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EPA ruling leaves loophole to reverse decision

on Wed, 12/24/2008 - 21:34   by Editor

Even before Monday's (12/22) designation of Scott, Rock Island and Muscatine counties as "non-attainment" for fine particulate pollution, Iowa and Illinois environmental agencies were hard at work analyzing 2008 air quality data to challenge the decision.

A loophole in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) non-attainment filing allows states to submit "complete, quality assured, certified 2008 data" prior to the effective date of the EPA rulemaking, Feb. 20, 2009, to obtain a reversal of the designation. Normally, states don't submit annual data until April, and certification of the data isn't required until July of the following year.

Air quality officials in Iowa have argued in earlier EPA submissions the 2005-2007 monitoring data used to determine non-attainment was skewed because of unusually hot weather, which affects formation of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers.

EPA upholds non-attainment area designation

on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 03:18   by Editor

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Monday (12/22) designated most of Scott, Rock Island and Muscatine counties as "non-attainment" areas for fine particulate pollution, rejecting last ditch efforts by local industry lobbyists to avoid the broad designation.

EPA narrowed its "non-attainment" area somewhat, but far less than sought by Quad City Development Group lobbyists and an ad hoc task force funded by several local governments and companies facing emission clean up requirements under the designation.

The EPA's initial designation included all of Scott, Muscatine and Rock Island Counties. In its final designations the non-attainment area includes most of those three counties, but excludes mainly outlying rural areas.

Google Adwords heads to mobile world

on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 22:02   by Editor

With the growing popularity of Apple's iPhone and other internet-capable phones, Google has rolled out a mobile version of its popular AdWords program for search.

Nearly 70 percent of internet-capable phone users utilize their "phone" for searches (i.e. movies, restaurants, gas stations, Starbucks) while on the go. Feeding AdWords (paid text or image ads) along with the search results (just like Google on your desktop/laptop) was a no-brainer.

On the other end, advertisers will have the ability to choose whether to feed their "sponsored" ad words to mobile devices. For some advertisers, mobile ads won't make sense and they can opt out of mobile searches in their AdSense account preferences.

Economy advances 'tipping point' for print newspapers

Wahoo - 'Baboon Metaphysics'

on Mon, 12/15/2008 - 22:47   by Editor

By bgierke

Several days ago I listened to the husband/wife team of Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth discuss their book Baboon Metaphysics on National Public Radio's 'Fresh Air.' (Terry Gross is the interviewer nonpareil!) It was a fascinating discussion of the incredibly complex fabric of baboon society.

The title was taken from words of Charles Darwin: “Origin of man now proved. Metaphysic must flourish. He who understands baboon would do more toward metaphysics than Locke.” Darwin therewith asserts a greater complexity to the mind than Locke’s (and later BF Skinner et al’s) tabla rasa.

From the book: “Darwin disagreed - both with the conclusion that animals’ thoughts and behavior are entirely based on instinct and with the view that human thought and behavior are governed entirely by reason.”

EPA should not back off pollution designation

on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 01:02   by Editor

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should not back off of its plan to designate Scott, Rock Island and Muscatine counties as non-attainment for fine particulate pollution.

The non-attainment action will force the state of Iowa and Illinois to begin the long-term, and long overdue, process to reduce PM 2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers) in the entire bi-state area.

PM 2.5 emissions are harmful to all residents, but especially the very young and elderly, susceptible to the development of asthma and serious lung ailments. Only through implementation of a broad regional approach to PM 2.5 emissions will people of all ages be able to enjoy the basic right to breathe clean air.

'Hair City' - A climb remembered

on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 02:19   by Editor

by Budge Gierke

I started taking all of my children rock-climbing at a very early age and have enjoyed the experiences more than I ever could have imagined. Usually. Upon a few occasions, terror and/or minor injury was/were unwelcome companions. Matter of fact, I probably did visit both upon each repeatedly. Has made me realize that child abuse is not as easy to define as I’d thought. And that, perhaps, it is sometimes inflicted without intent.

Early one morning many, many years ago, son Andrew and I made our way to the base of a cliff overlooking the river. As we hiked beneath its lush deciduous canopy that was yet spring green, Andrew gestured toward a broad soaring bird that we could only sporadically glimpse.

“Look at the hawk!” he exclaimed.

“Vulture,” I corrected without really looking.

Isle casinos more valuable than Lee newspaper chain

on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 23:15   by Editor

Amid the ruin from Wall Street's decline, an astonishing re-shuffling has occurred in local stocks: the Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. ($3.40 per share; $104 million market cap as of 12/3/08) is now worth more than Lee Enterprises ($.67 per share; $30.2 million market cap as of 12/3/08).

Lee (parent of the Quad City Times) has continued its steady decline falling from $15 a share a year ago to well below $1 a share this week. Isle has been on a steep fall-off from $18 a share a year ago, but at this writing is three times the value of the fourth largest owner of daily newspapers (7th largest in daily circulation) in the country. Lee owns 49 daily newspapers and 300 weekly newspapers, but is carrying the burden of more than $1.3 billion in debt, principally from the purchase of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in June 2005.

Lee recently reported fourth quarter financial results (ended Sept. 28) of 12 cents per share, down from 43 cents per share for the same quarter last year. For the year ended Sept. 28, Lee lost $15.23 per share, compared with earnings of $1.77 per share for the same period in 2007.

Total advertising revenue for the 52-week period ended Sept. 28 totaled $865 million, down 9.4 percent compared with the 12-months ended Sept. 30, 2007. The decline in daily newspaper revenues included a 5 percent drop in retail display advertising, a 17 percent drop in classified advertising, a 20 percent decline in national display ads and a 2 percent decline in online advertising revenues.

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