Kanjo: Last minute pork for votes

This is freaking rich.

From http://www.wilkes.edu/:

Congressman Kanjorski Announces Creation of Energy Institute With Wilkes University and Partners and $1 Million for Marcellus Shale Research

An excerpt: Today, Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) announced $1 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory for the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research of Northeast Pennsylvania, a local energy institute that Wilkes University, King’s College, and Earth Conservancy will jointly operate to initially focus on all issues related to natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The funding will be used for research and development at the institute. Specifically, the institute will provide research about natural gas drilling’s impact on the local community and environment, help with problem solving for issues that arise, and enhance public outreach efforts in order to promote safe and environmentally responsible drilling in the Marcellus Shale that could aid in significant local economic development.

Congressman Kanjorski first brought the idea of the energy institute to Vice President Joe Biden at a meeting at the White House this past spring. On April 19, Congressman Kanjorski met with Vice President Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu, as well as representatives from Wilkes University, King’s College, and Earth Conservancy, to discuss the formation of the institute, how it could positively impact Northeastern Pennsylvania, and how the federal government could aid in the development.

Ah, what better time to start throwing more millions around with that “could” word attached than seven weeks before an election? There's an election coming due, so, as per usual, Kanjo comes offering yet another one of his oft-highly-illusive gifts.

First of all, will this be an inflatable research center? Research Center West? A gas-jet technology center? Secondly, how many of his nephews will it employ? And thirdly, why research something after it’s been completely enabled without any discernable restraints?

Perhaps they should call it the Environmental Damage Control Institute of NEPA.

On a related note, a snippet of an email I received today:

In the original annoouncement [sic] a few months back there was some mention of development of "best practices." I think that's a grand idea. Let's have a moratorium until those "best practices" are developed.Of course, those "best practices" may involve opening fissures in the Susquehanna and contaminating everything around. Hey, if there were methane bubbling up in the middle of the forest, how would anyone notice it? How do we know it isn't happening already?Will Kanjo be at the get-together on Friday? Maybe we can gang-lobby him on this. I also want to ask where the version of this for solar development is.

Kanjo at the blogger get-together? Dude, I highly doubt it. One of us lowlifes might point a video camera at him and ask him some of those irritating questions. As in, any questions at all.

And we all know by now that he hates that, um, that You’se-Tube.

I heard about this one on The Sue Henry Show today:

Crime Free Wilkes-Barre

It was created by Charlotte Raup of Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch fame to be a place where anyone can share info on crime and such what in Wilkes-Barre. In this day and age, probably not a bad idea.

Since it is Wilkes-Barre specific, I will link to it.

I forever have people asking me if I caught Sean Hannity last night, or Glenn Beck’s show, Bill O-Reilly’s latest rant or if I took in the latest segment of (insert inane cable politics show).

One more time, I watch none of that. In fact, I do not have either cable or a satellite dish connected to my sorry-assed 1980-era television. I watch the New York Football Giants, and I watch the occasional television show with Wifey via her dish thingy.

For the record, I listen to WILK from 5 am to 3 pm. I used to listen to WILK until 7 pm, but I have recently divorced Steve Corbett since his show has fast devolved into him berating, belittling and insulting callers and little else. "The Oracle," he is not.

But for those of you who do need to be told what to think…from the email inbox…

Ashley Fuoco September 13, 2010 at 4:42pm

Subject: Guest on "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" tonight!
Mayor Lou Barletta will be a guest on "On the Record with Greta van Susteren" on Fox News tonight (Monday) between 10 and 11 p.m. Eastern. Lou is currently scheduled to appear at about 10:30 p.m., but that is subject to change. Be sure to tune in!

One more thing. As to this Friday night hobnob event, I need a lift.

I have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and I am not risking drinking anything and then driving with that .04 thing hanging over my head.

Anybody up for a hitchhiker?

Later