Skewed View II

These are photos I did on local architecture. Once again I pushed the film to get the grainy affect.

As you can see, sometimes the sun can be something of an aggravation on photos.

This house is abandoned and owned by the city. It was once a prominent mansion. I looked into trying to renovate the house. Bring it back to life with some of it's former glory. It would take a lot more money than I have to even stabilize it. It is separated from the foundation in the back, all windows need replacing and they aren't standard. The entire interior needs nothing short of complete demolition to fix not only cosmetic problems but also lead and asbestos issues. All but one room has had the historic woodwork removed (including the stair's banister). The second floor has an entire area that has totally rotted through. Extensive water damage, and the entire roof needs to be replaced. But the stone facade still looks great!

This is the Spaghetti Factory downtown. Also houses condos. The building use to be the number one department store in town years and years ago.

This is the Parthenon in Nashville Tennessee. I used to live down the street from the park it's in. It's an exact replica of the original Parthenon (temple for Athena) in Greece. Even has an enormous statue of her inside. Definitly a got to see if you ever get to Nashville. There is a guy, bottom center, sitting on the steps to show scale.

It's Getting Hot in Here

Let's talk about energy.
I know, oil is up to $100, gas is outrageous and the environment can't take anymore greenhouse gases. Nope, that's not what I am going toward. I want to talk about natural gas. That's right, natural gas.
Next to coal, natural gas is one of the most abundant sources of energy (yes, I know about sun and wind but that stuff is still way over priced)
It is estimated the peak in natural gas sources will take place almost thirty years after the peak in oil. It's much cleaner, more abundant and cheaper than oil. But then why is it progressively getting more and more expensive?
Every winter energy costs increase. This year an estimated 11% on average. In some places more, in others less. A few years ago there was a sharp up swing in energy (electric and heating the main uses of Natural gas). You remember, when your heating bill was $90 one month, then $300 the next. Well, in this area there was so much hoopla over the increase, especially after the public at large found out the major source of the increase was the fault of the energy industry itself. They had cut production, and limited storage because they felt it was not as profitable to keep it on supply. The outrage caused the local energy company (has a monopoly, go figure) to promise to make sure this never happened again.
Yet every year the energy costs go up. Doesn't seem they kept their promise does it? What's worse is these costs are going up at the SAME time oil (gasoline) prices are rocketing to the highest point in history.
Something seems wrong with this. Not the oil. I am aware oil will always make big money and I think that's good. Not that Big Oil makes big money, but that people begin to realize oil just isn't cost effective. Maybe we will find a new, better way a lot faster.
No one has ever explained to me the reason for these seeming unnatural hikes on natural gas prices. I've written my Congress woman, mayor and local media. The mayor was silent, the media ignored me and the Congress woman recited, almost word for word, the public relation release from our local energy company. Almost word for word, wonder who owned her? 'Wink, Wink'
Okay, so we all know energy prices go up, and up and up. I get a bit irked about it but then move on. However, Louisville has a program, much like most cities, that on your energy bill there is a space where you can place an extra amount on your bill to pay into a fund. A fund that goes to help less fortunate people in the city pay their electric bill.
What the heck is all that about? Don't get me wrong, I am all for helping out people who need it every now and then. Especially when it comes to energy prices. But how come the energy company, you know the mega million dollar making corporation, can't just let up on the people who qualify for assistance? How come this highly profitable business is asking me, a MUCH less profitable individual, to make sure it gets paid for all it's bills?
It's like we, as everyday people, are being asked, not to help out a neighbor in distress, but to make sure the energy company makes it's profit. Why would I do that?
Yes, I know if these people, (the less fortunate) don't pay their bill the electric company will increase every one's charges to ensure they get theirs, but this is malarkey. If the company knows people can't pay, don't ask those getting by, ask your board members who make six figures. Or make adjustments on people who qualify bills. Don't be so arrogant as to ask me.
It's like you see Bill Gates walking down the street and instead of saying "Hi" to you he says, "Hey buddy, can you spare a quarter?"

Elections

Every year I see a place on the ballot that is either devoid of a name and request a write in or has only one name to vote for. In these cases I write my own name in. I then ask everyone I know, who intends to vote, to do the same. So far I have been very unsuccessful.
On the positive side this year was my best campaign ever. I received three votes aside from my own. That's three times the amount of votes I normally receive.
This year's election got me thinking. "What would happen if I did stumble into a political position. Just by my simplistic manner of campaigning for apparently unwanted posts?"
I will be honest. I don't really know the whole in and out of all the legalities in elections. From what I can tell of the current elections very few people do. Those that actually do know are lawyers for individuals running. Even then it seems no one really cares if you follow the rules unless the election is a brutal "Mud throwing" event. You know, no one cares unless you are beating them.
I do believe, that should I get accidentally elected, I would immediately disqualified. If I don't fill out the proper paper work, disclose all my expenses or even announce my intent to run I believe I am not really qualified as a legitimate candidate.
I could be wrong and anyone out there in please let me know. I just find it sort of ironic. If you happen to be the best choice in a community, no matter who you are, and a majority of the citizens decide on election day instead of the candidates on the ballot they want this other person. So low and behold this write in is elected but then disqualified because of paper work. Doesn't seem very democratic to me. I guess the rules are set up this way to prevent Bart Simpson from winning the presidency. Who knows.
I think a bigger problem in elections today are the inequity. You cannot run for most political positions without at least being monetarily comfortable. In Louisville it cost an estimated $500,000 just to run for city council. In the last election for council members most persons running stopped working at least a year a head of time to focus on their campaign. Who the Hell can afford not to work for a year?!
It seems that our current election system is exclusive not inclusive as it is meant to be. I know it would be argued that any person who wishes to run for a political position can. It doesn't matter race, religion, sex, orientation, place of birth (except in presidential campaigns) or monetary standing. But look at the current presidential race. It is widely reported that unless you raise a certain number of millions you are not a serious candidate. Millions?
Do you know the last time we had a president who was NOT a millionaire?
I don't, can't find anything on the web about it either. Lots of items about their wealth, but precious little about "poor" presidents.
The wealthy can buy more ad time. They can set up and have more fund raisers and for that matter have much wealthier people attend the fundraisers. They can afford handlers and campaign advisers. They can afford to set up and maintain campaign headquarters someplace other than their basement. They have many connections to wealthy people with power and connections. The list goes on and on, but what about the poor guy who might actually make an amazing elected official? Well they have just got to hang it up until they make it big.
I will never understand how people think a person who has never worried what's going to happen when your landlord gets a bounced check can truly understand what it's like to struggle. It might be why we get trickle down economics. I mean come on. Would you take a shower under a trickle? Grow crops under a trickle? If you are at the source of the trickle then it's a great view. If you are on the receiving end it just feels like you're getting pissed on.
Sorry, I digressed. The point of this is what would happen if I ever got accidentally elected? Well, even though I am VERY proud of my whopping four votes, I am comfortable that I will not find out what would happen any time too soon. But then again, there is a presidential election coming up. I got four votes in this last local election, anything is possible in a national election.