"My Inspiration" published in Erie Times News Wednesday

I am pleased to share with you a tribute that I wrote about my parents. It's available at the link above from goerie.com.

Intelligent Design Research

As I continue to dig into the controversy involving evolution vs. intelligent design, I'll include references to articles regarding the discussion. Here are the articles I've found (newest on top):

New Scientist - Is string theory in trouble? - Interview

EVOLUTION: Darwin's Place on Campus is Secure--But Not Supreme -- Holden 311 (5762): 769 -- Sci

Skepticism's Prospects for Unseating Intelligent Design

Confirmation of Rapid Metamorphism of Rocks

Second Law of Thermodynamics: Answers To Critics

Peer-Reviewed, Peer-Edited, and other Scientific Publications Supporting the Theory of Intelligent Design (Annotated)

Bebo Norman Comes To Edinboro PA March 31st

McLane Church in Edinboro, PA welcomes contemporary Christian recording artist Bebo Norman to “The Worship Thing,” Friday, March 31st at 7:07 PM. Norman joins The Gathering Band for this event sponsored by the Next Generation ministry at McLane Church, 12511 Edinboro Road, Edinboro.
106.3 WCTL Radio welcomes Essential recording artist and Dove Award-nominee Bebo Norman, who has dominated the Christian Adult Contemporary charts with several top 10 hits since he debuted on the label in 1999. Fans will hear hits like “Stand,” “I Am,” and “Great Light of the World,” along with “Nothing Without You” and the recent radio single “Borrow Mine,” from his latest album, “Try.”
The Gathering Band is the house band for “The Gathering,” the regular Tuesday evening Next Generation worship service at McLane Church, targeted at 18 to 30 year olds. They will feature original worship songs along with covers of songs from post-modern songwriters like Chris Tomlin and David Crowder.
Tickets for “The Worship Thing” are $5.00, $7.00 day of show, and available at area Christian retailers, WCTL Radio, and McLane Church. Limited seating is available, and tickets are selling quickly. Proceeds from a free-will offering will go to the Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, the organization headed by Franklin Graham.
“The Worship Thing” is sponsored by: Abundant Life Chiropractic, Bryan Kerr Automotive Service, Cunningham Chrysler of Edinboro, John’s Wildwood Pizza, and Point, Click & Learn Computer Training. For more information or tickets, call (814) 734-1907 or go to www.mclanechurch.org.

Ode to C-Span

I am in love with a cable channel.

Not since I was addicted to MTV circa 1982 have I really enjoyed the programming and take of a media outlet like C-Span.

Even though we go through the monthly ritual of cursing the cable bill, this is one (actually three) thing that industry has done right. The gavel-to-gavel coverage of the House and Senate, hearings on both sides of the Capitol, live coverage of the President, the White House Press briefing dance, it's all there, unedited and unexplained. We get to hear the politicians with full fire and fury. I even enjoy Book-TV on the weekends, although my children roll their eyes at me when I have it on.

The live, full coverage, and thankfully the weekend repeat coverage, of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justice Samuel Alito were really brilliant. I was able to keep up with these historic events, even with a full schedule.

C-Span reminds me of the way television news used to happen, live, and gavel to gavel. Watching the hearings for the justices threw me back to the impeachment of Nixon in 1974 (I was little), and Iran/Contra in the 80's. Of course, those were on the broadcast networks, when they recieved lots of complaint for preempting Days of Our Lives for Ollie North!

Special kudos for Erie native Steve Scully, who does a fine job on the networks. Thanks to C-Span and their team for keeping it real.

Erie's economy: a mixed bag

The empirical evidence of the state of Erie's economy would show that while on the surface, there are signs of strength, digging deeper uncovers the smell of rot.

On the positive side, GE's near record locomotive orders is all good, as well as Nick Scott's desire to again grow his tourist mecca, Splash Lagoon. Although I think that basing a government's budget on gambling revenue is ridiculous and morally wrong, you can't deny that spending $184 million on what's probably the biggest construction project in Erie County history, Presque Isle Downs, would have a least a short-term impact on wages and jobs.

However, here are the tell-tale signs that we are hurting: plant closings, boarded up retail, even in "coveted Millcreek;" layoffs or zero-hiring's at places like Times Publishing, or NextMedia because readership, viewers and listeners are all in decline, causing ad revenue to drop.

The true story is that population and income is stagnant, has been for decades. There is nearly no growth in buying power; we as a population cannot keep up our spending as costs increase, because our wages don't increase fast enough. We aren't making stuff that people outside of Erie need like we used to, so that dollars generated elsewhere aren't being infused into our economy. We have little knowledge-based industry here, which is really the present and future for the entire American economy.

This is one of the reason why I'm so hype about a region-based comprehensive approach to government, taxes, business retention, and development. There are hopeful signs, but the major paradigm shift of how we operate every day has yet to be embraced.

"It was like 'War Of The Worlds'!"

In an experience where life almost imitated art, my wife and I were suddenly awakened last night just before 2 AM to a sudden loud buzz, then incredibly bright flash and boom. We jumped out of bed, headed into the living room when moments later it happened again! We looked out the windows and could not see any fires, and the neighborhood still had power. I had once seen lightening strike a power transformer before and thought it might be that, but called Erie Police's non-emerency number to be sure. The dispatcher said that they indeed had several reports from officers on patrol about transformers exploding. We tried to go back to bed when a third, smaller flash occured, which turned out to be a transmission line popping an insolator, just down the block. Soon Erie Fire showed up and blocked the street. I went out to see what was up and my neighbors were really shocked. One said, "the sound and the lights were just like the movie, you know, 'War Of The Worlds.'"

I'm not sure I've ever been scared like that in a long time. It took us an hour to settle back to sleep.

The merger study crashed

Who was it in the 1980's who used to yell, "Disappointed!" Yeah, that's me with the total unraveling of the Erie City/Millcreek Twp. merger study ballet initiative. Now we won't get what we really needed, an enlightened, civil, pragmatic discussion of the pros and cons of putting together the two largest municipalities in PA in 60 miles, who just happen to be adjacent to each other.
I'm sorry, but to me this is something that should have been accomplished in the Tullio administration, first term (read 1960's).
I'm feeling that if I can get a little time, I'd like to go on a "personal merger study" to find out how much savings and benefit this could mean. I'm not convienced actually that just two municipalites merging, without thier school districts affected, would mean much to the region's future. But if you were talking four or five, with a consoliated school system, there's some power to that. Certainly a lot to be concerned about as well, but could launch the Erie region into a much more forward-thinking, early 21st century mode.
Yeah..."Disappointed!"