August 2012

There were 111 posts published in August 2012 (this is page 11 of 12).

Rejuvenated

Last night I went to bed with some weighty questions on my mind, like how people could gleefully embrace discrimination the way they did yesterday. It seriously bummed me out. As I fell asleep I pondered what kind of world I was living in, and whether it made sense to hitch a ride with the next passing spaceship if there were no intelligent life left on Earth.

The Universe must have been listening because when my eyes popped open today I felt fantastic. I had an inspired morning, full of laughter and joking. It was just what I needed.

I don’t recall any particular dream or message from overnight, but I did get the reassurance I needed. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and everything will work out. Message received.

Congress examines Amtrak’s food and beverage losses

I’m a fan of Amtrak but I have to admit their food car is a joke. To pay almost 10 bucks for a hamburger to be reheated in a microwave is outrageous. What’s even more outrageous is that it costs Amtrak $16.15 for that same pathetic burger.

Time to require some accountability for Amtrak. Replacing the food car with a car of vending machines would be a good start.

Amtrak loses millions on its food and beverage service, and a congressional committee wants to know why.

The company’s food and beverage cars have lost $833.8 million over the last decade, including $84.5 million in 2011, according to testimony at a congressional hearing Thursday.

The reason: the difference between Amtrak’s costs and what it charges passengers. For example, taking overhead into account, each cheeseburger costs Amtrak $16.15 and each can of soda costs $3.40. But Amtrak charges passengers only $9.50 and $2 for those items.

via Congress examines Amtrak's food and beverage losses – USATODAY.com.

Mad Cow Disease

My neighbor knocked on the door a few weeks ago and gave me some very disturbing news. She had come to tell me she would be out of town because one of her relatives was sick. She said one of her in-laws (I forget the exact relation) was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or the human form of Mad Cow Disease.

She said this man had visited her in Raleigh for June’s Race For The Cure and complained about losing the feeling in his arm. Very soon afterward, he lost the ability to move his entire side. Doctors initially thought he had had a stroke but my neighbor’s daughter is a veterinarian and wasn’t convinced with that diagnosis. She urged that he get a second opinion and as such they found a doctor who willing to consider the CJD diagnosis.

According to the news reports, only one in a million Americans will succumb to this devastating disease each year. It’s a shame my neighbor’s relative appears to be one of them, and it all happened so terrifyingly fast.

I wasn’t aware that this disease was still afflicting Americans as I hadn’t heard much news about it. Looks like I was wrong.

Twenty years in NC

It was on this day twenty years ago that I moved to North Carolina for good. I’d lived here before, of course, starting in 1983 when I spent three years in Charlotte. In between 1986 and 1992, I moved to Great Falls, VA, joined the Navy, and traveled the world.

August 2, 1992 was when I came to Raleigh to attend N.C. State. I first lived on Clanton Avenue, then the Raleigh Apartments on Peace Street, then Thea Lane, before moving to the other side of Lake Johnson at the Lake Johnson Apartments on Trillium Circle. Then I got married, moved to Garner for 5 years, had a kid, moved back to Raleigh at Hobhouse Circle, had another kid, then moved to East Raleigh on Tonsler Drive. Whew!

It’s been a wonderful first 20 years. I look forward to seeing what the next 20 years will bring!

Triangle Chick-fil-A backers say: eat chicken, not words

I’m sure this man supports the First Amendment and rights for everyone. Uh-huh. Boycotts are fine except when they’re not.

Mike Darlington criticized the outrage with Cathy.

“That’s the great thing about our country, we have the First Amendment,” Darlington said.

Darlington also pointed that across the parking lot was a Home Depot, which denotes money to gay pride events. Does he shop at Home Depot? “No” was his one-word answer. His view was that people have the right to boycott, but “just don’t make a big deal out of it.”

via Triangle Chick-fil-A backers say: eat chicken, not words – Local/State – NewsObserver.com.

Dragonflies

It makes me glad to see a lot more dragonflies flying around my yard. I’m not sure what has brought them to our little abode but I’m happy they’re around. In addition to other insects, Dragonflies eat mosquitoes, of which my yard has plenty. I hope these dragonflies get fat and happy on all the ‘skeeter snacks they pluck from my yard.

After acrimony, Wade CAC chairs seek smoother relations

I like the N&O’s Matt Garfield. He works hard and has sat through marathon meetings when even I wanted to jump out of my chair and disapppear. When my friend wrote about this past week’s Wade CAC election, though, he didn’t tell even half of the story.

I suppose someday soon I will fill in the blanks here on MT.Net, and there’s also value in simply moving on. For now I’m happy that Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) are getting the attention they deserve.

Mike Rieder and Mary Jane Clark have a lot of work to do.

The newly elected Wade CAC chairman and vice-chairwoman take office following a contentious election to succeed longtime predecessors Bill Padgett and Louise Griffith.

Rieder defeated Seth Hollar and Craig Ralph in a vote that attracted an overflow crowd of 170 people to the Jaycee Community Center. Clark was unopposed.

The pair will try to restore a sense of cooperation to the Wade CAC, a community advisory council that encompasses some of the city’s most historic and politically active neighborhoods.Created in the 1970s, CACs weigh in on issues ranging from zoning to mass transit.

“This process was damaging to the community,” Clark said. “We have a lot of healing that needs to take place.”

via After acrimony, Wade CAC chairs seek smoother relations – Raleigh – MidtownRaleighNews.com.