City Councilman Rob Frost says UT doesn’t get a free pass when it comes to following city billboard ordinances:

The big sign advertising UT athletics on the south side of Cumberland Avenue next to the railroad trestle just west of Volunteer Boulevard is hard to miss because it has an electronic message board scrolling big red letters across the top.

That’s probably why there was some eyeball rolling when a representative of UT showed up at a City Council workshop to deliver a message from athletics director Mike Hamilton in favor of allowing digital billboards inside the city.

“While I am very respectful of all opinions expressed, from the perspective of UT athletics, I’m supportive of the wise and regulated use of digital billboard technology within the Knoxville city limits.”

Specifically, the eyeball rolling was because the scrolling electronic message board is illegal.
Council member Rob Frost put it into words:

“They (UT) need to comply with the law,” he said.

Democratic candidate for Senate Mike Padgett has released his own energy plan today:

n the wake of Lamar Alexander’s speech this morning announcing a new “Manhattan Project” for energy independence, one of Alexander’s Democratic opponents, former Knox County Clerk Mike Padgett, has released his own plan called “Energy 2.0.”

Like Alexander, Padgett discusses expanding the use of nuclear power and finding ways to burn coal cleaner. Absent in Padgett’s 10 point plan, however, there is in depth discussion of and heavy reliance on plug-in cars.

Padgett, always the populist, calls for Detroit to build more efficient hybrid vehicles. “We know electric-hybrid technology can reach in the neighborhood of 48 mpg already. In the nation that produced Henry Ford and Bill Gates, we can find a way.”

Padgett also calls for using the tax code to reward energy innovators and punish those wedded to the old ways, “Eliminate the $17 billion in tax breaks previously given to Big Oil companies and set those tax dollars aside in a trust fund to invest in renewable and efficient energy. Levy a windfall profit tax on the oil industry to help fill the trust fund.”

Padgett plan also calls for companies to buy pollutions credits so that polluters can pay for developing more renewables and making them “part of the power

grid.”

A local Presbyterian minister who has just started blogging over at WBIR.com says the new, super-huge churches with gyms and daycare centers and coffee bars have it all wrong:

One of the biggest mistakes that the American church is making today occurs when preachers preach for their audience and not for the sake of the Gospel. I see too many churches falling into this life-application, life-style series, and life affirming type of preaching. It makes the hearers the center of the preaching, instead of Christ. It makes the congregation the focus of the message, instead of Christ’s ministry. It makes modern Christians the reason for the sermon, instead of the Good News.

And the trouble is this: American Christians don’t see it happening. They turn out in their thousands to hear Gospel charmers and narcissistic preachers who will stroke their egos and pander to their desires. Instead of being humble and becoming servants, the church audiences become proud and arrogant, spoiled and indignant (just visit any restaurant after mega-church members finish worship and you’ll see how badly they treat their servers).

More funny from KnoxBlab satirist. He’s on a roll today!

Nudist colony now open to all, but opposition builds to allowing Knox Countians

From APB reports. KINGSTON, Tenn. - First pitched on the Internet as a planned nudist colony for Knox County Government types, the Web site for the proposed Rosebud Lodge near here had changed drastically by Thursday morning.

Earlier, the lodge was touting itself as a private resort for the “Knox County GOV (government) Community.”

A collage of smiling Knox County GOVs was prominently featured.

Now, the Rosebud Lodge Web site - www.rosebudlodge.com - merely describes itself as a private resort for nudists older than 18 that’s “a dream in the making.” In tiny print at the bottom of the site are the words “And Knox County GOVs are welcome, too.”

Numerous Roane Zone residents are up in arms over the original description even as the would-be developer is reportedly labeling initial concerns a misunderstanding.

“The folks in the Roane Zone don’t want even a Knox Countian colony in the Roane Zone, let alone a Knox County GOV colony,” said a resident who lives next door to the site.

A move to rezone the 60-acre tract at the end of Skyline Drive next to Clinch River goes before the 10-member Roane County Planning Commission on May 21 in the courthouse.

The Roane Zone zoning officer says some churches plan to cancel their normal Wednesday services so congregants can attend the meeting.

“I’ve not had anyone in favor of Knox County GOVs in the Roane Zone,” Christopher said of the rezoning. “Everyone is opposed.”

Calls Thursday to the number listed both on the rezoning application and the Rosebud Lodge Web site were routed to the Knox County government switchboard and ended with the person who answered hanging up abruptly.

While its possible use as a nudist colony is a concern for many Roane Zoners, most said they were more worried about long-term property value declines from rezoning to allow Knox Countians….

Plans for Rosebud Lodge include hotels that accept P-cards, lobster buffets, a wheel tax, travel allowances and other amenities.

The Roane Zone’s mayor is most worried about the infrastructure surrounding the area. The road leading to the campground property is only wide enough for one vehicle. “How could we handle all those county-provided vehicles with their travel-allowance gas and exhaust,” he lamented. “I think the Planning Commission will be listening to the community, but, with all the money Knox County GOVs can throw around, you never know.”

In an effort to stave off the Knox County GOV invasion, Roane’s planning commission has actually taken the time to print off copies of the request for the zoning change and the Rosebud Lodge’s website. They have a stack of them just sitting on the counter in their offices to distribute to any and all who wish to prevent Knox County from infiltrating the Roane Zone.

More as the story develops.

PRESS RELEASE:

Obama Campaign to Kick Off National “Vote for Change” Voter Registration Drive in Tennessee

Tennessee – The Obama campaign announced today that grassroots volunteers will hold a Vote for Change kickoff events on Saturday, May 10th in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. Vote for Change is a 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive aimed at getting millions more Americans registered to vote and involved in the democratic process ahead of the November election.

Go to my.barackobama.com/voteforchange to find out more about the 101 Vote for Change kickoff events that will be held nationwide on May 10.

WHO: Obama volunteers
State Representative Tommie Brown

WHAT: Vote for Change Kickoff Event

WHERE: Hamilton Country Democratic Party
23 Patten Parkway
Chattanooga, TN

WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 2008
10:00 a.m.

WHO: Obama volunteers

WHAT: Vote for Change Kickoff Event

WHERE: Krutch Park
400 Main St
Knoxville, TN

WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 2008
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHO: Obama volunteers
Congressman Steve Cohen

WHAT: Vote for Change Kickoff Event

WHERE: April House
2163 Airways Blvd
Memphis, TN

WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 2008
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHO: Obama volunteers
Congressman Jim Cooper

WHAT: Vote for Change Kickoff Event

WHERE: Centennial Park Picnic Area
301 25th Ave N.
Nashville, TN

WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 2008
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2008
Contact: Obama Press Office 312-819-2423

Press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ryan Salyer, Executive Director
OUT at the Park
Phone: 615-618-8735
Website: www.outatthepark.com

OUT at the Park proudly presents, OUT at the Park 2008

PIGEON FORGE, TN – April 17, 2008 – OUT at the Park is proud to announce that this year’s event will celebrate its 6th anniversary. We were originally known as Gay Day at Dollywood. Our first event, Gay Day at Dollywood, was held on Saturday, September 13, 2003. The focus of the events we plan and organize is to foster a sense of pride, dignity and unity among the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex community and their allies through social and cultural events to promote diversity, visibility, awareness and acceptance throughout the East Tennessee region.

Saturday June 28th will be OUT at the Park to be held at Dollywood, also on Saturday June 28th, we will be adding an additional event which is OUT at Dixie Stampede and on Sunday June 29th will be OUT at the Water Park to be held at Dolly’s Splash Country. These events are neither sponsored nor sanctioned by the theme park or water park. They are put on by a non-profit group for fun and fellowship.

Since 2003, we have continued to plan and organize this event, but based on attendees’ requests, we have continued to add events. All of these events are held in public venues and are open to the public. The emphasis is always on fun, all-ages, and social events.

And we are excited to announce that we plan to double if not triple, our event this year in scope and in attendance. This year’s color is again red. Organizers are asking everyone to wear the brightest red shirt that they have, with hopes to flood the park with a sea of red shirts.

“Out at the Park” is not like most other gay “party” events, like various circuit or dance parties, and other women or men-centric festivals and events, nor is it a politically-oriented event like most gay pride celebrations. “Out at the Park” is simply a fun, all-ages social event for all members of the GLBTQ community, along with all of its friends, families and supporters.

Dolly Parton is a gay icon and has received accolades from gay groups. She once told an interviewer that if she had been born a man, she would have had to have been a drag queen.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Ryan Salyer, Executive Director
OUT at the Park Inc.

An interesting factoid from Kay Watson’s story on HOPE Scholarship grads at UT :

Figures from the state show most UT students who originally receive Hope scholarships continue going to school, even if they lose them.

Statistics show that after three years, 84 percent of students who were first awarded the scholarship were still in school this fall. Close to half of them, or 39 percent, weren’t getting HOPE money anymore.

So it looks like getting a boost into the state’s college system encouraged a lot of students to hang in there and figure out a way to pay for school, even if they lost the state dollars. I suspect most of those are the students who could have paid without assistance anyway.

Sen. Alexander gave his big “we need a new Manhattan Project on clean energy” speech at ORNL today, and among his proposals is one that favors cars going electric:

1. Make plug-in electric cars and trucks commonplace. In the 1960s, H. Ross Perot noticed that when banks in Texas locked their doors at 5 p.m., they also turned off their new computers. Perot bought the idle nighttime bank computer capacity and made a deal with states to manage Medicare and Medicaid data. Banks made money, states saved money, and Perot made a billion dollars.

Idle nighttime bank computer capacity in the 1960s reminds me of idle nighttime power plant capacity in 2008. This is why:

• The Tennessee Valley Authority has 7,000-8,000 megawatts – the equivalent of seven or eight nuclear power plants or 15 coal plants – of unused electric capacity most nights.

• Beginning in 2010 Nissan, Toyota, General Motors and Ford will sell electric cars that can be plugged into wall sockets. FedEx is already using hybrid delivery trucks.

• TVA could offer “smart meters” that would allow its 8.7 million customers to plug in their vehicles to “fill up” at night for only a few dollars, in exchange for the customer paying more for electricity between 4 p.m. and 10 pm. when the grid is busy.

• Sixty percent of Americans drive less than 30 miles each day. Those Americans could drive a plug-in electric car or truck without using a drop of gasoline. By some estimates, there is so much idle electric capacity in power plants at night that over time we could replace three-fourths of our light vehicles with plug-ins. That could reduce our overseas oil bill from $500 billion to $250 billion – and do it all without building one new power plant.

• In other words, we have the plug. The cars are coming. All we need is the cord.

Too good to be true? Haven’t U.S. presidents back to Nixon promised revolutionary vehicles? Yes, but times have changed. Batteries are better. Gas is $4. We are angry about sending so many dollars overseas, worried about climate change and clean air. And, consumers have already bought one million hybrid vehicles and are waiting in line to buy more – even without the plug-in. Down the road is the prospect of a hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid vehicle, with two engines – neither of which uses a drop of gasoline. Oak Ridge is evaluating these opportunities.

Other proposals from the speech:

The other grand challenges were:

2. Make carbon capture and storage a reality for coal-burning power plants.
3. Make solar power cost competitive with power from fossil fuels.
4. Safely reprocess and store nuclear waste.
5. Make advanced biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline
6. Make new buildings green buildings.
7. Provide energy from fusion.

Alexander is chairman of the U.S. Senate’s Republican Conference and co-chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority Congressional Caucus. He is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which oversees clean air and climate change issues, as well as the Appropriations Committee, which oversees funding for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

So what do you think? Is Alexander just talking the talk because it’s a campaign season, or will he actually take a bold leadership position on this stuff?

After several folks called the WBIR newsroom to say they were not getting their checks direct-deposited when the IRS said they would get them, we did a little checking and discovered an unfortunate glitch in the way the rebate distribution is being handled that’s going to affect a lot of folks - most of whom had no idea this would happen until the money didn’t show up in their accounts on the appointed date.

Taxpayers and tax preparers are discovering that anyone who elected to have tax preparation fees deducted from their tax refund will not receive rebate checks via direct deposit.

Those who filed their taxes using a software program or service that subtracted a fee directly from the refund will have to wait for their rebate check to arrive in the mail.

The IRS originally announced that those who had tax refunds direct-deposited into their bank accounts would receive rebate checks in the same fashion.

However, once taxpayers who should have received rebate checks via direct deposit this week started asking questions, the IRS discovered an unanticipated complication.

UPDATE: Randy Neal says that on reflection, he thinks the IRS is handling this exactly as it should.

There’s a great piece in Metro Pulse this week about WUTK Director Benny Smith and his tireless efforts to keep improving the station with very little support from the University of Tennessee:

…the station is at its highest ebb since Smith, a former WUTK program director as a graduate student from 1988 to to 1991, returned as station manager in October of 2004. Smith estimates that more than 100 students work at the station in some capacity every semester—a huge increase from the years immediately preceding his return—and WUTK has been recognized nationally, nominated as a finalist for the College Music Journal’s College Radio Station of the Year, as well as being a finalist in five of the publication’s best-of categories (including one category recognizing those stations that do the most with the least funding). And for the Knoxville community, it is, for the most part, the only on-air venue for less mainstream artists like Nick Cave, the Black Keys, and Death Cab for Cutie—to nick just a few of many names from the WUTK playlist—not to mention the only station where a variety of local artists are played on the air, regularly and often. (One commercial station, 105.3 plays a few tracks from local performers, but not in the same numbers.)

But a year after he came, Smith had an unhappy discussion with Journalism and Electronic Media Department Head Peter Gross, who told him in no uncertain terms that the modest but still vital operating funds he had taken for granted since his return would no longer be available.

“Before that happened, I had taken for granted that there was some kind of budget. Now, they keep the lights on and keep the doors open, which is great; I appreciate that. But that’s what they do for all the classrooms. There’s nothing above and beyond for WUTK, and I feel we are above and beyond as far as what we do.”

I admit it. I’ve been one of those folks who never paid much attention to gas prices. Even when I’ve been seriously broke, that just wasn’t something I noticed.

But now, I am noticing. For the first time ever, I’m adding the numbers up and making some lifestyle changes as a result. I’m consolidating trips wherever I can. Staying home more. Consciously beginning the process of composing a life that will eventually make my car far less necessary (mostly by moving to a very walkable neighborhood with sidewalks, stores, schools, churches, etc - very near Downtown).

And it turns out that my anecdotal experience is reflective of a broader trend. For years, economists have been surprised to see that Americans didn’t really adjust their driving habits or car choices, even as gas prices kept going up. But now, the tipping point has apparently been reached.

The $4 mark, compounded by a sagging economy, could be a tipping point that spurs people to make permanent lifestyle changes to reduce dependence on foreign oil and help the environment, says Steve Reich, a program director at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida.

“This is a more significant shift in behavior than I’ve seen through other fluctuations in gasoline prices,” he says. “People are starting to understand that this resource ? is not something to be taken for granted or wasted.”

Referring to this story about Knox County Commission’s plan to consider a subpoena process that would allow them to question…certain people, KnoxBlab’s favorite political satirist is at it again:

Panel to consider self-subpoena process
“Now we’ll get to the bottom of us!” proclaims commission

From APB reports. Knoxville, TENN. After waiting almost nine months, the Knox County Commission now has a process detailing how to use self-subpoena powers that will allow the commission to put themselves under oath, require that they “produce their papers” and initiate contempt-of-court proceedings if they refuse to allow one another to interrogate themselves.

A mayoral spokesman, however, called commission’s plan “nothing more than theatrics. Which is cool — we love performance art. We just want in on it!”

The process will be considered at the May 27 commission meeting.

Commissioners want to call themselves to testify about grandstanding, wastefulness, violations of the sunshine law and questionable competency in general.

“We need to be able to bring ourselves under oath and ask ourselves questions about issues raised at County Commission,” Commissioner Victoria DeFreese said. “I think it’s the process that needs to be there. We have had subpoena powers but with false teeth if we did not come forward. For instance, did I or did I not talk to Commissioner Pinkston privately about a meeting on commission matters? If I can’t ask myself that under oath, we’ll never know the truth.”

County Law Director John Owings has said the power is included in the county charter but that there was no process explaining how to use it in such a way that commissioners could understand it. “We needed to dumb it down,” said Owings.

In a prepared statement, mayoral spokesman Dwight Van de Vate said, “In a commission setting, subpoenas and swearing of witnesses are nothing more than theatrics. It’s just a dog-and-pony show. And we take dog-and-pony shows very, very seriously, and we will be there, and there will be theatrics. As a matter of fact, you couldn’t keep us away. I mean, we’re all about theatrics. Did you see our press conference on the audits a couple months back? Nothing but theatrics. We kicked ass!…dogs and ponies, too.”

Commissioner Paul Pinkston, one of the more vocal proponents of using subpoena power to call himself to task, is one of several commissioners frustrated with the time it has taken to put the process together.

Last fall, Owings asked for more time because he was involved in defending commissioners’ dumbness in the sunshine act lawsuit. Asked why streamlining the subpoena process took nine months, Owings sighed, rolled his eyes, and said, “Have you ever tried explaining the sunshine law to this crowd? You might as well explain gravity to bricks. We had to dumb the process down. A lot.”

“Ever since, we asked about the sub-peenie process,” Pinkston said. “Right now, if we refuse to come, we can’t do anything about it. And I want to get me in front of myself and inquisigate ‘im! But I cain’t do no self-inquisigatin’ ‘lessin’ I got a process for goin’ about it.”

The power of self-inquisition is based on DeCartes’ famous formulation of “Cogito ergo sums,” meaning “I think there may be money involved” indicating that county commissioners usually come into self-awareness when they sense cash nearby.

However, in cases of commissioners who lack self awareness or really, awareness of much of anything at all, self-subpoenas may be issued to jolt them into consciousness.

The process provides:

– The right of the commission or its committees to put themselves under oath.

– The power to subpoena themselves “’til they’re all giggly.”

– That subpoenas shall be issued by Kinko’s or FedEx, whichever has more pliable employees.

– That subpoenas may require witnesses to produce “books, papers, documents or tangible things” that indicate intelligent life is lurking there somewhere.

– That commissioners may request “reasonable assistance” from the other commissioners for producing records that indicate intelligence.

“OHboyOHboyOHboyOHboyOHboyOHboyOHboyOHboy!” said Commissioner Pinkston, clapping his hands in undisguised glee. “We gonna inquisigate us ’til the cows come home. Then we’ll inquisigate them too!”

Apparently, there’s a growing debate within conservative Christianity over whether evangelicals should involve themselves in politics:

The manifesto seeks to redefine evangelical as a religious term, rather than as shorthand for social or political conservatives.

But Robert Parham, director of the Nashville Baptist Center for Ethics, said the manifesto was too little, too late. Many of the signers were supporters of the Religious Right, he said, and have now changed their tune as conservative Republican political power has waned.

“It’s kind of hard to see how they are now going to advance a kindler, gentler evangelicalism based on their past behavior,” he said. “Had they begun by saying that they were wrong on the war in Iraq, wrong on global warming, wrong on torture, then they might have a little more credibility.”

Most of the evangelical statement focuses on theology and lists seven key beliefs of evangelicals. They are: Jesus being the only Savior; his atonement for human sin on the cross; salvation through faith alone; spiritual rebirth; the Bible as the ultimate guide for Christian faith and conduct; the personal return of Jesus in the future; and the importance of sharing the faith.

Wyatt Clemmer thinks UT hoops star Dane Bradshaw has a future in politics:

Dane Bradshaw for Mayor?? Well, maybe not anytime soon. But after watching him work the crowd tonight at a roast for coach Bruce Pearl, I wouldn’t rule it out at some point in the future. Dane was the ultimate feel-good story for Bruce Pearl’s first two seasons as head coach. He was under-sized and outmatched when it comes to athletic ability, yet he was arguably the most valuable player on that team. There isn’t a Vol fan anywhere that isn’t familiar with his story, and probably not very many Knoxvillians that don’t love him. Dane hasn’t decided yet exactly what he wants to do with his career; his professional basketball options are likely limited. However, he mentioned after his graduation that he may end up doing something business related in Knoxville, and eventually get into politics.