This article by Christopher B. Leinberger Link... in the March issue of The Atlantic magazine presents a different view of development patterns in the not-to-distant future, compared to conventional wisdom and present planning practices. Our attempts to plan for the future sometimes seem to be the practical equivalent of driving our cars by masking the windshields and looking in the rearview mirrors for guidance. It's essential to understand where you've been, but it's no guarrantee that such an understanding will serve you well enough in determining what's ahead. Whether Mr. Leinberger has zeroed in on the absolute truth in this piece isn't the main question. What we should be asking ourselves is, has he made a good enough case to warrant serious discussion and careful consideration of the key concerns that are raised? We need to know if much of what we've been building over the last half century is destined to decline or even decay. We've got to look at it in a serious and thoughtful way, and with an appropriate level of commitment. There's too much at stake to handle it in any other manner. We have access to too much good information, and too many good tools, to claim that "we just didn't know" when the next couple of generations ask us why we made so many bad decisions.

...over at BlountViews

UPDATE: My observations.

Well, at least someone is going to run against Alexander.

Mike Padgett to challenge Lamar Alexander

Padgett joins a short list of hardly statewide names willing to take on Alexander.

Roughly what Bush said about Fidel and Raul this morning: "They need to have a free and fair election, and I mean free and fair and not one of those staged elections that the Catro brothers hoist upon us."

Gore on George and Jeb in 2000 "Your brother is not the final authority on this."

Is it just me, or were the Daily Show and the Colbert Report better without writers? A couple of shows I've seen with the writers back seemed stiff and uninspired, and some of the jokes were just stupid. Same thing with Bill Maher (actually, he hasn't been very good with or without writers lately). Maybe they need to rethink this whole comedy by committee thing?

Remember when the Bush Administration told us that we couldn't allow imported prescription drugs from Canada to compete with 'good old made in the USA' drugs because it would be dangerous?

I didn't even know our drugs were being made in China by Big Pharm. Turns out- hey, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all.

...According to the FDA, that plant has not been inspected by Chinese drug regulators, who sometimes do not visit facilities manufacturing for foreign markets...

..and where the FDA has no jurisdiction either.

Of course, our pharmaceuticals don't have to say "Made in China," we just get to wonder, and worry, and try to figure out how to take back the government that has been selling us out to the highest bidder for the last 7 years.

Sevier County has a new Building Inspector.

The new building inspector in Sevier County has never been a building inspector. He is not a licensed contractor. He has no experience setting up a building inspection department or any other department. He's never worked in a building inspection department. He's never been required to know building codes, never has passed a building inspector exam and has no proven track record as a building inspector. Judging from his resume, he has never even conducted a building inspection.

He did have a license as a security guard several years ago.

The Sevier County commissioners have set the county up for more legal action if and (God forbid) when a building fails and it is learned that the building failed after passing the rigorous inspection by the unqualified building inspector.

A reader emailed to ask how his daughter who is attending school in Tennessee should go about registering to vote here.

As long as a student has a Tennessee address all he or she needs to do is register with the election commission in the county of his/her residence. Students or anyone else must register at least 30 days before the election in which they plan to vote.

More info after the jump...

Does anyone else find it troubling that we will spend more to shoot down a satellite (to prevent 1000 lbs of toxic fuel from maybe (5%) landing near a population center) than we spend on inspecting toys that I kids gnaw on for lead paint and other toxic materials?

I hope everyone here realizes how much I enjoy KnoxViews, and I assure you I will be stopping by every single day to see what's going on.

I figured it would be best to create my own blog because I felt really embarassed that I was posting too much here, hogging the space maybe, and sometimes my front page content, the "psycho-babble" stuff for instance, seemed to really irritate people that I have a lot of respect for.

That's what Jack McElroy says in a blog post. I think it's crazy. (Also, couldn't the editor of a large newspaper learn how to make an HTML link?)

It is my understanding that the gentlemen who play basketball for the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee Knoxville are ranked among their peers in the number one and number two positions respectively, and that the two clubs will compete on Saturday in a contest characterized as the Game of the Century.

Tickets to attend said contest in Memphis are reportedly fetching a price of $10,000 per ticket, indicating a heightened level of interest in the rivalry and an unusual demand for credentials to witness the historic confrontation.

Experts report that the University of Tennessee's number two ranking is the highest level of recognition ever secured by the university's basketball program. Much of the credit is given to their wily and tenacious coach, a Mr. Bruce Pearl, who is a relative newcomer said to be popular with those who follow the university's sporting activities.

Are you ready? Is he ready?

Obamamania backlash starting?

Michelle Obama says, "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country, because it feels like hope is making a comeback."

Florida campaigning, or not.

Via Instapundit

Hillary's been on a successful hunt. Wisconsin voters want to know if she will teach VP Cheney how to use his gun.

So, I'm reading the Castro story, and I notice this little ad on the right of the screen: Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC?

As a long-time Mac user I have to click.

Link...

pgs

American Conservatives claim credit. By giving Castro menacing looks for 35 years, the American Conservative movement has brought down this evil dictatorship using the time-honored tactic of old age. Once again, a historical moment occurs under the steady hand of George W. Bush, who "Can't wait to see Dean Martin again in Havana like Daddy used to." Democrats reacted with horror as their ideal state has started to collapse to be replaced with big box retailers and market-based health care.