Reliance on government benefits even higher than during depth of recession - The Lookout - Zachary Roth – October 6, 2011 - More evidence that for many, the "recovery" hasn't been much better than the recession. Nearly half of all Americans lived in a household that received some kind of government benefit during the first three months of last year, the Wall Street Journal reports, based on new Census data. That's even higher than the figure recorded during the depths of the Great Recession. Just over 48 percent of Americans lived in households that took in benefits during the first quarter of 2010--up from 44.8 percent in the third quarter of 2008, the heart of the downturn. The bleak economy appears to be driving the increase. The largest single category of benefits was means-tested programs that are designed to help the needy--things like food stamps, subsidized housing, or Medicaid. Just over 34 percent of Americans lived in a household that received means-tested benefits. The recession officially lasted from December 2007 until June 2009. But growth and job creation since then has been anemic, leaving a growing number of Americans dependent on government help.
Announced Job Cuts Rise 212% From Year Ago - Bloomberg - Alex Kowalski - October 05, 2011 - U.S. employers announced the most job cuts in more than two years in September, led by planned reductions at Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and in the military. Announced firings jumped 212 percent, the largest increase since January 2009, to 115,730 last month from 37,151 in September 2010, according to Chicago-based Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. Cuts in government employment, led by the Army’s five-year troop reduction plan, and at Bank of America accounted for almost 70 percent of the announcements. While the bulk of firings are not “directly related” to economic weakness, they “could definitely be a sign of more cuts to come,” John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in a statement. “Bank of America is not the only bank still struggling in the wake of the housing collapse, and the military cutbacks are probably just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to federal spending cuts.”
U.S. stocks' massive "melt-up" fans investor fears - Reuters - Edward Krudy – October 5, 2011 - NEW YORK (Reuters) - In less than one hour on Tuesday, the U.S. stock market surged by 4 percent -- for no apparent reason. The last hour of trading was the most volatile final hour in two months -- and it occurred at a speed that frightens many, from experienced hedge-fund managers to mom-and-pop investors. The late-day "melt-up" that pushed the S&P 500 index <.SPX> out of bear-market territory might be construed as good news. But it brings back echoes of the "flash crash" that saw markets dive by several hundred points in a matter of minutes, and it's a big reason many are staying away from the market. "Everyone is scared in both ways -- the shorts are scared, the longs are scared, everyone is scared. The high-net-worth investor is very, very scared," said Stephen Solaka, managing partner at Belmont Capital Group in Los Angeles, which manages money for independent wealth advisers and family offices. Tuesday's move was the latest example of an erratic, high-octane stock market increasingly driven by levered exchange traded funds and complicated hedging and options strategies that unwind with dizzying speed.
Obama Has Now Increased Debt More than All Presidents from George Washington Through George H.W. Bush Combined - CNSNews - Terence P. Jeffrey - October 5, 2011 - (CNSNews.com) - The Obama administration passed another fiscal milestone this week, according to new data released by the Treasury Department. As of the close of business on Oct. 3, the total national debt was $14,837,099,271,196.71—up about $44.8 billion from Sept. 30. That means that in the less-than-three-years Obama has been in office, the federal debt has increased by $4.212 trillion--more than the total national debt of about $4.1672 trillion accumulated by all 41 U.S. presidents from George Washington through George H.W. Bush combined. This $4.212-trillion increase in the national debt means that during Obama’s term the federal government has already borrowed about an additional $35,835 for every American household--or $44,980 for every full-time private-sector worker. (According to the Census Bureau there were about 117,538,000 households in the country in 2010, and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 93,641,000 full-time private-sector workers.) When Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009, according to the Treasury Department, the total national debt stood at $10,626,877,048,913.08. At the end of January 1993, the month that President George H. W. Bush left office, the total national debt was $4.1672 trillion, according to the Treasury. Thus, the total national debt accumulated by the first 41 presidents combined was about $44.8 billion less than the approximately $4.212 trillion in new debt added during Obama’s term. As of Monday, Obama had been in office 986 days—or about 32 and a half months. During that time, the debt increased at an average pace of $4.27 billion per day. Were that rate to continue until Obama’s term ends on Jan. 20, 2013, the debt would then stand at about $16.86534 trillion—an increase of more than $6.2 trillion for Obama’s four years. That would equal nearly $53,000 for each American household or more than $66,00 for each full-time private-sector worker. That total national debt did not exceed $6.2 trillion until 2002, when George W. Bush was president.
Charles Koch (Tea Party Inc.) to Friedrich Hayek (Austrian School Economist): Use Social Security! - The Nation - Yasha Levine and Mark Ames - There’s right-wing hypocrisy, and then there’s this: Charles Koch, billionaire patron of free-market libertarianism, privately championed the benefits of Social Security to Friedrich Hayek, the leading laissez-faire economist of the twentieth century. Koch even sent Hayek a government pamphlet to help him take advantage of America’s federal retirement insurance and healthcare programs. This extraordinary correspondence regarding Social Security began in early June 1973, weeks after Koch was appointed president of the Institute for Humane Studies. Along with his brothers, Koch inherited his father’s privately held oil company in 1967, becoming one of the richest men in America. He used this fortune to help turn the IHS, then based in Menlo Park, California, into one of the world’s foremost libertarian think tanks. Soon after taking over as president, Koch invited Hayek to serve as the institute’s “distinguished senior scholar” in preparation for its first conference on Austrian economics, to be held in June 1974. Hayek initially declined Koch’s offer. In a letter to IHS secretary Kenneth Templeton Jr., dated June 16, 1973, Hayek explains that he underwent gall bladder surgery in Austria earlier that year, which only heightened his fear of “the problems (and costs) of falling ill away from home.” (Thanks to waves of progressive reforms, postwar Austria had near universal healthcare and robust social insurance plans that Hayek would have been eligible for.)
Solyndra loan deal: Warnings about legality came from within Obama administration - Washington Post - Joe Stephens and Carol D. Leonnig - October 7, 2011 - Energy Department officials were warned that their plan to help a failing solar company by restructuring its $535 million federal loan could violate the law and should be cleared with the Justice Department, according to newly obtained e-mails from within the Obama administration. The e-mails show that Energy Department officials moved ahead anyway with a new deal that would repay company investors before taxpayers if the company defaulted. The e-mails, which were reviewed by The Washington Post, show for the first time concerns within the administration about the legality of the Energy Department’s extraordinary efforts to help Solyndra, the California solar company that went bankrupt Aug. 31. The FBI raided Solyndra last month, shortly after it closed its doors. The records provided Friday by a government source also show that an Energy Department stimulus adviser, Steve Spinner, pushed for Solyndra’s loan despite having recused himself because his wife’s law firm did work for the company. Spinner, who left the agency in September 2010, did not respond to requests for comment Friday. The documents offer new evidence of wide disagreement between officials at the Energy Department and officials at the Treasury Department and Office of Management and Budget, where questions were raised about the carefulness of the loan vetting process used to select Solyndra and the special help it was given as its finances deteriorated. Energy Department officials continued to make loan payments to the company even after it had defaulted on the terms of its loan.
G. Edward Griffin (Wikipedia - born November 7, 1931) is an American film producer, author, and political lecturer.[1] He is perhaps best known as the author of The Creature from Jekyll Island (1994), a critique of much modern economic theory and practice, specifically the Federal Reserve System.
Starting as a child actor, he became a radio station manager before age 20. He then began a career of producing documentaries and books on often-debated topics like cancer, Noah's ark, and the Federal Reserve System, as well as on libertarian views of the Supreme Court of the United States, terrorism, subversion, and foreign policy. Since the 1970s, Griffin has promoted laetrile as a cancer treatment,[2] a view considered quackery by the medical community.[3][4] He has also promoted the Durupınar site as hosting the original Noah's ark, against skeptics as well as near-Ararat Creationists. He has opposed the Federal Reserve since the 1960s, saying it constitutes a banking cartel and an instrument of war and totalitarianism.[5] In 2002, Griffin founded the individualist network Freedom Force International.
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Sunday, October 9, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Hound continues to grow!!!
The subjects talked about here on the Hickory Hound aren't for the feint of heart. I constantly have people fussing at me about not providing a positive message for public consumption. If you want pablum, there are a plethora of sources out there that you can go to to get that. I am here for an exercise of information for critical thinkers. I am here to provide information and you the consumer of this information can choose what emotion you personally want to attach to it.
On September 6, 2011 the Hound went over 50,000 unique views. In keeping a log of these numbers since this blog's inception, we have seen a gathering of momentum that is building constant steam and feeding off of itself. I have kept track and informed the public every time we have reached a milestone in this journey. At first, I was marking 5,000 unique viewer increments, but since we have become more dynamic, I would have been marking that number every few months.
It only took 154 days (5 months and 1 day) to go from the 40,000 unique view milestone to 50,000. The previous milestone (30,000 to 40,000 unique viewers) took 179 days. The milestone previously to that last October (25k to 30k) unique view milestone took 82 days compared to the previous 5,000 increment (from 20k to 25k) that took 130 days. That means in total it took 212 days to go from 20,000 to 30,000 unique viewers.
Last April I remarked that it was my hope that "we are getting to the point where the next milestone, 50,000 unique views, will be attainable in 5 months or less, but you never know." I think 5 months and 1 day met that target.
I have personally been through a lot in my personal life over the last 5 months. My grandmother passed away on August 6th and my mother had broken her hip the week before that and she is still recovering. It is a challenge to move forward on this mission sometimes and at times I feel that it is an obligation. From the beginning I have believed that this has been a divine mission devoted to progress. I know that this blog causes some people in our community to despise me. I am not here to see whose enemy list I can join. I am here to talk about relevant public issues that need to be addressed. If you are operating out in the open, honestly, and above board, then this blog is your friend. If you are doing some shady stuff, then I can understand the paranoia.
This blog does receive attention and a lot of that is very positive. This blog had a role that it played in the creation and implementation in such notable processes and events, such as the "Innovation 2010" event and the Edison Project. Issues that have been discussed on this blog are being considered for Catawba County's Strategic Economic Development plan moving forward. We have also made contact and move forward ideas with other hosts of New Media outlets and we have had articles linked to and reposted by other internet users in places around the world.
Now I am not boasting about this. I don't know if this growth will continue at the pace it has. If we look at full years when considering growth, the first full year began in 2009, and in looking at 2010 we see a 15% increase in viewers and being conservative about projections about where we are headed towards the final numbers of this year, it looks as though we will see 22,000 unique views, up from 16,058 last year. That translates to a growth rate of over 27% for this year. I think that is pretty good growth.
Sure, I would like to see more growth, but I don't take the readers of this blog for granted. Sure, I get peeved at some viewers on occasion and I know that viewers have been peeved at me on more than one occasion, but you are appreciated. I even have been banned by a moderator on the Pack Pride website because I promoted some of my stories on there and they went against the tendencies of that mod and there were people on there that "pure T" hate Hickory.
I know that Hickory is like family to me. I can talk smack about it, because I get P.O.ed about a lot of what I see going on around here, but I take up for this place and I don't want to hear other communities talking about us being the backwoods of North Carolina. You hear that more these days than you heard a decade ago. I want us to move forward towards positive progress. That doesn't come from Used Car Salesman marketing. That will come from a focused and concerted effort of honestly assessing our strengths and weaknesses and addressing the negatives in an aggressive manor.
Let's see where the next while takes us. In the last month we have pushed forward with another 2,000 unique views. I promise that I will continue to attack the news, views, and issues in an aggressive manner and we will continue to work towards waking people up to the fact that they have a vital role to play in personally participating in the Economics and Governance of our area.
Thanks!!!
On September 6, 2011 the Hound went over 50,000 unique views. In keeping a log of these numbers since this blog's inception, we have seen a gathering of momentum that is building constant steam and feeding off of itself. I have kept track and informed the public every time we have reached a milestone in this journey. At first, I was marking 5,000 unique viewer increments, but since we have become more dynamic, I would have been marking that number every few months.
It only took 154 days (5 months and 1 day) to go from the 40,000 unique view milestone to 50,000. The previous milestone (30,000 to 40,000 unique viewers) took 179 days. The milestone previously to that last October (25k to 30k) unique view milestone took 82 days compared to the previous 5,000 increment (from 20k to 25k) that took 130 days. That means in total it took 212 days to go from 20,000 to 30,000 unique viewers.
Last April I remarked that it was my hope that "we are getting to the point where the next milestone, 50,000 unique views, will be attainable in 5 months or less, but you never know." I think 5 months and 1 day met that target.
I have personally been through a lot in my personal life over the last 5 months. My grandmother passed away on August 6th and my mother had broken her hip the week before that and she is still recovering. It is a challenge to move forward on this mission sometimes and at times I feel that it is an obligation. From the beginning I have believed that this has been a divine mission devoted to progress. I know that this blog causes some people in our community to despise me. I am not here to see whose enemy list I can join. I am here to talk about relevant public issues that need to be addressed. If you are operating out in the open, honestly, and above board, then this blog is your friend. If you are doing some shady stuff, then I can understand the paranoia.
This blog does receive attention and a lot of that is very positive. This blog had a role that it played in the creation and implementation in such notable processes and events, such as the "Innovation 2010" event and the Edison Project. Issues that have been discussed on this blog are being considered for Catawba County's Strategic Economic Development plan moving forward. We have also made contact and move forward ideas with other hosts of New Media outlets and we have had articles linked to and reposted by other internet users in places around the world.
Now I am not boasting about this. I don't know if this growth will continue at the pace it has. If we look at full years when considering growth, the first full year began in 2009, and in looking at 2010 we see a 15% increase in viewers and being conservative about projections about where we are headed towards the final numbers of this year, it looks as though we will see 22,000 unique views, up from 16,058 last year. That translates to a growth rate of over 27% for this year. I think that is pretty good growth.
Sure, I would like to see more growth, but I don't take the readers of this blog for granted. Sure, I get peeved at some viewers on occasion and I know that viewers have been peeved at me on more than one occasion, but you are appreciated. I even have been banned by a moderator on the Pack Pride website because I promoted some of my stories on there and they went against the tendencies of that mod and there were people on there that "pure T" hate Hickory.
I know that Hickory is like family to me. I can talk smack about it, because I get P.O.ed about a lot of what I see going on around here, but I take up for this place and I don't want to hear other communities talking about us being the backwoods of North Carolina. You hear that more these days than you heard a decade ago. I want us to move forward towards positive progress. That doesn't come from Used Car Salesman marketing. That will come from a focused and concerted effort of honestly assessing our strengths and weaknesses and addressing the negatives in an aggressive manor.
Let's see where the next while takes us. In the last month we have pushed forward with another 2,000 unique views. I promise that I will continue to attack the news, views, and issues in an aggressive manner and we will continue to work towards waking people up to the fact that they have a vital role to play in personally participating in the Economics and Governance of our area.
Thanks!!!
Friday, October 7, 2011
It has begun -- Frustration boils against Financial Tyranny - It is time to Reign in the Financial Terrorists!!!
Are you awake? Are you really awake? Maybe you think you are, but if you get your news (propaganda) from the Corporate media, then you are trusting Wall Street to give you valid information about Wall Street. How many times does this work?
You have people who focused their young adulthood towards achieving education and knowledge. The Corporatist Government created another economic bubble associated with achieving Certificates of Education (degrees) and this has put them in tens of thousands of dollars of debt and the Corporatist Government has destroyed our job base by offshoring our jobs, This has imprisoned those people who took on debt to try and increase their personal human capital. It has placed these people in bondage, because there is no way out of this debt. Because of current bankruptcy laws created by the Corporatist Government, you cannot discharge these loans and yet you can't find a job that helps pay the loan off. The product of Education has been flawed. These students obviously haven't gotten their money's worth and thus they deserve to have these debts discharged in some form or fashion. We cannot allow the Corporate beneficiaries who have once again created a bubble to profit from that bubble. That is a big element in what we are seeing on Wall Street. These students have time to protest, because they have no job.. That is what was happening in Egypt in the Spring. And then we see the Audacity of the Sociopaths on Wall Street drinking champagne while Cops are beating people down below. If that isn't a scene from Marie Antoinette "Let them eat cake," then I don't know what is.
What I am expressing above is not being shown to the public, by the Wall Street Media, is it? We are at the precipice of truly defining historical events. This has happened before and yet so many people fail to grasp the lessons of history. It isn't rocket science folks! What do you expect when a tiny minority is allowed to push the vast majority into a corner. The idiots think they will be able to control the chaos they have fomented. Has that ever worked?
IMF advisor says we face a Worldwide Banking Meltdown
You have people who focused their young adulthood towards achieving education and knowledge. The Corporatist Government created another economic bubble associated with achieving Certificates of Education (degrees) and this has put them in tens of thousands of dollars of debt and the Corporatist Government has destroyed our job base by offshoring our jobs, This has imprisoned those people who took on debt to try and increase their personal human capital. It has placed these people in bondage, because there is no way out of this debt. Because of current bankruptcy laws created by the Corporatist Government, you cannot discharge these loans and yet you can't find a job that helps pay the loan off. The product of Education has been flawed. These students obviously haven't gotten their money's worth and thus they deserve to have these debts discharged in some form or fashion. We cannot allow the Corporate beneficiaries who have once again created a bubble to profit from that bubble. That is a big element in what we are seeing on Wall Street. These students have time to protest, because they have no job.. That is what was happening in Egypt in the Spring. And then we see the Audacity of the Sociopaths on Wall Street drinking champagne while Cops are beating people down below. If that isn't a scene from Marie Antoinette "Let them eat cake," then I don't know what is.
What I am expressing above is not being shown to the public, by the Wall Street Media, is it? We are at the precipice of truly defining historical events. This has happened before and yet so many people fail to grasp the lessons of history. It isn't rocket science folks! What do you expect when a tiny minority is allowed to push the vast majority into a corner. The idiots think they will be able to control the chaos they have fomented. Has that ever worked?
IMF advisor says we face a Worldwide Banking Meltdown
You better wake up my little Liebchens!!!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 4, 2011
This newsletter is about the Hickory City Council meeting that I
attended this past week. City council meetings are held on the
first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council
Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.
At right of this page under Main Information links is an Hickory's City Website link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the left of the page you will see the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. This will give you a choice of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.
You will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 10/4/2011 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below:
Please remember that pressing Ctrl and + will magnify the text and page and pressing Ctrl and - will make the text and page smaller. This will help the readability for those with smaller screens and/or eye difficulties.
Invocation by Rev. Susan Smith, Assistant Pastor at Exodus Outreach Church
Special Presentations:
A. Presentation of Proclamation to Members of Housing Visions Continuum of Care (Sean Jarman – Catawba County Social Services and Stefanie Fortuna – Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministries) Declaring the Week of November 13 – 20, 2011 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in the City of Hickory
Whereas for the past several years the National Coalition for the Homeless and National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness has sponsored National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and the housing vision continuum of care has been actively working to end hunger and homelessness in Hickory and Catawba County; Whereas the purpose of this proclamation is to educate the public about the many reasons people are hungry and homeless, including shortage of affordable housing and to encourage support for homeless assistance service providers as well as community service opportunities for students and school service organizations; whereas there are many organizations committed to sheltering and providing supported services, as well as meals and food supplies to the homeless, including the Salvation Army, Grace House, Family Care, Safe Harbor, Family Guidance, Local Veterans serving Veterans, CVCC, The Shepherds Heart, New Life Church, Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, menta;l heath Partners, Catawba County United Way, Exodus Homes, The Department of Social Services, ALFA, Catawba County Behavioral Healthcare, Our Father’s Pavilion, Sipe’s Orchard Home, and many more community partners. Now therefore I, Rudy Wright, Mayor of the City of Hickory, NC on behalf of the entire City Council proclaim the Week of November 13 – 20, 2011 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in the City of Hickory.
B. Presentation of Proclamation to Pam Elske-Leonetti and Nancy Hosterman of Frye Regional Medical Center Declaring the Month of October, 2011 as National Physical Therapy Month in the City of Hickory
Whereas the City of Hickory encourages options for an active and healthy lifestyle and whereas Frye Regional Medical Center speaks for the best interests of the public in recommending physical therapy by a licensed physical therapist to achieve physical fitness and whereas through a national effort Frye Regional Medical Center and Community members are encouraged to join together to raise awareness of preventative health during the month of October 2011 and whereas this effort will bring awareness to our community and around the country of healthier and more active lifestyles. Now therefore Rudy Wright mayor of the City of Hickory, NC therefore proclaims the Month of October, 2011 as National Physical Therapy Month in the City of Hickory.
C. Presentation of Proclamation – Declaring the Week of October 9 – 15, 2011 as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Hickory
Whereas the City of Hickory is committed to ensuring safety and security of all those living in and visiting our city; Whereas Fire is a serious public safety concern, both locally and nationally and homes are the location where people are at the greatest risk; whereas home fires killed more than 2,500 people in the United States in 2009 and fire departments in the United states responded to more than 360,000 home fires; Whereas cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires and associated injury and the third leading cause of home fire deaths; whereas heating and electrical equipment and smoking materials are among the leading causes of all reported home fires; whereas home candle fires are reported to a U.S. Fire Department every thirty minutes; whereas working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half; whereas the 2011 fire prevention week, “It’s fire prevention week, protect your family” effectively works to remind us all of the simple actions we can take to keep our families safe and secure. Therefore on behalf of Hickory City Council, I hereby proclaim the Week of October 9 – 15, 2011 as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Hickory . The Mayor mentioned the fact that there has only been one death in the City of Hickory in 15 years.
D. Presentation of Proclamation – Declaring the Month of October, 2011 as Cyber Security Awareness Month in the City of Hickory
Whereas we recognize the vital role that technology has in our daily lives and in the future of our state and nation; whereas today many citizens, schools, libraries, businesses, and other organizations use the internet for a variety of tasks including keeping in contact with family and friends, managing personal finances, performing research, enhancing education, and conducting business; whereas critical sectors are increasingly reliant on information systems to support financial services, energy, telecommunications, transportations, utilities, healthcare and emergency response systems and the use of Information technology is integral to teaching, learning and research at the primary and secondary school levels in this State; whereas internet users and information infrastructure face an increasing threat of malicious cyber attack, loss of privacy from spyware and adware and significant personal and privacy losses due to identity theft and fraud; whereas the stop, think and connect campaign is a national effort coordinated by coalitions of private companies, non-profits, and government organizations to help all digital citizens to stay safer and more secure online; whereas maintaining the security of cyber space is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role and awareness of computer security essentials will improve the security of the City of Hickory Information Infrastructure and economy; whereas the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the multi-state information sharing and analysis center, the national association of State Chief Information Officers, and the National Cyber Security Alliance have declared October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Now therefore Rudy Wright mayor of the City of Hickory, NC therefore proclaims the Month of October, 2011 as Cyber Security Awareness Month in the City of Hickory.
Can Hickory Be a Technology Hub (Link)
Consent Agenda:
A. Accept Low Bid to Purchase One (1) Automated Side Loader (Refuse Truck) from Amick Equipment in the Amount of $238,243.68 - Amick Equipment submitted the lowest bid meeting specifications for an automated side loader refuse truck in the amount of $238,243.68. Only one other bid was received. This type of truck is used to service the 95-gallon rollout carts at residences on a daily basis. Approximately 800 homes receive pickup by this type of truck per day utilizing one operator. The funds are budgeted in FY 2011-12, and Staff recommends approval.
B. Municipal Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with NC Department of Transportation for the Upgrade of Traffic Signal System C-5129 To Extend Contract Time from August 13, 2011 to November 11, 2011 - This Municipal Supplement Agreement No. 1 with NC Department of Transportation for the upgrade of Traffic Signal System C-5129 is for the extension of contract time from August 13, 2011 to November 11, 2011. This extension is necessary due to the fact that the contractor was not able to complete the project by the original completion date. No funding changes are involved, and staff recommends approval.
C. Approve Resolution to Discard Library Materials to the Friends of the Library for Their Annual Book Sale on October 13 – 16, 2011 - The Friends of the Library collect donated books and other materials throughout the year for their book sales, the proceeds providing funds for library programming and other special activities. The donated books and materials are out of date, in poor condition or are no longer needed to meet the collection development goals of the library. There are 6,760 discarded library materials to be donated. The proceeds ultimately benefit the library, which is an appropriate means of disposing of unneeded materials. Staff recommends approval.
Under the concession agreement, Hickory Baseball has the right to allow non-sports related events at L. P. Frans Stadium with the approval of the Hickory City Council,provided those events do not conflict with an event scheduled by the City of Hickory. Staff recommends approval.
The Hound: Some people might think that this is alright, because it knocks down the Gay people in our community and you are fixated by the extraordinarily sensationalized news reports about parades in San Francoisco or New York and you are saying "Not in my Backyard." But, what are you going to do when they shut down something you support. What about when the City decides they aren't going to stand up for your religious belief or your culture or ethnicity or color or gender. You better learn that we have to "stand together or we will be sure to hang separately." (that is a paraphrased Quote of Benjamin Franklin).
E. Proclamation – Declaring September 24, 2011 as Community Awareness Blood Drive Day in the City of Hickory
F. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 2, Section 2-1 – Residence Requirements for Firefighters, Police Officers and Department Heads (Authorize Public Hearing on October 18, 2011)
October 4, 2011 3
G. Resolution Granting Authority to the Chief of Police to Enter Into Mutual Aid Agreements with other Law Enforcement Agencies - NC law enforcement agencies need the ability to share resources and expertise among agencies pursuant to Mutual Aid Agreements. After the recent hurricane on the NC coast, it was recommended that jurisdictions update the governing body resolutions granting the agency head authorization to enter into Mutual Aid Agreements with other law enforcement agencies. N.C.G.S. 160A-288 requires local law enforcement agencies lending assistance to obtain authorization to enter into a Mutual Aid Agreement from the governing body of its city. The statute authorizes the head of the agency to temporarily provide assistance to another agency by loaning officers, equipment, and supplies. Officers working with the requesting agency shall have the same jurisdiction, powers, rights and privileges of that agency in addition to those he/she normally possess. Staff recommends approval of Resolution.
Budget Ordinance Amendments
1. To budget $1,000 of Police Department donations in their Departmental Supply line item for the purchase of weights for the physical training room.
2. To appropriate $66,000 of Water and Sewer Fund Balance to the Distribution Division Contracted Services line item. This appropriation is necessary to pay Neil Grading for the emergency repair to a 20" waterline on 12th St. Dr. NW that broke on 09-24-11
3. To transfer $3 from the Police Department Uniform line item to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Grant. The price of the Vests exceeded the approved price and therefore a $3 transfer from the Uniform operational line item to the Grant Project is necessary. The $3 transfer will help pay for the Grant shortfall.
Informational Items
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Washington, DC on September 12-13, 2011 to attend the North Carolina Business & Economic Summit; hotel - $291.98; per diem - $121.75; airfare - $283.50; mileage - $57.20; airport parking/subway - $11.70.
B. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Charlotte, NC on September 20, 2011 to meet with HUD Representatives re affordable housing and health care on behalf of faith based organizations including Exodus Homes, CCM, Social Services, and various other Hickory/Catawba County organizations; Mileage - $67.10.
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution Directing Street Improvement Project be Undertaken Along a Portion of 8th Street NW - No. 01-12 - The City Clerk has received a petition from the owner of property along a portion of 8th Street, NW to install curb and gutter per Section 29-2 of the Hickory City Code. The signatures on the petition represent 100% of the property owners affected. The City Clerk has certified that the Preliminary Resolution adopted by the City Council on September 6, 2011 was mailed by first class mail on September 22, 2011 to the owner of the property subject to assessment should the project be undertaken. This petition comes to the City through the normal curb and gutter process where both the property owner and the City participate in the costs. (Chuck Hanson presentation) Unanimous Consent of Council
.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Status Report on Concord and Kannapolis’ Compliance with IBT Settlement - The May 7, 2010 Inter-Basin Transfer (IBT) Agreement provides that the Cities of Concord and Kannapolis (C-K) are required to comply with withdrawal plans and conservation measures within the first two years of the date of execution of the agreement. Staff continues to monitor compliance with the IBT Agreement.(Yaidee Fox presentation) - Click on the story board to see the display of the Powerpoint presentation.
Originally C-K requested 26 million gallons of water per day (MGD) from the Catawba and 10 million per day from the Yadkin. In January 2006 C-K was permitted by right of petition to take 10MGD from the Catawba and 10MGD from the Yadkin. C-K has to have a plan of conservation and can pull 3MGD through July 2015. After that they are limited to 3MGD until they are pulling 5MGD from the Yadkin. They are looking to obtain water through a pipeline built from Albemarle. Albemarle's agreement is built upon the reduction in need for capacity due to loss of industry in Albemarle.
Manager Berry talked about the legislation that was passed that dramatically increases the burden of proof upon a taking community. He further talked about bills that have been introduced to change the existing IBT architectural agreements. He talked about the need to be down in Raleigh during every session of the General Assembly to talk about the issue and why their was a need to protect our interests.
Alderman Seaver aked who monitors the withdrawal? Essentially it was stated that it has to be withdrawn through the City of Charlotte. There is no existing infrastructure to take 10MGD from the Catawba. C-K would have to pay for this infrastructure. Albemarle is paying for part of the infrastructure (pipeline) to sell the water to C-K. C-K is going to use this water (maximize this capacity, before they build out infrastructure to take water from the Catawba. It will be years before C-K would have a need to pull any water from the Catawba.
The Hound: Water issue is a Straw Man - I know this is an unpopular stand here in this area, but I'm not here to be a populist and I understand people disagreeing, but I still think this issue was about economics. I am here to talk about reality. Y'all jump into that emotional Professional Wrestling Cage Fight Match all day long. The bottom line is that this isn't the issue that we face or that must be addressed. The issue is about restoring growth to our local economy. We need to devote the kind of energy that we did on this issue towards how to create jobs in this community. How about unfair trade practices?
If we had a better economy, in the Upper Catawba Region, then no one would have come seeking to draw water out of the Catawba. C-K is all about Charlotte and keeping the metro area of Charlotte within North Carolina Territory. It does not help this State for Charlotte populace to locate in South Carolina. This was all about who was going to bring in revenue. It is about economics.
You can thank the State of South Carolina for getting into the mix on this issue. South Carolina is the entity that swaggered in and changed the subject. South Carolina is what sped up this agreement for Concord-Kannapolis to look for a new source for water (from the Yadkin). Don't believe me, then read it - (Supreme Court Splits in Ruling on Catawba River Dispute - New York Times - Januray 20, 2010)... Why wasn't South Carolina mentioned in this presentation? Could it be that it didn't fit into the model of self importance put forth by locals involving this issue?
Another thing... How long until communities in our area come after Hickory by saying that the City of Hickory is building its budget and profiteering by monopolizing the business of waterworks in this area. The issue comes back to who does the water belong to? And whose interests are being served? This is not the one sided argument that some purport it to be.
2. Designation of Voting Delegate and Alternate Voting Delegate for 2011 National League of Cities Annual Business Meeting on November 12, 2011 at the Congress of Cities Exposition in Phoenix, Arizona on November 9-12, 2011 and Designation of Voting Delegate for the North Carolina League of Municipalities Business Meeting to be held in Raleigh on October 24, 2011. The National League of Cities (NLC) Annual Business Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the conclusion of the Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix, Arizona. The vote of each municipality may be cast only by a designated voting delegate or alternate voting delegate. Mayor Wright is the only Council Member who has registered for this conference. The NC League of Municipalities is conducting its annual business meeting in conjunction with the annual conference. NC League rules require each municipality to designate a voting delegate to represent the City in the business meeting, which is on October 24, 2011 at 2:15 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. At this time. Mayor Wright was unanimously consented to be the voting delegate by the Council.
At right of this page under Main Information links is an Hickory's City Website link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the left of the page you will see the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. This will give you a choice of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.
You will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 10/4/2011 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below:
Please remember that pressing Ctrl and + will magnify the text and page and pressing Ctrl and - will make the text and page smaller. This will help the readability for those with smaller screens and/or eye difficulties.
Invocation by Rev. Susan Smith, Assistant Pastor at Exodus Outreach Church
Special Presentations:
A. Presentation of Proclamation to Members of Housing Visions Continuum of Care (Sean Jarman – Catawba County Social Services and Stefanie Fortuna – Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministries) Declaring the Week of November 13 – 20, 2011 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in the City of Hickory
Whereas for the past several years the National Coalition for the Homeless and National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness has sponsored National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and the housing vision continuum of care has been actively working to end hunger and homelessness in Hickory and Catawba County; Whereas the purpose of this proclamation is to educate the public about the many reasons people are hungry and homeless, including shortage of affordable housing and to encourage support for homeless assistance service providers as well as community service opportunities for students and school service organizations; whereas there are many organizations committed to sheltering and providing supported services, as well as meals and food supplies to the homeless, including the Salvation Army, Grace House, Family Care, Safe Harbor, Family Guidance, Local Veterans serving Veterans, CVCC, The Shepherds Heart, New Life Church, Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, menta;l heath Partners, Catawba County United Way, Exodus Homes, The Department of Social Services, ALFA, Catawba County Behavioral Healthcare, Our Father’s Pavilion, Sipe’s Orchard Home, and many more community partners. Now therefore I, Rudy Wright, Mayor of the City of Hickory, NC on behalf of the entire City Council proclaim the Week of November 13 – 20, 2011 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in the City of Hickory.
B. Presentation of Proclamation to Pam Elske-Leonetti and Nancy Hosterman of Frye Regional Medical Center Declaring the Month of October, 2011 as National Physical Therapy Month in the City of Hickory
Whereas the City of Hickory encourages options for an active and healthy lifestyle and whereas Frye Regional Medical Center speaks for the best interests of the public in recommending physical therapy by a licensed physical therapist to achieve physical fitness and whereas through a national effort Frye Regional Medical Center and Community members are encouraged to join together to raise awareness of preventative health during the month of October 2011 and whereas this effort will bring awareness to our community and around the country of healthier and more active lifestyles. Now therefore Rudy Wright mayor of the City of Hickory, NC therefore proclaims the Month of October, 2011 as National Physical Therapy Month in the City of Hickory.
C. Presentation of Proclamation – Declaring the Week of October 9 – 15, 2011 as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Hickory
Whereas the City of Hickory is committed to ensuring safety and security of all those living in and visiting our city; Whereas Fire is a serious public safety concern, both locally and nationally and homes are the location where people are at the greatest risk; whereas home fires killed more than 2,500 people in the United States in 2009 and fire departments in the United states responded to more than 360,000 home fires; Whereas cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires and associated injury and the third leading cause of home fire deaths; whereas heating and electrical equipment and smoking materials are among the leading causes of all reported home fires; whereas home candle fires are reported to a U.S. Fire Department every thirty minutes; whereas working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half; whereas the 2011 fire prevention week, “It’s fire prevention week, protect your family” effectively works to remind us all of the simple actions we can take to keep our families safe and secure. Therefore on behalf of Hickory City Council, I hereby proclaim the Week of October 9 – 15, 2011 as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Hickory . The Mayor mentioned the fact that there has only been one death in the City of Hickory in 15 years.
D. Presentation of Proclamation – Declaring the Month of October, 2011 as Cyber Security Awareness Month in the City of Hickory
Whereas we recognize the vital role that technology has in our daily lives and in the future of our state and nation; whereas today many citizens, schools, libraries, businesses, and other organizations use the internet for a variety of tasks including keeping in contact with family and friends, managing personal finances, performing research, enhancing education, and conducting business; whereas critical sectors are increasingly reliant on information systems to support financial services, energy, telecommunications, transportations, utilities, healthcare and emergency response systems and the use of Information technology is integral to teaching, learning and research at the primary and secondary school levels in this State; whereas internet users and information infrastructure face an increasing threat of malicious cyber attack, loss of privacy from spyware and adware and significant personal and privacy losses due to identity theft and fraud; whereas the stop, think and connect campaign is a national effort coordinated by coalitions of private companies, non-profits, and government organizations to help all digital citizens to stay safer and more secure online; whereas maintaining the security of cyber space is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role and awareness of computer security essentials will improve the security of the City of Hickory Information Infrastructure and economy; whereas the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the multi-state information sharing and analysis center, the national association of State Chief Information Officers, and the National Cyber Security Alliance have declared October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Now therefore Rudy Wright mayor of the City of Hickory, NC therefore proclaims the Month of October, 2011 as Cyber Security Awareness Month in the City of Hickory.
Can Hickory Be a Technology Hub (Link)
Consent Agenda:
A. Accept Low Bid to Purchase One (1) Automated Side Loader (Refuse Truck) from Amick Equipment in the Amount of $238,243.68 - Amick Equipment submitted the lowest bid meeting specifications for an automated side loader refuse truck in the amount of $238,243.68. Only one other bid was received. This type of truck is used to service the 95-gallon rollout carts at residences on a daily basis. Approximately 800 homes receive pickup by this type of truck per day utilizing one operator. The funds are budgeted in FY 2011-12, and Staff recommends approval.
B. Municipal Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with NC Department of Transportation for the Upgrade of Traffic Signal System C-5129 To Extend Contract Time from August 13, 2011 to November 11, 2011 - This Municipal Supplement Agreement No. 1 with NC Department of Transportation for the upgrade of Traffic Signal System C-5129 is for the extension of contract time from August 13, 2011 to November 11, 2011. This extension is necessary due to the fact that the contractor was not able to complete the project by the original completion date. No funding changes are involved, and staff recommends approval.
C. Approve Resolution to Discard Library Materials to the Friends of the Library for Their Annual Book Sale on October 13 – 16, 2011 - The Friends of the Library collect donated books and other materials throughout the year for their book sales, the proceeds providing funds for library programming and other special activities. The donated books and materials are out of date, in poor condition or are no longer needed to meet the collection development goals of the library. There are 6,760 discarded library materials to be donated. The proceeds ultimately benefit the library, which is an appropriate means of disposing of unneeded materials. Staff recommends approval.
D. Request for Approval by Hickory Baseball, Inc., Per the Concession Agreement with the City of Hickory, for Events to be Held at L. P. Frans Stadium - Per the concession agreement between the City of Hickory and Hickory Baseball, Inc., Hickory Baseball is requesting approval of the following events to be held at L. P. Frans Stadium:
Thursday, October 6, 2011 Beer and Wine Tasting Event
Saturday, October 15, 2011 Southern Gospel Sing
Saturday, March 3, 2012 High School Baseball Showcase
Saturday, October 15, 2011 Crawdads Fall Fling for Kids (Morning)
Saturday, October 15, 2011 Southern Gospel Sing (Afternoon)
Under the concession agreement, Hickory Baseball has the right to allow non-sports related events at L. P. Frans Stadium with the approval of the Hickory City Council,provided those events do not conflict with an event scheduled by the City of Hickory. Staff recommends approval.
The Hound: Some people might think that this is alright, because it knocks down the Gay people in our community and you are fixated by the extraordinarily sensationalized news reports about parades in San Francoisco or New York and you are saying "Not in my Backyard." But, what are you going to do when they shut down something you support. What about when the City decides they aren't going to stand up for your religious belief or your culture or ethnicity or color or gender. You better learn that we have to "stand together or we will be sure to hang separately." (that is a paraphrased Quote of Benjamin Franklin).
E. Proclamation – Declaring September 24, 2011 as Community Awareness Blood Drive Day in the City of Hickory
F. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 2, Section 2-1 – Residence Requirements for Firefighters, Police Officers and Department Heads (Authorize Public Hearing on October 18, 2011)
October 4, 2011 3
G. Resolution Granting Authority to the Chief of Police to Enter Into Mutual Aid Agreements with other Law Enforcement Agencies - NC law enforcement agencies need the ability to share resources and expertise among agencies pursuant to Mutual Aid Agreements. After the recent hurricane on the NC coast, it was recommended that jurisdictions update the governing body resolutions granting the agency head authorization to enter into Mutual Aid Agreements with other law enforcement agencies. N.C.G.S. 160A-288 requires local law enforcement agencies lending assistance to obtain authorization to enter into a Mutual Aid Agreement from the governing body of its city. The statute authorizes the head of the agency to temporarily provide assistance to another agency by loaning officers, equipment, and supplies. Officers working with the requesting agency shall have the same jurisdiction, powers, rights and privileges of that agency in addition to those he/she normally possess. Staff recommends approval of Resolution.
Budget Ordinance Amendments
1. To budget $1,000 of Police Department donations in their Departmental Supply line item for the purchase of weights for the physical training room.
2. To appropriate $66,000 of Water and Sewer Fund Balance to the Distribution Division Contracted Services line item. This appropriation is necessary to pay Neil Grading for the emergency repair to a 20" waterline on 12th St. Dr. NW that broke on 09-24-11
3. To transfer $3 from the Police Department Uniform line item to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Grant. The price of the Vests exceeded the approved price and therefore a $3 transfer from the Uniform operational line item to the Grant Project is necessary. The $3 transfer will help pay for the Grant shortfall.
Informational Items
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Washington, DC on September 12-13, 2011 to attend the North Carolina Business & Economic Summit; hotel - $291.98; per diem - $121.75; airfare - $283.50; mileage - $57.20; airport parking/subway - $11.70.
B. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Charlotte, NC on September 20, 2011 to meet with HUD Representatives re affordable housing and health care on behalf of faith based organizations including Exodus Homes, CCM, Social Services, and various other Hickory/Catawba County organizations; Mileage - $67.10.
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution Directing Street Improvement Project be Undertaken Along a Portion of 8th Street NW - No. 01-12 - The City Clerk has received a petition from the owner of property along a portion of 8th Street, NW to install curb and gutter per Section 29-2 of the Hickory City Code. The signatures on the petition represent 100% of the property owners affected. The City Clerk has certified that the Preliminary Resolution adopted by the City Council on September 6, 2011 was mailed by first class mail on September 22, 2011 to the owner of the property subject to assessment should the project be undertaken. This petition comes to the City through the normal curb and gutter process where both the property owner and the City participate in the costs. (Chuck Hanson presentation) Unanimous Consent of Council
.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Status Report on Concord and Kannapolis’ Compliance with IBT Settlement - The May 7, 2010 Inter-Basin Transfer (IBT) Agreement provides that the Cities of Concord and Kannapolis (C-K) are required to comply with withdrawal plans and conservation measures within the first two years of the date of execution of the agreement. Staff continues to monitor compliance with the IBT Agreement.(Yaidee Fox presentation) - Click on the story board to see the display of the Powerpoint presentation.
Originally C-K requested 26 million gallons of water per day (MGD) from the Catawba and 10 million per day from the Yadkin. In January 2006 C-K was permitted by right of petition to take 10MGD from the Catawba and 10MGD from the Yadkin. C-K has to have a plan of conservation and can pull 3MGD through July 2015. After that they are limited to 3MGD until they are pulling 5MGD from the Yadkin. They are looking to obtain water through a pipeline built from Albemarle. Albemarle's agreement is built upon the reduction in need for capacity due to loss of industry in Albemarle.
Manager Berry talked about the legislation that was passed that dramatically increases the burden of proof upon a taking community. He further talked about bills that have been introduced to change the existing IBT architectural agreements. He talked about the need to be down in Raleigh during every session of the General Assembly to talk about the issue and why their was a need to protect our interests.
Alderman Seaver aked who monitors the withdrawal? Essentially it was stated that it has to be withdrawn through the City of Charlotte. There is no existing infrastructure to take 10MGD from the Catawba. C-K would have to pay for this infrastructure. Albemarle is paying for part of the infrastructure (pipeline) to sell the water to C-K. C-K is going to use this water (maximize this capacity, before they build out infrastructure to take water from the Catawba. It will be years before C-K would have a need to pull any water from the Catawba.
The Hound: Water issue is a Straw Man - I know this is an unpopular stand here in this area, but I'm not here to be a populist and I understand people disagreeing, but I still think this issue was about economics. I am here to talk about reality. Y'all jump into that emotional Professional Wrestling Cage Fight Match all day long. The bottom line is that this isn't the issue that we face or that must be addressed. The issue is about restoring growth to our local economy. We need to devote the kind of energy that we did on this issue towards how to create jobs in this community. How about unfair trade practices?
If we had a better economy, in the Upper Catawba Region, then no one would have come seeking to draw water out of the Catawba. C-K is all about Charlotte and keeping the metro area of Charlotte within North Carolina Territory. It does not help this State for Charlotte populace to locate in South Carolina. This was all about who was going to bring in revenue. It is about economics.
You can thank the State of South Carolina for getting into the mix on this issue. South Carolina is the entity that swaggered in and changed the subject. South Carolina is what sped up this agreement for Concord-Kannapolis to look for a new source for water (from the Yadkin). Don't believe me, then read it - (Supreme Court Splits in Ruling on Catawba River Dispute - New York Times - Januray 20, 2010)... Why wasn't South Carolina mentioned in this presentation? Could it be that it didn't fit into the model of self importance put forth by locals involving this issue?
Another thing... How long until communities in our area come after Hickory by saying that the City of Hickory is building its budget and profiteering by monopolizing the business of waterworks in this area. The issue comes back to who does the water belong to? And whose interests are being served? This is not the one sided argument that some purport it to be.
2. Designation of Voting Delegate and Alternate Voting Delegate for 2011 National League of Cities Annual Business Meeting on November 12, 2011 at the Congress of Cities Exposition in Phoenix, Arizona on November 9-12, 2011 and Designation of Voting Delegate for the North Carolina League of Municipalities Business Meeting to be held in Raleigh on October 24, 2011. The National League of Cities (NLC) Annual Business Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the conclusion of the Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix, Arizona. The vote of each municipality may be cast only by a designated voting delegate or alternate voting delegate. Mayor Wright is the only Council Member who has registered for this conference. The NC League of Municipalities is conducting its annual business meeting in conjunction with the annual conference. NC League rules require each municipality to designate a voting delegate to represent the City in the business meeting, which is on October 24, 2011 at 2:15 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. At this time. Mayor Wright was unanimously consented to be the voting delegate by the Council.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
How about some "Truth in Government" -- Silence DoGood
I’m pretty sure that
many of you have heretofore not heard of the word ‘Parrhesia’.
It is ordinarily translated into English as free speech, and conjugations
mean the one who speaks the truth. Thus parrhesiastes is
someone who says everything he has in mind; he does not hide anything,
but opens his heart and mind completely to other people through his
discourse. Within the meaning of parrhesia, the speaker is supposed
to give a complete and exact account of what he has in mind so that
the audience is able to comprehend exactly what the speaker thinks.
In parrhesia, the speaker makes it manifestly clear and obvious
that what he says is his own opinion. He does this by avoiding
any kind of rhetorical form which would veil what he thinks. The
parrhesiastes uses the most direct words and forms of expression
he can find. That a speaker says something dangerous – different
from what the majority believes– is a strong indication that he is
being truthful.
Why the Greco-Roman egghead academician beginnings? Truth in Government, all the way back to the beginnings of our form of government. Along with the origins of our language and the true meanings of the words we use. Because, when you use the word “truth” today, it is almost always subjective to the speaker and quite often the audience and contextual in application. The form of our government, a Republic, was conceived of in Greece and practiced there in its original forms. The Greeks knew the proper relationships that should exist between the rulers and the citizens and as a result, you have the development of the word parrhesia. You see that in essence, it calls for the speaker to be brave, say what they actually mean, and believe what they say. In other words, ‘Plain and direct talk is easily understood.’ A not too often determined state of affairs in today’s world where everyone is guarded in what they say, and speak in veiled terms and mystical speech leaving the listener to presume to know or guess at meaning. Parrhesiastes don’t have that problem since you will know immediately what is being said, that the speaker believes it, and that this is direct truth on their part. There is no room left for implied meaning, the listener knows immediately what is being conveyed by the speaker in direction communication.
So here I go talking of yet another politician and political speaker shadowing the lines of propriety in order to advance their own agenda on the backs of a legitimate concern. In this case, Morganton’s Mayor using a Public Service Announcement to proclaim his record and the endurance of his tenure in a campaign cycle. The legitimate concern in this instance is the proposed closing of the School for the Deaf.
While the good Mayor is certainly not wrong in his assessment that closing that facility would be detrimental to Western North Carolina and the families that utilize and depend on that facility. It would also depress the local economy even further and negatively impact the lives of thousands. No where in there was there a need for the Mayor to identify himself as Mayor or to state how long he’d held that office. Thus turning something that could have been a positive to something tainted apolitical.
In August 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Session Law 2009-403 requiring, among other things that local governments adopt a code of ethics, adhere to all laws, and go through ethics training. I don’t know about you, but I find this to be highly disturbing. Not from the perspective that it is required, but that it has become necessary. Across the spectrum of public service, bodies’ politic have decried that training is necessary and in many cases, required for public servants, appointed and elected alike, at all levels of government and that despite those efforts, failings occur.
The reason is that telling the truth is noticeably absent today. It is absent from business and it is absent from politics and those that call themselves ‘leaders’. And with believing and speaking the truth, without divisive or contraindicative intent, comes a frankness that is not heard today. It is my contention that it goes without saying that before you enter into a position of public trust, you are either a moral and ethical person, or you’re not. Simply mandating or requiring a ‘code’ of conduct or ethics will not make you a moral or ethical person. Those things are all worthless unless the person comports themselves to the true and actual meanings of the words used and the person dedicates themselves to those premises. Of course, that kind of conduct begins long before that person assumes the duties and roles of that office and unless that particular person has the solid foundations for the tenets found within those codes or canons of conduct, no amount of training can otherwise change the core of that person. So we will perpetually encounter endless cases of honest mistakes being made and dealing with the frustrations of spin and damage control with regard to those that we have put full faith in and who consistently come up short of expectation. And of course, being willing to speak the truth, you must also be willing to hear it. But I contend that if you have the courage to speak it, you will likewise be receptive to hearing it.
How many times have these situations happened here locally? More than we know I’m sure. The most recent issues that come to mind are the just past Pride celebration, the debacle of the Airport operation and personal relationships between City officials and principals in the operator corporation, hiring practices within the City and promotions that appear to be based on religion and not performance. The new ward map and how representatives are chosen has proven to be a point of contention since it denies representation of the people who live in that ward of their choice of representative, with the candidate being determined City wide, rather than in the ward itself. The local print media hold themselves out to be mimics of the official line of what is being told and rarely engage in fact finding. They are content with reporting only those facts they have been made benefactor of. But how refreshing would that be, to hear a politician in Hickory or Catawba County say exactly what is on their mind and actually believe what they are saying. Or as a component of that, the local media asking questions that counter that stance of the politician in order to clarify the point, to bring other points of view into the picture, and heaven forbid, actually serve to represent segments of the population that are wholly ignored or overlooked.
How long will we be accepting of ‘say one thing, do something else’ as a routinized course of everyday conduct? Politicians are quite often forced to reconsider their positions on issues once they are elected or come into office. We shouldn’t be surprised by that happening when it does. However, rational people check and then re-check the things they say when what they say or imply they will do impact and affect so many. Those times should be the rare occasion rather than the normal occurrence. That is rarely the case today when viewed against the standard of moral and ethical behavior. If the good Mayor had weighed his actions and words against the standard of what was good for NCSD and the City of Morganton, then his message would have been worded differently. But his message was weighted with what was good for him under the guise of getting something for nothing on the public’s nickel.
This is what I’ve written of before and why I’ve been so insistent on demanding accountability. It is not acceptable that we take these feeble excuses for morally and ethically void behavior on our behalf. It is time that those in office abide by the laws they are sworn to protect and uphold. It is time they hold themselves to a higher standard and keep the bar high. That starts with telling the truth, and that we believe the people that represent us are telling the truth and believe it. Will they always succeed? No. But to strive constantly to do the right thing and be forthright in their communications with all of us is not too much to demand. If they are incapable of doing that, then there is no shame in removing themselves from that position of trust. That would speak volumes to their moral acuity than to be constantly deceptive in thought, word, and deed and then mouthing the words, “honest mistake” every time they’re caught.
Why the Greco-Roman egghead academician beginnings? Truth in Government, all the way back to the beginnings of our form of government. Along with the origins of our language and the true meanings of the words we use. Because, when you use the word “truth” today, it is almost always subjective to the speaker and quite often the audience and contextual in application. The form of our government, a Republic, was conceived of in Greece and practiced there in its original forms. The Greeks knew the proper relationships that should exist between the rulers and the citizens and as a result, you have the development of the word parrhesia. You see that in essence, it calls for the speaker to be brave, say what they actually mean, and believe what they say. In other words, ‘Plain and direct talk is easily understood.’ A not too often determined state of affairs in today’s world where everyone is guarded in what they say, and speak in veiled terms and mystical speech leaving the listener to presume to know or guess at meaning. Parrhesiastes don’t have that problem since you will know immediately what is being said, that the speaker believes it, and that this is direct truth on their part. There is no room left for implied meaning, the listener knows immediately what is being conveyed by the speaker in direction communication.
So here I go talking of yet another politician and political speaker shadowing the lines of propriety in order to advance their own agenda on the backs of a legitimate concern. In this case, Morganton’s Mayor using a Public Service Announcement to proclaim his record and the endurance of his tenure in a campaign cycle. The legitimate concern in this instance is the proposed closing of the School for the Deaf.
While the good Mayor is certainly not wrong in his assessment that closing that facility would be detrimental to Western North Carolina and the families that utilize and depend on that facility. It would also depress the local economy even further and negatively impact the lives of thousands. No where in there was there a need for the Mayor to identify himself as Mayor or to state how long he’d held that office. Thus turning something that could have been a positive to something tainted apolitical.
In August 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Session Law 2009-403 requiring, among other things that local governments adopt a code of ethics, adhere to all laws, and go through ethics training. I don’t know about you, but I find this to be highly disturbing. Not from the perspective that it is required, but that it has become necessary. Across the spectrum of public service, bodies’ politic have decried that training is necessary and in many cases, required for public servants, appointed and elected alike, at all levels of government and that despite those efforts, failings occur.
The reason is that telling the truth is noticeably absent today. It is absent from business and it is absent from politics and those that call themselves ‘leaders’. And with believing and speaking the truth, without divisive or contraindicative intent, comes a frankness that is not heard today. It is my contention that it goes without saying that before you enter into a position of public trust, you are either a moral and ethical person, or you’re not. Simply mandating or requiring a ‘code’ of conduct or ethics will not make you a moral or ethical person. Those things are all worthless unless the person comports themselves to the true and actual meanings of the words used and the person dedicates themselves to those premises. Of course, that kind of conduct begins long before that person assumes the duties and roles of that office and unless that particular person has the solid foundations for the tenets found within those codes or canons of conduct, no amount of training can otherwise change the core of that person. So we will perpetually encounter endless cases of honest mistakes being made and dealing with the frustrations of spin and damage control with regard to those that we have put full faith in and who consistently come up short of expectation. And of course, being willing to speak the truth, you must also be willing to hear it. But I contend that if you have the courage to speak it, you will likewise be receptive to hearing it.
How many times have these situations happened here locally? More than we know I’m sure. The most recent issues that come to mind are the just past Pride celebration, the debacle of the Airport operation and personal relationships between City officials and principals in the operator corporation, hiring practices within the City and promotions that appear to be based on religion and not performance. The new ward map and how representatives are chosen has proven to be a point of contention since it denies representation of the people who live in that ward of their choice of representative, with the candidate being determined City wide, rather than in the ward itself. The local print media hold themselves out to be mimics of the official line of what is being told and rarely engage in fact finding. They are content with reporting only those facts they have been made benefactor of. But how refreshing would that be, to hear a politician in Hickory or Catawba County say exactly what is on their mind and actually believe what they are saying. Or as a component of that, the local media asking questions that counter that stance of the politician in order to clarify the point, to bring other points of view into the picture, and heaven forbid, actually serve to represent segments of the population that are wholly ignored or overlooked.
How long will we be accepting of ‘say one thing, do something else’ as a routinized course of everyday conduct? Politicians are quite often forced to reconsider their positions on issues once they are elected or come into office. We shouldn’t be surprised by that happening when it does. However, rational people check and then re-check the things they say when what they say or imply they will do impact and affect so many. Those times should be the rare occasion rather than the normal occurrence. That is rarely the case today when viewed against the standard of moral and ethical behavior. If the good Mayor had weighed his actions and words against the standard of what was good for NCSD and the City of Morganton, then his message would have been worded differently. But his message was weighted with what was good for him under the guise of getting something for nothing on the public’s nickel.
This is what I’ve written of before and why I’ve been so insistent on demanding accountability. It is not acceptable that we take these feeble excuses for morally and ethically void behavior on our behalf. It is time that those in office abide by the laws they are sworn to protect and uphold. It is time they hold themselves to a higher standard and keep the bar high. That starts with telling the truth, and that we believe the people that represent us are telling the truth and believe it. Will they always succeed? No. But to strive constantly to do the right thing and be forthright in their communications with all of us is not too much to demand. If they are incapable of doing that, then there is no shame in removing themselves from that position of trust. That would speak volumes to their moral acuity than to be constantly deceptive in thought, word, and deed and then mouthing the words, “honest mistake” every time they’re caught.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Morganton Mayor Cohen's Big Election Mistake
The Hound: A Morganton insider sent this news to me tonight and I thought I'd share it with you. Morganton's Mayor Mel Cohen is running for reelection with Election Day looming on October 11th. You know how with Campaign Finance Reform laws how you are supposed to differentiate what you do as an elected official versus what you do while campaigning for office. Well catch a load of this. Wow!!!, You have to say Wow!!!
10-2
Tom:
Friday I heard a new development in the current local election race here in Morganton.
Due to a PSA recorded by Mayor Cohen and broadcast on Compas Cable (Our city owned cable TV system), challenger for mayor Robert Griner will receive 895 political announcements free.
The PSA aired earlier in September on Compas Cable for more than a week and begins with "I'm Mel Cohen your mayor for almost 26 years" and goes on to say how important NCSD (North Carolina School for the Deaf) is for Morganton and how we don't want to lose jobs and a school that helps so many in Western North Carolina. Since Mel Cohen is the incumbent mayor and a candidate for re-election as Morganton's Mayor, he invoked "equal time" by creating a PSA by himself and airing it on Compas.
On Thursday, challenger Robert Griner contacted WMNC radio and asked about "equal time" and was told that WMNC is no longer a 'partner' with Compas Cable, since last year Mayor Cohen chose to end the partnership and begin a partnership with Charter Cable. Mr. Griner was directed to the City of Morganton and with no choice the city gave Robert Griner 895 political announcements in accordance with FCC rules governing "equal time." Had the city refused, Compas Cable would have possibly been out of business as the license could have been revoked for non compliance or the city could have faced fines or sanctions.
So challenger Griner to this point about a week away from election day has spent little to no money on a campaign, but when he asked about "equal time" he will receive hundreds of political announcements on Compas Cable for FREE !
The News Herald (Morganton's Media General Corporation owned Newspaper) on Friday afternoon stated that they were aware of this issue and Mayor Cohen would have a letter in Sunday's News Herald, in which he would explain the situation to the voters. The letter titled "Community Shows Support For NCSD" is written to HIDE the "Equal Time" facts. In fact, the letter speaks to this matter without calling it what it is ("equal time") by saying "FCC campaign related advertising." Mayor Cohen is hiding behind the story of keeping NCSD open. Mayor Cohen goes on to call it an "honest mistake."
Honest mistake or not, this action results in Morganton taxpayers paying for the labor to "record" spots for challenger Robert Griner for free ! If Robert had purchased the announcements they would have cost thousands of dollars but will be free to challenger Robert Griner due to Mel Cohen's "honest mistake."
Mel Cohen continues his tradition of doing as he pleases with or WITHOUT the will of the people and spending money recklessly and carelessly as if it was his money and not taxpayer money. If you want to re-write this information and post it on the blog, feel free to do so.
The Hound Summation: Mayor Cohen called this an honest mistake. How many times do you see local level politicians pushing the envelope of political propriety, and when they get busted, they call it an honest mistake. It is time for local media, who are supposed to operate in the public arena on the public airwaves for the public good, to open up forums that allow the citizens to be heard, instead of allowing public officials carte blanche on the public airwaves without opposition. Kudos to Robert Griner for standing up for himself.
10-2
Tom:
Friday I heard a new development in the current local election race here in Morganton.
Due to a PSA recorded by Mayor Cohen and broadcast on Compas Cable (Our city owned cable TV system), challenger for mayor Robert Griner will receive 895 political announcements free.
The PSA aired earlier in September on Compas Cable for more than a week and begins with "I'm Mel Cohen your mayor for almost 26 years" and goes on to say how important NCSD (North Carolina School for the Deaf) is for Morganton and how we don't want to lose jobs and a school that helps so many in Western North Carolina. Since Mel Cohen is the incumbent mayor and a candidate for re-election as Morganton's Mayor, he invoked "equal time" by creating a PSA by himself and airing it on Compas.
On Thursday, challenger Robert Griner contacted WMNC radio and asked about "equal time" and was told that WMNC is no longer a 'partner' with Compas Cable, since last year Mayor Cohen chose to end the partnership and begin a partnership with Charter Cable. Mr. Griner was directed to the City of Morganton and with no choice the city gave Robert Griner 895 political announcements in accordance with FCC rules governing "equal time." Had the city refused, Compas Cable would have possibly been out of business as the license could have been revoked for non compliance or the city could have faced fines or sanctions.
So challenger Griner to this point about a week away from election day has spent little to no money on a campaign, but when he asked about "equal time" he will receive hundreds of political announcements on Compas Cable for FREE !
The News Herald (Morganton's Media General Corporation owned Newspaper) on Friday afternoon stated that they were aware of this issue and Mayor Cohen would have a letter in Sunday's News Herald, in which he would explain the situation to the voters. The letter titled "Community Shows Support For NCSD" is written to HIDE the "Equal Time" facts. In fact, the letter speaks to this matter without calling it what it is ("equal time") by saying "FCC campaign related advertising." Mayor Cohen is hiding behind the story of keeping NCSD open. Mayor Cohen goes on to call it an "honest mistake."
Honest mistake or not, this action results in Morganton taxpayers paying for the labor to "record" spots for challenger Robert Griner for free ! If Robert had purchased the announcements they would have cost thousands of dollars but will be free to challenger Robert Griner due to Mel Cohen's "honest mistake."
Mel Cohen continues his tradition of doing as he pleases with or WITHOUT the will of the people and spending money recklessly and carelessly as if it was his money and not taxpayer money. If you want to re-write this information and post it on the blog, feel free to do so.
The Hound Summation: Mayor Cohen called this an honest mistake. How many times do you see local level politicians pushing the envelope of political propriety, and when they get busted, they call it an honest mistake. It is time for local media, who are supposed to operate in the public arena on the public airwaves for the public good, to open up forums that allow the citizens to be heard, instead of allowing public officials carte blanche on the public airwaves without opposition. Kudos to Robert Griner for standing up for himself.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- October 2, 2011
Bob Chapman - The International Forecaster - October 1, 2011 - Remember that $400 billion increase in debt recently enacted? Well it is gone and it only took six weeks. Washington has quite a talent for spending debt, which is other people’s money. Not satisfied the Senate, as we reported, added in another $500 billion. The media covered up the increase in debt by making a major issue of the President’s speech concerning jobs. The enabling super committee is at work cutting $2 trillion from the budget. This supposedly will be concluded by November. These cuts were not designed as such, but they will help slow any recovery, as will any tax increase. As the CBO says, the wrong thing at the wrong time. Even with cuts and tax increases about half of federal government spending will be borrowed. Worse yet, most of any cuts will come from Social Security and Medicare, which are not entitlements, but are benefits the public paid for. Government wants to play Robin Hood, take from those who sacrificed and paid for the benefits and give to those who paid nothing into the system.
Health Insurance Costs Rising Sharply This Year, Study Shows - New York Times - Reed Abelson - September 27, 2011 - The cost of health insurance for many Americans this year climbed more sharply than in previous years, outstripping any growth in workers’ wages and adding more uncertainty about the pace of rising medical costs... A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit research group that tracks employer-sponsored health insurance on a yearly basis, shows that the average annual premium for family coverage through an employer reached $15,073 in 2011, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year... The Kaiser survey includes both big and small companies using employer-sponsored coverage representing about 60 percent of all insured Americans of working age. The annual growth in premiums, according to the survey, had slowed in recent years to 5 percent, rising just 3 percent in 2010, in part due to the lingering effects of the recession. After years of double-digit increases, the moderation was a welcome relief... Obama administration officials argue that new regulations are forcing insurers to be more circumspect about raising rates. Insurers seeking to raise premiums next year by more than the 10 percent maximum will have to publicly justify their rate increases, and the new law requires the companies to spend at least 80 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on medical care. If they end up taking too much in premiums, they will have to refund the money to consumers...
The rich are different - and not in a good way, studies suggest - MSNBC - August 10, 2011 - Psychologist and social scientist Dacher Keltner says the rich really are different, and not in a good way: Their life experience makes them less empathetic, less altruistic, and generally more selfish. In fact, he says, the philosophical battle over economics, taxes, debt ceilings and defaults that are now roiling the stock market is partly rooted in an upper class "ideology of self-interest." "We have now done 12 separate studies measuring empathy in every way imaginable, social behavior in every way, and some work on compassion and it's the same story," he said. "Lower class people just show more empathy, more prosocial behavior, more compassion, no matter how you look at it." In an academic version of a Depression-era Frank Capra movie, Keltner and co-authors of an article called "Social Class as Culture: The Convergence of Resources and Rank in the Social Realm," published this week in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, argue that "upper-class rank perceptions trigger a focus away from the context toward the self…." In other words, rich people are more likely to think about themselves. "They think that economic success and political outcomes, and personal outcomes, have to do with individual behavior, a good work ethic," said Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Because the rich gloss over the ways family connections, money and education helped, they come to denigrate the role of government and vigorously oppose taxes to fund it. "I will quote from the Tea Party hero Ayn Rand: "'It is the morality of altruism that men have to reject,'" he said. Whether or not Keltner is right, there certainly is a "let them cake" vibe in the air. Last week The New York Times reported on booming sales of luxury goods, with stores keeping waiting lists for $9,000 coats and the former chairman of Saks saying, "If a designer shoe goes up from $800 to $860, who notices?"...
Wall Street Donated $41 Million to Supercommittee Members - Truthout - Mike Ludwig - September 26, 2011 - "Wall Street bought the deregulation that led to our economic collapse and the American public has paid the price," said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign, the group that co-authored the report. "The supercommittee should not give Wall Street and big banks another free ride because of their campaign cash." Congressional veterans Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) top the list, having each received about $6 million in contributions from the financial sector during the course of their careers in Washington. The top GOP recipient on the committee, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), has received $5.2 million from the sector.
Donations from the political action committees and executives of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo - banks that received $95 billion in federal bailout funds - account for one-fifth of the $4.3 million in campaign cash donated by commercial banking interests to the 12 supercommittee members. Supercommittee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) received the most from the big banks. Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo have given Hensarling a total of $188,962 during his Congressional career. Hensarling also serves as the vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee and has received a total of $3.9 million from financial interests. The report also identifies 27 former or current aides to supercommittee members who have worked as lobbyists for the financial industry. Manny Rossman, for example, was Kyl's chief of staff before landing a position at the Breaux Lott Leadership Group, where his clients include Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Prudential Financial....
How Attorney General Eric Holder Colluded With Bank Of America To Destroy Wikileaks And Silence Unfriendly Journalists, Including Glenn Greenwald - The Daily Bail - When we wrote a few weeks ago about Eric Holder, Wikileaks and Bank of America, we focused on the irony of the U.S. Attorney General threatening to prosecute an organization (Wikileaks) that possibly holds the very information on which he might draw up his very first indictment of a major bank or Wall Street executive.
These are valid questions -- ones for which we really didn't have good answers other than the usual corruption, cowardice and ineptitude when it comes to prosecuting large financial institutions.
However, new information has surfaced that shines a whole new light on the situation. By now, most of you have heard about Bank of America's plans to go after Wikileaks and Glenn Greenwald. Until they were caught, Bank of America was working with a group of law and cyber security firms to draw up plans for destroying Wikileaks, the hacker group Anonymous, as well as Wikileaks supporters in the media (like Greenwald).... Ironically, the hacker group Anonymous turned the tables on Bank of America's hit team and captured a cache of emails that all but prove the Justice Department's direct involvement. Here is an email from one of the firms, admitting that it was the Department of Justice that set the ball rolling:
The Myth of American Freedom
Health Insurance Costs Rising Sharply This Year, Study Shows - New York Times - Reed Abelson - September 27, 2011 - The cost of health insurance for many Americans this year climbed more sharply than in previous years, outstripping any growth in workers’ wages and adding more uncertainty about the pace of rising medical costs... A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit research group that tracks employer-sponsored health insurance on a yearly basis, shows that the average annual premium for family coverage through an employer reached $15,073 in 2011, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year... The Kaiser survey includes both big and small companies using employer-sponsored coverage representing about 60 percent of all insured Americans of working age. The annual growth in premiums, according to the survey, had slowed in recent years to 5 percent, rising just 3 percent in 2010, in part due to the lingering effects of the recession. After years of double-digit increases, the moderation was a welcome relief... Obama administration officials argue that new regulations are forcing insurers to be more circumspect about raising rates. Insurers seeking to raise premiums next year by more than the 10 percent maximum will have to publicly justify their rate increases, and the new law requires the companies to spend at least 80 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on medical care. If they end up taking too much in premiums, they will have to refund the money to consumers...
The rich are different - and not in a good way, studies suggest - MSNBC - August 10, 2011 - Psychologist and social scientist Dacher Keltner says the rich really are different, and not in a good way: Their life experience makes them less empathetic, less altruistic, and generally more selfish. In fact, he says, the philosophical battle over economics, taxes, debt ceilings and defaults that are now roiling the stock market is partly rooted in an upper class "ideology of self-interest." "We have now done 12 separate studies measuring empathy in every way imaginable, social behavior in every way, and some work on compassion and it's the same story," he said. "Lower class people just show more empathy, more prosocial behavior, more compassion, no matter how you look at it." In an academic version of a Depression-era Frank Capra movie, Keltner and co-authors of an article called "Social Class as Culture: The Convergence of Resources and Rank in the Social Realm," published this week in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, argue that "upper-class rank perceptions trigger a focus away from the context toward the self…." In other words, rich people are more likely to think about themselves. "They think that economic success and political outcomes, and personal outcomes, have to do with individual behavior, a good work ethic," said Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Because the rich gloss over the ways family connections, money and education helped, they come to denigrate the role of government and vigorously oppose taxes to fund it. "I will quote from the Tea Party hero Ayn Rand: "'It is the morality of altruism that men have to reject,'" he said. Whether or not Keltner is right, there certainly is a "let them cake" vibe in the air. Last week The New York Times reported on booming sales of luxury goods, with stores keeping waiting lists for $9,000 coats and the former chairman of Saks saying, "If a designer shoe goes up from $800 to $860, who notices?"...
Brutal bank crackdown but crooks go free - Commentary: ‘Occupy Wall Street’ harassed while bankers go free - MarketWatch - David Weidner - September 27, 2011 - If you want to know how a nation supposedly by and for the people has become uprooted, one only needs to see how common young people, who are suffering so badly in this recession, were humiliated further by trying to exercise their given right to peacefully protest. If this is justice, I’d rather break the law. The bankers who brought us this mess not only walk free, they drive free in Bentleys paid for by money looted through toxic mortgages, trading debacles and derivative madness. Regulators, prosecutors and an administration patsy to big finance do nothing except hand out $1.3 trillion in bailout cash and guarantees. Consider how sick this narrative has become. A counter protest was planned in which bankers and traders said they would douse the “dirty hippies” of Occupy Wall Street with champagne, to give them “a bath.” Watch YouTube video of police arresting protesters . These are the people police are protecting. The ones outraged by greed run amok, reckless behavior and fraud are getting wrestled to the pavement and arrested... Brian Moynihan, the chief executive of Bank of America Corp. BAC -3.62% , got $10 million in stock and salary. Thomas Montag, Moynihan’s lieutenant actually got more, $14.3 million. Their bank has lost $14 billion during the last year. Shareholders — that’s you moms and pops, widows and orphans with 401(k)s — are holding the bag....
That kid with the bandana who was thrown to the ground? Could have been Jamie Dimon of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. JPM -4.05% or Joe Cassano, who ran American International Group Inc.’s AIG -4.11% cowboy outfit, the financial products unit, that caused $60 billion in losses. Maybe those protesters were planning a new mortgage-backed security doomed to fail. This could all be just one big mistake. After all, this country wasn’t founded to serve a bunch of elitists. Government wasn’t intended to be bought and paid for by financial interests. Our nation’s economy wasn’t supposed to be built on fraud and abuse. If that came to pass, you’d expect people to be angry. You’d expect people to get roughed up. You’d expect a revolution. And you’d expect the system would fight like hell to keep it down.
Wall Street Vampires - Citizen Vox - Rachel Lewis - September 24, 2011 - Vampires. Thieves of the night. As sunlight is said to be deadly to them, these mythical creatures venture out to drain the blood from their innocent victims only when it is dark outside. Judging by the reactions of Wall Street to Public Citizen’s attempt to shine a light on their industry, it seems sunlight kills more than vampires though. Lady Liberty can’t help but wonder if the Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan et al crew are trying to audition for the next season of True Blood . . . or, more likely, they have something to hide. Remember that big gas price spike back in 2008? Well, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, didn’t buy the reasons offered for it then, and he didn’t buy it this spring either when he spoke with then-MSNBC’s Cenk Uygur for a segment properly entitled, “Rigged Game.” Uygur’s first question, ”Is it possible that speculators are driving up the gas prices?” Slocum’s reply–”Absolutely.” At the time President Barack Obama, responding to the media frenzy over gas prices, announced the formation of a task force to look into what was driving the increase. Slocum explained to me that this was many months ago and so far, “not a peep” has been heard from this investigative team. Fast-forward a few months. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) managed to use his congressional powers to get a hold of a set of three-year old trading documents from one of the days leading up to the 2008 $144-per-barrel oil spike, which coincided with the exorbitant gas prices we all remember seeing at the pump then. Sanders, aware of Slocum’s expertise, forwarded these documents to Slocum and to the Wall Street Journal, which reveled at what it considered a ”rare glimpse of the secretive world of oil trading, where buying and selling often takes place away from public markets.” Soon thereafter, all hell brook loose . . .
Wall Street Vampires - Citizen Vox - Rachel Lewis - September 24, 2011 - Vampires. Thieves of the night. As sunlight is said to be deadly to them, these mythical creatures venture out to drain the blood from their innocent victims only when it is dark outside. Judging by the reactions of Wall Street to Public Citizen’s attempt to shine a light on their industry, it seems sunlight kills more than vampires though. Lady Liberty can’t help but wonder if the Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan et al crew are trying to audition for the next season of True Blood . . . or, more likely, they have something to hide. Remember that big gas price spike back in 2008? Well, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, didn’t buy the reasons offered for it then, and he didn’t buy it this spring either when he spoke with then-MSNBC’s Cenk Uygur for a segment properly entitled, “Rigged Game.” Uygur’s first question, ”Is it possible that speculators are driving up the gas prices?” Slocum’s reply–”Absolutely.” At the time President Barack Obama, responding to the media frenzy over gas prices, announced the formation of a task force to look into what was driving the increase. Slocum explained to me that this was many months ago and so far, “not a peep” has been heard from this investigative team. Fast-forward a few months. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) managed to use his congressional powers to get a hold of a set of three-year old trading documents from one of the days leading up to the 2008 $144-per-barrel oil spike, which coincided with the exorbitant gas prices we all remember seeing at the pump then. Sanders, aware of Slocum’s expertise, forwarded these documents to Slocum and to the Wall Street Journal, which reveled at what it considered a ”rare glimpse of the secretive world of oil trading, where buying and selling often takes place away from public markets.” Soon thereafter, all hell brook loose . . .
Wall Street Donated $41 Million to Supercommittee Members - Truthout - Mike Ludwig - September 26, 2011 - "Wall Street bought the deregulation that led to our economic collapse and the American public has paid the price," said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign, the group that co-authored the report. "The supercommittee should not give Wall Street and big banks another free ride because of their campaign cash." Congressional veterans Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) top the list, having each received about $6 million in contributions from the financial sector during the course of their careers in Washington. The top GOP recipient on the committee, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), has received $5.2 million from the sector.
Donations from the political action committees and executives of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo - banks that received $95 billion in federal bailout funds - account for one-fifth of the $4.3 million in campaign cash donated by commercial banking interests to the 12 supercommittee members. Supercommittee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) received the most from the big banks. Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo have given Hensarling a total of $188,962 during his Congressional career. Hensarling also serves as the vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee and has received a total of $3.9 million from financial interests. The report also identifies 27 former or current aides to supercommittee members who have worked as lobbyists for the financial industry. Manny Rossman, for example, was Kyl's chief of staff before landing a position at the Breaux Lott Leadership Group, where his clients include Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Prudential Financial....
How Attorney General Eric Holder Colluded With Bank Of America To Destroy Wikileaks And Silence Unfriendly Journalists, Including Glenn Greenwald - The Daily Bail - When we wrote a few weeks ago about Eric Holder, Wikileaks and Bank of America, we focused on the irony of the U.S. Attorney General threatening to prosecute an organization (Wikileaks) that possibly holds the very information on which he might draw up his very first indictment of a major bank or Wall Street executive.
Why hasn't Eric Holder asked to see the evidence, which Wikileaks claims to have, that executives at one of our largest banks may have committed serious crimes?
Let's be honest, Holder doesn't really give a rip about financial crimes, but the media should at least be asking him why he doesn't want to see the evidence. We know he'd love to get his hands on Julian Assange's hard drive -- why doesn't he want to see Brian Moynihan's (or Ken Lewis's)?
For some reason, Holder and the rest of the Obama administration would rather endanger our Constitutional rights to due process and a free press by persecuting journalists on specious charges, than to actually do their job and enforce the law.
However, new information has surfaced that shines a whole new light on the situation. By now, most of you have heard about Bank of America's plans to go after Wikileaks and Glenn Greenwald. Until they were caught, Bank of America was working with a group of law and cyber security firms to draw up plans for destroying Wikileaks, the hacker group Anonymous, as well as Wikileaks supporters in the media (like Greenwald).... Ironically, the hacker group Anonymous turned the tables on Bank of America's hit team and captured a cache of emails that all but prove the Justice Department's direct involvement. Here is an email from one of the firms, admitting that it was the Department of Justice that set the ball rolling:
The Myth of American Freedom
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