Category Archives: Politics
Posted in Blogging | Codes & Regulations | Current Events | Information Technology | Politics | Social Media by Brad Breneisen (Graphic Design) on January 20, 2012
As many of you may have noticed, January 18th was Internet Blackout Day in an unbelievably successful attempt for many of the web’s heaviest hitters to show their strong disapproval of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). As companies like Google, Wikipedia, and WordPress “blacked out” their content and urged users to endorse their opposition to the bill, SOPA and PIPA’s sponsors started to run for the hills, but the lawmakers haven’t backed down – even as the amount of endorsements against the bills allegedly shut down congress’ switchboards and melted their servers.
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Posted in Bridge Design | Current Events | Economic Development | Politics | Transportation by Steve Muller (Client Development Representative) on November 7, 2011
Want a valuable primer on all-things-transportation for Pennsylvania in our current economy? If you haven’t yet heard about Governor Corbett’s Transportation Funding Advisory Council (TFAC), you should. PA is notorious for crumbling infrastructure, including structurally deficient bridges and debilitated roadways. To pursue creative, viable solutions for our transportation woes, Governor Corbett created the TFAC this past spring, to thoroughly investigate and report on a way forward.
The Advisory Council was charged with comprehensively reviewing the movement of goods and people in Pennsylvania, and in August they published a 70 page report of their findings. It’s quite a lesson on our bridges, roadways, public transportation and passenger rail, freight rail, aviation and ports. In the report you learn great facts like these:
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Posted in Alternative Energy | Communities | Current Events | Economic Development | Leadership | Marcellus Shale | Natural Gas | Politics | Transportation by Marty Muggleton (VP Client Development & Marketing) on October 17, 2011
T. Boone Pickens during a roundtable discussion at Williamsport, PA’s Community Arts Center
I’ve met some notable folks. Former Presidents, pro ball players, cultural icons, radicals, and rich people to name a few categories. I found them to be similar to most of the successful folks I know well. Each of these folks admitted to a bit of extra luck in their life. They each could tell a version of “in the right spot at the right time” story.
There was a consistency to these people that I find interesting and admirable. In some form, each was a leader with a relentless commitment to a vision. The vision was built on a series of objectives and that is where most of the luck occurred. But none the less they agreed to take risk, not get scared, and not give up. That is what I admire.
I and about a thousand other people got a dose of leadership at the Community Arts Center on September 30th. Boone Pickens has his “plan”. But that night he spoke of his vision to make our country better, told us the objectives needed to make this change, and what role citizens play in this.
Citizens have to start thinking about energy. Get your family, friends, business, and vendors thinking about energy. How do you use it? Where does it come from? Who do you give your energy money to? How can you use less energy? If you don’t want to use less energy, what sources of energy will you embrace? Wind, solar, natural gas, coal, nuclear sources are the portfolio. What is your choice? Hard to choose if you don’t give it some thought.
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Posted in Bridge Design | Codes & Regulations | Economic Development | Politics | Transportation by Maureen Bower (Designer - Site Engineering) on April 26, 2011
Image © 2011 Google Maps
A few years ago, I conducted research for my independent study during my senior year at Lafayette College. My study was part of the 2006 Infrastructure Report Card for the State of Pennsylvania. Living in one of the oldest states in the union as well as a state that has frequent freeze-thaw cycles, I did not have high hopes for the grades the roads and bridges would yield based on their condition, performance, capacity, and funding needs. Turns out, I was correct. Pennsylvania roads received a grade of “D” (meaning poor on the grading schedule) while the bridges did slightly better with a grade of “C” (meaning mediocre). The release of the report card caused commotion and called for government officials to fund infrastructure maintenance programs. In 2009, the Obama Administration provided $27,115,533,955 through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) for Transportation projects around the country, with Pennsylvania receiving $1,098,699,760. In 2010, the American Society of Civil Engineers published the 2010 Infrastructure Report Card for the State of Pennsylvania. I was eager to see the results from the four years of infrastructure improvements. Sadly, I was disappointed. The bridge rating remained a “C” while the roads grade dropped to a “D-”. I was determined to find out why this was the case. It turns out that although the funding from the ARRA was helpful, it is not nearly enough for the upkeep and maintenance of Pennsylvania’s 22,280 bridges and 40,000 state and 76,000 local miles of roadway.
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Posted in Alternative Energy | Communities | Current Events | Economic Development | Leadership | Marcellus Shale | Politics | Sustainable Design | Water/Wastewater by Marty Muggleton (VP Client Development & Marketing) on March 29, 2011
A couple of major media sources have tried their best to show the worst of the Marcellus. For what my view is worth, it’s been done on purpose. Most notable is the recent work by the New York Times (2/27/11) and an item carried by the Associated Press.
I’m an employee of Larson Design Group, and you would be correct to gauge my objectivity. But when it comes to the work by Ian Urbina of the New York Times, PA DEP Acting Secretary Krancer, and former PA DEP Secretary John Hanger offered up some major corrections. I know a bit about John and trust his rebuttal.
I have affection and respect for the media and I’ve worked with these folks for years, but I question the media’s action when they focus on historical practices, downplay increased compliance, use quotes that are out of context, and can’t get the facts correct or in the proper order. The diplomat in me would say the truth lies somewhere in middle. But in this situation, I think it’s closer to Krancer and Hanger than the New York Times. For a quick summary, see this letter to the Editor of the New York Times. Even Tim Gough’s graphic that accompanies this letter is misleading. Nice.
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