Comments on: Teague could be in trouble in 2010

By: cprovencio

cprovencio — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:06:27 +0000

The reason Harry Teague is in office is because there was a high voter turn out with a very high percentage of progressives and hispanics. If Teague forgets his base then he will be in trouble. You give to much credit to the conservative poputation in the congressional region.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:12:02 +0000

I have read Chu CV and have meet him several times and heard him speak numerous times. I am familiar with him and his experience. I hate to draw distinctions, but government bureacracy and academia are just not on par with other parts of our society wrt management and leadership experience, in my opinion.

By: wedum59

wedum59 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:59:50 +0000

DJ claims that Chu has no “relevant management and leadership experience.” Chu was Director of the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley national Lab. He has been active in several different fields, so he is something of a renaisance man.

While at Stanford he helped start Bio-X, a multi-disciplinary initiative that brought together the physical and biological sciences with engineering and medicine. … etc. Read his CV. He didn’t just fall into the position of Secretary of Energy, he has both intelligence and experience.

By: Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

Michael Swickard, Ph.D. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:29:59 +0000

Not that it matters- I use my Ph.D. on this blog to differentiate me from another Michael Swickard here in Las Cruces. Poor guy moved here a few years ago – he is a chile researcher from California – and the confusion began. Two bothers came to America from Germany in 1765 – his ancestor was Daniel and mine was Martin. In real life though I am in academic settings almost every day (was in a Sante Fe school yesterday morning and a Los Alamos school yesterday afternoon training teachers) and I do not use my title, to them I am just Michael Swickard.

By: stever

stever — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:19:47 +0000

I’ve got a fair amount of education myself but my perspective is derived from over twenty years of working in industry affected by environmental laws and regulations. This includes Title V permitting, RCRA permitting, as well as working with EPA and states (to include California and New York) on developing new regulations.

Its pretty easy to start with and stay with the theorectical but ultimately you have to blend in with reality. Emission control technolgies (for example), in actual practice, are more expensive, and less efficient than the rulemaking process assumes initially.

The consequences of bad rulemaking are never borne by the rulemakers but by the consumers, as costs always get passed to them. Classroom science is a good start but it’s not a persuasive argument in the real world.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:58:43 +0000

Very good Ms. Wedum. Yes, since your CV has been on the site before I knew of your Ph.D. and your preference not to use your “Dr.” title. I completely understand, I use mine rarely as well. Considring your education, you should be quoting yourself (if you have the relevant resarch and teaching experience in AGW) instead of Chu, you are also much more qualified to speak to that science than he. I agree Thinker, I would never be considered for Energy Sec. As a typical appointed political bureaucrat position it is much more dependent on political preferences and world view than on experience in the relevant science and industry areas. The interesting thing is that normally the Energy Sec. at least has some relevant management and leadership experience, but Chu doesn’t, a bit like when Bill was selected, purely on politics.

By: wedum59

wedum59 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:58:00 +0000

Well! Dr. J has four university degrees.

So do I. B.A. Chemistry, from UC Berkeley; M.A. Chemical Physics, U. Oregon, M.S. Physics (emphasis on atmospheric physics), U. Nevada Reno, Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, Purdue U.

But you can go on calling me Ms. Wedum, I don’t use the title much. And most of you probably have heard the joke that Ph.D. stands for “Piled Higher and Deeper!”

By: Thinker

Thinker — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:57:57 +0000

“I would gladly put my educational and research credentials up against Chu anytime.”

So would I, but then, we’d both still lose out on being Energy Secretary, now, wouldn’t we?

By: Thinker

Thinker — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:56:00 +0000

Ahhhhh, Dr. J. Always the conspiracy theorist. Whatever makes you feel better.

Just don’t ask the reality based world to buy in. We’re too busy trying to actually FIX the problems in our communities.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:55:43 +0000

Fret not Thinker, I am sure plans are underway as we speak about census manipulation, redistricting, and putting LC in with Marty’s district so you all feel at home. I suspect ACORN will be helping do it as well, if they are not too busy offering tax, immigration, and business advice that is.