Back in late June, I received an e-mail of interesting links from a meeting that was attended by Mayor Rudy Wright in which he said some "vurry intursting" things. I alluded to one of the statements that really ticked me off, where he talks about the Hickory Daily Record article from June 2, 2013 related to Hickory being the 5th most miserable metropolitan area in the United States. He says that people are entitled to their opinions, but the paper doesn't have to (shouldn't) print them. He talks about "people called in with axes to grind" and belittles people -- many his constituents.
Hey Rudy, no one "called in." The paper asked questions on their website and in the hard edition. People responded and the paper utilized those responses to form an article. They had over 400 people respond to their poll that was on their website. That's a pretty respectable amount of respondents and that is probably what bothers you the most. The HDR did not create this story, as you state, their audience did. That is what any good business model does. They listen to their customers. Hickory Inc. should try that!
You can read about it here
Readers say Hickory area needs some work - June 2, 2013
Hound responds to HDR "Readers say Hickory area needs some work" - June 3, 2013
I received these e-mails from an anonymous source who goes by the name "Conover Crusader". It seems that whomever this is that they are doing a takeoff of some of my work. "Conover Crusader", you can get in touch with me again at the e-mail you sent this to the last time. I'd certainly like to talk or at least have some sort of correspondence.
Anyway, I think that y'all will find this more than interesting. It certainly doesn't sound like Mayor Wright thinks very much of the people who submit Letters to the Editor. We know that he wanted to have a meeting last week with the Hickory Daily Record staff. I assume that he did have that meeting. After that meeting was when the HDR came out with the article that had a headline about there being no basis to Joe Brannock's questions at the last City Council meeting. They also didn't allow Joe to respond to Alder Patton or to Mayor Wright's assertion that 'the law doesn't matter to Joe Brannock.'
The HDR article against Joe Brannock even showed that Bruce Meisner had appointed his business partner to the Rental Property task force that Joe had served on and this person was his business partner in the property in question that had been in violation of Code issues, and Alderman Meisner did indeed vote against the motion to beef up code enforcement that would have directly affected properties such as the one in question. So where is the logic in the "No Basis" summation by the HDR?
I am not pointing out any of this to take the HDR to task about what we have seen in the last week and a half. It is what it is. I do stand by the statement that they were the ones who brought the Conflict of Interest discussion into play, so why run scared? Logically one can see that the HDR is allowing themselves to be bullied by the local Powers That Be in this community. This has been going on for a long time. Maybe, we should see if Mr. Buffett likes his media entity being bullied. I just want to see a level playing field as we move forward into this election. Rudy and his Army will do everything to keep that from happening. And we will continue marching forward.
Who were the money interests???
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Monday, July 29, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- July 28, 2013
The Biggest Oil Discovery In 50 Years? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - July 23rd, 2013 - In a virtually uninhabitable section of South Australia, a discovery has been made which could rock the world. Some are calling it the biggest discovery of oil in 50 years. Earlier this year, a company called Linc Energy announced that tests had revealed that there was a minimum of 3.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent sitting under more than 65,000 square kilometres of land that it owns in the Arckaringa Basin. But that is the minimum number. It has been projected that there could ultimately be up to 233 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the area. If that turns out to be accurate, the oil sitting under that land is worth approximately 20 trillion dollars, and it would be roughly equivalent to the total amount of oil sitting under the sands of Saudi Arabia. In essence, it would be a massive game changer. If the 233 billion barrel figure is accurate (and some have even suggested that the true number could actually be 400 billion barrels), that would make it nearly 10 times larger than the Bakken formation, 17 times larger than the Marcellus discovery and 80 times larger than the Eagle Ford deposit down in Texas. It would also mean that Australia now has more "black gold" than the nations of Iran, Iraq, Canada and Venezuela. The closest town to this oil discovery, Coober Pedy, is in the process of being totally transformed. It normally only has about 1,700 inhabitants, but news of this discovery has drawn in 20,000 additional people already and real estate prices in the town are absolutely skyrocketing. So does all of this mean that gas prices will go down soon? Well, unfortunately that is not likely to be the case. First of all, the oil in this formation in Australia is going to be quite expensive to extract. It has been estimated that it is going to cost up to 300 million dollars just to get this site ready for production. In addition, many of our politicians are absolutely determined to greatly punish the use of oil because they believe that it is the primary cause of global warming. So they continue to raise taxes on gasoline consumption. Today, motorists in the United States pay an average of 49.5 cents of taxes per gallon of gasoline, and in the state of California motorists pay an average of 71.9 cents of taxes per gallon of gasoline. Hopefully the price of gasoline will come down a bit over the next few years, but even if it does I would not expect it to come down too much. But what we can be sure of is that the world is not going to run out of oil any time soon. Those that have been predicting that we are are on the verge of an "energy doomsday" can take a rest for a while. Sometimes it is funny to look back and remember some of the ridiculous things that our politicians were saying about oil in the old days. For example, U.S. President Jimmy Carter made the following statement back in 1977….
It Is Happening Again: 18 Similarities Between The Last Financial Crisis And Today - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - July 25th, 2013 - If our leaders could have recognized the signs ahead of time, do you think that they could have prevented the financial crisis of 2008? That is a very timely question, because so many of the warning signs that we saw just before and during the last financial crisis are popping up again. Many of the things that are happening right now in the stock market, the bond market, the real estate market and in the overall economic data are eerily similar to what we witnessed back in 2008 and 2009. It is almost as if we are being forced to watch some kind of a perverse replay of previous events, only this time our economy and our financial system are much weaker than they were the last time around. So will we be able to handle a financial crash as bad as we experienced back in 2008? What if it is even worse this time? Considering the fact that we have been through this kind of thing before, you would think that our leaders would be feverishly trying to keep it from happening again and the American people would be rapidly preparing to weather the coming storm. Sadly, none of that is happening. It is almost as if they cannot even see the disaster that is staring them right in the face. But without a doubt, disaster is coming. The following are 18 similarities between the last financial crisis and today... #1 According to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch equity strategy team, their big institutional clients are selling stock at a rate not seen "since 2008". #2 In 2008, stock prices had wildly diverged from where the economic fundamentals said that they should be. Now it has happened again....
McDonald's falls short, warns of tough year - McDonald's profit falls short of expectations, warns of challenging year ahead - Associated Press - Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer - July 22, 2013 - McDonald's Corp. is mixing up its menu to lure more customers but not enough of them are biting. The world's biggest hamburger chain on Monday reported a second-quarter profit that rose 4 percent but fell short of Wall Street expectations. It also said July sales are expected to be relatively flat and warned of a tough year ahead. Its stock edged down more than 2 percent at $98.05 in premarket trading. The company, based in Oak Brook, Ill., says global sales edged up 1 percent at restaurants open at least a year for the three months ended June 30. The figure rose by the same amount in the U.S., where the company has been trying to adapt to changing eating habits with items such as its new chicken wraps and egg-white breakfast sandwiches. But the tepid growth in the latest quarter reflect the challenges facing McDonald's, which for years had been a standout in the fast-food industry. Part of the problem is that economic conditions remain weak in many parts of the world. But another factor is that dining habits are changing, particularly in the U.S., with people increasingly opting for foods they feel are fresher, healthier or higher-quality.
Role Reversal: How the US Became the USSR — Paul Craig Roberts - July 23, 2013 - I spent the summer of 1961 behind the Iron Curtain. I was part of the US-USSR student exchange program. It was the second year of the program that operated under auspices of the US Department of State. Our return to the West via train through East Germany was interrupted by the construction of the Berlin Wall. We were sent back to Poland. The East German rail tracks were occupied with Soviet troop and tank trains as the Red Army concentrated in East Germany to face down any Western interference. Fortunately, in those days there were no neoconservatives. Washington had not grown the hubris it so well displays in the 21st century. The wall was built and war was avoided. The wall backfired on the Soviets. Both JFK and Ronald Reagan used it to good propaganda effect.
In those days America stood for freedom, and the Soviet Union for oppression. Much of this impression was created by Western propaganda, but there was some semblance to the truth in the image. The communists had a Julian Assange and an Edward Snowden of their own. His name was Cardinal Jozef Mindszenty, the leader of the Hungarian Catholic Church..
Paul Craig Roberts ~ The Total Destruction of America from Within
This video goes into the info from the article above and then goes further.
It Is Happening Again: 18 Similarities Between The Last Financial Crisis And Today - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - July 25th, 2013 - If our leaders could have recognized the signs ahead of time, do you think that they could have prevented the financial crisis of 2008? That is a very timely question, because so many of the warning signs that we saw just before and during the last financial crisis are popping up again. Many of the things that are happening right now in the stock market, the bond market, the real estate market and in the overall economic data are eerily similar to what we witnessed back in 2008 and 2009. It is almost as if we are being forced to watch some kind of a perverse replay of previous events, only this time our economy and our financial system are much weaker than they were the last time around. So will we be able to handle a financial crash as bad as we experienced back in 2008? What if it is even worse this time? Considering the fact that we have been through this kind of thing before, you would think that our leaders would be feverishly trying to keep it from happening again and the American people would be rapidly preparing to weather the coming storm. Sadly, none of that is happening. It is almost as if they cannot even see the disaster that is staring them right in the face. But without a doubt, disaster is coming. The following are 18 similarities between the last financial crisis and today... #1 According to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch equity strategy team, their big institutional clients are selling stock at a rate not seen "since 2008". #2 In 2008, stock prices had wildly diverged from where the economic fundamentals said that they should be. Now it has happened again....
McDonald's falls short, warns of tough year - McDonald's profit falls short of expectations, warns of challenging year ahead - Associated Press - Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer - July 22, 2013 - McDonald's Corp. is mixing up its menu to lure more customers but not enough of them are biting. The world's biggest hamburger chain on Monday reported a second-quarter profit that rose 4 percent but fell short of Wall Street expectations. It also said July sales are expected to be relatively flat and warned of a tough year ahead. Its stock edged down more than 2 percent at $98.05 in premarket trading. The company, based in Oak Brook, Ill., says global sales edged up 1 percent at restaurants open at least a year for the three months ended June 30. The figure rose by the same amount in the U.S., where the company has been trying to adapt to changing eating habits with items such as its new chicken wraps and egg-white breakfast sandwiches. But the tepid growth in the latest quarter reflect the challenges facing McDonald's, which for years had been a standout in the fast-food industry. Part of the problem is that economic conditions remain weak in many parts of the world. But another factor is that dining habits are changing, particularly in the U.S., with people increasingly opting for foods they feel are fresher, healthier or higher-quality.
Role Reversal: How the US Became the USSR — Paul Craig Roberts - July 23, 2013 - I spent the summer of 1961 behind the Iron Curtain. I was part of the US-USSR student exchange program. It was the second year of the program that operated under auspices of the US Department of State. Our return to the West via train through East Germany was interrupted by the construction of the Berlin Wall. We were sent back to Poland. The East German rail tracks were occupied with Soviet troop and tank trains as the Red Army concentrated in East Germany to face down any Western interference. Fortunately, in those days there were no neoconservatives. Washington had not grown the hubris it so well displays in the 21st century. The wall was built and war was avoided. The wall backfired on the Soviets. Both JFK and Ronald Reagan used it to good propaganda effect.
In those days America stood for freedom, and the Soviet Union for oppression. Much of this impression was created by Western propaganda, but there was some semblance to the truth in the image. The communists had a Julian Assange and an Edward Snowden of their own. His name was Cardinal Jozef Mindszenty, the leader of the Hungarian Catholic Church..
Paul Craig Roberts ~ The Total Destruction of America from Within
This video goes into the info from the article above and then goes further.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Hickory Daily Record rejected this response too
The Hickory Daily Record allowed Jill Patton and Rudy Wright to make statements about Joe Brannock and the CEG, but created barriers to not allow Joe Brannock to respond. All of what the HDR reported about what was said by Joe at the last City Council meeting is up to interpretation.
Reporter Tinkelenberg did nothing other than his job when he reported what Joe had said at that meeting. It is no different than saying that it was 81 degrees at 1pm today. Are the local Powers That Be going to get mad at the HDR reporter because they are mad about it being hot outside?
The Mayor is on record as saying that the HDR prints garbage and he basically says that they should censor the news apparently to fit the Authoritarian template. I gave the HDR the benefit of the doubt that they were going to show some independence; but once again, like Charlie Brown and kicking the football while Lucy is holding it, I was only fooling myself. The HDR isn't going to stand up to the bullies. We know that Mayor Wright was giving them the business this week and we assume that this has been an ongoing thing during his tenure.
Let the HDR fall in line and be subservient to their masters. We're gonna crank this thing back up again.
Joe Brannock made this submission the other day to the HDR. They told him they were going to publish it and then reneged by creating a candidate policy after the fact that apparently doesn't include incumbents. Thus Joe could not respond to personal statements made by Jill Patton and Rudy Wright. Once again understand that the HDR were the ones that ramped this Conflict of Interest stuff up a couple weeks ago and as soon as they got the least little pushback from the local Powers That Be, they go looking for a scapegoat to throw under the bus. How Manly!!!
Are we the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave or the Land of those who Flee and the Home of the Slaves?
Joe Brannock - submitted on July 22, 2013 to the Hickory Daily Record in response to a Sunday Letter to the Editor by Jill Patton that among other things labels him as the Chairman of the Citizens for Equity in Government:
In response to Mrs. Patton's comments in this past Sunday's paper I would like to point out that no accusations were made against her or anyone else. Questions were asked. It is not surprising that Mrs. Patton took offense to questions being asked, as that seems to be the typical response the City has when questioned.
Unlike Mrs. Patton, I am able to admit when I'm mistaken; as I did in the follow up HDR article concerning conflicts-of-interest. But let's talk about getting one's facts straight, Mrs. Patton. I have been and continue to be a spokesperson for the CEG, but I am NOT the Chairman. Had you ever taken the time to check that out rather than denigrate the CEG, you might know that.
Who helped Rudy get elected in 2001?
Reporter Tinkelenberg did nothing other than his job when he reported what Joe had said at that meeting. It is no different than saying that it was 81 degrees at 1pm today. Are the local Powers That Be going to get mad at the HDR reporter because they are mad about it being hot outside?
The Mayor is on record as saying that the HDR prints garbage and he basically says that they should censor the news apparently to fit the Authoritarian template. I gave the HDR the benefit of the doubt that they were going to show some independence; but once again, like Charlie Brown and kicking the football while Lucy is holding it, I was only fooling myself. The HDR isn't going to stand up to the bullies. We know that Mayor Wright was giving them the business this week and we assume that this has been an ongoing thing during his tenure.
Let the HDR fall in line and be subservient to their masters. We're gonna crank this thing back up again.
Joe Brannock made this submission the other day to the HDR. They told him they were going to publish it and then reneged by creating a candidate policy after the fact that apparently doesn't include incumbents. Thus Joe could not respond to personal statements made by Jill Patton and Rudy Wright. Once again understand that the HDR were the ones that ramped this Conflict of Interest stuff up a couple weeks ago and as soon as they got the least little pushback from the local Powers That Be, they go looking for a scapegoat to throw under the bus. How Manly!!!
Are we the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave or the Land of those who Flee and the Home of the Slaves?
Joe Brannock - submitted on July 22, 2013 to the Hickory Daily Record in response to a Sunday Letter to the Editor by Jill Patton that among other things labels him as the Chairman of the Citizens for Equity in Government:
In response to Mrs. Patton's comments in this past Sunday's paper I would like to point out that no accusations were made against her or anyone else. Questions were asked. It is not surprising that Mrs. Patton took offense to questions being asked, as that seems to be the typical response the City has when questioned.
Unlike Mrs. Patton, I am able to admit when I'm mistaken; as I did in the follow up HDR article concerning conflicts-of-interest. But let's talk about getting one's facts straight, Mrs. Patton. I have been and continue to be a spokesperson for the CEG, but I am NOT the Chairman. Had you ever taken the time to check that out rather than denigrate the CEG, you might know that.
Who helped Rudy get elected in 2001?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Reality - Trust No One - Verify Everything
I have watched and read programs over the past several years that state that if you want to find out what is going on in America then you have to watch foreign news sources and if foreign nations want to find out what is going on in their nations, then they have to watch American television. The same thing happens on the local level.
Everyone loves to point the finger at other communities... other parts of the government, but there is an unwillingness for self-introspection. That is cowardice. I just don't see how people can face themselves in the mirror when they can't even be honest with themselves. I know that I have made several mistakes along the way. I have made several bad investments and didn't take advantage of some opportunities afforded me. I have learned, but wonder if I will ever have those opportunities again.
I love my house; bought it nearly 8 years ago in August. I spent years saving the money to buy it. I didn't pay attention and look at the negative momentum in this community. It's supposed to be the American Dream. It has turned into American Bondage.
Buying this house was an investment in this community. It tied me down to this community. I was making more money back then and I bought this house for nearly $20,000 less than what it was on the market for and $7,000 less than what it had been appraised at. Does that not sound like a good investment to you? And yet, I feel like I had bad information all around and I failed to recognize that bad information. That is on me.
The younger generations, the Ys and Millenials, do not want to be tied down to what is called Real Estate. Real Property isn't "Real" when its price is not attached to "Real"ity. I understand marketing, but the premium in the "Real" property market created by marketing B.S. is creating a hindrance to the economic realities of the property markets in communities throughout this country and beyond, especially when you have all of this married to the idea that providing un"real"istic expectations, embellished and just plain bad information is somehow good for communities. And to have droves of arrogant Overlord types provided with inside information that they use for personal gain, at the average person's expense, goes against the trust needed in a Free Market Capitalist system.
This lack of self-regulation is what has led to the necessity for the burdensome regulation we see today. But, in the end, those regulations do not create harsh enough penalties to stop those they were intended to regulate in the first place. And usually they create barriers to entry that further help insiders, while keeping start-ups from entering into the marketplace, thus hurting overall economic progress.
(Wikipedia) - A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in another... The presence of a conflict of interest is independent from the execution of impropriety. Therefore, a conflict of interest can be discovered and voluntarily defused before any corruption occurs.
For those geniuses that might not understand, what the above says is that it is not about the violation resulting from the Conflict. It is about the acknowledgement of potential conflicts. Such acknowledgements lead to transparency and usually lead to the prevention of personal Acts of Conflicts of Interest. And at least the public is better informed. Too many times we see elected officials acting towards the interests of a select few at the expense of a great many; all the while telling us about how it is for our own good.
Why would young people want to invest in this community at this point in time? Why would active seniors want to invest in this community at this point in time? Why would you want to invest in a community that refuses to get real with itself -- that refuses any standard of accountability? Why would you want to invest in a community that believes we just need to tweak a few things and everything will be alright; a community that has created its own economic stagnation? A stagnation that has been going on for over a decade.
The Ys and the Millenials have voted with their feet. They aren't going to bind themselves to this community. They need to be flexible in the realities of this economy so that they can get to where the jobs are. That is what the statistics show. Of course I pointed to this before it became a trend and long before it was accepted. Now that this reality has been accepted, we are told that we just need to convince (ie market to) these young people that they should stay and give Hickory a chance. All of this at the same time that the people at the top of the socio-economic structure move their children out of the community and tell them not to look back, with those children very willingly obliging. In other words they aren't practicing what they are preaching. They have gotten their children to the lifeboats, while they are telling the rest of us to ignore that gash in the starboard side and go back to sleep. You can always tell people's character by whether they practice what they preach.
The good jobs are few and far between here. And even with good jobs, you will be paid less than market value in this community. And they brag about this in National Publications!!! Wow, what wonderful leadership. The "It's Good Enough" mentality. This is the reality of our local Underemployment Economic model. Educated people understand that. Why should a young person accept that? Why should they invest in a community that for years has refused to invest in them?
So what am I getting at? In this age of propaganda and rogue entities only representing their own self-interests and not looking out for the good of the ecosystem, you have to do more than due diligence to assess situations. You have to read between the lines. The days of common sense and ethical conduct are out the window. There is no face value. It's a free-for-all and the onus of expectations are going to be placed on the individual -- placed on you. The young people do not trust the people who have bred this lack of trust.
If you are honest and above board, you will find yourself at a disadvantage to those who do not accept practical codes of ethics. Unfairly, I and others that I associate with have definitely been held to a higher standard than others in this community are willing to accept for themselves. We accept that it is what it is and we will continue to refuse to make excuses and lower ourselves to their (lack of) standards and practices.
This is where Hickory is headed if we don't change.
Everyone loves to point the finger at other communities... other parts of the government, but there is an unwillingness for self-introspection. That is cowardice. I just don't see how people can face themselves in the mirror when they can't even be honest with themselves. I know that I have made several mistakes along the way. I have made several bad investments and didn't take advantage of some opportunities afforded me. I have learned, but wonder if I will ever have those opportunities again.
I love my house; bought it nearly 8 years ago in August. I spent years saving the money to buy it. I didn't pay attention and look at the negative momentum in this community. It's supposed to be the American Dream. It has turned into American Bondage.
Buying this house was an investment in this community. It tied me down to this community. I was making more money back then and I bought this house for nearly $20,000 less than what it was on the market for and $7,000 less than what it had been appraised at. Does that not sound like a good investment to you? And yet, I feel like I had bad information all around and I failed to recognize that bad information. That is on me.
The younger generations, the Ys and Millenials, do not want to be tied down to what is called Real Estate. Real Property isn't "Real" when its price is not attached to "Real"ity. I understand marketing, but the premium in the "Real" property market created by marketing B.S. is creating a hindrance to the economic realities of the property markets in communities throughout this country and beyond, especially when you have all of this married to the idea that providing un"real"istic expectations, embellished and just plain bad information is somehow good for communities. And to have droves of arrogant Overlord types provided with inside information that they use for personal gain, at the average person's expense, goes against the trust needed in a Free Market Capitalist system.
This lack of self-regulation is what has led to the necessity for the burdensome regulation we see today. But, in the end, those regulations do not create harsh enough penalties to stop those they were intended to regulate in the first place. And usually they create barriers to entry that further help insiders, while keeping start-ups from entering into the marketplace, thus hurting overall economic progress.
(Wikipedia) - A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in another... The presence of a conflict of interest is independent from the execution of impropriety. Therefore, a conflict of interest can be discovered and voluntarily defused before any corruption occurs.
For those geniuses that might not understand, what the above says is that it is not about the violation resulting from the Conflict. It is about the acknowledgement of potential conflicts. Such acknowledgements lead to transparency and usually lead to the prevention of personal Acts of Conflicts of Interest. And at least the public is better informed. Too many times we see elected officials acting towards the interests of a select few at the expense of a great many; all the while telling us about how it is for our own good.
Why would young people want to invest in this community at this point in time? Why would active seniors want to invest in this community at this point in time? Why would you want to invest in a community that refuses to get real with itself -- that refuses any standard of accountability? Why would you want to invest in a community that believes we just need to tweak a few things and everything will be alright; a community that has created its own economic stagnation? A stagnation that has been going on for over a decade.
The Ys and the Millenials have voted with their feet. They aren't going to bind themselves to this community. They need to be flexible in the realities of this economy so that they can get to where the jobs are. That is what the statistics show. Of course I pointed to this before it became a trend and long before it was accepted. Now that this reality has been accepted, we are told that we just need to convince (ie market to) these young people that they should stay and give Hickory a chance. All of this at the same time that the people at the top of the socio-economic structure move their children out of the community and tell them not to look back, with those children very willingly obliging. In other words they aren't practicing what they are preaching. They have gotten their children to the lifeboats, while they are telling the rest of us to ignore that gash in the starboard side and go back to sleep. You can always tell people's character by whether they practice what they preach.
The good jobs are few and far between here. And even with good jobs, you will be paid less than market value in this community. And they brag about this in National Publications!!! Wow, what wonderful leadership. The "It's Good Enough" mentality. This is the reality of our local Underemployment Economic model. Educated people understand that. Why should a young person accept that? Why should they invest in a community that for years has refused to invest in them?
So what am I getting at? In this age of propaganda and rogue entities only representing their own self-interests and not looking out for the good of the ecosystem, you have to do more than due diligence to assess situations. You have to read between the lines. The days of common sense and ethical conduct are out the window. There is no face value. It's a free-for-all and the onus of expectations are going to be placed on the individual -- placed on you. The young people do not trust the people who have bred this lack of trust.
If you are honest and above board, you will find yourself at a disadvantage to those who do not accept practical codes of ethics. Unfairly, I and others that I associate with have definitely been held to a higher standard than others in this community are willing to accept for themselves. We accept that it is what it is and we will continue to refuse to make excuses and lower ourselves to their (lack of) standards and practices.
This is where Hickory is headed if we don't change.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Two responses the Hickory Daily Record apparently refused
Submission to Letters to the Editor that the Hickory Daily Record refused to post relating to the issues about the Hickory City Council. By the way, the CEG had nothing to do with the articles the Hickory Daily Record put in the paper a couple of Sunday's ago. They are entitled to their opinion, but those examples of conflicts pale in comparison to some of the real issues that have gone on over the years.
You know that what the Hickory Daily Record original article, a couple Sunday's ago, showed was that there did not have to be a criminal intent for there to be conflicts of interest. We agree with that. Now all of the sudden they seem to have retreated to a position that there has to be an express financial gain to rise to being a "Conflict of Interest".
And now we see where the paper spoke to this issue and subsequently is falling all over itself retreating, which certainly is disappointing and shows that they have no interest in independent journalism. The Citizens for Equity in Government has certainly shown more respect to the Hickory Daily Record than Hickory Inc. ever has and yet they come to beat up on us on a regular basis, while constantly giving the local Hickory City Government a free pass and a platform. If we say something, then Hickory Inc. are allowed to respond. If they say something, we aren't allowed to respond.
I've held back on these, because the HDR was the proper forum for response, but since they want to censor relevant responses to issues in which people and organizations have been spoken of, here you go.
From Harry Hipps - submitted July 11, 2013:
There are many people who respect Sally Fox, of the Hickory City Council, for her efforts in the community over the years. I respect her and I believe Mrs. Fox when she thinks that she has done nothing wrong. But, the intent does not match the reality of what defines a "Conflict of Interest".
Mrs. Fox as much as admits that she steered the Farmer's Market to Union Square. There were many who wanted it located on Spring's Road. Mrs. Fox's multiple hats on the Farmer's Market Board, Downtown Development Association, City Council Member, and Union Square shop owner skewed the outcome.
We also know that Jill Patton wears as many Board hats as Mrs. Fox; formerly being on the boards of the Farmer's Market, Lake Hickory Country Club, Bank of Granite, and now the Rotary Chair. Along with Mrs. Fox they demanded and got the Million Dollar "Sails on the Square".
This cross pollination of these various interests have tilted the decision making process in Hickory towards Property and Business Owners in the immediate vicinity of Union Square at the expense of the rest of this community. Areas only a few blocks from Union Square have been ignored and fallen into disrepair.
We have seen multi-millions of dollars pumped into Union Square over the past two decades and we are constantly told that it isn't enough. We have even seen the Parking Fund monies, created to expand parking capacity, misappropriated according to the ordinance that created it. That was the fund used for this structure. And the City still hasn't been forthright about the associated costs.
The question begs to be asked. At what point do the bail outs of Union Square end? At what point does Union Square stand on its own feet?
From James Thomas Shell - July 23, 2013:
In reading Jill Patton's Letter from Sunday, I have issues with some of her assertions. No one can deny that she has the support of her ward, which originated from her steadfast doggedness on the Lowe's Home Improvement in Viewmont matter. An issue, which over time has proven her to be wrong, in my opinion.
I stood behind the HDR reporter the other night as Mrs. Patton made a beeline to berate him for not coming to city officials first about his queries and told him how ugly he had been to her in the story he had written. I too have been a subject of this anger in the past, when Mrs. Patton and I have had disagreements.
No one is out to embarrass Mrs. Patton. We're interested in how our local government is functioning. Jill certainly had no problem telling everyone that the local government was dysfunctional back in 2005. Now that she is on the inside, it seems she believes her government can do no wrong.
Yeah, Mrs. Patton and Mr. Seaver recused themselves from the votes for those loans for their kids. But it certainly doesn't look right when city officials procure these city funded, first time homebuyer loans for their children, when 99% of the people don't even know they exist. That reeks of the type of insider politics that many of us are tired of!
Jill, this type of scrutiny comes with that seat you hold. We all have had personal, emotional ups and downs with what goes into the paper. I hope that the HDR will continue to allow Mr. Tinkelenberg to move forward and keep doing his job like any good independent journalist is supposed to do! Because he is doing it well.
You know that what the Hickory Daily Record original article, a couple Sunday's ago, showed was that there did not have to be a criminal intent for there to be conflicts of interest. We agree with that. Now all of the sudden they seem to have retreated to a position that there has to be an express financial gain to rise to being a "Conflict of Interest".
And now we see where the paper spoke to this issue and subsequently is falling all over itself retreating, which certainly is disappointing and shows that they have no interest in independent journalism. The Citizens for Equity in Government has certainly shown more respect to the Hickory Daily Record than Hickory Inc. ever has and yet they come to beat up on us on a regular basis, while constantly giving the local Hickory City Government a free pass and a platform. If we say something, then Hickory Inc. are allowed to respond. If they say something, we aren't allowed to respond.
I've held back on these, because the HDR was the proper forum for response, but since they want to censor relevant responses to issues in which people and organizations have been spoken of, here you go.
From Harry Hipps - submitted July 11, 2013:
There are many people who respect Sally Fox, of the Hickory City Council, for her efforts in the community over the years. I respect her and I believe Mrs. Fox when she thinks that she has done nothing wrong. But, the intent does not match the reality of what defines a "Conflict of Interest".
Mrs. Fox as much as admits that she steered the Farmer's Market to Union Square. There were many who wanted it located on Spring's Road. Mrs. Fox's multiple hats on the Farmer's Market Board, Downtown Development Association, City Council Member, and Union Square shop owner skewed the outcome.
We also know that Jill Patton wears as many Board hats as Mrs. Fox; formerly being on the boards of the Farmer's Market, Lake Hickory Country Club, Bank of Granite, and now the Rotary Chair. Along with Mrs. Fox they demanded and got the Million Dollar "Sails on the Square".
This cross pollination of these various interests have tilted the decision making process in Hickory towards Property and Business Owners in the immediate vicinity of Union Square at the expense of the rest of this community. Areas only a few blocks from Union Square have been ignored and fallen into disrepair.
We have seen multi-millions of dollars pumped into Union Square over the past two decades and we are constantly told that it isn't enough. We have even seen the Parking Fund monies, created to expand parking capacity, misappropriated according to the ordinance that created it. That was the fund used for this structure. And the City still hasn't been forthright about the associated costs.
The question begs to be asked. At what point do the bail outs of Union Square end? At what point does Union Square stand on its own feet?
From James Thomas Shell - July 23, 2013:
In reading Jill Patton's Letter from Sunday, I have issues with some of her assertions. No one can deny that she has the support of her ward, which originated from her steadfast doggedness on the Lowe's Home Improvement in Viewmont matter. An issue, which over time has proven her to be wrong, in my opinion.
I stood behind the HDR reporter the other night as Mrs. Patton made a beeline to berate him for not coming to city officials first about his queries and told him how ugly he had been to her in the story he had written. I too have been a subject of this anger in the past, when Mrs. Patton and I have had disagreements.
No one is out to embarrass Mrs. Patton. We're interested in how our local government is functioning. Jill certainly had no problem telling everyone that the local government was dysfunctional back in 2005. Now that she is on the inside, it seems she believes her government can do no wrong.
Yeah, Mrs. Patton and Mr. Seaver recused themselves from the votes for those loans for their kids. But it certainly doesn't look right when city officials procure these city funded, first time homebuyer loans for their children, when 99% of the people don't even know they exist. That reeks of the type of insider politics that many of us are tired of!
Jill, this type of scrutiny comes with that seat you hold. We all have had personal, emotional ups and downs with what goes into the paper. I hope that the HDR will continue to allow Mr. Tinkelenberg to move forward and keep doing his job like any good independent journalist is supposed to do! Because he is doing it well.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- July 21, 2013
Share This Chart With Anyone That Believes The U.S. Economy Is Not Going To Crash - Michael Snyder, on July 21st, 2013 - Anyone that thinks that the U.S. economy can keep going along like this is absolutely crazy. We are in the terminal phase of an unprecedented debt spiral which has allowed us to live far, far beyond our means for the last several decades. Unfortunately, all debt spirals eventually end, and they usually do so in a very disorderly manner. The chart that you are about to see is one of my favorite economic charts. It compares the growth of U.S. GDP to the growth of total debt in the United States. Yes, U.S. GDP has certainly grown at a decent pace over the years, but our total debt has absolutely exploded. 40 years ago, the total amount of debt in our system (government debt + corporate debt + consumer debt, etc.) was about 2 trillion dollars. Today it has grown to more than 56 trillion dollars. Our debt has grown at a much, much faster rate than our economy has, and there is no way in the world that we will be able to continue to do that for long. Posted below is the chart that I was talking about. The blue line is our total debt, and the red line is our GDP. As you can see, this chart kind of speaks for itself..
Now That Detroit’s Gone Bust, Is Your City Next? - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - July 20, 2013
Bernanke Confirms: “If We Were To Tighten Policy, The Economy Would Tank” - SHTFPlan - Mac Slavo - July 18th, 2013 - Financial analysts have opined that the United States is well on the road to recovery. They cite various data points to make the case that the multi-trillion dollar bailouts and stimulus have brought us back from the brink of a collapse so serious that Congressional leaders had been told that should the bailouts fail, there was a real possibility of martial law being declared.
We’re doing so well, in fact, that just a couple of years ago President Obama assured the nation of our progress, claiming that we “reversed the recession, avoided a depression, [and] got the economy moving again.” But were one to take a step back from the rhetoric of talking heads, political leaders and so-called Wall Street experts, a completely different picture begins to emerge.
Just this week it was announced that not only are housing starts plummeting, but permit applications reported their “largest miss in history,” an indicator that the economy is not as healthy as it has been made out to be. And, while stock markets are hitting all-time record highs, what’s curious is that some of the world’s largest companies, including Intel, IBM, Google, Ebay and FedEx, are reporting significant consumer pull back and earnings below analyst expectations. And if that hasn’t convinced you, then here is the reality of the situation directly from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, the architect of the most massive economic recovery “plan” ever devised in the history of the world.
If We Don’t Break Up the Big Banks, They Will Manipulate More and More of the Economy … Making Us Poorer and Poorer - WashingtonsBlog - July 21, 2013 -
A Truckers anecdotal evidence on the economy
Now That Detroit’s Gone Bust, Is Your City Next? - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - July 20, 2013
Housing recovery leaves young adults behind - USA Today - July 17, 2013 - Between 2006 and 2011, those 25-34 experienced the largest decline in home ownership rates in the country, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Census Bureau data. High unemployment and debt loads are just some of the factors, but have led to a decreased ability to save for a down payment or qualify for a mortgage.
Bernanke Confirms: “If We Were To Tighten Policy, The Economy Would Tank” - SHTFPlan - Mac Slavo - July 18th, 2013 - Financial analysts have opined that the United States is well on the road to recovery. They cite various data points to make the case that the multi-trillion dollar bailouts and stimulus have brought us back from the brink of a collapse so serious that Congressional leaders had been told that should the bailouts fail, there was a real possibility of martial law being declared.
We’re doing so well, in fact, that just a couple of years ago President Obama assured the nation of our progress, claiming that we “reversed the recession, avoided a depression, [and] got the economy moving again.” But were one to take a step back from the rhetoric of talking heads, political leaders and so-called Wall Street experts, a completely different picture begins to emerge.
Just this week it was announced that not only are housing starts plummeting, but permit applications reported their “largest miss in history,” an indicator that the economy is not as healthy as it has been made out to be. And, while stock markets are hitting all-time record highs, what’s curious is that some of the world’s largest companies, including Intel, IBM, Google, Ebay and FedEx, are reporting significant consumer pull back and earnings below analyst expectations. And if that hasn’t convinced you, then here is the reality of the situation directly from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, the architect of the most massive economic recovery “plan” ever devised in the history of the world.
If We Don’t Break Up the Big Banks, They Will Manipulate More and More of the Economy … Making Us Poorer and Poorer - WashingtonsBlog - July 21, 2013 -
A Truckers anecdotal evidence on the economy
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of July 16, 2013
I began recording the City Council late last year, because of my desire that the City do it on their own as any modern 21st century community began doing long ago. I had people tell me that they couldn't make it to the meetings, but they would like to see what is going on. I was also told by some council members that my summaries did not truly reflect the record, so having a video/audio recording cannot be misinterpreted.
So below is the City Council meeting. Beside each agenda item, you will see the minute:second. You can drag the marker on the video display to the point in the broadcast that you are interested in seeing.
Agenda about the City Council meeting of July 16, 2013
Special Presentations
A. Presentation of Business Well Crafted Award to Johnson Piano Exchange - (1:20)
B. Presentation of Retiring Members of Volunteer Boards and Commissions - (7:00)
C. Presentation of the 17th Consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Hickory by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) - (13:35)
D. Presentation from Business Development Committee Member - Ryan Lovern (16:20) speaks about Real Estate process and planning changes in the City of Hickory.
Persons Requesting to be Heard (23:00)
Addendum Citizens Requesting to be Heard
Consent Agenda (47:30)
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Rezoning Petition 13-09 for the Property Located at 3254 NC Hwy 127 South, Hickory. - (48:00) - Presentation by Shimari Myer (spelling?)
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Agreement for Agile Specialty Inc., dba Dennison Precision Machine Co. - (51:50) - Dave Leonetti presentation
2. Catawba County Gang Initiative Hickory Police Department will update Council on the Catawba County Gang Initiative. (56:30) - Presentations
3. Legal Counsel Advisory Opinion on Conflict of Interest Policy.
(1:06:30) - City Staff Attorney Arnita Dula Presentation
Conflict of Interest Documents from the HDR article of July 7, 2013
I will let this presentation stand by itself without any more said than above. What Arnita Dula presents here is Hickory Inc.'s opinion and they are not the final arbiters of what is and what isn't conflicts of interest. The final arbiters will be the public.
So below is the City Council meeting. Beside each agenda item, you will see the minute:second. You can drag the marker on the video display to the point in the broadcast that you are interested in seeing.
Agenda about the City Council meeting of July 16, 2013
Special Presentations
A. Presentation of Business Well Crafted Award to Johnson Piano Exchange - (1:20)
B. Presentation of Retiring Members of Volunteer Boards and Commissions - (7:00)
C. Presentation of the 17th Consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Hickory by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) - (13:35)
D. Presentation from Business Development Committee Member - Ryan Lovern (16:20) speaks about Real Estate process and planning changes in the City of Hickory.
Persons Requesting to be Heard (23:00)
Addendum Citizens Requesting to be Heard
Consent Agenda (47:30)
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Rezoning Petition 13-09 for the Property Located at 3254 NC Hwy 127 South, Hickory. - (48:00) - Presentation by Shimari Myer (spelling?)
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Agreement for Agile Specialty Inc., dba Dennison Precision Machine Co. - (51:50) - Dave Leonetti presentation
2. Catawba County Gang Initiative Hickory Police Department will update Council on the Catawba County Gang Initiative. (56:30) - Presentations
3. Legal Counsel Advisory Opinion on Conflict of Interest Policy.
(1:06:30) - City Staff Attorney Arnita Dula Presentation
Conflict of Interest Documents from the HDR article of July 7, 2013
I will let this presentation stand by itself without any more said than above. What Arnita Dula presents here is Hickory Inc.'s opinion and they are not the final arbiters of what is and what isn't conflicts of interest. The final arbiters will be the public.
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