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Sunday, September 29, 2013 - 11:20am

Something about foxes and chicken coops comes to mind:

To that end, the grant would have allowed North Carolina to develop a network of sites to test streams and survey wildlife before and after fracking occurs. The “before” is critical – having a thorough baseline of data would help the state better document issues that might be linked to fracking.

What will happen instead? Division of Water Resources director Tom Reeder says there still will be testing at fracking sites, because N.C. law requires it. But the law, which was drawn up by a Republican-led legislature, doesn’t require the thoroughness of testing that the EPA grant would have provided. In fact, the law even lets the testing be done by the companies that will perform the fracking. That’s not the kind of comfort we have in mind.

I actually heard Tom Reeder say that drillers would do testing before fracking begins, in a News14 story in the last few days. Trying to find it now, and will update diary when I do. Until then, here are a few questions for lawmakers: are you going to let potential Welfare recipients drug test themselves at home, and trust their findings afterward? Is the NC Bar going to allow aspiring attorneys to take the Bar exam at home, and tell you if they passed? Why would you allow a company that could expose itself to millions in damage do their own baseline water quality testing? It defies logic.

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Sunday, September 29, 2013 - 10:42am

Proving that he cares more about power and influence than he does about service:

After weeks of exploring a possible bid and even running TV ads criticizing Hagan, Berger announced last week that he will seek re-election to the state Senate. As tempting as a U.S. Senate bid would have been, Berger would have been risking a certain power base in exchange for a roll of the dice.

Even if he had won election, Berger, 61, would have been a rookie in what would likely be a Senate led by Democrat Harry Reid or Republican Mitch McConnell. Instead, Berger will continue as the most influential figure in North Carolina politics as long as the Republican hegemony continues in Raleigh.

Berger is still running TV ads against Hagan (and Barack Obama, just to please the racist mouth-breathers). Along those bigoted lines, he will probably throw his support behind an architect of the anti-gay marriage amendment:

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slevit @
Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 7:33pm

Let's give a Bronx cheer for another of our contributions to humanity:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/27/politics/house-tea-party/index.html

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Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 12:42pm

I am asking anyone who has had a problem with filing a grievance with the State Bar and who has proven beyound a reasonable doubt that a lawyer has indeed failed to act in an ethical manner to contact me.

I have spoken to some and now would like to form a group that can act together to show force and right the wrong that has been the norm for too many years. When will the State Bar realize that it will not be tolerated any longer.

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Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 12:41pm

Sharon Decker wants to know what you think. Well, maybe not YOU.

I found this posted on a local GOP email list. We're citizens - sorry, "customers" - too, so I don't think she'll mind. Too much.
________________________

From: Secretary Sharon Decker [mailto:CommerceListeningTours@nccommerce.com]
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 11:21 AM
Subject: Listening Tour Survey [North.Central.Region]

As one of the key stakeholders in economic development in North Carolina, you were recently invited to join us at a Listening Tour event in your prosperity zone. If you were unable to attend, we’d still welcome your feedback.

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Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 10:28am

Those fancy charity fundraisers finally pay off:

Is there a fire under that smoke? It’s too soon to say. Drawing rash conclusions — that the department is dysfunctional and Wos should go — isn’t helpful. DHHS is the most complex agency in state government. It administers a massive program that operates under federal rules and deals with a medical economy where costs always go up and opportunities for waste and fraud seem boundless. Past audits showed that North Carolina’s Medicaid program incurred higher administrative costs than most other states’.

Bolding mine. If I didn't know better, I'd be forced to conclude from this paragraph that the N&R editorial staff is blaming the structure of DHHS for Aldona Wos' wasteful and fraud-like behavior. It's not her fault, it's the environment she's in. I know for a fact this view is not held by the majority of N&R's editorial staff, but whoever penned this is hiding under your banner. Boss or not, that's wrong.

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Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 10:28am

Talk among yourselves, cause I'm going outside on this beautiful day.

BERJAYA

open thread
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Friday, September 27, 2013 - 12:03pm

Your email today left me puzzled. Being a corporate monopoly slopping at the public trough in North Carolina, you seem to think that all of your customers are greedy, short-sighted bastards. You wrote:

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new regulations that will prevent any new coal-fired electric generating plants from being built. The result will be less affordable electricity for members of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative, and electric consumers nationwide.

As a property owner on the coast, I am far more concerned about climate change and sea-level rise than I am about "affordable" electricity. Indeed, the sooner we kick our coal habit, the better. In the meantime, please stop using my money to send out your hysterical emails.

Your unhappy customer,

James Protzman

coal electricity
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Friday, September 27, 2013 - 9:00am

And reveals a major flaw in the Commission itself in the process:

Les Merritt, a former state auditor, says he will step down from the North Carolina State Ethics Commission on Friday after WRAL News raised questions about whether his service as a contractor at the Department of Health and Human Services creates a conflict with his duties as a government watchdog.

Merritt said he had not thought about the possibility of a conflict until contacted by WRAL News.

Therein lies the problem. If the Commission can't even recognize a glaring conflict of interest from one of its own members, their ability to detect ethical conflicts in others is seriously in doubt. And this comment raises even more questions:

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