CNBC does a flattering video piece on Creekstone and their success into the fine dining market.
Ark City gets a little shout out, too.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Buffett on taxes
Warren Buffet sounds the horn again that the rich should pay more taxes. He doesn't buy the trickle-down theory of tax cuts for the wealthy raising all boats.
I think the reasonable thing to do on tax cuts would be to let them expire on the wealthiest now, to raise revenue to be put toward deficit reduction, and let them eventually expire on the rest of us, after growth gets back to full steam. This would be a serious effort toward deficit reduction and show real compromise - for Republicans who hate taxes, and for Democrats who shun deficit reduction (Republicans actually haven't been that big on it until recently)
I think the reasonable thing to do on tax cuts would be to let them expire on the wealthiest now, to raise revenue to be put toward deficit reduction, and let them eventually expire on the rest of us, after growth gets back to full steam. This would be a serious effort toward deficit reduction and show real compromise - for Republicans who hate taxes, and for Democrats who shun deficit reduction (Republicans actually haven't been that big on it until recently)
Friday, November 19, 2010
Conservative sanity
Here's a great take on the vapidness of the Sara Palin by a deep thinking conservative.
Palin is, by and large, a media creation. The national political media, and nonpolitical media oftentimes, lustfully tosses out her twitters and facebook comments to create the tension and conflict that makes people pay attention. But it goes beyond responsible reporting and real political dialogue because she has no real standing to the degree the media uses her. She quit her job as governor, does not belong to any institution, and has never shown any real grasp of policies/issues that would make her a serious part of the discussion. She avoids questions and interviews except on Fox News. Except the accident of her being nominated by John McCain as his VP candidate, she would still be fighting for the bridge to nowhere as Gov. of Alaska.
She's got good looks, some personality, a weird but loyal family and is unafraid to attack others, which apparently makes for good entertainment. My guess is that by 2012, with her wining, celebrity chasing, and incessant Facebooking, the American public will experience Palin fatigue.
Her support will continue to narrow and she'll be mostly a sideshow, which is really what she is now if you think about it because, unfortunately, sideshows are now the mainshow.
Palin is, by and large, a media creation. The national political media, and nonpolitical media oftentimes, lustfully tosses out her twitters and facebook comments to create the tension and conflict that makes people pay attention. But it goes beyond responsible reporting and real political dialogue because she has no real standing to the degree the media uses her. She quit her job as governor, does not belong to any institution, and has never shown any real grasp of policies/issues that would make her a serious part of the discussion. She avoids questions and interviews except on Fox News. Except the accident of her being nominated by John McCain as his VP candidate, she would still be fighting for the bridge to nowhere as Gov. of Alaska.
She's got good looks, some personality, a weird but loyal family and is unafraid to attack others, which apparently makes for good entertainment. My guess is that by 2012, with her wining, celebrity chasing, and incessant Facebooking, the American public will experience Palin fatigue.
Her support will continue to narrow and she'll be mostly a sideshow, which is really what she is now if you think about it because, unfortunately, sideshows are now the mainshow.
Plaza concept - big picture
I'm glad the city is leaning toward the plaza design of the land around the new hospital. It is the design concept I would have picked — interconnectedness, community and all that — I'm a sucker for anything with the words "pedestrian-friendly."
The city and recreation officials also have plans to turn the McFarland Pond area into an area safe and open to fishing and other recreational activities. This kind of visioning is good government and I think Ark City is fortunate to have leaders that look to the future and are not afraid to make investments — hospital, school and ball field construction, street repair, overpass, hike and bike trail, and now the McFarland project.
Of course much of this has been in the works for years and ideas percolating now (Construction incentives for Goff Industrial Park, for example) will not bring benefit for probably years go come. But it all shows that local government must take a lead role in fostering growth and community building.
The Ark City City commission has suffered its fair share of personality conflicts and had some bitter disagreements, but if you take a step back and look at the big picture over the last decade or so, I think you'd have to say Ark City has momentum and is on the move. The recession of course slows things down, and there are plenty of problems - deteriorating neighborhoods, low income levels — but there is plenty to feel good about, too.
The city and recreation officials also have plans to turn the McFarland Pond area into an area safe and open to fishing and other recreational activities. This kind of visioning is good government and I think Ark City is fortunate to have leaders that look to the future and are not afraid to make investments — hospital, school and ball field construction, street repair, overpass, hike and bike trail, and now the McFarland project.
Of course much of this has been in the works for years and ideas percolating now (Construction incentives for Goff Industrial Park, for example) will not bring benefit for probably years go come. But it all shows that local government must take a lead role in fostering growth and community building.
The Ark City City commission has suffered its fair share of personality conflicts and had some bitter disagreements, but if you take a step back and look at the big picture over the last decade or so, I think you'd have to say Ark City has momentum and is on the move. The recession of course slows things down, and there are plenty of problems - deteriorating neighborhoods, low income levels — but there is plenty to feel good about, too.
Annals of hilarity
James Carville, Bill Clinton's idiot savant, comes up with this doozy about Obama's, uhm, backbone?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Bartlett lawsuit
Doesn't portend well for the city that the supervisor accused of wrongdoing in this lawsuit was fired about the time this lawsuit was filed.
But certainly there is more to the story that we can know on the outside looking in.
I found the comment from the plaintiff's attorney that they think the suit will go to trial because the city's defense attorneys get paid by the hour to be a shot across the bow to city commissioners, challenging them to make an enticing settlement offer.
Probably a well worn trick in confrontations like these...
The big question is whether this lawsuit by Mary Bartlett against a former department head is related much to the current turmoil inside city hall. The commission has been meeting in private to discussion personnel matters more than usual, and we know they have been discussing city manager Steve Archer's performance.
But certainly there is more to the story that we can know on the outside looking in.
I found the comment from the plaintiff's attorney that they think the suit will go to trial because the city's defense attorneys get paid by the hour to be a shot across the bow to city commissioners, challenging them to make an enticing settlement offer.
Probably a well worn trick in confrontations like these...
The big question is whether this lawsuit by Mary Bartlett against a former department head is related much to the current turmoil inside city hall. The commission has been meeting in private to discussion personnel matters more than usual, and we know they have been discussing city manager Steve Archer's performance.
The Carnival Barkers
A great column by Thomas Friedman about how a lie/rumor makes its way into the mainstream media because it serves a political purpose - of course Fox News is easy prey for this kind of stuff.
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