, and it should not ever be given any value or even be presented in the first place. In order to make blogging reach a true level of legitimacy, real names should be required in the comment section.

The bottom line is that those of you who comment, using your real names, are indeed courageous and legitimate citizens who deserve a lot of credit for speaking out. The rest of you handle-users are nothing more than gutless phonies who pump yourself up by throwing darts from the darkness. I challenge the blog owners of the world to make your operations absolutely significant by requiring those who log in to provide their real names before commenting. Indeed, then, blogging would achieve a level of true legitimacy and a high standard that would be honorable and respected.

Tags: judson bennett blogging letter, blogs should not be anonymous

Governor's avenue - worst drivers yet

I hate to be so cynical at this time of year, but I started taking Governor's avenue to get around the slower parts of Dover and it's the most ridiculous road I've seen yet in this capital city. Not only are the drivers nuts, they have the incredible penchant for stopping in the middle of the street, or cutting across the other lane to turn without any indication. As an added bonus, not only do you have to pay attention to that, you have to pay attention to any of the walkers who also just cross the street without seemingly paying any attention. It's a mad mad mad world.

Speaking of which, and this is going to be a separate couple of posts over the next couple of days, I finally have time to type in these blogging entries that were in the State News a few weeks ago. Since there is no way to access them, I figure it's in the interest of free speech and the State News's philosophy to provide additional access to them. I also tend to think that these "sound off" or "letters to the editor" aren't covered by any sort of copyright laws, but if they are, I'm sure someone will go out of their way to inform me.

Tags: dover drivers, delaware drivers

Desk drawer veto bill

I saw an article yesterday that merits a quick comment. I would link the article, but I can't figure out the State News's new website. They say they are all for free speech and free ads, but without any free substance, it's hard to say what type of audience they are targeting. Unfortunately, I couldn't find this particular article on the News Journal's (arguably equally as bad) website either, but I did find two blog entries about the desk drawer veto currently at issue in our capital: Delaware Watch and First State Politics. There's also some opinion article from the News Journal about the issue here.

My point about this particular article has nothing to do with the desk drawer veto but rather, a simple question of voting. In the article, it states (perhaps overly so), that "Sen. Ennis noted that he voted for a House bill in June - while he still was a member of the chamber - that would subject the General Assembly to [the State's Freedom of Information Act], excluding party caucuses." Does this mean he voted on the bill that passed in the House, and now (by comedy of coincidences) can now vote on that same bill as a Senator?

Granted, this is probably not the case, and I'm just throwing it out there as an interesting hypothetical. First, I am assuming that Sen. Ennis had voted on this bill while he was in the House, and it passed in the House before the Senate sat on it, and now it is still eligible to be passed in the Senate. If these assumptions are correct, and Sen. Ennis votes on it and it now passes by a narrow majority, isn't this sort of cut against the one man, one vote concept?

More than likely, I am reading too into this whole article, and I'm certainly no expert on how bicameralism works in Delaware. In all likelihood, the Senate will simply pass another bill and avoid the gray issues. If my assumptions are correct, however, it certainly makes this much more interesting to follow. If I decide to form an opinion about the whole desk drawer veto issue, perhaps I will write about it at another point.

Tags: desk drawer veto, delaware local politics

Loockerman exchange closes

I heard on the radio this morning that the "world famous" Loockerman Exchange (also self-referred to as "the Lex") has closed its doors. Having visited this establishment a couple of times, I find this as no surprise. Rather than kick a man while he is down, however, I will point out what likely businesses would succeed in that prime piece of commercial real estate.

A few thoughts. First, there needs to be some sort of take out lunch place, like a Panera bread. I think even a local chain like Purebread Deli would do well. Or a Starbucks. In either case, part of that property would need to have that aspect to it in order to make money off the Dover lunch crowd.

I'll even tell you the key to success for any of these restaurants: Lunch under 60 minutes. Too many restaurants in Dover (the late Loockerman included) take far too long to serve your food. Most jobs don't appreciate taking lunch breaks that last longer than an hour (which includes driving). I thought that was a given, but there seems to be a shortage of restaurants in Dover that understand that concept. The non-exhaustive list, from my experience, includes: Lobby House, The Lex, 33 West, Smithers, and TGI Fridays, to name a few downtown. 33 West is the fastest of all of them by about 15 minutes (on a good day).

The second type of business that would succeed in the other half of this space would be a English pub, similar to Catherine Rooneys in Trolley Square or Kid Schellens. I also think an Iron Hill would do well down in Dover. My point is that these bars, unlike Lobby House or Smithers or Buffalo Wild Wings, could target a different crowd and capture an untapped market. Or they could segment the market. Either way, it's all about brand identity, of which the "world famous" Lex did not have.

While the article above cites to construction as costing them revenue, I find this excuse to be more of a red herring. The reason why that business failed is largely due to its business strategy (or lack thereof) and failure to understand the Dover market. I don't purport to say that I am an expert on these issues, but I do know that no business is going to work in that location unless it has multiple draws to get people to come back downtown at night. Parking is a whole other issue.

Perhaps if this new business worked with area businesses such as the Schwartz Center or Dover Downs, it could more effectively reach a more diverse market willing to part with both their time and hard earned money. I, for one, can't wait to see what business will try and succeed there next.

Winter weather sets in and slow drivers

Unfortunately, this weather doesn't do too much other than make my electric bill higher. I went down to the beach over the weekend to do some Christmas shopping and am amazed by the lack of shoppers (as compared to Dover, where it's easier to exit the mall on 13 and get on Rt. 1 south to go south than fight the lights.

Why is it that drivers passing on the right (as they should) don't speed up to pass, but instead, choose to go one mile an hour faster than the car they are passing, and hence, slow down everyone else who is trying to get to where they are going? Sometimes I wish I was in a marked police car so that I could flash my lights and get them to clear the roadway. Maybe that's what the Camden and Dover police (and state police for that matter) should be doing from 4-6 PM on major routes instead of allowing painfully slow drivers to impede the progress of one's ride home.

Nothing else this time other than a mild complaint about the weather. I have recently had the opportunity to check out the movie theater in Dover (at the mall) as well as the movie theater at the beach, and without question, the $9 at Rehoboth is far worth it compared to the $8.50 at Dover. There is no describing how terrible the Dover Mall Carmike theater is, other than awful.

Old Delaware Days

I've been pretty busy lately, but I did have a chance to go to the Old Dover Days celebration last week and got a brief tour of the Old State House grand reopening. Apparently it is going to be open to the public; it's a pretty historic building (as most buildings on the Green are), and I recommend visiting it to everyone. More about the building's history was written in an earlier article in the State news and on the State's history website.

Inside, the building has been restored to its original colors and you can see the governor's side, the old court, and the House and Senate chambers. There is also a giant painting of George Washington. Overall, I believe the historic society did a superb job fixing this up. Now, to get someone to reopen the Golden Fleece Tavern (either in its original location or somewhere near Legislative Hall and we'll be set. More information about the Golden Fleece Tavern and other historic sites around the Green are linked here.

My hectic schedule should be settling down again this week; I have plenty to talk about, starting with an interesting couple of blogging comments that were in the paper the other day. I still haven't found them online, but they appear pretty short, so I'll put them online soon and add my two cents in.

Tags: dover historic landmarks, old state house delaware

Biden's points well taken

In response to my post from the other day, I see that the AP wire that our senior senator has stated that he will not serve as secretary of state. Honestly, I think he's the only Democrat that has a chance of winning when the dust finally settles, and that Iowa will come down to him or Edwards (with Obama edging Hillary). We'll see what happens.

I also note that a couple of interesting opinions have been put in the state news over the course of the last week. I'm looking to find them online and then if not, I may summarize or simply copy them to make my comment about the respective positions stated.

Tags: biden democratic nomination

If Biden is president or appointed as Secretary of State in 2009

Some big ifs that drive the point of this entry: If a Democrat wins the presidency next year, and if that person is not Sen. Biden, will he (or she) elevate Biden to Secretary of State? Or what if Biden catches fire and wins? Assuming the answers to these questions is yes, would Sen. Biden's son, attorney general Beau Biden, try and run as the Democratic candidate for the open Senate position? And if so, who would run against him?

I have yet to find the answer to the latter question on any of the Delaware political blogs (save one), but I must believe that the hypothetical has crossed the minds of those in better positions of power.

Granted, Biden has said repeatedly that he wouldn't take it. And if Sen. Clinton becomes the president, it appears even less certain that it would happen.

But who is to say that isn't normal political double talk? Polls appear to be divergent on who will actually win the nomination (for both parties). I wouldn't rule out our senior senator being offered a cabinet position, nor would I necessarily rule out him winning in Iowa (although I would say this is a longshot).

Assuming there is a gaping vacuum in the Senate for Delaware as a consequence of the 2008 general election, what sort of special election debate would this create?

Delaware Watch and Delaware Grapevine have both chimed in on this issue to some degree. I take no position on the matter at this point, mainly because it is far too speculative. However, if I was the attorney general and had thoughts of this possibility, I would be concerned about how the decision would affect perceptions of my credibility and an almost assured attack on the timing of my actions and resulting qualifications.

I pose this question based simply on when this special election could occur and how long Beau Biden would have been AG when he would essentially have to abandon his duties as attorney general to focus on this hypothetical special election. In some ways, this whole possibility sort of reminds me of the Simpsons episode where the first President Bush moved across the street from them and wrote in his memoirs, "Since I achieved all my goals as President in one term, there was no need for a second." Somewhat relatedly, a decision to run after such an abbreviated stint in public office could wreak havoc on his general credibility, particularly given the acrimonious and close nature of the last election against Ferris Wharton.

Many of AG Biden's ideas are positive and ambitious (which is good), and he's passionate about them (which is also good). Realistically, however, they will take several years to implement, mainly because of feasibility and cost issues, among other concerns. Wouldn't any Republican who runs against him be able to throw at him the issue of his kicking up dust and then leaving someone else to clean up after him? I don't think he would necessarily do the same thing when he got to the Senate, but the issue remains.

It seems to me that some ideas are better played out to use as examples of merit rather than as optimistic talking points about what could happen when and if they play out. The whole idea of him leaving his term early and jumping on what is debatable as a more prestigious ship would be a fairly high political hurdle to climb over. Maybe I'm looking at it too simply. This isn't really my point either; I am simply playing devil's advocate for the hypothetical democratic candidates.

The question that remains is who would be the Republican that the party places their bets on to run against him (or anyone for that matter)? I do not know. If the answer is as simple as "there isn't anyone," or if the answer is "Harry Levin," this strikes me as implying that the Republican party of Delaware hasn't thought this out in the long term yet.

But again, I may just be missing something since I have been out of touch with the political landscape of Delaware. If anyone can point me in the direction of where this is discussed and who is discussing it (online or otherwise), I am more than willing to learn more about it.

Tags: beau biden, joe biden as secretary of state

Things that we as a State need to think about: Part III. Citizenry

My third suggestion envelops the core of our Citizenry itself. We, as Delawareans young and old, need to re-examine accountability. Not only should our educational system have a role in developing our children’s lives, we need to begin to hold parents accountable. We must coordinate with current service groups, such as the Delaware Girls Initiative, to ensure our efforts are neither duplicative nor underinclusive. Such programs ensure that all young parents understand the responsibility of raising a family.

The extent of parental accountability could be stretched into the criminal context as well, but the balancing and evaluation of positive and negative effects of such a program must be examined first. The costs of these types of accountability, reach-out, and social welfare and development programs can be done on a sector-by-sector, community-by-community, or city basis, in conjunction with existing State efforts. An examination of the DNREC and the state-wide recycling program can also be restructured on accountability-type grounds. The minimal costs of these community based accountability programs justify their continued development.

The revenue from the slot and racing industries and lottery systems can be increased. We should not fear the effects of more slots, either in our State or beyond our borders, and none of these ideas will alter the tourism industry in the least. To the contrary, a mass transit system will stimulate tourism. Revenue can also be streamlined with the development of a system such that all citizens pay their taxes through a professional, and any CPA can be encouraged to take on such clientele simply by offering a tax incentive. With professional tax assistance, not only do we ensure that the government is not getting any more than they should; we ensure that all citizens receive all to which they are entitled. A possible effect would be to determine whether any one sector of the State is unfairly taking advantage of our lesser knowledgeable citizens.

We can also investigate the tax structure itself and determine whether the more affluent citizens of the State are paying an equivalent proportion to the less affluent. We can also lower the tax rate for our poorest such that their hard earned income up to $15000 has no individual State tax assessed to it. The end result may be that the middle class has no tax changes, and with tax credit incentives for young parents involved in social development programs or environmentally-related breaks, it may even result in a net tax benefit. Accountability for our Administration with this regard ensures that the entire Public understands where our income goes and to what.

My hope is that these general ideas spark a Statewide response for more. These ideas certainly should not be construed as exhaustive by any means. Reaching these goals and others come at no uncertain costs, but can be done with a moderate shifting of resources as well as with the savings from the economies of scale that come with the aforementioned ideas.

Let's make it happen.

Things that we as a State need to think about: Part II. Economy

My second suggestion deals with the economy of our State. We can no longer avoid the ongoing growth of various sectors in our Delaware; we must embrace it. More commercial growth ensures that those who travel beyond our borders have an economic motivation to come back. Commercial growth, whether it is pharmaceutical, financial, transactional, communication related, research oriented, or simply the next Microsoft looking for its Redmond should look at our Delaware first, and a serious outreach toward fostering this economic developmental growth needs to occur. Our infrastructure and developers can support it, our citizenship will embrace it, and its success will sustain us for the century to come. Urban and suburban planning, with an eye toward the constraints on education and our State generally, can help ensure that the growth occurs without blackening the eye of what distinguishes our Delaware. The effects of bringing such business to our State will minimally quadruple the current economic growth rate.

Stimulating our economy also requires a concurrent development of a massive jobs works program. Anybody who wants a job should be able to find one. I offer four suggestions.

I. Infrastructure
The first jobs works program would be to repave the entire State infrastructure with an asphalt-rubber composite. Such a task which would have several effects: the lifespan of the roadway would be 5-6 times longer than its current levels, and by the time the final road is finished, the original roads would need to be repaved and the effects would be for workers to have a sustained source of income. This technology also assists in solving the environmental dilemma of rubber tires and other refuse, both of which could be reduced because of the composite's composition. The federal government has begun rehabilitation of highways with similar technology; a thorough investigation in coordination with the Rubber Pavement Association’s Technological Advisory Board can determine its feasibility in our State.

II. Rail system
The second jobs works program would be to develop our rail system. Our State’s original economy and infrastructure rested on the rails; the time has come to revisit our roots. Reintegration and development of a massive public transportation system, beginning with the rails and increasing the utilization of the DART system, will stimulate the short and long term economy. The more efficient use of DART (including an increase in frequency throughout the State) and a new passenger train system like SEPTA would have lasting effects on educational transportation efficiency, tourism, and regular travel during the workweek and weekends. With regard to the train system, our economy will be stimulated by the massive number of workers needed to rebuild it as well as the persons required to run it. Developing an equitable and affordable travel cost and frequent travel times to all pertinent sectors of our State ensures that our Citizenry utilizes this source as primary to personal vehicles. Given the increase in fuel costs, we can all agree that a more economical transportation system must be developed, and it must be researched as a priority.

Another way that may accomplish the rail system in a more cost-effective manner would be to investigate the practicality and feasibility of dual mode vehicles. Japan's rail company appears to have perfected the technology; whether it translates over to American soil remains to be seen.

III. Fiber optics
The third jobs works program would be to develop the fiber optics system for our entire State. Doing so would grant every household in the State high speed internet, cable, and telecommunications compatible with forthcoming technology. A program in conjunction with the various telecommunication and electrical suppliers could be developed in such a way that every telephone wire and pole in the state could be removed and the technology placed underground. The aesthetic effect needs no explanation.

IV. Alternative energy creation
A fourth, but perhaps more lofty jobs works program, would have to be done in coordination with the Several States and the Federal Government. To increase our energy efficiency, research and development into geothermal, hydroelectric power through the underwater current system off our shoreline, or solar power could be investigated further as an alternative energy source. The latter may be the most realistic at this juncture, and all new housing developments could be adapted with the technology such that it could become affordable and economical for every other pre-existing housing sector in the State. Test markets could be imposed on our State buildings first, and the effect on the State’s electric bill will justify Statewide adoption.

I do note that the feasibility study with regard to wind power has been completed on a statewide scale and rejected; however, I'm surprised no private entrepreneur has thought about privatizing this for developments and exploiting the technology on a smaller scale for testing.

Things that we as a State need to think about: Part I. Education

This is going to be the first of a series of posts regarding my ideas that I would like to see the next candidates for Governor address. It is my hope that it starts a dialog among the state; whether that happens remains to be seen. Among the top priorities I see that are problem hot spots, they are: education, jobs, economy. There are others, to be sure, but those are the ones I plan to address. Without further ado, part 1: "A Comprehensive Education Proposal."

Introductory remarks:
In the words of Publius, "The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice." The time has come for all of the People of this great State to unite behind a common purpose and begin discussing the positive directions to which we should be heading. I offer these remarks not as a directed commentary or evaluation but as a starting point for a conversation into what I hope becomes a united campaign behind which we can all support and champion.

The rich history of our state needs no introduction or remarks beyond these: all of us appreciate our native roots and the inherent siren call that either brings us back or keeps us here in one form or another. Our citizens have gone on to do a great many things in a great many fields, and all of us have stories that can convey a greater meaning to the statement that the rest of the country looks to our Delaware as a leader. The time for reflection, however, has passed, and our State has asked for all of us to once again turn and listen. The time has come for each of us to stop talking about change and instead ask ourselves what we can do to push our state to the forefront of our great nation.

I base my remarks, in part, on the preamble to our State Constitution, which states in pertinent part as follows: "[A]ll people have by nature the rights . . . of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting reputation and property, and in general obtaining objects suitable to their condition, without injury by one to another. . . ." For over a century and beyond, our citizenship has developed on the premise that the rights inherent in these words are bounded only by reason.

Grounded in reason, then, I offer my suggestions, bearing in mind the words of the Federalist No. 1: "It may perhaps be thought superfluous to offer arguments to prove the utility of the Union, a point, no doubt, deeply engraved on the hearts of the great body of the people in every State, and one, which it may be imagined, has no adversaries." Feasibility and expense aside for the moment, I hope the adversaries to these remarks recognize their inherent merit.

A Comprehensive Education Proposal:
First and foremost, every Delawarean’s access to public education should be such that it does not matter which end of the public school system a student belongs. The diploma eventually earned by an elementary student in Delmar should have no different value than one from a student in Brandywine or any district in between. The legislative power to accomplish this goal exists in Article X of our Constitution, and reaching this goal requires no small sacrifice from each Citizen. It begins with the unification of the public school districts and abolishment of the current individual school board systems. Because no such system exists nationally, we need to develop our public education system in such a fashion that the rest of the States may follow.

A united public education across all districts ensures that every Delaware student, guided by the State, will no longer be disadvantaged by location. One economic benefit and effect from a unified public school system would be quantity pricing for necessities every district currently purchases individually, such as ordinary supplies and textbooks. An annual bid among all subcontractors for these various necessities ensures our State is not saddled with any one contractor trying to prosper unfairly at the expense of the General Public. The efficiency of the student transportation also increases ten-fold with a unified public school system, and an increased utilization of DART, as further explained below, may be of great assistance in making this an attractive and economically feasible goal.

Reaching the educational goal ensures that all graduates of our public schools are afforded the opportunities that a high school diploma brings, including the educational opportunities beyond high school if they so choose. Achieving a unified educational curriculum may be ambitious, but necessary for the long-term health and welfare of the State. I propose two methods that all educators and parents can agree upon as the ground to which reaching this goal begins and its success ultimately rests.

First, the pay scale for all public teachers must be unified across all districts. If a police officer in Sussex County makes as much as her counterpart in New Castle, the discrepancy in pay for teachers across districts can be and must be consistent before accountability and other related issues come to bear. A unified and equitable salary system potentially attracts qualified teachers to all districts in our State, not just the ones in the more affluent sectors. Such a system, to say the least, also requires a substantial increase in educational salaries. Recruitment and retention of qualified teachers will begin to increase the general education level of our State, a necessary precursor to reaching the rest of our goals. While all districts should be encouraged to enhance any teacher’s pay, we need to ensure that "teacher shopping" no longer occurs by reducing the percentage differences for similarly pay-graded teachers across districts. The education majors produced by University of Delaware also need to be enticed further into considering our Delaware schools as a viable option. Teaching our children, however, only solves fifty percent of the problem. Encouraging our students to learn constitutes minimally the next bulk percentage of the education quandary.

Second, we, as a State, need to adopt a means of affording a higher education to all. Such a long-term incentive may encourage our students to develop inherently a love for learning that motivates this result. Accomplishing this side of the education equation requires several steps, not least of which would be to create a full scholarship fund allowing all high school students with a certain GPA to be granted both conditional acceptance and complimentary tuition to one or both of the public universities. We need accountability to ensure that in-state students are not being selected out by the higher-paying out-of-state students. An equitable balance can and must occur. One feasible alternative to this suggestion would be to empower Del-Tech to award various four-year degrees, similar the power given to the satellite Penn State University campuses in Pennsylvania twenty years ago.

For those citizens who wish to pursue education out-of-state and are bogged by the financial aid process, the Department of Education should be funded to investigate the possibility of a financial aid non-profit organization devoted to all of our Citizens. No Delawarean should be deterred from the real possibility of a higher education simply because of application fees and associated CSS costs. Regarding the myth of exorbitance and college prices, our State could and must develop various incentive programs for debt relief to ensure that our graduates and college graduates return to Delaware with diplomas in hand. The money to pay for these education-related ideas can come from or through an increase in the lottery system revenue or from the revenues generated from the gambling industry.

Tags: unifying the education system in delaware

Tommy the Hartly monkey

I must have missed an article in the paper at some point, or maybe this monkey is like the Jimmy Hoffa of Delaware. I saw in the paper yesterday about a demolition that reveals "Tommy's bones." It sounds interesting enough, so I read the story. Apparently there was some legend about a monkey being buried in a building and they found the monkey bones when they tore it down. What I am missing from this story (and maybe this was part 2 of an article that I simply overlooked), is who the heck is Tommy the monkey and why are so many people so worked up over this? I'm not one to criticize writing, but most informational news reporting provides at least some background to explain the point. This one did not.

All I get out of this story is that there was some legend of Tommy the monkey in Hartly and that he died of pneumonia in 1941 after the presently demolished building caught fire and the monkey and the firefighter's hose crossed swords. Presumably, the building's owners buried him in the walls of the rebuilt building. And that's all she wrote. Was this a town pet or something? I don't know.

Unsurprisingly, there's nothing on the internet about Tommy the monkey either. So I am left to my own assumptions about why this is such an interesting story, and perhaps some more enlightened reader can point me out to fill in the gaps this article certainly created in its report.

Tags: tommy the monkey, monkey bones found in wall

Nobody's afraid of an Irish terrorist anymore

I went to the Second City players' show at the Schwartz Center yesterday. The whole experience was pretty enjoyable, despite the fact that I probably brought the average age in the theater down by about 15 years. In a lot of ways, the theater reminds me of similar theaters in Pennsylvania, New York, DC, and even Wilmington. For those of you looking for a little culture in the capital of this state, this theater is certainly a find.

Afterwards I checked out the "Lex" or "Loockerman Exchange." I would provide the link to their website, but it loads slower than their service. They bill themselves as world famous, which is a little bit of an overstatement. Compared to the service at some of the other bars in Dover (reviews to be forthcoming), it certainly is faster in some respects, and painfully slow in others. It was pretty fun also though, but after I called it a night, I'm still left wondering where the Trolley Square-type bars in Dover are. For being a college town with two schools within a few miles of each other, I'm surprised at how few people seem to go out on Friday and Saturday nights. I'll try Smithers and the Lobby House next.

I'm not sure what the next act to go through the Schwartz Center is, but according to the gentleman who sat next to me, he said that he and his wife go to shows there all the time, so I'm going to have to look into this more. Overall, I can cross "going to the Schwartz Center for a show" off my list of things to do while I'm in Dover. If anyone else ever gets a chance to go there, it's well worth the ticket price.

And for reference, the title of this entry refers to one of the Second City player's skits. I'm not going to presume to review the show, but there were definitely some funny parts (and some others that were only so-so funny), and overall, exactly what I expected. When interacting with the audience, they asked for some recent event and someone yelled out "mersa." It wasn't until I got back to my apartment that I realized that they were talking about "MRSA." It's no wonder that a general level of confusing arose, but they handled it pretty well.

Tags: second city players, schwartz center dover delaware

State news actually prints anonymous comments

One of my guilty pleasures is reading some of the ridiculous comments that get posted on the News Journal's website. Most are fairly, shall we say, uninformed. Anyway, in reading my new morning paper the other day, I've noticed that the Delaware State News actually prints some of these comments. Sometimes they are signed, and sometimes they are not. In this case, one anonymous comment in Monday's paper deserves a response.

I will print it in its completion: "I have driven from Dover to southeastern Montana recently and paid exactly a toll of 50 cents in tolls to do it, each way. That was the toll to cross the Mississippi River along the way. It is unconscionable that one (resident or not) should have to pay $4 to get from North St. George's to the Dover Air Force Base - one way. That's about 10 cents per mile. Same thing from Delaware Memorial Bridge to the toll both on I-95 in Newark - 15 miles costs $1.50 - unless that has also increased."

Well, I'm not sure if "unconscionable" is the right word. In fact, I believe if you take Rt. 13 all the way up, the cost is $0.00. That's about zero cents per mile. Putting that aside, the "sound off" forgets that the price is only $4 one way on weekends. As I have stated previously, the choice to take Rt. 1 is more out of convenience, and since you have to pay for convenience for everything else, why shouldn't the state try and make a buck off of this particular luxury? After all, it's the non-residents that travel the roadways more than residents in the summer, so (theoretically), DelDot and the general fund should get a boost from this toll jump.

The only other comment I will make about this particular sound off is that the person doesn't say how much was saved in tolls at the expense of wear and tear on the automobile that was driven. Sure, it may have only cost a dollar to go halfway across the country, but how far out of the way did you have to go to get there? I recognize this is sort of a silly argument, but so is calling the weekend toll bump "unconscionable."

Tags: delaware state news soundoffs

When in Rome, do the 'punkin chunkin'

I decided to go to the World (Famous) Championship Punkin Chunkin Competition on Sunday. Surprisingly, this was a great time. Who would have thought that hurling pumpkins via a air cannon or trebuchet would be so fun to watch. And, since the official site doesn't make it entirely clear, this event lends itself to alcohol, and you can bring your own. Plenty of cops are around to enforce unruliness, and they even have a DOC crew to clean up after you (and presumably haul you away if you get out of hand).

Not too much else to say about this one, but I highly recommend going to it once. I sort of doubt I would ever do this again, but I wouldn't rule it out. Well worth the drive through miles of farmland to get to the place. Even if you're coming from Wilmington, I would say it's worth the trip. Bring some folding chairs to sit on, a grill, and a cooler (and about 10 friends) for maximum fun.

Tags: punkin chunkin, pumpkin chunkin, delaware punkin chunkin

Special elections and another reason why it may be time for a constitutional convention

I wrote about this briefly before, but once again, due to the death of Senator Vaughn, the city of Dover has had another special election to fill an interim opening in an elected legislative position opening. Rep. Ennis (D) defeats Joanne Christian (R) by a nearly 2:1 margin, in what is reported as an impressive turnout of 19.6 percent. So now, there is an opening in the House, and I'm sure there will be another special election to fill that also.

To me, this whole "special election" process is nonsensical. Not to mention costly, given the timing of when this reelection process will be repeated. I think the time has come to amend the Delaware constitution to allow for the governor, by a heads up vote of the chamber that has the opening, to appoint the interim position, and that way, it remains open and any cries of lameduckedness become muted. The exact details can be worked out among the two chambers and let the people decide whether they want one election every two/four years or these "mini-elections" every few months.

Obviously if the Governor is a Republican, he would appoint a Republican to the spot, and vice versa. Nevertheless, the amendment could provide for the spot to go to the party of whose spot the open position was. Let the next general election decide whether that specially appointed person did a good job or not. The result of having these special elections, to me, simply inundate the public with misconceptions about the whole democratic process. And, if the 19.6% turnout is any indication, the current process really isn't that democratic anyway.

Tags: amending the delaware constitution, delaware special election problems

First thoughts of Dover, Brits on the radio and driving slow in the fast lane

Well, the first thing that is certainly different is the traffic. And by traffic, I mean the lack thereof. Unlike sitting in the parking lot of the Rt. 1/95 exit or the 141 mess, or any of the other half dozen spots that make the Wilmington commute more of a headache than anything else, those types of problems simply do not exist down here.

Granted, people tend to cruise very slowly in the fast lane, and these sunday drivers don't understand the concept of getting over or passing on the right. Not sure if I'm going to get used to that, mainly because I'm so used to it taking so long to get somewhere in the morning that there really is not the same need to zip around to get to the same places down in Dover. So, plus to that.

The radio stations down here are much less in number. I can't pick up any of the Philly stations, although I can pick up 93.7 so I can hear what the traffic patterns are every 10 minutes. If you can pick up a station, it's either country or country. I do like listening to 97.7 though, but mainly because the DJ is British, and since Wilmington has nothing like that, that's another plus for Dover. What is really funny is how the traffic reports down here are along the lines of "well, there's a little stop and go here and there." You guys have no idea how good you have it. Still can't figure out why 92.9 and 94.7 switched formats though. I seem to recall this happened years ago also, so maybe it's a contractual thing.

Intrigued by the fact that I have never heard a Brit on the radio before, I find the "Petch and Paula show" actually as good as some of the philly morning shows, if not better because of the British adaptations on typical American things (like proper football as opposed to American football). And since I find it hard to believe that a downstate radio station could have snagged such a unique dj, I found on the internet the low down. Lives in the area. Good for Milford and the Eagle station for picking up such a unique morning personality.

Anyway, there also seems to be a lot more black tags down here, which is sort of interesting also, and I'll have to comment on that another time. In the meantime though, I'll save my minuses for another day. Supposedly there are fun bars around Dover, I just have to find them, and tonight's as good a time as any.

Tags: eagle 97.7 british dj, dover delaware radio stations, dover traffic, eagle in the morning

Spam Email report online

Internet is up, initial comments on Dover are forthcoming in an entry later this week, but for now, I wanted to comment on an interesting national article I saw splashed across the internet this afternoon dealing with spam and scam emails: Operation GreenDot, Following the Spam.

Since these emails pervade even the most diligent internet savant's inbox, I think it's important to understand why these scams should not be taken. Because Delaware takes great steps in trying to prevent its citizens from insurance fraud and other internet scams, I think this article about investigating a purchase from a spam email is worthy of a short commentary in the hopes that it prevents anyone from actually falling for these "too good to be true" emails.

The article is actually pretty comprehensive and worth the read. Basically, it explains where the initial email came from, where it actually came from, and what happened after he bought something from one of these scammers. In the end, unsurprisingly, he didn't get what he ordered. Just like this recent ad campaign explains it in visual terms, save yourself a giant headache and just delete these scam emails. Don't be another statistic.

Just so I am clear, I am not saying don't conduct business online. Frankly, I would buy everything online, including groceries, if I could and they could deliver it without breaking any eggs. (And in a few years, doing so probably will be more commonplace than it is now). My point is that you just need to be smart about it. Online companies like Amazon and online storefronts for Wal-Mart, Target, and the like are legitimate. Phishing emails from paypal or ebay or some bank that you don't have an account with (or even one that you do) that request very confidential information are not.

There is a funny commercial on tv now that has a ratty looking man go up to a woman on a bus asking for her credit card information, basically reading some lines from some of these spam/scam emails. While the company sponsoring the ad escapes me at the moment and I can't find it online, the point and conclusion is obvious and stated at the end of the commercial: you wouldn't fall for this in real life, so why would you do it online. If I find the video online, I'll post the link.

I think I listed some sources before, but the bottom line is to be sure to investigate any "too good to be true" deals before falling for them. While some may be legitimate, most are not. Snopes is usually my best first resource for checking such fantastic tales out.

Tags: scam emails, phishing information

The move to Dover

Just a quick post and then I have an out-of-state conference that I must get on the road for. My job has me doing a lot of work in Dover as of late, so I have decided to find an apartment down there and make that my center of operations for the next couple of months rather than trek back and forth along Rt. 1. Since I know virtually nothing about "downstate," it will be interesting to see whether it is as backwards as we are led to believe. Somehow I doubt it, although I could have sworn I saw a horse and buggy the other week.

Nevertheless, I haven't found too much in terms of what are good places to eat down in Dover, where the local bars are, etc., so maybe I'll chime in my perspective on these spots while I'm down here. One plus is that I'm closer to the beach. One minus is that traffic is much slower and the drivers really don't understand the concept of driving fast in the fast lane.

Moving is going to take a little while, and my internet is not scheduled to be up until I'm back from the conference, so once that is back up, posts will continue. I even decided that I would try and pick up the Delaware State News while I am down here so I could see once and for all which is the superior newspaper for the state. Hopefully they carry the News Journal at newsstands down here so I don't have to constantly rely on Delaware Online or the Wall Street Journal or Times for my news. (And no, I am certainly not equating the News Journal to either of those papers).

Tags: dover delaware

Socks the Cat returns to the spotlight

At long last, celebrity first cat "Socks" has returned to the headlines. Astute reporting from across the pond has revealed that upon President Clinton's exit from the White House, the decision on who was going to take Socks the cat didn't wind up in front of any family court judge, but rather, to "Betty Currie, Bill Clinton's personal secretary, who also had an embarrassing clean-up role in the saga of his relationship with the intern Monica Lewinsky." Well, the whole thing reeks worse than a litter box.

First, how can someone who can't even take care of a cat run for office? I mean, give me a break. The President should be able to juggle Monday Night Football with taking the garbage out or cleaning up after his/her pet like everyone else. Second, it is obvious that her ability to take care of animals isn't just limited to the cat. The article also reports that Buddy the dog got run over once he was taken outside the gate on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (well, a little bit of time passed, but you get my point). If taking care of animals is any indication of her ability to take care of her constituents, then our country is in bigger trouble than England believes, right??

All kidding aside, it's amazing that this story even made headlines. In fact, it's sad. This election isn't going to be about a woman, or a Mormon, or a minority, or even about a Delawarean attempting to run for office. It's bad enough that with still over a year to go until the clock to replace the president restarts, the news is filled with Tonight-Show type bits that mock a candidate for how they treat their pets.

Britain's subtle knock about how Senator Clinton has handled some of her personal affairs shows the type of respect that our country is getting nowadays. Will she able to overcome all this if she is elected? Even if she is, her victory would ensure for four more years of these catty stories. Personally, while I believe that a woman could run this country just as well as anyone else, I just don't think that Clinton is going to be this country's first woman president. To me, she just polarizes too many people. The Socks the cat story is a good example.

Whoever wins will have to figure out how to return this country to the forefront of the world economy. The winner will also need to start mending fences between the US and everyone else who has started to shift sides toward this reportedly anti-cat environment. And if the winning candidate can make my dollar a little stronger along the way, that would be great also. I would rather not have to start trading in euros; our funny money is quite enough.

Tags: socks the cat

The allure of the black tag

Delaware is quirky in many ways, and one of the things that many don't notice until they have been here for a while is the "black tag" license plate. Whether they are a sign of elitism or just because they look cool, owners of cars in Delaware have the option of getting a "black" tag (as opposed to a "regular" tag) if their license plate number is low enough. And while I thought this number had to be somewhere less than 87000 or so, I saw a car on the way to the beach this weekend that makes me question whether the DMV has decided to elevate a few more thousand tags to "elite" status.

For those of you not aware, Delaware is the only state in the union that has a totally flat tag. The standard tag is blue with gold lettering. If you have a low number though, you are eligible to get the replica tag from the 1940s with your number. Certain restrictions apply. Low, three digit tags have been sold at auction for thousands of dollars. Apparently even people in the UK have been apprised of the "black tag" phenomenon. Regardless, it's a collector's thing like anyone else. People will buy anything if you tell them it's cool enough. Look at some of the junk that is available on ebay or Craigslist.

Nevertheless, I think the black tags are pretty cool, even if there is a hint of elitism with them. At the same time, it bothered me that I saw a six digit black tag on a dark blue or black Mustang (#148558). Not only did the tag look junky, it demeans the whole prestige of having a "low" number. Or at least, that's what I would think if I had a low number and liked the fact that the number of black tags available is fixed.

Maybe the tag was fake, but it had an '09 sticker on it, so who knows. In either case, it was unusual enough to warrant this entry and further research as to whether the whole black tag concept is about to take a lemming run off the DMV cliff.

Apparently the DMV page has changed in the times Google has searched it (current page and cached page), but I haven't been overly successful in finding out whether this is a legislative change or not. Maybe someone else who is more familiar with all of this knows and can chime in.

Tags: delaware black tag, black license plate delaware, delaware license plate

Jobs for DE College Graduates

One of the major issues facing this state is education. I can guarantee that there will be future posts on this issue, but for now, I will direct the focus of this entry to one of the problems that is a consequence of pushing for higher education. That is, once you have the degree and want to come back to the State and do something, your options in Delaware are pretty limited. Outside of the state, certainly jobs await for you in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and any of the other 46 states, but how does that benefit Delaware? The answer to this rhetorical question is pretty obvious: Not at all.

With MBNA gone and with it all of the jobs and scholarships it gave out to a good percentage of the graduating high school seniors in this state, I submit that there is a shortage of entry level jobs for college graduates. With the exception of Astra-Zeneca, Gore, part of the duPont company, the state, and some banks that have stayed here, the remaining jobs are in the health, legal, and education industry, and half of those require an additional post-graduate degree. So my concern with this is that the state pushes for high schools to get their graduates up to "no child left behind" par, and a third or so go on to some type of college, and where do they expect these Delaware college graduates to come back and do? And even more to the point, is the state, by limiting these options, inherently telling the graduating seniors that unless you get a degree in these certain areas, you should look for jobs elsewhere?

Maybe, but probably not. Obviously your options with a college degree are more than they are without one. And there are a lot of jobs (although I agree there could be more) for those with just a high school diploma. But the gap is widening. And here, in 2007, I argue that a gap is beginning to form between those types of degrees people are getting. Thirty years from now, are you going to have to get a post-graduate degree in order to survive financially?

So what is the solution? (Meaning, how would I fix this?). I think the Governor, whoever the next one is, needs to make a concerted effort to recruit another Astra-Zeneca or MBNA-type (bank, insurance, etc.) (or Silicon Valley-type) company to relocate to Delaware. I would argue that this should be each of the '08 candidates' primary concern and platform (followed by the health care and education platforms that always show up at the top of the list). With the population growth spreading further south, the push shouldn't necessarily be to relocate this/these companies to Wilmington, but toward Kent or Sussex County. The population shift toward those counties is here anyway; the failure to recognize this and start to accommodate for it is just being short-sighted or disingenuous.

Even if one new company came in, that would create upwards of 2000+ jobs across the board (more if they build a new building and have to restructure the infrastructure). This would generate income for the state and the positive effects will certainly outweigh the negative ones I am conspicuously and purposely leaving out of this entry. Further, it would help fill out the void in the housing market that currently exists. While we are at it, why not start pushing for a branch of Toyota or some other car company to take over when Chrysler finally pulls out and leaves even more people out of a job? I think the effort to bring industry and business in shouldn't be focused directly on incorporation and the franchise tax; a scattergun recruiting effort across multiple industry lines could work. More research, admittedly, will need to be done (which helps create more jobs as well).

Lastly, for now, the idea of putting a new company south of the canal allows for the first step toward creating a mass transit system a more realistic idea. The current rail system exists for the industrial sector; putting the dual rails back in and recruiting a Septa-type organization to bid for the contract certainly would create additional jobs (both permanent and temporary) in building, running, maintaining, and policing this system. It could also help with the beach and tourist industry because many more would hop on the train to get to the beach, and could thereafter take Dart from the final train stop. Translation = more money for the state. More on this mass transit idea another day.

I can only invite commentary by posting; feel free post a comment and explain why this idea would or would not work.

Tags: delaware college jobs, delaware jobs, delaware jobs for college graduates idea, relocating business to delaware, delaware mass transit system

Bus stop sign laws and the divided highways

I certainly don't intend this to turn into some sort of Delaware traffic blog, but this event is so random and amusing that it deserves a brief writeup.

A long time ago now, in my high school drivers ed class, my teacher told us that you always have to stop when a school bus is loading. And that law appears to be followed in our state without any problems save the occasional crash. What stuck out in my mind, and what drives this story, so to speak, was the teacher's explanation of the driving rules of other states and how they need to be obeyed regardless if you know them or not (basically, ignorance of the law is not an excuse). In Delaware, cars are required to stop when meeting or approaching a bus while it is loading or unloading. Cars on the other side of a divided highway are not required to stop. According to my drivers' ed teacher and a quick Google search, some states, including New York, do not have this divided highway exception. Which brings me to my story.

As I was driving to work today, I came upon a stopped bus and like everyone else, came to a stop to wait. On the other side of the highway though, I saw that the lead car had also stopped. Ironically, this person was in the left lane, which undoubtedly drove the growing line of cars behind him or her insane. The two truckers in the right lane, likely confused, had stopped as well, at least for a minute before finally moving on. And after the bus started moving, so did all lanes of traffic. In high school, my drivers' ed teacher speculated that this sort of event on the other side of the highway could happen and could cause an accident if the drivers behind the out-of-state resident weren't paying attention. Here anyway, that was not the case.

It actually was an interesting display of the enforceability of other states' traffic laws. While in Delaware, the driver who stopped here would merely get a honk or two, a Delaware driver in New York in that same situation could face a steep fine if caught. In all likelihood, this would not be the case, but I found the whole incident mildly amusing, if only because it made me think back to some random day in a high school drivers ed class.

And to recenter this to be Delaware-related and not an expose on the bus stopping laws, I think the current Delaware bus safety and stop laws are good and work well.

Tags: delaware bus stop rule, passing a stopped bus laws

First registration, now Route 1 - tolls are going up

As anyone who has been to the DMV lately to register their car, the registration rates have doubled now for the 1 or 2 year re-registration. It now costs $40/year to register your car once it passes inspection. Compared to Pennsylvania and other neighboring states, this is still a bargain.

For anyone who has driven up or down Route 1 lately, you probably have noticed the new electronic toll signs, which currently reflect the rate of $1/car. That, too, is going up effective Monday, Oct. 1, from $1 to $2 (but only on weekends) (for now). While this is great for our side of the tourist industry and should generate big money for the general fund, I think it's going to have the added bonus of increasing local traffic on 13. After all, it's just about as quick to take 13 as it is Route 1 anyway, despite the lights.

With the increase in tolls and car registration to generate money for the state, why not go ahead and create a toll of say, $10/car and $20/truck on the St. George's bridge. You can go over the main bridge anyway without having to pay the toll, so is the St. George's even necessary anymore? That will effectively pay to keep that old thing up - and realistically, the money the State saves if they tore it down could help prevent any future increases on the toll roads. Just a thought.

Tags: delaware tolls, delaware route 1 tolls

Biden's idea to decentralize Iraq gains some steam

Senator Biden has argued for over 18 months that any success in Iraq necessarily requires the country be split into three sections, each run by their respective religious group. The sections would be unified by a central hub in Baghdad. Sen. Biden's idea, first posed in an op-ed essay in the New York Times (USA Today condensed version here), is (in some respects) similar to how the Allies decided to split up Germany in the aftermath of World War II. And while some may argue that the division of Germany led to greater implications, it did solve the intermediate problems facing that country in those tumultuous times. And now, 60+ years later, Germany is a thriving hub of the European economy. Obviously they still have problems also, but that is beside the point being offered here.

Biden's plan is one realistic solution to the Iraq problem, and, not surprisingly, has gained tremendous momentum, particularly today when the Senate, by a 75-23 vote, passed a non-binding resolution echoing Biden's decentralization plan. Will this have a positive effect on the war? Perhaps. At the very least, it is a feather in Biden's cap that may help him begin to climb the mountain that confronts him in trying to gain the national Democratic nomination.

More realistically, however, it gives whoever the next president is, GOP or Democrat, a solid reason to appoint him as the next Secretary of State. Obviously, I realize that if the Republicans (speculatively through Fred Thompson) are able to keep the White House, it is highly improbable that any such party lines will be crossed. And why should they? As a non-sequitur, I will save my developing belief that we don't really even have a distinct two-party system anymore for another day.

Nevertheless, given the inability for the currently Democrat-controlled Congress to do anything productive since gaining both houses two years ago, maybe such a West Wing-esque party line crossing should be considered. And while our senior Senator has ruled this position out, I have to question whether he would turn it down if the opportunity presented itself 18 months from now.

Tags: biden decentralization of iraq idea, biden plan to split iraq, senate resolution to split iraq

Tragedy at Del State

I saw this on the news this morning and haven't heard much about it other than what has been put on the national news. Two students were shot, one seriously, at Delaware State University. While anything I would say about this would be pure speculation, I will simply provide the links and say no more. Given the tragedies that have already struck the campus prior to the start of this semester, this sort of thing can't be too great for recruiting. Nevertheless, it is very sad. Hopefully these "persons of interest" are caught soon.

At the same time, however, I wonder how the events of this morning will affect Race Weekend, since the racetrack is practically across the street and a quarter million Nascar fans are expected to pour into the Monster Mile to watch over the next 72 hours. This sort of perfect storm of sorts must be a state and local police nightmare, and a media field day. I can only hope it is relatively quiet.

Tags: students shot at delaware state university

Stalking the Smyrna mayor, or a modern rendition of the fox and the grapes

I normally try and stay out of the local politics within the state, but an article today caught my eye and warrants some comment. Apparently, the Smyrna Mayor, Patricia Stombaugh has been the focus of a private investigator's most recent assignment. Since the News Journal made cryptic nonsense out of this mystery, I turned to the Delaware State News to fill in the gap. Apparently, the mayor was under surveillance shortly after being elected into office earlier this year. Now, for the part that makes this story much more interesting. Why was "DE50," an obviously different anonymous Delawarean than this writer, so interested in the mayor? That's right folks - she wanted to make sure that the mayor was a bona fide Smyrna resident: "The reason for the investigation, according to the document, was to determine whether or not the mayor lived within town limits for the year prior to the election, a requirement to run for and hold the office of mayor as stated by the Smyrna town charter."

Now, I've seen a lot of ... questionable things done by Delawareans, but this one has to rank right up there. Isn't this sort of investigation, brought on by a private citizen no doubt, an incredible waste of time, money, resources, and other people's time (compensated obviously), all for the purpose of essentially "sour grapes?" The article goes on to speculate that the person that hired this PI might have been the former Smyrna mayor, Mark G. Schaeffer, based on the fact that he didn't return any calls to the reporter. I don't know if that's a fair leap to make, and I see it as yet another example of unobjectionable reporting that is plaguing the nation. But even assuming for the sake of argument for the moment that it is, doesn't it go right back to my original point that this sort of thing is a big waste of time for everyone involved? Not to mention the whole creepiness factor.

My more basic point would be this. What if this investigation did yield that she didn't actually live in the city? Is that really enough of a reason to throw what appears to be a rather small potatoes political position into a tailspin and wreak havoc? And even more to my point, who cares enough about this that she would spend that much money on it? I am purposely (and perhaps sarcastically) assuming that it is a female that would do something this ridiculous. If it did turn out to be a man, he should be embarrassed for wasting his time and the investigators. And if it turns out to be the former mayor, wouldn't the efforts to unwind your loss have been better focused on keeping you into that position in the first place? Most of this rant is pure speculation, but I see it a great example of petty local politics that serves no purpose other than vindictive child's play.

And speaking of mayoral elections that waste taxpayer's money, I see that our state capital just completed a special election to elect a new mayor to replace Stephen Speed, who was mayor of Dover prior to being named head of the airway sciences program at Delaware State University. This two-year term ends in May 2008, at which point, I can only assume they will have the real election. Instead of spending the money to find an interim mayor, why wouldn't the city of Dover (or any other city/state for that matter) amend their charter to appoint an interim person. Wouldn't that be a lot less expensive and effective for all those involved? Just some things to think about the next time Dover (or other cities) start asking for state money for something like more police.

Tags: dover delaware mayor election, patricia stombaugh investigated, smyrna mayor investigated

Back from Europe and traffic is not much better there than here

After a brief vacation, I returned to our small state only to face the usual barrage of traffic this morning. According to a news report tonight, fellow commuters (Delawareans included) sit in traffic nearly a week out of every year. What a waste of time for everybody. To relieve this traffic problem, many larger cities have enacted carpool lanes, or limited access pay roads that have charges that vary with the time of day. While Delaware has neither the infrastructure or population to warrant this type of change, the problem is still enough that maybe we should start thinking about more seriously about it.

Since an election year is coming up, I'm sure there will be an absence of tax talk for a while, at least in the more traditional senses. Instead, I offer two ways to generate income without raising the state income tax. I give these ideas in response to the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council is projecting as a ten percent drop in revenue for the annual budget and that signs continue to point to a general slowdown in the Delaware economy.

While I save the merits of building a larger Septa-type rail system to transverse the distance from Wilmington to the beach along the old railroad lines for another day, we could do something along the lines of modifying the tolls on Route 1 to be more similar to the Pennsylvania turnpike. Depending on how long you were on it, your toll would vary. This modified toll system would also have the benefit of generating income similar to, if not more than the 60-cent-per-pack cigarette tax that was passed last year. Plus you would have to hire some union workers to work these new toll booths, so that would put a few more people to work.

My second suggestion for whoever winds up getting the nomination for either party would be to consider upping the fines for traffic violations and other minor misdemeanors. I think running a stop sign now costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 plus costs, and if one of the red light cameras gets you, it's $75. Doubling or tripling these fines may have the dual purpose of deterrence and income generation at the expense of those who break the law. Obviously it works for all of the beach towns with their speed traps...

Tags: delaware economic and financial advisory counsel projections, delaware recession talk, charging more on route 1, toll increase on route 1, ideas to make delaware better, ideas of raising income in delaware

Capt. Beau Biden, A.G. potentially deployed to Iraq in 2008

Although this blog will focus on all things Delaware, I will save my reasons for creating this blog for another day. In the meantime, I thought I would beat Delaware Online to the punch by reporting what is sure to be front page news tomorrow morning. From the AP wire, Senator Biden's son, Attorney General Beau Biden "has been told to prepare for duty in Iraq in 2008." The full story is posted on the AP website. How this deployment will affect the Department of Justice remains to be seen.

Tags: beau biden iraq, delaware attorney general