Thursday, September 20, 2007
Politics On Tap: Reminder
Remember, Politics on Tap happens TONIGHT, 7 pm, at the Weather Rail in the Loews Hotel. Anybody can come, regardless of party affiliation. The bartender will tell you where we are sitting, and he will also validate your parking!
A Message From Uncle...err, Alderman Sam
Alderman Sam Shropshire sent out a rhetoric-laced 'newsletter' today......and I quote:
Somewhere in the northern Pacific floats a non-biodegradable petrochemical blob that's twice the size of Texas. Much of this deadly mess originated when someone innocently took home their shopping in a plastic bag.
In the U.S. alone, we throw away 100 billion plastic bags each year -- the equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil. Yikes!
Think globally! Act locally! Let's do our part to make a small change in our bahavior (sic) to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for future generations. Let's put a stop to retail distribution of plastic checkout bags.
I don't know if it was on purpose, but notice that there aren't any people in that picture of a plastic bag. I can tell you with a high level of certainty that the plastic bag in question did not grow wings and get there on its own. I am confident that a homo-sapien acquired the bag and failed to dispose of this properly.
If we want act responsibly about the environment, there are better places to start. In the opinion of this blog, efforts to increase recycling at businesses, as well as actually putting recycling bins downtown, would be much more appropriate first steps.
Somewhere in the northern Pacific floats a non-biodegradable petrochemical blob that's twice the size of Texas. Much of this deadly mess originated when someone innocently took home their shopping in a plastic bag.
In the U.S. alone, we throw away 100 billion plastic bags each year -- the equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil. Yikes!
Think globally! Act locally! Let's do our part to make a small change in our bahavior (sic) to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for future generations. Let's put a stop to retail distribution of plastic checkout bags.
I don't know if it was on purpose, but notice that there aren't any people in that picture of a plastic bag. I can tell you with a high level of certainty that the plastic bag in question did not grow wings and get there on its own. I am confident that a homo-sapien acquired the bag and failed to dispose of this properly.
If we want act responsibly about the environment, there are better places to start. In the opinion of this blog, efforts to increase recycling at businesses, as well as actually putting recycling bins downtown, would be much more appropriate first steps.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
New Charter School
Although I am no expert on the issue, it seems to me that by most accounts, the KIPP Academy was a successful and useful Charter School that fell victim to government balderdash.
Assuming that's true, we should welcome the possible addition of a replacement: as reported yesterday:
A Baltimore-based educational organization is considering opening a new charter school in Annapolis.
Officials with the Children's Guild, a nonprofit organization that usually works with emotionally disturbed students, have been meeting with school officials and hope to start the new school next fall.
AP is all for charter schools, because they satisfy economic reasoning. The are schools of choice, and if they don't' do a good job, students go somewhere else, the bad school closes, and a good school opens up.
The problem with the current plan is that there is no accountability. Accountability follows money, but money for our schools currently goes to the county, then to the school board, then eventually to the schools. It's too hard for us to hold the schools responsible. Let's hope we see more charter schools, more choices, and more accountability.
Assuming that's true, we should welcome the possible addition of a replacement: as reported yesterday:
A Baltimore-based educational organization is considering opening a new charter school in Annapolis.
Officials with the Children's Guild, a nonprofit organization that usually works with emotionally disturbed students, have been meeting with school officials and hope to start the new school next fall.
AP is all for charter schools, because they satisfy economic reasoning. The are schools of choice, and if they don't' do a good job, students go somewhere else, the bad school closes, and a good school opens up.
The problem with the current plan is that there is no accountability. Accountability follows money, but money for our schools currently goes to the county, then to the school board, then eventually to the schools. It's too hard for us to hold the schools responsible. Let's hope we see more charter schools, more choices, and more accountability.
A Man After My Own Heart
John G. Miller, an apparent super-citizen of Annapolis, submitted this unsolicited job application via a letter to the editor yesterday:
I retired in 2000 as the managing director of two magazines, and would gladly return in a later incarnation to edit the Letters to the Editor column of The Capital. What Fun!
Hey!! Back off, pal!
If you would like to comment on letters to the editor, there is an blogger's assistant position open with the Annapolis Politics juggernaut web site.
Here are the details:
Pay: $o, plus a bag of Fritos on Fridays. (Frito Fridays!)
Fringe benefits: have an excuse to be on the internet all the time
Job requirements:
-10 fingers
Let me know if you are interested!
I retired in 2000 as the managing director of two magazines, and would gladly return in a later incarnation to edit the Letters to the Editor column of The Capital. What Fun!
Hey!! Back off, pal!
If you would like to comment on letters to the editor, there is an blogger's assistant position open with the Annapolis Politics juggernaut web site.
Here are the details:
Pay: $o, plus a bag of Fritos on Fridays. (Frito Fridays!)
Fringe benefits: have an excuse to be on the internet all the time
Job requirements:
-10 fingers
Let me know if you are interested!
Which Triathlon Was She Watching?
I saw a letter to the editor entitled Triathlon, and I was prepared to read another horror story about how somebody was stuck in traffic and could not get to church, Caffe Pronto, or anywhere else. However, to my great amusement, the letter writer could scarcely contain her anticipation for future triathlons in years to come.
So said she:
All who were there on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 9, whether participants or spectators, had an exciting day.
I can't wait until next year!
I suppose all those who intended to be spectators had a good time, but on behalf of those who wanted a gallon of milk and were made spectators as a result of gridlock, I will respectfully disagree.
Once again, this blog's stance on the triathlon:
-event in and of itself not bad
-should occur only IF adequate planning and minimal (i.e. less than it was) inconvenience is possible
So said she:
All who were there on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 9, whether participants or spectators, had an exciting day.
I can't wait until next year!
I suppose all those who intended to be spectators had a good time, but on behalf of those who wanted a gallon of milk and were made spectators as a result of gridlock, I will respectfully disagree.
Once again, this blog's stance on the triathlon:
-event in and of itself not bad
-should occur only IF adequate planning and minimal (i.e. less than it was) inconvenience is possible
Perspective From A Police Officer
In a post yesterday, I asked of any police officers who happened to read this blog to provide some insight as to the recent happenings regarding crime and the police department.
A fine citizen identifying him/herself as "APD Officer" answered the call. This person left his remarks in the form of a comment, but I think it's useful to highlight them in a post.
So says APD officer:
The truth is that the officers are embarrassed for the mayor. Ellen Moyer has done more for the officers than any other recent mayor. Unfortunately, she has taken up lying in recent weeks. First she took the officers clothing allowance away and then sent her attorney to lie and say we never had it. We are still fighting that over a year later.
Then she said that we made 5k more than we did so she could say our wages are competitive. A flat out lie that she continued to use even after we pointed it out to her. Then she talked about the need for Segways, yet she had refused to buy any in the past (the two we had were shipped back to Segway since they were on loan). Then Ellen proclaimed she would change the work schedule. Changes in the work schedule have been underway for almost a year!
Then the mayor decided to join a DEA task force! Yup, it's true; we have been in the task force for at least 10 years. Let's not forget the building we live in that she built! Full of mold, tied up in the courts and unusable. The mayor has yet to do anything to hire new officers. The test that was given was offered to people who applied to APD up to a year ago. Just business as usual. Nothing new. We have 6 people retiring by the end of the year and they might hire 4 to replace them.
You might find it easy to beat up on Chief Johnson but he is trying to run a police department in the midst of chaos! Shame on Ellen Moyer. Perhaps she owes all officers an apology.
The thing that AP finds most interesting is increasing evidence of a disconnect between the mayor and Chief Johnson. I used to think that they were on the same page, and reinforced each other regarding most things. But after hearing the quotes in the newspaper, and reading the above comments, it's becoming harder to tell.
I am aware of scores of evidence regarding former friends of the Mayor that she alienated. For real progress, there has to be cooperation. And before progress, there has to be honesty! If the mayor is lying to us, shame on her indeed.
A fine citizen identifying him/herself as "APD Officer" answered the call. This person left his remarks in the form of a comment, but I think it's useful to highlight them in a post.
So says APD officer:
The truth is that the officers are embarrassed for the mayor. Ellen Moyer has done more for the officers than any other recent mayor. Unfortunately, she has taken up lying in recent weeks. First she took the officers clothing allowance away and then sent her attorney to lie and say we never had it. We are still fighting that over a year later.
Then she said that we made 5k more than we did so she could say our wages are competitive. A flat out lie that she continued to use even after we pointed it out to her. Then she talked about the need for Segways, yet she had refused to buy any in the past (the two we had were shipped back to Segway since they were on loan). Then Ellen proclaimed she would change the work schedule. Changes in the work schedule have been underway for almost a year!
Then the mayor decided to join a DEA task force! Yup, it's true; we have been in the task force for at least 10 years. Let's not forget the building we live in that she built! Full of mold, tied up in the courts and unusable. The mayor has yet to do anything to hire new officers. The test that was given was offered to people who applied to APD up to a year ago. Just business as usual. Nothing new. We have 6 people retiring by the end of the year and they might hire 4 to replace them.
You might find it easy to beat up on Chief Johnson but he is trying to run a police department in the midst of chaos! Shame on Ellen Moyer. Perhaps she owes all officers an apology.
The thing that AP finds most interesting is increasing evidence of a disconnect between the mayor and Chief Johnson. I used to think that they were on the same page, and reinforced each other regarding most things. But after hearing the quotes in the newspaper, and reading the above comments, it's becoming harder to tell.
I am aware of scores of evidence regarding former friends of the Mayor that she alienated. For real progress, there has to be cooperation. And before progress, there has to be honesty! If the mayor is lying to us, shame on her indeed.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Cordle/Weikel: Foul Play?
Capital Punishment has made this post regarding an allegation that Alderman Cordle has levied against Chuck Weikel, accusing Mr. Weikel of registering illegal immigrants to vote.
Judging by the quoted remarks of both individuals (Cordle and Weikel), getting to the truth will require some digging.
I have personal relationships with both CP and Alderman Cordle, and I will see what information I can find for you lovely folks.
Judging by the quoted remarks of both individuals (Cordle and Weikel), getting to the truth will require some digging.
I have personal relationships with both CP and Alderman Cordle, and I will see what information I can find for you lovely folks.
Politics on Tap, Thursday 9/20
If you would like to discuss politics, or anything else, in a casual environment, please attend:
Politics on Tap
Thursday, 9/20, 7:00 pm
Loews Hotel, Weather Rail Bar
Attire: "No Shoes, No Shirt--No Service"
Probable topics of conversation will be:
-the mayor
-crime
-how hungry everybody is
-how stupid you are if OJ Simpson tells you to "bring a gun and c'mon" and you do it
The bartender will know where we are sitting, but my picture is also on the side of the page so if you want to know who you are looking for, you can.
Politics on Tap
Thursday, 9/20, 7:00 pm
Loews Hotel, Weather Rail Bar
Attire: "No Shoes, No Shirt--No Service"
Probable topics of conversation will be:
-the mayor
-crime
-how hungry everybody is
-how stupid you are if OJ Simpson tells you to "bring a gun and c'mon" and you do it
The bartender will know where we are sitting, but my picture is also on the side of the page so if you want to know who you are looking for, you can.
Bickering: An Update on The New Crime Plan
Whoa Nellie!
While sometimes I feel like bemoaning the fact that much of my news comes from The Capital, the fact of the matter is that this blog is more of an opinion journal than a news journal, and I am perfectly happy to leave the reporting to the professionals--err, at least the local paper of record.
Enter Sunday's edition, where we learn that the Mayor's lack of direction in implementing her new crime fighting plans has frustrated the very people responsible for its implementation.
This portrayal of how the crime plans came to be fits perfectly with AP's imagination of how city business works. I envisioned the mayor returning from Europe to chaos, and quickly throwing together a cosmetic solution lacking seriousness--a la Sargent Bilko--just to quiet the critics.
Plans do not implement themselves. The last time the Mayor tried to implement a big plan like this, it was for the Market House. When the plan fell through (because nobody worried about the details), the Mayor first denied there were any problems, then conspired to present the grim facts through a rose colored spectrum. The key to implementing a plan is following through on what you say you are going to do. Speaking from experience, is it also good to have backup plans in case your ideal plan does not work.
As for the current crime plan, it seems the mayor's plan was again short on details. So reports The Capital:
Annapolis Housing Authority President Eric Brown wrote Ms. Moyer a letter on Wednesday asking for "additional direction" on what she wants in a new agreement of understanding to address crime in the city's public housing communities.
You would think that the Mayor would take the time to get on the same page with the Housing Authority, since a lot of the emphasis of the new plan is on crime, specifically drug crime, in the public housing areas. The police chief, a reasonably important participant in any crime-fighting effort, had this to say:
We need to sit down.....How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month. What timeline is she expecting?
Public Service Announcement to Chief Johnson, HACA President Brown, and other department heads: it's not good to publicly criticize the mayor!
Ms. Moyer responded to Mr. Brown by explaining:
I guess he doesn't know how to read.
She also stipulated that:
He (Chief Johnson) needs to advise me on the budgetary issues.
If he has not advised you already, consider yourself advised. He just said he doesn't know how to pay for the horse and the Segway. Also consider yourself redundant:
Local and federal officials confirmed this week the city joined the DEA's State and Local High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force at least 10 years ago.
Now, I will agree that a Mayor does not necessarily have to know every procedural working of the police department. But if the department enters into an important drug-fighting partnership with the federal government, and furthermore if the mayor was on the city council at the time of the agreement, I would think the mayor should know about it. I know of some officers that read this blog--am I right here? Why would the mayor not know something like this?
The mayor later amended her position, stating that she meant for a renewal of emphasis on the task force, rather than a new agreement. Even so, a DEA spokesman said that the task force won't change much:
Special Agent Ed Marcinko, a DEA spokesman, reiterated the task force is not changing how it investigates drugs and identifies drug dealers.
"It's business as usual," he said.
This is government nonsense at its best. The mayor observed a problem, but she seemingly prefers to address the political problem for her rather than the crime problem that most people are interested in talking about. By throwing around buzz words, and buzz ideas, such as 'new committee', 'task force', '5 step plan', etc.--and not backing them up with any teeth--we are no better off.
AP has sent an email to Ray Weaver requesting the results of the recently administered qualification/entrance exam for new officers. Everyone (even now the mayor) is in agreement that the place to start is to fill the 23 vacancies in the department, and when I find out where we are on this, I will let you know.
While sometimes I feel like bemoaning the fact that much of my news comes from The Capital, the fact of the matter is that this blog is more of an opinion journal than a news journal, and I am perfectly happy to leave the reporting to the professionals--err, at least the local paper of record.
Enter Sunday's edition, where we learn that the Mayor's lack of direction in implementing her new crime fighting plans has frustrated the very people responsible for its implementation.
This portrayal of how the crime plans came to be fits perfectly with AP's imagination of how city business works. I envisioned the mayor returning from Europe to chaos, and quickly throwing together a cosmetic solution lacking seriousness--a la Sargent Bilko--just to quiet the critics.
Plans do not implement themselves. The last time the Mayor tried to implement a big plan like this, it was for the Market House. When the plan fell through (because nobody worried about the details), the Mayor first denied there were any problems, then conspired to present the grim facts through a rose colored spectrum. The key to implementing a plan is following through on what you say you are going to do. Speaking from experience, is it also good to have backup plans in case your ideal plan does not work.
As for the current crime plan, it seems the mayor's plan was again short on details. So reports The Capital:
Annapolis Housing Authority President Eric Brown wrote Ms. Moyer a letter on Wednesday asking for "additional direction" on what she wants in a new agreement of understanding to address crime in the city's public housing communities.
You would think that the Mayor would take the time to get on the same page with the Housing Authority, since a lot of the emphasis of the new plan is on crime, specifically drug crime, in the public housing areas. The police chief, a reasonably important participant in any crime-fighting effort, had this to say:
We need to sit down.....How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month. What timeline is she expecting?
Public Service Announcement to Chief Johnson, HACA President Brown, and other department heads: it's not good to publicly criticize the mayor!
Ms. Moyer responded to Mr. Brown by explaining:
I guess he doesn't know how to read.
She also stipulated that:
He (Chief Johnson) needs to advise me on the budgetary issues.
If he has not advised you already, consider yourself advised. He just said he doesn't know how to pay for the horse and the Segway. Also consider yourself redundant:
Local and federal officials confirmed this week the city joined the DEA's State and Local High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force at least 10 years ago.
Now, I will agree that a Mayor does not necessarily have to know every procedural working of the police department. But if the department enters into an important drug-fighting partnership with the federal government, and furthermore if the mayor was on the city council at the time of the agreement, I would think the mayor should know about it. I know of some officers that read this blog--am I right here? Why would the mayor not know something like this?
The mayor later amended her position, stating that she meant for a renewal of emphasis on the task force, rather than a new agreement. Even so, a DEA spokesman said that the task force won't change much:
Special Agent Ed Marcinko, a DEA spokesman, reiterated the task force is not changing how it investigates drugs and identifies drug dealers.
"It's business as usual," he said.
This is government nonsense at its best. The mayor observed a problem, but she seemingly prefers to address the political problem for her rather than the crime problem that most people are interested in talking about. By throwing around buzz words, and buzz ideas, such as 'new committee', 'task force', '5 step plan', etc.--and not backing them up with any teeth--we are no better off.
AP has sent an email to Ray Weaver requesting the results of the recently administered qualification/entrance exam for new officers. Everyone (even now the mayor) is in agreement that the place to start is to fill the 23 vacancies in the department, and when I find out where we are on this, I will let you know.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Bickering
Yesterday The Capital reported that the mayor's crime proposals turned to bickering, which is what happens when anyone raises any concerns about any of the mayor's ideas. (Check back later tonight, or possibly tomorrow, for a comprehensive post on this.) Capital Punishment brings up a good point about this:
Is Police Chief Joseph Johnson about to get the pink slip? CP has repeatedly called for Mayor Moyer to help Police Chief Joseph Johnson toward his retirement since CP started writing this blog but now there are signs that it may be about to happen. While yesterday's front-page article in The Capital about confusion over crime fighting (see post below) was being discussed all over the city, CP was listening to two local officials/politicos in the know who were questioning whether comments made by the Chief were going to blow the Mayor's top. The words "fire" and "resign" and "John Patmore" (the ousted former Department of Public Works chief who openly questioned the Mayor) kept coming up.
You will recall that John Patmore, the former director of Public Works, was terminated only days after expressing concern that the city was going to lease its space to 2,000 triathletes for a fee of $1. The mayor claimed the termination was going to happen anyway, but as this blog pointed out, Mr. Patmore was the only director to go and there others who were perhaps more deserving.
Not only has the police chief challenged the mayor, he has done it on the most visible issue in the city, and unless the mayor is satisfied with relegation to lame duck status, the issue that will cause her the most political harm.
Is Chief Johnson next in line? Who knows.
Is Police Chief Joseph Johnson about to get the pink slip? CP has repeatedly called for Mayor Moyer to help Police Chief Joseph Johnson toward his retirement since CP started writing this blog but now there are signs that it may be about to happen. While yesterday's front-page article in The Capital about confusion over crime fighting (see post below) was being discussed all over the city, CP was listening to two local officials/politicos in the know who were questioning whether comments made by the Chief were going to blow the Mayor's top. The words "fire" and "resign" and "John Patmore" (the ousted former Department of Public Works chief who openly questioned the Mayor) kept coming up.
You will recall that John Patmore, the former director of Public Works, was terminated only days after expressing concern that the city was going to lease its space to 2,000 triathletes for a fee of $1. The mayor claimed the termination was going to happen anyway, but as this blog pointed out, Mr. Patmore was the only director to go and there others who were perhaps more deserving.
Not only has the police chief challenged the mayor, he has done it on the most visible issue in the city, and unless the mayor is satisfied with relegation to lame duck status, the issue that will cause her the most political harm.
Is Chief Johnson next in line? Who knows.
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