By Rudizink
Now that the five-day 4th of July weekend (most folks we know squeezed out five days) is now behind us, we think it's probably time to get back to normal business. And what is normal business here at Weber County Forum? Conversing and discussing local politics -- exposing liars, fools and buffoons -- that's what.
In an effort to help our gentle readers clear out the holiday cob-webs, and to assist them in regaining gentle equilibrium, were linking a couple of items from today's Standard-Examiner letters section, and recommending a couple of local websites of note. These, of course, all deal with one subject with which we are familiar -- what else -- the Godfrey/Peterson land-grab:
First, William Christiansen, of Liberty, reminds us of the track record of a certain "forward-looking youth" who rammed another hare-brained project down the throats of the local townsfolk, a mere 20 or so years ago. Mr. Christiansen wisely frames the phenomenon as another conflict in the age-old battle between brashness of youth and the wisdom of age. We think his letter is worth a long look.
Next, Ogden resident Julie Kirkland notes the recent proliferation of lawn signs, pamphlets, speeches and associated lies, remarking that these are usually preliminary trappings which precede a public vote. "[But] [a]m I going to have an opportunity to vote on this heated project?" "No" she answers, rhetorically.
Last but not least, we have this wonderful inspirational message from Alan T. Christiansen. (Any relation to William, we ask?) "Positive thinking" and "good thoughts" are our key to return to "the glory days, he admonishes. Just ask Disney's Jiminy Cricket, who told a whole generation of young Americans that if they would wish for something fervently enough, such wishes will magically come true. It's all about neoCon mysticism, you see. Who needs research and feasibility studies anyway, when the whole idea feels so danged good?
And there's a new website that we've been watching for a few weeks, Grift Ogden, which has a marvelous cartoon panel uploaded for display this week. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the old saying goes. And these pictures say it all in four panels. Do the math. Grift Ogden is also proudly linked in our sidebar. We'll certainly be watching this interesting site very closely in the weeks and months to come.
Finally, we're putting up a front page link to a podcast video that's been circulating around town via email for a few weeks. We think this 1994ish video proves once again that life truly imitates art. A reader comment in one of the lower threads reported that this video clip was re-run on network television last night, and we're linking it here, for those gentle readers who may have missed it. This video was originally uploaded by True Ogden, another local blogger who deserves a Weber County Forum hat-tip. We've also added a link to this site in the sidebar.
So what about it, gentle readers? Would anybody like to get back into blogging gear, and comment on any of the above?
The long holiday is over; and it's time to start driving the discussion in our town again, we think.
We hope everyone will do their part, cob-webs notwithstanding.
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14 comments:
Yep...Mr. Christiansen asks the 1/2 billion dollar question:
WHY DOESN'T PETERSON JUST BUILD THE (bleep) THING?
Love the Simpson video clip. Put a staw hat on Godfrey and send him to Broadway 'with our regards'.
Deliteful and right on the money, (but whose?)
But seriously folks, isn't it refreshing to see so many letters coming out lately and actually using the L word about Matt, Chris and their 'plan'? Note how many are asking intelligent questions, lamenting the lack of answers, that are truthful, that is.
This thing will never go to a vote while Godfrey is in office....and once he's defeated...the whole thing will die along with Matt's mayorship.
The only thing the new mayor will keep of Matt's tenure is the executive restroom key!
We do hope and pray that you are correct Sharon. Will the Ogden City treasury out last the arrogant one, that seems to be the question?
Whether FOR or AGAINST, my feeling is that people who are going to comment on what OGDEN CITY may or may not do, should be a resident of said city!
How nuts are YOU, Anon?
Do you think the Junction (when built???) or a goofy gondola can be supported only by the residents of OGDEN CITY???
Wow...do you think we're all 'brazilianaires'?
Who will dump revenue into these projects if we don't lure in the spenders from EVERYWHERE???
Oh, I forgot, Geiger says 10 million will drive by on their way to Jackson Hole, and TEN PERCENT will jump off here to ride the gondola. Hope they stay to eat too.
So, we don't want anyone from Layton, Clearfield, West Haven, N. Ogden, S. Ogden and environs coming into our city, and we don't want your comments on this site either. So there!
Right, Anonymous?
Comment moved to front page
Well how is it that the city council doesn't realize how much power they have?
They should have taken out of the mayors budget a few thousand Dallors to give the police a and fire a raise and then let the mayor who is really in there corner.
On another note, I have heard so many people say that the gondola is such a great Idea till I ask them whre they live and most of them don't live in Ogden city. I then ask them how would they like it if the gondola went up Ben lomond peak or over the uintah (not a city tax payer city) or down the washington terrace to the weber river and all said not in my back yard. I then said now you know how the rest of us feel. If this is such a good Idea from the surrounding communities then why not link the gondola to all of thema nd lets make some real money for all of weber county!
Well I think that in 1994 when the simpson show came on, our little mayor was watching it after elementry school and thought "I can't wait till I'm Mayor of A city so I can be as cool as the simpsons"!!!!
gondola |ˈgändələ; noun a light flat-bottomed boat used on Venetian canals.
a cabin on a suspended ski lift.
also
boondoggle |ˈboōnˌdägəl;informal noun work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.
a public project of questionable merit that typically involves political patronage and graft:
thus a new word is born:
Gondoggle!
agog - I am well aware that people come here from other places - and I am happy that they do. HOWEVER, I meant that I was getting a little tired of, say a North Ogden (just an example ;)) resident telling US we really need to build a gondola!
Holiday cobwebs is a good way of putting it. Will clear them out by posting random thoughts:
It would have been a wild ride on the gondola, had it been constructed, the evening of July 4th. Perhaps even involving a rescue operation. When they say these gondolas can't function in winds over 35 mph, do they mean that they have to stop them cold when a microburst happens? That could not be.
Regarding the Pathways vote--evidently they were going for not only a majority, but a two thirds majority and passed that by one vote. The mayor, remember, wrote to SmartGrowth that he did not want to answer questions because SmartGrowth would "twist" the information.
Doesn't the latest in the gondola/resort/etc. plan remind one of an RDA project? Was thinking about this, and how we are so used to hearing about these and how the city kicks in money or land, and the developer develops it, that some might be looking at the gondola/resort/etc. plan as running along the same lines.
Whereas, with its new housing development idea, it really isn't, and we do have local land developers here, at least one of whom has stated that if that property is now going to be opened up to development, he would like a chance to bid on it.
And finally, rumor has it that both SmartGrowth and Lift Ogden were denied space at the Ogden Farmer's Market. On what grounds I do not know. I heard, but did not see, that Kent Jorgenson had a couch at the Farmer's Market last summer. I do not know if he paid for space for this couch or was able to move it around randomly.
But he was there for political purposes and discussions, I think, as both Smart Growth and Lift Ogden would be, which asks the question---do we want or not want organizations with a political agenda to have booth space at the Farmer's Market? My take on this is the more the merrier, although I don't think it would be good to place them side by side. It would be a good exercise in embracing diversity of the political kind, however. Question is--are we ready for that.
Hmm. Cobwebs still there, obviously.
Dian:
The "no politics" rule which it seems may be being applied to Lift Ogden and SGO at the Farmer's Market is not sustainable on any grounds.
First of all, past experience. You rightly point out Mr. Jorgenson's chatting couch last year [which by the way I thought was a good idea : other councilpersons please take note].
Secondly: to define either LO or SGO as "political" organizations is, I think, stretching the term beyond what any court would be able to sustain. I cannot not speak for LO, but SGO has not supported any candidates for office, is not running any candidates for office, and seeks as its mission to inform the public about proposed changes in public policy and plans for Ogden's development. That [broadly] seems to be LO's mission as well. Furthermore, there is no referendum on the ballot regarding the godola/Mayor's Cronies Real Estate Speculation schemes, so the two groups are not engaged in a political campaign in that sense. There is no reason to deny either group access to the market on "political" grounds. Provided both groups pay the appropriate space rental fees, maintain an acceptable level of civility, and don't scare the horses, both should be permitted.
Mrs. Curmudgeon and I went to the SLC farmer's market last weekend. The Mayor was there. Candidates for office were there, in booths, talking with folks who wandered by. All it did was add to the diversty, and interest, of the market. The Ogden farmers' market is at last on the way back from the devastating year which damn near killed it [when whoever was organizing it forced the crafts people out of the park and down the sidewalks toward Union Station.] What the Ogden market needs is people, a critical mass of people, in the park area --- the more the merrier. The thicker and longer lasting the crowd, the more vendors you get, the better the market is. On these grounds, banning LO and SGO makes no sense.
Finally, the policy actively discriminates against SGO. Since the Mayor is supporting LO and puts its propaganda on the city-owned webpage, and its spokespersons only on the city-owned cable channel, denying SGO access to the public in a public park at a public event cuts off the other side from one of the few opportunities it has to counter the Mayor's office-sanctioned Lift Ogden propaganda presented at public expense on public media.
It would be interesting to see this matter considered by a court. Very interesting indeed.
But so long as LO has access via the Mayor to public-financed information outlets like the city website and cable channel, claiming that banning both LO and SGO from the park is a "fair" and "unbiased" policy is sophestry. But then, sophestry is what we have come to expect from the man whose integrity is, by his own humble admission, as great or greater than that of anyone else in a crowded council chamber.
I have dubious pleasure to be one of Griener's whiners and thus I am a beaten down public servant who has dealt with Lord Farqua… uurrr I mean his highness, the Mayor, for the past six years.
I was present when he made the comment that his "integrity is as great or greater than that of anyone else.." Here are some examples of his integrity:
1- In 2000 he instituted the ticket quota for Police Officers and when confronted about it, blamed Chief Greiner for it. Yet Chief Griener is required to send the monthly ticket numbers to the Mayor's office.
2-The Mayor has only increased police personnel in the area of the Traffic Division, whose primary responsibility is to write tickets. Their quota is 100 moving violations (Tickets) a month, Patrol Officers are in the area of 15 to 20. By the way moving violations make more money for the city. (Question: How many tickets does it take to buy a Gondola car?)
3-Recently Officers have been explaining to citizens, that they are giving citations to, that they had to write the tickets as part of a required quota. As you know this quota went up recently when the City Council voted to evaluate the Firefighters and Police Officers differently. These citizens complained to the mayor's officer and guess what happened. These officers were put through an internal investigation and are being punished for telling citizens the TRUTH!
These are only a few examples of how Lord Farqua runs his kingdom. I have dealt with convicted felons with more integrity that this man. In the last month, no less that 12 experienced and trained Officers have applied at other departments. He is destroying the core of public safety in Ogden. The only one's who will truly suffer are the citizens.
I apologize for keeping my identity anonymous. I hope you understand that this is so that I can keep my job and feed my family. Lord Farqua would have my head on a plate if he were to find out.
One of the reddest red flags signaling a oppressive situation is when people in authority start telling you who you can and can't talk to and what you can or can't say. Or that you can't put a table in a public park, or have your civic organization meet others in a public place, even if you are willing to pay for the privilege to do so.
I'm happy you wrote in, anonymous. You know the saying--In order to solve the problem, one first has to admit that there Is a problem?
It's sort of hard to do that when one is internally investigated for talking to people.
Not presuming to speak for the Blogmeister, but I think one of the reasons for starting this blog was to allow people, anonymously if they wish, to talk about what is happening to them in certain situations, like yours. In order to change unsatisfactory situations, the public needs to know about them.
I think there are quite a few people who are on the side of the public safety workers in this situation. My thought is that certain other people are hoping the issue will just die down, and keeping people from discussing it is certainly a good way to accomplish that.
I'm glad you're not letting that happen. Some of us here are trying to keep it from happening as well.
Anon....You are one of Greiner's 'whiners' only in his arrogaant mind.
You are a brave hero to the rest of us.
You have my full respect, support and admiration.
Thank you, and your family, for your willingness to serve this community in spite of the disrespect heaped upon you by a gutless leader.
He has family connectons...what is it with these prigs who think a daddy-in-law oozes prestige and greatness on to them?
Grener's in-law has more prestige and respect than he and the little lord can ever imagine. Godfrey's in-law doesn't have the dignity, INTEGRITY, class or greatness of J. L.
But then, the little lord doesn't need prestige, he has INTEGRITY...he told us so!
Greiner didn't stand up for you men/women because he's missing a vital part of his anatomy. Why was he afraid to speak up for all of you
Would the little lordlet actually fire the Senator/Chief who is related to the prestigious J.L.??
Someone close to the workings of the mayor's little venegful mind said, "YES...because he can!"
Know that many support you and will continue to rally in your behalf.
Doug Croft is so qualified! He deserves all land deeds he can get his hands on.
Besides all that land is just worthless! Worthless! Worthless!!!! O.k. o.k. o.k.
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