(Good stuff in here – promoted by JulieWaters)

Ever so quietly in a Thanksgiving Day news story Vermont State gives notice of an out of court settlement and payout in a taser related incident from 2006. The $40,000 settlement is called “frankly, a business decision” to avoid risk of trial.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has paid $40,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a man who claims he was Tasered in 2006 by state police as he was having a seizure that was mistaken as an attempt to resist arrest.

State police deny wrongdoing, state assistant attorney general J.J. Tyzbir told the Valley News. He said he agreed to the settlement to avoid the risk of trial, where a jury could have awarded more money.

“We still believe Mr. Fairbrother was not actually in the throes of a seizure,” Tyzbir said. “We believe Mr. Fairbrother was actually trying to evade the officers and was resisting them and was noncompliant. But whenever you go to trial, you risk not getting a favorable outcome. This was, frankly, a business decision.”

A wise business decision might include continued review of  the Taser policy as local police continue to equip themselves with the Tasers. This October the Taser Company issued a training bulletin warning that 50,000 volt tasering could cause an “adverse cardiac event” when shot in the chest. Avoiding the chest, face and neck is now strongly advised. Suggested shot placements currently include back, abdomen and thighs.

The Vermont AG Taser policy report of 2008 in its conclusion suggests room for further review of their safety.

There remain questions about the safety of the taser’s use in certain situations and on certain categories of subjects. These questions are particularly important in situations when multiple tases or extended continuous tasings of a subject are inflicted and when subjects are manifesting a condition called “excited delirium”. Continued study of the safety and health effects of tasers is warranted.

http://nhbr.com/news/statenewe…

The 2009 cost of a Thanksgiving meal for ten according to the American Farm Bureau agribusiness trade group is $42.91.

This is down slightly from last years average $44.61.

Maybe that tells only part of the cost as  lobbyists in Thanksgiving related industries work hard all year to ensure  there’s a butterball on every American’s table .We  should be thankful for the  clear eyed and  heroic efforts lobbyists put in on behalf of our Thanksgiving.

“We don’t want to even create an appearance that we’re mixing our members’ government affairs business with the business of making sure Americans enjoy their holiday.” said Joel Brandenberger, president of the National Turkey Federation.

Should we be thankful for the clear eyed and heroic efforts these lobbyists put in on behalf of our Thanksgiving? Where would we be without armies of industry lobbyists?

The National Turkey Federation spent $240,000 in lobbying this year .Keeping an eye on agriculture appropriations bills, avian influenza and climate change legislation.

There must have been little pending legislation that could have affected potatoes this year as the National Potato Council only forked over $30,000 in lobbying this year.

2008 was the United Nations International Year of the Potato so a quiet year may have been in the cards .

The cranberry lobby proved more active than potato interests in 2009 .The Cape Cod Cranberry Association and the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association managed to gain $1.25 million in federal research funds in an agricultural bill. The powerful Ocean Spray company spent $300,000 lobbying free trade and federal dietary guidelines that mention the benefits of cranberry juice.  

http://www.fb.org/index.php?fu…

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/…

http://www.opensecrets.org/lob…

Will the life of Brian get complicated ? Has Douglas’s not running for re-election left a leadership void in the Republican Party that Dubie can’t fill ? A second challenge is floated to Lt.Gov.Dubie’s nomination to run for gov. after what has been called a less than impressive opening to his gubernatorial campaign .Vallee says Dubie not “anointed”

Former US Ambassador,heavy hitting Republican businessman and Bush fund raiser Rodolphe”Skip” Vallee may enter race for governor.

“I know Brian Dubie, I like Brian Dubie, I respect Brian Dubie,” Vallee said. But, he added, “I learned a long time ago that elections are not anointments.

http://www.timesargus.com/arti…

 

Tom Salmon has called a Friday press conference according to The Rutland Herald reporter’s blog Vermont View.

After his recent interview on VPR with Jane Lindeholm and airing his “fiddler’s fart” comment perhaps he hopes to strike another note at this press opportunity or just clear the air.

His press release notes that he “respectfully invites all perfect and imperfect people” to the presser.

No note on what the presser is about, but a wild guess is that it might involve Salmon’s DUI arrest last week.

In the spirit of the invitation here are two helpful and germane quotes from my favorite self help writer

The easiest way to save face is to keep the lower half shut.

Even a fish wouldn’t get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut. ~Author Unknown

http://rutlandherald.typepad.c…

( – promoted by odum)

Chris Graff  who was once an AP reporter and currently serves as  corporate spokesman has a column in Vermont Business Magazine today with ten reasons Brian  Dubie could win his race to become Vermont governor .

Reason number eight is a jaw dropping suggestion that the State of Vermont’s Adjutant General should use his connections to help elect his brother governor of Vermont.

#8. The Dubie network: Each of the Democratic candidates has a map to victory, building on networks that have been years in the making. Deb Markowitz, for example, is counting on backing from the local officials she has worked with as secretary of state. Dubie has developed his own network as lieutenant governor, but he also has the potential of benefiting from the connections of his brother Mike, the state’s adjutant general.

http://www.vermontbiz.com/arti…

The Vermont Republican Party members must have had some collective grinding of teeth going on at their get-together this Saturday at the Elks Club in Montpelier. Only last week one major newspaper article was mostly about the buzz with the Republicans; much less attention was given to the Democratic and Progressive party meetings. One of the two Republicans running for Chairman was looking forward to hearing from Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie and said of the Governor’s co-pilot “He’s the one that could beat any Democratic candidate like a drum.” Maybe the talk at the gathering ran off the road from this hopeful scenario; pushed aside by other news.

Tom Salmon grabbed quite a chunk of attention this weekend, as some personal events in the life of the new Republican may overlap with his public standing. Some longtime Vermont Republicans may cringe as they are forced to offer comment on this event.

Despite the arrest, Salmon spoke as scheduled … kind of an awkward sentence to have associated with the new guy’s big appearance at a Republican shindig.

In the movie Maltese Falcon Sam Spade humiliates Wilmer, the villain Guttmann’s gunsel by taking his guns away. Spade sneers “Come on. This’ll put you in solid with your boss.” as he leads Wilmer in to see Guttmann.

As I read the quotes in the Times Argus from the Elks Club get together I kept thinking how that line fit what Salmon’s arrest late Friday did for him and how it … put him in solid with his new bosses.

While expressing pride at

“having picked up a state office without the benefit of an election,”

Governor Douglas must have just loved this awkward vow of support he made to the brand new Republican:

“It’s disappointing. Everyone has to follow the laws and take responsibility, and Tom made a mistake and I know he’ll accept responsibility for it,” Douglas said. “But it doesn’t detract from his outstanding record of public service.”

Departing Chairman Roper chimed in with perhaps an unfortunate choice of words given the DUI, adding this:

“He’s a stand-up guy, and I’m sure he’s willing to take full responsibility for it,” Roper said. “We’ll see where it goes from there.”

http://www.timesargus.com/arti…

 Chief Technology Officer Tom Evslin is very concerned and makes some charges about the behavior of Vermont’s legislature and you can read about it in West Virginia. A self proclaimed real conservative formerly head of overseeing millions in Federal ARRA spending here in Vermont was recently appointed by Gov. Douglas and charged with preparing telecom initiatives for the upcoming legislative session.He has taken his worries out of state.

Vt.Buzz points out that Evslin is quoted in the Charleston Daily.

“Some states took the stimulus money, used it as a Band-Aid and used the breathing room to make sustainable cuts in the cost of state government, and as the stimulus is withdrawn, it won’t be painless but it will be survivable,” said Evslin, who is now Vermont’s chief technology officer. “Other states have been taking the Band-Aid and not really making the changes they need to make.”

Evslin said there have already been backroom comments from some people who don’t want to make sustainable cuts precisely for that reason.

“They’re afraid if they do adapt, they won’t be able to argue for a second stimulus,” he said.

In other words, they want to spend all the money and ask for more.

“It’s a bit like killing your parents and throwing yourself on the mercy of the court because you’re an orphan,” Evslin said.

http://dailymail.com/News/stat…

http://www.burlingtonfreepress…

Quick build a new one.

The Champlain Bridge handled almost 4,000 vehicles a day. It looks now that through the winter and beyond ferry traffic will be the substitute.

According to Stanley Gee, acting commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation. who said previous estimates put the cost of a replacement bridge at about $50 million

Vermont has a good share of deteriorating bridges. They are given rationed care and rely heavily on regular inspection quickly finding trouble .Anyone know how many state inspectors still have jobs? Trouble with the Richmond St. Bridge was luckily found. Just as luckily ARRA federal funding for repairs was quick in arriving. Your tax dollars at work for you.

Maybe now in light of the news that the Champlain Bridge is beyond repair and must be torn down its time for a  review of the rationed bridge care and bridge inspection process here in Vermont. Let’s inspect the inspection process and see what may be slipping through the cracks.  

Vermont and New York both share ownership but the maintenance is New York’s responsibility

The Albany Times Union reported this week (Vermont and New York newspapers shared the story but a New York paper was responsible for committing some journalism) that a method that could have alerted the inspectors to the concrete abutment condition was not put into use. The cost for the test seemed high apparently.

A $10,000 high-tech ultrasonic test of the piers — something the state did not perform — could have provided an early warning of lurking rot and given time to make repairs to stabilize the piers before the bridge became unsafe, according to a national engineering expert on bridge failures.

Pennywise and pound foolish, an old yet useful saying .Better safe than sorry isn’t too bad either.

http://www.timesargus.com/arti…

http://www.timesunion.com/AspS…

Senator Mark Udall and other lawmakers this week introduced a bill that would authorize research and development of small-scale, modular nuclear power plants to help meet energy needs. Unlike coal and gas power plants, nuclear plants don’t emit greenhouse gases.

The Colorado School of Mines could be well-positioned to receive new federal research funds, Udall said.

http://www.denverpost.com/news…

Still with out a  national plan accepted for long-term storage the nuclear power industry  is slipping back into vogue on little modular sized feet. A sleeping uranium industry in Colorado may be awakened by a Senator’s “silver buckshot” approach to energy resourcing.  Claiming that we need nuclear power included for the widest possible range of energy solutions to meet our needs Senator Mark Udall  says of his bill “In other words there is no silver bullet that can solve all of our energy challenges; we are going to need silver buckshot.”

This silver buckshot  may be aimed more to wooing votes as he also says political reality dictates  that energy legislation capping carbon emissions “will not pass” unless it also includes strong provisions for nuclear power .

“The first wave of nuclear power plants will go a long way towards telling us whether new plants can be built on budget and on schedule in the United States,” Udall said.

He suggests  “working out the costs ” of electricity from small scale modular nuclear plants while studying how to store the waste long term is a practical approach.

He does acknowledge though that the National Academy of Sciences puts the cost of electricity from new nuclear plants at between 8 to 13 cents per kilowatt-hour, a big range given the average national price of electricity from all types of energy was 10.42 cents in July of 2009, according to the DOE Energy Information Administration.

Currently there is 60,000 metric tons of spent fuel awaiting permanent disposal, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry association, and the nation’s power plants produce  2,000 tons more each year . According to  csmonitor.com even if work on Yucca Mountain had continued, it wouldn’t have solved the problem: By the early 2020s, when it would have been completed, the nation’s nuclear waste would have already exceeded the repository’s 70,000-ton capacity.

“If you don’t have a credible endpoint for spent fuel that deals with the long-term safety and security issues, you really have to wonder if nuclear power is a reasonable choice,” says physicist Edwin Lyman, a senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in Washington.

http://features.csmonitor.com/…

http://coloradoindependent.com…

http://www.denverpost.com/news…

Vermont just received approximately $69 million in federal funds to be matched by utilities for developing smart grid technologies. Tom Evslin, Douglas’ new Chief Technology Officer (Czar?) and former telecom entrepreneur says that these funds will help Vermont do in five years what would have taken eight under normal funding conditions.

More than just smart meters the grid will also open up the potential for entirely new services or improvements on existing ones, such as fire monitoring and alarms that can shut off power, make phone calls to emergency services and etc.

The Seattle Times reports that the entrepreneurs and venture capitalists who transformed the telecommunications industry are now trying to do the same with the grid. The prize? There are 144 million residential meters in the U.S. “The battle for the meter is raging,” Google and several startups are also working on the creation of so-called home area networks to save energy.  

Power usage closely monitored by consumers and distributors will result in better use of available resources. Savings and efficiency are all for the good. As utilities sell power more efficiently they may also find demand dropping just as cash is needed to buildup   new services and networks. What kind of brave new grid will result? In a slightly disturbing comparison, many industry experts are comparing the new world that the power industry is entering to the one that the telecoms faced several years ago.

One expert explains  

In the days of rotary phones, the telcos had complete control and consumers didn’t have much to do with it other than pay the bill. …While the price may have dropped for traditional telco services, these companies have had a huge number of new opportunities opened up for them. We believe that the same thing will happen with the utilities market………..

Once the subscriber is in the picture, it will drive demand for new types of services and new ways of communicating. These in turn will help the utilities to invent new forms of value, and to become more innovative.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports this comparison.

Also like the telecom network, the Smart Grid is almost entirely owned and operated by industry. Therefore, Smart Grid interoperability and cybersecurity standards must reflect industry consensus, with active participation, and where required, leadership and coordination by government.

Vermonters watching FairPoint struggle into chapter 11 may not find anything comforting in these telecom comparisons. And besides: who understands their telecom plan?

Federal and State regulators understaffed and under budgeted will be presiding over the industry as it creates new forms of services and morphs into a new service beast.

Maybe aggressive public service watchdogs as smart as the smart grid are needed for the new market as it evolves?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.c…

. http://smart-grid.tmcnet.com/t…

http://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/