Wrapping Up December 31

Here’s what we reported on today:

• New Payday Lending Regulation Begins In 2010
• Indiana Department Of Revenue Cracking Down On Tax Delinquents
• Report: Charities Not Faring Better Than Last Year
• Mural Project to Recognize Dancer Wendy Whelan
• State Police Step Up Traffic Enforcement

Thanks for a great year. We’ll see you in 2010.

An Update On Blocked Blogs

We heard a lot of input on this story about employers blocking employees’ access to potentially distracting websites. Commenter Elle said this about her workplace:

There are solutions already in place to limit unnecessary or excessive use of surfing the web during company hours, and they’re mainly about better management. If someone wants to goof off, they will with their cell phone. What’s at risk is denying employees the ability to engage with those outside the walls and find innovative ways to improve the company and what it offers.

The whole situation got me thinking of a friend who lost his job because he was applying for other jobs while he was at work…at his old job…on his company computer. That seems like a big mistake, but it’s not very uncommon, apparently. Harper’s has stats on improper e-mailing.

Chance that a U.S. company monitors the emails of at least some employees: 1 in 3

Chance that it has fired an employee for violation of email policies: 1 in 4

Do you think employers have the right to monitor employee’s e-mails? What if the mail is sent on company time from company equipment? This is a sticky ethical situation, to say the least.

2009 Words of the Year

This is Laura Ellis bringing you the last SoA-related post of the year! Yesterday on State of Affairs we had one of our favorite annual shows: words of the year.  Our guest was Grant Barrett, word guru with the American Dialect Society.  Lots of folks called in to suggest words and phrases, so we thought we’d post some of the nominees.  While we don’t really pick a winner, it’s always fun and telling to hear what people come up with.

• Newsy words
• Pop culture words
• Miscellaneous words

And the pianos students at the Youth Performing Arts School compiled this song, chock-full of words of the year. I’m hoping they’ll make this an annual tradition! Click here to listen!

The Decade You Stopped Thinking Wrong

Okay, maybe you weren’t thinking wrong, but the people at New York Magazine have compiled a list of books and articles that make a strong case for counterintuitive ideas. The list includes Malcolm Gladwell‘s formula for success in Outliers and Derrick Jensen‘s argument for destroying society.

Civilization is unsustainable, and at its current size and complexity, it cannot be made sustainable. Participating in civilization makes you complicit in its violence, so it is a conscientious person’s duty to systematically dismantle and destroy civilization in order the save the planet.

Read the whole list here.

Daybook For December 31

The last daybook of the year, and what a year it was. Here’s how we’re going out with a bang:

We’ll have an updated on the Red Cross’ Donorama blood drive, which wrapped up yesterday.

The Indiana Department of Revenue is seeking to embarrass tax delinquents. We’ll get an update.

And much, much more.

Wrapping Up December 30

Here’s what we reported on today:

• Downard Calls For Refund From KLC
• Icy Weather Predicted for New Years Eve and Friday
• Abramson Says Budget Cuts, Disasters Marked 2009
• Airport Authority Says 2009 Was a Tough Year
• Inidana School Districts Faced with More Cuts

A Look At Job Loss By County

The Rural Blog points to this map of job loss. Kentucky is doing better than parts of the south, but the outlook isn’t generally that great.

“Rural counties across the U.S. have lost 3.5 percent of their jobs. In the country as a whole, there were 4.5 percent fewer jobs in October of this year than in December 2007. In urban counties, job loss reached 4.7 percent,” Bill Bishop and Roberto Gallardo write. “National figures on job loss, however, miss the point. The face of this recession changes dramatically from place to place. In rural Utah, for example, there has been a nearly 5 percent increase in jobs in the last two years.”

Carl’s Last Newscast

Carl Kasell‘s last newscast for NPR is today at 11:01 AM. WFPL will air the full, 5 minute newscast.

You can hear an interview with Carl here.

Understanding The Budget Crunch

Governor Steve Beshear says Kentucky may face a $1.5 billion budget shortfall for the next two years. Before the General Assembly gavels into session on Tuesday morning, you may want to read the Herald-Leader’s guide to the state budget. It clears up the situation, but doesn’t offer much reassurance.

These long-term budget issues were already in place before the current decline in state revenues. General Fund revenues peaked at $8.664 billion in fiscal year 2008, but that number is expected to dip below $8.2 billion this year.

Daybook For December 30

Oh, things are slowing down for the holiday. But here’s what we’re working on for now:

I am interviewing the Mayor this morning.

Haley is working on a DUI story today.

Stephanie is gathering news at the airport.

I’ll advance the news about Kelly Downard‘s KaCo resolution.

And much, much more…