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.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
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.
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:
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
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.
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:
Sunday, November 11, 2007
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.
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:
Thursday, November 8, 2007
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."
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:
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
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.
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:
Sunday, November 4, 2007
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.
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.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
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.
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.
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Monday, October 29, 2007
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.
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.
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