Unsafe Work Practices, American Style

No sooner had I talked trash about China’s Darwin-friendly safety practices that I see we ‘Mericans have got a ways to go. On my Friday morning commute, I passed three City of Raleigh Public Works employees working on a curb on Ridge Road.

One was setting up some safety barrier around their work site (good). Another was supervising the work (also good). The guy in the middle, God bless him, he was wielding a sledgehammer to bust up the concrete curb. Concrete chips were flying left and right, prompting the supervisor to turn his back. Hammer guy, though, kept right on plowing through the curb – all without eye protection.

In his youth my uncle lost an eye by busting up a sidewalk. It kinda makes me pay attention to this stuff. I had half a mind to stop and give those three burly guys a safety lecture.

I’m calling Public Works tomorrow morning and politely provide them a clue.

UNC Mascot Jason Ray In Coma

Kelly’s volunteer duties with the March of Dimes involve inviting the area team mascots to appear at the WalkAmerica walk in April. She wound up exchanging emails with Jason Ray, who protrays UNC’s mascot, Rameses.

Kelly was shocked to hear that Jason was hit by a car Friday and critically injured. He’s now in a coma and showing few signs of life.

Please keep Jason and his family in your thoughts and prayers, y’all.

[Update (3/26):] Jason Ray passed away this morning. Sad. See the link above for memorial information.

Raising Money For Preemies With The March Of Dimes

Its that time again when Kelly and I raise money for the March of Dimes through their annual WalkAmerica event. Our friends and family have been incredibly generous in their giving. Last year we raised a whopping $1,600: more money than a lot of the company donors who participated! That money will go towards vital research towards preventing premature births – a problem which cuts across all walks of life.

Kelly’s taking a more active role this year by helping organize this year’s event. You can help by pitching in toward our goal of $1,800. With your help, we can get there!

Once again, we ask you to support Hallie’s Team as we raise money for this worthy cause. And thanks once again for your generous support!
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Pack’s Season Ends – Many Bright Ones To Follow

Congrats to Sydney Lowe and the Wolfpack for an exciting season of basketball. While it was sad to see for it to end last night, there is definitely some buzz back in Wolfpack basketball. I’m very optimistic about the future. Thanks for a great season, Pack! Well done!

Also congrats to Engin Atsur, who capped a phenomenal college career last night. He’s a great player and a great person who’ll be missed by the Wolfpack Nation. I look forward to hearing great things about Engin and I know there’ll be plenty.

China Coming To Terms With Air Pollution?

My shipmate Matt sent me this story from The Economist which brings news that Beijing is finally recognizing they have an issue with the city’s air pollution. The weather service is now issuing “haze” alerts, rather than “fog.”

Hey, its a baby step. But at least its a step.

Being that the roads in Beijing are choked with traffic I’m not surprised. Remember, it took us an hour to drive 10km to dinner one night, and a similar scene probably plays out on every major street every day in Beijing. I don’t know if anyone seriously inspects Chinese cars for emissions problems (I doubt it). This is not to mention the dozens of factories and power plants which also add to the pollution.

Funny how I didn’t consider until now the effects of this pollution might have on the Olympic athletes. If just walking around Beijing can turn your snot to black, imagine what competing athletically at an Olympic level might do. If I was an Olympic athlete I wouldn’t want my lungs anywhere near Beijing.

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AttorneyGate Grows Shadier

Now let me get this straight: U.S. Attorney Carol Lam went after Randy “Duke” Cunningham, arguably the most corrupt member of Congress ever to serve (serve himself, that is), and instead of praising her for cleaning up politics, Bush fired her? Does this suggest there are Republican politicos who may actually defend Cunningham’s taking multi-million dollar bribes? That – in the words of Kyle Simpson, Alberto Gonzales’s chief of staff – the “real problem” isn’t shockingly corrupt politicans like Cunningham but the public servants who rightfully put them in jail?

Gonzales is so finished. If he lasts through next week there should be nationwide street protests. And this is just the beginning. By the time all leads are followed more heads will roll. Or should, if there truly is any justice in this country.

Once again, when is the media going to investigate the real reason why Dusty “Kyle” Foggo, a high-level CIA official, was compromising a member of Congress with money, booze, and hookers?

Shelley The Republican

Doc Searls got taken in by this ridiculous post saying Linux can’t exist without Windows. This satiric post was so clever it pushed the buttons of scores of Linux zealots.

Clicking through the thread I found mention of Shelley The Republican. Its the funniest political satire I’ve read anywhere.

I admire good satire. Its so hard to do properly. I don’t think I could pull it off. “Shelley” and the “Jerry Lee Cooper” behind the Linux posts are world-class satirists (and could be the same person, since Linux is one of “Shelley’s” occasional targets).

[Update:] I was wondering why the hit count on this post was skyrocketing. Thanks, Doc!

Huge Glaciers Discovered On Mars

CNN reports that huge glaciers have been discovered on Mars, apparently enough to flood the entire planet under 36 feet of water if they were melted.

Fascinating. I wonder why we are only now discovering this, seeing how we’ve been exploring Mars with landers for over thirty years. Maybe its that we’ve only now determined how to measure the amount of water.

At any rate, scientists are still wondering why only about 10% of the water estimated to have been on Mars has been accounted for.