Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 2, 2012

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 8/21/2012 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 Pastor Jay Robinson of Viewmomnt Baptist Church

Special Presentations
A. Presentation and Administration of Oath of Office to Deputy Chief Fred Hollar - (From the City Information Officer) - (2:15)

“I feel fortunate that we have a person of Chief Hollar’s character and experience. He is well known and well respected through out the community. His vision and relationships with our partners in emergency services make him uniquely qualified to lead our excellent professional fire fighters,” said City Manager, Mick Berry.

Chief Hollar started working for the fire department after graduating from Hickory High School and has been dedicated to his career since day one. He brings over 45 years of experience and dedication to his new position. Two of his many major accomplishments include developing the City of Hickory Disaster Plan and developing a comprehensive 15-year plan for the Hickory Fire Department, including station locations, apparatus placement, purchase, and cost projections for planned facilities, including personnel resources for growth.

“I look forward to serving as the Fire Chief for the City of Hickory and serving with all the dedicated men and women within our department and throughout the city,” said Chief Hollar. “Delivering core services to the community is a team-oriented experience. We in the Hickory Fire Department realize this as our base philosophy. We will work hard to train our department to meet the needs of the community so each and every member can respond to any incident where help is needed.” Chief Hollar added, “Two words—responsibility and accountability—will define our department as we move into another management team.”

Chief Hollar brings a background of extensive experience in Fire Sciences, Fire Service, and Operations, encompassing areas of expertise in Management of Emergency Services, Community Fire Safety and Prevention, Fire Suppression, Emergency Management, Fire Investigations, Training, hazardous Materials, Emergency Medical Services, Administration, Budgeting, Equipment Safety and Performance, Rules and Regulations, Aircraft Rescue Services, and Diversity.

Chief Hollar is very active in developing and initiating programs not only for the department, but for the county and state, as well. He has extensive knowledge of Emergency Management and Emergency Operations Center, which are used on a daily basis for the City.

The City of Hickory’s Fire Chief Thomas Alexander retired after 45 years of combined service with two fire departments. Chief Hollar was previously working as the Deputy Fire Chief for over 23 years. Chief Hollar and Chief Alexander share the same objectives on how the Hickory Fire Department should operate and how best to achieve those objectives.

Additionally, Chief Hollar understands how to communicate and motivate coworkers to get the job accomplished. He has the ability to establish and maintain effective communications and rapport with fellow staff, clients, and management, plus the various private federal and local entities that are affiliated with fire services.

In addition to his responsibilities as the Fire Chief, he serves on a variety of boards and commissions within the City, county, and state. Chief Hollar’s ability to establish positive, strong work relationships and his open and positive personality has enabled him to maintain an effective and efficient performance in a conscientious manner throughout his years working with the Fire Department. His dedication to the City of Hickory Fire Department is an asset that will continue to be a benefit in his new role as the Hickory Fire Chief.

B. Presentation of Proclamation for Fire Prevention Week to Chief Fred Hollar
Whereas the City of Hickory is committed to ensuring safety and security of all those living in and visiting our city; whereas home fires killed more than 2,600 people in the United States in 2010 and fire departments in the United states responded to more than 369,000 home fires; Whereas residence who have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are prepared and therefore will be more likely to survive a fire; Whereas only one third of Americans have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan and whereas working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half; whereas Hickory's first responders are dedicated to reducing and preventing Hickory home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection education; whereas the 2012 fire prevention week theme, “Have two ways out."  effectively serves to remind us to develop and practice a home fire escape plan through fire prevention week and year round;   Therefore the Hickory City Council does hereby proclaim the Week of October 7 – 13, 2011 as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Hickory .


Proposal introduced by the Mayor outside of the constructs of the agenda 

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 2, 2012 - Addendum on the CEG proposals - Proposal introduced by the Mayor outside of the constructs of the agenda
 
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Jeffrey Don Boggs to the Hickory Fire Department Local Relief and Supplemental Retirement Board of Trustees. - The Fire Department Board of Trustees Local Relief and Supplemental Retirement Board consist of five (5) members. The five members consist of (1) appointed by the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner (2) appointed by Mayor and Council, (2) elected by the fire department membership. The purpose of the board is to administer the disbursement of funds received from the State of North Carolina Department of Insurance for local firefighter relief and supplemental retirement programs. As of September 7, 2012, Deputy Fire Chief George Byers submitted a letter to Fire Chief Tom Alexander giving notice of leave from the appointed position by December 31, 2012. This is to ensure that a sufficient amount of notification is given to appoint a new board member.

B. Approval of acceptance of a bullet proof vest grant in the amount of $10,150 to the Hickory Police Department to assist in funding the purchase of bulletproof vests for police officers. - This grant will pay up to 50% of the cost of NIJ approved vests purchased by Hickory Police Department. Thirty vests have been requested at an estimated price of $675 for each vest. Monies are placed in the Police Department budget uniform line item annually to purchase vests for police officers. Life expectancy of each vest is approximately five years. The City’s match is already budgeted in the annual budget.

C. Approval of proclamation for Mr. and Mrs. Wade Hampton Shuford Day, October 7, 2012.

D. Approval of proclamation for Red Ribbon Week, the week of October 23 through October 31, 2012.

E. Special Event/Activities Application for Girls on the Run, Nancy Mitchell, Operations Director, YMCA, December 8, 2012 at L.P. Frans Stadium, from 7:00 am until 12:00pm.

F. Special Event/Activities Application for Crawdads 2012 Fall Fling, Matt Moes, Director of Special Events, Hickory Crawdads, November 10, 2012 at L.P. Frans Stadium, from 9:30am until 2:00pm.

G. Special Event/Activities Application for Enterprise Company Picnic, Matt Moes, Director of Special Events, Hickory Crawdads, October 27, 2012 at L.P. Frans Stadium, from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

H. Special Event/Activities Application for Peelin’ Eatin’ & Politican, Lindsay Keisler, Catawba County Chamber of Commerce, this event is for a Legislative Shrimp Boil, at L.P. Frans Stadium, October 25, 2012, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

I. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Sharon Widder Kenz in Oakwood Cemetery

J. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Terri S. Hammons in Oakwood Cemetery

K. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Pam Connelly in Fairview Cemetery

L. Approval of moving the regular scheduled Council Meeting of November 6, 2012 to Monday, November 5, 2012 due to the National Election day being held on November 6, 2012.

M. Budget Ordinance Amendment # 4.
1. To appropriate $1,974 of General Fund Balance (Funds reserved from the State of North Carolina Un-Authorized Substance Tax revenue) and budget in the Police Department's Departmental Supplies line item. This amendment is necessary to purchase items for the School Resource Officers to teach DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) in the school system for FY12-13. Funds are made available to the Police Department from the State and remain in General Fund Balance until appropriated.

2. To transfer $8,779 of General Fund Contingency and $8,779 of Water and Sewer Contingency to the Stormwater Fund-Stormwater System line item. These transfers are necessary to pay the contractor for additional work done on the 8th St. Ct. NE culvert replacement project. The additional work is due to the
significant amount of existing underground utilities that the contractor had to work around.

3. To appropriate $109 of Local Government Revenue received for the month of August 2012 and budget in the Police Department Overtime line item. This payment is revenue that funds a portion of an Officers time spent when accompanying involuntary commitment patients.

4. To budget a $3,416 insurance claim check from Argonaut Great Central Insurance Company in the Police Department Maintenance and Repair of Buildings line item. This insurance claim check is payment for lightening damage to the Police Department Firing Range.

5. To transfer $10,150 from the Police Departments Uniforms line item to the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Project. The United States Department of Justice awarded the City of Hickory a $10,150 Federal Grant to pay up to 50% of the costs of National Institute of Justice approved vests. There is a 50% required local match which is funded from the Police Departments Uniforms line item; therefore a budget amendment is necessary.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Inspiring Spaces update, Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt - (14:50)

Community Input Phase - Meetings with different City groups and other organizations such as DOT. They will have meetings in each quadrant. City staff will hold a meeting with every group, including council,  in January.

 Quotes below are from the advisory committee.

Ms. Surratt showed various pictures of locations in the city.

Corridors that are being looked at

(First Pass)

(Second Pass)

Looking for Public Private partnership. How does our character define our community.

 2. Grace Chapel Road update, Public Services Director Chuck Hansen - (37:50) - Connects Grace Chapel Road to the WalMart complex near Granite Falls. It is meant to keep traffic off of Highway 321 and to create some industrial properties through a partnership between the Caldwell County Economic Development Corporation, the City of Hickory, Granite Falls, and MDI in Caldwell County. There are 9 preliminary buildings designed for this developed land consisting of 1,000,000 square feet. Utilities will be the next issue addressed. Properties are zoned Office and Industrial.

3. Hickory’s brand initiative “Life. Well Crafted.” began a year ago and many strides have been made over the last 12 months. Communications Director and Brand Manager Mandy Pitts will review year one and give an update on some exciting new marketing tools and strategies. (51:30)

Mandy states that our community is made up of Doers and Makers. Below are words that are from the Facebook page that people say best describe Hickory.

The Branding website has be rebranded as Hickory Well Crafted from the former Start something here. This site has been changing daily. One story from the site is related to businesses that have been located in Hickory for 75+ years.

Logos of various entities located in the area meant to display a consistent theme.

This advertising was in an US Airways magazine in September during the time that the Democrat National Convention was taking place.

The following is a snapshot of priorities heading into year two.

The vision looking ahead.

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 2, 2012 - Addendum on the CEG proposals

Proposal introduced by the Mayor outside of the constructs of the agenda 


The following was sent by Mayor Rudy Wright to Joe Brannock of the CEG in relation to this e-mail after the Mayor had stated that he was willing to reach out to people that are not satisfied with Hickory City Government.

Joe Brannock's e-mail to Council Members:  

The CEG would appreciate the opportunity to meet with council representatives to discuss concerns expressed by citizens which led to the recent referendum. It is our hope that the mayor was sincere, and that each of you share in his sentiment in wanting to address those "factors that affected the referendum and use the referendum to propel Hickory forward in unity."

We issued a press release outlining what we know are concerns that have been expressed to us and that we believe deserve to be addressed.

We look forward to working with council representatives on coming together to begin a new chapter in our city's history.

I can be reached at either this email address or by cell at 828-455-3789.

We would appreciate your attention and input in scheduling a meeting.

All the Best

- Joe Brannock

Mayor Wright's response:

As I have stated repeatedly over the past 11 years, I stand ready to talk with any voter at any time with respect to  his/her concerns about matters affecting them or about matters affecting our City in general, and know that all members of Council share that commitment. I will be meeting directly with interested voters in public meetings over the coming weeks to demonstrate my continued commitment to open government and unity of purpose among Hickory residents of all walks of life. I don't have plans to meet with special-interest political committees of any stripe, particularly one that has announced its agenda to the world via press release prior to calling on us to speak with them about that agenda. Recognizing that  residents have expressed concerns to me about citizen comment at our Council meetings coming after our votes have been taken, I will make a motion that, for tonight's meeting,  we allow those Hickory residents who wish to speak about a SPECIFIC agenda item do so before 2nd readings and before consent agenda and department reports. Other resident comments will come at the end of the meeting as has been our custom. Of course, resident comments at any time will be subject to our customary standards of decorum. As a reminder my cell # is 238 1465, email addresses rwright@hickorync.gov and rudy@asigncohickory.com.

The Hound: I don't think proper protocol was followed here. This was not part of the agenda. It was not a matter on the Agenda. This was not on the public City Council Agenda. The Mayor introduces it and they vote upon it as soon as Fire Chief Hollar's swearing in ceremony takes place. 

And this is what the Mayor proposes at the 10:25 mark of the City Council meeting and the Council unanimously consented to. It does not address the proposed CEG issues that have been brought forward, because the CEG's reasoning is not allowed into the decision making process. The Mayor and by unanimous consent the Council have gone ahead and taken an action on their own without listening to the public once again and is that not what got us to this place to start with? Their is an unwillingness to listen to the public.

At the end of the meeting, as part of Matters not on the Agenda, Alderman Lail readdresses the issue at the 1:09:30 mark of the meeting and an ensuing discussion takes place for several minutes. We commend Alderman Lail for this action, but not to second guess would have preferred that he done this before the Mayor's proposal was voted upon earlier. It seems everyone else is on board with whatever the Mayor proposes lock, stock, and barrel.



CEGs first 5 proposals for a more representative City Council

1) Move time for citizens requesting to be heard to the top of the agenda at City council meetings.

2) Demand that council members take conflict of interest matters more seriously.

3) Record and broadcast City council meetings via Charter Cable and the internet.

4) Restore citizen’s right to request that items be removed from the consent agenda.

5) Make “working agendas” available by Wednesday of each week before a City council meeting to give citizens time to be aware and prepare for meetings.

Citizen Requesting to be Heard

James "Jimmy" Davis felt moved to address the council at the end of the meeting in relation to the motions, votes, and discussion above and other issues related to this City Council meeting.





And Mayor Wright's final response to Joe Brannock after Council last night:

Mr Brannock - tonight Council voted unanimously to accept my motion to let citizens who wanted to speak on a SPECIFIC agenda item to do so before our votes, rather than at the end of the meeting - as you and I both know that issue has arisen just once in the past 11 years, but I felt it was a move most citizens would understand - Why did you send an email to all Council, except me, and you didn't copy the newspaper, asking that they deny my motion? You said in that email you wanted to talk with some/all Council members before we vote - What objective(s) could you have to ask that we delay what your group has been asking for? I'm serious about serving the people of Hickory and have no patience for political games.. Why didn't you copy me on your emails to Council? I responded directly to you, and copied the paper because the good people of Hickory deserve the openness.

Monday Morning meeting with the Mayor - October 1, 2012

Rudy Wright on Hal Row discusses the referendum and says what the opposition was saying about Elite and Million Dollar Tent was unconscionable.

The Hound:  I had to force myself to listen to this, because it frankly was like hearing someone take nails to a chalkboard. And I am not speaking in any way, shape, or form about Hal. He was very professional in this interview. The CEG were the trouble makers? When the Mayor and his entourage were out here scaring old people and saying that we were in with ACORN and other things that he is on the record doing. And a No advocate was in the paper saying they ran a high minded campaign. All they have ever said to this day is that we were looking to take a "Right" away to vote in all wards. It is very much apparent that they still don't care about South Hickory.

I don't mind the Mayor not wanting to talk to me. I would be willing to sit down and talk to him, because that is how I am when it comes to these issues, but I really don't care to talk to him either. The reason why I quit calling into Hal's show when the Mayor is on is because Rudy Wright just blew off anything I ever said on that show. He would always say that they would look into it or he was willing to listen, but at the end of the day, he purposefully went in a 180-degree opposite direction. So frankly, I don't feel like wasting my time.

But, ask the Mayor why he refuses to meet with a lead representative of the Citizen's for Equity in Government  (CEG) Joe Brannock and he says that he will only meet with people from the CEG of his choosing. What if the shoe were on the other foot?

We have already explained our meanings of the words we used and the Mayor and his friends want to spin it towards some convoluted non-sensical definition that they have come up with.  The only people that accept their spin are the same ole people who always fall in line. What the Mayor's indignation is displaying is that we are right on target. If we weren't dead on then he and his buddies would have blown this off a long time ago and they are showing that they can't. As Johnnie Cochran would have said, "If the shoe fits, you must admit."

The Definition of Cronyism and the Million Dollar Tent

People associated with Union Square say just ask Mick Berry, he'll give you the numbers, when those numbers have been requested, but not given, in any professional context. We want to see the line items of where and what monies are accounted for and to whom. Is that so much to ask when it comes to public money?

It is a matter of trust, and the City Council plays a role in that. First it was going to cost $286,000 in December, then they come back with $426,000, and now Rudy Wright has stated that it is $501,000 and we are just supposed to take his word for it as though it is some sort of decree. And Hickory Inc. has now said they must add additional lights and cameras and we haven't seen the appropriations for that. If we don't understand this, it is their job to help us understand this. We are not stupid!

They do a document dump a few days before the election. Official certified documents show that these numbers were requested back in April and I know that requests had been made all the way back to the origins of the Union Square structure. The Hickory Daily Record doesn't even seem to have looked at the material and pretty much prints up what Hickory Inc. wanted the public to read.

We are told the documents are available. A member of the CEG, Rebecca Inglefield, goes to City Hall and looks at these documents that have no context and City Officials tell this member of the CEG that their only obligation is to provide the documents, they don't have to answer any questions. These non-answerers include Mick Berry and City Council Attorney John Crone. When she is insistent on getting to the root of this information they tell her to put her questions in writing. She is arrested as she is writing the questions down. So that pretty much debunks the whole "Go ask Mick Berry" statement doesn't it. Hickory Inc. has continuously demonstrated a lack of cooperation, forthrightness, and transparency.

We are at a standoff, because we do not accept or trust Hickory Inc.'s accounting and documentation methods as they relate to public records.

The other side is the one that has it in their minds that they know better than the rest of us... That they don't need public input on public projects... That they can manipulate processes and numbers to justify their personal ambitions, desires, and goals... and we are supposed to lie down and Rudy Wright is going to tell us what our sign can say. Are these words "dangerous?" Does King Rudolph have a problem with our freedom to speak and express ourselves? Who really seems to be the one that has the dangerous idea here?

We have all been told, "You just don't have the information we have." Any information we don't have is a result of Hickory Inc. not being forthright in divulging it with the people. They are a club. They are a small group of people who have empowered themselves through secrecy and lack of compassion towards their fellow community members to use the Public Trust towards their own personal desires, goals, and achievements. They are supposed to be public servants and work towards the interests of the public, but instead they think we are supposed to be here for them and we are just supposed to go along with whatever they decide... whatever they decree... and just lie down.

The above is what we mean by elite. I can appreciate the Mayor's story about his father. My father died when I was two years old and my mother had three children and was a widow at the age of 22. So Rudy's father and I are similar in many ways and I never called Rudy's family or father elite. Frankly, we didn't call the Mayor elite, but since he thinks this is about him, well I think that says a lot also.

What I (and we) have said is that investments in Hickory do not need to constantly be funneled towards Union Square. They should be treated no better, or worse, than any other commercial enterprise in Hickory. We haven't told anyone to boycott Union Square and its businesses. What we have said is that Union Square property and business owners need to pay for their own marketing and upkeep of their commercial interests and the conflicts of interests need to stop.. What is wrong with that belief? And why is Hickory Inc. doing the same things over and over again and believing that they are going to eventually come to a different result? Where is the evidence?

The whole interview is available above without editing, except for taking out the commercials. I hope you will give it a listen and I encourage you to call the Mayor and talk to him if that is your desire. 

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- September 30, 2012

Data that lives forever is possible: Japan's Hitachi - Phys.org - September 24, 2012 -  The company on Monday  unveiled a method of storing digital information on slivers of quartz  glass that can endure extreme temperatures and hostile conditions  without degrading, almost forever.  And for anyone who updated their LP collection onto CD, only to find  they then needed to get it all on MP3, a technology that never needs to  change might sound appealing.  "The volume of data being created every day is exploding, but in terms  of keeping it for later generations, we haven't necessarily improved  since the days we inscribed things on stones," Hitachi researcher  Kazuyoshi Torii said.                     "The possibility of losing information may actually have increased," he  said, noting the life of digital media currently available—CDs and hard  drives—is limited to a few decades or a century at most.  And the rapid development of technologies has resulted in frequent  changes of data-reading hardware.  "As you must have experienced, there is the problem that you cannot  retrieve information and data you managed to collect," said Torii,  apparently referring to now-obsolete record players and cine films.                          Hitachi's new technology stores data in binary form by creating dots  inside a thin sheet of quartz glass, which can be read with an ordinary  optical microscope.  Provided a computer with the know-how to understand that binary is  available—simple enough to programme, no matter how advanced computers  become—the data will always be readable, Torii said.  The prototype storage device is two centimetres (0.8 inches) square and  just two millimetres (0.08 inches) thick and made from quartz glass, a  highly stable and resilient material, used to make beakers and other  instruments for laboratory use.                      The chip, which is resistant to many chemicals and unaffected by radio  waves, can be exposed directly to high temperature flames and heated to  1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit) for at least two hours without  being damaged.  It is also waterproof, meaning it could survive natural calamities, such  as fires and tsunami.


US durable goods orders drop 13.2 percent in August, biggest decline in more than 3 years - Associated Press – September 27, 2012


Durable goods orders take worst monthly drop since recession - Reuters through MSNBC - September 27, 2012 - New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods in August fell by the most in 3-1/2 years, pointing to a sharp slowdown in factory activity even as a gauge of planned business spending rebounded.                    The Commerce Department said on Thursday durable goods orders dived 13.2 percent, the largest drop since January 2009, when the economy was in the throes of a recession. Orders for July were revised down to show a 3.3 percent increase instead of the previously reported 4.1 percent gain.                       Economists polled by Reuters had expected orders for durable goods -- items from toasters to aircraft that are meant to last at least three years -- to fall 5 percent.                     Last month, the drop in orders reflected weak aircraft and automobiles demand. Boeing received only one aircraft order in August, down from 260 in July, according to information posted on the plane maker's website.


Student-Loan Default Rates Rise as Federal Scrutiny Grows - Bloomberg - September 29, 2012 - More than one in 10 borrowers defaulted on their federal student loans, intensifying concern about a generation hobbled by $1 trillion in debt and the role of colleges in jacking up costs.                    The default rate, for the first three years that students are required to make payments, was 13.4 percent, with for-profit colleges reporting the worst results, the U.S. Education Department said today.                        The Education Department has revamped the way it reports student-loan defaults, which the government said had reached the highest level in 14 years. Previously, the agency reported the rate only for the first two years payments are required. Congress demanded a more comprehensive measure because of concern that colleges counsel students to defer payments to make default rates appear low.                 “Default rates are the tip of the iceberg of borrower distress,” said Pauline Abernathy, vice president of The Institute for College Access & Success, a nonprofit based in Oakland, California.                       The data follows complaints that commission-driven debt collectors the government hires aren’t telling students about affordable options to repay their debt, especially a plan that lets them make payments tied to their incomes. Students have borrowed $1 trillion to pay for higher education, surpassing credit-card debt.


The Next Subprime Crisis Is Here: Over $120 Billion In Federal Student Loans In Default - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - September 28, 2012 -   Whereas earlier today we presented one of the most exhaustive presentations on the state of the student debt bubble, one question that has always evaded greater scrutiny has been the very critical default rate for student borrowers: a number which few if any lenders and colleges openly disclose for fears the general public would comprehend not only the true extent of the student loan bubble, but that it has now burst. This is a question that we specifically posed a month ago when we asked "As HELOC delinquency rates hit a record, are student loans next?" Ironically in that same earlier post we showed a chart of default rates for federal loan borrowers that while rising was still not too troubling: as it turns out the reason why its was low is it was made using fudged data that drastically misrepresented the seriousness of the situation, dramatically undercutting the amount of bad debt in the system.                        Luckily, this is a question that has now been answered, courtesy of the Department of Education, which today for the first time ever released official three-year, or much more thorough than the heretofore standard two-year benchmark, federal student loan cohort default rates. The number, for all colleges, stood at a stunning 13.4% for the 2009 cohort. The number is stunning because it is nearly 50% greater than the old benchmark, which tracked a two year default cohort, and which was a "mere" 8.8% for the 2009 year. Broken down by type of education, and using the new improved, and much more realistic benchmark, for-profit institutions had the highest average three-year default rates at 22.7 percent, with public institutions following at 11 percent and private non-profit institutions at 7.5 percent. In other words, more than one in five federal student loans used to fund private for-profit education, is now in default and will likely never be repaid!
And while it is impossible using historical data to extrapolate with precision what the current consolidated federal student loan default rate is, we do know that there is now $914 billion in federal student loans (which also was mysteriously revised over 50% higher by the Fed just a month ago). Using simple inference, all else equal (and all else has certainly deteriorated), there is now at least $122 billion in federal student loan defaults. And surging every day.                  Ladies and gentlemen: meet the new subprime....

Young U.S. Adults Flock to Parents’ Homes Amid Economy - Bloomberg - Kathy Warbelow and Frank Bass - September 25, 2012 - The number of 26-year-olds living with parents has jumped almost 46 percent since 2007, according to Census Bureau data compiled by the University of Minnesota Population Center. Last year, the number of 18- to 30-year-olds living with their parents grew to 20.7 million, a 3.9 percent gain from 2010.                      The figures underscore the difficulty that millions of young people have had in finding jobs and starting careers in the U.S. following the longest recession since the Great Depression. About a quarter of American adults between the ages of 18 and 30 now live with parents, while intergenerational households have reached the highest level in more than 50 years....                      The number of unemployed Americans has surged 60 percent to about 12.5 million from 7.82 million in the first quarter of 2008, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The nation’s jobless rate, which peaked at 10 percent in October 2009, was 8.1 percent in August, compared with 5.1 percent in March 2008....


Americans Are Literally Being Worked To Death - The Economic Collapse Blog - Are you constantly tired and do you feel incredibly stressed almost all the time?  Well, that means that there is a really good chance that you are a typical American worker.  Even though our incomes are going down, Americans are spending more time at work than ever before.  In fact, U.S. workers spend more time at work than anyone else in the world.  But it was not always this way.  Back in 1970, the average work week for an American worker was about 35 hours.  Today, it is up to 46 hours.  But there are other major economies around the globe that are doing just fine without burning their workers out.  For example, the average American worker spends 378 more hours working per year than the average German worker does.  Sadly, for many Americans work is not even finished once they leave the office.  According to one recent survey, the average American worker spends an extra seven hours per week on work tasks such as checking emails and answering phone calls after normal work hours have finished.  Other Americans are juggling two or three jobs in a desperate attempt to make ends meet.  Americans are busier than ever and work is often pushing the other areas of our lives on to the back burner.  What this also means is that "family vacations" are becoming increasingly rare in the United States.  In fact, Americans spend less days on vacation than anyone else in the industrialized world.  While some would applaud our "work ethic", the truth is that the fact that we are being overworked is having some very serious consequences.  In fact, as you will see below, Americans are literally being worked to death...                            This is a sign that our society is going backwards.  Working class Americans are actually living significantly shorter lives than they used to.
Of course the garbage that passes for "food" these days certainly is not helping matters any, but that is a topic for another article.                              Sadly, those that are working themselves to death consider themselves to be the "lucky ones" in our society today.                      There are countless millions of other Americans that are sitting at home right now without a job.                      The mainstream media is trying to convince us that the unemployment rate has been falling, but that is a lie.  If the labor force participation rate was the same today as it was back when Barack Obama first took office, the unemployment rate in the United States would be 11.2 percent right now.
But that doesn't sound nearly as good as 8.1 percent sounds, right?                           And the percentage of working age Americans with a job is actually lower today than when the last recession supposedly ended.                             In this economic environment, most people are scared to death of losing the jobs that they currently have because they don't know if they will be able to get another one.                   During the month of August, the unemployment rate actually increased in 26 different U.S. states, and yet we are supposedly in the midst of "an economic recovery".
But the truth is that we are not better off than we were back during the last recession.  In fact, there are a whole host of statistics that indicate that things are getting worse.                      Unfortunately, much of the time people tend to forget that the horrible economic numbers that we are seeing have very substantial real life consequences.                    People that cannot find work and people that work very long hours for a very long period of time tend to be much more depressed than the population as a whole.                         And depression can often lead to suicide.  According to a recent Daily Mail article, more Americans now die from suicide than from car accidents....


Gasoline Supply Concerns Trump Crude SPR Rumors - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - September 28, 2012 - the end-product market has gone only one way for the last two weeks. Thanks to technical supply constraint concerns (refinery maintenance in the Atlantic Basin and supplies at their lowest in over four years) RBOB gasoline prices have jumped over 18% in the last few days as crude has drifted - which can only mean down-the-supply-chain price rises at the pump for car-drivers everywhere...

US East Coast Faces Severe Oil Shortages and High Prices as Refineries Close - Oilprice.com -By Post Carbon - March 7, 2012 



'Zombie Economy' May Give Markets a Scare in October- CNBC - Patti Domm - September 28, 2012 - After a surprisingly good performance in the third quarter, the thinking is the stock market is ready to pull back, especially after a few choppy sessions and a new batch of data that should continue to show a slow-moving, ‘zombie like’ economy. (Read More: September Bad for Stocks? Why It's Different This Time)                     Stocks logged the best third quarter performance since 2010. For the quarter, the Dow [.DJI  13437.13    -48.84  (-0.36%)   ] surged 4.32 percent and the S&P 500 [.SPX  1440.67    -6.48  (-0.45%)   ] soared 5.76 percent.                   The coming week could provide plenty of excuses to take profits, beginning with Monday’s ISM manufacturing data, again expected to show weakness in the sector.                           Manufacturing reports from China, over the weekend, and from Europe, also Monday, will provide a look at just how sluggish global activity has become. (Read More: Stocks to Ward Off China Slump?)                          Friday’s jobs report is expected to show the low level of job creation continued in September, after August’s 96,000 nonfarm payrolls. The U.S. election is also a focus this week, with the first presidential debate in the tight race Wednesday evening.                “I think the overarching thing is it’s the new quarter. What’s it mean? Did we experience any window dressing? It doesn’t feel like it to me,” said Art Hogan of Lazard Capital Partners. “To me, there’s more downside risk than upside risk.”              “I’m not sure what the catalyst is going to be, but we’re due,” said Hogan. (Read More: S&P 500 to Hit Record High in 2013—Strategist)                        Counterbalancing the disappointing economic news has been the willingness of global central banks to take action, and the Fed’s quantitative easing program is expected to provide a floor for the market if it does start to correct.


G. Edward Griffin - Psychiatry as a Political Weapon

CEGs first 5 proposals for a more representative City Council

Citizens for Equity Responds to CALL FROM UNC SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT PROFESSOR: 5 changes for more accountable, more representative city council

Following the historic September 18 referendum election for fair representation, UNC School of Government professor Michael Crowell advised that the high voter turnout and the close outcome of the election dictate that City council look at issues that brought about the referendum. To that end, Citizens for Equity in government, the group that secured signatures to force the referendum election, continues its work to bring about and promote more accountable, more representative local government by proposing the following changes to the current process of City government.


1) Move time for citizens requesting to be heard to the top of the agenda at City council meetings.

2) Demand that council members take conflict of interest matters more seriously.

3) Record and broadcast City council meetings via Charter Cable and the internet.

4) Restore citizen’s right to request that items be removed from the consent agenda.

5) Make “working agendas” available by Wednesday of each week before a City council meeting to give citizens time to be aware and prepare for meetings.


CEG members have offered to meet with City council to discuss these issues and are waiting for such a meeting to take place. In the meantime, we are looking at these five issues to determine how we can help council implement them.


Formed in March, 2011, Citizens for Equity in government is a non-partisan group of concerned citizens from every ward in the city. A grassroots organization, CEG engages in economic and social justice, educational and cultural efforts in the Hickory area. The CEG was founded to work on behalf of all disenfranchised citizens in the Hickory area. Our goal is to ensure participation and representation in the establishment of public policy.


CEG planning meetings are held weekly on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm at various locations around the city. Meetings are open to all who wish to improve representation at the local level. For information on upcoming meetings, call 828-308-4669 or email citizensforequity@gmail.com.

What the Referendum Stats show - Unity versus Liberty

What the Referendum Stats show - Unity versus Liberty

The following is a link to the referendum statistical breakdown that we put out last night.

Breaking down the Referendum Statistically

All of the 400+ vote precincts were the traditional block precincts; Ranked 1) Falling Creek - Lakeview Baptist 2) Oakland Heights - First Assembly 3) Viewmont 1 - St Luke's 4) Oakwood - Holy Trinity 5) Northwest - Neil Clark. Viewmont 2 - Mount Olive, the sixth largest voting precinct, fell just below the 400 vote threshold (378).

What the numbers show is that, we outsiders to the system are definitely making strides against the local political machine. When one looks at the percentages, the Yes advocates only got walloped (66%+) in three precincts; Viewmont 1 - St Luke's, Northwest - Neil Clark, and Oakwood - Holy Trinity. Those are the traditional blocks that the outsiders have faced in this community, but in this election those precincts represented 29.1% of the vote, where in the past they have represented 40% to 50% of the vote.

It is easy to talk about could of, would of, and should of, but when one looks at the vote totals of the non-traditional areas, one can see the road map to future voting endeavors in Hickory. Besides Mountain View, the Status Quo was walloped everywhere south of the tracks. These people hear and understand the Citizens for Equity in Government's message loud and clear. If Kenworth, Ridgeview, and Green Park had matched the traditional power base's numbers (400+ voters), then we would be talking about a different result of this referendum today.

The numbers don't lie; Kenworth (338 - 89%), Ridgeview (250 - 98%), and Green Park (190-78%). If you take those three areas alone and increase the voters to 400, you get Kenworth (62*.89 = 55 = +47), Ridgeview (150*.98 = 147 = +144  ), and Green Park (210*.78=163 = +117). As you can see, if the south side of Hickory takes ownership of their governance and starts getting out to vote on municipal issues, then it can make a difference. We are talking about a net of +308 votes, in just three precincts, that would have flipped this outcome.

I spoke about taking ownership of your governance at the SALT Block meeting that the CEG held in late July. That is a conservative principle of government that should be practiced across the political spectrum. What is done is done and we move forward on the precipice of making substantive changes that can move this City forward and we welcome all, from across the political spectrum, to take back the municipal government for the people and away from the vested special interests. It is time that the local government starts doing what is in the best interests of the whole of Hickory!

The CEG is not going anywhere. We have had further dialogue since the loss on the referendum and over the next several days, we will be unveiling steps that we feel are vital to move forward in the community. Unlike the idea of Unity, our mindset is to take into account and celebrate diversity of Ideas, Culture, and Socio-Economics.

Unity is defined as the state of being one. We are not and never will be one. We are individuals and each and everyone of us are unique. Usually, when leaders talk about being one, they mean falling in line and compromising principles under the goals and aspirations of a leader or leadership. The CEG has no interests in such an endeavor. Let's cut to the chase, such endeavors are totalitarian in nature and it is not, never has been, and never will be our goal to implement or participate in any such system. We want to disperse power, not consolidate it.

What have we learned and what are we learning? That some people just don't get it. Did they learn anything from this process? Can you see who really respects your rights and liberties? Does Hickory leadership really think that we go forward "business as usual?" as though nothing has happened?

The CEG goes forward in the interests of the people of Hickory. We have no interest in telling people what they should think. We are here to listen, learn, and educate ourselves and the people of this community about the issues we face and how we can move forward through compromise, consensus, and commitment. That is not Unity. That is Liberty.

Liberty - (Dictionary.com)

1. freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.

2. freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.

3. freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.

Unity -  (Dictionary.com)

1. the state of being one; oneness.

2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.

4. absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.

5. oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.