From the KNS:

Arms questioned whether some receipts have been lost, including the possibility that media representatives misplaced receipts during their reviews of county spending in recent months.

Quick. Somebody check Scott Barker's desk drawer!

Atrios has a point in noting that Senator Clinton's terror ad really needs some wolves.

I know Senator Clinton has worked for years to cultivate the image that she's a "tough guy" when it comes to terrorism (see the Iraq war). But is there anything in her record as first lady or as a Senate committee member that clearly demonstrates she's more capable of answering the 3 a.m. phone call than Obama?

UPDATE: Obama responds, both on the stump and by commercial.

This could be viewed as preview of how effective the Obama campaign would be in responding to the GOP attack machine this fall.

UPDATE: The Clinton campaign attempts to answer the question I posed above. Did it? You decide.

In case you missed it, the TN GOP attack on Obama was covered on both Countdown and Hardball last night.

Florida State Representative Don Brown has introduced a bill (HB 1007) to create a Confederate Heritage license plate. Brown's district is in the panhandle, nestled right next to the Alabama border.

George Diaz has written a commentary to oppose the Confederate tag.

And while it is proper to mourn all the brothers and sisters of past generations who died, you don't do it by flaunting one of the defining symbols of racism.

Check out the comments for this article. From near (Orlando) and far (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio), many speak up to continue their defense of the Confederate flag.

Sorry, George, but this demonstrates your complete ignorance. The Civil War was about state's rights - the right of a state to govern itself.

Yeah, states rights, that's what it was about, uhuh. That's the ticket.

A principal in Hancock County will plead guilty to assault for a paddling incident of one of his elementary students.

According to WATE news, "Hancock County schools allow corporal punishment but strict guidelines must be followed."

Something almost seems barbaric and double standard about this. If we parents were to use wooden paddles on our children, we would be hauled off to jail and our children would be taken from us. I feel there should be discipline but the strictest discipline should be left to the parent and not by someone who could care less about the well being of our children.

You have to overlook the spelling, but this is pretty funny.

The City of Knoxville's public art task force has forwarded its report to Mayor Haslam. It can be viewed at

Link...

Thanks, Bill Lyons

Let's make Tennessee Nuclear Free

In August of 1945 the United States embarked on a new chapter in world history with the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since that time the United States has built up an arsenal of thousands of deadly nuclear warhead, ready to strike at a moment's notice anywhere in the world delivering their deadly, destructive power. Regardless of how we feel about the decision to use the atomic bomb in 1945, now we can take a step toward insuring that they are never used again on innocent civilians and non-combatants.

From the News Sentinel just now:

Knox County auditor releases purchasing card audit

Knox County's auditor released the draft audit of county purchasing card use this morning in a surprising reversal of previously stated policy.
Auditors have said they wouldn't release the long-delayed report, which covers thousands of transactions on purchasing cards issued to county employees, until the county administration has had the opportunity to respond, but the News Sentinel received a copy at the auditor's office shortly after 9 a.m. and is reviewing the initial findings.

UPDATE: Copies of the audit report at the KNS and WBIR, KNS report here, WBIR report here.

UPDATE: By way of KAG, WBIR has created a searchable database of p-card charges.

The Scholastic Art Awards of 2008 closes Friday, Feb. 29TH currently on exhibit at the Emporium Center located in downtown Knoxville at 100 S. Gay Street. Exhibit hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. This is an exhibition of regional student artwork (grades 7-12).

Miriam by Gold Key Winner Elizabeth Mauldin.

Works receiving a Gold Key at the regional level are forwarded to New York for national adjudication and evaluated by professional panelists chosen from the art, literary, and education fields. From a field of more than 50,000 national entries in 2007, 7,000 works of art were eligible for national adjudication, and 1,500 students received national honors. Tennessee students received a total of 27 awards.

You can see other work from the Scholastic Art Awards of 2008 on their page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...).

Sherrie

In case you missed all the excitement today...

At the risk of being accused of self-promotion, Where in the World is Smokey? is one of the more interesting and enjoyable projects I've worked on at UT. We're mailing T-shirts to students, staff, faculty, and alumni and asking them to take photos of themselves wearing the T-Shirt during their travels. Since launching the site in October we've received photos from 17 states and 20 countries, and we're expecting to get a photo from Antarctica in the next week or two, which will give us posts from all 7 continents.

The promotion is a bit gimmicky, maybe, but it's been a fun way to raise awareness of the university's Ready for the World initiative.

WVLT: Candace Parker named Academic All-American: "This is such an honor," Parker said. "An athletic career could end at a moment’s notice, but a solid education will last a lifetime."

The KNS reports that Knoxville City Council let Knology off the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in accumulated fines for not complying with their cable contract's buildout provisions, opting instead to accept their promise to invest $750K in expanding their service area.

Sounds like the City has come up with a new concept in corporate subsidies: "Penalty Increment Financing," or "PIFs."

Volunteer Voters quotes a wingnut asserting that the right to vote is the root of all of evil in America:

Ignorance is like puddy in the hands of the populists, but educated people do not buy into that kind of manipulation.

You can't make this stuff up.

There is a continued controversy regarding science textbooks that actually teach science. With that in mind, several folks have decided that it would be appropriate for informative stickers to be applied to books containing certain material.

Here are sample stickers that might be considered.

Wednesday Feb 27 for 9:30 in Chancery Court, Part 2. It will be held in the City County Building on the 2nd floor.

My understanding is anyone who wants to show for support is encouraged to attend.

There will be no Constitutional amendment on abortion in 2010:

A House subcommittee voted along party lines on Tuesday to kill a contentious constitutional abortion amendment amid open partisan sniping over the legislation.

“The resolution fails,” Rep. Mary Pruitt, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee, declared after the subcommittee voted, 6-3, to defeat the measure.

The measure proposed to amend the Tennessee constitution to specify that nothing in state law explicitly protects abortion. The Senate approved the proposal earlier this year, but it was widely expected to die in the House committee, as in previous years.

Proponents said the amendment was needed for future abortion regulation; opponents have decried it as an election-year gambit and an attempt to eventually ban abortion outright.

Knox County Democrat Joe Armstrong, who sits on this committee, heaped scorn on the Republicans:

Democrats have criticized Republican sponsors of the resolution, saying it's a partisan issue that comes up almost every election year.

"Democrats and Republicans have worked together to create quality legislation," said Rep. Joe Armstrong, who voted against the resolution on Tuesday. "But it's funny this comes up ... when there's an election on the line and yet on an off year this is never mentioned."

The Knoxville Democrat emphasized the partisanship of the resolution by referencing a fellow Democrat who said he wasn't allowed to sign onto the legislation because of his party affiliation.

"By telling a pro-life Democrat he can't sign on, that proves it's not about saving life, it's about politics," Armstrong said.

This:
Link...

Or THIS?

Link...

I've been seeing numerous caravans of large dump trucks marked "radioactive" hauling material to the Mt. Olive community. Is this something we South Knoxvillians should be alarmed with or do we just ignore it and be thankful that it is helping us save money on our heating bills? I have also noticed the glowing night sky's have lessened the need for porch lights, and flashlights lately.

don't know whether the grid disturbance caused the units to shut down or that their shut down caused the grid disturbance

Power outages from Miami to Orlando.

There are no safety concerns. The reactors shut down as designed,"

Too bad I watched "The China Syndrome" just the other day.

Nothing to see here, move along...

From the Obama campaign:

This morning, the New York Times reported that Senator Clinton is launching what even her aides admit is a "kitchen sink" bombardment of negative attacks against Barack.

This is the same stale, Washington playbook that has driven so many Americans away from the political process.

Obama would NEVER run a negative ad against his opponent because he's above all that, right?

Obama Launches First Negative Ad

Obama's misleading NAFTA attack

And, speaking of stale Washington playbooks...

Obama does Harry and Louise, again

Seriously, I'll be glad when there's a nominee. Obama should just sit back, chill, and ride the big mo train on in to the Denver station. Clinton's political obituary has already been printed on the front page of the Sunday New York Times. What's he so worried about?

Just received a fax from Mayor Ragsdale's office regarding the p-card audit, which will be released shortly to the Mayor's Office for their review and response:

The draft audit will not be the work product or property of the Knox County Mayor's Office. Until such time as the audit is declared final, it is under the exclusive-jurisdiction of state-and local auditors.

From the point the Mayor's Office takes delivery of the draft audit, we will be afforded a specified period to prepare management's response. The Mayor's Office will review it, respond and return it to the auditors. The state and local auditors will make their determination as to when the audit is complete.

Knox County will not release any of the contents of the audit or our response until it is declared final, a determination made by the state and local auditors. Knox County bas committed to State Comptroller John Morgan that we will not comment on the audit during this review period. We intend to honor that commitment.

Copy of fax attached.

I have been passing this story along since it is such a hoot! It has gotten such a reaction that we thought we would share it with everyone. It comes from the book The Girl Scouts Triumph,

I picked it up several years ago. As a fiction story, it is totally implausible. It just turned out to be true and has a direct connection to Knoxville's Girl Scout Museum of the Tanasi Council. For those of you that haven't read it yet, the story gives you a snapshot of the WWI era. It could never happen now. Everyone would be locked up! Childrens Protective Services would put all the kids in foster care!

This link, Link..., will take you directly to the page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...) where the story is located.

Sherrie

Live blogging:

(Link....)

A personal observation: How awful would it be to plan to delay some of these items to the 2010 ballot, to take effect in 2014? We could salvage anti-nepotism, conflict of interest policies (I want to see a stronger proposal here!), returning the petition to earlier rules, Board of Education alignment, and even getting an Inspector General. Likely the 2008 petition drive for the others would fail, but we'd get a break-out vote of the most urgent reforms.

I am trying to update, but city county bldg network keeps hijjacking my browser to city of knoxville page!!

$840K cleared. More after the jump...

Contrary to local talk show, p-card audit not yet received by the Mayor's office. More after the jump...

As Mark was switching his university hat for his commission binder I managed to get a summary from him of what we can expect of this evenings county commission meeting. We have a bet on how long this meeting will go tonight. I say it will go on past 10:00 and he says they will be done by 8:30.

(I take full responsibility for any editorializing contained in thisentry.)

Zoning starts at 4:00 pm and will include a request by Butler Homes for a zoning change to 6.5 units per acre/area. The Briarglen Homeowners Association is opposing this change. Apparently there is also some slope protection also at issue.

Commission will be electing a new Chair and Vice Chair. The local Sunday shows and the KNS have all predicted this to go to Tank Strickland, especially after the outstanding job he did during the appointment process. Apparently there have already been Committee assignments because I found this on the Commission website: Link...

The Commission agenda is here,
Link..., and the zonings are the last 4 pages. The biggest issue on the agenda is the Knox County, One Question, charter amendments listed under ordinances. Expect at least one commissioner (guess who?) to offer many ways to re-word some of them which may water them down to nothing or introduce the “poison pill” in order to insure their demise.

There may be an attempt to add some items to the agenda and there may be discussion on the pending audits.

The City and UT will officially open the new Second Creek greenway on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 2 p.m. The ceremony will take place near the Bridgeview Grill on Neyland Drive. I don't know how many of you have had a chance to see this, but it is very nice and provides an important connector between World's Fair Park and the Tennessee River. The City and UT worked together on this and it, along with the improved Third Creek Greenway, The James White and Morningside Greenway provides important improved connectivity in the core of the city. It is worth a bike ride when you have the chance.

Link...

The Knoxville News Sentinel had a bold headline on the front page of today's local section proclaiming "Electronic exchange of patient info close" with the sub heading "AT&T and Tenn. create system for accessing, sharing medical records." The opening paragraphs state:

AT&T Inc. is partnering with Tennessee to provide the country's first statewide system to electronically exchange patient medical information, the telecommunications company will announce today.

The system is designed to securely transmit detailed patient information between medical professionals.

It will allow doctors to access medical histories, prescribe medicines over the Internet and transfer images like X-rays, MRIs and CT scans.

The problem is that the system is not a medical records system and it does not manage patient histories or medical imaging as one might conclude from reading the article.

Instead, if you read closely it says that the system allows "exchange" and "access" and is designed to "securely transmit" information. That's all it does, as far as I can tell. But what do you expect from a cut and paste wire report rewrite of an AT&T press release?

It's like the cable guy coming in to your home or office and setting up a broadband modem and a VPN ("virtual private network") for you and then giving you an 800 number to call if you have a problem. That's what they're selling.