Crabby Fat Guy

AT&T is currently experiencing a massive outage in the 740 and 614 area code.

Here is a quote from the Lancaster Eagle Gazette’s article regarding using gas-department funds for the bike trail:

Law Director Terre Vandervoort proposed a plan at Monday’s city council meeting to use $50,000 of the city’s pre-pay natural-gas fund, which provides Lancaster about $500,000 a year for the next 15 years. She said the remaining shortfall could be paid for with a grant from the Fairfield Foundation.

I don’t understand why there is no outrage over this. This is money that we are being over-charged for gas utilities. At what point did we, the citizens, decide that Lancaster Municipal Gas’s profits could be used for anything other than Gas Department. This is simply an unvoted tax. YOU pay about $80 PER MONTH for this TAX. The term “enterprise fund” is simply lip service.

Ask a senior citizen of this town if it is OK for them if they pay 80% more in utilities so they can spend it for other projects. Frankly I think that is more important that we help our seniors keep the heat on than to provide more bike paths. Ask the unemployed.

I am certainly NOT saying that a bike path or fixing roads are not a worthwhile project, it is just that the utility tax has been slid by us. If you need money for these projects then vote for a new tax. Further as Wirenut pointed out in the LEG forums the tax is mostly on those that heat with gas. All electric homes are exempt from the tax including city councilwoman Melody Bobbit.

I for one am outraged.

Since the LEG is not allowing discussion of the DeMastry sentencing I thought that I would open a thread for discussion. Play nice now!

It’s not so good if you were one of the 36,000.

On August 10, 2009 I reported that Pizza Shop had reopened at the old Avondale market. It’s now closed. I have heard that the owner is in talks with another Zanesville pizza shop owner.

Congress passed and Obama signed an extension of the Patriot Act. Hmmmm…. I thought this was one of the Dem’s bones of contention with Bush!?!? I sure didn’t hear much about it in the mainstream media.

Have you seen this video?

The Columbus Dispatch had an article detailing a plan that will provide financial incentives for small businesses to go green and use less. Will Lancaster Utilities do the same? No fricking way! Remember this post last July? Click here. Our sewage rates went UP because we are conserving (so much for supply and demand).

Yet another reason to privatize Lancaster’s utilities.

Would you give your kid a triple expresso loaded with 18 teaspoons of sugar?

Probably not, but many would give their kids a 20 oz bottle of Mountain Dew.  A single 20 oz bottle DOES contain as much caffeine as THREE single shots of generic espresso and has 18 teaspoons of sugar or more precisely high fructose corn syrup.  In addition the bottle contains:

• Carbonated water
• High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – some have suggested that there is a link between HFCS and autism.  Is the dramatic increase in autism and a corresponding increase in the use of HFCS pure coincidence?  It has also be shown that HFCS contains trace amounts of mercury.
• Concentrated orange juice and other natural flavors
• Citric acid
• Sodium benzoate (preserves freshness)- has been linked to hyperactive behavior.
• Caffeine (55.2 mg per 12 oz.)
• Sodium citrate
• Gum arabic- according to Wikipedia: Other substances have replaced it in situations where toxicity is not an issue, as the proportions of the various chemicals in gum arabic vary widely and make it unpredictable.
• Erythorbic acid (preserves freshness)
• Calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor)
• Brominated vegetable oil- prohibited in soft drink production in India.
• Yellow 5- can cause clinical depression, anxiety, vision problems, a feeling like you are suffocating, migraines and sleep disorders.

Sounds like good stuff!

Did you know that if you drink a single 20 oz bottle every day for a year you will have consumed 62 POUNDS of sugar not to mention 105,850 calories!?!

I have actually seen people buying Mountain Dews at Krogers and pouring it into baby bottle!

Update: found this video…

(Click here)