The Great Gas Run

The Great Gas Run of 2005 continues unabated across Ashvegas tonight. A quick tour around town showed dozens of cars lined up at stations waiting to fill up.
But before I go too far with the fear-mongering, like WLOS did last night (to a great public disservice), let me add that I didn't sense a great fear. And whether people want to believe it or not, there was plenty of gas to be had. On my tour of Merrimon and Patton avenues, I saw a number of stations with few people at the pumps, but still open and ready to do business, albeit at $3.10 a gallon for regular.

The Shell station just down the hill from Greenlife was jampacked with autos spilling into the street. Same for the Hot Spot further north in the Woodfin area, just off 19/23. Also, the Hot Spot and nearby Enmark just down Leicester Highway were doing landoffice business tonight about 10 p.m.

Why? Because people are stupid and greedy. Relax. There's no need.

Yes, it will take a while for service to get back to normal. But there's plenty of gas out there. The Colonial pipeline that serves the Spartanburg terminal, where tankers get their loads to distribute to our gas stations here, is up and working at 25 percent capacity, according to reports I've seen.

That did little to ease the rumor mill Wednesday, fed by our local talk radio dumbasses who reported every stupid thing a caller reported. "The guvment is shuttin' down gas stations at noon. No public sales of gasoline after 5 p.m."

Shit like that. And like I said, WLOS did a great public disservice yesterday by not reporting the story and simply stoking the public's base fears. Usually, WLOSers lack of reporting does little harm. This time, it did.

Friends called me to tell of fights at the pumps. Of people driving up in a gianormous Excursion, filling up, then opening the hatch and filling up five oil drums more full of gasoline. Of gas prices changing so fast that attendents couldn't keep up, so they just put up a "3" and stopped with the rest.

Now CNN is reporting $6-a-gallon gasoline in Atlanta. What will it be in Ashvegas in the morning?

I don't know. But chill out.

-Cross posted from Ashvegas

Fuel Crisis Hits Western North Carolina

AC-T: "A gas shortage that closed some stations and caused lines at others could last through the Labor Day weekend and beyond, Asheville city and Buncombe County officials warned at a press conference this afternoon.

It could take six days for fuel to flow as normal from the Gulf of Mexico, officials said."
[...]
"The city and county have asked their employees to take time off or work from home if possible.

Both governments have eliminated nonessential travel, and will concentrate fuel expenditures on dealing with public health and safety issues.

"Be sure that you know there's a need to conserve and for the consumer to make your choices about what are essential uses of your vehicles," Asheville Mayor Charles Worley said. "Use public transportation."
[...]
"Gov. Mike Easley in a press conference this afternoon said the state also would eliminate all nonessential travel by employees. Easley urged people to conserve gas through the busy, holiday weekend."

On my way home from work tonight at 6pm, most gas stations had their pumps bagged. Those with gas left had premium only, and the lines were dozens of cars long. I haven't been able to ascertain how widespread the fuel shortages are, but President Bush has ordered the release of 700 million barrels of our nation's strategic reserves.

AP:

"The government's emergency petroleum stockpile — nearly 700 million barrels of oil stored in underground salt caverns along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast — was established to cushion oil markets during energy disruptions.

The production and distribution of oil and gas remained severely disrupted by the shutdown of a key oil import terminal off the coast of Louisiana and by the Gulf region's widespread loss of electricity, which is needed to power pipelines and refineries.

The Environmental Protection Agency, seeking to avert a severe supply crunch, announced it would temporarily allow the sale of higher-polluting gasoline in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi because those states can't provide enough fuel to consumers that meets Clean Air Act requirements."

Brian Hopkins relayed the following information via the city's press conference this evening:

"Buncombe County, where I live, just held a press conference informing the citizens that we have to think of conservation. Best case scenario is that the gas will return to normal in 7 days. Three to restore power to the pumping stations, three to pump the gas to the distribution centers in upstates South Carolina, and one day to truck it back into the area. That is just best case. This will be a very interesting time."

Biodiesel stations are, of course, pumping without any interruption, and there may be a few trucks that'll turn up here and there, but everyone will need to conserve their fuel.

What have you been seeing?

UPDATE - In the previous comment thread Ash asks, "Is there a way we can pool our resources to help one another? Post updates on what gas stations are closed, which have the cheapest gas? Alerts of car pools, other conservation measures? What else?"

Gas Shortage

The times are a changing, friends. There are gas shortages all over town and beyond. Only Supreme is left in Asheville, according to the gas station attendant I just talked to. Supposedly, there is no gas in Bryson City and limited amounts in Charlotte. People are freaking out. There are lines of cars down Merrimon Avenue waiting to pay $3.20 per gallon. We all may want to reevaluate our Labor Day weekend plans.

I Think I'll Name Mine Rosie...

TOKYO - A child-shaped humanoid robot that can recognize about 10,000 words and work as a house sitter will go on sale in Japan in September.

The "Wakamaru" robot can recognize the faces of up to 10 people and talk to them. When linked to mobile phones, it can also work as a monitor to check situations at home, such as a burglary or someone falling ill, Mitsubishi-Heavy Industries Ltd. said in a statement Monday.
Mitsubishi-Heavy said it would be the first time a robot with communication ability for home use has been sold.
"This is the opening of an era in which human beings and robots can coexist," it said.

Mitsubishi-Heavy said...

Gooder Than Grits

---From Lowell Allen's Serial Photo, photoblog---

Bloggers riding out Hurricane Katrina

[Crossposted from: 1000 Black Lines]

Josh Britton and WizBang are currently blogging about Hurricane Katrina from the eye of the storm.

Both blogs have many links and updates... Josh Britton's latest update was 8:46 AM regarding damage to the Superdome's roof where thousands of residents sought refuge from the hurricane.

UPDATE:
"Dome has hole in roof," "Hospital windows blown out" and "Collapsed buildings, massive flooding" are just some of the post titles splashing across The Times-Picayune's breaking newslog.

"Hospital Flooding" reported on Channel 6's (WDSU) newslog*.
[*newslog is a blog for media outlets]

UPDATE 2:

Building collapse... People reportedly inside.

from Joe B. of MetroBlogging New Orleans. There's more damage reports posted at MetroBlogging New Orleans.
hat tip: Josh Britton

Hang Tough New Orleans!

Our thoughts and prayers are with you!

Flash fiction blog?

Edgy Mama, perhaps a bit high on psuedoephedrine and the praise of California agents, thinks we should start a flash fiction blog in Ashvegas. What do you all think? Anyone interested?

Maybe we don't have to create a different blog - maybe it can be done through BlogAsheville. I don't know.

And is there enough writer interest? Wait. We're in Ashvegas. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting an aspiring artist.

What is flash fiction? I don't have a definition, but to me, it's an even shorter version of a short story, made to be easily read on the Web/computer. I have no idea who started it, or how popular it is, but I have seen it on a number of blogs.

Anyway, just throwin' it out there. What do you think?

Goombay, circa 2005

From Ashvegas.

What Kind of Cat are You?

Back in the days of yesteryear, back in my single days, when I was living in New York City, I had an opportunity to see Doc Watson play at The Bottom Line (which sadly had to close its doors in Village area - darn you NYU!).

Help us, Billy Jonas, You are our only hope!

The line spread out along the sidewalk, and the people were abuzzin' - contrary to popular assumptions - there are a ton of bluegrass fans living among the concrete hills of NYC.

The show opener was non-other than Billy Jonas, a musician I had never heard of before; I was disappointed Doc wasn't coming straight out. Jonas started his set, and to be honest, I just didn't get it.

Help us, Billy Jonas, You are our only hope!

Fastforeword to the present. Married in Asheville with a 16 month old son. A friend gave us one of Billy Jonas' cds a few months ago, and our son took to it like a fish to water. A few months afterward, his grandparents gave him a dvd of Jonas.

Help us, Billy Jonas, You are our only hope!

Whenever our son gets really wound up or upset, we pop in Billy Jonas, and he sooths the savage beastie. Jonas slays the demons of weaning and teething like no other. We keep the cd in our car and the dvd at home.

Help us, Billy Jonas, You are our only hope!

I realize now, I just wasn't cool enough to get what Jonas was doing when I saw him perform back in NYC. So I send this salute out to you, Billy Jonas!

Life Outside the City Limits

Winston-Salem Journal: "A meeting of gay Methodists in western North Carolina over Labor Day weekend has law enforcement officials preparing for protests from conservative groups and the Ku Klux Klan.

Haywood County Sheriff Tom Alexander met with other officers Thursday to plan for the Sept. 2-5 gathering at the Lake Junaluska Assembly of the Reconciling Ministries Network, a Chicago-based group that wants the United Methodist Church opened to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians. The conference is expected to attract about 500 attendees.

Among those planning to protest the meeting are the Cordele, Ga.-based American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported Friday.

Imperial Wizard J.J. Harper told the newspaper he expects 20 Klan protesters in plain clothes. State law bans the KKK from wearing masks in public.
[...]
"Nesbitt Chapel United Methodist Church in nearby Buncombe County bought a half-page newspaper ad urging "Christian Brothers and Sisters in Christ" to join them in "standing against the pro-homosexual rally" planned for Labor Day weekend."

The Methodists are going through progressive growing pains. The church may wind up in the same sort of schism that's rocking the Episcopals. Either way, if the Klan is against something, I'm going to be for it.

If you're interested in seeing greater move acceptance of people as they are rather than as heterosexuals would like them to be, then maybe head on out to Lake Junaluska to stand with those who would leave judgment to God.

A Little Something For A Good Chuckle...

Job Application

This is an actual job application someone submitted to McDonald's.

They hired him.

NAME - Greg Bulmash

DESIRED POSITION - Reclining. Ha ha. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place.

DESIRED SALARY - $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION - Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD - Target for middle management hostility.

SALARY - Less than I'm worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT - My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING - It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK - Any.

PREFERRED HOURS - 1:30 - 3:30 pm, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS? Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER? If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?

Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR? I think the more appropriate question here would be, ''Do you have a car that runs?''

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION? I may already be a winner of the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.

DO YOU SMOKE? Only when set on fire.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS? Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy supermodel who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?

No, but I dare you to prove otherwise.

SIGN HERE: Scorpio with Libra rising.

asheville "freeway blogging"

has anyone else noticed the "freeway blog entries" that have been popping up on a couple of overpasses that cross over eastbound 240, near hillcrest? i saw one the other day was one that was printed on six large pieces of cardboard: "JESUS LOVES YOU BUSH DOES NOT"

i've admired freeway bloggers from afar for a while now, and i've often had designs on sneaking onto a footbridge or overpass at 3:00 am with a huge folded-up cardboard protest sign and a roll of duct tape, but lately i've preferred any subversive activities i've participated in to be more subtle and low-key, less detectable. (i.e., i can't run as fast as i used to...)

i'm going to start carrying around a disposable camera so i can hopefully capture some of this anonymous handywork on my way home from work. and if any of you shutterbugs happen to be out and about, please, snap some pics! these are like chalk drawings, washed away by the city or by concerned citizens who disagree with those sentiments.

in the meantime, mr. anonymous asheville freeway blogger guy, syntax salutes you!

>6% Beer Purchases In NC

Went to McCoul's in Greensboro last night, had two wonderful Chimay Triples.



Also, this sign was outside of Weinhaus in downtown Asheville last weekend:



For an often updated message board listing where to buy these newly-legal brews in the Tarheel State, check out Beerinator.com.

From that site, here's what you can find in Tha 'Ville:

Barleys Taproom

Highland Tasgall Ale (8% Scottish Style)
Pisgah Imperial IPA (currently out)
Ommegang in bottles

Dirty Jacks

Merlin Triple (9.4%)
Imperial Stout (~7.5%)

Westville Pub

Highland Tasgall Ale (8% Scottish Style)
Pisgah Equinox Ale. Not as hoppy as the IIPA and it has a little bit more malt character. Still good, and the ABV is 7.5%.
Ommegang in bottles
Duvel in Bottles

Hannah Flannagans

Chimay White

Greenlife Grocery
All the Chimays
Ommegang Abbey
Ommegang Hennepin
Duvel
Mendocino White Hawk
Mendocino Eye of the Hawk

Not high gravity:
Rodenbach
Rodenbach Grand Cru

Also, poooor Reverend Creech:

Reverend Creech laments the passage of the Pop The Cap bill.

"It came as an awful shock," begins the article. Of course, the reason that the Christian Action League opposed the bill is that they're a pro-prohibition group. They don't think alcohol should be legal at all. So, there's that. From there, we get absolutely no reasons why the bill would have been damaging to residents of North Carolina, except from Senator Kerr, who had this to say:

I think there are a lot of worms in this….this will be bad for our young people who are starting off. So I just think that we are going to have to look at this. It’s supposed to be for the microbreweries. I don’t think it’s for them. We could let the microbreweries do this, but this is a statewide bill. It goes in all areas of the state. And there’s another thing we could do, we could let it be local option. I’m not a hundred percent against the bill; I just think we need to know more about it. And I apologize, I know this is the time of the year when everybody wants to get out, but I think this is a deliberative body. I think we ought to have a chance to bring people in to discuss what’s really happening to our young people, who will be exposed to something that one bottle will put them as a DWI.

There's no acknowledgement by Senator Kerr, however, that if a Barleywine or other high content beer is imbibed by a young person, that he will be drinking as much alcohol as in a similar amount of wine. Add to that the fact that he could also take a shot or two of vodka or rum and get the same effect, and you have a very weak argument indeed.

At any rate, the bill is now law, the cap on alcohol in beers in NC is now 15%, and distributors and microbreweries around the state are scrambling to provide for the demand that will soon be upon them for craft beers.

Is Our Children Learning?

I am having a difficult time understanding the position of those that reject science as somehow anti-Christian. How can you argue that God created the world and everything in it, except for the laws that govern it? Science is simply the observation of what is.

Throughout history, there have been those who believe that the holy book of their particular group should be read literally as history and that any deviation from that narrative, however verifiable and repeatable, should be rejected as heresy. History also shows us how embarrassingly wrong that “theory” has been.

The earth it turns out is not at the center of the universe with all of the heavenly bodies swirling around it. Geology shows that an age of five thousand years for our planet is absurd. With the discovery of fossils, there were actually those that posited that Satan had hidden them in the earth to deceive the foolish. Men and women of science have been silenced, shunned, tortured and even killed in order to defend the indefensible.

In the debate over the teaching of evolution, there are once again those that prefer to force nature into a particular mold in order to hold on to a literalist interpretation of a holy book. That is fine for religion, but it has nothing to do with science. There is also an attempt to paint any and all believers of evolutionary theory as atheists. Part of the reason for this is that many people erroneously believe that evolution is about beginnings. It’s not. Evolution simply speaks about what can be seen happening in the real world. We can watch a virus evolve. Through the fossil record, we can see the results of speciation. This has nothing to do with what set it all in motion to begin with.

Intelligent Design is a religious viewpoint that I think would be unsatisfactory to most fundamentalist Christians. There is no scientific “theory” called Intelligent Design, simply an attempt to recognize some of the indisputable evidence of geology (an old age for the earth) and biology (an acceptance of the process of evolution) and mix it with a belief in a prime mover working behind the scenes. There is no Garden of Eden here, no supernatural surgery removing a rib from Adam to create Eve. There is also no theory that can be tested or proved, no experiments that can be done to show the hand of this prime mover. It’s a feeling - a feeling that the cosmos is just too complicated to have come into existence all by itself. Again, this refers to beginnings, ultimate origins about which science cannot speak.

I have no problem with ID as a religious belief. Perhaps there is a sky god that created the universe, including the laws of nature and set the big bang in motion after which he/she/it stepped aside and let it go. Who’s to say? It just seems to me that if we really want to know the mind of the creator, we should be looking at creation exactly as it is. To corrupt the evidence before our eyes about the way our world works, in order to fit it into a particular literary scheme written thousands of years ago by a wide variety of human authors trying to make sense of it all, is to deny the creation itself. Now that to me sounds like heresy.

North Carolina Earthquake?!?

[Crossposted from: 1000 Black Lines:]

Here's a good example why Asheville citizens should read BlogAsheville.

I'm sending an email and I feel this weird rumble. I finished my email (noticed it was 11:12 PM) and walked to the back door. On the back patio, I listened and only heard the bugs' noisy cacophony.

So I surfed over to Ashevegas and found a post "House shaking:"

I totally just felt my entire house shake. What happened? Earthquake? Sonic boom?

BlogAsheville writer, Screwy Hoolie, confirmed that it was an earthquake on BlogAsheville.

U.S. Geological Survey posted all the details.. . . 3.8 magnitude on the Richter scale.

Other Asheville bloggers post about last night's earthquake. Bird on the Moon says,

It was quite the event in apartment D, home of jaybird. From a light sleep, I darted right up off the couch as I felt "the Earth move under my feet," minus the "sky come tumblin' down."

and Moonmeadow Farm writes,

Last night ... [we] were turning off lights and getting ready for bed, a low rumble started, quickly growing to a loud, deep, thundering sound, shaking the house.

The best post comes from Raphael, a veteran on earthquakes,

After 7 years in San Francisco... we've had an Earthquake in Asheville. Yes, by Cali standards it was kind of small ... Felt like a gust of wind hit my house. Then it was over. I didn't even know it was a quake until I got to work and they told me... Amateurs.

Ashevegas has added a new post.

Again, who's the eye in the storm? That's right. Asheville bloggers, baby!

Earthquake

Update 11:39pm - WLOS reporting 3.8 on the Richter scale, no damage reported as yet. The earthquake was centered 2 miles from Hot Springs and occurred at 11:09 pm.

Earthquake History of North Carolina here.

Update 11:46pm - USGS website has info on the quake (map above from their site). Get information and report if you felt the quake.

Update 11:58 - Above map updated to reflect latest information.

Traffic's Up!

Thanks to the talent of our contributors and our newly famous blogroll, BlogAsheville has seen a great spike in visitors.


The Mountain Xpress article came out on August 17th, and you can see that it really stoked the coals. Thanks again to Steve Shanafelt, Cecil Bothwell, and the whole team at Mtn.X.

To all of our new readers, we hope you'll become an active part of our online community. Comments and emails are always welcome. BlogAsheville is in a process of becoming whatever it will be, and your input will guide us.

Our Fair City

Sneak Peak

I'm launching a new blog on the first of September, and I thought I'd give you sneak peak! The sidebar is almost complete, and I'm working with RSS feeds from various sites, which I'm trying to turn into HTML. Presently, I'm lost...but I know it can be done, and that gives me some hope.

This blog, Free Radio America, is a source portal blog, a blog that is set up to help people. This particular blog is focused on internet radio. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Click Me to see Free Radio America!

blogasheville buttons

If you would like the code for one of the blogasheville buttons I showcased last week, e-mail me at janusatannefittenglenndotcom. Tell me the color you desire (grey, brown, blue, or green) and I'll e-mail you the code. The grey ones are up at my and Ash's sites if you want to check them out.

More on Bob's Passing

Moogmusic: "Bob died this afternoon at his home in Asheville, N.C. He was 71. Bob was diagnosed with brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme or GBM) in late April 2005. He had received both radiation treatment and chemotherapy to help combat the disease. He is survived by his wife, Ileana, his five children, Laura Moog Lanier, Matthew Moog, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Renee Moog, and Miranda Richmond; and the mother of his children, Shirleigh Moog.

Bob was warm and outgoing. He enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. He especially appreciated what Ileana referred to as "the magical connection" between music-makers and their instruments.

A public Memorial Celebration is planned for The Orange Peel for noon, Wednesday, August 24th. Fans and friends can also direct their sympathies or remembrances to www.caringbridge.com/visit/bobmoog.

Bob's family has established The Bob Moog Foundation dedicated to the Advancement of Electronic Music in his memory. Many of his longtime collaborators including musicians, engineers and educators have agreed to sit on its executive board including David Borden, Wendy Carlos, Joel Chadabpe, John Eaton, David Mash, and Rick Wakeman. For more information about the foundation, contact Matthew Moog at mattmoog@yahoo.com.

We'll miss you Bob."

Bio

Goodbye, Bob. Your passion and innovation won't be soon forgotten. BlogAsheville salutes you.

rest in peace, bob...

bob moog, inventor of the moog synthesizer and longtime asheville resident, a man whose influence on popular music truly knows no bounds, passed away on sunday. he was 71.

there will be a tribute celebration in his honor at the orange peel this coming wednesday at noon. i will most definitely be raising a glass in his honor.

Fine Time

spent yesterday afternoon at blogasheville gathering in the country. most enjoyable to meet a few more folks and get to know everyone a little better. screwy hoolie and uptown ruler's instincts were sound when they envisioned getting this variegated group together. i haven't felt so comfortable in a social setting in a long time. everything takes time, and i hope to maintain contact and let a thousand flowers bloom.
(crosspost from modern peasant.)

"i gotta haul ass to blogapalooza!"

wow, that was a fun time up in weavervegas yesterday! good food, good drink, and good company.

at one point of the afternoon i'd say there were something close to fourteen different blogs represented. met some really cool people, got to see some of the more familiar faces again. that was great. got to talk at length with brian from dembloggers about a lot (i mean a lot) of stuff concerning upcoming political races, local and national, 2006 and 2008. told jokes and drank beer under starlight, interrupted occasionally by the incredibly beautiful sound of particularly loud summer insects. somehow, the upcoming film, the aristocrats, made it into the conversation, and i actually ended up almost telling the joke. i couldn't imagine... (if you don't know what i'm talking about, just google it. you'll find out more.)

anyway, near the end of the evening it was me, brian and chris (of modern peasant) making up the straggler contingent, and we had a great time just talking about everything - politics, religion, music, art, aqua teen hunger force (how can you not love a tv show with a character named "meatwad"?), some more politics... and it was back off into ashevilleland... where there are fewer trees and fewer stars...

my thanks to jim and frank for having us out, and for screwy hoolie and uptown ruler for getting this thing started in the first place. you guys... oh, you guys! you guys are awesome.

looking forward to the next one!

(oh yeah: screwy - i gave the cd to brian before everything adjourned.)

(partially crossposted from the syntax of things with edits for clarity and stuff...)

Real 40-year-old virgin found at WLOS

ASHEVILLE (AP) - Hollywood's got a potential hit on its hands with the new big-screen comedy "40 Year Old Virgin," but a real-life, not-so-swinging stag has been discovered at an Asheville TV station.

Arthur Krunkleton, 40, has worked inside WLOS-TV 13's engineering department for 19 years, according to the station's manager. Krunkelton was discovered after the station's news director jokingly sent out an e-mail asking for suggestions on angles for a local take on the new Hollywood release starring funnyman Steve Carell.

Krunkelton replied: "Uh, guys. I'm 40. And I'm a, well, you know, celibate."

The news got mixed reaction at the station. Scott "Scottie2Hottie" Wickersham, a dashing young anchor who just wed Georgia beauty queen Candice Little, said he wasn't surprised.

"I suspected as much," Wickersham said. "I never really came out and asked him, but he was asking me how I did my eyebrow thing, because he thought that was really cool. And he wanted to know how I did my hair. I shared a few of my products, but hey, a stud like me can't give away all his secrets, can he?" chuckled Swick.

John "Punnyman" Le, 39, expressed more relief than sympathy.

"I just got laid last year. Yup, I did the horizontal mambo, baby. I made the two-backed monster of love. We... uh, that's all I can think of right now," Le said. "Just under the wire. Thank God for those Bele Chere after-parties."

WLOSers, knowing that they've got a great story on their hands, are reportedly working quietly behind the scenes on a local report. Some of the ideas: Having JenX take Krunkelton on a date to a foam party on Lexington Avenue; hooking the stag up with Jenny "Getting it Done" Dunn to see if they "get it done;" having Russ "Beefcake" Bowen film a makeover with Arthur in a two-part series about good grooming and manners; another series, this one involving anchor Tammy Watford leading the way on a sex-ed "Never Stop Learning" report; and secretly filming Krunkelton on a sexy date with Candice.

Word has it that the station is also in talks with ABC higher-ups, who want Krunkelton for their own purposes - a new reality show next year titled, "The 41-year-old Virgin."

Cross posted from Ashvegas

City Council Announces Database

From City Council Enews: "Wondering what happened about a topic or issue covered at a past City Council meeting? Couldn't make it to a certain meeting but want to know what happened? Search the minutes to City Council work sessions and regular meetings online! The web-based database allows citizens to research minutes by keywords, including dates. More than 20 years of minutes are available on the web, allowing residents to search as far back as 1984. Minutes are posted weekly, so it's also a great way to stay connected to current issues. Check out this online tool offered to citizens as a way to make government more open and accessible."

Blogapalooza BBQ and Freedom March Update

{Original Blogapalooza Post w/info here}

Bloggahs,

This weekend's gathering is coming together nicely, and we're getting new RSVPs every day. Here's the list of current confirmed attendees:


Scrutiny Hooligans, Screwy Hoolie and Uptown Ruler
Sweet Tea, Mountain Faerie
DEMbloggers, Brian Hopkins
BadAss, Chris S.
The Syntax of Things, Syntax
1000 Black Lines, Mx Mulder
Modern Peasant, Chris
Tingle Alley, Mr. Tingle
Hangover Journal, Felicity
The Stars That Usher Evening Rose, Vespere Hesperian

and the maybe coming:
Mountain Xpress, Steve Shanafelt
Bird on the Moon, Jaybird
Ashvegas, Ash
Easy Bake Coven, Susan
Sarx, Huw Raphael
Mindtonic, Jay Sanders

and the we're frickin' heartbroken because she can't come:
Edgy Mama, Anne Fitten Glenn and EnviroSpouse

The rest of you bloggers, get on the e-horn to Uptown Ruler at blogasheville@hotmail.com for directions.

We're asking those of you who are attending to volunteer to bring something of the following:

Chips
Dips
Vegetarian Dishes including veggie burgers
Potato Salad
Any Salads anyone wants to make
And then Mediterranean dips or Hummus and chips

The shindig runs from 4 'til 9ish, rain or shine. I can't wait to see you again and to meet you for the first time!

Sidebar Samplings

{image from BlueRidgeBlog}
Once upon a time, I did a comprehensive blogaround of our entire blogroll. It took me so long that I swore I would never do it again unless bedridden. But there's so much good stuff going on that I had to show you some of what I've been reading...

Edgy Mama: "As we raced to the hospital, I commanded E-spouse to speed, not to stop, and not to hit ANY bumps in the road in the process, which proved difficult, but he did try."

Hangover Journal: "I've been using my unemployment time wisely, mostly honing my drinking skills. I've gotten pretty damn good at it, actually, but wine isn't really my thing. We had a bottle at home, Crazy Llama, which I bought last winter at Earthfare using my usual wine buying guide: buy the one with the coolest label."

Dirty Greek: via The Onion


Bad Ass: "This world is becoming increasingly complex and we find ourselves each day needing more and more help from other nations. So why would we send the most un-diplomatic person to the world's largest international organization?"

Blue Ridge Blog: "The best thing about my job is that the most interesting folks in my world allow me to view their personal gardens. These landscapes may be tangible--where the sun and bees mingle amongst the flora, or it may be a less visible world which involves metaphysics. No matter. I'm allowed in and that is sweet enough for me."

There's oodles of bloggy goodness throughout our BlogAsheville blogroll. Go ahead. Surf. Enjoy yourself. Get to know your neighbors.

Mountain Xpress Readers, Welcome to BlogAsheville

Hello! Come on in and have a look around. We're BlogAsheville, and we couldn't be happier to have you.

BlogAsheville is an effort by area bloggers, diarists, photobloggers, and journalismists to create community and encourage folks like you to start your own blog. Our contributors are well-read and have strong opinions, and we expect our readers are the same.

On the sidebar you can:

Check out all of the area blogs.

Visit Asheville Artists and Galleries.

Use the BlogTools section to start your own blog and improve it.

Find out about the latest WNC happenings through the Asheville Links.

If you've got a blog we haven't listed, ideas for other links, suggestions on ways we can improve, or just want to get your two cents in please leave a comment (by clicking the word comments beneath any post) or email us at blogasheville@hotmail.com

BlogAsheville is happy to have you, and we hope you'll become part of our Asheville online community.

Blogasheville Buttons Anyone?

My uber-cool designer friend, Eddo, created these sample buttons for those of us who write for blogasheville. The idea, for those of you who aren't familiar with buttons, is that, using a short piece of HMTL code, you can place the button in your blog's sidebar, to both announce your affiliation and so that anyone who clicks on the button will land here on blogasheville.

In the spirit of community consensus, feel free to comment on the designs and vote for your favorite. Eddo and I have already made a few decisions, such as to use the word "writer" instead of "contributor" (it's a shorter word--and we're all writers, right?). Do remember that Eddo has done this work gratis, so radical design changes might be asking too much.

Even if you're not a blogasheville writer, feel free to speak your piece as well.

Mountain Xpress Features Asheville Bloggers

Crossposted from: 1000 Black Lines:


This week's Mountain Xpress ran a cover story about the local blogosphere. Screwy Hoolie, Edgy Mama, Modern Peasant, 1000 Black Lines, DEMbloggers and nine other bloggers were mentioned.



The story Something to blog about is a good overview of the Asheville blogosphere, but (as always) the newspaper sends you to the blogs for the rest of the story.

Vigil for Cindy

Vigil for Cindy - Hosted by Susan Oehler, Wednesday, August 17, at 7:30pm. This will be a candlelight vigil done to honor what Cindy Sheehan is doing in Texas. Cindy Sheehan spoke at our Peace Rally in March, 2005. We will have candle luminaries around the fountain in Pack Square. I will bring the supplies and anyone who believes in nonviolent resolution to conflicts is welcome. Link

Up Hill Both Ways

{pic from Ash}{cross-posted from Scrutiny Hooligans}

Not that I have to tell you just how drastically the rising fuel prices are going to continue to affect our lives, but I'm gonna.

Folks, it's time to start talking to your friends and neighbors about car-pooling. It's time to start maximizing fuel efficency, walking or biking to work, and getting rid of those gas-guzzlers.

Sooner or later, you won't be able to give your SUV away. There won't be RV parks, there will be SUV parks, where people hook their Expeditions up and live in them. Heck, for the 400-700 dollars a month in payments, it'd be better than some rental markets, considering that in some cities you'd pay more for an apartment that is almost the same size.

Rising oil prices, coupled with the continued devaluation of the US dollar, bode ill for the next few years, if not decades. Oh I know, I know, all this piss and vinegar, will get us nowhere.

"Be careful where you're headed, you might get there."

UPDATE:

Science Daily reports "An oil expert and author who correctly forecast $3 per gallon gasoline in the United States this year says the price will reach $5 next year."

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

The Word Nerds is an Asheville Podcast and definitely worth checking out. If wit and word play bring you bliss, check em out!

"A weekly podcast on words, language, and why we say the things we do. In addition to exploring everyday language and language change, the podcast features music by independent artists each week"

Podcasting and Blogging are not the same thing. Blogging is like publishing your own journal or magazine or art, while Podcasting (see definition) is like hosting your own radio or talk show. You can learn more about podcasting at PodCastAlley.

Get the most recent Podcast by The Word Nerds by CLICKING THIS LINK.

By the way, we are looking for more Asheville or Western North Carolina Podcasters to feature in a new section on the sidebar. If you have a podcast, either music or talk show, please email us with the details.

Asheville drummers and dancers

Friday night drum circle downtown at Pritchard Park. Locals and visitors dance, drum or just hang out. Every Friday night when the sun begins to set... listen for the drums.

An Asheville Moment

You can see more great pictures of Asheville and elsewhere at Lowell Allen's Serial Photo

NC-11 Goes National

From the inimitable MyDD:

"By now, many (especially in the blogosphere) are well aware that former Washington Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler is running for Congress from the North Carolina 11th. And Shuler's profile is rising, with Time Magazine calling him possibly "the Dems' biggest coup" in recruiting. The Charlotte Observer confirms that even President Clinton was enlisted in the effort to recruit Shuler with a personal phone call."
[...]
"In the 2004 race in the NC-11, Patsy Keever ran a strong challenge against GOP incumbent Charles Taylor with netroots support from Atrios and DFA. That was a pretty good showing, especially in a race with an incumbent Congressman running in a red state during an election year.

And Taylor's got quite a target on his back, especially at a time that Congressional ethics is promising to be a huge election issue. Here's the North Carolina Democratic Party on Taylor's troubles:

Charles Taylor owns a bank--the Blue Ridge Savings Bank--in which the top official, bank president Hayes Martin, who was also Taylor's campaign treasurer, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering for making illegal loans. The beneficiary of the illegal $1.3 million loan was Charles Cagle, 11th District Republican Chair and a Taylor friend and campaign contributor. Cagle also pleaded guilty. Their sworn court testimony showed that Taylor micromanages all operations at the bank and was in full knowledge of the illegal loans. Yet Taylor successfully thwarted any investigation of himself. Jackson County was even forced to garnish Taylor's congressional wages in order to collect back taxes. And this was for one of the wealthiest Members of Congress!

Taylor's shady banking practices aren't restricted to the United States. Taylor owns a bank in Russia where his business partner is a former KGB General. Russian newspapers report that Taylor may be fleecing the Russians as well, with interest rates as high as 60%! Congressman Taylor's financial disclosure forms appear to lack complete and detailed information on his Russian banking interests including the Columbus Investment Company, of which the KGB general is also a partner.

So there you have it. Democratic pro-football player versus Republican KGB-connected loan shark. Time can joke all they want -- this race looks pretty good to me."

Asheville Blogapalooza August 2005

Original Post Here.

Jim Jenkins gives us the skinny on the Asheville Blogger meetup this Saturday, August 20th: "Hey Ashevillians, we look forward to the pleasure of your company at the upcoming 1st Annual Blogapalooza BBQ & Freedom March. Well, actually, maybe not on the freedom march part as we're really more John Lennon than Clint Black kind of people but anyway, I digress. Please feel free to bring your spouses and kids. Dogs are a bit more problematic as we have two that are somewhat territorial.

Demblogger & I are hammering out the details as I type. For our address and directions, drop an e to Uptown Ruler [blogasheville@hotmail.com]. Feel free to e-mail me with any specific questions that you may have.

This couldn't be more casual folks, so come on out and have a good time. Dress as you like (pajamas are fine)."

Brian Hopkins at DEMbloggers fills in the blanks: "The time is fine from 4 to 9ish on the 20th. Jim has seating for 16, anything over that we will need people to bring lawn chairs. It is kid-friendly - parents should just bring toys or whatever they will need for their children because Jim does not have anything.

Jim and myself will be providing:

Hamburgers and Buns
Hot Dogs and Buns
Macaroni Salad
Baked Beans
Ice

What we will need:
Chips
Dips
Vegetarian Dishes including veggie burgers
Potato Salad
Any Salads anyone wants to make
And then Mediterranean dips or Hummus and chips
Also beverage of choice (Beer, Sodas, Mixed Drinks, etc.)"

So far we're expecting Scrutiny Hooligans (Screwy & Uptown), Edgy Mama w/EnviroSpouse and progeny, the syntax of things, DEMbloggers, Modern Peasant, Asheville Music Blog, and Tingle Alley. Again, to those of you who are on the fence about attending, get up off of that fence - it looks so uncomfortable - and share the fun. And to you bloggers who are planning on attending, please reach out to those we haven't yet met. In addition to the usual nonstop conversation, we're hoping to talk some about the BlogAsheville site (improvements, additions, graphics, etc.), about how to support each others' efforts, and about whether we'll create and host some sort of regional Blogger event in the future.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again!

Condos: Which side of the coin?

Crossposted from Ashvegas:


This is the new face of Ashvegas. Get used to it, because we're only going to see more of these "urban lofts" and high-end condos go up around town. This one is dubbed Lexington Station on South Lexington, going up behind (or next to, depending upon your point of view) the gallery on the corner. By the way, remember when that gallery was the Star Bootery? I loved that place.

I'm not sure what I think about all these fancy condos. On the one hand, having people live downtown helps feed the vibrancy that we all know makes downtown of the most eclectic, exciting downtowns in North Carolina. And this sort of "in-fill" development stands as a much nicer addition to town, rather than continued sprawl.

The flipside - Ashvegas is changing before our eyes. Old locations fall beneath the crawl of the bulldozer and the power of the wrecking ball. The housing that's going up caters to really just one demographic - rich white people who can afford to pay $700,000 for a downtown condo. I'm not crazy about rich white people taking over my downtown.

Apparently there's no stopping this trend, so we'll just stand back and watch. What do you think?

Asheville Bloggers Unite!

{pic from Modern Peasant}

All of that breath-holding and finger-crossing can come to an end now, my cybersiblings. We've received confirmation that confirmed blogophile Jim Jenkins will be hosting our next blogapalooza on Saturday, August 20th from 4-9ish at his home in the Weaverville area. It's going to be a barbecue replete with the traditional fixins as well as fare for the less carnivorously inclined among us. You're encouraged to bring the beverage(s) of your choice, and we may give out a call for specific food items.

Rather than posting directions here, please email uptown ruler at blogasheville@hotmail.com to get them.

We're asking everyone to reach out to the bloggers who haven't come to our previous gatherings, so we can make this the largest meetup yet. Just go and drop a comment or an email to those bloggers you'd like to meet. And, if you've been lurking, wondering if these blog people are worth your time, wondering if you'll feel awkward, wondering if we'll all show up in our pajamas and speak in javascript, fear not. Just come. Aside from Uptown Ruler, none of us bites.

Company's Coming! Go Wash Up!

A little bird at the Mountain Xpress asked me to tell you all that the blogger article, the cover story, will be out on the 17th. "It's a nice, big story that profiles Scrutiny Hooligans, Tingle Alley, Bird On The Moon, Notes From A Culture Wasteland, 1000 Black Lines, AshVegas and, of course, BlogAsheville. Smaller write-ups for the sidebar include Edgy Mama, Modern Peasant and DEMbloggers."

Shine up your blogs, bloggy Mcbloggersons, company's coming over.

Retro Postale

Help re-elect Holly Jones to City Council

Holly Jones is running for re-election to Asheville's City Council. You're all invited to her campaign kick-off party today (Thursday, August 11) from 5-6:30 p.m. at Ashton Park. To quote Holly, "This will be a fun, family-friendly event."

I think Holly has done some great things for Asheville over the past four years, including: helping to create safe, affordable housing, voting against commercial logging in Asheville's watershed, and supporting pedestrian and neighborhood safety.

Unfortunately, I'm in Atlanta, so I'll miss the event tonight. I'd love to hear about it if any other Blogasheville bloggers attend.

Pop The Cap Update - CALL THE GOVERNOR!

Folks,

An important point that I missed:

HB392 is NOT law yet. It goes into law ten days after passing the senate (if the legislature is still in session), or sooner if Governor Mike Easley signs the bill. He can veto the bill within ten days...though that is not likely to happen. If the legislative body adjourns this week, the governor has 30 days from the date of adjournment to sign the bill or let it pass.

CALL THE GOVERNOR AND VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE BILL
1-800-662-7952 valid in North Carolina only
(919)733-4240, or (919)733-5811.

Fax: (919)715-3175 or (919)733-2120

However, according to WRAL.com, Basnight said that it appears the goal of adjorning by the weekend seems unlikely. The Governor has threatened to veto the budget and they feel it is unlikely that it will pass a third reading.

So we're probably fine, and it will likely still become law this sunday night at midnight, but DON'T COUT YOUR CHICKENS!

UPDATE, 8/11/05 @ 8 AM: Damn Damn Damn!

It looks like the budget is going to pass the Senate today! Which means, unfortunately, that they'll probably adjourn this week, leaving the Pop The Cap bill waiting for 30 days until it becomes law... unless the Governor goes ahead and signs it, which all signs point to a no-go. It's not that Easley is against the bill, I don't think, I just don't think he wants to be involved with it at all.

story here.

This is really annoying... but at least it's not going to stop the bill from becoming law. Call the Governor still, though! There's always a chance he'll sign it.

fcc/wpvm update

the fcc has extended the deadline for public comment re: low power fm radio by two weeks - it's now monday, august 22, at midnight.

initial post is here - more information is here.

A Rafter of Turkeys

This is a splinter group of the famous North Asheville wild turkey rafter. This group includes two hens and four poults. That's one of my cats, Houdini, who has been stalking them unsuccessfully for weeks.

Anyone else remember the brou-ha-ha a few years back when some guy shot one of the turkeys?

Pop The Cap Wins! NC Beers Now Allowed 15% Alcohol!

Legislative info on the bill here.

Within a few days (12:01 AM this Sunday Night / Monday Morning), assuming the Governor doesn't veto it (which he's expected not to, and he hasn't said a word about it), the new legal limit for beer in North Carolina will be 15% !!! We did it! We won!

Pop The Cap Info!

Sean, over at Pop The Cap, has created a countdown timer to watch until NC's alcohol limit in beer jumps!

Technically, they shouldn't be available until sunday night (monday morning) at 12:01 AM, but here's what I got from Barley's Taproom in Asheville:

From: Doug Beatty
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 12:00 PM
From the BarleysTaproom.com contact form...

The availability is up to the distributors. We have it on good info that a couple of the locals have high gravities in the tank so it should be this weekend.
Doug

George Wrote:
>
> I was just wondering if Barley's will be selling, bottled or on tap,
> or even maybe brewing, some newly legal beers now that the cap has
> been popped?
>
> I know the cap effectively is lifted in 6 days, unless Easley signs
> the bill early, which he probably won't. Will you have them ready
> right then, if you have any?
>
> Thanks,
> George

I have read somewhere that both French Broad Brewing and Highland are ready with 8% Scottish Ales to sell as soon as they are permitted. When I asked Doug if this was true, his response was "seeing is believing." So, I guess we'll have to see.

The call of the drum

Godblog

Summer in the mountains