Friday Reading and Open Thread

I’ve seen so many things to share with you, gentle readers. They’re after the jump. More importantly, I want to know what you’ve seen that you’d like to share with the world. It’s your thread.

Money in state politics plays a pivotal role in shaping public policy in individual states and across the nation. Follow the Money tracks political donations in all 50 states. Take a look.

That durn John McCain is just too anti-liberty for the Asheville Tea Party, says Erika Franzi -

“John McCain, the man who was once the ‘maverick,’ is now the personification of the mushy-middle, establishment Republican. His memorable bipartisan efforts, including Campaign Finance Reform, Climate Stewardship, Amnesty, and TARP, demonstrate his lack of regard for the constitutional limitations of the federal government. Senator John McCain is not a liberty candidate. Asheville Tea Party supports J.D. Hayworth’s bid to replace Senator John McCain as the GOP candidate for Arizona Senate.”

Heath Shuler has a Democratic challenger in the primary. His/her name is Aixa Wilson. No one I’ve talked to knows the first thing about this person. It’s been noted that is someone’s going to pay the $1,000+ filing fee, they’ve got to have some serious intent.

In other Shuler news, Heath is advocating for a fair reapportionment of an proposed extension of the Highway Bill, known as SAFETEA-LU that is supposed to be reauthorized every five years. The current proposed extension means that over $900 million dollars will be distributed to only 22 states, and North Carolina is not on the list. Shuler is asking that the money be distributed in a competitive bid process under the Secretary of Transportation. Sound like exactly the right thing to do.

Robin Cape worked tirelessly on this, and all that hard work is starting to pay off. This is fantastic news for all of Buncombe County!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will award Land-of-Sky Regional Council a Climate Showcase Grant to fund the Reading, Riding and Retrofit project that will support environmental sustainability in public schools throughoutBuncombe County, North Carolina.  The project will create energy efficient school building retrofits, transportation system enhancements, Recycling improvements and volunteer “Green Teams” to support the schools.

The Climate Showcase Grant will directly support the annual reduction of Green House Gas emissions by an estimated 1,129 tons.  Land-of-Sky Regional Council will partner with Buncombe County and City of Asheville school officials and other partners to lay the ground work for long term potential reduction of Green House Gas emissions by more than 11,000 tons annually.

Tonight at 6pm at BoBo Gallery Asheville Green Drinks will talk Copenhagen Climate Conference tonight with four people who attended. Ned Gardiner, NOAA Climate Scientist; David McConville, of Elumenati; Ellie Johnston, UNCA student activist; and Micheal Leahey, AB HUB Sustainability Task Force.

The stellar Amina Figarova jazz sextet is playing Diana Wortham on Sunday.

Bonus video links!

AshevilleNow.com delivers a video from the 2010 Freaks of Asheville Pageant.

TED talk – The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

NSFW Juggalo News – Do not click if you are offended by avalanches of profanity.