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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:55 pm |
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terrybankert
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JUST FOR LAUGHS
The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect : The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. Coffee , n. The person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted , adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. Abdicate , v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4 esplanade , v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly , adj. Impotent.
6. Negligent , adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7.. Lymph , v. To walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle , n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence , n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash , n. A rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle , n. A humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude , n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon , n. A Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster , n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism , n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent , n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men |
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Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:11 pm |
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terrybankert
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Charter Review Committee... League or Women voters... Tuesday 12/15/09 6:30 Main Branch Flint Public Library. ...Lets ask who screwed up the Flint City Charter ? Was it the 1974 Flint Charter Commission or the Mayors and City Councils?.......... Who do you think is at fault?…possibly was it the citizens because we did ...not demand excellence..?
see full report.
http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/2009/12/15-years-of-turmoil-recievership-and.html |
_________________
Join in the discussion here at Flint Talk , Face Book, Google Blogger " Good Morning Flint" , Twitter, Blogging For Michgian" and MLIVE.
If you want to be seen ,show up.If you want to be heard, stand up and speak.Do not wait to follow, just lead. |
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Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:16 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| The problem isn't the charter, it's the people we elect. |
_________________
Talent does what it can. Genius does what it must. I do what the voices tell me to do.
45ACP: Don't leave home without it. |
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Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:53 pm |
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untanglingwebs
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Terry-who says the charter was screwed up? It served its purpose at the time and times have changed. Some things need to be clarified such as the issue of a partial veto on the budget. Boy that was a mess!
Lets not forget the original purpose of the charter was to accomadate a city with a growing population, not one with a population decline. |
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Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:38 pm |
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terrybankert
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
Terry-who says the charter was screwed up? It served its purpose at the time and times have changed. Some things need to be clarified such as the issue of a partial veto on the budget. Boy that was a mess!
Lets not forget the original purpose of the charter was to accomadate a city with a growing population, not one with a population decline.
The only thing screwed up about our charter is the lack of will to follow its mandates and hold those accountable who don't.
My point is no matter what the words are in any version of our charter if we do not have the political will to make the charter cause good government it will not.
The argument that times have changed and the charter should be changed because our city is smaller is nonsense.
The charter is a good government document nothing more or less.
The size of the city does not matter.
Its our collective fault that the charters key elements are ignored.
The very people , or their type, who have side stepped accountability, blamed others and spout easy solutions are now calling for a charter change.
To what!
Another document in which citizens rights can be ignored.
What is not being done.
1.Our current charter creates a strong council which is in control of the finances of the city, yet we have allowed it to side step and blame the mayor.
2. The council under utilizes the auditor function in the charter
3.there is no planning officer
4.there is no master plan
5.we allow non professionals to hold the position of city administrator.
Our current charter when changed from city manager gave the professional responsibility to the city administrator position.
Our city has not been run professionally because we do not hire professional municipal managers to run it.
The only time we got it right was by Stanley when Early was appointed.
6.In the end this slip shod administration has hurt us all and benefited the council, (to avoid accountability), the very people we elect to cause good government. Nonsense.
Many seem to point the blame to others and offer poorly thoughtout quick fixes. Nonsense.
7. The standards of conduct board does not meet, nonsense.
8. the ordinances in the public interest are ignored. nonsense
9.the city ignores the duty to promulgate rules and procedures. nonsense
10.the ombudsmans office has been brought to its knees by under funding and several other irresponsible reasons, nonsense.
11.Fundamental advise and consent protocals between the council and mayor are ignored. nonsense.
11.Some think one of the problems of this city is a line item veto, nonsense.
12.the courts do not demand good government in Flint when the issue is before them.
13.the citizens are not out raged when political payoffs are given by appointment, and grant allocation.
14. is the charter screwed up if its very provisions ment to cause good government are ignored, yes, who screwed it up, all of us by not demanding more. Lets stop acting like Flint is some reality side show. We either want good governbment or we do not.
But then this is just my opinion and I only have one voice and one vote.
We are in a good position to cause positive change.
We have a council and mayor who are all good people who mean well.
The cheapest change, the best change would be for the leadership and citizens to say lets give this charter a chance, understand it and make it work.
Once more people understand it then build a consensus for change, involve the public, and do what is needed.
flint talk post
http://flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=49858#49858
Last edited by terrybankert on Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:20 pm; edited 4 times in total |
_________________
Join in the discussion here at Flint Talk , Face Book, Google Blogger " Good Morning Flint" , Twitter, Blogging For Michgian" and MLIVE.
If you want to be seen ,show up.If you want to be heard, stand up and speak.Do not wait to follow, just lead. |
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Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:29 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Time for the 5th ward mafia to start shining the spotlight on charter, and other violations. Time to hold people accountable. |
_________________
Talent does what it can. Genius does what it must. I do what the voices tell me to do.
45ACP: Don't leave home without it. |
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Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:35 pm |
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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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TERRY YOU SAID:
1.Our current charter creates a strong council which is in control of the finances of the city, yet we have allowed it to side step and blame the mayor.
2. The council under utilizes the auditor function in the charter
3.there is no planning officer
4.there is no master plan
5.we allow non professionals to hold the position of city administrator.
MY THOUGHTS
[size=18][/size
1. Council has done far more than sidestep and blame the mayor. Council wants to assume the role of the administration. They give orders to department heads in violation of the charter and ignore properly executed bids in an attempt to circumvent the process. Many times they have tried to give a bid to other than the low bidder for reasons not germaine to the bid(ie a Flint businessman over a bider from another community although the Flint business has already been given points in the bid process) and in violation of state bid procedures.
2.Last time the auditor came in for a mid-term review , he had not read the monthly budget to actual and was totally unprepared to discus the issue. Council needs to learn how to use the tools at hand, such as the monthly budget to actual reports.
3. There is no planning officer and council could never agree with the determinations made by one. Money sources are declining, needs of each ward are increasing and residents want their councilman to be competitive in garnering resources for their needs. The summit held 2 years ago, driven by the Chamber, Mott Foundation and Metro Housing, would have the city invest primarily in 1 or 2 areas. No matter how you present that concept it will be vehemently rejected.
4. There is no master plan and no money to prepare one. The benefits of a master plan are easily offset by other issues. Many plans have been created for the area around the colleges and downtown and at great cost, Some plans will take 20 years to fulfill or longer and some have parts that are already obsolete.
5. David Ready was not a nonprofessional. Peggy Cook accomplished many good things. A city manager is limited in their functions by the Mayor. Darryl Buchanan was a disaster, but he came with credentials.
Greg Eason is apparently having problems. His background as a leader in Jobs central was marred and he recently came from a nonprofit, not a government, background. You are correct in that the city does not perform a search to pick a candidate with credentials.
I agree with the majority of the statements you made but the line item budget confuses me. Even the auditor advised against the line item budget as it is extremely cumbersome and time consuming. Council used it as a punitive measure. |
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Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:58 pm |
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terrybankert
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My take on the Flint Charter Revision advocates.
The foxes are saying there should be no fences around the coup, and the farmer should be disarmed!
Or try this analogy.
If all studies say the speed limit should be 55 miles and hour to save lives. We share the public policy saving lives is important so we pass a law lowering the speed limit to 55.
But, the police only ticket at 75. Everyone drives at 70 and unnecessary lives are lost. Should we raise the speed limit to 75 or pressure the police and court to enforce the current law?
Back to the Flint City Charter amendment discussion. Lets assume everyone agrees governmental accountability is important.
You do don’t you?
We pass a charter ,in 1974,that has accountability features in it, for instance council veto of unqualified city administrators, master plan requirement, city planner, city auditor, council 2 year terms, ordinances in the public interest, ombudsman, standards of conduct board, promulgated rules and procedures.
But the media, the courts, the council and the mayor collectively agree to ignore these provision so the city government is less accountable. Look at the last 10 years make your own decision on this presumption.
Do we change the charter so the foxes (council and mayor) no longer feel bad because they are ignoring them? Or should the citizens rise up and tell the foxes (city politician) to follow the law, (city charter) and give us accountable government?
How do we cause accountability?
The mayor should tell everyone he controls to follow the charter and change internal policies to do so and review the impact.
The council should read the charter for starters then inquire why certain provisions have not been complied with.
Ask your city clerk why the standards of conduct board has not met?
Everyone should ask the ombudsman what the heck are you doing?
Citizen groups should study the charter and form their own opinion how can we make this work better.
Possibly a group of citizens could come together for just that purpose.
If we collectively want to reform city government the cheapest way is to force, compel, convince the elected officials of Flint to follow the charter and support governmental accountability. |
_________________
Join in the discussion here at Flint Talk , Face Book, Google Blogger " Good Morning Flint" , Twitter, Blogging For Michgian" and MLIVE.
If you want to be seen ,show up.If you want to be heard, stand up and speak.Do not wait to follow, just lead. |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:19 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| The charter is available on the city's web site as a PDF file, or you can buy a copy at the clerk's office. Get a copy, read it & start holding those in office accountable. It there's a violation, publicly call them on it. |
_________________
Talent does what it can. Genius does what it must. I do what the voices tell me to do.
45ACP: Don't leave home without it. |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:46 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:14 am |
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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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Terry- I had a problem with Neithercutt handling many of the city cases. Because he had been a councilman for several years, I felt he was biased and should have recused himself. I believe some of his comments from the bench were repeated often in council and used as an excuse for bad behavior.
Do we really need a strong mayor with the power to name 20 appointees, 10 department heads and 10 others. Even the new appointees salaries are much higher tnan Williamson paid. According to the ordinance, the new positions have to be approved by council. Have they?
With the previous council, there was good reason not to go back to a strong council. But since council ppoints the Ombudsman, there is no reason to select one who will make them accountable. Brenda is very nice but is not strong enough. She has not picked her staff wisely. Several of her reports have beeb vehemently protested.
Where is the anger that was shown against Williamson over his weekly radio appearance, now that Walling has a radio-tv show aired by Dawn Jones, Wallings PR person. |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:23 am |
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Dave Starr
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I would never want to see the city go back to a city manager appointed by the council. Even though the council doesn't exercise the checks & balances on the administration that they could, going to a manager appointed by the council would remove all accountability. The manager would serve at the council's pleasure, and could be removed at their whim.
The same goes for electing the council members at large. This could effectively remove citizens in some areas of any representation.
There is a meeting on Dec. 15 at 6:30pm, in room 205 of the Public Library about revising the charter. I'll have information later about who is pushing this & I'll post it here when I have it. It sounds like some interesting names are involved in this. |
_________________
Talent does what it can. Genius does what it must. I do what the voices tell me to do.
45ACP: Don't leave home without it. |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:04 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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Terry, Normally I'm right behind the majority of what you post and and can understand agree. But, your analogy's kinda got me thrown off.
I'm wondering who the foxes are?
We had completely irresponsible enforcement of the charter for years. Hey, it even happens with State laws and Statues here in our court system. And we can't get no one to enforce that either.
I'm for a charter revision. But, I'm looking to define and clarify sections so that what we've seen going on over the last 10 years will be so clear that people will be able to related and become outraged when simple English and simple rules are violated.
If anything, we need the fences reinforced, straightened up and aligned. The foxes are currently, getting through the breaks in the fence.
And you can't talk about the problems with the charter, without mentioning that if Judges do oversea cases even when the judge was part of the original charter and knows what the intent is. I want to get rid of the idea of intent and define it so there is no question.
How else can we stop Mayoral appointees from lying to the council and getting away with it administration after administration? |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:10 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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Terry, I would also have to ask why you think these things
quote:
The argument that times have changed and the charter should be changed because our city is smaller is nonsense.
The charter is a good government document nothing more or less.
The size of the city does not matter.
So as the city gets smaller we should have no guidelines as to how to proceed? Or is that the purpose of the Master plan?
I find it amazing people think as our tax base shrinks that we can continue to pay for large numbers of politicians to have jobs. Flint is almost half it's size when the charter was adopted. The needs of Government has changed. I just looked up six different cities all the same size as Flint. One had only three commissioners with a Mayor. Another Had 7 councilmen and a Mayor. Another had 5 councilmen and a Mayor. two that I checked had a council of 5 with the Mayor as the head of the council with a city manager,
We all know. Unless there are some guidelines for government. It will only grow and attempting to downsize it the politicians will fight tooth and nail to keep with positions and power.
I think it was short sided of the Charter writers to put guidlines in the charter for representation ratios. We currently have one councilman per 12,000 citizens. And I'm sure if I kept looking I would probably find more cities with ratios as high as ours. But, just a quick review of 6 cities I didn't find any of them to be as top heavy as we are. Detroit has 900,000 population and they have 8 councilmen. I'm confused. |
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:44 pm |
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