THE HEADLINES

A reporter for The Weather Channel covering Irene in North Carolina (Image from The New York Times)

NOTHING LIKE A NASTY HURRICANE TO RAMP UP BUSINESS FOR THE WEATHER CHANNEL.

(New York Times)

Think of it if you will as the hedge funders of the weather world; the TV channel that specializes in weather news is making some “disaster capitalism” out of the current interest of people being “entertained” by the “live” news coverage that the channel offers. Pictures of dauntless news men and women buffeted by the storm and of trees fallen on houses create a huge increase in viewership for the channel and, along with this, revenues from advertisers who hawk all kinds of supplies needed to reduce damages of storms or repair the damages that occur.

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“NATIONAL GREATNESS CONSERVATISM”: IT’S WHAT PUTS THE “NEO” IN NEO-CONSERVATISM.

(Antiwar.com)

Justin Raimondo makes this observation in an article blasting the persistence of neo-con figures in thundering against the dire threats to the national interest of any reduction in military budgets. Unable to come down with any shadow of consistency on domestic issues such as economic stimulus projects, they find their comfort zones by nesting with foreign policy hawks today as much as they did during the G.W. Bush ascendancy.

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CALIFORNIA IS ONE STATE NOT RESPONDING TO THE CARROT-AND-STICK APPROACH OF OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO “EDUCATIONAL REFORM.“

(Orange County Register)

The policy of “educational overhaul” is pushing for states to take the carrot of federal waivers from punishment for “No Child Left Behind” failures with the stick of withholding federal funding from those refusing to join the “Race to the Top” by means of overhauling of “failing” schools. California educators cite the “progressiveness” of the state’s teacher and their resistance to what they see as education-damaging insistence on the expansion of “accountability” based on standardized test results.

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MEXICAN ENTREPRENEURS ARE OFFERING HOT YOGA AND PROTECTION FROM DRUG CARTELS AT THE WOODLANDS IN TEXAS, A HOUSTON SUBURB.

(Houston Chronicle)

Many Mexicans, rich ones especially, have fled the violence in their country to take up residence in this community. Their needs, both to avoid the violence that threatens to follow them, and to adjust the the conditions of a new “culture,” have a bred of cadre of business operators willing and able to cater to these needs.

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FLORIDA’S “CITY OF TREES”, GAINESVILLE, IS BECOMING A CITY OF SOD.

(Gainesville Sun)

Residents of streets slated for “improvement” are noting that grass along sidewalks of these streets is being pulled up, to be replaced by “Bermuda sod” of uncertain quality in actually producing grass. The Florida DOT, the sod-placers, cite the safety hazards of sod that produces grasses: failure to keep it mowed or its being mowed too short creates hazards for pedestrians. Then think what a nuisance a TREE planted on this right of way locations could be!

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Quote of the day...

After each betrayal, after each terribly bad bargain, Obama comes out waving a piece of paper, a one-sided agreement to appease the Republicans – peace in our time. … A despair grips America today, a cold fear that our best days are behind us, that we are adrift and powerless. Yes, the Republicans are to blame. But so is a president who treats core American values as bargaining chips, who won’t fight for anything, who refuses to lead. It turns out hope does matter. … Americans aren’t inspired by well-meaning weakness. We like strong leaders, particularly in desperate times.

William Broyles, former staff member for President Jimmy Carter, on Obama’s performance in the White House.

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