Left In Lowell

Next Tuesday, April 3 at noon, Governor Patrick will be coming to UMass Lowell to present the monies allocated for the new nanotech center. Senator Pangiotakos wanted to invite the public to be there at this historic event.

It will take place at Alumni Hall, University Ave, UML North campus.

Sweet. Can I get a windmill too? (Lately, it’s been windy enough around here!)

One thing I would like to see is a concerted push towards subsidizing and helping individuals to put renewable energy equipment on their property. Ala Jermey Rifkin and the hydrogen economy, I believe the best future of energy (besides rigorous conservation) is to decentralize the grid entirely. This is like David and Goliath, as the energy giants will hear none of this, but imagine having complete control of your own energy from generation to consumption! No contending with the fluctuations in auto gas or heating oil prices, just an investment of mere thousands of dollars for powering up your house and car for decades. Have a south-facing house? Get a cheap loan or subsidized grant for a rooftop solar panel system. Live up on a hill? Put a sleek, efficient windmill in your backyard. Obviously this takes considerable government investment up front to help homeowners do this. But the end result is decentralized renewable non-carbon energy, and the demand for the equipment will bring the prices down and make them accessable to all. I believe that we should put fully 1-3% of our total government revenues towards decentralized renewable energy over the next couple decades. It’s that important.

Imagine never paying an electric or heating bill again. It could be that simple.

In fits of pandering for his presidential run, former governor Romney stalled and hindered stem cell research, and partly as a result, our state, which coulda been a contender (in the bioscience of regenerating tissue from stem cells) is far behind. (It didn’t help that he and the lege chronically underfunded higher ed even when they claimed there was a “surplus.”)

It’s nice to have a governor who believes in science.

Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick said Friday he will push to reverse stem cell research restrictions imposed by his predecessor, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

The changes last August prompted complaints from researchers who said they could be prohibited from using some embryonic stem cells. They also argued the restrictions undercut a 2005 law that had been approved by the Legislature over Romney’s veto.

Patrick told a meeting of the Life Sciences Collaborative on Friday that he would ask the Public Health Council, which approved the changes, to revisit the policy. In effect, Patrick will be able to reverse the policy, since he will gain control over the panel next week amid an overhaul linked to the state’s new health insurance law. [bold mine]

I found that last part particularly interesting. In my post about the micromanging legislature, I argued that perhaps once it was desirable to micromanage Republican governors so they could do less damage (certainly, they got enough damage done with the control they had). But Patrick is both a smart, interested administrator who cares about his job, and someone who shares the values of the majority of the Commonwealth - and the legislature. So, giving him control over his own branch of government is not only prudent, it’s going to move Massachusetts forward.

By the way, I have a real personal stake in the outcome of stem cell research. With PKD, I have a good shot at developing kidney failure when I’m older. Stem-cell-grown kidney tissue might someday save my life.

Sco at point-oh-eight has posted the transcript of his interview with David O’Brien. It’s quite long and comprehensive, so check it out! Well worth the read.

I find it irritating when the media is not satisfied with just reporting the news but wants to create it. I think that is the case with our local newspaper and the coverage these past few days of Lowell City Councilor Eileen Donoghue’s candidacy for the MA 5th Congressional seat.

At the outset for those of you who many not know, I am a supporter of Councilwoman Donoghue’s candidacy. Others who are prominent on this blog support other candidates. So throughout the coming months we will have an interesting debate.

Lynne has already posted on the bashing that Lowell City Councilor Eileen Donoghue has taken in the pages (web and hard copy) of the Sun for becoming an “unenrolled” voter (no designated party affiliation) for a period of time. First there was the “breaking news” article (now gone from their web site); then there was the piece by Matt Murphy in Monday’s edition; then there was the blog by editor Jim Campanini yesterday and then there is today’s piece also authored by Murphy.

They really got the “story” covered, don’t they? I am not complaining that they wrote about this issue, really I am not. However, I am complaining about the overkill. I find it amusing that a publication that has historically supported Republican candidates has given itself the authority to question someone’s loyalty to the Democratic party? (more…)

I just have to share my current favorite audio stream, Muppet Central Radio. Everything Muppet you could ever dream of. Today I’ve heard “Rainbow Connection” and “Rebel L” and the infamous “Manamana” song. (My brother and I used to sing it at each other all the time.) I always felt so bad for the little orange haired guy, having his scat-singing creativity stomped on by The Man (or in this case, Cow). Guess that tells you in a nutshell all about my personality.

Anyway, you can’t listen to this stream and not get in a happy mood! And if you have kids, this is a perfect audio stream for them. (Also says a lot about my personality, I guess…)

PS: There is no beating the Electric Mayhem. Never. I don’t care how funky you think you are. They skunk your funk.

As reported first by the inimitable Mr. Howe. (Who seems to be getting all the press releases… Hey, who’s been political blogger in Lowell the longest? Just because you’ve been in and around politics like forever…hmph!) Barry Finegold has launched his website.

Pretty barebones, but with the standard contribute, sign-up, and bio - this “coffee with Barry” idea is kinda cool. He’s using a caffeinated slogan along with that, “wake up Washington.” It’s a neat idea to say, “hey, just call me up, we’ll have coffee.” Accessable.

My one complaint on the site, besides how much I want more platform and issue information to mulch through (I know, I’m demanding), is that the volunteer, email sign up, and Join Our Team links really all lead to the same place. Kinda redundant. Overall, the design is keeping it simple, which I kinda like. All three official websites launched so far have that in common.

I’ll update the links on the sidebar right away.

(PS - I’m not really mad at Dick - just a little ribbing at his expense!)

Dick Howe had a post addressing the “news” that Eileen Donoghue accidentally registered as “independent” when she went to give in her papers for the special election. And then today addresses her switch to Unenrolled status then back to Dem last year. You know. By actually asking her, instead of idly speculating like some did. (Turns out it was about the early rumors last year of Meehan being considered for the UML Chancellor position, in the middle of his own reelection race, and the timing for anyone wanting to think about jumping in if he left before the general election).

Having watched Eileen in City Council chambers, I most certainly do not question her Democratic creds. She’s a voice of reason on the Council, and I rarely disagree with her. She seems fair-minded and interested in our shared responsibility to each other. That’s Democrat enough for me. I liked her passion for fixing the things that the Bush administration has broken that she displayed in our interview.

Did I mention I am a huge Dick Howe fan? If you are not reading his blog every day, you are sincerely missing out.

Oh, regarding Campanini’s so-called blog, I guess we can now confirm who was the biased editor at the Sun who has been publishing the most horrible pictures of candidates they don’t like. Campanini has posted photos in his blog on several posts. Up crops the outdated, dorky photo of Deval I criticized last year. And the photo he picked of Eileen? Even worse.

You know it is getting close to City Council election time when the issue of plowing the streets and pot holes are discussion topics at Council meetings. It is retail politics at its best or at its worst, depending upon your point-of-view.

I for one was pleased with the snow plowing this year. It was not any worse or better than any other year. It was coordinated by the same Assistant Manager who has had this responsibility for years and the effort was led by the same Commissioner of Public Works we have had for decades.

The problem with our City, as with most mid-size cities, there are too many cars, not enough on-street parking space, too many narrow streets, old and malfunctioning equipment, and most importantly residents who do not use their brains when the snow hits. (more…)

In case you honestly can’t get enough jabber from me on my Friday WUML program, I’ve been dragged in–er, joined with Ryan and Mike to start a weekly audio podcast called “Left Ahead.” Our first “webisode” is available for easy listening.

Predictably, the first ‘cast is a lot of navel-gazing and talking about bloggers and Teh Media. Never fear, that’s typical for a first go on these things. It’ll get less meta pretty quick (we get bored talking about ourselves all the time anyway).

All I can say is, I don’t remember and cannot be blamed for anything I said earlier in our conference-call-style conversation; I was completely drunk. Just kidding.

Drunk political blogger podcasts. Hmm. That idea could catch on!