FOLIO
PACKING IN THE STATE HOUSE
Floridians, take comfort: There’s a state even more crazy-in-a-bad-way about guns than the glock-lovin’ Sunshine State. The state of Tennessee has just—no joke—passed a law that allows gun carry permit-holders to pack that six-shooter when they go to the legislature, reports Memphis Flyer. The outlet reports that Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and House Speaker Beth Harwell said in a joint statement, “Tennessee carry permit-holders are among the most law-abiding demographics in our state,” and that after a “thorough screening process … a permit-holder will be allowed to exercise their Second Amendment rights while visiting their state government.” Wonder how many Tennesseans are exercising their First Amendment rights to say, “What the actual f*ck?!” right about now?
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A NOT-SO-‘REGULAR’ GUY
Before he was old enough to buy champagne, Las Vegas native Shamir Bailey achieved enviable success with his 2015 debut album Ratchet. The catchy song “On the Regular” caught serious play that extended from Old Navy commercials to appearances on shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Most musicians would be over the moon. But Bailey is not most musicians. The idea of forever playing syrupy songs like “On the Regular” was distressing to the young artist, reports Las Vegas Weeklyin a revealing interview.
Shamir, now 22, told his hometown altweekly that he was “an accidental pop star.” He refused to conform to type, was dropped by his label and fell into a depression that broke when he recorded the album Hope in four days, a manic undertaking that started an avalanche into a full psychotic break, a bipolar diagnosis and, eventually, a return to stability and a new album, Revelations, which dropped on Nov. 3.
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FALL FLAVOR FAILURES
In a piece of clickbait so strangely delicious that we couldn’t resist a bite, Inland 360 has come up with some alternatives for those who just can’t stand the pumpkin spice or maple latte or even apple cinnamon flavors of fall. Our favorites:
Brussels Sprouts Blend — Grown in rich garden soil, this combination tastes of dinner table tantrums and napkin-tucked disposal attempts, even when topped with bacon.
Game Day Disappointment — Boldly flavored with anticipation and your favorite team’s colors, this blend takes an unexpected sour turn accentuated by beer and chicken wings.
Boots and Sweaters— Infused with Pinterest and comfort, this bold and cozy blend is enriched by undertones of leather and freshly harvested scarves.
Soccer Saturday Melee — Capri-Sun, Gatorade, granola bars and participation trophies combine in this early-morning blend that’s great for rainy days, high-intensity parents and a forgotten shin guard.
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IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN OKLAHOMA?
No, it isn’t. But that hasn’t stopped the state from installing residential solar panels at an impressive rate, reports Oklahoma Gazette. “Between 2014 and 2015, the state increased its solar capacity 526 percent, according to Solar Energy Industries Association,” the outlet writes. Though OK ain’t got nothing on FLA, even Google has taken notice of its solar potential, launching the Project Sunroof program there this spring. The program estimates potential energy production based on sunlight; Oklahoma City ranked eighth on its list of most solar-potential cities in the nation, leading Google to determine that the city has “enough solar-viable rooftops to meet and exceed the city’s residential power needs.”
There are a couple of snags to OKC becoming entirely solar-dependent; chief among them, Oklahoma Gazette notes, is that the city’s net-metering program prohibits customers from carrying energy credits forward longer than a month; and the state lacks consistency in its requirements to connect solar energy systems to the electric grid. Nevertheless, those panels keep going up and people keep hoping lawmakers catch up with the present in time for the future. Ya know, kinda like, well, here.
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