Friday Fish Wrap: February 11. 2010

What a day this has been. The Egyptians have done it, and I offer my heartiest congratulations to them. However, once the big party has ended, and the revolutionary hangover has passed, they’re going to have to figure out what’s next. Like how to transition from military rule and martial law to a truly democratic government of the people. It’s sure to be messy, but I believe they have it in them to do this.

This chain of events has got to weigh heavily on every other despot in the Middle East. I hope they haven’t been sleeping well. Apparently, Glenn Beck is staying awake nights as well. In his Thursday Fox rant, he’s deeply concerned that the entire Egyptian revolutionary movement is about commies and fundamentalists coming together, taking over Egypt to implement a ‘new world order’. Yup.

If you weren’t sure that this man is bat-shit crazy yet, then watch. Either he’s crazy or one of the biggest showman-opportunists that ever walked upright.

Back at the ranch here in Reno, Nevada the budgetary woes are claiming more victims each and every day I open the ever shrinking Reno Gazette-Journal. Today, 100 more city employees got notices and the police substation in the National Gee-Whiz-Answer-To-All-Our-Problems Bowling Stadium was closed. Yet. Yet…. there are ‘More Funds for Commission’, as in doubling the funding for Economic Development.

Yes, I know … in hard times you must attract new business, and the way to do that is with an Economic Development council … commission … department … whatever. Gee, whatever did anybody do before these sacred cows came to town? I’m just one housewife, but it seems to me that we’d all be better served to spend that extra money where it would really count - like education. I mean, will companies still continue to come here without an educated workforce? Can our Economic Development commissions promise them enough tax breaks - that’s really the incentive we’re talking about, right? - in these hard times to overcome continued FAILS in our educational system?

Furthermore, as our quality of life indicators, infrastructure and social services begin to show even more strain due to slashed budgets, how long do the Economic Development gurus think it will be before companies take a second, bleaker look at Nevada and say “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Thinking about this last night, I got doing a bit of research at the Pew Center on the States. This is a goldmine of fascinating tidbits.

Did you know that of all the states, Nevada ranks right there beneath Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma for Science and Engineering Doctorates in the workforce? Only Florida ranks lower. This certainly speaks to the level of education required running Keno tickets.

However, a full 19% of our 8th graders score at or above proficient levels in science. Better yet, 0.27% of our college students are earning degrees in science and engineering. That moved up up one level from the bottom. The number of Nevada citizens holding degrees is the lowest of all the western states. The number of college degree holders who moved here during the boom - uh, not so good at 23.4%. That’s the lowest of all the western states.

Where Nevada really shines is the number of college degree holders beating a path out of the state, the highest rate in the entire nation! Do ya think?

Most of the above figures came from data gathered before the economy tanked. What do you think they’ll be going forward?

Where are the jobs of tomorrow? Not in running Keno tickets. They’re in science, engineering and technology - AKA ‘Clean Energy Jobs’, at which Nevada ranked near the bottom in 2007.

Offering more tax breaks to beg companies to re-locate here is just the opposite of what the state should be doing to bring us closer to just even fiscally. It’s just simply nuts. Touting Nevada’s lower taxes - such as our low, bargain basement corporate tax rates - also hasn’t paid off. Every surrounding state has higher corporate tax rates, and good business seems to flock to them just as much, if not more. The surrounding states have personal income taxes, too. Business goes there anyway.

So don’t jive me with “lower taxes brings business in”. That’s simply not true.

When will people get wise to these Economic Development snake-oil salesmen? You can sorta, kinda look the other way when everything is fat and happy, but we’re broke and in the ditch. We can’t afford this nonsense anymore, but everybody is too scared to admit it.

I encourage you to really look through the Nevada pages on the Pew Center for the States. Go through all the tabs, including Bills Coming Due. Look at things like projected incarceration rates, infrastructure, emergency preparedness. It’s not a pretty picture.

Well, I went to the orthopedic guy this morning and the news isn’t very good. I did tear my ACL and there are probably two minor tears on the MCL. I can get by for a while wearing a brace - even ski if I’m very careful. But the bottom line is I’ve got to get an MRI, and then figure out the when and where of surgery to replace the ACL and repair the MCL. Crap. Double crap. I’ve got to get with this, since the rest of my body - hips, the left knee, both ankles - are taking a beating since they’re doing more with less.

I hurt. All over. So, if I’m a little crankier than usual, that’s why. The upside is that I can receive a ‘new’ replacement ACL from a cadaver. That’s too cool.

It also pisses me off that I have to go MRI shopping. It seems to me that being hurt should be the most that I have to deal with - but such is medical care under the auspices of ‘market driven’.

Fuck ‘market driven’ for-profit healthcare, and the insurance company horse it rode in on.

Oh, we sold the ‘98 Camry. Grandma’s car is gone. No more ‘discussions’ about driving. I had it on Craigslist one day, and sold it for cash - $3,700 in greenbacks - the next. You’ve gotta love Craigslist.

Oh, friend Ty Whitaker would like me to give all early warning to note the date of the 2011 Lahontan Spring Wings Bird Festival.  This is a great opportunity to see some of the best of Nevada’s migrating birds fairly up close. The Lahontan flyway is one of the best in North America, and if you are any sort of nature lover, this is a great family activity.

You can also get information at SpringWings.org   The dates are May 13, 14 and 15, 2011 at the Stillwater NWR, out near Fallon, Nevada. Check it out on Facebook, too.

I didn’t attend last year, but hope to this year.

Well, that’s enough for now. It’s time to avert my eyes from the computer screen, and to the Kindle, or the current copy of American Prospect accompanied by a steaming cuppa tea. Mighty Leaf ‘Green Tea Tropical’.

Oh, one more reminder that the Reno Skeptics are hosting a showing of ‘Creation’ (the Darwin BBC film) tomorrow night at the Sparks RoundTable Pizza on Baring Blvd., 6:00 p.m. in honor of Darwin Day. Buy your own beer and pizza. I’ll be there.

Stay warm. Stay employed if that’s what suits you. Stay healthy.

Laugh occasionally at the absurdity of it all. I’ll let myself out.

-maven

Monday Musings: February 7. 2011

So much to comment on, and I thought I would have a leisurely Monday morning to do it. Here it is nearly 3 in the afternoon, and I’m just sitting down to the keyboard. It’s funny how a 93-year-old mother can take your day and blow it out of the water. I wouldn’t actually mind, except that Mom rarely notices that it’s been a disruption, and is even more rarely appreciative even when the level of disruption is apparent. It’s more fun for her to complain about everything she has no control over, or has no intention of doing anything about.

Sigh.

Those gingersnaps I made last Friday got even more awesomely tasty - and cold milk worthy - the longer they lived in the cookie jar. The flavors really married, and became richer and more nuanced. Meanwhile, on Saturday and Sunday, I did more test runs with the multi grain blend pizza dough I’d crafted. As to, did my loyal product testers up the street - Peg and Don. Peg went for simplicity, while Don went manly - loaded every conceivable topping as in a casino buffet of topping choices - on the toothsome crust.

“Crust still fabulous, even laden with tons of soggy vegetables & sauce.  This was a better pizza.  It was not disgusting.  Don could have left off the sausage as I don’t think it added much and there was a flavor that tended of overpower some of the subtler essences.  This would have been spectacular with just the cheese, the olives, the peppers (and added red pepper for heat), the onions, garlic, and pepperoni.  The sauce was perfect with the crust and even could have been a bit thicker, I think.

All in all, an excellent adventure in pizza.  The dough was great, and held up well with the accoutrements on the second pizza. “

The next batch will include a dough conditioner/relaxer, which will make for a thinner, crispier crust in theory. I’ll let you know when some test samples are ready.

NOTICE: Reno Skeptics are hosting a movie night on Saturday, February 12th, at Round Table Pizza, 1201 Baring Blvd., Sparks, Nevada. The time: 6:00 p.m. They’ll be showing BBC movie ‘Creation’ (how Darwin saw the world and forever changed human understanding of our natural world ) in celebration of Darwin’s birthday, which will be accompanied with a presentation by our resident archeologist, Chris Webster. The pizza and beer are on you, but the Skeptics will buy the birthday cake.

On the drive home this afternoon, as I was passing the Grand Sierra Resort Casino, I noted the big reader board. Wow! A $15,000 Presidential Slot Tournament. Nothing says America, patriotism, love of county and our founders like losing the rent money at a slot tourney.

Okay, so I’m a little cynical.

Cynical also, in how I view the change of position of RSCVA President/CEO Ellen Oppenheim. She has ‘asked’ to resign and be re-assigned a different position due to an ‘illness’ in the family. The fix is in on this. I used to know a long time RSCVA director, and if he were still here, he’d be laughing his butt off at this nonsense.

When I saw the local news media chasing after Oppenheim, in a vain attempt to get a comment on the $400,000 that had gone to lure the American International Choral Festivel to town  - and said Oppenheim repeatedly giving them the slip and the silent treatment - I said “Aha! She’ll be giving notice soon.” The festival. slated for May, 2011, was supposed to bring droves of people and about $7,000,000 to the local area, but sign-ups are falling way short of any such mark. In gaming, that’s referred to as “betting on the come” or counting ones chickens before they’re hatched. But what the heck, it’s only the taxpayers money.

And for this, she was being paid $225,000 a year with nice benefits. You can view her employment contract here. From comments buzzing around the internet, it doesn’t seem like too many folks will be sorry she’s gone. The question remains, why should she be kept on - “re-assigned” - for six months, at taxpayer expense when she is clearly not performing the duties in the contract? Any six month notice clause is usually for the benefit of the employer, not the terminated employee … at least in my humble experience.

Hmmmm. What’s she got on Dwight Dortch?

Do you ever get the feeling that positions like the RSCVA are poorly supervised/audited rat holes for the taxpayers money?

Another reason for my cynicism today might have to do with Obama’s new love fest with Bill O’Reilly (interview) and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce (speech). Could this be about raising money for a second term? Courting the business interests that he earlier bashed to get the support of us, the Democratic rank and file? What’s next? Kiss and make up with the right over health care reform - hand them rocks to throw under it until it breaks?

I’m so over him.

The Las Vegas Sun had an interesting article in yesterday’s paper about the brain drain from Nevada. Who would have ever guessed that native born Nevada’s would earn their degrees here and head out of state to make a living and a life? Sort of like my beautiful step-daughter who got her degree from UNR. She tried to make a go of it here, but eventually had to realize that the pickings were between slim and none - thus headed west to make it with the big boys.

As it stands now, Nevada is still unsurpassed in it’s attempt to score the bottom slots in any ranking that other states would be ashamed of. We’re 41st in the nation for the number of persons born in the state, ages 25 to 44 that hold baccalaureate degrees, and don’t bail at the first opportunity.

Yes, they wags are correct. Nevada, the Mississippi of the West. Yet the weather is so damn beautiful. Sheesh, it got to like 65 degrees today. A sweater was too warm when I dashed out for lunch and there still isn’t any ‘weather’ in sight. Bad for the skiing. I may have to get the bike out.

Oh, I have finally caved in and tweeted. I hate it, but I’m doing it. Surprisingly, there are people I know that responded - they are out there doing same! Hard to believe.

Have a good week at your chosen vocation. Hang in there. Read this blog occasionally.

Cheers!

-maven