Just Say No...

...and hope it sticks.

A recent Emory poll shows folks holding a very unfavorable view of the whole "City of Buckhead City" kerfuffle. In aggregate (Atlanta and within the Buckhead area) over 70% are against the proposed city. More telling is that with the Buckhead area well over 50%, a clear majority are against it. 

And yet it will come back yet again, like a cold sore. If there are any remaining investigative journalists it would be really nice to find out how this keeps happening. Who is behind this? What is driving it? How will these people benefit? How much money is at stake? Do who will live in this city know that the city charter will place an army of bureaucrats between their vote and what happens in Buckhead? 

Ever vigilant.

Dead Cat Bounce

Since the days of the TRS-80 governments, especially public schools, have had a troubling relationship with incorporating technology into anything they try to do. It isn't clear why, but to the outside, objective observer it appears they don't know what they're doing, they don't even know what they want to do. And they clearly do not know how to do it. 

And this is odd. Out in the real world technology has been used for over three decades to improve operational efficacy and offer stakeholders new features and improvements to existing services. Over that time systems have systems have been installed, maintained, upgraded and replaced without the disastrous results we see in the DeKalb public school system. It is almost as if they are trying to fail. 

But all is not lost. One board member, leveraging the favorite technique of politicians, relativism, has hope:

“I’m looking forward to an even better report next year.”

 Perhaps this member is sure it cannot get worse. Smart money would not underestimate this school system's ability to fail.

PUFO

Another group is telling the PATH Foundation to pack up and leave taking their "paths" with them. Part of their argument is the obvious: a 12 foot wide interstate lane is an eyesore in a natural area. It is also an ecological disaster due to unavoidable runoff without even considering that concrete is one of the most carbon intensive construction materials available. If you were trying to harm the local ecology all the while contributing to climate change what would you do differently? Put in even more paths, that's what. And what happened to the war against impervious surfaces that was all the rage just a few years back? Was that resolved when they also saved Darfur? 

The Group Against Senseless Paths (GASP) may have an edge others lack: protected flora and fauna. Those things generally resonate strongly with the do-good community, but the forces behind paving all of paradise are far from do-gooders. And while it is very difficult to protect species on private property, protected, private wetlands suggest a precedent. 

The do-good community is extensive as in this case, perhaps to the surprise of some, it includes the cycling community. Their opposition is based firmly in experience and logic. Roads get you where you need to be and what cyclists need are bike lanes (in the right places) and road surfaces in good repair. Imagine hitting that pothole not in your SUV but with only a skinny tire, some stiff metal and a patch of leather between that hole and, well, yours. Roads are where they are to get folks where they need to be. Bike or car, it doesn't matter. 

The PATH Foundation seems to want impervious surfaces wherever they find a spot and whenever an opportunity arises. Certainly the immediate need in the community is to stop this sanctum bellum before the remaining nature and surrounding ecosystem is further destroy. A stretch goal would be investigating the true power and motives behind this crusade. Since government is in cahoots this must be taken up by the Fourth Estate, if there are any journalists left. 

We Are NOT Alone

Apparently we are not alone in not wanting to have our neighborhoods invaded by the Path Foundation. They are spreading their brand of stupid throughout the area and as it turns out there are quite a few folks who do NOT want an interstate freeway lane paved through their neighborhood. 

Who knew? 

 Better question: who cares? We, in Dunwoody, can start with the easier question of "who doesn't care?" since we know the answer: everyone at city hall, that's who. We can only change a few of those and then the replacements will have to chip away at the rot starting at the head. 

Change cannot come soon enough.

Safe? For Now...

The Georgia Senate voted overwhelmingly against Senate Bill 114 which would have authorized a vote on City of Buckhead City (yes, they call it that) putting a stop to the city-hoods. For now. But they will be back as there is a lot of money behind this effort and a lot of money to be made by powerful interests should Buckhead split and form yet-another bureaucrat owned and operated sprawling government. If you read the bill, pay close attention pages 22-25 where it is clearly laid out that the elected officials have little to no influence over or impact upon what goes on in the City of Buckhead City. All power resides in the city manager, all employees report to the city manager and all interactions with business and developers are by way of the city manager and his minions. All these new established-in-a-hurry cities are cast from the same mold. 

If (more likely when) this comes around again and is placed before the voters as a referendum and should the voters approve, that will be the last meaningful vote they will be allowed to cast. 

Drumming Up His Own Business

 

Joseph can start by removing HIS junk

Republican? Democrat?

In Florida some politician has introduced legislation making it illegal for a dog to stick its head out of a car window. That's right. They won't let a dog ride in your lap either. An interesting game to play is to guess which party can come up with such silliness. That IS why we have two parties, right?

Don't think it is silly? Well consider this. Suppose you own a convertible. Suppose you have the top down. Do you have to roll up the windows? Can a dog's head even be "out the window" when there is no window frame, no top? And how will the average politician address these issues? Probably by outlawing convertibles (now you know which party this comes from).

Wite-Out...

...one building at a time.

Dunwoody: If It's White, It's Right

It Isn't Really An Argument

When talking about college loan and the much awaited handout, words really do matter. So does logic. The former are weak and the latter is on a multi-year spring break.  One dirty little secret is that, by actions in congress, where constitutional authority resides, a vast amount of current debt will never be repaid. First, payment is means adjusted with the first $20K of income exempt, more than the IRS standard deduction. Then, there is a 20 year limit. This doesn't trigger a balloon payment as it should but instead it is the end of payments. And remaining debt is forgiven making many US college graduates charity cases just as they enter their prime income generating years. The ill effect are far worse than undermining any character that might remain in the younger generation and are detailed by the American Institute for Economic Research. Maybe if more parents listened to economists (or new how to drive a spreadsheet) we would not be in this pickle. 

The defense, if you can call it that, of the administration's unconstitutional efforts to exacerbate all these problems by wiping out even more what is due to be paid to the public coffers defies even a cursory review. Incredible numbers have applied for the handout (college was supposed to be the hand-up, right?) and are a round-up of the usual suspects. And the politicians offer no surprises, only nonsense. One of the finest examples is Georgia's very own Hank Johnson by parroting the left-wing "median household income in your ZIP code" blather. The average income of families around you has nothing to do the amount of your college loan debt no more than it sets your salary. Remember that whole "college degree means more money" chant you've heard all your life? Hank exposes the lie pointing out that half his constituents have a bachelors degree but "many others" have debt but no degree. Therein lies the problem. Some folks do not belong in college, based on these results. Colleges have no business promoting degrees carrying a loan burden that offers no chance of loan repayment. The loan, the commitment to repay and the acquisition of the ability to meet that commitment is a business contract. It is simple business logic. And that logic and that commitment is simply missing.

If You Can't Say Something Nice...

...come sit by me.

Seems the meeting to discuss ramming "paths" down residents' collective throats did not have the church revival vibe the mayor was demanding. She seemed to think she was a cross-examining lawyer demanding the witness "just answer the question" because controlling the question controls the outcome. 

Then it went pear shaped when the mayor slipped some interesting quotes.

"I think the perception is we're not listening."

See, when you, as a resident, disagree with the powers that be at city hall then it will be dismissed as a "perception." Got it?

Or how about this?

"My goal for tonight [...] was to figure out where people would like to see [trails]. Not where you don't want to see it. It doesn't help me if we're going to pick one part to pilot."

Maybe, just maybe, people want to see these "trails" in Alabama. But that doesn't fit your agenda, does it?

Then there is the discordant notes of serving all those folks in Dunwoody who don't have cars and depend on public transportation juxtaposed with the conclusion that the Village is the best place to start. Has the mayor ever been to the village? Notice a lots of folks w/o cars didja? 

After not getting the "amens" and "hallelujahs" the mayor has determined that the wrong folk were in attendance and the city needs to engage (round up?) the right folk. The ones that agree with the agenda. 

But here's another option. You're going to put a referendum out there (parks and associated tax increases) so why not add a referendum on all this "trail" happy horseshit?