(e:matt) asked me something today that I have been asked before - and I'm only paraphrasing. "Why in the world do you think global warming is bullshit?" (e:matt) also gave me a great suggestion - talk more local stuff. Actually thats a great idea - and in consideration on my right-leaning stance on most things I think the lefties around here might be in for a shock - we actually agree on most local stuff. I can only agree with Jamie Moses when it comes to local topics... that says quite a bit. I'll elaborate in a minute.

A caveat; ultimately this is my journal, and I really only talk about things I care about and want to talk about. The bottom line is this - I write for myself and could care less if nobody reads this shit. This is MY space. People constantly are picking my brain, and I have no issue with that whatsoever. Do not mistake my willingness to discuss a broader range of topics, however, for abandonment of my current topics.

Allow me to clarify my position on global warming. Whether or not the world is rising in temperature is beyond question - the question is, why is this happening? Its never been possible to irrefutably link human activity and global warming - this is problem number one. The bulk of the science related to global warming is being proliferated by people with an agenda - problem number two. No idea is credible when the results come before the reasoning, and MANY people that profess that man is responsible for global warming are guilty of this.

Does that mean that the people with the agenda are wrong? Not necessarily. If you read the research, the best that people have been able to come up with is we simply don't know for sure why its happening... the best we can say is that solar variability combined with other factors (such as human activity) are likely the culprit. Based on the science currently released, I'm compelled to believe that this is occuring as a result of solar cycles, with the minor part being played by humanity. Is human activity THE reason why the world is getting hotter? Absolutely, positively not. Is human activity contributing though? I believe so.

I'm a believer in moving away from oil - for political, environmental and technological reasons. We know that we could be or are likely to be contributing somewhat to global warming - that alone is enough for me to believe that we need to find new ways to generate power. If we can reduce or eliminate any effect we may be having on the environment, flip the bird to OPEC and innovate in technology that could benefit the entire planet - sign me up YESTERDAY.

In other words - I want to achieve the same things that the envirofascists want to achieve - just for different reasons. I actually want the same conclusion as the people that are convinced that its "our" fault. Ultimately it won't mean a great deal, as India and China are likely going to be buying up the oil that we wouldn't be buying anymore... will the great enemy be China and India then, or is this somehow still going to be America's fault, people? The movement to give up oil and will have to be a global movement or else its going to be meaningless. Sooner or later we're going to have to make the first step so lets be proactive.

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Okay - local politics. This was a great suggestion - more dialogue needs to happen about local issues, and since this is a locally oriented site this is an ideal place to be talking about the local dirt. I'm just going to give a general idea about what I think about the local situation, and maybe touch on a couple local hot button issues.

Buffalo will never get fixed anytime soon. Why? Because most people in this city just don't give a shit. Voter apathy, no political pressure to institute meaningful change, bickering, arguing about who is going to get payola, corruption, cronyism, racial overtones, overtaxation, no visionary leadership for decades - you name it, Buffalo has it as a problem.

The problem, first and foremost, is voter apathy and the apathy to change that is a direct result of the voter apathy. Politicians in this city are routinely re-elected despite little or no tangible results. To an outside observer, the position we are in must be ridiculous and deserved. As long as the local voters either can't or don't want to DEMAND results from these people, nothing is changing. Local politicians routinely take the voter for granted because they can.

The casino - Any deal that benefits the state more than the city should be abandoned. To me this doesn't make any sense purely from a business standpoint. Its not clear to me that this is necessary at all - the best argument I've heard is that its going to bring in jobs.... so lets do it! There are a lot of ways to bring jobs to the area without having to resort to building a casino... which if you ask me is the bottom rung. We need jobs to be sure, but lets not hastily take a bad deal related to a shady business sector merely out of desperation. This city habitually considers wacky proposals. What happened to the IT corridor they had envisioned? Why is it that our region missed the economic boat during the Clinton years? Why is it that we've never had leaders with the ability to adapt to and attract new segments of business? The economic outlook of the city IS NOT hinging on whether or not we're going to build a casino... things cannot get worse if we don't because we're already at rock bottom. I'm waiting to be convinced that building a casino is progress.

The bridge and the waterfront - This one completely infuriates me. The local officials are more interested in arguing about minutia than actually achieving anything. This is the perfect stereotypical example of why nothing gets done here - big egos, small brains. Everybody that is involved with this project should be removed... and if you really want to get something done, bring in a group of people that are not affiliated with the people and companies with the most to lose on this "deal." The officials working on the bridge and the waterfront projects are absolute poison, and deserve to be reprimanded and exposed as such publicly.

190 tolls - There is no reason for them. Its abusive and is a drain on a flatlined economy.

Racism - Buffalo is one of the most segregated cities I've ever been to or lived in. Anybody can go to the East Side and see that black neighborhoods are largely neglected. Its embarassing and inexcusable. If our area is ever going to get out this rut, ALL of us are going to have to get there together, take collective responsibility and do what needs to be done in order to improve our situation. Both white and black people are very racist here - its time to stop ignoring it, confront the problem, understand the problems and work together to fix them.

Giambra - He's incompetant. However, to try to pin Erie County or Buffalo problems onto the Republicans is dishonest and hypocritical. So is the implication that Giambra is the only local politician to have ever hired family members or friends to work for local government - Artvoice and The Beast are particularly guilty of this one. We do not live in a Republican stronghold and never have - Democrats have dominated local politics for over 100 years in our city, so lets not be silly. Our problems are a result of DECADES of systematic, damaging and immoral practices on behalf of our elected officicals, and a vast majority of those politicians have been Democrats over the years. Giambra did not create the mess we're in, and while I think he isn't fit for the job he's in, he cannot be legitimately blamed for our ills. In my mind, the Red/Green budget fiasco is Exhibit A for why he shouldn't hold office. He completely insulted the area's collective intelligence on that one. ANY politician that hires unqualified or underqualified people for positions purely because of favor or nepotism should be scrutinized heavily.

City Hall - Our City Hall is a microcosm. Its a miniature world all its own, where bureaucracy and inefficiency rule the day. Contempt for the taxpayer is company policy downtown, and is written all over the faces of EVERY. SINGLE. EMPLOYEE. Your money doesn't belong to you, you see... it belongs to THEM. They believe that they know best concerning how to spend "their" money so there is no need for a control board, despite decades of evidence explicitly displaying just how rife with incompetance our officials have been for years upon years. After all, none of this is our fault - its the states fault, right?

Ticketing in the city - Don't even get me started on this one. Jason and I have paid over $500 on tickets this winter, not because I'm a lawbreaker... its because there isn't enough parking on the Strip and during the winter people are almost guaranteed to get tickets because they are FORCED to either park on the street or in the lot next to Globe Market... which up until a year or so ago was a safe place to park for years. Set the obvious parking problems in the city aside for a second. Ultimately this is about Police enforcement, which I have no problem with. What I DO have a problem with, however, is playing games with the public, hiding or denying the REAL reasons behind the enforcement increase and expecting the public to go along with it. Citizens here aren't stupid - we know that its because of the union contract. Don't play games with peoples lives and money, lie about your reasons then expect the public to be on your side.

Today is actually a decent news day.

1. Advocates of the global warming "theory" bullying and removing funding from scientists who disagree? Yes, according to the Sloan Professor of Atmospheric Science at MIT. Theres even a Buffalo reference in this one -

2. Moussaoui jurors hear Flight 93 tape. I'm conflicted over this one - I wouldn't ever want to hear that thing.

3. That crazy bastard in Iran celebrates his country's barely scratching the surface of harnessing nuclear energy - not that anyone actually believes that his intentions are peaceful. Anyhow, here you go -

4. (Some) illegal immigrants get fired after being issued a verbal and written warning that if they left work to protest that they would be fired. Now they are "fighting for their rights?" WHAT FUCKING RIGHTS might they be referring to? See, this is what upsets me about the illegals right now - the assumption that breaking laws, doing things the wrong way and ignoring clear rules shouldn't go unpunished bedause... well... they feel like it. I have absolutely no sympathy for these people that got fired. Read for yourself then decide -

5. GOP leaders uninterested in making illegal immigrants felons - see, this I can agree with and I think everybody would agree that this makes sense. The immigration issue is a difficult one, but I don't think its practical to a) make these people felons, or b) try to deport them all.

6. RED ALERT - Oprah is okay with being a rich lady!

7. Giuliani victim of a smear movie, Fahrenheit 9/11 style.

Some articles that I think are relevant and informative -

1. So much for the "McJob" assertion that many falsely assert is the case in our economy -

2. A student was expelled from a Baptist college in Kentucky for coming out. I'm mixed on this one. I think its wrong to expel a student because of sexual preference, but on the other hand if you enroll at a "holy roller" college and openly proclaim your homosexuality its blatantly obvious that you are going to end up on the losing end, right or wrong. Read the article and judge for yourself -

3. Here's a subject that I'm very tired of hearing about, but I have to mention it. French student protest. I feel very comfortable about my smug laugh over this thing going on in France. That country will never, ever compete on any serious level with the USA economically because of their federally mandated benefits. The government tries to fix the problem with youth unemployment, then in a very typical French manner back down when a bunch of teenagers, who don't know shit about shit, protest en masse. The law has been pulled off the table, yet the protests continue! Fuck France... their citizens deserve what they get.

4. Just another example of a liberal in the classroom polluting the learning environment with political tripe that ends up getting said teacher in boiling hot water.

For serious - Jersey fucking suuuucks. The northern part of the state is basically a NYC suburb, and the southern part of the state is a Philly suburb. Not to mention that the state happens to have two of the most dangerous, rife with crime and violent cities in America - Newark and Camden. Tonight I'm slummin' it in Cherry Hill, which actually is a fairly nice 'burb.

(e:jason) - its not your counselors fault that you were late, and justifying your bad behavior by pointing out theirs isn't an excuse either. Just don't be late places... and this goes for everybody, not just poor Jay here. Tardiness is ridiculous.

2006 has turned out thus far to be one of my most reclusive years ever. I've been like J.D. Salinger... without the literary talent. I've been busy though. I actually audited in Buffalo for the first time yesterday - we audited the Olmstead Center for the Visually Impaired. I have to say, they revamped their entire building and its absolutely beautiful. My only problem with the place is that there are very few actual blind people that use the building, and its alleged purpose is to service the visually impaired community. I did get to meet and interview some blind folks though - one lady actually sews vests! Alot of the stories I heard were inspirational, and for me anyhow, its a reminder that I'm lucky. I didn't come from wealth, but I am wealthy in a lot of other ways that some people were not so lucky with. I actually grabbed a donation leaflet and put it in my travel bag because it had an absolutely killer quote in it -

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

From this point on when I am upset about my job, or upset about whatever... I'll have the leaflet in my bag to remind me of the quote and the workers I met at the Olmstead Center.

Today I led an audit team at a glass manufacturer here in NJ - 2.5 million square feet. Massive facility. Glass making is dirty and dangerous... for the first time I was required to put on some reinforced footwear. For every 3M that I visit, I have a place like this usually. It was cool though - having tons of molten glass a few feet away from you, with open flames burning everywhere is about as close to hell on earth as you can get.

Fuck Darcy Tucker. I hope he gets the bird flu, rots his asshole out and gets shot in the same afternoon. Somebody needs to spike that guy's Gatorade with salmonella.

P.S. If you don't care about the Sabres this was likely meaningless to you. All you need to know is that a)Darcy is a guy, and b)he needs to get the bird flu, rot his asshole out and get shot in the same afternoon.