Damek.

I said I was going to try an LED lamp in our track-lighting fixture. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, and I suspect it’s because the track lighting is on a dimmer switch. Just as compact fluorescents must be designed to handle dimming, I think LED lights must, too. But perhaps I’m wrong. I’ve asked the place I bought it from and will correct this if I am.

Completely unrelated, I think I can say I’ve found my favorite scotch: Teacher’s Highland Cream. I’m not a scotch whisky connoisseur by any definition, but I like scotch, and I like this one, so… (And since economics is a factor, it helps that it’s not too expensive.)

Finally, in other news, labor and environmentalists are teaming up, an encouraging development that should have happened in the 1970s. In this case, however, I think it’s safe to say “better late than never.”

Via StreetsBlog, we find this information about the amazing Chicago bike plan, and via that, we learn of Chicago’s amazing Millennium Park bike station.

This only reinforces the urgency of this letter I faxed to Mayor Bloomberg yesterday:

Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

I have lived in New York City for six years now, and moved within the city four times in that period. When I first moved here, I heard about New York’s “Greenway” system, and was impressed at the plans in place.

I have finally settled in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, but in every place I’ve lived, I have been dismayed at the lack of real progress on the Greenway system. Everywhere I go, there is a lack of real, intelligent infrastructure for cycling as a mobility solution. It’s as if the city’s attitude is that “real people drive, and if they can’t they take the subway or, god forbid, ride a bus.”

This attitude needs to change. We all have many options for getting around, and each mobility solution needs to be given smart, modern infrastructure to support a healthy, vibrant city.

The Greenway network must be treated as full-fledged part of the transportation network, with coherent connections and coordinated citywide planning. It must be designed intelligently, and given equal standing with other mobility networks like the sidewalks, roads, subways and busses. It seems the main problem Greenways face is a lack of coordination between the dozens of city, state and federal agencies, and public and private organizations, who must be involved.

New York City needs a citywide Greenway Director to coordinate Greenway development and maintenance, and ensure community vision is given appropriate priority.

Sincerely,
Adam Piontek
etc.

Perhaps it should have come faster, but I’m proud of our congressional Democrats for voting last night to strip Rep. William Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee. It’s interesting to note that, fearful of charges of corruption, it’s Republicans who were most defending Jefferson, a Democrat, by vociferously complaining about constitutional separation-of-power issues.

If there are constitutional concerns, they should be looked at, but by the judicial branch, and the lawyers representing Jefferson and the FBI. As Rothenberg says (previous link), “Given that until recently the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct couldn’t even get its act together enough to meet, it isn’t likely that many Americans will have much confidence in Congress’ ability to police itself.”

And georgia10 at DailyKos has a beautiful rant (yes, from two weeks ago, so sue me) whose ending I simply must steal:

This uproar over the raid smacks more of self-preservation than preservation of the Constitution. When all this hype dies down, all of these political ostriches will go back to sticking their heads in the sand. And what will remain? An imperial Presidency, a tattered Constitution, and the painful, continued silence of a Congress that doesn’t give a damn about democracy as we know it.

If Democrats are willing to show some backbone and some moral fiber, particularly on issues like these, we just might avoid that outcome. Hopefully actions like last night’s vote will not prove to be isolated incidents.

(…at least until a few generations go by and the American people allow another wave of corruption and political degeneracy.)