2011 SOTU
Tonight I want to begin by congratulating the men and women of the 112th Congress, as well as your new Speaker, John Boehner. And as we mark this occasion, we are also mindful of the empty chair in this Chamber, and pray for the health of our colleague – and our friend – Gabby Giffords.
It’s no secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that’s a good thing. That’s what a robust democracy demands. That’s what helps set us apart as a nation.
But there’s a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passions and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater – something more consequential than party or political preference.
We are part of the American family. We believe that in a country where every race and faith and point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one people; that we share common hopes and a common creed; that the dreams of a little girl in Tucson are not so different than those of our own children, and that they all deserve the chance to be fulfilled.
That, too, is what sets us apart as a nation.
Now, by itself, this simple recognition won’t usher in a new era of cooperation. What comes of this moment is up to us. What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow.
I believe we can. I believe we must. That’s what the people who sent us here expect of us. With their votes, they’ve determined that governing will now be a shared responsibility between parties. New laws will only pass with support from Democrats and Republicans. We will move forward together, or not at all – for the challenges we face are bigger than party, and bigger than politics.
At stake right now is not who wins the next election – after all, we just had an election. At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else. It’s whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It’s whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but a light to the world.
We are poised for progress. Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.
But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. We measure progress by the success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into a thriving enterprise. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.
That’s the project the American people want us to work on. Together.
We did that in December. Thanks to the tax cuts we passed, Americans’ paychecks are a little bigger today. Every business can write off the full cost of the new investments they make this year. These steps, taken by Democrats and Republicans, will grow the economy and add to the more than one million private sector jobs created last year.
But we have more work to do. The steps we’ve taken over the last two years may have broken the back of this recession – but to win the future, we’ll need to take on challenges that have been decades in the making.
Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn’t always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you’d have a job for life, with a decent paycheck, good benefits, and the occasional promotion. Maybe you’d even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company.
That world has changed. And for many, the change has been painful. I’ve seen it in the shuttered windows of once booming factories, and the vacant storefronts of once busy Main Streets. I’ve heard it in the frustrations of Americans who’ve seen their paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear – proud men and women who feel like the rules have been changed in the middle of the game.
They’re right. The rules have changed. In a single generation, revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business. Steel mills that once needed 1,000 workers can now do the same work with 100. Today, just about any company can set up shop, hire workers, and sell their products wherever there’s an internet connection.
Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They’re investing in research and new technologies. Just recently, China became home to the world’s largest private solar research facility, and the world’s fastest computer.
So yes, the world has changed. The competition for jobs is real. But this shouldn’t discourage us. It should challenge us. Remember – for all the hits we’ve taken these last few years, for all the naysayers predicting our decline, America still has the largest, most prosperous economy in the world. No workers are more productive than ours. No country has more successful companies, or grants more patents to inventors and entrepreneurs. We are home to the world’s best colleges and universities, where more students come to study than any other place on Earth.
What’s more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea – the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That is why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here. It’s why our students don’t just memorize equations, but answer questions like “What do you think of that idea? What would you change about the world? What do you want to be when you grow up?”
The future is ours to win. But to get there, we can’t just stand still. As Robert Kennedy told us, “The future is not a gift. It is an achievement.” Sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age.
Now it’s our turn. We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit, and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper. That’s how we’ll win the future. And tonight, I’d like to talk about how we get there.
The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation.
None of us can predict with certainty what the next big industry will be, or where the new jobs will come from. Thirty years ago, we couldn’t know that something called the Internet would lead to an economic revolution. What we can do – what America does better than anyone – is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. We are the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook. In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives. It’s how we make a living.
Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. But because it’s not always profitable for companies to invest in basic research, throughout history our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and inventors with the support that they need. That’s what planted the seeds for the Internet. That’s what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS.
Just think of all the good jobs – from manufacturing to retail – that have come from those breakthroughs.
Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik¸ we had no idea how we’d beat them to the moon. The science wasn’t there yet. NASA didn’t even exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn’t just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.
This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race. In a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology – an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.
Already, we are seeing the promise of renewable energy. Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company. After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon. But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard.
Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country. In Robert’s words, “We reinvented ourselves.”
That’s what Americans have done for over two hundred years: reinvented ourselves. And to spur on more success stories like the Allen Brothers, we’ve begun to reinvent our energy policy. We’re not just handing out money. We’re issuing a challenge. We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo Projects of our time.
At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they’re using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities. With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.
We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I’m asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, let’s invest in tomorrow’s.
Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what they’re selling. So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: by 2035, 80% of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources. Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas. To meet this goal, we will need them all – and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen.
Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America’s success. But if we want to win the future – if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas – then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.
Think about it. Over the next ten years, nearly half of all new jobs will require education that goes beyond a high school degree. And yet, as many as a quarter of our students aren’t even finishing high school. The quality of our math and science education lags behind many other nations. America has fallen to 9th in the proportion of young people with a college degree. And so the question is whether all of us – as citizens, and as parents – are willing to do what’s necessary to give every child a chance to succeed.
That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It’s family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair; that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline.
Our schools share this responsibility. When a child walks into a classroom, it should be a place of high expectations and high performance. But too many schools don’t meet this test. That’s why instead of just pouring money into a system that’s not working, we launched a competition called Race to the Top. To all fifty states, we said, “If you show us the most innovative plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, we’ll show you the money.”
Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation. For less than one percent of what we spend on education each year, it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning. These standards were developed, not by Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors throughout the country. And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that is more flexible and focused on what’s best for our kids.
You see, we know what’s possible for our children when reform isn’t just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals; school boards and communities.
Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado; located on turf between two rival gangs. But last May, 97% of the seniors received their diploma. Most will be the first in their family to go to college. And after the first year of the school’s transformation, the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when a student said “Thank you, Mrs. Waters, for showing… that we are smart and we can make it.”
Let’s also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child’s success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as “nation builders.” Here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. And over the next ten years, with so many Baby Boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
In fact, to every young person listening tonight who’s contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child – become a teacher. Your country needs you.
Of course, the education race doesn’t end with a high school diploma. To compete, higher education must be within reach of every American. That’s why we’ve ended the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that went to banks, and used the savings to make college affordable for millions of students. And this year, I ask Congress to go further, and make permanent our tuition tax credit – worth $10,000 for four years of college.
Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers in today’s fast-changing economy, we are also revitalizing America’s community colleges. Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in North Carolina. Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding factories that have since left town. One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she’s earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams too. As Kathy said, “I hope it tells them to never give up.”
If we take these steps – if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they’re born until the last job they take – we will reach the goal I set two years ago: by the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.
One last point about education. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.
Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult and take time. But tonight, let’s agree to make that effort. And let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who can staff our research labs, start new businesses, and further enrich this nation.
The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America. To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information – from high-speed rail to high-speed internet.
Our infrastructure used to be the best – but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.”
We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, and constructed the interstate highway system. The jobs created by these projects didn’t just come from laying down tracks or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town’s new train station or the new off-ramp.
Over the last two years, we have begun rebuilding for the 21st century, a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. Tonight, I’m proposing that we redouble these efforts.
We will put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges. We will make sure this is fully paid for, attract private investment, and pick projects based on what’s best for the economy, not politicians.
Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail, which could allow you go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flying – without the pat-down. As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest are already underway.
Within the next five years, we will make it possible for business to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98% of all Americans. This isn’t just about a faster internet and fewer dropped calls. It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age. It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world. It’s about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.
All these investments – in innovation, education, and infrastructure – will make America a better place to do business and create jobs. But to help our companies compete, we also have to knock down barriers that stand in the way of their success.
Over the years, a parade of lobbyists has rigged the tax code to benefit particular companies and industries. Those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up paying no taxes at all. But all the rest are hit with one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and it has to change.
So tonight, I’m asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the system. Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years – without adding to our deficit.
To help businesses sell more products abroad, we set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014 – because the more we export, the more jobs we create at home. Already, our exports are up. Recently, we signed agreements with India and China that will support more than 250,000 jobs in the United States. And last month, we finalized a trade agreement with South Korea that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. This agreement has unprecedented support from business and labor; Democrats and Republicans, and I ask this Congress to pass it as soon as possible.
Before I took office, I made it clear that we would enforce our trade agreements, and that I would only sign deals that keep faith with American workers, and promote American jobs. That’s what we did with Korea, and that’s what I intend to do as we pursue agreements with Panama and Colombia, and continue our Asia Pacific and global trade talks.
To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I’ve ordered a review of government regulations. When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them. But I will not hesitate to create or enforce commonsense safeguards to protect the American people. That’s what we’ve done in this country for more than a century. It’s why our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe. It’s why we have speed limits and child labor laws. It’s why last year, we put in place consumer protections against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies, and new rules to prevent another financial crisis. And it’s why we passed reform that finally prevents the health insurance industry from exploiting patients.
Now, I’ve heard rumors that a few of you have some concerns about the new health care law. So let me be the first to say that anything can be improved. If you have ideas about how to improve this law by making care better or more affordable, I am eager to work with you. We can start right now by correcting a flaw in the legislation that has placed an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on small businesses.
What I’m not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition. I’m not willing to tell James Howard, a brain cancer patient from Texas, that his treatment might not be covered. I’m not willing to tell Jim Houser, a small business owner from Oregon, that he has to go back to paying $5,000 more to cover his employees. As we speak, this law is making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their parents’ coverage. So instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let’s fix what needs fixing and move forward.
Now, the final step – a critical step – in winning the future is to make sure we aren’t buried under a mountain of debt.
We are living with a legacy of deficit-spending that began almost a decade ago. And in the wake of the financial crisis, some of that was necessary to keep credit flowing, save jobs, and put money in people’s pockets.
But now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. That is not sustainable. Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same.
So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. This would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was president.
This freeze will require painful cuts. Already, we have frozen the salaries of hardworking federal employees for the next two years. I’ve proposed cuts to things I care deeply about, like community action programs. The Secretary of Defense has also agreed to cut tens of billions of dollars in spending that he and his generals believe our military can do without.
I recognize that some in this Chamber have already proposed deeper cuts, and I’m willing to eliminate whatever we can honestly afford to do without. But let’s make sure that we’re not doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. And let’s make sure what we’re cutting is really excess weight. Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may feel like you’re flying high at first, but it won’t take long before you’ll feel the impact.
Now, most of the cuts and savings I’ve proposed only address annual domestic spending, which represents a little more than 12% of our budget. To make further progress, we have to stop pretending that cutting this kind of spending alone will be enough. It won’t.
The bipartisan Fiscal Commission I created last year made this crystal clear. I don’t agree with all their proposals, but they made important progress. And their conclusion is that the only way to tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending wherever we find it – in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending, and spending through tax breaks and loopholes.
This means further reducing health care costs, including programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which are the single biggest contributor to our long-term deficit. Health insurance reform will slow these rising costs, which is part of why nonpartisan economists have said that repealing the health care law would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit. Still, I’m willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year: medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits.
To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. And we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.
And if we truly care about our deficit, we simply cannot afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. Before we take money away from our schools, or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break.
It’s not a matter of punishing their success. It’s about promoting America’s success.
In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.
So now is the time to act. Now is the time for both sides and both houses of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – to forge a principled compromise that gets the job done. If we make the hard choices now to rein in our deficits, we can make the investments we need to win the future.
Let me take this one step further. We shouldn’t just give our people a government that’s more affordable. We should give them a government that’s more competent and efficient. We cannot win the future with a government of the past.
We live and do business in the information age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. There are twelve different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different entities that deal with housing policy. Then there’s my favorite example: the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they’re in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked.
Now, we have made great strides over the last two years in using technology and getting rid of waste. Veterans can now download their electronic medical records with a click of the mouse. We’re selling acres of federal office space that hasn’t been used in years, and we will cut through red tape to get rid of more. But we need to think bigger. In the coming months, my administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate, and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America. I will submit that proposal to Congress for a vote – and we will push to get it passed.
In the coming year, we will also work to rebuild people’s faith in the institution of government. Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you will be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history. Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done: put that information online. And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren’t larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this: if a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it.
A 21st century government that’s open and competent. A government that lives within its means. An economy that’s driven by new skills and ideas. Our success in this new and changing world will require reform, responsibility, and innovation. It will also require us to approach that world with a new level of engagement in our foreign affairs.
Just as jobs and businesses can now race across borders, so can new threats and new challenges. No single wall separates East and West; no one rival superpower is aligned against us.
And so we must defeat determined enemies wherever they are, and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race and religion. America’s moral example must always shine for all who yearn for freedom, justice, and dignity. And because we have begun this work, tonight we can say that American leadership has been renewed and America’s standing has been restored.
Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high; where American combat patrols have ended; violence has come down; and a new government has been formed. This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America’s commitment has been kept; the Iraq War is coming to an end.
Of course, as we speak, al Qaeda and their affiliates continue to plan attacks against us. Thanks to our intelligence and law enforcement professionals, we are disrupting plots and securing our cities and skies. And as extremists try to inspire acts of violence within our borders, we are responding with the strength of our communities, with respect for the rule of law, and with the conviction that American Muslims are a part of our American family.
We have also taken the fight to al Qaeda and their allies abroad. In Afghanistan, our troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan Security Forces. Our purpose is clear – by preventing the Taliban from reestablishing a stranglehold over the Afghan people, we will deny al Qaeda the safe-haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11.
Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. But we are strengthening the capacity of the Afghan people and building an enduring partnership with them. This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home.
In Pakistan, al Qaeda’s leadership is under more pressure than at any point since 2001. Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe-havens are shrinking. And we have sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: we will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.
American leadership can also be seen in the effort to secure the worst weapons of war. Because Republicans and Democrats approved the New START Treaty, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed. Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
Because of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher and tighter sanctions than ever before. And on the Korean peninsula, we stand with our ally South Korea, and insist that North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons.
This is just a part of how we are shaping a world that favors peace and prosperity. With our European allies, we revitalized NATO, and increased our cooperation on everything from counter-terrorism to missile defense. We have reset our relationship with Russia, strengthened Asian alliances, and built new partnerships with nations like India. This March, I will travel to Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador to forge new alliances for progress in the Americas. Around the globe, we are standing with those who take responsibility – helping farmers grow more food; supporting doctors who care for the sick; and combating the corruption that can rot a society and rob people of opportunity.
Recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power – it must be the purpose behind it. In South Sudan – with our assistance – the people were finally able to vote for independence after years of war. Thousands lined up before dawn. People danced in the streets. One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him: “This was a battlefield for most of my life. Now we want to be free.”
We saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator. And tonight, let us be clear: the United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people.
We must never forget that the things we’ve struggled for, and fought for, live in the hearts of people everywhere. And we must always remember that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this struggle are the men and women who serve our country.
Tonight, let us speak with one voice in reaffirming that our nation is united in support of our troops and their families. Let us serve them as well as they have served us – by giving them the equipment they need; by providing them with the care and benefits they have earned; and by enlisting our veterans in the great task of building our own nation.
Our troops come from every corner of this country – they are black, white, Latino, Asian and Native American. They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that some of them are gay. Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love. And with that change, I call on all of our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and the ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.
We should have no illusions about the work ahead of us. Reforming our schools; changing the way we use energy; reducing our deficit – none of this is easy. All of it will take time. And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. The cost. The details. The letter of every law.
Of course, some countries don’t have this problem. If the central government wants a railroad, they get a railroad – no matter how many homes are bulldozed. If they don’t want a bad story in the newspaper, it doesn’t get written.
And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I know there isn’t a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth.
We may have differences in policy, but we all believe in the rights enshrined in our Constitution. We may have different opinions, but we believe in the same promise that says this is a place where you can make it if you try. We may have different backgrounds, but we believe in the same dream that says this is a country where anything’s possible. No matter who you are. No matter where you come from.
That dream is why I can stand here before you tonight. That dream is why a working class kid from Scranton can stand behind me. That dream is why someone who began by sweeping the floors of his father’s Cincinnati bar can preside as Speaker of the House in the greatest nation on Earth.
That dream – that American Dream – is what drove the Allen Brothers to reinvent their roofing company for a new era. It’s what drove those students at Forsyth Tech to learn a new skill and work towards the future. And that dream is the story of a small business owner named Brandon Fisher.
Brandon started a company in Berlin, Pennsylvania that specializes in a new kind of drilling technology. One day last summer, he saw the news that halfway across the world, 33 men were trapped in a Chilean mine, and no one knew how to save them.
But Brandon thought his company could help. And so he designed a rescue that would come to be known as Plan B. His employees worked around the clock to manufacture the necessary drilling equipment. And Brandon left for Chile.
Along with others, he began drilling a 2,000 foot hole into the ground, working three or four days at a time with no sleep. Thirty-seven days later, Plan B succeeded, and the miners were rescued. But because he didn’t want all of the attention, Brandon wasn’t there when the miners emerged. He had already gone home, back to work on his next project.
Later, one of his employees said of the rescue, “We proved that Center Rock is a little company, but we do big things.”
We do big things.
From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. That’s how we win the future.
We are a nation that says, “I might not have a lot of money, but I have this great idea for a new company. I might not come from a family of college graduates, but I will be the first to get my degree. I might not know those people in trouble, but I think I can help them, and I need to try.
I’m not sure how we’ll reach that better place beyond the horizon, but I know we’ll get there. I know we will.”
We do big things.
The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it is because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong.
Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
MIscellanea...
In May 2009, the "Free The Hops" campaign achieved a measure of success when Bob Riley signed the "Gourmet Beer Bill" into law. Free The Hops is aiming for further modernization of Alabama's laws regarding beer with the Brewery Modernization Act (BMA). See here. The BMA died in Alabama Congress last year. Maybe we can convince our duly elected officials that this needs to be taken up again this year (and passed). You can contact your respective state official (Representative or Senator) by using the "find your legislator" tool on the FTH site or the tool mentioned right on the Alabama legislature's site.
One document regarding my nuke plant this week from the NRC:
ML110140319 - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING AMENDMENT REQUEST TO EXTEND COMPLETION TIME FOR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.8.1 REQUIRED ACTION B.4 (TAC NOS. ME5036, ME5037, AND ME5038)
After 9/11, one hurdle that any new design reactor faces is the ability to withstand an aircraft impact. The NRC's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards agreed with Westinghouse's evaluation that their AP1000 meets this hurdle. See the following:
ML110170004 - Report on the Safety Aspects of the Aircraft Impact Assessment for the Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 Design Certification Rule Amendment Application
One document regarding my nuke plant this week from the NRC:
ML110140319 - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING AMENDMENT REQUEST TO EXTEND COMPLETION TIME FOR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.8.1 REQUIRED ACTION B.4 (TAC NOS. ME5036, ME5037, AND ME5038)
After 9/11, one hurdle that any new design reactor faces is the ability to withstand an aircraft impact. The NRC's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards agreed with Westinghouse's evaluation that their AP1000 meets this hurdle. See the following:
ML110170004 - Report on the Safety Aspects of the Aircraft Impact Assessment for the Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 Design Certification Rule Amendment Application
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
As old John "Hannibal" Smith used to say on The A-Team
"I love it when a plan comes together."
Quart of coffee down the hatch and finished with my (near)daily 5k run and requisite shower....
I suppose there's not much of great import this early in the morning. How about what our Congress will be up to today? That can make for some interesting reading...
Next quart of coffee coming up. Peace, y'all!
Quart of coffee down the hatch and finished with my (near)daily 5k run and requisite shower....
I suppose there's not much of great import this early in the morning. How about what our Congress will be up to today? That can make for some interesting reading...
Next quart of coffee coming up. Peace, y'all!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Think critically...
I was looking for something novel to post on this day of honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Enter Google. I clicked a few of the links that resulted by searching the name. Pretty standard results. Wikipedia, The King Center, the "I Have A Dream" speech, and more. One result that interested me was entitled "Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination". Upon viewing that result, a major negative slant towards Dr. King became obvious VERY QUICKLY. I won't link to it because it's easy enough to find on your own and I don't share the same worldview as the folks behind it and certain other "white nationalist" sites. I did find it interesting that this site was in front of sites like The King Center, but that's a search engine for you. Anyway, there are plenty of sites out there that have negative things to say about MLK. That's fine and, frankly, to be expected. Dr. King was a hero and a highly visible catalyst for much needed change regarding race in this country. However, many (if not most or all) of those who can be considered heroes can also have negative aspects of their lives. I'm sure that King was no exception. Some negatives have been discussed in the 40+ years since King's assassination. In 1977, a Federal judge ordered all material associated with the FBI's surveillance of Dr. King during the 1960s sealed at NARA until 2027. My personal opinion is that 50 years is overly excessive. However, more negative traits might be revealed when and if this material comes out 16 years from now. I don't believe that any of the presently available or future negative information will change the core meaning of what Dr. King and countless others struggled for.
My whole point in all of this is that the internet is a very useful tool. However, it's also useful to those who aim to spread hate or whatever else their agenda might be. Consider your sources critically...
Enter Google. I clicked a few of the links that resulted by searching the name. Pretty standard results. Wikipedia, The King Center, the "I Have A Dream" speech, and more. One result that interested me was entitled "Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination". Upon viewing that result, a major negative slant towards Dr. King became obvious VERY QUICKLY. I won't link to it because it's easy enough to find on your own and I don't share the same worldview as the folks behind it and certain other "white nationalist" sites. I did find it interesting that this site was in front of sites like The King Center, but that's a search engine for you. Anyway, there are plenty of sites out there that have negative things to say about MLK. That's fine and, frankly, to be expected. Dr. King was a hero and a highly visible catalyst for much needed change regarding race in this country. However, many (if not most or all) of those who can be considered heroes can also have negative aspects of their lives. I'm sure that King was no exception. Some negatives have been discussed in the 40+ years since King's assassination. In 1977, a Federal judge ordered all material associated with the FBI's surveillance of Dr. King during the 1960s sealed at NARA until 2027. My personal opinion is that 50 years is overly excessive. However, more negative traits might be revealed when and if this material comes out 16 years from now. I don't believe that any of the presently available or future negative information will change the core meaning of what Dr. King and countless others struggled for.
My whole point in all of this is that the internet is a very useful tool. However, it's also useful to those who aim to spread hate or whatever else their agenda might be. Consider your sources critically...
Saturday, January 15, 2011
I like crossword puzzles....
I'm not one of those record-breaking NY Times crossword solvers. I just like to do the occasional puzzle.
One form available uses the Across Lite software from litsoft.com. The two week repository here is in the Across Lite format.
Some sites make PDFs of their crosswords available. For example, http://www.brainsonly.com/servlets-newsday-crossword/newsdaycrosswordPDF?pm=pdf&puzzle=1101151&data=%3CNAME%3E110115%3C%2FNAME%3E%3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. In the URL here, the pertinent things to change are puzzle=xxxxxxx and data=%3CNAME%3Exxxxxx and %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. The format for the "puzzle=xxxxxxx" is YYMMDDx. If the number 1 is used at the end, a blank grid and clues are pulled up. If the number 2 is used at the end, the grid, clues and solution are pulled up as a PDF. The data=%3CNAME%3Exxxxxx portion should match the date string (YYMMDD) used previously. The last element is %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. If you're using 1 to download the clues and grid, this part will look like %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. If you're downloading the clues, grid and solution, this becomes %3CTYPE%3E2%3C%2FTYPE%3E. As an example, here's the resulting URL for the New Year's Day puzzle and solution:
http://www.brainsonly.com/servlets-newsday-crossword/newsdaycrosswordPDF?pm=pdf&puzzle=1101012&data=%3CNAME%3E110101%3C%2FNAME%3E%3CTYPE%3E2%3C%2FTYPE%3E
I've got my machine set to download the puzzle from http://www.chron.com/apps/games/xword/puzzles/ every day. The first thing I used for that is a program for Windows (originally *nix) called wget. Here's one place to get wget for Windows. After you've got wget, you need to create and schedule something like a batch file. Here's what mine looks like (the italic part):
I typed all that into Notepad and saved it as chron.bat. Be sure to save it named *.bat and set the "Save as type" to "all files". That's if you're using Windows Notepad. Save this batch file in the same directory where the executable file for wget is located. From there, all that remains is to set this batch file up as a recurring task using Windows Task Scheduler. Mine runs daily.
One form available uses the Across Lite software from litsoft.com. The two week repository here is in the Across Lite format.
Some sites make PDFs of their crosswords available. For example, http://www.brainsonly.com/servlets-newsday-crossword/newsdaycrosswordPDF?pm=pdf&puzzle=1101151&data=%3CNAME%3E110115%3C%2FNAME%3E%3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. In the URL here, the pertinent things to change are puzzle=xxxxxxx and data=%3CNAME%3Exxxxxx and %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. The format for the "puzzle=xxxxxxx" is YYMMDDx. If the number 1 is used at the end, a blank grid and clues are pulled up. If the number 2 is used at the end, the grid, clues and solution are pulled up as a PDF. The data=%3CNAME%3Exxxxxx portion should match the date string (YYMMDD) used previously. The last element is %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. If you're using 1 to download the clues and grid, this part will look like %3CTYPE%3E1%3C%2FTYPE%3E. If you're downloading the clues, grid and solution, this becomes %3CTYPE%3E2%3C%2FTYPE%3E. As an example, here's the resulting URL for the New Year's Day puzzle and solution:
http://www.brainsonly.com/servlets-newsday-crossword/newsdaycrosswordPDF?pm=pdf&puzzle=1101012&data=%3CNAME%3E110101%3C%2FNAME%3E%3CTYPE%3E2%3C%2FTYPE%3E
I've got my machine set to download the puzzle from http://www.chron.com/apps/games/xword/puzzles/ every day. The first thing I used for that is a program for Windows (originally *nix) called wget. Here's one place to get wget for Windows. After you've got wget, you need to create and schedule something like a batch file. Here's what mine looks like (the italic part):
@echo off
echo %%date%% = %date%
for /f "tokens=1-4 delims=/ " %%i in ("%date%") do (
set dow=%%i
set month=%%j
set day=%%k
set year=%%l
)
wget "http://www.chron.com/apps/games/xword/puzzles/today.puz" -O chron/chron.com_%month%-%day%-%year%.puzI typed all that into Notepad and saved it as chron.bat. Be sure to save it named *.bat and set the "Save as type" to "all files". That's if you're using Windows Notepad. Save this batch file in the same directory where the executable file for wget is located. From there, all that remains is to set this batch file up as a recurring task using Windows Task Scheduler. Mine runs daily.
A big whopping two items regarding Browns Ferry at the NRC's site since last week...
ML110110010 - Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 And 3 - Email - Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action Re: Request To Extend Completion Time For TS 3.8.1 Required Action B.4.(TAC No(S). ME5036-8).
ML110130390 - Annual Letter - Generic Fundamentals Examination (GFE) Section .
If you're interested in finding info regarding that nuke plant in your backyard, here's how:
Go to http://wba.nrc.gov:8080/ves/. You'll need the docket number for whatever facility you're interested in. Once you're at the Web-Based ADAMS page, click on the "Advanced Search" tab. You can then use the Query and Query Builder on the left hand side of the advanced search page to find what you're looking for. Here's the query I used for documents for Browns Ferry since last week:
e_create_date:{01/08/2011 TO *} Docket_Number:(05000259* OR 05000260* OR 05000296*)
For a list of power reactors throughout the US (click on the facility to find the docket number), click here. Questions? Here's the Web-based ADAMS user guide.
ML110130390 - Annual Letter - Generic Fundamentals Examination (GFE) Section .
If you're interested in finding info regarding that nuke plant in your backyard, here's how:
Go to http://wba.nrc.gov:8080/ves/. You'll need the docket number for whatever facility you're interested in. Once you're at the Web-Based ADAMS page, click on the "Advanced Search" tab. You can then use the Query and Query Builder on the left hand side of the advanced search page to find what you're looking for. Here's the query I used for documents for Browns Ferry since last week:
e_create_date:{01/08/2011 TO *} Docket_Number:(05000259* OR 05000260* OR 05000296*)
For a list of power reactors throughout the US (click on the facility to find the docket number), click here. Questions? Here's the Web-based ADAMS user guide.
Friday, January 14, 2011
10 years of Wikipedia, JFK Library going digital, NASA's missions
Happy tenth birthday, Wikipedia!
It was announced yesterday that the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library is undertaking an initiative to start digitizing a large volume of JFK-related material. Here are the beginnings of that initiative...
I was reading a story about NASA's Glory mission and got to thinking about what other missions NASA is still involved in and what's coming up. Here are the current missions and here are the ones to come.
It was announced yesterday that the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library is undertaking an initiative to start digitizing a large volume of JFK-related material. Here are the beginnings of that initiative...
I was reading a story about NASA's Glory mission and got to thinking about what other missions NASA is still involved in and what's coming up. Here are the current missions and here are the ones to come.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Antimatter from thunderstorms?
I was checking out various information that I've set Google Reader to cull (via RSS feeds) and saw a story about thunderstorms hurling antimatter back into space. Here's the NASA release. I had noticed that a friend from the Navy posted this yesterday and upon closer reading, I realized that it also involved someone from UAH recently presenting the findings at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle....
Monday, January 10, 2011
THOMAS Top Ten for 1/9/2011 - THOMAS (Library of Congress)
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/topten/topten_20110109.html
Top ten legislative items searched on THOMAS, compiled on 1/9/2011 from weekly usage statistics
- H.R. 4853 [111th]
Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
- H.R. 3082 [111th]
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
- H.R. 2751 [111th]
FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
- H.R. 6523 [111th]
Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011
- H.R. 3590 [111th]
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- H.R. 847 [111th]
James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010
- H.R. 2 [112th]
Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act
- H.R. 4173 [111th]
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
- S. 1435 [111th]
Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2009
- H.R. 5136 [111th]
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011
I don't do a lot of reposts, but it had been a while since I used the tool I am mentioning. If nothing else, this is like a bookmark and memory jogger for me...
I had a few PDFs on-hand that I wanted to back up but save on my local machine as text files. There are a number of ways to do this, but the easiest (and cheapest) way was to get Xpdf from here. One utility program included with Xpdf is pdftotext. I then had to figure out a way to use pdftotext to convert my files in one big batch. Here's what I did. First, I dragged the few hundred desired files to the directory where pdftotext.exe was located. Next, I used the command prompt (under Vista, Start->Run->cmd) dir to make a list of all the PDF files in the same directory (dir *.pdf /b > list). As for batching the file conversion, I then used the FOR command included with the cmd program. Here's the applicable syntax:
for /F %i in (list) DO pdftotext %i
Worked like a champ!
for /F %i in (list) DO pdftotext %i
Worked like a champ!
Snow
A picture of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in the 1-10-11 snow (Nuclear winter?)
I read a piece on salon.com the other day regarding the USDOJ subpoena of Twitter for records and information relating to several folks associated with Wikileaks. In the story (from 1/7/11), Greenwald mentions "I'll have much more on the implications of this tomorrow." The resulting story on salon.com was posted today. I read through this piece and one additional (earlier last year) link from it. Regarding the additional piece, I understand that "the list" and its permissions to eliminate certain individuals have some necessity. However, my feelings are that an administration that was so anti-Bush doctrine should be absolutely clear that apprehension is the more desirable outcome. If nothing else, we can't extract info from the dead yet. So much for "change"...
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Municode, Mars Rovers, homepage changing for loc.gov, and more...
When I had to bury my kitty, I wondered if it was cool to bury her in the yard. I quickly discovered (via the Athens, AL city website) municode.com. Check here to see if your town's municipal codes are listed...
Spirit and Opportunity: When the two Mars Rovers were launched in 2004, they were supposed to go for at least 90 Martian days. Opportunity is still going fairly strong. Contact has been lost with Spirit since March 22, 2010 (2210 days into its mission). NASA is still trying.
There are some amazing things to be seen in the cosmos. I thought this was a pretty cool picture.
If you are anything like me (hopefully not, for your sakes), you might border on being an information junkie. One excellent source of varied information is http://www.loc.gov/. If it's been a while since you've been there, their homepage is due to undergo a redesign effective tomorrow.
In keeping with the New Year and a frequent New Year's resolution, the Library of Congress is hosting an event entitled “Weight Loss Through the Ages” on January 19.
Check out my two "bundles" for Google Reader:
In closing, one further event of note (later this week on January 15) is Wikipedia's 10th birthday.
Time to wait for the snow to kick in...
Spirit and Opportunity: When the two Mars Rovers were launched in 2004, they were supposed to go for at least 90 Martian days. Opportunity is still going fairly strong. Contact has been lost with Spirit since March 22, 2010 (2210 days into its mission). NASA is still trying.
There are some amazing things to be seen in the cosmos. I thought this was a pretty cool picture.
If you are anything like me (hopefully not, for your sakes), you might border on being an information junkie. One excellent source of varied information is http://www.loc.gov/. If it's been a while since you've been there, their homepage is due to undergo a redesign effective tomorrow.
In keeping with the New Year and a frequent New Year's resolution, the Library of Congress is hosting an event entitled “Weight Loss Through the Ages” on January 19.
Check out my two "bundles" for Google Reader:
In closing, one further event of note (later this week on January 15) is Wikipedia's 10th birthday.
Time to wait for the snow to kick in...
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Potentially big fishing expedition, eagle awareness weekends, 3 days of the Congressional Record
Potentially big fishing expedition by the USDOJ
Looking for something to do in North Alabama this weekend (or any weekend through the second weekend in February)? Eagle Awareness Weekends at Lake Guntersville State Park
The business of Congress this week? Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Looking for something to do in North Alabama this weekend (or any weekend through the second weekend in February)? Eagle Awareness Weekends at Lake Guntersville State Park
The business of Congress this week? Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Aflockalypse, Browns Ferry, City of Athens
So, here are a few things for your perusal...
Someone took the time to map recent "mass animal deaths" using Google Maps. Some folks are referring to it as the "Aflockalypse". Check it out!
I figured I'd revive my old NRC info on Browns Ferry thing. Here are links to documents regarding Browns Ferry that the NRC has posted since 12/1/2010...
ML081960276: 04/20/1982 Memo - Court of Appeals Decision on Fire Protection Rule.
ML103430097: Browns Ferry Disposal of Waste Oil.
ML110050287: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant - Investigation of Tritium Releases to Groundwater.
ML103070133: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Supplemental Information Related to the Reply to Notice of Violation; EA-09-307.
ML103280504: Browns Ferry, Unit 1, Response to Request for Additional Information - American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Section XI Inservice Inspection Program for the Unit 1 Second Ten-Year Inspection Interval, Request for Relief 1-ISI-26, Risk-Informed....
ML103270411: Browns Ferry, Unit 1 - Response to Request for Additional Information re Inspection Program for Second Ten-year Inspection Interval, Request for Relief 1-ISI-26, Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection Program.
ML103350181: Bellefonte, Units 1 and 2, Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2, Watts Bar, Unit 2 - Nuclear Quality Assurance Plan, TVA-NQA-PLN89-A.
ML103360004: Notification of Potential Part 21 re Update to MFN 10-327: Crack Indications in Marathon Control Rod Blades.
ML103330450: Summary of November 29, 2010, Public Meeting with TVA Regarding Emergency Action Level Plans for the TVA Nuclear Plants.
ML103370571: Notification of Potential Part 21 on GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Crack Indication in Marathon Control Rod Blades.
ML103400155: Anomaly Discovered on Rosemount Model 1152 Differential Pressure Transmitters with Output Code "L" 10-50 mA Electronics.
ML103370638: IR 05000260-10-008, 05000259-10-008 and 05000296-10-008; Tennessee Valley Authority; 10/12/2010 - 10/22/2010; Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1, 2, and 3, NRC Inspection Procedure 95002 Supplemental Inspection Report.
ML103370281: Press Release-II-10-083: NRC Schedules Meeting to Discuss Fire Protection Issues at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
ML103470631: Browns Ferry - Slides for December 2010 Public Meeting.
ML103480821: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 - Request for Additional Information Regarding Relief Request No. 2-ISI-40 Snubbers Inspection and Testing.
ML103500174: Notification of Potential Part 21 re 60-Day Interim Report Notification: Failure to Include Seismic Input in Channel-Control Blade Interference Customer Guidance.
ML103510031: Notification of Potential Part 21 Report Concerning Failure to Include Seismic Input In Reactor Control Blade Customer Guidance.
ML103490867: Browns Ferry - Revised Slides from December 15, 2010 Public Meeting.
ML103550247: Regulatory Performance Meeting Summary- Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 AND 50-296.
ML103620327: LER 10-003-00 for Browns Ferry, Unit 1 Regarding Failure of a Low Pressure Coolant Injection Flow Control Valve.
ML103630041: LER 10-004-00, for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1, Residual Heat Removal Low Pressure, Injection System Pump Motor Failure.
It's often been said to "think globally, act locally". To that end, check out the City of Athens calendar (city council meetings, zoning meetings, etc.):
Someone took the time to map recent "mass animal deaths" using Google Maps. Some folks are referring to it as the "Aflockalypse". Check it out!
I figured I'd revive my old NRC info on Browns Ferry thing. Here are links to documents regarding Browns Ferry that the NRC has posted since 12/1/2010...
ML081960276: 04/20/1982 Memo - Court of Appeals Decision on Fire Protection Rule.
ML103430097: Browns Ferry Disposal of Waste Oil.
ML110050287: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant - Investigation of Tritium Releases to Groundwater.
ML103070133: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Supplemental Information Related to the Reply to Notice of Violation; EA-09-307.
ML103280504: Browns Ferry, Unit 1, Response to Request for Additional Information - American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Section XI Inservice Inspection Program for the Unit 1 Second Ten-Year Inspection Interval, Request for Relief 1-ISI-26, Risk-Informed....
ML103270411: Browns Ferry, Unit 1 - Response to Request for Additional Information re Inspection Program for Second Ten-year Inspection Interval, Request for Relief 1-ISI-26, Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection Program.
ML103350181: Bellefonte, Units 1 and 2, Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2 and 3, Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2, Watts Bar, Unit 2 - Nuclear Quality Assurance Plan, TVA-NQA-PLN89-A.
ML103360004: Notification of Potential Part 21 re Update to MFN 10-327: Crack Indications in Marathon Control Rod Blades.
ML103330450: Summary of November 29, 2010, Public Meeting with TVA Regarding Emergency Action Level Plans for the TVA Nuclear Plants.
ML103370571: Notification of Potential Part 21 on GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Crack Indication in Marathon Control Rod Blades.
ML103400155: Anomaly Discovered on Rosemount Model 1152 Differential Pressure Transmitters with Output Code "L" 10-50 mA Electronics.
ML103370638: IR 05000260-10-008, 05000259-10-008 and 05000296-10-008; Tennessee Valley Authority; 10/12/2010 - 10/22/2010; Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1, 2, and 3, NRC Inspection Procedure 95002 Supplemental Inspection Report.
ML103370281: Press Release-II-10-083: NRC Schedules Meeting to Discuss Fire Protection Issues at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
ML103470631: Browns Ferry - Slides for December 2010 Public Meeting.
ML103480821: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 - Request for Additional Information Regarding Relief Request No. 2-ISI-40 Snubbers Inspection and Testing.
ML103500174: Notification of Potential Part 21 re 60-Day Interim Report Notification: Failure to Include Seismic Input in Channel-Control Blade Interference Customer Guidance.
ML103510031: Notification of Potential Part 21 Report Concerning Failure to Include Seismic Input In Reactor Control Blade Customer Guidance.
ML103490867: Browns Ferry - Revised Slides from December 15, 2010 Public Meeting.
ML103550247: Regulatory Performance Meeting Summary- Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 AND 50-296.
ML103620327: LER 10-003-00 for Browns Ferry, Unit 1 Regarding Failure of a Low Pressure Coolant Injection Flow Control Valve.
ML103630041: LER 10-004-00, for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1, Residual Heat Removal Low Pressure, Injection System Pump Motor Failure.
It's often been said to "think globally, act locally". To that end, check out the City of Athens calendar (city council meetings, zoning meetings, etc.):
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
By nature, I am not an early riser...
However, if I have to beat the sun rising, I figure that I might as well go all out. I'll get up a few hours before the first hint of sunrise. That affords me time to drop a quart of coffee down the hatch, catch up with goings-on in the world and get the blood pumpin'/sweat rollin' (e.g. run). By 6 AM, I feel thoroughly refreshed and ready to go. So, here we go with the rest of the day...
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
ZP-2 – nEW dIRECTIONS – Free! FREE!! FREE!!! | Zzaj Productions
ZP-2 – nEW dIRECTIONS – Free! FREE!! FREE!!! | Zzaj Productions: "
"
Source: zzaj.freehostia.com
In the spirit of the holidays (and because I need to test something on my FTP site), I’m giving away (free, no charge) a CD titled “ZP-2 - nEW dIRECTIONS”; It features Jeff Olson, Dick Metcalf and Stacey Gravatt, as well as a “guest shot” (on drums) by my long-time playing partner Harlan Mark Vale
Monday, December 20, 2010
I'm wondering if it's just an oversight or the Senate trying to be sneaky...
Here's the vote tally for the repeal of DADT on Saturday. I find it interesting that when it was posted on Saturday (and remaining so still) that the "Measure title" section reads "A bill to amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, and for other purposes."
In other news, congratulations to Committed for their win on The Sing-Off.
In other news, congratulations to Committed for their win on The Sing-Off.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
18 years ago today...
Suzanne and I got married! Hard to believe she's put up with me that long, eh?
Happy Anniversary!!!
Happy Anniversary!!!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Senate Repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," 65-31 | C-SPAN
Senate Repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," 65-31 | C-SPAN
It's time that our country finally got rid of this outdated policy. I've already seen at least one vet (via C-Span's twitter feed) raising hell about this. The oath I took when I joined in 1992 was:
“I, Arthur Metcalf, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
Implicit in the support and defense of that Constitution is protection of ALL Americans. No exclusions for race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, political preference, SEC football team, choice of dessert or anything else. It seemed troubling to me that some groups (of qualified, law-abiding folks) were excluded from the privilege of supporting and defending the Constitution (and our country) merely because they admitted who they were...
It's time that our country finally got rid of this outdated policy. I've already seen at least one vet (via C-Span's twitter feed) raising hell about this. The oath I took when I joined in 1992 was:
“I, Arthur Metcalf, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
Implicit in the support and defense of that Constitution is protection of ALL Americans. No exclusions for race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, political preference, SEC football team, choice of dessert or anything else. It seemed troubling to me that some groups (of qualified, law-abiding folks) were excluded from the privilege of supporting and defending the Constitution (and our country) merely because they admitted who they were...
Friday, December 17, 2010
Happy Meals are the DEVIL!!!
OK, OK, I don't really believe that. Suing McDonald's over the Happy Meal because they "entice children" is ludicrous! If you're that concerned about your child's nutritional well-being (as parents should be), be the parent and steer clear of those old golden arches in the first place...
K-May Donuts & Coffee House is now open in Athens, AL
 |
| From Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate...... |
Stopped by after picking up a Papa Murphy's pizza. Even tried one before (in fact, I'm just about to) putting the pizza in the oven. Mmmm-mmm, good! I'm just glad to have a doughnut shop in Athens, AL. No website (as of yet), so I figured I'd post the menu up here. If you've got a hankering for a doughnut and you're near Athens, hit'em up...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Blount Hospitality House
Self-described as "a home away from home for out-of-town family members of Huntsville area hospital patients", the Blount Hospitality House is having a little 5k run on December 18th. Proceeds go to support this place, so if you're free and able to run, come on out!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
T-12 hours and counting...
Yeah, I'll be starting one of (there are a few) the silliest physical/gastronomic challenges ever...
The 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge
The short of it? Run 2 miles to the doughnut shop, eat a dozen and then run back 2 miles. Oh, by the way, do this within one hour. Should be a BLAST!!! Besides, the proceeds go to a charity.
Wish me luck...
The 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge
The short of it? Run 2 miles to the doughnut shop, eat a dozen and then run back 2 miles. Oh, by the way, do this within one hour. Should be a BLAST!!! Besides, the proceeds go to a charity.
Wish me luck...
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 08, 2010
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
It's 10/31/10....
You know what that means?!?!?!
Happy Halloween!!!
Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
My tracks on soundcloud.com (three for now)...
If you like, you can download any of these (128kbps MP3 files)...
My tracks on soundcloud.com by vejadu
My tracks on soundcloud.com by vejadu
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Tough enough to overstuff....
Ahhhh, the never-ending stream of food at buffets....
It's particularly cool when they bring the food to you. Bea's Restaurant has been around Chattanooga since the early 1950s. Just bring your appetite! Food is continually brought to your lazy susan table as the existing trays get empty.
We're talking fried chicken, beef patties in a brown gravy, pulled pork, cole slaw, potato salad, potatoes in white gravy, greens of some type, pinto beans, rolls, cornbread muffins and a tasty peach cobbler (particularly crazy when topped with additional butter)! Just bring your appetite!!!
View Larger Map
It's particularly cool when they bring the food to you. Bea's Restaurant has been around Chattanooga since the early 1950s. Just bring your appetite! Food is continually brought to your lazy susan table as the existing trays get empty.
We're talking fried chicken, beef patties in a brown gravy, pulled pork, cole slaw, potato salad, potatoes in white gravy, greens of some type, pinto beans, rolls, cornbread muffins and a tasty peach cobbler (particularly crazy when topped with additional butter)! Just bring your appetite!!!
View Larger Map
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Food, food, food...
It's been a while since I talked about dining choices, but dinner this evening was GREAT!!!!!!
The main course (speaking for myself only, of course) was a medium wheat crust pizza from this joint. Why eat at a pizza joint called Lupi's? It was chosen as the Best of the Best 2010 pizza by readers of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. I can see why. If you're in Chattanooga and jonesin' for some pizza, Lupi's should certainly be at or near the top of the list.
You might like to think an entire pizza (hey, it was only a medium) was enough, but...
We wanted dessert, so we went to this little diner (one of two in town) called City Cafe Diner. Having been there before, I knew their desserts reign supreme. They have a variety of cheesecakes, regular cakes and pies. Most of the regular cakes are nearly six inches tall. And they are insanely sweet. I had a slice of "tiramisu cake". Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! And yeah, I ate the entire thing. Talk about carb overload. You know what? You only live once...
The main course (speaking for myself only, of course) was a medium wheat crust pizza from this joint. Why eat at a pizza joint called Lupi's? It was chosen as the Best of the Best 2010 pizza by readers of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. I can see why. If you're in Chattanooga and jonesin' for some pizza, Lupi's should certainly be at or near the top of the list.
You might like to think an entire pizza (hey, it was only a medium) was enough, but...
We wanted dessert, so we went to this little diner (one of two in town) called City Cafe Diner. Having been there before, I knew their desserts reign supreme. They have a variety of cheesecakes, regular cakes and pies. Most of the regular cakes are nearly six inches tall. And they are insanely sweet. I had a slice of "tiramisu cake". Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! And yeah, I ate the entire thing. Talk about carb overload. You know what? You only live once...
via THOMAS from the Library of Congress - Top Ten Bills - Week of October 03, 2010
Top Ten Bills - Week of October 03, 2010: "1. H.R. 4667 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010
2. H.R. 5297 - Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010
3. H.R. 3081 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
4. H.R. 4646 - Debt Free America Act
5. H.R. 3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
6. H.R. 6134 - To provide for a 10 percent reduction in pay for Members of Congress; to make Federal civilian employees subject to a period of mandatory unpaid leave, and to reduce appropriations for salaries and expenses for offices of the legislative branch, during fiscal year 2011; and for other purposes
7. H.R. 4173 - Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
8. H.R. 45 - Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009
9. H.R. 2378 - Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act
10. H.R. 4872 - Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
"Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sure enough, it's fall again...
The Alabama Tourism Department has a lot of good information for various events throughout the year. However, one spot that is particularly appropriate to this time of year can be found here.
Here's a quick and dirty (Flash required) map of estimated dates and color peaks:
Key
Here's a quick and dirty (Flash required) map of estimated dates and color peaks:
Key
no change slight change near peak peak past peak
The official info page again...
http://www.800alabama.com/activities/tours-and-trails/fall-color-trail/
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
4:30 AM, no traffic, 56 F....
View Nice quiet 1 mile loop in a larger map
Two quick trips around this loop was just enough to get the blood pumping in the morning...
Monday, September 27, 2010
News From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK
For an absolutely bizarre view of news from North Korea, this is the place to go...
in reference to: News From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK (view on Google Sidewiki)Top Ten Bills - Week of September 26, 2010
Top Ten Bills - Week of September 26, 2010: "1. H.R. 5297 - Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010
2. H.R. 6134 - To provide for a 10 percent reduction in pay for Members of Congress; to make Federal civilian employees subject to a period of mandatory unpaid leave, and to reduce appropriations for salaries and expenses for offices of the legislative branch, during fiscal year 2011; and for other purposes
3. H.R. 4646 - Debt Free America Act
4. H.R. 3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
5. H.R. 4173 - Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
6. H.R. 4667 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010
7. H.R. 5136 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011
8. H.R. 45 - Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009
9. H.R. 4872 - Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
10. H.R. 4213 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010
"Saturday, September 25, 2010
Kids, moms and dads can be healthy in Tuesday's Autumn Chase Run
Kids, moms and dads can be healthy in Tuesday's Autumn Chase Run: "
On Tuesday, Huntsville Hospital is hosting an event where adults can practice what they preach to their kids - to be healthy.
"Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Friday, September 24, 2010
Nothing earth-shattering in the daily legislation and debate yesterday, but the Congressional Record can definitely be an interesting read at times...
Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Friday, September 24, 2010: "Latest update was Friday, September 24, 2010"
Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Friday, September 24, 2010: "Latest update was Friday, September 24, 2010"
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Happy Birthday John Coltrane! (via In The Muse blog from loc.gov)
Happy Birthday John Coltrane!: "
-via In The Muse blog
John Coltrane House, 1511 North Thirty-third Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Prints and Photographs Division.
One of the great tenor (and soprano) saxophone voices, composer John Coltrane was born on September 23, 1926. The Music Division has a number of lead sheets that Coltrane submitted to copyright for compositions such as “Blue Train” and “Moment’s Notice.” The Library is also home to a set of tapes recorded at a performance by Coltrane and Thelonious Monk at Carnegie Hall in 1957. The tapes were discovered in the collection by Reference Specialist Larry Appelbaum, who at the time was a Recording Engineer in the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. In a documentary about the discovery and release of the tapes, Larry spoke of the moment he realized the magnitude of his discovery: “I thought, well, it’s possible this is a rare unpublished recording by Monk. And then when we went to digitize the tape, I heard the tenor saxophonist in the quartet – and I knew it was John Coltrane. My heart started to race! ”
On this first full day of autumn, remember Trane with the 1960 recording of “Equinox” on the album Coltrane’s Sound . Or just listen to him all day, starting with his contribution to Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue (named to the National Recording Registry in 2002), classic Atlantic recordings like “Giant Steps” (named to the National Recording Registry in 2004), and the exploratory masterpiece A Love Supreme.
For more autumnal music, see the Historic Sheet Music Collection, 1800-1922 in the Performing Arts Encyclopedia for titles like “Al Trahern’s “Harvest Moon,” (not to be confused with Nora Bayes’ more famous “Shine on Harvest Moon” version, also recorded by Tiny Tim).
"-via In The Muse blog
Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Tuesday, September 21, 2010: "Latest update was Tuesday, September 21, 2010"
For your handy dandy reading pleasure...
I've gathered all the RSS feeds from http://www.loc.gov/rss/ into one convenient list.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Things To Do In Huntsville (via about.com)
Things To Do In Huntsville: "Here's some things you might want to check out in Huntsville & North Alabama over the next week: Scarecrow Trail at Botanical Garden, Harmony Park Safari, Flying Monkey's Artist ..."
I've already posted this at Facebook, but ...
Ever thought about incorporating the statuses of your FB friends as a feed that you can use in your favorite RSS reader (makes for much quicker reading)? It used to be a bit easier, but here's what you can do:
Go to http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?friends
Copy the subscribe link (left hand side of the page) and change friends_notes to friends_status
For example, http://www.facebook.com/feeds/friends_notes.php?id=xxxxxxxx&key=xxxxxxxxxx&format=rss20 becomes http://www.facebook.com/feeds/friends_status.php?id=xxxxxxxx&key=xxxxxxxxxx&format=rss20
Obviously, your id and key will be different (I've taken the liberty of replacing mine with Xs).
You can do the same thing for links that your friends post to their wall. For that, just change friends_notes to share_friends_posts
Voila! You now have an RSS feed URL for your friends' statuses or links. Hope this might be useful...
Update from 1/14/12 - I looked at this again and instead of saying subscribe or RSS, the "Friends' Notes" is now just a hyperlink on the left hand side that says Friends' Notes. When your mouse is over it, the link will say rss or rss20 at some point...
Go to http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?friends
Copy the subscribe link (left hand side of the page) and change friends_notes to friends_status
For example, http://www.facebook.com/feeds/friends_notes.php?id=xxxxxxxx&key=xxxxxxxxxx&format=rss20 becomes http://www.facebook.com/feeds/friends_status.php?id=xxxxxxxx&key=xxxxxxxxxx&format=rss20
Obviously, your id and key will be different (I've taken the liberty of replacing mine with Xs).
You can do the same thing for links that your friends post to their wall. For that, just change friends_notes to share_friends_posts
Voila! You now have an RSS feed URL for your friends' statuses or links. Hope this might be useful...
Update from 1/14/12 - I looked at this again and instead of saying subscribe or RSS, the "Friends' Notes" is now just a hyperlink on the left hand side that says Friends' Notes. When your mouse is over it, the link will say rss or rss20 at some point...
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Never forget!!!!!
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/lcwa/html/sept11/sept11-overview.html
http://news.yahoo.com/topics/september-11-attacks
http://september11.archive.org/
http://911digitalarchive.org/index.php
http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Terrorism/Incidents/September_11,_2001/
http://search.usa.gov/search?query=9%2F11&USA.gov+Search.x=22&USA.gov+Search.y=7
http://twitter.com/sept11memorial
http://www.facebook.com/911memorial
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/sept_11_2001/index.html
http://news.yahoo.com/topics/september-11-attacks
http://september11.archive.org/
http://911digitalarchive.org/index.php
http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Terrorism/Incidents/September_11,_2001/
http://search.usa.gov/search?query=9%2F11&USA.gov+Search.x=22&USA.gov+Search.y=7
http://twitter.com/sept11memorial
http://www.facebook.com/911memorial
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/sept_11_2001/index.html
Friday, September 10, 2010
Though it's doubtful that Mark Twain actually said this...
"Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."
-Often likely misattributed to Mark Twain
I'll continue the tradition right here. This is really only of much interest for those of you in North Alabama. For those who had any doubt, August really was hot. See? FWIW, while you're at it, check out the Fall edition of Rocket City Weather...
-Often likely misattributed to Mark Twain
I'll continue the tradition right here. This is really only of much interest for those of you in North Alabama. For those who had any doubt, August really was hot. See? FWIW, while you're at it, check out the Fall edition of Rocket City Weather...
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Although it appears to now be a moot point...
since Terry Jones has called off this weekend's libricide, the whole uproar that has accompanied this set of events brings many interesting issues to light...
What are the limits of free speech?
Would the government be able to abridge a freedom of speech issue concerning the free exercise of a group's religious beliefs?
Do folks around the world (and I mainly mean Muslims in other countries) really understand how our government often has its hands tied when it comes to controlling the forms of self-expression that Americans can choose to engage in?
Why do many of the folks who were protesting the planned event chanting "Death to America" or "Death to the Christians"? The folks who were going to burn the Koran are an insanely small group of people compared to Americans and/or Christians.
Had violent retribution taken place, could it be attributed in part to Jones or only to the perpetrators?
As I've said before, although I totally thought the action would have been foolish, I fully supported the rights of Jones and his supporters to do what they were going to do. I'm just happy that he came up with an excuse to end the furor. I support those who would burn any book or flag or effigy even though such actions are pointless and silly. I have my own (partial at least) answers to the above questions. What do you think?
What are the limits of free speech?
Would the government be able to abridge a freedom of speech issue concerning the free exercise of a group's religious beliefs?
Do folks around the world (and I mainly mean Muslims in other countries) really understand how our government often has its hands tied when it comes to controlling the forms of self-expression that Americans can choose to engage in?
Why do many of the folks who were protesting the planned event chanting "Death to America" or "Death to the Christians"? The folks who were going to burn the Koran are an insanely small group of people compared to Americans and/or Christians.
Had violent retribution taken place, could it be attributed in part to Jones or only to the perpetrators?
As I've said before, although I totally thought the action would have been foolish, I fully supported the rights of Jones and his supporters to do what they were going to do. I'm just happy that he came up with an excuse to end the furor. I support those who would burn any book or flag or effigy even though such actions are pointless and silly. I have my own (partial at least) answers to the above questions. What do you think?
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Islamophobes я Us....
Someone I know recently received an e-mail that discussed a "boycott" of "the new Muslim Eid stamp". I'm sure that all of the folks who continue to propagate these BS chain e-mails love their country and "their religion", but there are so many holes in this e-mail that it needs to quickly sink to a watery grave. Besides, this stamp has been around since 2001.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/stamps/eidstamp.asp
https://supplies.usps.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10052&productId=10006182&langId=-1
To borrow a favorite line from a twisted book...
Don't Panic!!!
In closing, with religiophobic myths like this continuing and idiots like the Dove World Outreach Center and their little event planned for 9/11/10 (I think these folks are so idiotic that I won't even link to them), we are entirely too close to a point where the 9/11 attackers have achieved what I believe was their true goal: fomenting that "war between the civilizations"...
http://www.snopes.com/politics/stamps/eidstamp.asp
https://supplies.usps.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10052&productId=10006182&langId=-1
To borrow a favorite line from a twisted book...
Don't Panic!!!
In closing, with religiophobic myths like this continuing and idiots like the Dove World Outreach Center and their little event planned for 9/11/10 (I think these folks are so idiotic that I won't even link to them), we are entirely too close to a point where the 9/11 attackers have achieved what I believe was their true goal: fomenting that "war between the civilizations"...
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
I was just browsing around here....
and I stumbled across this document. Very interesting reading! I'm sure there's much more interesting stuff on the MERLN site, but the section on the left side of the page titled "Quick Links to U.S. Policy Statements - MiPALs" is a good start.
So there I was...
I had a few PDFs on-hand that I wanted to back up but save on my local machine as text files. There are a number of ways to do this, but the easiest (and cheapest) way was to get Xpdf from here. One utility program included with Xpdf is pdftotext. I then had to figure out a way to use pdftotext to convert my files in one big batch. Here's what I did. First, I dragged all 575 of the desired files to the directory where pdftotext.exe was located. Next, I used the command prompt (under Vista, Start->Run->cmd) dir to make a list of all the PDF files in the directory (dir *.pdf /b > list). As for batching the file conversion, I then used the FOR command included with the cmd program. Here's the applicable syntax:
for /F %i in (list) DO pdftotext %i
Worked like a champ! The files I converted were mostly text, so they were fairly conducive to conversion. Besides, this freed up about 60 MB on my hard drive. Not a lot by today's standards, but I can keep a few more pictures or MP3s now...
for /F %i in (list) DO pdftotext %i
Worked like a champ! The files I converted were mostly text, so they were fairly conducive to conversion. Besides, this freed up about 60 MB on my hard drive. Not a lot by today's standards, but I can keep a few more pictures or MP3s now...
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Thursday, August 05, 2010
I'd heard about the public meeting at Calhoun the other night regarding Browns Ferry burning MOX fuel....
But I didn't readily find a great deal of supporting information. This is the beginning of a fairly long process. None of the media I read or heard said anything about where to gather information on the whole issue. If this is of interest to you, check out http://www.spdsupplementaleis.com/...
I was slightly surprised that there was no information (that I readily discovered) via TVA or the NRC. That's partially because of where we are in the process. The public comment period for the supplemental EIS ends September 17, so if you've got something to say, this pdf has information...
I was slightly surprised that there was no information (that I readily discovered) via TVA or the NRC. That's partially because of where we are in the process. The public comment period for the supplemental EIS ends September 17, so if you've got something to say, this pdf has information...
Monday, July 26, 2010
We sadly had to euthanize Isabella, our pet kitty for the last 10 years, this morning...
Early in July, she was diagnosed with renal failure. She declined steadily throughout the month. Here are a couple of nice snapshots from the last few hours she was among us:
Goodbye kitty!!!
Goodbye kitty!!!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Although it was blazing hot today...
I felt like knocking out several miles on some of the trails up on Monte Sano Mountain. It's nice and quiet and secluded and shady. It's also a good way to work up a little sweat and free up your mind for thought...
I've already put up a link elsewhere for the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL), but it's a fairly valuable resource, so I'll put it up here as well. The old (current) site requires a card for home access. The beta site uses IP geolocation, so if your IP resolves to Alabama, you don't even need a card. Pretty cool!
One thing I just recently discovered (from AVL) is the Encyclopedia of Alabama. I've only given the site the most cursory glance, but it looks like it might have promise. Plus, there's always the Alabama portal on Wikipedia...
I've already put up a link elsewhere for the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL), but it's a fairly valuable resource, so I'll put it up here as well. The old (current) site requires a card for home access. The beta site uses IP geolocation, so if your IP resolves to Alabama, you don't even need a card. Pretty cool!
One thing I just recently discovered (from AVL) is the Encyclopedia of Alabama. I've only given the site the most cursory glance, but it looks like it might have promise. Plus, there's always the Alabama portal on Wikipedia...
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
This made the rounds a while ago (in some circles at least)....
But I am still highly impressed each time I see/hear it:
One of the Wikimedia Foundation's projects is Wikimedia Commons...
The site has a lot of cool media that can be used for various purposes. One nifty page linked from the site shows the latest files and updates in real time (http://toolserver.org/%7Epara/Commons:Special:NewFiles):
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