Roch101

Skip Alston's mind-numbing misunderstanding of the U.S. Constitution

2012-01-27T19:03:00.002-05:00

County Commission chairman Skip Alston on Guilford County's policy of restricting media presentations by citizens at public meetings, via Yes Weekly!:

“You can’t yell fire in crowded movie theater"

Yes, you can—if there is a fire. Which is what Jodi Riddleberger was trying to do when the Chairman—the mousy commissioners having already voted to prohibited media presentations during speakers from the floor—refused to put her on the agenda.

Despite his superfluous misrememberance of fifth grade civics, Alston reveals precisely why he is on the wrong side of the issue and why the North Carolina ACLU has sided with Riddleberger: In the United States of America, government officials cannot exercise prior restraint of speech. Without a dire compelling public interest, the government or its agents, no matter how arrogantly ignorant or self righteous, may not decide in advance that what someone may be about to say is to be prohibited.

For Alston to think that what Riddlerberger wanted to say was equivelant to FALSELY yelling fire in a crowded theater, is an admission that he is engaging in the very prior evaluation of her message the Constitution prohibits. Heck, he even says as much:

“As far as content, I think there should be some kind of restrictions on freedom of speech.”

Whether Riddleberger's message is true or false, annoying or flattering, the Chairman has no right to intervene and those who can stop the Chairman's misbehavior should do so. If it's not going to be the other commissioners, it's going to be a judge—to Guilford County's unnecessary expense and embarrassment.

Coble to run for 15th term

2012-01-27T15:44:00.001-05:00

Congressman Howard Coble announced today that he will run for a 15th term in the 6th district of North Carolina.

ACLU sides with C4GC against Guilford County Commissioners

2012-01-27T13:47:00.001-05:00

Yes Weekly! is reporting:

ACLU of North Carolina Legal Director Katherine Lewis Parker expresses concerns about the constitutionality of the Guilford County Commission's proposed citizen multi-media presentation policy in a letter to the board today:

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation ("ACLU-NCLF")was contacted last week by Guilford County resident Jodi Riddleberger ("C4gc"). Ms. Riddleberger has requested our assistance in connection with a recent decision by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners ("the Board") to ban any and all multimedia presentations during prescribed public comment periods of Board meetings. After conducting an initial investigation, we have concerns that your Board is violating Ms. Riddleberger's rights under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

It appears that the county's actions with regard to Ms. Riddleberger, as well as the passage of the ban on multimedia presentations during public comment period constitute violations of the First Amendment. First, we believe that the general requirement that individuals can show videos only if approved and placed on the agenda is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech. [Roch: That's what I thought too] Further, Chairman Alston's specific comments and actions against Ms. Riddleberger suggest that these new rules, while they appear to be content neutral, are a thinly-veiled disguise for impermissible content discrimination, or even viewpoint discrimination....

[more]

Brad Miller for Governor?

2012-01-27T11:53:00.001-05:00

North Carolina congressman Brad Miller announced he will not seek reelection to the newly gerrymandered seat that would have pitted him against a fellow Democratic incumbent. Miller has always struck me as a dedicated and smart representative and one who, without knowing his personal perspective, would not be dropping out of politics for good—not by his own volition anyway.

Assuming Miller is scanning the landscape for another political opportunity, is there anything on the horizon more promising than North Carolina's governorship now that Democratic incumbent Bev Perdue has announced she will not run? Miller would make a good challenger to sitting Democratic senator Kay Hagan in two years, but he'd be the underdog. On the other hand, he would start a campaign for Governor as a top-tier contender. I won't be surprised if he throws his hat in the ring.

Project Gutenberg

2012-01-26T12:58:00.004-05:00

If you have an eReader, such as a Kindle or a Nook, you might want to take a look at Project Gutenberg. You've probably heard of it—the website that makes available books in the public domain—but if you haven't visited it yet, or lately, you might wanna. They now have over 38,000 free ebooks—classics, science fiction, detective stories, children's literature, philosophy, technology and more.

You don't have to have a reading device either, many of the book are available in PDF, but for a better reading experience, I recommend ebook in the open ePub format. You can read ePub books (and many other formats too) on your PC with the excellent and free Calibre.

If you visit Project Gutenberg on a mobile device, you will automatically be treated to their superior mobile interface. You can hit it from a PC here.

Calibre eBook Manager & Reader for PC

2012-01-26T12:45:00.003-05:00

Calibre ebook management and reader for the PC (Windows, OSx, Linux) is great software for better management of eReader books, with native support for just about any kind of device (list here). For Nook users, just the ability to rename files and metadata of ebooks downloaded to a device (cover art, tags, etc.) is worth it alone—these features regrettably absent from the Nook.

There is a bit of a learning curve—not too bad, I went from download to finish in about an hour—but it's worth it in order to:

Safely backup books from an eReader to your PC.
Edit metadata for better organization and nicer cover art.
Search for books from multiple sellers with a single click
Convert books between formats.

Calbre comes with a fine ebook reader too, one of the best I've seen for a PC. You can download it for free (donations are accepted) at calibre-ebook.com. I highly recommend watching the 10 minute introductory video on the main page.

Off the deep end

2012-01-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

Fecund Stench on Joe Guarino:

Only someone so diabolical could think to use our least unfortunate for criticism of public projects paid for out of his taxes. He commits a logical fallacy by supposing that the Aquatic Center was constructed for such purposes, but camouflages with the implied arguments that the homeless are unclean and can’t afford to swim there, with the corollary allusion to the poor in general.

[snip]

Conflating the swimmers with the homeless is a gross misrepresentation of the responsible governance which has addressed the needs of both groups of citizens. The social retards no doubt think the notion humorous, but such a highly contrived expression of intolerance is the very definition of evil.

Local currency? Harumph!

2012-01-25T12:13:00.001-05:00

The News & Record's Doug Clark is down on the idea of a local currency. To the idea that merchants may offer a discount for using the local bucks, he writes:

If they do, they'll lose my business. In effect, that would be penalizing me to pay with dollars.

Harumph! That'll show 'em!

Similarly, I'm going to stop shopping at merchants who offer coupons in the News & Record, because I'm penalized for not using them.

Intimidating college student voters

2012-01-25T11:03:00.000-05:00

Fretting that Greensboro college students are going to swing an upcoming vote on a proposed performing arts center, one commenter demands:

"Anyone who cannot produce a NC ID with a an actual NC local residential permanent address is not eligible to vote."

That's wrong. Aside from the fact that, year after year, the university precincts in Greensboro consistently have the fewest number of voters voting anyway, and have never been a significant factor in any local vote, North Carolina election law is quite clear about the eligibility of out-of-town college students being allowed to register to vote in North Carolina. As Democracy North Carolina explains:

You can declare your old address (probably your parents’ address) as your home, because that’s where you return periodically; in that case, you may register and vote in your old hometown.

Or you can declare your new address as your home, because that’s where you return, day after day; in that case, you may register and vote in your new town.

Let us hope that people do not start promulgating misinformation in an effort to intimidate college student voters.

SOLVED: Windows XP will not read USB mass storage device.

2012-01-24T15:23:00.004-05:00

PROBLEM: Attempting to read a USB mass storage device (SDHC card, flash drive, memory stick, camera card, Nook tablet, etc) on a Dell Vostro 1500 laptop computer running Windows XP with service pack 3, results in the contents of the drive not being readable. Although the drive is assigned a drive letter and shows up in Windows Explorer, attempting to open the drive results in the following message: "The disk is not formatted. Do you want to format it now?"

Device manager will report the device as healthy but with an unknown file system.

I will not speculate about why this fix works, all I know is that hours of searching the internet yielded no clear explanation for how to fix this problem:

CAUTION: The fix described below is what finally, after many, many dead ends, worked for me. I make no guarantees that it will solve the problem you are experiencing nor am I responsible for any additional problems it may cause. Try at your own risk.

Having said that...

THE FIX:

1. In Windows explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers
2. Find the file fastfat.sys
3. Rename it to fastfat.sys.bak
4. Restart you computer

Try out a device in a USB port. Can you read it? If so great. If not, then this fix wasn't for you. Sorry, I know it's frustrating. If the fix did not work, you may change the name of the renamed file back to its original.

[With apologies to my regular readers, this post describes a technical fix missing from the Internet and is void of my usual commentary or news. It was written in an attempt to be easily found in search engines.]

My email to the ACLU of North Carolina

2012-01-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

I sent this to the ACLU of North Carolina today. You can send them your opinion too.

I am a resident of Greensboro, NC. I am not a member of the group ~~Concerned Citizens for Guildford County~~ Conservatives for Guilford County (C4GC), in fact I do not often find myself in agreement with their opinions and objectives. Nonetheless, I share their concerns regarding the recent actions of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to limit what may be presented at public meetings, actions which I think, in my layman's opinion, constitute unconstitutional prior restraint of speech based on its content (and in the specifics of C4GC's complaint, speech that would be constitutionally allowable in any case).

Although the County attorney is quoted in the News & Record as saying the prohibitions are legal because they only control time and manner, the policy actually demands that content be reviewed by a small committee for approval. Therefore, I am encouraging you to give serious consideration to representing C4GC on this matter. Indeed, from my perspective, were the ACLU of NC to challenge this policy, it would be to the benefit of all the residents of Guilford County.

If I can be of assistance to you in further evaluating the possibility of your involvement with this matter, do not hesitate to let me know.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'experts'"

2012-01-20T10:37:00.001-05:00

John Stewart rightly mocks lawmakers who would censor the internet while admitting they do not understanding the technicalities. He includes a well-deserved poke at North Carolina congressman Mel Watt (at the 3:27 mark. Hat tip, Ed Cone)

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Responding to Charles Davenport Jr.'s charge of cowardice.

2012-01-20T10:15:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, local columnist and conservative apologist Charles Davenport, Jr. invited me to engage him in a pro/con for publication on his new website the Greensboro Guardian. Less than ninety minutes later, I accepted Davenport's invitation as a reply in the same thread were he issued it (he didn't leave any other contact information as I did in my acceptance).

Although I did not hear from Davenport, a few days later he writes that I "declined" his invitation, as he "suspected [I] would," he adds. He calls it "cowardice."

Davenport may not have seen my response, although that seems unlikely, but to say that I declined is just flat wrong.

I repeat my acceptance of Davenport's challenge, maintaining my initial preferences that it happen in a forum that allows public comment (his site or elsewhere) and that it be in type larger than the microscopic font currently deployed on Charles' website.

I'm even more eager now, because if I'm going against someone who cannot get his facts straight, it's going to be a cake walk.

Gingrich under fire because he is a conservative?

2012-01-20T09:42:00.001-05:00

Joe Guarino suffocates thinking with preconceived suspicion and concludes that the reason the national press is covering the marital history of of a contending presidential candidate while the local press did not cover the marital troubles of a mayoral candidate is because Newt Gingrich is a more conservative Republican than the moderate Republican mayoral candidate. It's the conservatism that brings the scrutiny, he says. In Joe's mind, "it is painfully obvious."

Incorporate the facts though, and Guarino's conspiracy theory crumbles. The local media did not choose to report on the marital histories of ANY council candidate, including those of conservative Republicans. They did not apply a double standard, one for moderates and one for conservatives, they applied the same standard to all candidates, from the most conservative to the most liberal. I don't know why the local press didn't report on the marital histories of council candidates, it could have been because marriage laws are not an issue for city council, but different standards for conservatives and moderates was demonstrably not their reason.

The reason Gingrich gets legitimate scrutiny on this issue is this: Conservatives, all the Republican presidential candidates* and Newt Gingrich specifically, have pledged to refuse to allow marriage for gay people—that discrimination being necessary, they say, in order to "defend marriage."

If the implication is not obvious to you, here it is: If a candidate cannot keep their personal obligation under a marriage, cannot manage a marriage within their personal domain (or if they themselves are privately gay), they really have no businesses dictating, especially not through the power of law, that this institution is too sacred for the participation of consenting gay adults. Their rhetoric is contrary to their actions—hypocrisy. How qualified is a man who destroyed his own marriages to tell other people how to live theirs? Voters deserve to know if a candidate's public statements contradict their actions.

As Think Progress notices, Gingrich has a special place at the apex of hypocrisy on this matter. He doesn't just want gay marriage denied to a segment of loving, committed, consenting adults, he promises, through legislative action, to "defend" marriage as specifically and exclusively between one woman and one man—this while having asked his wife to share him with another other woman. Gingrich cannot keep his own marriage to one man and one woman, but he wants to legally impose that demand on others. It wasn't as if Gingrich's marriage went kaput because of unhappy circumstances either—not as if he was innocently a victim in some unavoidable disintegration of his marriage—it was his actions that brought down the one marriage he had the complete ability to "defend." Destroying his own marriage, he now he wants to control others'.

One of the reason I have thought since last fall that Gingrich would be a contender in this race is because he has vast political experience and the intellectual confidence to think on his feet. Demonstrating those qualities, he is turning this matter back on the media and it seems to be working—at least with the Republican crowd at last night's debate (it won't in a general election)—but for Guraino to proclaim that sinister motives explain the distinction between national media reporting of Gingrich's philandering and local media ignoring the marital travails of local city council candidates is to turn a blind eye to Gingrich's hypocrisy. Local candidates were not saying one thing and doing another and especially not while defending odoriferous discrimination. Gingrich is.

[* Ron Paul cuts a slightly different path, but clearly does not favor marriage equality for gay people.]

Fox8 covers yesterday's anti-censorship web protests

2012-01-19T09:06:00.001-05:00

Although the anchor introduction announcing "nearly a dozen" protesting websites was off by about 75,000, Fox8's Brandon Jones' report does a great job explaining the opposition to the internet censorship bills pending in congress and yesterday's online protests.

I didn't know the story would be so much about Greensboro 101 going dark yesterday, but that was pretty great and has nothing to do with my impression that Brandon is a talent to watch. Seriously. He'll likely learn a lot quickly too if he keeps teaming up with, as he did yesterday, the seasoned veteran Lenslinger—who could just as legitimately claim Wordslinger for his jaunty prose.

Senator Hagan's justification for internet censorship debunked

2012-01-18T15:33:00.002-05:00

North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan on why she is co-sponsor of the deficient Protecting IP Act, via Mark Binker:

"We have about $58 billion a year of intellectual property stolen."

So say the motion picture lobbyists, but is that accurate?

Not really

From the CATO Institute, via Ed Cone:

Only $58 billion! We’re making progress! So where does that figure come from? The source here is a paper released by the Institute for Policy Innovation, and authored by one Stephen Siwek, an MBA and principal of a consulting firm called Economists Incorporated that produces economic analysis for hire on behalf of (among others) businesses seeking to influence policy makers. That does not, in itself, invalidate the research, but we should at least begin with the recognition that we are not dealing here with impartial academic studies produced by a university or government research agency.

What does invalidate the “research” is the inappropriate use of “multiplier” effects to double—and triple—count loss estimates that were dubious to begin with. As the GAO report notes in its typically understated fashion:

"Most of the experts we interviewed were reluctant to use economic multipliers to calculate losses from counterfeiting because this methodology was developed to look at a one-time change in output and employment."

Greensboro 101 on strike

2012-01-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

For the first time since its inception in 2005, Greensboro 101 is not serving its function as a gateway to the news and ideas of the people and organizations of Greensboro. It's on strike in protest of some very bad legislation currently under consideration in the U.S. congress that would allow Hollywood media companies to censor the Internet with a heavy, ham-fisted hand.

The video above explains. It's only a little complicated, but worth your time and attention. More detail here.

North Carolina's senator Kay Hagan is a co-sponsor of the legislation. Our other senator, Richard Burr, is undecided. Contact them both and ask them NOT to support the Protect IP Act. [Email your congressional representatives here.]

Richard Burr: 1-800-685-8916; email
Kay Hagan: 1-877-852-9462; email

"Heavy handed abuse of power"

2012-01-17T23:08:00.000-05:00

This is not a partisan issue and Jodie Riddleberger is very much right on:

Strike

2012-01-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I'm going to do something I've never done before—it's important I think; and tomorrow starts at midnight.

Small group meeting compromise

2012-01-17T11:58:00.000-05:00

Greensboro City Council person Nancy Vaughan described her concerns about the current small group meeting policy, that the council will revisit this evening. She made a good point about the inefficiencies created by the policy. Specifically, the inability for two council persons to quickly meet with city staff is a hindrance to efficient action.

The policy demands a 48 hour advance public notice if any two or more council persons are to meet with staff. As Nancy pointed out, that is even more ludicrous if two council members are already at City Hall working together on an urgent matter. If questions arise, they cannot just pop into a staffer's office and get some answers.

So, yeah. Maybe we can clear the decks a little bit for council members who want to hustle. But that doesn't have to happen at the expense of the gains in transparency the policy achieved

Here are some ways that the policy could be adjusted so that council members are not frustrated and transparency is not stymied.

Keep the audio recording requirement.
Establishing a public record keeps the meetings accessible to the public, even if after the fact, and does not interfere with speedy scheduling.
Increase the number of "small group."
Raise the advanced public notification requirement for a meeting with two council persons to three or more.
Make a public notice within 24 hours of the end of the meeting. The point of public access to small group meetings is to know who met and what city business they discussed. With audio recordings available, a public notice shortly after the meeting would serve that purpose.

Greensboro city council may revert to greater secrecy

2012-01-17T08:25:00.000-05:00

The Greensboro City Council currently has a small group meeting policy that requires any meeting of two or more city council persons with any city staff be announced to the public 48 hours in advance, audio recorded and open to the media. Newly elected Mayor Robbie Perkins wants to change that—and not for the better.

There is an item on the agenda for tonight's city council meeting, with Perkins as the primary contact, for the purpose of discussing changes to the small group policy. Documents attached to the agenda (item 32, pp 159 - 162) describe Greensboro's small group policy as being more than North Carolina public meetings law requires and as unique to Greensboro. It's clear the purpose of revisiting the policy is to attempt to weaken or eliminate it.

Greensboro government has a long history, with all too recent manifestations, of cultivating public suspicion by secrecy. The state law may not demand that Greensboro have this small group policy and other cities may not, but so what? When it comes to open government, can Greensboro not stand above the rest of the state? Must we revert to the norm by lowering our standards?

The current policy is a robust plank in support of public trust and an antiseptic against corrosive public suspicion. If it sets Greensboro apart, all the better. It should not be changed.

Newt Gingrich

2012-01-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

I will be surprised if Newt Gingrich does not become more of a contender for the Republican presidential nomination than he has thus far. Unlike Romeny, his conservatism is in his bones, not an adornment; and unlike Santorum, he has the intellectual chops to make the case for conservative principles.

Yes, already Gingrich has said some things that assure he will be unacceptable to large segments of the population in the general elections, but he stands out—to me at least—as the guy most capable of making the race about a different direction for the country. If America is truly facing an existential threat from within, as the right frequently insists, Gingrich is most prepared to explain to and convince voters of the need for an alternative.

McDonald's ruins the milkshake

2012-01-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

McDonald's has taken their iconic shake and added the word "cafe" to it, which apparently is McDonald's-speak for "shrinking a large to the size of the previous medium." The old large was 32 ounces, the new "large" is 22 ounces (a single ounce larger than the old medium) and the top fifth is filled with whipped cream you don't want.

On the other hand, the generous single quarter-sized slice of tomato on their premium burger made up for it. Not.

Guilford County: hick backwater

2012-01-12T08:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks to our County Commissioners, specifically, Chairman Skip Alston, I am embarrassed to call myself a resident of Guilford County.

What kind of hick backwater outlaws multimedia presentations by speakers from the floor at public meetings in this day and age? Guilford County, sad to say.

In fact, no multimedia will be allowed during any portion of County Commissioners' meetings unless it is first reviewed by an "agenda committee" for "appropriateness."

Only with our approval, comrade.

This sounds an awful lot like it oversteps the Constitutional prohibitions against prior restraint of speech. Maybe someone will take it to court and we'll spin our wheels on another unnecessary issue while the world moves on.

WFMY: Government stenographers

2012-01-10T08:09:00.000-05:00

WFMY dutifully regurgitates, again, another press release. Surely, one of the most basic duties of journalists is to challenge and check the pronouncements of the powerful, especially the government. The health of our democracy depends on news people doing journalism, not stenography.

Here is a story from WMFY's web site. Although it is identified as "written by Patrick Phillippi," it is almost entirely a reprint of a press release from the State Attorney General. The copied portions are highlighted.

Raleigh, NC -- North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper detailed his opposition to Duke Energy's proposed rate increase in a filing with the North Carolina Utilities Commission on Monday.

Cooper said, "Utilities commissioners should heed the economic damage to North Carolina consumers before signing off Duke Energy's rate increase."

Cooper went on to say, "The commission should come down on the side of consumers when considering a fair rate of return for Duke, especially the economy."

Cooper's Consumer Protection Division intervened in the rate case and questioned Duke Energy's experts in November. During that hearing, attorney's with Cooper's office questioned whether experts who calculated the rate of return to Duke Energy shareholders also took "changing economic conditions" into account.

Earlier this year, Duke Energy applied to the Utilities Commission to request that the company be allowed to increase its revenues by approximately $646 million. That earnings increase would be passed along to consumers in the form of higher electricity bills. If approved by the Utilities Commission, the proposed rate hike would have raised the average Duke customer's monthly bill by approximately 17 percent.

Hundreds of North Carolinians have written to Cooper asking for help and expressing their concern about higher electricity costs, according to the Attorney General.

The Attorney General's Office has filed copies of the letters with the Clerk for the Utilities Commission so that commissioners will be aware of consumers' views on the proposed increase.

Forty Creek Barrel Select

2012-01-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, I discovered the joys of Scotch Whiskey. My still limited samplings have me favoring well aged single malts. The good stuff is expensive though and since North Carolina ABC stopped carrying the very good $22 10-year Tamdhu, I've been at a loss for an affordable replacement. (12 year Highland Park is beautiful but its $45 price, while still a great value, puts it into the "special occasion" category for me.)

My fallback "everyday" whiskeys had become Canadian whiskeys—Canadian Club, Seagrams*, Black Velvet.

Last night was the first time I noticed Forty Creek Barrel Select Whiskey among the Canadian whiskeys and its $19.95 price encouraged me to pick it up and read the label which described:

A whiskey where aromas of honey, vanilla and apricot fuse with toasty oak, black walnut and spice. The flavour is rich and bold on the palate and is completed in a smooth, long finish.

I was pleased to find that this whiskey offers the flavors and complexities I enjoy from Scotch. To my very uncultivated pallette, I might have even guessed it to be a Scotch, had I not known. For depth of flavor and price, I recommend Forty Creek Barrel Select.

[* Update: Seagrams is a fine domestic whiskey, not Canadian—as everybody knows]

Soggy Doggy

2012-01-08T10:07:00.001-05:00

What a great concept, a self service dog wash. Such is the new Soggy Doggy (2511 Battleground Ave.). Prices range from $15 to $35 depending on the weight of your dog.The place provides state of the art walk-in bath tubs, aprons, nice shower heads, shampoos, cream rinse, wash cloths, towels, ear wash and cotton balls, and drying tables with adjustable blowers—in short, everything you need to give your dog a thorough cleaning. Owner Susan will even give you some tips on proper bathing techniques.

Journalist or stenographer?

2012-01-07T10:40:00.001-05:00

Michale Hastings:

Look, I went into journalism to do journalism, not advertising. My views are critical but that shouldn’t be mistaken for hostile – I’m just not a stenographer. There is a body of work that shows how I view these issues but that was hard-earned through experience, not something I learned going to a cocktail party on f***ing K Street. That’s what reporters are supposed to do, report the story.

Word.

Cushy teaching jobs and slack ass parents.

2012-01-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

I know a particular teacher quite well and I hear a lot about the ins and outs of her job. One thing that just plain infuriates me to hear is of parents who ask teachers to come in early for a parent conference, or to stay late or to schedule two conferences so that separated parents don't have to be in the same room together for a few minutes -- and then don't show up; don't call or email, just blow the whole thing off.

It happens a lot.

Conservatives are wrong that teachers have cushy jobs, they are right that too many parents won't bother to take responsibility for their children's success.

Another Earth

2012-01-04T18:36:00.002-05:00

If a parallel Earth came into reach that held the possibility of a life as you but without the mistakes you've made on this Earth, would you go there? That's the question faced by Rhoda in the independent film Another Earth (currently available in Red Box).

The screenplay was written by Mike Cahill and Britt Marling, with Cahill directing and Marling turning in a wonderfully layered performance in the leading role. The film requires some willful suspension of disbelief (the second Earth floats into view in the sky, close enough for a rocket trip), but play along and you are rewarded with a poignant exploration of loss and love. The coming together of passionate directing, writing and acting—of Marling and costar William Mapother—make this film a rare gem, a movie that inspires mature joy and wonder without typical Hollywood sentimentality.

Stylometry

2012-01-04T15:29:00.003-05:00

I learned of something new today. Stylometry.

Stylometry is the application of the study of linguistic style. Stylometry is often used to attribute authorship to anonymous or disputed documents.

"Businesses have the right to refuse service to customers on the basis of their religious faith."

2011-12-30T08:43:00.000-05:00

Contrary to their name, the North Carolina Values Coalition does not represent the values of our state with positions like this:

"We also believe that private business owners have the right to refuse service to customers on the basis of their religious faith."

No, that represents an anti-American position dangerously indifferent to our great country's long history of hard fought battles to overcome discrimination, starting with our founding.

Big government make-work

2011-12-20T09:15:00.001-05:00

From a Greensboro Police Department press release:

On Dec. 22 beginning at 10 pm, Greensboro Police will host a “Booze It and Lose It” checkpoint on Holden Road at the I-40 overpass.

Also participating are agencies with the Guilford County Driving While Impaired Task Force: High Point Police Department, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, A+T University campus police, and UNC-G campus police.

The checkpoint location is miles away from the UNCG and A&T campuses. Do those cops not have enough work in their jurisdictions? And the High Point police? That seems totally inappropriate to me—that Greensboro citizens will be subjected to the actions of a law enforcement agency over which we have no control.

The plagiarism just keeps rolling along at WFMY

2011-12-16T15:48:00.003-05:00

Plagiarism: The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. -- Oxford Dictionaires

The practice continues at WFMY. The article below was posted to WFMY's website today and is identified as "Written by Devetta Blount" a WFMY staffer, but it is identical to an article that appears on the Visit Winston Salem website dated seventeen days ago.

Here is the article from WFMY's website, the copied portions are highlighted.

Winston-Salem, NC-- A Winston-Salem church that has some rich history is celebrating 150 years.

St. Philips African Moravian Church in Old Salem is celebrating its 150th anniversary on Thursday. Consecrated in 1861, the congregation held its first service in the church on December 15th of that year. Events celebrating the anniversary will be going on throughout the day.

The St. Philips Heritage Center is holding an open house from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m to celebrate the occasion. Visitors will be able to tour the African Moravian Log Church, St. Philips African Moravian Church and the African American and Strangers Graveyards.

Later on December 15, there will be "An Evening of Conversation and Music" beginning with a reception from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Old Salem Visitor Center. At 7 p.m., a program will take place at St. Philips African Moravian Church, which will include expressions by regional officials, clergy and community leaders as well as special music. Shuttles will transport attendees from the Visitor Center to St. Philips every 15 minutes ending at 6:30 p.m.

At the evening event, Dr. Rodney will be honored. Special guests include: Rev. William Brown, Pastor of Rising Ebenezer Baptist Church; Rev. Ronnie Roseboro, pastor of St. Andrews United Methodist Church; Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones, Founder of Masters Touch Ministries International; Rev. Stacey Frazier, Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church; Rev. Darryl Aaron, pastor of First Baptist Church; Rev. Prince Rivers, pastor of United Metropolitan Baptist Church; Rev. Donald Jenkins, pastor of St. Paul Methodist Church; Dr. Sir Walter Mack, Jr., pastor of Union Baptist Church; Mayor Allen Joines; Dr. Vivian Burke, Mayor Pro Tempore and the North Carolina chapter of the National Liturgical Dance Network.

All the events are free and open to the public, although an RSVP is required for the evening program. RSVP by calling 1-800-441-5305.

Historic St. Philips African Moravian Church is the oldest African American church still standing in the state of North Carolina and one of the earliest in the entire country. Built for the African American congregation, the church matched most of the other churches in the area built at the same time with the large brick, Greek Revival style. The church was expanded in 1890 with the need to add more classroom space downstairs and above in the balcony. The church extended out into the graveyard, which later caused structural issues on the front walls. The congregation moved out of the building in the 1952, and the church sat vacant until restored for use as part of Old Salem Museums & Gardens tours. The steeple, which had been removed in the 1920s, was part of the exterior restoration. The original pews and other details are back in place inside the building. It was from the pulpit of this brick church that on Sunday, May 21, 1865, a Union Cavalry Chaplain announced freedom to the enslaved community in and around the town of Salem, now Winston-Salem.

The St. Philips Heritage Center in Old Salem is a sacred place significant to the unusual and unique history of this community, and it is a touchstone of the African American experience. The African and African American Moravian congregation, organized in Salem in 1822 among a mostly enslaved population, is one of the oldest Black congregations in the United States. It is the only historic African American Moravian congregation in the country. The Center is comprised of the Log Church, St. Philips Moravian Brick Church, the Strangers Graveyard, the Negro God's Acre and the Path to Happy Hill Overlook.

Elected to serve whom?

2011-12-16T09:29:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- The ideologically paralyzed Joe Guarino has been lamenting on his blog recently that city council representative Zack Matheny "let down" former mayor Bill Knight and certain other council members by not siding with them on the landfill issue: As Joe puts it:

Bill Knight must feel awfully betrayed.

Excuse me, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Zack Matheny was not elected to serve Bill Knight or any other council person. He was elected to serve the people of Greensboro. To suggest otherwise is to advocate for the politics of the "cabal" Joe famously decries when it works against him. More situational ethics, I'm afraid.

We don't need no stinkin' public interest

2011-12-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

Lex Alexander:

Look, folks, this might be the most important, overarching issue of our time in this country: The IGMFY [I got mine... you] folks want to steal everything. Everything. And they’re using the power of government to do it. They stole our retirement, they stole our home equity, they’re doing their damnedest to steal our Social Security and now they’re going after the money we spend to educate our children. Enough is never enough with these people, and this crap will keep on until they have taken everything we have or until we bust them in the chops hard enough to make them stop and send them whimpering back into their corners.

Correction

2011-12-13T09:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I wrote a post in which I said that the News & Record editorialists "toed the line" of those clamoring for war with Iraq. That was my memory. Whether I was completely wrong, confusing the homegrown editorials with those of other columnists printed in the paper at the time or going on an impression more of the news coverage, I was not accurate.

While I was unsatisfied that the N&R ever adequately delved into the available information that contradicted the official warmongering claims, they did not accept those claims without question on the opinion page either. Former N&R reporter Lex Alexander brings this N&R editorial from six weeks prior to the start of the war to my attention. It questions the case for war, thus making my previous characterization inaccurate.

The News & Record's "editorial lassitude"

2011-12-12T11:51:00.001-05:00

Fec on the News & Record's "editorial lassitude":

The problems with our local daily are many, but falling in line with the national media clamoring to bomb Iran is a disgrace to those many of its readers who know better.

We may remember, they—the same people, not just the institution—did the same thing in the run-up to the Iraq war. Good editorial makes one think, it doesn't just vomit an opinion at the expense of reason or knowledge.

Amateur hour and more plagiarism at WFMY

2011-12-11T11:24:00.001-05:00

How many errors can a reporter cram into a single sentence? Try this from WFMY.

Officers say an unknown woman stole the wallet, and her and another female used the credit cards and cashed a Cashier's Check that was in the wallet.

Then there is this article on WFMY's website, copied nearly word-for-word from a press release even though the byline says "Written by Teresa Ostuni"—another sad example of WFMY staff putting their names to things they did not write.

Here is the article as it appeared on WFMY's website, the copied portions are highlighted.

Greensboro, NC -- Bennett College has received official notification from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, that the college has been removed from its 6 month probation for financial instability.

After receiving word in June 2011 that the College was on probation, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, president of the College, said, "We look forward to the meeting we will have with SACS in October 2011, at which time we plan to demonstrate the 2010 one-time occurrences were just that, and are not part of our permanent fiscal picture or systemic in any fashion."

After learning the College [sic] was no longer on probation, Dr. Malveaux said, "I was elated to receive the official notice that by action of the SACS Board of Trustees, Bennett College has been removed from probation! As part of the College's 5-year report, we must evidence continued compliance with the SACS principle on financial stability."

True to President Malveaux's word, the College was able to demonstrate its financial stability to the SACS visiting team in October. The team of 4 visited the campus over a two-day period, reviewing records and talking with the College's stakeholders.

Dr. Malveaux assured the stakeholders once again, that "The College is at no risk. Bennett continues to be accredited and financial aid was not impacted by the SACS probation."

Bennett College is a small, private, historically Black liberal arts college for women. The College offers women an education conducive to excellence and scholarly pursuits; preparation for leadership roles in the workplace, society and the world.

For more information on Bennett College, visit its website, here.

Bennett College

Women's health is liberal, the White House is not

2011-12-08T13:09:00.001-05:00

Can we stop trying to shoehorn everything and everybody into "liberal" or "conservative" when all we really are doing is attempting to create some shorthand to keeps us from having to think.

The News & Record's Doug Clark:

The White House supported [Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebilius'] decision, which apparently has liberals up in arms.

If liberals are up in arms and the White House is not up in arms, then the White House must not be liberal.

Maybe that's what Clark meant, or maybe the knee-jerk expectation that everything about public policy must be consigned to liberal or conservative, us or them, is superficial and insufficient. Maybe, "Some women's health professionals are up in arms" would have been more informative and less ridiculous.

"The film boasts the best use of 3-D I have ever seen."

2011-12-07T08:41:00.001-05:00

I've been meaning to write something about Martin Scorsese's new film Hugo, which I not only agree is the best use of 3D technology I've ever seen, but which is also beautifully crafted as a story, as Avant Greensboro's Joe Scott explains in his excellent review. It is easily the best movie I've seen in a long, long time.

One way to deal with paranoid delusions

2011-12-07T08:03:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- What does one do when paranoid conspiracy theories lead one to hastily post a concocted fantasy? Delete it.

Lest the content of the link above change, here is the original, now deleted, post:

Channel 13 Blacks Out Conservative Council Members' Parting Words

Tonight, there was a ceremonial "changing of the guard" on the Greensboro City Council. The old council briefly met; and the outgoing council members had a chance to offer remarks. Then the new council was seated and sworn in.

But an interesting "mishap" took place. I am told that Channel 13 did not televise the first portion of the meeting, but did televise the second portion. The conservative council members' parting remarks were therefore blacked out of the live telecast.

Readers will remember that Channel 13 recently refrained from telecasting the video that had been produced by C4GC. It appears that a pattern is emerging. Apparently someone did not want the portion of the meeting focusing on Bill Knight, Danny Thompson and Mary Rakestraw to be telecast.

This matter needs to be investigated; and corrective measures need to be taken. It was completely inappropriate to pull this stunt. How many times have we seen Channel 13 block out portions of meetings in the past?

There will be more to say about the meeting later. But rest assured that corrupt machine government is back.

An electronic correspondence machine

2011-12-06T11:04:00.001-05:00

I really don't get the "can't do" attitude of a segment of modern Americans towards advances in society. I'm certain they'll be forgotten in the dust; nonetheless, it's interesting to see how the expectations of "crazy" optimism can come to be quite normal as illustrated by this 1967 film.

WFMY corrects plagiarism

2011-12-06T08:23:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC - WFMY published a story last week attributed to one of their staff when it was, in vast majority, copied from another source. ""Written by Lauren Melvin" of WFMY, it said.

WFMY has changed the byline on the story, now attributing it to CNN.

Here is a screenshot of the original.

WFMY has a history of very low standards of journalism, including copying works from other sources and attributing them to WFMY. You'd think that something this basic would be covered in the radio & TV classes these reporters must have taken to earn their degrees but, ultimately, it's management—the news director and the station manager—who set the bar. This kind of correction is a step in the right direction, with a little oversight and encouragement, management should be able to eradicate plagiarism completely.

Greensboro drivers love to stop, contrary to the rules of the road

2011-12-02T08:35:00.001-05:00

There are two situations under which Greensboro drivers seem uncertain about when to stop and when to go, choosing to stop instead and unnecessarily delaying traffic.

First, school buses on four lane roads.
Under North Carolina law, when you are approaching a stopped school bus from the opposite direction on a four lane road with a turn lane, you do not stop for the bus. Only vehicles following the bus must stop. I'm talking to you, Pisgah Church morning drivers. (You must stop on a four lane road without a turn lane or on any road less than four lanes with or without a turn lane.)

From the N.C. Driver's handbook, p. 47:

Second, the four-way stop.
Under North Carolina law (p. 56), the first person to arrive at a four way stop is the first to go. Drivers proceed through the stop in the order at which they arrive at the intersection. If multiple drivers arrive at the same time, the driver to your right has the right-of-way. She may, in turn, be waiting to yield to a driver to her right. If only two vehicles arrive at the same time facing each other and one wants to turn left, it must yield to the other.

It's awfully sweet of you, but please don't try to "wave" me through a four-way stop contrary to these rules. If I should collide with another vehicle while following your invitations to proceed out of turn, it won't matter that you waved me through—I'd still be at fault. So, please don't get flustered when I decline your gesticulated invitations, just follow the rules and we'll all be moving smoothly and safely.

WFMY regurgitates press release

2011-11-29T09:01:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- WFMY publishes a story to their website about a new medical facility in Caswell County. Although identified as "Written by WFMY News 2," nearly all of it is copied word-for-word from a press release. It matters because, at their most basic, news organizations play a vital role as fact checkers. Regurgitating the self-interested self-promotions of businesses is not the role of a legitimate news organization. (Copied work also says something about the standards and rigor of the news organization.)

Here is the WFMY article with the copied portions highlighted:

Yanceyville, NC-- Cancer patients in in Caswell County no longer have to make road trips to other towns.

Monday, Alamance Regional announced Convenient [sic*] access to cancer care is now available to residents of Caswell County and the surrounding area. Through a partnership between Alamance Regional Medical Center and Caswell Family Medical Center, Alamance Regional's Cancer Center was selected by the medical practice to provide high-quality care to the area.

A recent community needs assessment determined access to specialists is a major health issue in Caswell County.

Based on the findings of the needs assessment, Caswell Family Medical Center expanded to offer additional services in the Caswell County area.

The clinic is located in Caswell Family Medical Center on Highway 158 in Yanceyville. It is staffed by board-certified oncologist Timothy Finnegan, MD, and Krissy Carr, NP, both with Alamance Regional Cancer Center, and is open to patients with appointments on Tuesday afternoons.

The clinic provides oncology appointments and some chemotherapy treatment services. Patients who need extensive chemotherapy will receive treatment at Alamance Regional Cancer Center Mebane. Radiation therapy treatments are provided at the main Alamance Regional Cancer Center in Burlington.

For more information or to make an appointment, call Alamance Regional Cancer Center Mebane at 919-563-1160.

* The capitalization begins a sentence in the original.

WFMY Plagiarism

2011-11-29T08:16:00.001-05:00

Update (12/06/11): WFMY has changed the byline, now attributing the story to CNN.

GREENSBORO, NC -- WFMY publishes an article to their website titled "Experts: Beware Of Germs During Holiday Shopping." Although the article is identified as "Written by Lauren Melvin" of WFMY, the vast majority of it is copied, word-for-word, from the original source.

Here is the WFMY article, the highlighted portions were copied:

Greensboro, NC -- When you head out to do your holiday shopping, you're thinking about the people on your list, the stores you're going to, and your budget. However, experts warn you should also be thinking about germs.

According to Health.com, while you're checking items off your shopping list, you may be exposing yourself to germs like flu viruses, E. coli, and staph. All of them could make you sick.

Health.com had a panel of experts to rank the worst germ hot spots at your local shopping center.

1. Restroom sinks
The filthiest area in a restroom (and therefore in the whole mall) isn't the toilet handle or the doorknob -- it's the sink, our experts say. Bacteria, including E. coli, fester on the faucet and handles because people touch those surfaces right after using the toilet, explains panelist Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona.

"The sink area is a moist environment, so bacteria can survive longer there," he adds.

Watch out for soap dispensers, too -- not only are they handled by many dirty hands, but the soap itself may harbor germs. When Gerba's team tested liquid soap from refillable dispensers in public bathrooms, they found that one in four contained unsafe levels of bacteria.

Protect yourself: Wash your hands thoroughly after using a public loo: Lather with soap for at least 20 seconds, then rinse well. Use a paper towel to turn off the water and open the door. If there's no soap or paper towels, kill germs with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, using at least a tablespoon of product.

Gerba also advises avoiding refillable soap dispensers (usually made of clear plastic with a removable lid) and only using liquid soap that comes in a sealed refill; if that's not an option or you're not sure, follow up with hand sanitizer.

2. Food court tables
Even if you see the table being wiped down, that doesn't mean it's clean, says panelist Elaine Larson, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University: "The rags themselves can actually spread harmful bacteria such as E. coli if they are not changed and washed regularly."

Protect yourself: Consider stashing a pack of hard-surface disinfecting wipes in your purse so you can swipe the table before you sit down.

3. Escalator handrails
"In our testing, we have found food, E. coli, urine, mucus, feces, and blood on escalator handrails," says Gerba. "And where there is mucus, you may also find cold and flu viruses."

Protect yourself: Play it safe: Avoid touching handrails altogether, recommends Gerba, unless you absolutely have to -- in which case, give yourself a generous squirt of hand sanitizer afterward.

4. ATM keypads
After testing 38 ATMs in downtown Taipei, Chinese researchers found that each key contained an average of 1,200 germs, including illness-inducing microbes like E. coli and cold and flu viruses, Philip Tierno, Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center said. The worst key of all? The "enter" button, because everyone has to touch it, Gerba points out.

Protect yourself: "Knuckle" ATM buttons -- you'll avoid getting germs on your fingertips, which are more likely to find their way to your nose and mouth than your knuckles. And be sure to wash your hands or use sanitizer afterward.

5. Toy stores
Toy stores can actually be germier than play areas, carousels, and other kid-friendly zones, Tierno said, simply because of the way little ones behave there. "Kids lick toys, roll them on their heads, and rub them on their faces, and all that leaves a plethora of germs on the toys," he says. The goods their parents don't buy end up back on the shelves, where your kid finds them.

Protect yourself: If you make a purchase, wipe down any toy that isn't in a sealed box or package with soap and water, alcohol, or vinegar (which has antimicrobial properties) before giving it to your child. And, of course, reach for the hand sanitizer after you've been hands-on in the toy aisle.

6. Fitting rooms
You won't pick up much from the hooks or the chair. The germ culprit? What you try on.

"After people try on clothing, skin cells and perspiration can accumulate on the inside," said Tierno. "Both can serve as food for bacterial growth." You can even pick up antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), just by trying on clothes, says Tierno.

Protect yourself: Always wear full-coverage underwear (no thongs!) when trying on clothes, especially pants, bathing suits, and any other garment that touches your genitals or rectum. Bandage cuts or scrapes before trying on clothes, as "open wounds can be a gateway to dangerous bacteria," Tierno says. And be sure to wash new clothes before you wear them.

7. Gadget shops
While you're playing around on that new smartphone, you could be picking up germs from the thousand people who tested it out before you. "Most stores do clean their equipment," said Tierno, "but they certainly don't clean after each use."

A study published last year in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that viruses easily transfer between glass surfaces (think iPad or smartphone faces) and fingertips. And a recent report found that of four iPads swabbed in two Apple stores located in New York City, one contained Staphylococcus aureus, the most common cause of staph infections, while another registered a bacteria associated with skin rash. That's not even counting the cold and flu germs that might be lurking.

Protect yourself: Before you try out the latest gizmo, quickly wipe it down with a disinfecting wipe. And (yes, once again) use a hand sanitizer after you're done.

8. Makeup samples
Heading to the makeup counter? You might end up picking up a staph infection right along with the latest lipstick shade. A 2005 study found that between 67% and 100% of makeup-counter testers were contaminated with bacteria, including staph, strep, and E. coli. "This study shows us that someone was sick or went to the bathroom, didn't wash their hands, and then stuck their finger in the sample," Tierno said.

Protect yourself: "Avoid using public makeup samples to apply cosmetics to your lips, eyes, or face," said Tierno, who suggests asking for a single-use unit (you open it, try it, and throw it away). If that's not available, use a tissue to wipe off the sample and then apply the product to the back of your hand.

The best line of defense: Buy then try. Returning stuff to the store may be a little more of a hassle, but it's a heck of a lot better than bringing home a nasty bug.

For my Republican friends

2011-11-22T09:43:00.001-05:00

It has become so commonplace with local conservative bloggers and commenters that I no longer push back, but their propensity to assert opinions untethered from the facts is long established. It's not just local. Republican David Frum has a great article about how this fantasy paradigm must end or sink the Republican party in "When did the G.O.P. lose touch with reality?"

Backed by their own wing of the book-publishing industry and supported by think tanks that increasingly function as public-relations agencies, conservatives have built a whole alternative knowledge system, with its own facts, its own history, its own laws of economics.

Context

2011-11-21T23:00:00.001-05:00

The pepper spraying cop

3 years smoke free

2011-11-18T09:02:00.001-05:00

I have not had a cigarette for three years (as of yesterday, actually).

I quit with the help of Chantix, no side effects other than a gradual disappearing of the desire for a smoke until I simply did not want the next cigarette. In my case, I was on it for longer than suggested before quiting and stayed on it for longer than suggested after I quit, but it worked.

Smokers get sick more often, illnesses are more severe and you'll probably die sooner than if you did not smoke with the likelihood that you will live the last part of your life in some diminished condition as a burden to your loved ones. But you know this already.

I know that a life without cigarettes can be unfathomable to a smoker, even the next fifteen minutes can seem impossible. But I was there and now I'm not, not for three years. You can escape too. If you smoke and want to quit, talk to your doctor.

Social media smackdown

2011-11-18T07:53:00.001-05:00

From a funny and knowledgeable article about social media:

Social networks exist to sell you crap. The icky feeling you get when your friend starts to talk to you about Amway, or when you spot someone passing out business cards at a birthday party, is the entire driving force behind a site like Facebook.

Because their collection methods are kind of primitive, these sites have to coax you into doing as much of your social interaction as possible while logged in, so they can see it. It's as if an ad agency built a nationwide chain of pubs and night clubs in the hopes that people would spend all their time there, rigging the place with microphones and cameras to keep abreast of the latest trends (and staffing it, of course, with that Mormon bartender).

We're used to talking about how disturbing this in the context of privacy, but it's worth pointing out how weirdly unsocial it is, too. How are you supposed to feel at home when you know a place is full of one-way mirrors?

We have a name for the kind of person who collects a detailed, permanent dossier on everyone they interact with, with the intent of using it to manipulate others for personal advantage - we call that person a sociopath. And both Google and Facebook have gone deep into stalker territory with their attempts to track our every action. Even if you have faith in their good intentions, you feel misgivings about stepping into the elaborate shrine they've built to document your entire online life.

Rhino falsehood

2011-11-16T11:33:00.001-05:00

John Hammer in the Rhino Times:

"But it is hard to see how an all-black group that endorses candidates who pay a fee for the endorsement and sends its endorsements to voters in predominantly black precincts is ending divisiveness."

Hammer was referring to the Simkins PAC, but the assertion that candidates pay for its endorsements is false. Of the nine candidates reported by John Hammer in the Rhino Times to have received the PAC endorsement in 2009, five made a contribution to the PAC. Clearly candidates are endorsed with and without making contributions to the PAC.

John Hammer did not respond to requests for clarification.

Wrong foot

2011-11-15T07:21:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Acknowledged: With three newspapers well attuned to local government and a determined corp of citizen journalists, Greensboro is the kind of town where politicians put themselves in peril when they argue a position founded on misrepresentations.

Thus Mayor Elect Robbie Perkins is starting off on the wrong foot when he premises his approach to the landfill on what Triadwatch says is a dead wrong assertion. There may be good reasons for Perkin's preference for a regional solution for trash disposal, but Triadwatch says one of those reasons is not, as Perkins asserted, that neighboring High Point will exhaust their landfill in five years. A High Point official says it's 25 years.

Please, Mr. Mayor Elect, keep your facts straight and don't blow smoke. It won't work here.

Latest N&R circulation: Sundays up, weekdays continue to slide

2011-11-11T14:34:00.000-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- For the second six-month period in a row, the News & Record's Sunday print circulation increased, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations—up by 845 over the previous year. Weekday circulation continues to decline, down by 4,585 in a year.

Sunday: 86,932
6 month change: +0.5% (+467)
12 month change: +1.0% (+845)

Weekday: 57,489
6 month change: -5.7% (-3,444)
12 month change: -7.4% (-4,585)

In 2005, the N&R's weekday circulation was 95,119 and Sunday was 112,154, representing declines to-date of 40 percent and 22 percent respectively.

Leaving something on the table

2011-11-09T10:09:00.002-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- I got some advice, from whom I do not remember, when running for office: "Don't leave anything on the table." Sometimes you win an election at the margins, so the moderate efforts can be as important as the major: Don't leave anything on the table.

348 votes separated the candidates in district 4 in yesterday's municipal election.

Between the municipal primary and the close of the polls yesterday, 1,698 absolute unique visitors viewed GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com. 80 percent of those visitors came from search engines where the top search term was "greensboro city council candidates."

799 of the unique visitors were in the 48 hours immediately prior to the close of the polls. These were people who were trying to decide who to vote for.

Why some candidates declined multiple invitations to add their information to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com at no charge or cavalierly left their information incomplete, I do not understand.

"Humility and vision;" couldn't have said it better myself

2011-11-08T21:56:00.003-05:00

Ed Cone:

GSO now has a very different City Council. Let's hope they approach the job with some humility and vision, and that they don't confuse the emphatic ouster of their predecessors as a rejection of fiscal responsibility.

Local election guide: GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com

2011-11-08T07:41:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Today is election day. You can find candidate profiles, election news and links to candidate websites at GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com.

Improper campaign contributions in city council races

2011-11-07T17:52:00.000-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- From the North Carolina Board of Elections:

It is unlawful for any corporation, business entity, labor union, professional association, or insurance company to directly or indirectly contribute to a candidate. This includes donating items to committees for fundraisers and sponsoring holes at golf tournaments. Political committees not registered with North Carolina are also prohibited from contributing.

That seems pretty straightforward to me. No companies. No unions. No unregistered PACs. So, unless I'm missing something, it seems as if the following recent contributions to city council candidates are prohibited.

Marikay Abuzuaiter - at large
$250 from Drive Committee, Washington, DC (The Teamsters' PAC)

Nancy Hoffman - district 4
$250 from Drive Committee , Washington, DC (The Teamsters' PAC)

Yvonne Johnson - at large
$500 from Drive Committee, Washington, NC (The Teamsters' PAC)
$1,000 from RRA Local Candidate Funding (not found as a registered PAC within the state)

Bill Knight
$1,000 from the Sharp Pencil PAC, Dulles, VA (not found as a registered PAC within the state)

Robbie Perkins
$200 from Linder Ventures, LLC.

Please sir, may I have no more?

2011-11-07T13:36:00.001-05:00

GREENSBORO -- Acts attributed to unnamed sources, the passive voice where the "who" is missing and oversimplifications—in an age of stiff competition for quality information, why does the N&R offer this gruel? (emphasis added)

Some political strategists have advocated that residents vote for one or two candidates to ensure a particular ideology rules the council.

Some political insiders have debated asking Abraham, the sixth-place finisher in the primary, to step aside to ensure that Abuzuaiter gets the third seat to tip the council in a liberal direction.

The same suggestion has been made to newcomer Lawyer, who beat fellow conservative Thompson in the primary and is in competition for the third council seat.

All the partisanship — which has permeated the current City Council — doesn’t sit well with some members of the community and with some candidates.

Thompson's official actions contradict campaign video

2011-11-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Thanks to David Hoggard for bringing yet another city council representative Danny Thompson deception to our attention.

Speak freely

2011-11-04T20:18:00.003-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- At last night's Guilford County Commissioner's meeting, Chairman Skip Alston cut off the microphone as George Hartzam was speaking from the floor after previously interrupting Hartzman to ask him to keep his comments on the agenda topic. Prior to the regular public meeting, the commissioners held a special meeting, where they voted to prohibit the showing of video by speakers form the floor. (A motion to outlaw dancing was continued to the next meeting.)

[Hartzman begins at the 2:25 mark, but the the preceding oration is eloquent and worth hearing.]

These clampdowns on free speech are concerning. I wrote to County Attorney Mark Payne and asked what was going on. Regarding Chairman Alston limiting Hartzman, Payne told me (entire answer below):

"The legal standards for public hearing comments is that they are to be on topic and comments outside the scope of the hearing or redundant can be limited."

Apparently, the mayor also gaveled down Hartzman at a city council meeting earlier this week for the same reason, not speaking to the topic. I don't know what Hartzman's motives are for making his presentations, verbal and written, so obtuse; but even if one might have thought Hartzman was eventually going to make a point on topic, the Chairman did not and he exercised his prerogative. 

Here's the important thing though. There is a safeguard against an arbitrary or tyrannical abuse of this prerogative by the Chair.  A speaker who finds himself in this situation can make an appeal to any other commissioner to make a motion to allow the speaker to continue. With a second and a majority vote, the Chair will be overruled and the speaker will be allowed to continue. The Chair doesn't need a vote to cut a speaker off, but an affirmative vote will allow the speaker to continue. 

If the Chair (or mayor) is trying to cut you off in a way you think is unfair, don't appeal to the county attorney, as Hartzman did, or other staff, see if you can get some friendly help from a representative on the dais. If the Chair is reaching for the microphone kill switch, you won't have much time, so have something quick at the ready. Like:

"Is there a commissioner who will move that I be allowed to continue?"

Mark Payne's reply (in majority):

"As to the limitations on the comments of Mr. Hartzman, as you know, those comments were made as part of a public hearing on the county's proposed schedules of value, which provides the guidelines for tax evaluation procedures.  The legal standards for public hearing comments is that they are to be on topic and comments outside the scope of the hearing or redundant can be limited.  The chair has the authority to call the comments of a speaker out of order; minus a motion, second and vote on the question otherwise, the chair's decision stands. A vote is not required. Finally, i do believe that the comments were, in fact, well outside the topics of the revaluation methodologies being proposed by the tax department.  George's comments began as a general statement of the need for a revaluation and the housing market in general; then he stated his opinion that adjusting real property taxes upward to the revenue neutral position was preferable to using sales tax as an option.  While these comments were more to taxation decisions not to be made until the budget is adopted and a tax rate is established before July rather than the schedule of values, they were arguably related to the topic.  The next comments went to the parties were had advocated the 1/4 cent sales tax in the past and their possible motivations for doing so. Past decisions by other parties on the 1/4 cent sales tax, in my opinion, is clearly not related to the schedule of values.

"As you may have notice George asked me as to the legality of the ruling; it is not appropriate  for me to engage any speaker, i should only speak to and on behalf on the board.  The board had no question for me and so i was not in a position to speak. If is had been asked i would have said roughly what is in this email."

Strip club operator gives $500 to Danny Thompson's campaign

2011-11-04T12:43:00.002-04:00

Greensboro city council representative Danny Thompson of porn fightin' fame, accepted a $500 campaign contribution from a local strip club operator in September (here, p. 9).

As noted by a commenter on Joe Guarino's blog, according to state ABC records, the contributor is the manager of the company that holds the liquor license for the strip club Copa Rocka Cantina.

(Secretary of State records list the contributor as president of the company.)

Agreeing with John Hammer on Danny Thompson

2011-11-04T09:47:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Rhinoceros Times editor John Hammer, in explaining why he is not endorsing incumbent city council representative Danny Thompson for city council.

[S]ome things are more important than a candidate's political stance, and for me one of those is honesty.

I agree. To Hammer's list of particulars for Danny Thompson's dishonesty, I would add a few of my own.

Porn Hype Part I

Thompson misrepresents the content of documents.

At an August, 2010 council meeting Danny waived a thick stack of papers he said were six months of incident reports from the central library. He falsely claimed that the "great majority of them" were reports of "indecent behavior to looking at inappropriate websites."

Thompson used this "information" to justify making a motion: that "We institute blocking software devices on our public library computers whereby access is denied and not able to be accessed." (sic) (video, 01:48:50)

A subsequent records request and examination by this blogger revealed that of the 190 reports Thompson was waiving around, only 21 were for viewing inappropriate websites. Nonetheless, Thompson's stunt kicked off months of time-wasting hullabaloo over a problem that wasn't a problem.

Bonus for lack of accountability
I sent Thompson an email asking him to clarify what he had represented the documents to be. Receiving no reply, I sent it again, twice to his personal email address and twice to his city email address. He never answered.

Lowest Cost Trash Provider

Thompson misrepresents vendor bids

Thompson promoted council's selection of Gate City Waste Services to collect the city's trash saying, on multiple occasions, that the company was the lowest cost provider. It was not. Thompson even said as much immediately prior to voting to award the contract to what he acknowledged, in his own words, was the second-lowest bidder. Thompson subsequently tried to reconcile his self-contradictions by "explaining" that the company would have been the lowest bidder under a low-trash-volume scenario—one that did not conform to the city's needs. For the job of actually disposing of the city's trash, the company selected was the second-lowest bidder.

Bonus for lack of common sense
Six days before the final vote to award the trash disposal contract to the second-lowest bidder, Thompson accepted a $2,500 campaign contribution from one of the company's partners.

Quoting The Rhino Times out of Context

Thompson misrepresents the meaning of a John Hammer report

On his campaign website, under the title of "What others are saying," Thompson offers a two-word snippet from the Rhino Times:

"...refreshingly honest." -Rhino Times, August 4, 2011

Here's it is in context:

As Thompson kept saying, it is an election year. But it is still rare for a politician to admit that they cast a vote mainly because they thought it would help their campaign. One way to look at it is that Thompson is refreshingly honest. He kept repeating that he had received lots of emails from Greensboro residents and the farmers who were upset about the farmers' market all lived outside the city.

Bonus for prevarication by neglect
Also on Thompson's "What others are saying" web page is a quote from David Hoggard praising Danny for his position on which management group to select for the Farmer's Market. This week, Thompson did an about face and officially voted against Hoggard's position, but David's quote remains as if it still applies.

Porn Hype Part II

Thompson misrepresents this blogger's research.

Trying to bring some clarity to the library computer porn scare, I wrote a blog post explaining why a single web page will generate multiple "hits" in computer log files and that such hits do not equal websites. After explaining the terminology, I referred to the 500 hits flagged as porn in a sample library log file and wrote:

"It should be comprehensible to the rational mind that these are not 500 'visits' or even 'pages.'...It shows why it is disingenuous to report these items as counting 'porn site visits.'"

At the next council meeting, Thompson referred to this blogger's research and, in characterizing it, announced:

"I understand there were about 500 inappropriate or pornographic websites..."

...the very misrepresentation I specifically advised against. I've got to hand it to Danny, citing someone as an authority for the opposite of what they really said is very clever. Political judo—if you think it's all a game.

Like Jeff Martin, I'm not sure if Thompson is dishonest because he's not too smart or if he thinks he's smarter than the rest of us. The reason doesn't matter, he is incapable of meeting one of the most important obligations of his office and should be turned out.

More trash company campaign contribution stink

2011-11-04T09:33:00.001-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- (Hat tip: Triadwatch) I like Greensboro city council representative Mary Rakestraw. She has always been thoughtfully interested in issues of concern to me even though I do not live in her district. She leans conservative but, as an unaffiliated moderate, I can appreciate her presence on council as part of a good mix that keeps the ship from listing too far in either direction. She isn't a slave to ideology. She'll think for herself as evidenced by her break with the conservative block last year in voting for the sensible approach to handling the "porn problem" on library computers. While she was wrong to give us the runaround about where her redistricting proposal came from, overall, she does a good job worthy of respect.

But this stinks:

Rakestraw received a $500 campaign contribution from D.H. Griffin while city council was in the process of considering Griffin's company for the city's trash disposal contract.

Rakestraw did not report the contribution of August 24th on her campaign report for the reporting period ending August 30th where it would have been known to the public as council headed into the final stretch of awarding the trash contract. Instead, she reported the contribution on her next campaign report, filed on October 3rd, after the landfill issue had been decided.

There were a few other inconsequential contributions to Rakestraw's campaign around the time of the Griffin contribution that were also not reported with the first report, so I don't think this was an intentional effort to hide anything; slow communications with her campaign treasurer at the tail end of the reporting period is plausible.

Even unintentionally, though, the public was denied full transparency on a rather important issue. One way to avoid this kind of stink would be for council members to exercise a little common sense and just not take contributions from people who have business before the city council.

RELATED: Rakestraw's pre-election finance report was due October 31st. As of 11:00 A.M. yesterday it had still not been received by the Board of Elections. It is not online this morning; more lack of transparency through neglect, unfortunately.

City council candidates: The money

2011-11-03T10:52:00.005-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Thanks to the good folks at the Guilford County Board of Elections who, short-staffed, still managed to get the latest city council candidate campaign reports online yesterday as promised.

Here are notable items for council candidates (see the mayoral race here). These items are from the final report before Tuesday's election. They cover the period from 9/27/11 - 10/24/11
-----------------------

Wayne Abraham - at large
This candidate has not filed the pre-election report, due October 31st, as of the time of this post.

Marikay Abuzuaiter - at large
$500 from Dale Frederiksen, Replacements, Ltd.
$500 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$250 from Drive Committee (The Teamsters' PAC)

T. Dianne Bellamy Small - district 1
$100 from the NC Realtor's PAC

Jorge Cornell - district 5
This candidate originally reported his intention to stay below the $1,000 threshold for campaign finance reporting, but yesterday reported to the Board of Elections that he has gone over that amount. The report he is now required to file will not be available until after the election.

D.J. Hardy - district 1
This candidate has not filed the pre-election report, due October 31st, as of the time of this post.

Nancy Hoffman - district 4
Hoffman's report is notable for not identifying the employer of a number of her contributors, as is required. Also notable, Hoffman's campaign is the only one with paid management, three campaign managers to boot.

Contributions:
$1,500 from Dale Frederickson, Replacements, Ltd.
$750 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$500 from Thomas Sloan, profession and employer not listed.
$500 from Sally Cone, profession and employer not listed.
$450 from Beth Mcke-Huger, Greensboro Housing Coalition
$250 from Drive Committee (The Teamsters' PAC)

Expenditures:
$8,115, Fairway Outdoor Advertising
$589, advertising, Yes! Weekly
$3,258, campaign management, Lauren Jeffries
$2,936, campaign management, Graham Sheridan
$1,000, campaign management, Mark Bochkis
$1,470, advertising, Rhino Times
$1,000, contributor refund for amount over legal contribution limit, Frances Atherton

Bradley Hunt - district 2
This candidate has filed a pre-election report, but it is not online yet.

Yvonne Johnson - at large
Johnson's report is notable for not identifying the employer of almost all of her contributors, as is required. (One contributor's employer is laughably identified as "law firm.")

Contributions:
$500 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$500 from Drive Committee (The Teamsters' PAC)
$1,250 from Triad Good Government PAC
$1,000 from something called RRA Local Candidate Funding, which has the same address as the N.C. Association of Realtors

Expenditures:
$2,865, Fairway Outdoor Advertising

Jim Kee - district 2
Contributions:
$200 from fellow council person Robbie Perkins
$250 from fellow council person Zack Matheny's campaign.
$500 from the NC Realtor's PAC

Chris Lawyer - at large
Expenditures:
$1,620, advertising, Rhino Times

Zack Matheny - district 3
Contributions:
$500 from Murray Kessler, president, Lorillard
$500 from Michael Shannon, attorney, Lorillard
$500 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$500 from the NC Realtor's PAC

Expenditures:
$250, Jim Kee campaign
$2,000, outdoor advertising, Fairway
$2,900, advertising, The Rhino Times
$150.80, advertising, News & Record

Jay Ovittore- district 3
This candidate has filed a pre-election report, but it is not online yet.

Mary Rakestraw - district 4
This candidate has not filed the pre-election report, due October 31st, as of the time of this post.

Nancy Vaughan- at large
Contributions:
$1,000 from Joseph M. Bryan, Jr., Jayembe
$1,000 from William Kotis, III, Kotis Properties
$1,000 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$1,000 from N.C. Realtor's PAC
$500 from Triad Good Government PAC

Expenditures:
$540, advertising, Greensboro Times
$409, advertising, Carolina Peacemaker

Danny Thompson - at large
Contributions:
$1,000 from William Kotis, Kotis Properties
$400 from the NC Realtor's PAC

Expenditures:
$1,470, advertising, the Rhino Times
$5,406.50, advertising, WFMY

Loans:
Candidate has loaned his campaign $5,000 and has $733 of campaign expenses outstanding on a credit card.

Trudy Wade - district 5
(Tidbit: Wade has the distinction of being the only candidate to receive a contribution from a farmer.)

Contributions:
$500 from Frank Auman, self-employed investor
$500 from David Hayes, Hayes Investments

Expenditures:
$945, advertising, the Rhino Times

Knight vs Perkins: The money

2011-11-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- According to their campaign finance reports, through October 24th the candidates for mayor have raised and spent the following:

Bill Knight
Contributions: $32,882
Expenditures: $33,408

Robbie Perkins
Contributions: $55,235
Expenditures: $63,114

Notable items:

Bill Knight
Contributions:
$1,500 from William Kotis, III, Kotis Restaurant Group
$1,000 from William Kotis, Jr, Kotis Properties
$500 from Congressman Howard Coble
$1,000 from the Sharp Pencil PAC

Expenditures:
$11,045, advertising, the Rhino Times
$562, Coach Mkay Companies, for presentation coaching

Robbie Perkins
Contributions:
$2,500 from N.C. Realtors' PAC
$2,000 from William Cassell, WLC, LLC
$2,000 from Robert Page, Replacements, Ltd.
$1,000 from Drive Committee (The Teamsters' PAC)
$500 from Bhependra Patel, profession and employer not reported

...and, likely illegal, a $200 contribution from a company, Linder Ventures, LLC.

Expenditures:
$3,000 to Simkins PAC, the reason for the disbursement is not reported.
$2,351, advertising, WFMY
$200 to fellow council person Jim Kee's campaign
$1,500, online ad, News & Record
$1,000, advertising, Greensboro Times
$610, advertising, The Rhino Times
$589, advertising, Yes! Weekly

Here we go; Guarino ginning up the bigotry.

2011-11-02T21:24:00.001-04:00

Despicable xenophobe, bigot and desperate conservative local blogger Joe Guarino whistles the maniacs to attention ahead of next week's city election. Greensboro is a diverse and accommodating city. That's one of our strengths and a bane to Guarino who, unable to persuade through quality ideas, descends to appeals of fear and hatred. So small. So unworthy of Greensboro. Unworthy of humanity, frankly. His latest? Danger, Muslims!

Get me a rewrite!

2011-11-02T18:33:00.000-04:00

I'm reading the first draft of the Back to the Future screenplay, the one in which Marty McFly is a pot-smoking video-bootlegger, Doc Brown has a pet monkey and there is no DeLoreon. Time travel is accomplished by a convolution of various equipment. Instead of syncing Marty's trip back to the future with the gigawat lighting strike on the clock tower, the duo scheme to tap into the energy of an above ground nuclear test.

I kid you not.

There is a lot that is familiar: Biff, some of the gags playing on the cultural, fashion and slang differences between the 1950's and the present (which is to say, 1985), mom's crush on Marty and the general plot of the young time traveler, despite Doc's warnings, intervening to assure that his parents get together.

It's strange though to read the origins of something quite familiar and find it so different from the final production.

Small unmarked bills, please.

2011-11-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

Seriously?

City Council representative Danny Thompson accepted a $2,500 campaign contribution from a principal of Gate City Waste Services six days before council was to take a final vote on awarding a trash disposal contract to that company.

Seriously?

Election reports not online days before election

2011-11-02T10:11:00.003-04:00

UPDATE: The Board of Elections office tells me the reports will be online sometime today.

GREENSBORO, NC -- By this time, candidates for city council and mayor will have filed their last campaign finance reports before next Tuesday's elections (due on October 31st). They are not online at the Guilford County Board of Elections website though. The online reports have not been updated in a month. I am told that the key person responsible for this has been away for a family situation.

These pre-election reports are vital. They are the public's last chance to evaluate the money influences on campaigns and candidates, a factor in voting decisions. Surely there is more than one person at the Board of Elections who knows how to put these reports online and can do so pronto.

Danger, Will Robinson! People! Speaking! Danger!

2011-10-28T09:10:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- You know what's dangerous?

Free speech, that's what!

At least, that's the impression created by the reactions of local elected officials to speakers at public meetings who presume to think that it is up to them to decide what the lowly people may say and how they may say it. It's indicative of a disdain for free expression that pops up locally from time to time.

Here are four local offenders:

Skip Alston & Bruce Davis
The most recent case is of Guilford County Board of Commissioners chairman Skip Alston and commissioner Bruce Davis questioning the propriety of a speaker showing a video in support of certain candidates for office during her time as a speaker from the floor at a public meeting. According the Rhino Times, Alston and Davis attempted to intervene to prohibit the video from being replayed. Here is the portion of the meeting Alston and Davis would censor:

The most alarming cause for concern in that clip is this, from Commission Chair Alston:

I would hope that we would try to screen our videos, when someone bring us a video so we can know exactly what is going to be going.[snip] Any other videos, we would like to see those before they are played.

No, Mr. Chairman. That would be prior restraint, a form of censorship that is forbidden in the United States.

Robbie Perkins
Then there was City Council representative and mayoral candidate Robbie Perkins' confused reaction to an April Fools presentation in 2008 by a group promoting an arts festival that found Perkins successfully censoring the record of the group's appearance.

During speakers from the floor at a city council meeting, a speaker, backed by a quartet of kazoos, asked that people help "Save the monkey whale" and directed people to "monkey whale dot com." It was a cleaver stunt to promote an arts festival. Perkins subsequently misinformed his colleagues that the promoted website contained pornographic content and council proceeded to vote to remove the offending portion of the meeting from the video record.

Here is what was removed from the record:

Bill Knight
Finally, there is Greensboro mayor's Bill Knight's general disdain for speakers from the floor, first he moved speakers from near the beginning of the meeting to the impossible-to-predict near the end of the meeting. Then he proposed that speakers be limited to one thirty minute period, once a month, with an eight day advanced "registration" required. Thankfully, those proposals went nowhere.

Speakers from the floor are going to, from time to time, include crackpots, jackasses, self-promoters, performance artists, and candidates in waiting. They come with the territory, that territory being a free society guided by the United States Constitution and its First Amendment. It's fundamental; and politicians who act against free speech are to be regarded with caution.

Inequity in city facility rentals; time to reexamine City's accommodation of free speech

2011-10-19T08:02:00.001-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- A representative of C4GC is claiming that when her group tried to rent the city owned Festival Park for an assembly last month, they were quoted a rental rate of $700. According to the News & Record, Occupy Greensboro was able to negotiate a break on the fee and rented the park for $200 for their event this past Saturday.

We may be unaware of some distinctions between the two events that warranted a difference in price but, on its face, it looks as if two groups were arbitrarily treated differently, something that should not happen when it comes to access to public facilities, especially when the purpose is people exercising their First Amendment rights.

More fundamentally, however, our city is wrong to charge people for exercising their Constitutional rights on public property. It was bad enough that the publicly funded but privately owned Center City Park was ringed with jacketed goons intimidating the Occupy marchers from entering "their" park on Saturday; it's worse when access to "our" park demands a hefty fee—or any fee.

Greensboro should change its practices. There are many things we "build in" to the shared cost of our city. We do not collect a fee each time people drive a street or jog a greenway. In the same manner we should not charge a toll for our citizens to use public facilities for free speech assemblies.

Putting 2 and asparagus together

2011-10-14T18:19:00.000-04:00

In a master stroke of nonsense, News & Record editor John Robinson imagines some importance in comparing Guilford County commissioner Skip Alston's opinion of the Tea Party with his of Occupy Greensboro, which he hasn't expressed. That's what a good editor does, though, right? Enlightens us by revealing insightful connections we have not noticed?

Remind me to write a comparison of Noodles the Magic Birthday Party Clown's opinions of balloon animals and his opinion of the News & Record, because it's revealing to put two and asparagus together.

Greensboro mayoral primary results map

2011-10-14T07:47:00.000-04:00

This map illustrates the precincts in which a particular candidate received a majority of votes. The map also indicates turnout as a percentage of registered voters: the darker the color, the greater the turnout.

Be advised, this map does not indicate the margin of victory which, in some cases, was only a couple of votes. Generally, however, the greater the turnout, the greater the margin.

For more details, you may find these links helpful:

Precinct-by-precinct primary election results
An interactive map that identifies individual precincts.
Precinct voting locations
Look up your voting location by your address
GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com for profiles of city council and mayoral candidates.

Larger

NCA&T students, I'm laughing at you. Yeah, you!

2011-10-11T22:03:00.002-04:00

At a recent candidates forum on the NCA&T campus, organizers made a big deal out of the fact that nearly all of the students in attendance were registered to vote. "Myth busted," they proclaimed.

Big whoop.

Of the 2,727 lazy -ass students registered to vote in the campus precinct (G68), a whopping 47 voted in today's municipal primary.

Wow! What a force to be reckoned with.

More accurately, they have the pitiful distinction of having the second lowest turnout in the city*. While precincts across Greensboro averaged an underwhelming 11 percent turnout, A&T managed only 1.7 percent. What a joke.

* The only precinct with a lower turnout was UNC-G, where only 12 of 2,929 registered voters voted. They, at least, made no pretense of pretending to be anything other than slackers.

Blowing it

2011-10-11T21:39:00.001-04:00

Yikes. I really blew my election predictions. My biggest mistake: giving Yvonne Johnson only a 50% chance of making it to the final six of the at-large race. She ended up getting the most votes, 22% of all cast. I also blew the prediction that Cyndy Hayworth would survive the at-large primary. She did not. About the only thing I can defend of my at-large predictions is that I did, collectively, pick five of the six finalists. I also correctly predicted that conservative neophyte Chris Lawyer would out perform conservative incumbent Danny Thompson.

I was very wrong about the mayoral race. While I gave Robbie Perkins the best odds, and he did get the most votes, I expected Tom Phillips to perform better than he did. Too bad, in my opinion. I know there are some harsh memories for Tom's loyalties to former city manager Mitchel Johnson, and I agree that was one of Tom's stumbles. Still, the man has a long and distinguished history of selfless public service that I thought might be better appreciated by the electorate.

Live election results

2011-10-11T17:49:00.002-04:00

Get live election results here:

http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/Guilford/32957/46950/en/summary.html

Handicapping the city council races

2011-10-10T10:08:00.002-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC --Applying what I think I know about primary voters in municipal elections, I ranked the candidates by my estimation of their popuarity among Democratic voters, Republican voters and unaffiliated voters, adjusted for expected turnout among those groups and came up with the following predictions for each candidate making it through the primary.

These are not the percentage of votes I predict a candidate will receive, but the likelihood that a candidate will clear the primary. A candidate at 50%, for example, has a 50/50 chance of making it through the primary. (One can also see the expected order of finish. Candidates not listed were considered by me to be insufficiently possible to include in the mix.) These are not my preferences or endorsements, just dispassionate predictions.

Learn about the candidates here: www.GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com

MAYOR

Robbie Perkins: 64%
Tom Phillips: 53%
Bill Knight: 47%
Bradford Cone: 6%

AT-LARGE

Nancy Vaughan: 91%
Cyndy Hayworth: 81%
Chris Lawyer: 81%
Marikay Abuzuaiter: 76%
Danny Thompson: 55%
Wayne Abraham: 50%
Yvonne Johnson: 50%
Jean Brown: 30%
Sal Leone: 19%
Hayden Jesserer: 6%

Mary Rakestraw: 60%
Nancy Hoffman: 54%
Tony Collins: 39%

Other races have no primary or are not competitive.

Republicans, puhleeease...

2011-09-29T08:39:00.000-04:00

I am an unaffiliated voter—an independent—by registration and in practice. I voted for Libertarian Mike Munger for governor of our great state. Republican Pat McCrory was too aligned with the backwards and winner winner Democrat Beverly "Dumplin'" Perdue is a dumb bundle of confusion, that opinion being borne out to our great embarrassment.

Puhleeese Republicans, give us an intelligent moderate alternative to Dumbpling this time, one who acknowledges that the majority of North Carolinians want a strong public education system, a clean environment and a tolerant attitude personally and legally towards our diverse populations—someone for whom independents can vote. Governor Dumbplin' is an embarrassment, but she won't be defeated by a candidate who appeals to the swamp dwellers.

Cider House Rules

2011-09-27T08:06:00.002-04:00

Hero and Peaches, dripping wet, come inside. Peaches is 
standing next to the list of rules tacked to the kitchen 
support beam.

			PEACHES
	Look at that. Them same damn rules 
	is tacked up again!

Homer has finished putting his instruments away.

			MUDDY
	Why don't you put them damn rules in 
	the wood stove, Peaches?

As the men are murmuring their approval of this idea, Rose 
Rose interjects.

			ROSE ROSE
	I want to hear what they are, first.

The men groan, but Mr. Rose won't oppose his daughter on 
this subject--not this time. He just lies there.

			ROSE ROSE
	Homer, let me hear what they are.

Homer begins to read.

			HOMER
	"One: Please don't smoke in bed."

			MUDDY
	We heard that one already, Homer.

			HOMER
	"Two: Please don't go up to the roof 
	to eat your lunch."

			PEACHES
	That's the best place to eat lunch!

			HOMER
	"Three: Please--even if you are very 
	hot--do not go up to the roof to 
	sleep."

			HERO
	What do they think? They must think 
	we're crazy!

			MUDDY
	They think we're dumb niggers so we 
	need dumb rules--that's what they 
	think.

			HOMER
	This is the last one.

The men groan, in mock disappointment.

			HOMER
	"Four: There should be no going up 
	on the roof at night."

			PEACHES
	Why don't they just say, "Stay off 
	the roof!"?

			HERO
	Yeah, they don't want us up there 
	*at all*!

Homer crumples the list and throws it into the wood stove.

			ROSE ROSE
		(to Homer)
	That's *it*?

			HOMER
	That's it.

			ROSE ROSE
	It means nothin' at all! And all 
	this time I been *wonderin'* about 
	it!

			PEACHES
	They're *outrageous*, them rules!

			MR. ROSE
	Who *live* here in this cider house, 
	Peaches? Who grind them apples, who 
	press that cider, who clean up the 
	mess, and who just plain *live* 
	here... just breathin' in the vinegar?
		(he pauses)
	Somebody who *don't* live here made 
	them rules. Them rules ain't for 
	*us*. *We* the ones who make up them 
	rules. We makin' our *own* rules, 
	every day. Ain't that right, Homer?

			HOMER
	Right.

"F-"

2011-09-25T11:44:00.004-04:00

More News & Record "journalism" too awful for words.

"F"

2011-09-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Amanda Lehmert of the News & Record writes a story about the mayoral race that is chock full of negative aspersions by unnamed "critics' and complimentary characterizations attributed to unnamed "supporters"—over and over and over.

Additionally, instead of helping us learn more about the two lesser known candidates, it gives them short shrift with the excuse that they don't have much of a chance.

The article earns an F.

Candidates, elected officials and the Internet

2011-09-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

From an email to a friend and associate:

Accessibility, transparency and responsiveness manifest themselves in internet communications to a degree of completeness and efficiency unlike anything else in human history. The internet is an egalitarian realm that inspires the imaginations of people who value a vigorous exchange of ideas and opinions.

When candidates or elected officials decline to make themselves accessible participants, it marks them as insular, incurious and obsolete. I am well enough toward the long end of middle age that I can understand the fear of becoming an irrelevant relic and how easily that can become paralyzing, but becoming vigorously active in this contemporary medium is well within the capabilities of anyone not frozen in time. It does not require strength, endurance, good health or boundless energy—just a little curiosity and a simple willingness. Without some kind of infirmity that would disqualify one from public office in the first place, there are only unflattering reasons for not actively participating.

I should have also added that a candidate or elected official who is not capably using the Internet cannot possibly be fully informing herself on the issues of the day, leaving her decision making less than adequate.

The Rhino on Danny Thompson's campaign finance "stunts"

2011-09-23T08:13:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Elections laws require that candidates for public office file regular campaign reports if they are raising or spending any meaningful money on their campaigns. Greensboro city council representative Danny Thompson seems to believe he has found a way to skirt the legal requirements to which every other candidate is obligated. Smart guy—or skating on thin ice.

From the Rhino Times (hat tip: Triad Watch):

By paying for advertising with personal checks and then reimbursing himself from the campaign account, there was no record of how the money was actually spent. Campaign finance reports are supposed to track both where the campaign money came from and how it was spent.

Tuesday night Thompson said he filed the same nondisclosure report two years ago and it helped him run a campaign under the radar. He said he planned to do the same this year.

An example would be that because he withdrew his threshold report on Sept. 7, he didn't have to file a report stating that he had signed a contract to buy $3,153 worth of television commercials on Sept. 2. Thompson readily provided those figures when asked, but similar financial data for other candidates is on the Board of Elections website, available to anyone who is interested. [Link added]

Thompson said that he shot the television commercial on August 24 at a cost of $400 well under the $1,000 threshold. But he said when he shot the commercial on August 24 he wasn't sure he was actually going to run it, which is why he didn't sign the contract to run the commercials until Sept. 2. After signing the contract to buy $3,153 worth of television time from WFMY, Thompson then went down and filed a report stating that he was going over the $1,000 limit on Sept. 7. If he had filed that report on Sept. 2 instead of Sept. 7, he would have had to file the 35-day report. The ads according to Thompson started running on Sept. 6, the day the 35-day report was due.

The very reason the campaign finance laws exist is an attempt to keep the playing field level and keep campaign spending out in the open. Two years ago Thompson pulled all kinds of stunts to keep his campaign report murky and said that much of the problem was caused by inexperience. This year Thompson has experience and appears to be doing the same type of thing. [More.]

As Triad Watch reminds us:

On 2-18-2010 Rhino had this post titled "Thompson's Campaign Finances Don't Add Up" [Link added]

Deborah Fae Brogden adds profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com

2011-09-21T15:13:00.001-04:00

Deborah Fae Brogden, candidate for City Council at large, has added her profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com -- sort of.

Yvonne Johnson adds profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com

2011-09-21T14:47:00.004-04:00

Yvonne Johnson, candidate for City Council at large, has added her profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com.

Nancy Hoffman adds profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com

2011-09-21T14:43:00.002-04:00

Nancy Hoffman, candidate for City Council district 4, has added her profile to GreensboroCouncilCandidates.com.

Patriotic Haiku

2011-09-16T16:54:00.001-04:00

Wheels of justice turn;
sends a shiver down my leg.
Proud American.

Found in translation

2011-09-16T07:37:00.003-04:00

With apologies for copying the entire post, from Ed Cone:
--------------

Rhino sez:

The reason the city is where it is as far as using the White Street Landfill for the disposal of Greensboro's garbage is because the opponents of using the landfill filed a successful lawsuit in May blocking the planned use because the city had not complied with state law on opening Phase IV and Phase V.

Should read:

The reason the city is where it is as far as using the White Street Landfill for the disposal of Greensboro's garbage is because the city had not complied with state law on opening Phase IV and Phase V, leading opponents of using the landfill to file a successful lawsuit in May blocking the planned use.

To my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters

2011-09-14T09:17:00.003-04:00

To my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, do not despair. Our hearts may be heavy this morning, burdened with the possibility that our neighbors may carve into stone prejudices against you and there may be the temptation to throw up our hands, helpless that we were born a decade or two too early, but let us not give up until we have given it our all.

There are people among us who are simply not bothered by their bigotry and never will be. They will not give any thought to the reasonableness of their desires to codify into law the permanent consignment of gay people to second class status—it is in their gut and that is enough. They are not the key to our success.

Between now and the vote in May, let us thoughtfully and respectfully make a heartfelt appeal to our friends and family who we know to be goodhearted but who may not yet appreciate the importance of their vote on this matter.

To them, let us make an appeal of fairness and remind them that this amendment doesn't just define marriage as the domain of straight people, it says that straight marriage will always and forever be the only kind of domestic union in North Carolina, for gay or straight people. No civil unions, no domestic partnerships. It locks down the status quo leaving no room for anything new.

So kindly turn to that aunt who loves you but thinks marriage is between a man and a woman. Make sure she understands this amendment goes far beyond protecting her beliefs and into the realm of denying you equal participation in society. You have to do this. You cannot just read and nod in agreement. Sometime between now and the vote, you have to actually have these conversations. They may be unlike any conversations you've ever had before, they may be uncomfortable at first, but you, we, have to do this.

Don't stop with your aunt. Have the same conversation with that conservative golf buddy who has a libertarian streak, the Palin-loving coworker who laughs at your jokes, the neighbor who voted for McCain and admires your garden. Anywhere you have a good connection with people who might be inclined to support this amendment simply through inertia, bring this to a personal level for them. Make sure they know exactly what the amendment would do—no civil unions, no domestic partnerships, ever. Ask them to consider if this is fair for you, if they want to assist in cutting you off from the same rights and obligations available to straight people. Then ask them to please vote.

So do this. I will too. It won't be easy, but do it until you have exhausted all of the open-minded friends and family you can think of and we might just have a chance.

And one other thing, like any human, there are limits to my empathy and comprehension of what it is like to be gay today, and I'm not scolding, not telling you what to do, I may not understand, but if you are a gay or lesbian elected official who remains in the closet while your constituency works to subjugate people like you: Why?

Wait, what?

2011-09-13T16:55:00.000-04:00

In their lawsuit on behalf of Gate City Waste Services seeking to enjoin Nancy Vaughan from voting on the waste disposal contract, attorneys from Kirkpatrick, Townsend & Stockton spend fifteen pages trying to make the case for why Vaughan has a financial interest in the outcome of Council's decision.

Then they ask the court not to require the plantiff's to put up security monies because, well, Vaughan has no financial interest.

Plaintiff requests that the Court dispense with any security requirement because the restraint requested herein by Plaintiff will cause Defendant Vaughan no material damage.

"This is not a debate over the vendor"—more Gate City contradictions

2011-09-13T16:17:00.000-04:00

More contradictions from that full page ad by Gate City Waste Services offering us "The Truth About the White Street Landfill." Previously...

Gate City said they were the lowest bidder? Not so truthful.
Gate City said the process was legal and responsible. They've changed their mind...

...and now this from Gate City's lawsuit today:

[The] Council is holding a public hearing on September 20, 2011, on the very question of whether to make an award to Gate City. Members of the public are free to urge the council at that hearing to make the award to Waste Industries instead of Gate City, and the Council may still elect to do so.

Hold the phone. That is the exact opposite of what Gate City told the public in "The Truth About the White Street Landfill" ad:

The final step in the due process will be a public hearing on September 20. THIS IS NOT A DEBATE OVER THE VENDOR. [Emphasis and capitalization in the original.]

I don't understand. The ad promised us what Gate City was saying was the truth. It was a full page and everything...

More trash company propaganda contradictions

2011-09-13T13:23:00.001-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Yesterday, I wrote about a conflict with the facts in the full-page "Truth about the White Street Landfill" ad by would-be municipal trash contractor Gate City Waste Services. They claimed they were the lowest bidder. They weren't in any meaningful sense.

Another "truth" from the ad now comes into question. This by Gate City's own self-contradictions. From the ad:

The process has been legal, responsible and extremely thorough.

Today, Gate City apparently has changed their minds and filed suit against the city over the legality of the process.

UPDATE: Here is a copy of the lawsuit.

Councilman Thompson defends trash company ad

2011-09-13T08:41:00.001-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Greensboro city council representative at-large Danny Thompson called to talk about yesterday's post "Would-be trash contractor misleads public with propaganda." He wanted to explain the justification for Gate City Waste Service making the claim in their full-page Rhinoceros Times ad that they were the lowest bidder for Greensboro's trash contract—a claim I found contradictory to the record.

As this blogger wrote, the Rhino Times and the independent engineering consultant hired by the City to evaluate the bidders' proposals both said Gate City Waste Service's bid was not the lowest bid, contrary to what Gate City said in their ad:

The Gate City response IS THE LOWEST bid received by the City for their waste. [Emphasis in original.]

Every bid included price components for various amounts and types of trash, allowing each bid to be evaluated under different scenarios. Thompson told me that we need to look at the line item in Gate City's bid that represents the cost for, what he called, "city-owned" waste. Although the term is not found in the independent engineering firm's evaluation of the bids or the City's request for proposal, Thompson defined "city-owned" waste as the minimum trash Greensboro is obligated to collect—the green residential cans, he said. No apartment dumpsters, no businesses. This amount of trash is, according to Thompson, 6,000 tons per month and Gate City's rate for the disposal of municipal solid waste in the range of 5,000 to 10,000 tons per month was the lowest.

So what Thompson is saying is that if you look at one of the pricing components of the Gate City bid, it is the lowest among all bidders for that component. But this line item is a single cost component of the entire bid and, when looking at the entire costs, Gate City is not the lowest.

The independent engineer evaluated the proposals by two cost scenarios, the first for disposing of all municipal solid waste (and all construction and demolition debris); the second for just city-collected municipal solid waste (and all construction and demolition debris). Under both of these scenarios, Advanced Disposal had the lowest cost, not Gate City and it was by this evaluation that City Council chose Gate City—although, one may legitimately wonder why the lowest qualified bidder wasn't chosen.

Would-be trash contractor misleads public with propaganda

2011-09-12T09:46:00.001-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC --- Gate City Waste Service, LLC really wants to secure a contact to dispose of Greensboro's garbage in a reopened White Street Landfill. When the contract seemed in jeopardy because councilperson Nancy Vaughan's previously recused vote was put back into play by a decision from the city attorney, Gate City took steps to manipulate the process by adding items to their proposal that would likely, once again, prohibit Vaughan from voting, probably ensuring a city council 4-to-3-with-2-abstaining majority in favor of Gate City (barring lawsuits).

But Gate City wants us to know it has all been on the up and up and just to make sure we, the sheep, know it, Gate City took out a full page ad in the Rhino Times offering "THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WHITE STREET LANDFILL."

One of the "truths" offered in the ad is this:

The Gate City response IS THE LOWEST bid received by the City for their waste. [Emphasis in original.]

According the the Rhinoceros Times and the independent firm hired to evaluate all proposals, that is not true. Another bidder offered the lowest net cost.

From the independent evaluation of all proposals:

BREAKING: UNIDENTIFIED DOG BEATER RUNNING FOR MAYOR

2011-09-09T22:12:00.000-04:00

BREAKING :-) BREAKING :-) BREAKING :-)

GREENSBORO, NC -- Local blogger Joe Guarino, Greensboro's Matt Drudge, has revealed that a candidate for mayor, whom Guarino did not identify, was seen beating his dog in public. This has been confirmed by this blogger.

The candidate in question was walking his dog at Country Park, when Moocher slipped her collar and took off after a goose. The candidate, despondent from unspecified immoral acts, was slow to react and Moocher had the goose by her neck in no time flat. The candidate roused himself from memories of raindrops and kittens and sprang into action, calling to the dog. Nearby picnickers thought he was yelling at them.

The candidate ran towards Moocher and in the general direction of the picnic shelter, waving the leash overhead like a lasso and yelling "Moocher! Moocher! Let go of the bird, girl."

Mistaking him for a rabid Michal Savage fan (weeknights locally 101.1 FM) and thinking the candidate was yelling at his wife, one of the picnickers met the running candidate with a stand-up block right under his, I'm told, manly chin.

The candidate went flying, landing on the geese poop—greased grass, sliding towards the water's edge and the dogged goose. The picnicker was in pursuit. The goose was on its last breath. Time was of the essence.

In an act of pure communicative efficiency of the kind justified by centuries of tradition and sanctified by God himself, man took dominion over beast and a swift lash was delivered across Moocher's flank. This elicited an immediate howl which precipitated the goose who plopped to the ground motionless.

The picnicker was closing in. Thirty yards. Twenty. Thighs rippling, chest heaving.

With the precision and accuracy of a Kung Foo master, the candidate karate chopped the collar onto Moocher, grabbed the goose and ran towards the Natural Science Center, Moocher happily leading the way. The picnicker pulled up short, reluctant to keep his melting Gnam Gnam waiting.

At the Science Center, curators and junior curators attempted to revive the goose. Valiant efforts were made, the pictures of which will surely soon surface as some freakout over girl-on-goose in taxpayer supported facilities.

That is all this blogger can confirm at this time. I'm trying to track down the goose. I heard it ended up as a most delicious special at Nico's, but that is unconfirmed.

Comparison of suspensions by race in Guilford County Schools

2011-09-06T18:36:00.003-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- This is one of the most valuable things a reporter can do, in my humble opinion: find out what empirical data can tell us about a matter of public interest.

The News & Record's Morgan Josey Glover digs through suspension data to make an "apples to apples comparison" of suspension rates by race in Guilford County Schools.

City: "Lack of integrity shown by WFMY reporters"

2011-09-06T08:03:00.000-04:00

GREENSBORO, NC -- Greensboro city officials met recently with the general manager and news staff of WFMY over WFMY's reporting practices, expressing the City's displeasure with "storylines designed to portray the City in a negative manner" and "the lack of integrity shown by WFMY reporters in their news gathering tactics." [Hyperlink added]

Apparently, the meeting went well enough to allow the City to restore WFMY's access to city employees. Here is an email from the assistant city manager to City department heads.

WFMY photo fun

2011-09-06T07:31:00.000-04:00

From reader Hugh:

Ever notice how WFMY's site hypes stories with sensational photos? Today's [9/5/11] example, Front page headline:

"Hatteras Island Residents Given OK To Return Home" is illustrated with a photo of Hatteras Lighthouse with the the surf menacingly close. I guess it's irrelevant to their readers that the lighthouse was moved 1/2 mile inland 12 years ago.

He's right:

Makes my head hurt

2011-09-03T10:29:00.003-04:00

This News & Record article by Donald Patterson is describing some kind of job changes at Timco, the airplane maintenance company at the airport. Patterson describes positions coming and going and moving around, some now, some later. I think the bottom line is that 50 jobs are leaving the Greensboro location, but it's not really clear.