Category Archives: Politics

Hahira Polling Place

The Hahira Historical Society’s parking lot was full at 6:30, with people parking in front of the building to vote. I found some last-minute campaigners, as well.

Election Polling Place: Hahira Historical Society Full parking lot in Hahira

The two sign wavers were the mother of Sandra K. Guest for State Court Judge and John Page, running for Lowndes County Commission District 5 (west). In the video you can hear Page say he hopes to be in a runoff. The election results so far look like it may indeed be Jody Hall and John Page in a runoff.

Movie: Mother of Sandra Guest for State Court Judge, Hahira, 2012-07-31 (18M) Movie: Working for every vote --John Page for LCC District 5, Hahira, 2012-07-31 (32M)

Pictures and videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, 31 July 2012.

-jsq

Pine Grove Polling Place

The big parking lot was mostly full, and every voting booth was in use when I voted at 6PM at Pine Grove.

Pine Grove

Pine Grove
Pictures by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 31 July 2012.

No Campaigning:

Continue reading →

Results so far in contested Lowndes County Commission primaries, 7:45 PM 2012–07-31

It’s not over ’till it’s over, but so far, here’s what the Secretary of State election results page shows 45 minutes after poll closing time on this primary election day:

Results from GA Secretary of State

Results from GA Secretary of State
Screenshot by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Lowndes County, Georgia, 31 July 2012.

Allen Lane and Demarcus Marshall are neck and neck for District 4 (East) for Lowndes County Commission in the Democratic primary, while John Gates is ahead of Jamew Warren III in the Republican primary.

For District 5 (West), Jody Hall is ahead, followed by John Page in the Republican primary, and it looks like they’ll be in a runoff.

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Bob Dewar for Tax Assessor Post 1 @ LCDP 2012-07-06

Doyle Kelly is running for Tax Assessor Post 1.

Here's the video:

Bob Dewar for Tax Assessor Post 1
Candidates,
Annual BBQ, Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP),
Gretchen Quarterman (Chair), Dennis Marks (Vice-Chair / Elections), Lou McClendon (Vice-Chair / Membership), Laverne Gaskins (Vice-Chair / Qualifying), Joyce Gibson (Secretary), James J. Parker (Treasurer),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 July 2012.

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Doyle Kelly for Tax Assessor Post 1 @ LCDP 2012-07-06

Doyle Kelly is running for Tax Assessor; he is the incumbent in Post 1.

Here's the video:

Doyle Kelly for Tax Assessor Post 1
Candidates,
Annual BBQ, Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP),
Gretchen Quarterman (Chair), Dennis Marks (Vice-Chair / Elections), Lou McClendon (Vice-Chair / Membership), Laverne Gaskins (Vice-Chair / Qualifying), Joyce Gibson (Secretary), James J. Parker (Treasurer),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 July 2012.

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What kind of investigation can you do in a minute and a half? –Chris Gay for Coroner of Lowndes County @ Baseball 2012-07-14

Chris Gay is running for Coroner of Lowndes County. He spoke at a baseball reunion in Naylor, 14 July 2012.

I have no videos of his opponent, the incumbent Bill Watson, because I have never seen Watson at a public event.

Here's the video:

What kind of investigation can you do in a minute and a half? –Chris Gay for Coroner of Lowndes County
1st Annual Reunion, South Georgia Semi-Pro Baseball & Softball League (Baseball),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 July 2012.

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When you cry, I’m gonna cry; when you laugh, I laugh —Allen Lane for Lowndes County Commission District 4 @ Baseball 2012-07-14

Allen Lane is one of the two Democrats running for the new County Commission District 4 for the east half of Lowndes County. He spoke at a baseball reunion in Naylor, 14 July 2012.

Here's the video:

When you cry, I'm gonna cry; when you laugh, I laugh —Allen Lane for Lowndes County Commission District 4
1st Annual Reunion, South Georgia Semi-Pro Baseball & Softball League (Baseball),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Naylor, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 July 2012.

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Invest in our future now or watch our kids leave —Demarcus Marshall for Lowndes County Commission District 4 @ Baseball 2012-07-14

Demarcus Marshall is one of two Democrats running for the new County Commission District 4 that covers the eastern half of Lowndes County. He spoke at a baseball reunion in Naylor, 14 July 2012.

Here's the video:

Invest in our future now or watch our kids leave —Demarcus Marshall for Lowndes County Commission District 4
1st Annual Reunion, South Georgia Semi-Pro Baseball & Softball League (Baseball),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Naylor, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 July 2012.

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India baseload power grid failure

Last month the U.S. grid failed due to heat wave demand, this month, it’s India’s grid. There are several common features: coal, baseload, outdated grid, and distributed renewable energy through a smart grid as the solution.

SFGate quoting NY Times, yesterday, India grid failure causes power blackout,

The Ministry of Power was investigating the cause, but officials suggested that part of the problem was probably excessive demand during the torrid summer.

Same as in the U.S. grid failure. Except India did it bigger, according to the Economic Times of India today,

The blackout which has left 600 million people without electricity in one of the world’s most widespread power failures.

Yet officials are in denial, according to the SFGate story:

“This is a one-off situation,” said Ajai Nirula, the chief operating officer of North Delhi Power Limited, which distributes power to nearly 1.2 million people in the region. “Everyone was surprised.”

Well, they shouldn’t be, if they were watching what happened in the U.S. And India gets most of its electricity from coal, whose CO2 emissions contribute to climate change, producing ever-hotter summers. Just like in the U.S.

The story includes a clue to the solution:

Continue reading →

Who will let the sun shine on Georgia?

Someone asked who to vote for who will represent the people more than the electric utilities, on Elect Georgia legislators and Public Service Commissioners who will let the sun shine on Georgia! OK, here’s my opinion.

Sec. State provides you with a sample ballot.

For PSC, vote for somebody who isn’t an incumbent (the incumbents are marked on the ballot). The election today is a primary, so you need to select a Democratic ballot (Steve Oppenheimer District 3 is not an incumbent) or a Republican ballot (Pam Davidson District 5 and Matt Reid District 3 are not incumbents).

For the legislature, here is a list of who voted for the nuke stealth tax as a charge on Georgia Power bills for electricity nobody will get for years if ever. On your ballot, see if somebody else is running against them. Around here, somebody is: Bikram Mohanty for State Senate District 8, Teresa Lawrence for State House District 174, and JC Cunningham for State House District 175, all Democrats, since the incumbents switched parties after being elected last time.

So, if you want solar and wind energy for jobs, energy independence, and profit in the state of Georgia, instead of Georgia Power’s bet-the-farm nuclear risk at Plant Vogtle and Southern Company’s natural gas fracking, that’s who I would vote for.

If, like me, you didn’t already vote early, today is the final day to vote in this primary, and you and I’ll be going down to the precinct polling place to cast a ballot. Today’s the day!

-jsq