Had to share something that was forwarded to my e-mail inbox... My assessment. SPOT ON!
February 3, 2014
Dear Editor:
As a Black man in America, I find it appalling that the University of North Carolina’s Black Caucus would choose to issue a declaration of support to defend the UNC even after the University admitted that it “cheated young Black men” out of the best education possible on its campus.
James Dean, UNC executive vice chancellor and provost of UNC, told Bloomberg Businessweek the university offered phony classes for decades, and "Horrible things happened that I’m ashamed of." UNC Chancellor Carol Folt, who only took office in 2013, admitted to UNC trustees that the flagship university failed students for years with a lack of academic oversight.
Even after these admissions of destroying the academic lives of mostly young Black male student/athletes, the Carolina Black Caucus, comprised of Black UNC faculty and staff, defended the University of North Carolina and its destructive actions. Their declaration in support of UNC is more of a “cheer” for their jobs than a principled-stand on the issue of successfully educating all UNC students.
Maybe these esteemed faculty and staff of the Carolina Black Caucus don’t realize that their university students are not just competing among themselves in the big cities and small towns of North Carolina. Maybe they don’t understand that being globally competent is a much “bigger game” to win than football or basketball!
I am appalled by and ashamed of the faculty and staff at UNC, but I am not surprised! This declaration of support is the kind of action I expect from people who have lost touch with the history of Black people in America and have forgotten what it took for Black people to be admitted to attend schools like UNC. These professional men and women are not scholars and leaders; they are cowards!
Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Education show that only 12% of 8th-grade black boys in Charlotte, North Carolina can read at a proficient level. If the 88% of Black boys in Charlotte who cannot read at a proficient level are lucky enough to win a basketball or football scholarship to UNC, the Carolina Black Caucus will be there to cheer them on, but not to guarantee that they will become functionally literate when, and if, they graduate from UNC.
The University of North Carolina is not the only college in America taking advantage of Black student/athletes for the sake of sports revenue. However, as of today, the Black faculty and staff at the University of North Carolina are the only Black faculty and staff openly encouraging their institution to exploit Black students!
Sincerely,
Phillip Jackson
Executive Director
The Black Star Project
3509 South King Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60653
773.285.9600 phone
Blackstar1000@ameritech.net
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNC Academic Fraud Scandal Sparks Racial Recriminations - Bloomberg Businessweek - Paul M. Barrett - February 4, 2014
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- February 2, 2014
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts interview on King World News - Former US Treasury Official, Co-Founder of Reaganomics, Economist & Acclaimed Author - February 1, 2014 - Emerging Market mess created by the Fed created financial chaos (manipulated markets)... Destabilizing other currencies to bolster the Dollar... Gold investors need to consider a downturning economy and deflation. Will the Fed reinstitute and expand Quantitative Easing. The Fed will do this depending on the state of the Dollar in relation to the economy. Russia is considering flushing Dollars out of the system. Other counntries are doing this and moving towards the Chinese Yuan... If we bail out the banks it may cause the end of the dollar as the World Reserve Currency... In the end the Banks have to go or the Dollar has to go. This is the big decision. Will be made (most likely) by June... The biggest danger in the World is the U.S. desire for World Hegemony that can lead to Nuclear War... The biggest Financial concern is the loss of the Dollar as the World Reserve Currency. Does the Fed choose to save the Dollar or save the banks... China is creating value through Manufacturing. The World now wants to hold Yuan. China is in a solid position, especially compared to U.S. Financial exposure. (King World News Interview)
Movement is Life-Catherine Austin Fitts - USA Watchdog.com - Greg Hunter - January 27, 2014 - Investment advisor Catherine Austin Fitts knows the economy is bad, but not all bad. She says, “There are many aspects of the economy where the fundamentals are dreadful, and there are certainly parts of the economy collapsing in an evolving implosion.” Fitts contends capital has shifted out of the old system and into a new system that is high tech and rapidly evolving. Fitts explains, “One of the things that is keeping the slow burn going is that money flowing into the new system is being reinvested, and those parts of the economy are not only growing but growing strongly. . . . . You need to see the fact that we have a global 2.0, which is essentially bankrupt; and we have a global 3.0, which is rich with resources and growing dramatically. . . . The reinvestment in global 3.0 is now accelerating at rapid speeds, and I think it is going surprise everybody of how dramatic the changes are going to be.” Fitts says you can sum up what to do with a line from last year’s Brad Pitt movie about zombies. Fitts says, “Movement is life. It is unbelievable in importance that we all be prepared to shift. When you have this very deep and dramatic shift in technology and investment flows that ripple through all aspects of our lives. . . . So, the guys that are going to be the winners are the guys that can get the high learning speeds.” What is one of the biggest changes coming? Fitts says, “In September of 2011, there were approximately 800 million people on smart phones or tablets or desktops around the world. . . . Since September 2011, another half a billion people have gotten onto smart phones and tablets. . . .That’s astonishing because we have 1.2 billion people on smart phones and tablets who are one market in theory. That’s new. Never in the history of the world have we had 1.2 billion people who shared membership in one consumer market.”
Nearly Half of America Lives Paycheck-to-Paycheck - Time - Christopher Matthews - January 30, 2014 - The economic picture is looking brighter these days. The federal government announced Thursday that economic growth had picked up to its fastest pace in two years, while employment growth over the past five months has averaged a healthy 185,000 new jobs. But as evidenced by a report out Thursday from the Corporation for Enterprise Development, nearly half of Americans are living in a state of “persistent economic insecurity,” that makes it “difficult to look beyond immediate needs and plan for a more secure future.” In other words, too many of us are living paycheck to paycheck. The CFED calls these folks “liquid asset poor,” and its report finds that 44% of Americans are living with less than $5,887 in savings for a family of four. The plight of these folks is compounded by the fact that the recession ravaged many Americans’ credit scores to the point that now 56% percent of us have subprime credit. That means that if emergencies arise, many Americans are forced to resort to high-interest debt from credit cards or payday loans. And this financial insecurity isn’t just affected the lower classes. According to the CFED, one-quarter of middle-class households also fall into the category of “liquid asset poor.” Geographically, most of the economically insecure are clustered in the South and West, with Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, and Arkansas being the states with the highest percentage of financially insecure.
States see record high in long-term joblessness - Pew/Stateline Though USA Today - Jake Grovum - February 1, 2014 - In 28 states, a third or more of the unemployed have been without a job for six months or longer, leaving them with no unemployment insurance safety net following the expiration of extended benefits in December. In New Jersey, Florida and the District of Columbia, nearly half of the unemployed have been out of work for longer than 26 weeks, according to an analysis from the Economic Policy Institute of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among all 50 states and D.C., the average is 33%. Before the Great Recession, the highest the long-term joblessness share ever reached was 26% in mid-1983, according to the EPI analysis. Today, 41 states and D.C. have shares of long-term unemployment above that level.
Economy’s sticky problem: Older and jobless - CNBC - Allison Linn - January 31, 2014 -
How the GOP lost Middle America - Pat Buchanan explains impact of Republican Party 'selling its soul to the multinationals' - World Net Daily Commentary - January 31, 2014 - Out of the Republican retreat on Maryland’s Eastern shore comes word that the House leadership is raising the white flag of surrender on immigration. The GOP will agree to halt the deportation of 12 million illegal aliens and sign on to a blanket amnesty. It only asks that the 12 million not be put on a path to citizenship. Sorry, but losers do not dictate terms. Rich Trumka of the AFL-CIO says amnesty is no longer enough. Illegal aliens must be put on a path to citizenship and given green cards to work – and join unions. Rep. Paul Ryan and the Wall Street Journal are for throwing in the towel. Legalize them all and start them on the path to citizenship. A full and final capitulation. Let’s get it over with. To understand why and how the Republican Party lost Middle America, and faces demographic death, we need to go back to Bush I...
Wal-Mart: Food Stamp Cuts Hurt Our Profits - Wal-Mart’s CFO practically admits that the company largely benefits at the expense of taxpayers - Infowars.com - Kit Daniels - January 31, 2014 - Wal-Mart announced today that cuts in a federal food stamp program as well as record cold temperatures hurt its fourth quarter profits. After previously reporting “relatively flat” sales for the quarter, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. now says that sales for its namesake store and its Sam’s Club locations would be “slightly negative” for the November-January quarter, according to Agence France-Presse. Wal-Mart’s Chief Financial Officer, Charles Holley, blamed the revised forecast on deeper-than-expected cuts to the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the extreme cold weather occurring in the past month. On Nov. 1, the federal government cut $5 billion from the SNAP program due to a planned stimulus withdrawal, which resulted in an average loss of $36 a month for each of the almost 50 million Americans on the program, including many of Wal-Mart’s own employees. Taxpayers are subsidizing Wal-Mart through an endless cycle of purchases made through welfare benefits and public assistance given to supplement its workers’ low wages. A study released last year found that nearly $1 million in public assistance a year went to 300 employees at just one Wal-Mart Supercenter in Wisconsin. Employees at another Wal-Mart in Ohio were asked this past Thanksgiving to donate food items for their co-workers in need so they could also enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. “This is a perfect example that shows how the quality of the jobs in this country has gone down the toilet,” Michael Snyder wrote on the subject.
James Turk: We’re Living Within A Money Bubble of Epic Proportion - Investment Watch - Chris Martenson - January 26th, 2014 - James Turk believes the time we live in now will be studied by future historians for generations to come. Just as we today marvel at the collective madness that resulted in the South Sea and Dutch tulip manias, our age will be known as the era when society lost sight of what money really is. And as result, the wrong kinds of wealth — today, that’s mostly financial assets — are valued and pursued. And just like those bubbles from centuries ago, when the current asset boom goes bust, the value of paper wealth will vaporize. In contrast, those holding tangible productive assets or real money will fare much better on a relative basis. James and co-author John Rubino (of DollarCollapse.com) have recently published a new book covering the details of this prediction called The Money Bubble: What To Do Before It Pops. Within it, they delve into the reasons for why the world is destined for what Ludwig von Mises termed a “crack up boom”:
Movement is Life-Catherine Austin Fitts - USA Watchdog.com - Greg Hunter - January 27, 2014 - Investment advisor Catherine Austin Fitts knows the economy is bad, but not all bad. She says, “There are many aspects of the economy where the fundamentals are dreadful, and there are certainly parts of the economy collapsing in an evolving implosion.” Fitts contends capital has shifted out of the old system and into a new system that is high tech and rapidly evolving. Fitts explains, “One of the things that is keeping the slow burn going is that money flowing into the new system is being reinvested, and those parts of the economy are not only growing but growing strongly. . . . . You need to see the fact that we have a global 2.0, which is essentially bankrupt; and we have a global 3.0, which is rich with resources and growing dramatically. . . . The reinvestment in global 3.0 is now accelerating at rapid speeds, and I think it is going surprise everybody of how dramatic the changes are going to be.” Fitts says you can sum up what to do with a line from last year’s Brad Pitt movie about zombies. Fitts says, “Movement is life. It is unbelievable in importance that we all be prepared to shift. When you have this very deep and dramatic shift in technology and investment flows that ripple through all aspects of our lives. . . . So, the guys that are going to be the winners are the guys that can get the high learning speeds.” What is one of the biggest changes coming? Fitts says, “In September of 2011, there were approximately 800 million people on smart phones or tablets or desktops around the world. . . . Since September 2011, another half a billion people have gotten onto smart phones and tablets. . . .That’s astonishing because we have 1.2 billion people on smart phones and tablets who are one market in theory. That’s new. Never in the history of the world have we had 1.2 billion people who shared membership in one consumer market.”
Nearly Half of America Lives Paycheck-to-Paycheck - Time - Christopher Matthews - January 30, 2014 - The economic picture is looking brighter these days. The federal government announced Thursday that economic growth had picked up to its fastest pace in two years, while employment growth over the past five months has averaged a healthy 185,000 new jobs. But as evidenced by a report out Thursday from the Corporation for Enterprise Development, nearly half of Americans are living in a state of “persistent economic insecurity,” that makes it “difficult to look beyond immediate needs and plan for a more secure future.” In other words, too many of us are living paycheck to paycheck. The CFED calls these folks “liquid asset poor,” and its report finds that 44% of Americans are living with less than $5,887 in savings for a family of four. The plight of these folks is compounded by the fact that the recession ravaged many Americans’ credit scores to the point that now 56% percent of us have subprime credit. That means that if emergencies arise, many Americans are forced to resort to high-interest debt from credit cards or payday loans. And this financial insecurity isn’t just affected the lower classes. According to the CFED, one-quarter of middle-class households also fall into the category of “liquid asset poor.” Geographically, most of the economically insecure are clustered in the South and West, with Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, and Arkansas being the states with the highest percentage of financially insecure.
States see record high in long-term joblessness - Pew/Stateline Though USA Today - Jake Grovum - February 1, 2014 - In 28 states, a third or more of the unemployed have been without a job for six months or longer, leaving them with no unemployment insurance safety net following the expiration of extended benefits in December. In New Jersey, Florida and the District of Columbia, nearly half of the unemployed have been out of work for longer than 26 weeks, according to an analysis from the Economic Policy Institute of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among all 50 states and D.C., the average is 33%. Before the Great Recession, the highest the long-term joblessness share ever reached was 26% in mid-1983, according to the EPI analysis. Today, 41 states and D.C. have shares of long-term unemployment above that level.
Economy’s sticky problem: Older and jobless - CNBC - Allison Linn - January 31, 2014 -
Let's say you're the boss, and you have an opening for a widget maker. Are you going to choose the person who has been making widgets at your competitor's plant every day for the past two years, or the one who's made lots of widgets in the past—but hasn't worked anywhere for two years? Economists say one big problem with the nation's weak economic recovery is that too many employers have the luxury of choosing the person who's already making widgets—and that's leaving those who are already out of work behind. "If you're not working—and you're not improving your credentials—it's harder to find a job. That's just simply reality," said Joel Naroff, chief economist with Naroff Economic Advisors.
How the GOP lost Middle America - Pat Buchanan explains impact of Republican Party 'selling its soul to the multinationals' - World Net Daily Commentary - January 31, 2014 - Out of the Republican retreat on Maryland’s Eastern shore comes word that the House leadership is raising the white flag of surrender on immigration. The GOP will agree to halt the deportation of 12 million illegal aliens and sign on to a blanket amnesty. It only asks that the 12 million not be put on a path to citizenship. Sorry, but losers do not dictate terms. Rich Trumka of the AFL-CIO says amnesty is no longer enough. Illegal aliens must be put on a path to citizenship and given green cards to work – and join unions. Rep. Paul Ryan and the Wall Street Journal are for throwing in the towel. Legalize them all and start them on the path to citizenship. A full and final capitulation. Let’s get it over with. To understand why and how the Republican Party lost Middle America, and faces demographic death, we need to go back to Bush I...
Wal-Mart: Food Stamp Cuts Hurt Our Profits - Wal-Mart’s CFO practically admits that the company largely benefits at the expense of taxpayers - Infowars.com - Kit Daniels - January 31, 2014 - Wal-Mart announced today that cuts in a federal food stamp program as well as record cold temperatures hurt its fourth quarter profits. After previously reporting “relatively flat” sales for the quarter, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. now says that sales for its namesake store and its Sam’s Club locations would be “slightly negative” for the November-January quarter, according to Agence France-Presse. Wal-Mart’s Chief Financial Officer, Charles Holley, blamed the revised forecast on deeper-than-expected cuts to the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the extreme cold weather occurring in the past month. On Nov. 1, the federal government cut $5 billion from the SNAP program due to a planned stimulus withdrawal, which resulted in an average loss of $36 a month for each of the almost 50 million Americans on the program, including many of Wal-Mart’s own employees. Taxpayers are subsidizing Wal-Mart through an endless cycle of purchases made through welfare benefits and public assistance given to supplement its workers’ low wages. A study released last year found that nearly $1 million in public assistance a year went to 300 employees at just one Wal-Mart Supercenter in Wisconsin. Employees at another Wal-Mart in Ohio were asked this past Thanksgiving to donate food items for their co-workers in need so they could also enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. “This is a perfect example that shows how the quality of the jobs in this country has gone down the toilet,” Michael Snyder wrote on the subject.
James Turk: We’re Living Within A Money Bubble of Epic Proportion - Investment Watch - Chris Martenson - January 26th, 2014 - James Turk believes the time we live in now will be studied by future historians for generations to come. Just as we today marvel at the collective madness that resulted in the South Sea and Dutch tulip manias, our age will be known as the era when society lost sight of what money really is. And as result, the wrong kinds of wealth — today, that’s mostly financial assets — are valued and pursued. And just like those bubbles from centuries ago, when the current asset boom goes bust, the value of paper wealth will vaporize. In contrast, those holding tangible productive assets or real money will fare much better on a relative basis. James and co-author John Rubino (of DollarCollapse.com) have recently published a new book covering the details of this prediction called The Money Bubble: What To Do Before It Pops. Within it, they delve into the reasons for why the world is destined for what Ludwig von Mises termed a “crack up boom”:
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Agenda about the City Council meeting of February 4, 2014
This Agenda is about the Hickory City Council meeting that took place on
the date listed above. 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. You can also look in the upper right hand corner of the front page of the Hickory Hound and (will soon) find the link to the past history of Hickory City Newsletters.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 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.
City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - February 4, 2014
Invocation by Rev. Mark Andrews, Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church
Consent Agenda:
A. Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Shuck & Peel Party, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Saturday, November 8, 2014 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Union Square.
B. Special Event/Activities Application for Hickory Hops, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Government Avenue SW and Second Street SW, (Event Time 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
C. Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Art Crawls 2014, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Thursday, May 15, 2014; Thursday, September 18, 2014; and Wednesday, October 29, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Union Square, 3rd Street NW, 2nd Street NW, 1st Avenue NW, 1st Avenue SW, Government Avenue SW, and 2nd Street SW.
D. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from James A. Owenby, Single to David Dauler, Single, in Oakwood Cemetery.
E. Acceptance of Offer to Purchase and Contract for Property Located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of the Offer to Purchase and Contract for property located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The property was originally purchased by the City because it was on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the property is no longer needed. Albert Mark Schudde is interested in purchasing this lot because it is adjacent to his home. He is offering $16,500 for this lot. Staff recommends that City Council accept the Offer to Purchase and Contract and authorize staff to advertise for upset bids. Once the property is advertised other parties will have ten days to submit upset bids.
F. Acceptance of Offers to Purchase and Contracts for Properties Located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of the Offers to Purchase and Contracts for properties located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The properties were originally purchased by the City because they were on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the properties are no longer needed. Ioan Aron and wife, Carmen Aron are interested in purchasing these lots in order to construct singe family dwellings. They are offering $15,000 per lot. Staff recommends that City Council accept the Offers to Purchase and Contracts and authorize staff to advertise for upset bids. Once the property is advertised other parties will have ten days to submit upset bids.
G. Approval to Apply for a Historic Preservation Fund Pass-Through Grant to Update the City’s Survey of Historic Properties. - As a Certified Local Government, the City of Hickory and nonprofits within the city are eligible to apply for grants from the State of North Carolina to undertake a variety of different projects to advance historic preservation in communities throughout the state. The Historic Preservation Commission is interested in applying for a grant to update its survey of historic properties within the community. This survey was last updated in 1999, and that update was focused on only a few neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity of the downtown area. The proposed survey would update all of the existing survey records and also study properties throughout the city as budget constraints will allow. This will most certainly include the city’s industrial and commercial properties along with post-war subdivisions throughout the community. The estimated project cost for the grant is currently $20,000. The grant will pay 60 percent of the project costs or $12,000. The required city match will be $8,000. If the grant is approved, the project will take place in the fall of 2014. The Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend moving forward with the grant application at their January 14, 2014 meeting.
H. Approval to Modify the Historic Preservation Commission Work Plan to Include Plaque Program and Identification Signage for Historic Districts. - The Historic Preservation Commission requests amending the Historic Preservation Commission’s Work Plan in order to fund identification signage for Historic Districts and properties along with the creation of a plaque program for owners of historic properties. I. Acceptance of an Offer to Purchase and Contract for Properties Located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE, the City owns 10.7143% Interest in the Lots. (Exhibit VIII.I.) Staff requests consideration of the Offer to Purchase and Contract for properties located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE. The Patrick Beaver Memorial Library was one of eight beneficiaries of the will of George L. Lylerly, Jr. In July 2009, the trustee presented the beneficiaries with the option to accept an $8,000 offer to purchase the property or the option to approve the distribution of the property. Council rejected the offer to purchase and approved the distribution of the property from the trust at the July 21, 2009 Council meeting. The City of Hickory was conveyed a 10.7143% interest in the lots. In January 2013, staff received an offer to purchase the property for $44,386 from Prism Commercial Real Estate on behalf of the buyer, Tony Jarrett. All eight owners of the property must consent to the offer to purchase.
J. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 14.
1. To budget a $300 Grant from the North Carolina Department of Administration, Division of Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office, in the Youth Council budget. The Hickory Youth Council will use funds to purchase jump ropes, water bottles and string bags for a free sports camp for youth aged 7-13 to encourage staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
2. To budget $8,534 of General Fund Contingency in the North Carolina League of Municipalities Conference expenditure line item. Area local governments, Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau and the League of Municipalities contributions helped fund expenses associated with hosting the North Carolina League of Municipalities Conference. There is $8,534 of remaining expenditures not covered by the contributions, therefore a budget amendment is necessary to pay for those costs.
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. - On December 6, 2013, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, Attorneys at Law, presented a petition on behalf of Moretz Mills LLC, one of the property owners of property abutting a portion of E Avenue SE, requested the City to abandon a portion of this right-of-way.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. (a) Request to Amend the Parking Ordinance for the Farmer’s Market to Include Last Year’s Ordinance #13-06, with a Time Change and Day. - Change the Farmer’s Market No Parking hours from the current ordinance language which calls for Wednesdays from 8:30 AM until 4:00 PM and Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. to the new hours for 2014 which includes Wednesdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 6:20 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from April 16, 2014 through November 29, 2014 (excluding Saturday, October 11, 2014 which is Oktoberfest weekend) for the spaces south of Union Square on the north side of the parking lot road connecting the east and west parking lots as well as along the west parking lot to include the first three (3) angled parking spaces. Also, change the parking ordinance from the previous year from Monday from 8:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., May 6, 2013 through October 7, 2013 to now include the new Thursday market evening covered by no parking hours of Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from June 5, 2014 through August 28, 2014 in the west parking lot specifically to include the first three (3) angled parking spaces only. Previously, all of the west lot spaces were included for the Monday
market.
2013 Market Hours 2014 Market Hours Dates
Monday 4-7pm Thursday 5-8pm June 5 through August 28, 2014
Wednesday 10am-3pm Wed 10am-3pm April 16 through November 29, 2014
Saturday 8am-1pm Sat 8am-1pm April 16 through November 29, 2014
1. (b) Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Farmers’ Market,Sarah T. Wood, Market Manager, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, April 16, 2014 through November 1, 2014, and a Holiday Market, November 22, and November 29, 2014, on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Union Square. (These times reflect set-up and clean-up.)
2. (a) Approval of an Agreement for Professional Services with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas in the amount of $288,000. - Staff requests approval of this agreement for Engineering Services with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas to perform professional engineering services related to design on sanitary sewer infrastructure to serve the Murray Basin service area, which is located between Springs Road, Section House Road and Highland Avenue, in the amount of $288,000. Funds are budgeted in FY 2013/2014 fiscal year capital budget.
2. (b) Capital Project Ordinance Number 2. - To budget a $288,000 transfer from the Water and Sewer Capital – Sewer Lines account to the Murray Basin Capital Project. This transfer is necessary to pay for Engineering Services related to design on sanitary sewer infrastructure to serve the Murray Basin Service Area. This project is budgeted in the FY13-14 capital budget.
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. You can also look in the upper right hand corner of the front page of the Hickory Hound and (will soon) find the link to the past history of Hickory City Newsletters.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 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.
City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - February 4, 2014 Invocation by Rev. Mark Andrews, Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church
Consent Agenda:
A. Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Shuck & Peel Party, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Saturday, November 8, 2014 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Union Square.
B. Special Event/Activities Application for Hickory Hops, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Government Avenue SW and Second Street SW, (Event Time 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
C. Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Art Crawls 2014, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director of Hickory Downtown Development Association, Thursday, May 15, 2014; Thursday, September 18, 2014; and Wednesday, October 29, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Union Square, 3rd Street NW, 2nd Street NW, 1st Avenue NW, 1st Avenue SW, Government Avenue SW, and 2nd Street SW.
D. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from James A. Owenby, Single to David Dauler, Single, in Oakwood Cemetery.
E. Acceptance of Offer to Purchase and Contract for Property Located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of the Offer to Purchase and Contract for property located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The property was originally purchased by the City because it was on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the property is no longer needed. Albert Mark Schudde is interested in purchasing this lot because it is adjacent to his home. He is offering $16,500 for this lot. Staff recommends that City Council accept the Offer to Purchase and Contract and authorize staff to advertise for upset bids. Once the property is advertised other parties will have ten days to submit upset bids.
F. Acceptance of Offers to Purchase and Contracts for Properties Located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of the Offers to Purchase and Contracts for properties located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The properties were originally purchased by the City because they were on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the properties are no longer needed. Ioan Aron and wife, Carmen Aron are interested in purchasing these lots in order to construct singe family dwellings. They are offering $15,000 per lot. Staff recommends that City Council accept the Offers to Purchase and Contracts and authorize staff to advertise for upset bids. Once the property is advertised other parties will have ten days to submit upset bids.
G. Approval to Apply for a Historic Preservation Fund Pass-Through Grant to Update the City’s Survey of Historic Properties. - As a Certified Local Government, the City of Hickory and nonprofits within the city are eligible to apply for grants from the State of North Carolina to undertake a variety of different projects to advance historic preservation in communities throughout the state. The Historic Preservation Commission is interested in applying for a grant to update its survey of historic properties within the community. This survey was last updated in 1999, and that update was focused on only a few neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity of the downtown area. The proposed survey would update all of the existing survey records and also study properties throughout the city as budget constraints will allow. This will most certainly include the city’s industrial and commercial properties along with post-war subdivisions throughout the community. The estimated project cost for the grant is currently $20,000. The grant will pay 60 percent of the project costs or $12,000. The required city match will be $8,000. If the grant is approved, the project will take place in the fall of 2014. The Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend moving forward with the grant application at their January 14, 2014 meeting.
H. Approval to Modify the Historic Preservation Commission Work Plan to Include Plaque Program and Identification Signage for Historic Districts. - The Historic Preservation Commission requests amending the Historic Preservation Commission’s Work Plan in order to fund identification signage for Historic Districts and properties along with the creation of a plaque program for owners of historic properties. I. Acceptance of an Offer to Purchase and Contract for Properties Located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE, the City owns 10.7143% Interest in the Lots. (Exhibit VIII.I.) Staff requests consideration of the Offer to Purchase and Contract for properties located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE. The Patrick Beaver Memorial Library was one of eight beneficiaries of the will of George L. Lylerly, Jr. In July 2009, the trustee presented the beneficiaries with the option to accept an $8,000 offer to purchase the property or the option to approve the distribution of the property. Council rejected the offer to purchase and approved the distribution of the property from the trust at the July 21, 2009 Council meeting. The City of Hickory was conveyed a 10.7143% interest in the lots. In January 2013, staff received an offer to purchase the property for $44,386 from Prism Commercial Real Estate on behalf of the buyer, Tony Jarrett. All eight owners of the property must consent to the offer to purchase.
J. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 14.
1. To budget a $300 Grant from the North Carolina Department of Administration, Division of Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office, in the Youth Council budget. The Hickory Youth Council will use funds to purchase jump ropes, water bottles and string bags for a free sports camp for youth aged 7-13 to encourage staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
2. To budget $8,534 of General Fund Contingency in the North Carolina League of Municipalities Conference expenditure line item. Area local governments, Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau and the League of Municipalities contributions helped fund expenses associated with hosting the North Carolina League of Municipalities Conference. There is $8,534 of remaining expenditures not covered by the contributions, therefore a budget amendment is necessary to pay for those costs.
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. - On December 6, 2013, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, Attorneys at Law, presented a petition on behalf of Moretz Mills LLC, one of the property owners of property abutting a portion of E Avenue SE, requested the City to abandon a portion of this right-of-way.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. (a) Request to Amend the Parking Ordinance for the Farmer’s Market to Include Last Year’s Ordinance #13-06, with a Time Change and Day. - Change the Farmer’s Market No Parking hours from the current ordinance language which calls for Wednesdays from 8:30 AM until 4:00 PM and Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. to the new hours for 2014 which includes Wednesdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 6:20 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from April 16, 2014 through November 29, 2014 (excluding Saturday, October 11, 2014 which is Oktoberfest weekend) for the spaces south of Union Square on the north side of the parking lot road connecting the east and west parking lots as well as along the west parking lot to include the first three (3) angled parking spaces. Also, change the parking ordinance from the previous year from Monday from 8:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., May 6, 2013 through October 7, 2013 to now include the new Thursday market evening covered by no parking hours of Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from June 5, 2014 through August 28, 2014 in the west parking lot specifically to include the first three (3) angled parking spaces only. Previously, all of the west lot spaces were included for the Monday
market.
2013 Market Hours 2014 Market Hours Dates
Monday 4-7pm Thursday 5-8pm June 5 through August 28, 2014
Wednesday 10am-3pm Wed 10am-3pm April 16 through November 29, 2014
Saturday 8am-1pm Sat 8am-1pm April 16 through November 29, 2014
1. (b) Special Event/Activities Application for Downtown Hickory Farmers’ Market,Sarah T. Wood, Market Manager, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, April 16, 2014 through November 1, 2014, and a Holiday Market, November 22, and November 29, 2014, on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Union Square. (These times reflect set-up and clean-up.)
2. (a) Approval of an Agreement for Professional Services with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas in the amount of $288,000. - Staff requests approval of this agreement for Engineering Services with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas to perform professional engineering services related to design on sanitary sewer infrastructure to serve the Murray Basin service area, which is located between Springs Road, Section House Road and Highland Avenue, in the amount of $288,000. Funds are budgeted in FY 2013/2014 fiscal year capital budget.
2. (b) Capital Project Ordinance Number 2. - To budget a $288,000 transfer from the Water and Sewer Capital – Sewer Lines account to the Murray Basin Capital Project. This transfer is necessary to pay for Engineering Services related to design on sanitary sewer infrastructure to serve the Murray Basin Service Area. This project is budgeted in the FY13-14 capital budget.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Midnight has struck for the UNC Board of Governors
Unfortunately the University of North Carolina Board of Governors have chosen not to take the bull by the horns and act on the transgressions at UNC-Chapel Hill, where sports rules over academics, and now all sorts of information is coming together about who did what and eventually we will know the origins of the Athletic-Academic fraud that has been going on there for years.
This has been embarrassing for a while now. The PTB hoped to keep a lid on this corruption by utilizing the web created to keep the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the De Facto absolute dictator of political power in our State, but now we have a national event that is exposing the conflicts of interest that run rampant on many levels in North Carolina.
Not only is this taking a huge toll on the Academic Integrity of the Oldest University in our State Higher Educational System, when it all comes out it is going to expose the real state of politics and corruption in our government. For you who do not know, that is what happened with the Southern Methodist University Football scandal back in the 1980s, which led to what was called the "Death Penalty" for SMU football.
I have nothing to do with this information that is coming out, but since I am reading the source material as it comes forward, fast and furious, I will attempt to document it and help those providing the information to get it out to the public utilizing this little ole blog as one outlet.
What is clear is that there needs to be a thorough cleansing of the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors and the playing field needs to be leveled. There should be more equal representation amongst the 17 schools in the system. It defies logic to believe that the current Governors of the Higher Education system haven't known what was going on here. They could have reined this in long ago, but this is what you get with a stacked deck. They have been too busy worrying about the image of UNC-CH, the University overwhelmingly represented by the BoG, instead of getting to the root of these issues of corruption. It is obvious there has been a lot of "Don't ask.. Don't tell" going on here.
These transgressions are not broad based at all 17 campuses in the UNC system. These transgressions are rooted at Chapel Hill. It is clear that there has been a cover-up of these corrupt athletic schemes going on for years. It is clear that the mission of that place is out of whack.
Who is going to stand up and be the adult. The transgressors should not be allowed to make the decisions about the remedies. They have been allowed to manipulate the situation for far too long and they have always tilted everything in their favor. Only fools believe these people have been cooperative. It is time for the lessons to be learned here. Stop rewarding corruption.
This has been embarrassing for a while now. The PTB hoped to keep a lid on this corruption by utilizing the web created to keep the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the De Facto absolute dictator of political power in our State, but now we have a national event that is exposing the conflicts of interest that run rampant on many levels in North Carolina.
Not only is this taking a huge toll on the Academic Integrity of the Oldest University in our State Higher Educational System, when it all comes out it is going to expose the real state of politics and corruption in our government. For you who do not know, that is what happened with the Southern Methodist University Football scandal back in the 1980s, which led to what was called the "Death Penalty" for SMU football.
Report: Texas Governor Ordered Pay For Smu Players - United Press International - June 20, 1987
I have nothing to do with this information that is coming out, but since I am reading the source material as it comes forward, fast and furious, I will attempt to document it and help those providing the information to get it out to the public utilizing this little ole blog as one outlet.
What is clear is that there needs to be a thorough cleansing of the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors and the playing field needs to be leveled. There should be more equal representation amongst the 17 schools in the system. It defies logic to believe that the current Governors of the Higher Education system haven't known what was going on here. They could have reined this in long ago, but this is what you get with a stacked deck. They have been too busy worrying about the image of UNC-CH, the University overwhelmingly represented by the BoG, instead of getting to the root of these issues of corruption. It is obvious there has been a lot of "Don't ask.. Don't tell" going on here.
These transgressions are not broad based at all 17 campuses in the UNC system. These transgressions are rooted at Chapel Hill. It is clear that there has been a cover-up of these corrupt athletic schemes going on for years. It is clear that the mission of that place is out of whack.
Who is going to stand up and be the adult. The transgressors should not be allowed to make the decisions about the remedies. They have been allowed to manipulate the situation for far too long and they have always tilted everything in their favor. Only fools believe these people have been cooperative. It is time for the lessons to be learned here. Stop rewarding corruption.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of January 21, 2014
I began video recording the City Council in 2012, 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. With each agenda item, you can click on the links and it will take you to that specific point in the meeting. You can always 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 January 21, 2014
- Go to this link if you would like more information about the Agenda items.
Highlighted Links below take you straight to that point in the video.
Special Presentations
A. Ryan Lovern, Business Development Committee, Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award to Bisanar Company Jewelers
B. Unveiling the Ceremonial Key to the City and Presentation to Hickory Chair
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
Ms. Catherine Scott, Regarding Hunting in between Geitner and Glenn Hilton Parks - Ms. Scott is worried about Domesticated Ducks being hunted in this area and asks that ordinances be established to stop this from an area apparently not covered by the city's codes and ordinances.
Consent Agenda
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Public Hearing – for the Consideration of an Economic Development Agreement between the City of Hickory and Hickory Springs Manufacturing Solutions (HSM Solutions)
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Presentation by Architect Scott Mitchell to Show Plans for the Convention Center Parking Deck
2. Quarterly Financial Report
3. Appointments to Boards and Commissions
Hound's Comment: This was a fairly routine meeting. A couple of Ceremonial "Feel Good" awards were handed out to Bisanar's Jewelers and Hickory Chair. Hickory Springs is getting a kick back for the taxes they will pay in relation to some jobs and commerce they are bringing to Hickory, which seems to be the status quo for economic development on the l;ocal front these days.
Mrs. Scott's presentation about the ducks along Lake Hickory was interesting. I don't think it is a safety issue as Mr. Guess believes, but Ms. Scott has a valid point about the ducks basically being baited and domesticated at this point, because people are hand feeding them. They are basically pets and deserve sanctuary in this particular area.
The presentation about the Convention Center Parking Deck was not very informative. It was hard to follow along and would have been much better as a Power Point presentation with better renderings. It didn't seem like anything was ironed down moving forward, but I could be wrong, because as I said, I couldn't follow the presentation.
Warren Wood's presentation about the Quarterly Financial report seemed to show that the city is in a holding pattern as far as the Economics of the area goes. There seems to be some growth in activity with new building permits showing a dramatic rise in comparison to the non-activity that has taken place over the last several years, but much of this could be attributable to necessary pent up growth from the non-activity of the past several years. I am sure we will be finding out in short order, one way or the other, over the next few quarters. All other growth can be attributed to inflation. Sales tax income is one example where we are still below where we were seven years ago. That is right, we are earning less per quarter in sales tax revenue than we were in 2007.
Other issues that Warren addressed were Privilege License fees that may be changing due to NC State legislation and the delivery of a ladder truck that has not occurred, because the company American LaFrance is having financial difficulty. The Council has started a legal process of default notifying the Insurance Bonding company that American LaFrance is in default. The City will receive the truck or be reimbursed and have to purchase a truck elsewhere. The City hopes to receive the order. If delivered, a third party will stand behind the warranty. Operationally we need the truck.
What happened to fire-engine icon American LaFrance? - The Post and Courier of Charleston, SC - John McDermott - January 26, 2014
American LaFrance - Google Search
So below is the City Council meeting. With each agenda item, you can click on the links and it will take you to that specific point in the meeting. You can always 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 January 21, 2014
- Go to this link if you would like more information about the Agenda items.
Highlighted Links below take you straight to that point in the video.
Special Presentations
A. Ryan Lovern, Business Development Committee, Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award to Bisanar Company Jewelers
B. Unveiling the Ceremonial Key to the City and Presentation to Hickory Chair
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
Ms. Catherine Scott, Regarding Hunting in between Geitner and Glenn Hilton Parks - Ms. Scott is worried about Domesticated Ducks being hunted in this area and asks that ordinances be established to stop this from an area apparently not covered by the city's codes and ordinances.
Consent Agenda
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Public Hearing – for the Consideration of an Economic Development Agreement between the City of Hickory and Hickory Springs Manufacturing Solutions (HSM Solutions)
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Presentation by Architect Scott Mitchell to Show Plans for the Convention Center Parking Deck
2. Quarterly Financial Report
3. Appointments to Boards and Commissions
Hound's Comment: This was a fairly routine meeting. A couple of Ceremonial "Feel Good" awards were handed out to Bisanar's Jewelers and Hickory Chair. Hickory Springs is getting a kick back for the taxes they will pay in relation to some jobs and commerce they are bringing to Hickory, which seems to be the status quo for economic development on the l;ocal front these days.
Mrs. Scott's presentation about the ducks along Lake Hickory was interesting. I don't think it is a safety issue as Mr. Guess believes, but Ms. Scott has a valid point about the ducks basically being baited and domesticated at this point, because people are hand feeding them. They are basically pets and deserve sanctuary in this particular area.
The presentation about the Convention Center Parking Deck was not very informative. It was hard to follow along and would have been much better as a Power Point presentation with better renderings. It didn't seem like anything was ironed down moving forward, but I could be wrong, because as I said, I couldn't follow the presentation.
Warren Wood's presentation about the Quarterly Financial report seemed to show that the city is in a holding pattern as far as the Economics of the area goes. There seems to be some growth in activity with new building permits showing a dramatic rise in comparison to the non-activity that has taken place over the last several years, but much of this could be attributable to necessary pent up growth from the non-activity of the past several years. I am sure we will be finding out in short order, one way or the other, over the next few quarters. All other growth can be attributed to inflation. Sales tax income is one example where we are still below where we were seven years ago. That is right, we are earning less per quarter in sales tax revenue than we were in 2007.
Other issues that Warren addressed were Privilege License fees that may be changing due to NC State legislation and the delivery of a ladder truck that has not occurred, because the company American LaFrance is having financial difficulty. The Council has started a legal process of default notifying the Insurance Bonding company that American LaFrance is in default. The City will receive the truck or be reimbursed and have to purchase a truck elsewhere. The City hopes to receive the order. If delivered, a third party will stand behind the warranty. Operationally we need the truck.
What happened to fire-engine icon American LaFrance? - The Post and Courier of Charleston, SC - John McDermott - January 26, 2014
American LaFrance - Google Search
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- January 26, 2014
20 Early Warning Signs That We Are Approaching A Global Economic Meltdown - The Economic Collapse Blog - January 24, 2014 - Have you been paying attention to what has been happening in Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Ukraine, Turkey and China? If you are like most Americans, you have not been. Most Americans don't seem to really care too much about what is happening in the rest of the world, but they should. In major cities all over the globe right now, there is looting, violence, shortages of basic supplies, and runs on the banks. We are not at a "global crisis" stage yet, but things are getting worse with each passing day. For a while, I have felt that 2014 would turn out to be a major "turning point" for the global economy, and so far that is exactly what it is turning out to be. The following are 20 early warning signs that we are rapidly approaching a global economic meltdown... #1 The looting, violence and economic chaos that is happening in Argentina right now is a perfect example of what can happen when you print too much money...
7 setbacks for the middle class - CNN Money - Annalyn Kurtz - January 24, 2014 - Five years into his presidency, Barack Obama is still falling short of his number one goal: to fix the economy for the middle class. Sure, a recovery has been underway for most of his presidency, but it's still slow and uneven. And despite Obama's focus on the middle class, the improvement so far has largely benefited corporations and the ultra-rich. Whether you blame Obama or a dysfunctional Congress, either way the recovery is hardly a middle-class success story.
1. Workers are taking home their smallest slice of U.S. income on record:
2. Inequality has widened:
3. The job market still faces a gaping hole:
4. The poverty rate remains high:
5. Record number of Americans are on food stamps:
6. The manufacturing revival was a mirage:
7. Global trade isn't helping much:
...
How Economists and Policymakers Murdered Our Economy — Paul Craig Roberts - January 25, 2014 - The economy has been debilitated by the offshoring of middle class jobs for the benefit of corporate profits and by the Federal Reserve’s policy of Quantitative Easing in order to support a few oversized banks that the government protects from market discipline. Not only does QE distort bond and stock markets, it threatens the value of the dollar and has resulted in manipulation of the gold price. See http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/01/17/hows-whys-gold-price-manipulation/
When US corporations send jobs offshore, the GDP, consumer income, tax base, and careers associated with the jobs go abroad with the jobs. Corporations gain the additional profits at large costs to the economy in terms of less employment, less economic growth, reduced state, local and federal tax revenues, wider deficits, and impairments of social services. When policymakers permitted banks to become independent of market discipline, they made the banks an unresolved burden on the economy. Authorities have provided no honest report on the condition of the banks. It remains to be seen if the Federal Reserve can create enough money to monetize enough debt to rescue the banks without collapsing the US dollar. It would have been far cheaper to let the banks fail and be reorganized. US policymakers and their echo chamber in the economics profession have let the country down badly. They claimed that there was a “New Economy” to take the place of the “old economy” jobs that were moved offshore. As I have pointed out for a decade, US jobs statistics show no sign of the promised “New Economy.” The same policymakers and economists who told us that “markets are self-regulating” and that the financial sector could safely be deregulated also confused jobs offshoring with free trade. Hyped “studies” were put together designed to prove that jobs offshoring was good for the US economy. It is difficult to fathom how such destructive errors could consistently be made by policymakers and economists for more than a decade. Were these mistakes or cover for a narrow and selfish agenda? In June, 2009 happy talk appeared about “the recovery,” now 4.5 years old. As John Williams (shadowstats.com) has made clear, “the recovery” is entirely the artifact of the understated measure of inflation used to deflate nominal GDP. By under-measuring inflation, the government can show low, but positive, rates of real GDP growth. No other indicator supports the claim of economic recovery. John Williams writes that consumer inflation, if properly measured, is running around 9%, far above the 2% figure that is the Fed’s target and more in line with what consumers are actually experiencing. We have just had a 6.5% annual increase in the cost of a postage stamp. The Fed’s target inflation rate is said to be low, but Simon Black points out that the result of a lifetime of 2% annual inflation is the loss of 75% of the purchasing power of the currency. He uses the cost of sending a postcard to illustrate the decline in the purchasing power of median household income today compared to 1951. That year it cost one cent to send a post card. As household income was $4,237, the household could send 423,700 postcards. Today the comparable income figure is $51,017. As it costs 34 cents to send one postcard, today’s household can only afford to send 150,050 postcards. Nominal income rose 12 times, and the cost of sending a postcard rose 34 times....
Gerald Celente Interview on King World news - January 25, 2014 - Speaks about current tends including the economy and the Federal Reserve. You Kool-Aid drinkers might want to listen to this reality. (Gerald Celente Listen)
The $23 Trillion Credit Bubble In China Is Starting To Collapse – Global Financial Crisis Next? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - January 20th, 2014
“Need Room to Grow?” - Marijuana-friendly real estate agents and other enterprising businesspeople looking to make a bundle from Colorado’s weed industry - Slate.com - Sam Kamin and Joel Warner - hanuary 25, 2014 - Real estate agent Rona Hanson walks around a suburban home west of Denver that was recently put on the market by another realtor, liking what she sees. The 3,000-square-foot midcentury brick bungalow is in fine shape, with a picturesque horse farm across the street and front-porch views of the snow-topped Colorado foothills. But what most excites Hanson about it, why she’s eager to show it to her clients, is the 50-square-foot bedroom in the far corner of the basement, a bland space with small windows near the ceiling and a basic attached bathroom. Not your typical selling point for a house, but to Hanson, it’s perfect—a perfect grow room for a dozen recreational marijuana plants, the maximum Colorado residents are now allowed to cultivate per household. The room offers high enough ceilings to accommodate grow lights, has easy access to water and drainage via the bathroom, and the small windows mean minimal aromas attracting nosy neighbors. This is the sort of stuff Hanson looks for. Since Colorado’s legalized marijuana rules went into effect on Jan. 1, Hanson has advertised her services on Craigslist and in the alt-weekly Westword as a marijuana-friendly realtor, helping people find the perfect property to grow marijuana for personal use, under the tag line “Need room to grow?”...
NFL Commish Makes $29.5 Mil a Year – 15 Times More Than Tax Free Org Gives to Charity, More than CEOs of Ford, Heinz, FedEx - Showbiz 411 - Roger Friedman - January 21, 2014 - As the Super Bowl approaches New York much like a blizzard, here are some things to think about: in 2012, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was paid $29.5 million to run the organization. And that’s not all. The NFL, if you didn’t realize it, exists as a 501 c 6 organization. It’s not for profit! In order to have that status, the NFL must be run as a charitable foundation. In 2012, they gave away a meager $2.3 million. Almost all of it–$2.1 million– went to the NFL Hall of Fame. Goodell made 15 times what the group donated to other charities. More crazy: Goodell’s salary is 1/10th of what the NFL claimed in total assets for 2012– $255 million.
Or even crazier: the NFL only made charitable donations equaling one-one hundredth of their annual income. Here are the stats: The NFL’s most recent Form 990 filed with the IRS ended on March 31, 2012. They claimed revenue of $255 million, up from $240 million in 2011. So, if you were concerned, things are good. The NFL has assets of over $822 million...
After the Collapse: Six Likely Events That Will Follow an Economic Crash - SHTFplan.com - Mac Slavo - January 20th, 2014
7 setbacks for the middle class - CNN Money - Annalyn Kurtz - January 24, 2014 - Five years into his presidency, Barack Obama is still falling short of his number one goal: to fix the economy for the middle class. Sure, a recovery has been underway for most of his presidency, but it's still slow and uneven. And despite Obama's focus on the middle class, the improvement so far has largely benefited corporations and the ultra-rich. Whether you blame Obama or a dysfunctional Congress, either way the recovery is hardly a middle-class success story.
1. Workers are taking home their smallest slice of U.S. income on record:
2. Inequality has widened:
3. The job market still faces a gaping hole:
4. The poverty rate remains high:
5. Record number of Americans are on food stamps:
6. The manufacturing revival was a mirage:
7. Global trade isn't helping much:
...
How Economists and Policymakers Murdered Our Economy — Paul Craig Roberts - January 25, 2014 - The economy has been debilitated by the offshoring of middle class jobs for the benefit of corporate profits and by the Federal Reserve’s policy of Quantitative Easing in order to support a few oversized banks that the government protects from market discipline. Not only does QE distort bond and stock markets, it threatens the value of the dollar and has resulted in manipulation of the gold price. See http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/01/17/hows-whys-gold-price-manipulation/
When US corporations send jobs offshore, the GDP, consumer income, tax base, and careers associated with the jobs go abroad with the jobs. Corporations gain the additional profits at large costs to the economy in terms of less employment, less economic growth, reduced state, local and federal tax revenues, wider deficits, and impairments of social services. When policymakers permitted banks to become independent of market discipline, they made the banks an unresolved burden on the economy. Authorities have provided no honest report on the condition of the banks. It remains to be seen if the Federal Reserve can create enough money to monetize enough debt to rescue the banks without collapsing the US dollar. It would have been far cheaper to let the banks fail and be reorganized. US policymakers and their echo chamber in the economics profession have let the country down badly. They claimed that there was a “New Economy” to take the place of the “old economy” jobs that were moved offshore. As I have pointed out for a decade, US jobs statistics show no sign of the promised “New Economy.” The same policymakers and economists who told us that “markets are self-regulating” and that the financial sector could safely be deregulated also confused jobs offshoring with free trade. Hyped “studies” were put together designed to prove that jobs offshoring was good for the US economy. It is difficult to fathom how such destructive errors could consistently be made by policymakers and economists for more than a decade. Were these mistakes or cover for a narrow and selfish agenda? In June, 2009 happy talk appeared about “the recovery,” now 4.5 years old. As John Williams (shadowstats.com) has made clear, “the recovery” is entirely the artifact of the understated measure of inflation used to deflate nominal GDP. By under-measuring inflation, the government can show low, but positive, rates of real GDP growth. No other indicator supports the claim of economic recovery. John Williams writes that consumer inflation, if properly measured, is running around 9%, far above the 2% figure that is the Fed’s target and more in line with what consumers are actually experiencing. We have just had a 6.5% annual increase in the cost of a postage stamp. The Fed’s target inflation rate is said to be low, but Simon Black points out that the result of a lifetime of 2% annual inflation is the loss of 75% of the purchasing power of the currency. He uses the cost of sending a postcard to illustrate the decline in the purchasing power of median household income today compared to 1951. That year it cost one cent to send a post card. As household income was $4,237, the household could send 423,700 postcards. Today the comparable income figure is $51,017. As it costs 34 cents to send one postcard, today’s household can only afford to send 150,050 postcards. Nominal income rose 12 times, and the cost of sending a postcard rose 34 times....
Gerald Celente Interview on King World news - January 25, 2014 - Speaks about current tends including the economy and the Federal Reserve. You Kool-Aid drinkers might want to listen to this reality. (Gerald Celente Listen)
Stocks End Broadly Lower - Weak China Data Sparks Selloff in Riskier Assets - Wall Street Journal - Tomi Kilgore - January 23, 2014 - Stocks suffered broad declines as weak data out of China spooked investors, triggering a flight out of riskier assets. The increase in market volatility, which included sharp selloffs in emerging markets and the biggest tumble in Argentina's currency in over a decade, came as U.S. stocks has struggled in recent weeks to regain the upward momentum seen at the end of 2013.
On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 175.99 points, or 1.1%, to 16197.35, the lowest close since Dec. 19. The S&P 500 index shed 16.40 points, or 0.9%, to 1828.46, and the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 24.13 points, or 0.6%, to 4218.87. Materials and financials led declines in all 10 of the S&P 500 sectors. The S&P 500 ended the session 1.1% below its Jan. 15 record-high close. Data showing China's manufacturing activity contracted in January sparked worries that the recent slowing momentum in the world's second-largest economy is carrying over into the new year. That triggered a selloff in riskier emerging-market shares and currencies, and helped bolster prices of Treasurys and gold, which are viewed as safe-haven assets.
The $23 Trillion Credit Bubble In China Is Starting To Collapse – Global Financial Crisis Next? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - January 20th, 2014
“Need Room to Grow?” - Marijuana-friendly real estate agents and other enterprising businesspeople looking to make a bundle from Colorado’s weed industry - Slate.com - Sam Kamin and Joel Warner - hanuary 25, 2014 - Real estate agent Rona Hanson walks around a suburban home west of Denver that was recently put on the market by another realtor, liking what she sees. The 3,000-square-foot midcentury brick bungalow is in fine shape, with a picturesque horse farm across the street and front-porch views of the snow-topped Colorado foothills. But what most excites Hanson about it, why she’s eager to show it to her clients, is the 50-square-foot bedroom in the far corner of the basement, a bland space with small windows near the ceiling and a basic attached bathroom. Not your typical selling point for a house, but to Hanson, it’s perfect—a perfect grow room for a dozen recreational marijuana plants, the maximum Colorado residents are now allowed to cultivate per household. The room offers high enough ceilings to accommodate grow lights, has easy access to water and drainage via the bathroom, and the small windows mean minimal aromas attracting nosy neighbors. This is the sort of stuff Hanson looks for. Since Colorado’s legalized marijuana rules went into effect on Jan. 1, Hanson has advertised her services on Craigslist and in the alt-weekly Westword as a marijuana-friendly realtor, helping people find the perfect property to grow marijuana for personal use, under the tag line “Need room to grow?”...
NFL Commish Makes $29.5 Mil a Year – 15 Times More Than Tax Free Org Gives to Charity, More than CEOs of Ford, Heinz, FedEx - Showbiz 411 - Roger Friedman - January 21, 2014 - As the Super Bowl approaches New York much like a blizzard, here are some things to think about: in 2012, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was paid $29.5 million to run the organization. And that’s not all. The NFL, if you didn’t realize it, exists as a 501 c 6 organization. It’s not for profit! In order to have that status, the NFL must be run as a charitable foundation. In 2012, they gave away a meager $2.3 million. Almost all of it–$2.1 million– went to the NFL Hall of Fame. Goodell made 15 times what the group donated to other charities. More crazy: Goodell’s salary is 1/10th of what the NFL claimed in total assets for 2012– $255 million.
Or even crazier: the NFL only made charitable donations equaling one-one hundredth of their annual income. Here are the stats: The NFL’s most recent Form 990 filed with the IRS ended on March 31, 2012. They claimed revenue of $255 million, up from $240 million in 2011. So, if you were concerned, things are good. The NFL has assets of over $822 million...
After the Collapse: Six Likely Events That Will Follow an Economic Crash - SHTFplan.com - Mac Slavo - January 20th, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- January 19, 2014
What Recovery? Sears And J.C. Penney Are DYING - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - January 16th, 2014 - Two of the largest retailers in America are steamrolling toward bankruptcy. Sears and J.C. Penney are both losing hundreds of millions of dollars each quarter, and both of them appear to be caught in the grip of a death spiral from which it will be impossible to escape. Once upon a time, Sears was actually the largest retailer in the United States, and even today Sears and J.C. Penney are "anchor stores" in malls all over the country. When I was growing up, my mother would take me to the mall when it was time to go clothes shopping, and there were usually just two options: Sears or J.C. Penney. When I got older, I actually worked for Sears for a little while. At the time, nobody would have ever imagined that Sears or J.C. Penney could go out of business someday. But that is precisely what is happening. They are both shutting down unprofitable stores and laying off employees in a desperate attempt to avoid bankruptcy, but everyone knows that they are just delaying the inevitable. These two great retail giants are dying, and they certainly won't be the last to fall. This is just the beginning... The Death Of Sears - Sales have declined at Sears for 27 quarters in a row, and the legendary retailer has been closing hundreds of stores and selling off property in a frantic attempt to turn things around. Unfortunately for Sears, it is not working. In fact, Sears has announced that it expects to lose "between $250 million to $360 million" for the quarter that will end on February 1st. Things have gotten so bad that Sears is even making commercials that openly acknowledge how badly it is struggling. For example, consider the following bit of dialogue from a recent Sears television commercial featuring two young women... The Death Of J.C. Penney - J.C. Penny has been a dead man walking for a long time. In some ways, it is in even worse shape than Sears. If you can believe it, J.C. Penney actually lost 586 million dollars during the second quarter of 2013 alone.
How in the world do you lose 586 million dollars in three months? Are they paying employees to flush giant piles of cash down the toilets? This week J.C. Penney announced that it is eliminating 2,000 jobs and closing 33 stores. The following is a list of the store closings that was released to the public...
THE RETAIL DEATH RATTLE- Washingtons Blog - Jim Q - January 19, 2014 - If ever a chart provided unequivocal proof the economic recovery storyline is a fraud, the one below is the smoking gun. November and December retail sales account for 20% to 40% of annual retail sales for most retailers. The number of visits to retail stores has plummeted by 50% since 2010. Please note this was during a supposed economic recovery. Also note consumer spending accounts for 70% of GDP. Also note credit card debt outstanding is 7% lower than its level in 2010 and 16% below its peak in 2008. Retailers like J.C. Penney, Best Buy, Sears, Radio Shack and Barnes & Noble continue to report appalling sales and profit results, along with listings of store closings. Even the heavyweights like Wal-Mart and Target continue to report negative comp store sales. How can the government and mainstream media be reporting an economic recovery when the industry that accounts for 70% of GDP is in free fall? The answer is that 99% of America has not had an economic recovery. Only Bernanke’s 1% owner class have benefited from his QE/ZIRP induced stock market levitation. The entire economic recovery storyline is a sham built upon easy money funneled by the Fed to the Too Big To Trust Wall Street banks so they can use their HFT supercomputers to drive the stock market higher, buy up the millions of homes they foreclosed upon to artificially drive up home prices, and generate profits through rigging commodity, currency, and bond markets, while reducing loan loss reserves because they are free to value their toxic assets at anything they please – compliments of the spineless nerds at the FASB. GDP has been artificially propped up by the Federal government through the magic of EBT cards, SSDI for the depressed and downtrodden, never ending extensions of unemployment benefits, billions in student loans to University of Phoenix prodigies, and subprime auto loans to deadbeats from the Government Motors financing arm – Ally Financial (85% owned by you the taxpayer). The country is being kept afloat on an ocean of debt and delusional belief in the power of central bankers to steer this ship through a sea of icebergs just below the surface...
47% Of All Jobs Will Be Automated By 2034, And 'No Government Is Prepared' Says Economist - Huffington Post - Michael Rundle - January 17, 2014 - Almost half of all jobs could be automated by computers within two decades and "no government is prepared" for the tsunami of social change that will follow, according to the Economist. The magazine's 2014 analysis of the impact of technology paints a pretty bleak picture of the future. It says that while innovation (aka "the elixir of progress") has always resulted in job losses, usually economies have eventually been able to develop new roles for those workers to compensate, such as in the industrial revolution of the 19th century, or the food production revolution of the 20th century. But the pace of change this time around appears to be unprecedented, its leader column claims. And the result is a huge amount of uncertainty for both developed and under-developed economies about where the next 'lost generation' is going to find work. It quotes a 2013 Oxford Martin School study that estimates 47% of all jobs could be automated in the next 20 years... The Economist also points out that current unemployment levels are startlingly high, but that "this wave of technological disruption to the job market has only just started". Specifically the Economist points to new tech like driverless cars, improved household gadgets, faster and more efficient online communications and 'big data' analysis to areas that humans are quickly being superceded. And while new start-ups are raising billions, they employ few people - Instagram, sold to Facebook in 2012 for $1 billion, employed just 30 people at the time....
John Williams interview - USA Watchdog.com - Greg Hunter - January 5, 2014 - John Williams of Shadowstats.com has a grim view of 2014. He says, "It's really going to be a currency panic . . . when the fundamental selling pressure really starts to pick up, when the selling gets heavy . . . in turn, the weakness will be seen in a spike in oil prices and a spike in gasoline prices." Williams says there will be a panic out of the dollar and he predicts, "Once you see a massive sell-off here, I see the game as being over." Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with economist John Williams.
How in the world do you lose 586 million dollars in three months? Are they paying employees to flush giant piles of cash down the toilets? This week J.C. Penney announced that it is eliminating 2,000 jobs and closing 33 stores. The following is a list of the store closings that was released to the public...
THE RETAIL DEATH RATTLE- Washingtons Blog - Jim Q - January 19, 2014 - If ever a chart provided unequivocal proof the economic recovery storyline is a fraud, the one below is the smoking gun. November and December retail sales account for 20% to 40% of annual retail sales for most retailers. The number of visits to retail stores has plummeted by 50% since 2010. Please note this was during a supposed economic recovery. Also note consumer spending accounts for 70% of GDP. Also note credit card debt outstanding is 7% lower than its level in 2010 and 16% below its peak in 2008. Retailers like J.C. Penney, Best Buy, Sears, Radio Shack and Barnes & Noble continue to report appalling sales and profit results, along with listings of store closings. Even the heavyweights like Wal-Mart and Target continue to report negative comp store sales. How can the government and mainstream media be reporting an economic recovery when the industry that accounts for 70% of GDP is in free fall? The answer is that 99% of America has not had an economic recovery. Only Bernanke’s 1% owner class have benefited from his QE/ZIRP induced stock market levitation. The entire economic recovery storyline is a sham built upon easy money funneled by the Fed to the Too Big To Trust Wall Street banks so they can use their HFT supercomputers to drive the stock market higher, buy up the millions of homes they foreclosed upon to artificially drive up home prices, and generate profits through rigging commodity, currency, and bond markets, while reducing loan loss reserves because they are free to value their toxic assets at anything they please – compliments of the spineless nerds at the FASB. GDP has been artificially propped up by the Federal government through the magic of EBT cards, SSDI for the depressed and downtrodden, never ending extensions of unemployment benefits, billions in student loans to University of Phoenix prodigies, and subprime auto loans to deadbeats from the Government Motors financing arm – Ally Financial (85% owned by you the taxpayer). The country is being kept afloat on an ocean of debt and delusional belief in the power of central bankers to steer this ship through a sea of icebergs just below the surface...
“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” – Aldous Huxley
47% Of All Jobs Will Be Automated By 2034, And 'No Government Is Prepared' Says Economist - Huffington Post - Michael Rundle - January 17, 2014 - Almost half of all jobs could be automated by computers within two decades and "no government is prepared" for the tsunami of social change that will follow, according to the Economist. The magazine's 2014 analysis of the impact of technology paints a pretty bleak picture of the future. It says that while innovation (aka "the elixir of progress") has always resulted in job losses, usually economies have eventually been able to develop new roles for those workers to compensate, such as in the industrial revolution of the 19th century, or the food production revolution of the 20th century. But the pace of change this time around appears to be unprecedented, its leader column claims. And the result is a huge amount of uncertainty for both developed and under-developed economies about where the next 'lost generation' is going to find work. It quotes a 2013 Oxford Martin School study that estimates 47% of all jobs could be automated in the next 20 years... The Economist also points out that current unemployment levels are startlingly high, but that "this wave of technological disruption to the job market has only just started". Specifically the Economist points to new tech like driverless cars, improved household gadgets, faster and more efficient online communications and 'big data' analysis to areas that humans are quickly being superceded. And while new start-ups are raising billions, they employ few people - Instagram, sold to Facebook in 2012 for $1 billion, employed just 30 people at the time....
John Williams interview - USA Watchdog.com - Greg Hunter - January 5, 2014 - John Williams of Shadowstats.com has a grim view of 2014. He says, "It's really going to be a currency panic . . . when the fundamental selling pressure really starts to pick up, when the selling gets heavy . . . in turn, the weakness will be seen in a spike in oil prices and a spike in gasoline prices." Williams says there will be a panic out of the dollar and he predicts, "Once you see a massive sell-off here, I see the game as being over." Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with economist John Williams.
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