The Mordecai Interpretive Center

Mordecai House


Thursday evening, some of the neighborhood email lists lit up with discussion of the planned Interpretive Center at Mordecai Historic Park. The center is going through the planning stages and the proposed location has been selected by staff, with the Mordecai Historic Park (MHP) board and the Raleigh Historic Districts Commission both offering their approvals. Three public meetings have addressed the center and public feedback up until now has been overwhelmingly positive, with the project receiving a standing ovation at its public hearing in the Mordecai neighborhood in November.

When first presented with this plan at the Mordecai board meeting, I was concerned that the board was not given time to properly vet this plan. I needed time to study it and get my questions addressed. I recognize the historical importance of the park and wanted to make sure we did this right. It remains the only time I voted in the minority as a Mordecai boardmember.
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Pakistan knew

There is no way that Osama Bin Laden lived in a compound that secure in the neighborhood of a Pakistani military academy without the Pakistan government knowing about it.

I think it’s becoming more clear that Pakistan’s interests and America’s interests are often in conflict.

Make your own cell phone network

I just discovered a very cool open-source project that turns an ordinary laptop into a cellular tower. It uses Asterisk to route calls.

Very, very cool. Now I have to find out how it works!

OpenBTS is an open-source Unix application that uses the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) to present a GSM air interface ("Um") to standard GSM handset and uses the Asterisk® software PBX to connect calls. The combination of the ubiquitous GSM air interface with VoIP backhaul could form the basis of a new type of cellular network that could be deployed and operated at substantially lower cost than existing technologies in greenfields in the developing world.

via The OpenBTS Project.

Bin Laden dead

Osama Bin Laden was reportedly killed early Sunday morning in Pakistan by a team of Navy Seals. I am not one to lust for blood but I can’t say I’ll miss this murdering terrorist.

One of the fears I have about Bin Laden’s death: that by making him a martyr is that we risk reviving the waning influence of Al Qaeda. The recent Arab Spring has shown that it is ordinary people who have the power to change governments, not terrorists like Bin Laden.

Analysts said Bin Laden’s death amounted to a double blow for Al Qaeda, after its sermons of anti-Western violence seemed to be rendered irrelevant by the wave of political upheaval rolling through the Arab world.

via Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says – NYTimes.com.

Weddings

There was a certain wedding early this morning in a country far, far away. While I’m happy for the couple, I remember how the couple in the last “royal wedding” turned out.

It’s fine to celebrate weddings, but one’s wedding day is just day one of a lifetime journey. In spite of the jitters some couples feel before their wedding, it will arguably be the easiest day of their marriage. When the admiring crowds have all gone home, the real work begins.

I can’t imagine how much harder marriage must be when working under the expectations of an entire country.

Peter Lovenheim

I went to a talk by author Peter Lovenheim last night. It was sponsored by the Raleigh Citizen Advisory Council, of which I’m a part. Lovenheim wrote a book about his neighborhood and asked his neighbors if he could sleep over to find out more about them. I’ve just gotten his book In The Neighborhood this week and haven’t had a chance to dig into it yet.

I’ve been meaning to write up my thoughts about his talk but I’ve been getting up at 4 AM every morning this week to conduct training for work. Conducting training takes a lot of energy itself, but when it also begins at 4 AM it is especially draining. A full write-up will have to wait until I get a little downtime!

Nancy’s in

Nancy McFarlane

Today, District A city councilor Nancy McFarlane announced her bid to be mayor of Raleigh. Her decision comes a day after Mayor Charles Meeker announced he would not be seeking a second term.

I’ve known Nancy for a while now and expected this decision. She’s smart, funny, and deeply dedicated to serving the citizens of Raleigh. I believe she will serve Raleigh well as its next mayor!

Charles Meeker to step down

Charles Meeker in 2004


A press conference this morning confirmed what many already guessed: that Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker would be stepping down at the end of this term. He stresses, though, that is isn’t planning to disappear!

Charles made some very good calls during his tenure as mayor, such as demolishing that butt-ugly old convention center in favor of the new one. This attracted business from out of down and opened up the beautiful Fayetteville Street for traffic and business, returning it to its rightful place as Raleigh’s “Main Street.” He guided the city through two droughts, a huge recession, and numerous storms. He led efforts to implement sustainability throughout the city projects, saving money in the long run. Accolades for our city piled up during his tenure.
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The crowded gas pumps


I’ve been amused at how crowded gas pumps have become recently. It seems there is now every kind of vending machine stacked next to the pumps. How did we get here?

Back in the mid 80s, the pay at the pump gas pump made its debut, giving customers the convenience of purchasing gasoline without having to wait in line in the store. While this has been great for customers who only want to refuel, it’s been horrible deal for the station owners.

Station owners make very little money from gasoline sales. Their largest profits come from selling groceries and junk food. Sell a few gallons of milk for 6 bucks each and you’re doing pretty well.
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