It Was Not Natural Causes

There has been a tragic death. The death of expertise. It wasn't murder...it did not come from without as some have suggested. It was suicide. Perhaps unintentional but suicide nonetheless. Some may suggest it was self-inflicted due to far too many deposits in the bank of bad habits, but there is also now a smoking gun [slinger].

Dr. Anthony Fauci. 

Under a Freedom Of Information Act records request some members of the Fourth Estate, perhaps even some that should be unindicted co-conspirators, demanded the NIH (think: Fauci) release emails regarding the squashing of the Lab-Leak-Theory. And they did. But they were so heavily redacted as to be completely unreadable, bereft of any actual information. Litigation ensued and the courts bitch-slapped Fauci & Co. out of their cover-up and into compliance. The cat is now out of the bag.

As some had suspected and others had leaked through back-channels, the NIAID (the Fauci part of the NIH) had worked decisively to discredit mention of a Lab-Leak possibility with existential threats to any researcher who did not toe the party line of some untraceable natural selection creating the furin site. After all, NIAID (nee Fauci) has almost complete control of world-wide funding for virology research. This, unlike natural selection, is the most plausible explanation for respected, widely published researchers who had entertained the possibility of a Lab-Leak doing a very quick 180 degree turnaround. If Fauci were to merely hint your career is over, it would be. 

Apparently this iron-fisted control and its chilling effect on independent research has been in place for quite some time. So long that research is no longer independent and in fact is not even research, at least not scientific research. It is a herd of followers. Following a fascist dictator because he controls the money. And this is what has assassinated expertise and the laypersons' confidence in anything said by anyone who lays claim to expertise. Especially ones with the hubris to claim that disagreeing with them is disagreeing with science.

In that complete skepticism, that total disbelief, lies our only hope. Fauci will go, as he should, to join the likes of Madoff, Epstein and Ponzi in whatever dark hole history reserves for them. Lest he simply be replaced by a clone the system must change and it will not change from within...change will come because of the relentless, intense disdain that Fauci's actions, throughout his career, have inflicted on the public and ultimately the body politic. Now THAT is infectious.

Happy PATH...

...or maybe not so much.

First we gotta get our terms straight. Is this a "walking" path or a "multi-use" path. We need to know because these are radically different creatures. And, just to be very clear, these aren't what anyone who spends much time in the great out-of-doors would consider a path. These are paved lanes and in the case of the "multi-use" variant they can be as wide as an interstate lane.  

Apparently these things have become somewhat contentious. Some have suggested that one council-folk is showing favoritism when it comes to the location of Tilly Mill Road paving and the change to the other side of the road ups the cost by $700K. This particular council-folk denies the charge claiming to "have made a concerted effort to not discuss this issue at all with the other council members." So? Like council members or the mayor are in charge of this? Really? Have you not been paying ANY attention? The real question is whether or not there has been communications with the city bureaucrats (who are really in charge) that would influence this enormously expensive change. Any of those folk friends and family? 

It gets better. Another council-folk went on a 10 minute rant about the issue, even pushing up council comments to have a say. Lots to unpack. Council gets open-ending comment time? Hmmm...mere resident taxpayers only get a very limited chance to voice their concerns. So exactly who is serving who in this scenario? This must be the operational definition of "distinction" plastered on the side of city patrol vehicles. 

Both council-folk are dodging the real issue: who, EXACTLY WHO, and we need a name here, decided we simply must have these "paths" in the first place? And WHO can rescind this ill-conceived decision? And why aren't council-folk demanding this nonsense be stopped? And exactly who, staff bureaucrats, friends and family, whomever,  benefits from all this? Is this just more grant-grubbing nonsense?

One thing we know for sure: no one at city hall has the character or integrity to put these crazy things up for a vote. We, the voters, are only ever allowed one referendum, that ill-fated first one and we blew it.

You Have To Wonder

Now that she is convicted and her extortion is a matter of public record you have to wonder how she pulled this off. How exactly did she coordinate this? How did she keep in touch? Maybe, and this is just a guess, but maybe she used her personal cell phone. Seems like one reason to avoid formal communication channels. Looks like it didn't work out so well. Maybe there IS hope for Dunwoody too.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong...

...with uncontrolled growth of government?

We're already seeing metastatic growth of government on the local scale with Dunwoody devouring all available resources. But if we want to know where this is headed we need but look a mere 600 miles north and see what the end-game of out of control growth in an administrative state looks like. And how it works. And how it self-corrupts.

Just one example of DC rot: incestuous corruption at the National Institutes of Health. That's right. Administrative bureaucrats totally out of control. We have a minor role-player on a research paper, a paper now probably fraudulent, intentionally, who is now a bureaucrat handing out millions of our dollars to a primary author of this paper. And this paper, a result of previous government funding has resulted in enormous public harm--exactly not what this alphabet-bureaucracy was supposed to do--and now this out of control aristocracy of bureaucrats is totally open-loop, continuing, growing this human cancer. 

This same cancer runs throughout any government that is left unchecked by those it is supposed to serve. Including Dunwoody. Do your job voters.

Transparency: A Word They Like To Use

You hear it all the time. "We're committed to transparency." Our current lesson in transparent-not-transparent revolves around the officer who has been placed on administrative leave because he divulged to media a situation that is, perforce, a matter of public record. Of the "police blotter" kind (it is worth noting that none of local rags with a police blotter have mentioned Parsons' DUI in that format). Sounds a lot like the bloke on leave was simply being "transparent." 

But that is not what this city actually wants nor is what they're committed to. The police chief released a statement that it would be "inappropriate" for him to comment on an active investigation. For what it is worth that investigation is by an outside authority, sadly not a higher authority like the GBI. This "we have nothing to say" statement was followed up by Truth Botcher claiming the city will continue to be transparent in future incidents. Just not this one.

Smoldering Fire

The drama intensifies with three employees alleging sexual harassment and demanding $500K each.

From there it goes downhill.

The newspaper reporting on the matter submitted an open records request and was given a price tag of $3.5 million. That's right. More than twice what the plaintiff's requested, making it appear that organized malfeasance is a very profitable racket. But after a chat with the State Attorney General and some unspecified minor changes to the request the new bill fell to less than one percent of the original at $30K. Seems like the original bill was primarily to preserve opacity indicating the city may well have something to hide. And that is simply what can be gleaned from one newspaper article.

The interweb is swirling with conjecture, rumors and statements of support for the now-former employees. Some are directing comments and questions to the police chief and there has been mention of a leaked email from Billy boy to the department warning of coming comments on the interweb and cautioning them NOT to respond. Is this circling the wagons? Or, is it yet another manifestation of institutionalized secrecy around all activities at city hall? Or both?

One thing is certain. If these lawsuits are smoke then the fire is corruption and city hall is fully engulfed.

Failed State

A failed state is something we most commonly associate with a banana republic, some third world country over-run by crime and drug cartels. But a state can also be taken over by "legitimate" business, to the detriment of life and property of citizenry.

Such is the case in Dunwoody, but unlike third world countries where the state openly denies failure Dunwoody has done quite the opposite. In our case, the city has passed ordinances which in the past they simply neglected to enforce, easily explained away as "selective enforcement" as if the cause were insufficient resources. But now, a city employee using a city email account has officially declared that they are not and have no intention of enforcing ordinances affecting resident's quality of life.

Why? Damn. Good. Question. The email indicates it is "to show compassion and empathy during a time of uncertainty."

Parse that little nugget. Empathy? And how is it the city can "empathize?" Sympathize perhaps. And with whom, exactly, do they empathize? Well it sure is hell isn't you or Your Dunwoody. Turns out it is...wait for it...that's right...BUSINESSES! The folks this city really serves. Of course they have yet to receive an end date for this state of failure, nor have they indicated from whence this notification originates, no more than they've revealed by what extra-legal process this was instituted in the first place. Since they are blindly loyal to their business colleagues you can expect this failure to persist. Forever.

Now you may be thinking this is time for some open records requests. Sunshine to sanitize. But this is far too rotten for that. We have a government bureaucracy openly flaunting the law, refusing to fulfill mandated duties and ignoring duly and properly instituted ordinances. Drastic action is called for and it is now time to contact our state representative and senator. This failure emanated from under the gold dome and that is where it can be fixed. It is time to send the Dan & Fran Freak Show packing. It is time to demand that the state step up, take action and revoke the Dunwoody City Charter.

We'll Have What She's Having

What is it with this City and booze? Yeah, yeah, Shopsin said it first: the profit is in the liquids and certainly were one to follow the money the booze would just be liquid gold flowing freely down at City Hall. But fer crissakes, can't they give it break?

First it was a City hell bent on converting Cycle Bar to "Open Bar" and now it is converting the village to "Open Container." Their idea is that you'll be able to leave one of the licensed (or "don't ask don't tell") establishments in daVille with your current/next drink in a plastic cup (ferget the whales and carbon footprints) and stagger to...where, exactly? That would be your car now wouldn't it, because there really isn't anywhere else to go. And it won't be changed by folks staggering around like frat boys during rush week.

The public story (propaganda?) squizzing out of City Hall always leads to Canton Street. How we don't have one. But the City cannot seem to figure out just where they want this faux-southern-charm farce located. Is it around Project Renaissance? Well that hasn't panned out, so now is it daVille? Just imagine the lost opportunity when they missed converting the old Glaze's Hardware into a mini-Krog Street with "chef-driven" cuisine-du-jour offerings. Then you could have plastic-cupped your G&T up Winters Chapel and visited folks put under the sod by a little "harmless" drink driving. It is harmless isn't it? After all the City is promoting it so it cannot be bad. Just ask anyone at City Hall.

Since it is so good, please, make it double.

Dunwoody Refurb

Recently the Blue Bag Rag reported our Mayor lecturing on the relative cost benefits of refurbishing existing buildings rather than doing a teardown-rebuild:

Mayor Denis Shortal said that space in Dunwoody is expensive, hard to find and would have to be built. To refurbish is usually cheaper than to build from scratch, Shortal said.

This was true when the theatre at Brook Run was torn down and it is true now. We didn't need to spend tax dollars on a consultant to tell us that. We didn't need to spend money tearing down a theatre but since we did let's not waste money building another one. Let's accept the reality, as demonstrated by a six to one vote, that this city had no compelling interest in the arts.

If council have changed their minds, individually or collectively, voters deserve an accounting.  And council deserves to be shown the door. 

Making Sausage

The political machinery that grinds power and money, squizzing it out in an unnatural casing has often been likened to making sausage. And whenever three or more are gathered in the name of politics there will be some playing hide the sausage. Upon that  politically incorrect practice becoming practically illegal a complaint was lodged against a state Senator, Republican of course, by a lobbyist accusing him of demanding she hide his sausage. She refused, then accused. But it turns out she had her own sausage operation and was afraid that same senator would no longer cook her wares and serve it to Georgia citizenry.

The AJC, having procured a copy of the state's investigative report tell us that the document states

"there was no evidence Schafer retaliated towards the lobbyist by killing her legislation"

Her legislation? HER LEGISLATION!?!! That is the real problem. HER name did not show up on any ballot. In fact, due to the AJC victimhood support policy, the paper will not name the woman even though it has now been determined the accusations she made are without merit. But we, the good folk of Georgia who suffer from her activities, are supposed to be concerned about the fate of HER legislation. "Lobbyist" has always been code-word for "something, often unsavory, for hire" but it is baffling why payment terms no longer include sexual favors yet still include screwing the public. Do voters need a lobbyist to get a law passed to fix that?

Any Excuse Will Do

When a politician is justifying a pay raise for their cronies holding patronage positions or, gasp, themselves, it seems almost any excuse will suffice. No matter how vapid. Case in point: DeKalb commissioners, failing to get the Gold Domers to do their dirty work, gave themselves a raise and erected a Ruben Golden mechanism to ensure future raises. Justification: "we put in a lot of hours." Apparently "by any means necessary" also applies to these politicians' hijinks.

Pardonne-moi, mon chéri? Was the work schedule a surprise? Aren't you the best and brightest? Do you have something better to do? Like, something where someone pays for your services? Then go do it.

It was a part-time job when you got it. It is a part-time job now. But...it comes with a staff budget supporting generous payola for friends and family. Yes...Yes...the whole P-Card kerfuffle cut into the rather indiscrete payola but the official compensation for scheduling photo-ops is difficult to match in the private sector. And the benefits...

What is interesting is the excuse this time is "hours worked" but when justifying outrageous paychecks for patronage it is almost exclusively "we have to compete with the private sector." But there isn't a job in the private sector where you give yourself a raise with other people's money.

PR Over Service

You may have noticed there are radar speed signs in Dunwoody. You may have heard that an allegedly drunken driver took a plow thru the DUMC tree retail operation[1]. In fact you may have seen the DUMC kerfuffle on the Police Facebook page. Where you might also have noticed how the PD is chowing down at a trendy local restaurant[2].

That's right, unsolved murders[3] and all, the police have time for constant updates on social media. Some top brass have their own web sites where they publicly polish their own brass[4]. It seems Council's sycophantic symphony of praise leaves a few interludes to interject a self-congratulatory chorus of How Great I Art.

What you will not notice in the detritus of this public relations campaign is meaningful information. Like what, you ask? Glad you asked. Remember those radar speed signs. They can actually collect data on every vehicle passing by. That data could be made available to the public, to inform the public, to serve the public. But it isn't. And it will not be. Why? Because the PD is too busy tweeting and face-booking. And that is just one example. Of many.

So here is a new year's resolution for our elected officials and their city manager: let's make this the year that we replace Grogan and his brass-heavy tribute band with leadership that is interested in serving this community. And when we get our officers to put down their tweeters and get back to the job we might really consider paying them a living wage.


[1] Do they have a business license for that? What, because it is a church? Could they sell booze w/o a license? Why not?
[2] It seems that the "International Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Code of Ethics" explicitly forbids accepting gratuities defining this as anything you receive by virtue of your profession. That would include free and discounted meals. Unless you're in the Dunwoody PD.
[3] The unsolved Abbotts murder. 
[4] If it were something other than brass you could go blind doing that.

Let No Entitlement Fail

No matter how few are affected or how minor the impact (to the individual or society) any aspect of any tax plan negatively impacting an entitlement seems DOA. The AJC recently reported that a tax loophole in place for graduate student stipends might close and the beneficiaries of public largesse are furious.

There is the not-so-subtle subtext of "this is for the children and their education" but the chicken-little hyperbole from "student leaders" is almost unbearable.

“Many current graduate students will be unable to afford this new tax, and would fail to finish their programs as a result.... Universities would suddenly produce fewer graduates, and would be left with fewer instructors for undergraduate courses.”

Really? Wow? They get paid THAT much? So much that they would clear the limit to pay any income tax at all? Honestly, in some fields PhD candidates do get a stipend and generally tuition is waived (you're still on the hook for books and fees) but this doesn't rise to a level of burdensome or even any, income tax.

Then there is the loss of cheap labor complaint noting that fewer grad students, supposedly forced out due to this onerous though unsubstantiated tax burden, would mean fewer graders thereby driving down the quality of undergraduate education. They seem quite ignorant of the quality of graders and missed the memo from the IRS indicating excluded income was for work required for the degree. Grading homework in no way clears that bar. Are they cheating on their taxes? Are they saying it is OK? Sure. Why not? It IS an entitlement, isn't it?

Absolutely Necessary

We are seeing some powerful words being bandied about of late. This could be due to the Manget Way train wreck, the neighboring Brookhaven "macerated equals redacted" lysol spray kerfuffle or just the fact that DeKalb is like a cold sore that won't go away. So we're being treated to statements like "it is absolutely necessary to restore the public's trust..."

Really? Absolutely Necessary?

And just what happens if the public's trust isn't restored or worse yet further erodes? Will DeKalb or Dunwoody or Brookhaven lose their charter and fold their tent? Not likely. Actually what will happen is what has been happening. Corruption and unethical behaviour will continue to be the lifeblood of local politics and voters, what few there are, will either vote on single issues (the smart ones) or they'll vote based on personality and personal grooming (the dumb ones).

And things will remain the same. Unless they get worse.

Urkel To Go Free

Most pundits agree that jury selection determines the outcome and the trial itself is "just playing the game." Given that we may as well drop the case, re-instate Burrell Ellis and send Lee May back to the private sector.

This case is a done deal and the AJC report on jury selection makes this clear.

It is impossible to find anyone with the mental capabilities to even find the courthouse let alone sit on a jury who does not have some familiarity with the case so it comes as no surprise that selection looks into "what do you know, when did you know it and what do you think about it?" It is incumbent on the court to find jurors who, in spite of prior knowledge, can assess the case on the facts presented in court and to some degree this is the point of this case's voir dire. But there are disturbing aspects to the variations in "degree."

One prospect reportedly stated "Corruption is endemic in DeKalb County, which I think comes from the top down."

"Thank you for your time. Dismissed."  As expected since this person clearly has made up his mind.

A little less clearly prejudiced is the prospect who said "I find it disturbing and significant that there's a trial against the defendant, so there must be something there in order for that to occur. Something's going on here." This individual did not say "and I think he is guilty" but simply said that we would not be here if there was nothing to be presented to the court. Nor is it clear this individual is incapable of differentiating between what is believed versus what is proven in court. Dismissed nonetheless.

It gets worse.

On prospect said "I heard what was on the news, and looking at the gentleman, he just doesn't look like someone who would be guilty." He just doesn't look guilty. This person is making a pretty clear statement that he comes to this court predisposed to set our Urkel free. So, dismissed for prejudice in favour of the defendant, right? Hell no. Ordered to return for further questioning--still in contention for jury duty. But consider this: suppose instead of saying "just doesn't look" he actually said "looks." That juror would have been back at home in less than an hour--thank you for your service.

Whether this is right or wrong, just or unjust, Burrell Ellis is going to get another jury pre-disposed to  acquittal and that is exactly what will happen. Let's just cut to the chase, drop the case and quit paying for two CEO's when we'll never get even one that is worth having. 

Corrupting Farce

Much has been said of Boyer's recent career implosion but a common thread seems to be "the system itself is fundamentally broken" and that as it stands it is a powerful corrupting system that would defeat the best of us. A lot of folks believe this and further believe that Boyer's slide into the abyss is proof positive.

Clearly folks in daVille are not buying any of this. How say? Well, if you really did believe this would you take one of your finest, your most highly regarded local luminaries and push them through this ethical meat grinder? And if you did would you not expect the same putrid sausage we always get coming out the other end?

The only way to make any sense of this is to conclude either that quite a few folks do not believe the system is all corrupting or they have found the one candidate immune to the corrosive agents running thru DeKalb politics like ebola in Africa. THEY have found the Saint George fitted out to slay our dragons. Really? Isn't that pretty much what all supporters say of  THEIR candidate? And is it not true that without fail we have caught these white knights wallowing in their own mud?

You do not put a prime cut thru the sausage grinder and profit well from it. It seems like smart people (and we are smart, aren't we?) would fix the real problem instead of using this failed system to destroy our best and brightest.

Young Lectures Wiesenthal

After honing his schtick in standup venues here in Atlanta, former Ambassador and Mayor FROM Atlanta, Andrew Young is taking his "Forgive Before Forever" tour international. He recently completed a one-day engagement at the Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem where he lectured Center leaders on God's role in delivering justice in this world, chastising them for "relentless prosecution of Nazi war criminals" noting that they were either "all dead or very near the end of their lives" with the implication that this somehow absolves them of their heinous crimes. He spoke fervently on behalf of those whose time here on this earth is short saying "they will face the judgment of their maker very shortly and the time for justice in this world has passed."

His attempts to characterize this as some noble form of mercy was not well received with one attendee remarking "the Jewish people empathize with the plight of African slaves in America and persecution African Americans have endured but we suspect that they have neither forgiven nor absolved those who held their ancestors in slavery nor those who persecuted them and to suggest that we should forgive perpetrators of the Holocaust is baffling." Another audience member noted the former Ambassador's ignorance of Jewish history observing "he seems to think 'Set My People Free' was written by Dr. King and is about the Civil Rights movement in America." This elicited observations from her partner, "perhaps Young can learn something from us regarding enduring slavery and persecution. We dedicate ourselves first to God and then to knowledge and education. Perhaps he should go home and apply these principles to set HIS people free. Instead he seems to fighting to keep his own people ignorant."

Musical Chairs

A tri-state corruption investigation has resulted in a Federal indictment that cites a yet-to-be named DeKalb County Commissioner as someone who has solicited bribes.  The case will be prosecuted this summer in South Carolina at which point the individual will be named in public testimony.

Until then the band plays on but when the Feds lift the needle it will be interesting to see who's seated in the audience and who's standing in the docket.