Are you High GDP Man or Low GDP Man?
For many years, certain people generally thought to be eccentric (cruising sailors among them) have extolled the virtues of spending less money, being more self-sufficient, growing and catching their own food and so forth. "Leaving the grid," some call it.
Economists who measure the quality of life ("standard of living") by the amount of resources used, frown on this approach. If everyone left the grid, it would lower the GDP.
Other economists, long in the minority, contend that GDP is a misleading measure of prosperity. So what would be a better measure?
Here is a summary of recent developments in assessing prosperity, including some alternate measurements already in use in other countries.
This is definitely worth reading.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Education: What is it? How to do it?
If you sense a lack of agreement on what education is and the best way to do it, there seems to be a lot of ferment in the field right now.
I recommend three recent New York Time articles:
"Challenges in Replicating Charter School Success," which examines whether charter schools are any better than standard public schools;
"The Education of Diane Ravitch," in which the Assistant Secretary of Education in the George Herbert Walker Bush Administration concludes that neither choice nor testing improve education;
And "Plan B - Skip College," which challenges the idea that we should push for college for everyone.
Each of the articles is worth a read.
I recommend three recent New York Time articles:
"Challenges in Replicating Charter School Success," which examines whether charter schools are any better than standard public schools;
"The Education of Diane Ravitch," in which the Assistant Secretary of Education in the George Herbert Walker Bush Administration concludes that neither choice nor testing improve education;
And "Plan B - Skip College," which challenges the idea that we should push for college for everyone.
Each of the articles is worth a read.
Captain Marvel
Shazam!
And mild-mannered Billy Batson, boy radio reporter, assumes the powers of a half-dozen superheroes.
Unless the evil Doctor Sivana's henchmen get to Billy Batson and gag him before he can say more than "Shazmpf." If he gets the whole word out (Shazam), he turns into superhero Captain Marvel.
In case you missed it, the serial at this week's Friday Flicks at Oriental's old theater, will show a Captain Marvel serial, followed by Alfred Hitchcock's 1930's black and white spy story, "Thirty Nine Steps."
When I was six years old or so, I rushed down to Woolworth's every month to buy the latest edition of Captain Marvel. I don't remember ever seeing the movie serial, so this will be a rare treat.
And mild-mannered Billy Batson, boy radio reporter, assumes the powers of a half-dozen superheroes.
Unless the evil Doctor Sivana's henchmen get to Billy Batson and gag him before he can say more than "Shazmpf." If he gets the whole word out (Shazam), he turns into superhero Captain Marvel.
In case you missed it, the serial at this week's Friday Flicks at Oriental's old theater, will show a Captain Marvel serial, followed by Alfred Hitchcock's 1930's black and white spy story, "Thirty Nine Steps."
When I was six years old or so, I rushed down to Woolworth's every month to buy the latest edition of Captain Marvel. I don't remember ever seeing the movie serial, so this will be a rare treat.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Closed Minutes Again
I hate to keep bringing this up.
Last week Oriental's Town Board Meeting Agenda included an item to consider opening previously closed minutes relating to legal considerations about the Town's South Avenue lawsuit. The board decided to postpone action until the next agenda meeting.
Say what?
Last year the outgoing Town Board reviewed the closed minutes and decided that once the South Avenue lawsuit was over, the minutes would be released to the public. The case is over. The Town won. I didn't make a big stink about it, but I believed at the time, after reviewing the minutes, that the condition established in North Carolina's Open Meetings Law for their release already existed last December. The law is summarized here.
I decided not to wait any longer. I have submitted a written request for copies of the South Avenue minutes. I think the public has a right to know what went on in those closed sessions.
Last week Oriental's Town Board Meeting Agenda included an item to consider opening previously closed minutes relating to legal considerations about the Town's South Avenue lawsuit. The board decided to postpone action until the next agenda meeting.
Say what?
Last year the outgoing Town Board reviewed the closed minutes and decided that once the South Avenue lawsuit was over, the minutes would be released to the public. The case is over. The Town won. I didn't make a big stink about it, but I believed at the time, after reviewing the minutes, that the condition established in North Carolina's Open Meetings Law for their release already existed last December. The law is summarized here.
I decided not to wait any longer. I have submitted a written request for copies of the South Avenue minutes. I think the public has a right to know what went on in those closed sessions.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Effluent Issues
Whenever cruising sailors get together, the conversation eventually touches on holding tanks and pumpouts.
Last week an old friend and his wife stopped by on the way north from cruising in Florida. They were accompanied by two other couples and their boats returning to the Patuxent River. The inevitable subject came up. They complained that there are very few pumpout stations available for transient vessels in North Carolina waters.
This is a serious problem for cruising sailors.
It may also represent an opportunity.
Our friends were confident that cruising boats would drop into Oriental if they knew there was a readily available municipal pumpout facility.
17,000 boats go up and down the ICW every year.
A lot of potential visitors to Oriental and customers for our businesses.
Last week an old friend and his wife stopped by on the way north from cruising in Florida. They were accompanied by two other couples and their boats returning to the Patuxent River. The inevitable subject came up. They complained that there are very few pumpout stations available for transient vessels in North Carolina waters.
This is a serious problem for cruising sailors.
It may also represent an opportunity.
Our friends were confident that cruising boats would drop into Oriental if they knew there was a readily available municipal pumpout facility.
17,000 boats go up and down the ICW every year.
A lot of potential visitors to Oriental and customers for our businesses.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Voter Registration Challenges
Under North Carolina General Statutes, any registered voter in a county can challenge the right of any other registered voter in the same county to remain on the voter registration rolls.
The county board of elections is obligated to process all such challenges prior to the next election. Hearing the challenge is a two step process: 1) a preliminary hearing to determine whether probable cause exists that the challenged voter should not be registered; 2) a formal hearing by the board of elections sitting as a quasi-judicial body and providing all of the protections of due process normally provided by a court.
The county board will require the advice of an attorney representing the county during the hearings, and will also require the services of a court reporter. Should there be an appeal from the Board's decision(s), the appeal will go to Superior Court and will require a transcript of the proceedings.
This is uncharted territory for Pamlico County.
The most recent comparable experience in North Carolina is Brunswick County. Following last year's municipal elections, the defeated candidate for mayor of Bald Head Island filed 39 challenges against the town's registered voters.
Of the 39 challenged voters, the Brunswick County Board of Elections failed to find probable cause in eight cases. The challenger appealed to Superior Court, but after discussion, agreed to drop five of the eight challenges. Superior Court returned two cases to the County Board and the Board found in favor of the challenged voters. Superior Court has ordered the Board of Elections to hear the one remaining case.
We have to anticipate and budget for a similar process.
The county board of elections is obligated to process all such challenges prior to the next election. Hearing the challenge is a two step process: 1) a preliminary hearing to determine whether probable cause exists that the challenged voter should not be registered; 2) a formal hearing by the board of elections sitting as a quasi-judicial body and providing all of the protections of due process normally provided by a court.
The county board will require the advice of an attorney representing the county during the hearings, and will also require the services of a court reporter. Should there be an appeal from the Board's decision(s), the appeal will go to Superior Court and will require a transcript of the proceedings.
This is uncharted territory for Pamlico County.
The most recent comparable experience in North Carolina is Brunswick County. Following last year's municipal elections, the defeated candidate for mayor of Bald Head Island filed 39 challenges against the town's registered voters.
Of the 39 challenged voters, the Brunswick County Board of Elections failed to find probable cause in eight cases. The challenger appealed to Superior Court, but after discussion, agreed to drop five of the eight challenges. Superior Court returned two cases to the County Board and the Board found in favor of the challenged voters. Superior Court has ordered the Board of Elections to hear the one remaining case.
We have to anticipate and budget for a similar process.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
South Avenue Fence
I have been asked several times lately, "when is the fence coming down?"
I modestly point out that I have no inside knowledge anymore. But I have recently learned that the Town of Oriental has given Mr. Lacy Henry a deadline for him to remove the fence.
As some of you may recall, Judge Kenneth Crow signed the Judgment that "the Town of Oriental is the owner of the South Avenue Terminus" on February 5th, 2010. The Superior Court Judgment completed action on a decision by the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued July 7, 2009.
Most of the delay resulted from unsuccessful efforts by Mr. Henry to persuade the Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court to review the unanimous decision of a Court of Appeals panel.
Now the Town needs to get moving. The street end leading down to the water needs to be cleaned up and made presentable.
More urgently, we need a plan on how best to use this public asset.
I have some ideas, which I will be sharing with my readers.
I modestly point out that I have no inside knowledge anymore. But I have recently learned that the Town of Oriental has given Mr. Lacy Henry a deadline for him to remove the fence.
As some of you may recall, Judge Kenneth Crow signed the Judgment that "the Town of Oriental is the owner of the South Avenue Terminus" on February 5th, 2010. The Superior Court Judgment completed action on a decision by the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued July 7, 2009.
Most of the delay resulted from unsuccessful efforts by Mr. Henry to persuade the Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court to review the unanimous decision of a Court of Appeals panel.
Now the Town needs to get moving. The street end leading down to the water needs to be cleaned up and made presentable.
More urgently, we need a plan on how best to use this public asset.
I have some ideas, which I will be sharing with my readers.
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