News is a mite slow this morning in the wake of last night's frenzied Council work session, so we thought this might be a good opportunity to fire up an end of work-week open thread. But before we turn the floor over to our gentle readers, we did dredge up a couple of discussion-provocative items from the Standard-Examiner website, which we'll present as suggested topics to kickstart this morning's discussion:
First, we'd like to shine the spotlight on this Std-Ex letter to the editor, from Ogden resident Jeffrey J. Campbell, who obviously doesn't like Boss Godfrey very much at all. We don't know Mr. Campbell personally, but we do get the distinct impression that's he's the kind of straightforward guy who doesn't characteristically mince words:
• Godfrey not telling the truthNevertheless, we'll join with Std-Ex reader Tom in noting that Mr. Campbell definitely "has Godfrey's number."
Next, we'll direct our readers attention to a second Std-Ex letter, authored by a respected Weber County Forum regular with whom we ARE all quite familiar. Be sure to check out David Smith's latest and most excellent contribution to the Std-Ex:
• Godfrey uses one outrage to pay for anotherAnd yes, Mr. Smith also has Godfrey's number. Of course we already knew that.
We do hope that these two letters will ultimately wind up on the editorial page of the Std-Ex one day soon, at which point we may discuss them again. But our attitude on a slow news day like today... why wait to join into the conversation? Both of these letters have already generated comments from Std-Ex readers. Perhaps t's time for our own WCF readership to leap into the fray.
We invite our readers to expand the discussion upon the above-suggested items, or to start up a new conversation on any other topic that floats your boats.
Have at it O Gentle Ones. The world-wide blogosphere eagerly awaits your ever-savvy utterances.
10 comments:
There is a great article on the front page of the SL Tribune this morning by Cathy McKitrick. (Damn I miss her reporting on Ogden politics) The piece is about ethics, or the lack thereof, in our best money can buy state legislature, and more specifically about the gift ban (over $10) that was enacted last year.
Lobbyists' gifts of primo tickets now taboo for lawmakers
There are some real jewels in the article. For starters we have the Senate majority leader(so called) Killpack stating that gift receiving by the legislature is better handled by reporting than by bans. His rationale (I'm not making this up) is that a ban just simply makes things too complicated whereas reporting does not!
Then we have this yahoo Goodfellow from West Valley saying we should just change it back to the way it was. He was one of the biggest recipients of court side Jazz tickets under the old rules.
One of the better bits of theater by this troop of clowns was the reasoning that the change enacted was accidental and that the good members of the legislature voted it in because they didn't know what it was! In other words - the Utah State Legislature creates new laws without knowing what they say!!
To his credit, Brad Dee, who sponsored the bill to begin with, refutes this.
The star performance in this sick little episode in the folly that is our state legislature was delivered by House Speaker Dave Clark who indicated that it is really all the public's fault, that all the legislators were above reproach and completely honest and it was just simply a perception problem with the public that doesn't know what they are talking about! Whew, talk about hubris and he is the so called leader of the pack!
Comic relief was provided by our traditional baffoon Chris Buttars who said it is all ridiculous because "ethics and gift giving are personal matters". In his very own oblivious way he went on to say we have bigger fish to fry in solving the immigration and unemployment problems. His words: "This (ethics reform) is wrong. You're opening a Pandora's box and they're going to come after you for more - we're in a real mess now"
Only in the theocratic state of Utah folks! Don'tcha just luv it!!!
I’ve just returned from visiting family back in Ohio, and while there came across a refreshing “high adventure recreation” story. It involves Pete Kennedy, a Los Angeles businessman, who, while on a business trip to the Philippines, visited a cable wakeboard park, had a great time, and figured it would be a great business to start back in the US. Unfortunately land costs were just too high in the LA area, so he called his friend the mayor... oh wait, this isn’t Ogden. So he shelved the idea until family members in the Cincinnati area said they found just what he needed in Fairfield, Ohio; a piece of land that had an aquifer underneath, sat in a flood plain and was considered commercially useless. He bought 20 acres in said flood plain for $320,000 from the city of Fairfield. He dug a 10 acre lake, bought the cable equipment from the German inventor, and opened only the seventh wake park in the US (four of which are in Florida.)
Now, I know the FOM’s will say “Hey, the city of Fairfield helped him out by selling him public land”. But $320,000 for 20 acres of flood plain seems a better deal for the city then $2,000,000 for Mt. Ogden Park, some of the choicest real estate in Ogden.
Refreshing story, don’t you think?
Wake Nation brings water sports thrill to Midwest with new Cincinnati park
Or the 25 million give away for fat cats and gold gym. At least in Ohio they pay for their land. The mayor here gives them the farm.
Oz:
I suggested to the Trib that its headlines should have read this way:
UTAH LEGISLATORS BAN BRIBES
"IT WAS MISTAKE!" -- SEN. KILPACK
REPEAL PROMISED
In the last election, Blain Johnson was the only Godfreyite who won - barely - and he did so by stating he was skeptical of Godfrey and an independent. He has since voted with Godfrey 100% of the time like the hack that he is. But give Blain credit. He may be on the Godfrey gravy train, but he is smart enough to know that Godfrey is unpopular.
This time around, having learned, the Godfreyites are not showing themselves. Right now, near as I can tell, here's who they are.
At Large Seat "A"
Mark B. Hains
At Large Seat "B"
David Phipps
Municipal Ward 1
Travis Pate
Municipal Ward 3
David G. Wolfgram
I hope and trust Rudi will soon be publishing a "voter's guide" and as such, the person who does those would want to know who the Godfreyites are.
Is my list correct, complete, etc? Any help is appreciated.
Tip o'the week: Keep your eyes open for"VIRTUAL SNOW."
Actually, this might be a pretty good deal. Let's see how ya'll feel about it when you know more.
Remember: VIRTUAL SNOW
Mr Carl ...
Are you talking about Bob Salerno's Virtual Snow?
www.virtualsnowla.com
Why are you playing the secrecy card? If you know something, spit it out ...
Dig?
Wm III
i hope thats not what Blaine Carl was suggesting. i tried skiing on a carpeted treadmill that looks just like the one you directed us to in the internet link back in 86 in a high end ski shop in texas. the shop offered ski lessons on the treadmill as well. i think the novelty wore off in less than one year and the shop removed it shortly there after. i thoght they had gone the way of the trampoline parks and water slide parks.
Blaine Carl
if youre in the know why hasnt the city let the rest of us in on it.
are you part of the city and if so why is it top secret unless the bd department is going to give away another large sum of the residents money.
i feel i need to set the record straight. i, david wolfgram am not one of the "Godfreyites". i am of the people and a voice for the citizens of ogden. find me on face book, watch for the sierra clubs publication, and equality utahs voice as well. if you would like to show your support for a being that is committed to cleaning up our neighborhoods, protecting our public lands and improving the quality of life for ALL. please contact me for a yard sign.
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