Less Than Common-Duluth

Note This Date...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:30:00 +0000

It's one week before the mayhem we here in Duluth call an election and the DFL is slathering up their slime buckets and slinging the BS like never before. Fear drives them into this frenzy and will drive the media for the next seven days. The Duluth News Tribune will, no doubt, offer up more of their blithering idiot reporters replete with willful ommissions, spin-doctored opinions and outright lies and misrepresentations. It seems we had it pretty good with Marti Buscaglia, at least she was an admitted liberal spinner. The latest incarnation of Publisher is either grossly out of touch with truth or just another hack wishing to install the latest round of misguided liberal numbskulls into City Hall.

What is interesting about the Tribune is how for off the beaten path of journalism they are willing to stray to promote their transparent agenda. Why they waste so much time with all this ridiculous spin is worthy of study in and of itself. Do they fear detection? Even DFLers admit the spin and slant of the Tribune is as obvious as the noses on their faces. Why all the gyrations, why don't they just come clean and save us all the, playing us for idiots crap, and make the statement, "we are leftist, liberal, spin-job hacks with a paper and we are here to stuff our phony, lie filled, hate driven agenda down your stupid throats!"

Why, instead of trying to appear objective, don't they just say it...We want Donny Ness, Laurie Johnson, Tony Cuneo, Jeff Anderson, Sharla Gardner and Russ Stover to win and if you don't vote for them and we find out, we will find a way to ruin you! The utter lack of integrity by their so-called reporters is as laughable as it is stunning. Just listen to one of these idiots try to defend why their stories are devoid of fact, objectivity, reason or truth, and you will find yourself scratching your head wondering how these idiots ever graduated grade school.

WANTED: Reporter for the Duluth News Tribune;

QUALIFICATIONS: Must have a sub-dull-normal IQ, have no regard for the truth, be a leftist fascist hack and be willing to go down on Robin Washington or any other staffer to replenish their brains on a whim.

Bridging the Gap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 14:54:00 +0000

The political posturing has begun and the repugnant glee by Democrats of another opportunity to attempt to justify higher taxes jumps out and slaps us all with a dose of what these thieves truly stand for. A bridge collapses causing death and destruction and potential economic catastrophe for Minneapolis and the Democrats and DFL are busy pointing fingers and fully engaged in the blame game...typical.

What lead to the collapse? The answers will come and possibly sooner than any of us anticipated, but it wasn't George W. Bush and it wasn't Tim Pawlenty; sorry to disappoint you DFLers. The cause is in-fact, the DFL. How can I make such a broad assertion? Here I go. The DFL has dominated Minnesota politics for decades. What do they prefer to spend their money on? They love pork barrel, feel-good projects with high visibility and shiny things. They're like teenagers who, wishing to increase their prestige with their friends, spend their money on the latest styles, toys and electronics.

The DFL has been busy promoting things like building fancy new buildings at the Universities, increasing welfare, increasing the size and cost of government instead of taking care of things that fly under the radar like infrastructure maintenance. Nowhere is there a better example of stupid, feel-good, short sighted, expensive projects at the expense of infrastructure than Duluth, Minnesota. We have a wet-house and tons of "affordable" housing being built. At the same time the infrastructure is crumbling literally under the feet and vehicles of Duluthians and City debt is spiralling out of control. The DFL answer? Build a bigger DECC, spend CITF money on everything but infrastructure and put $250,000,000 toward making our school system smaller!

Am I the only one who see how incredibly irresponsible the DFL has been with our tax dollars? Now they want more so they can continue their utter misuse and waste of our hard earned dollars but then also grandstand on the infrastructure that they themselves have ruined. Where the stupidity and disingenousness of the DFL ends only God knows. But know this, the grandstanding has only begun. The DFL has no shame, no morals, no character, and not an honest member among them. The only fools bigger than the elected DFLers are the idiots who keep voting them in. Yes the bridge will be built, Oberstar will take full credit, while dodging the fact that his committee, for decades has entirely abrogated their responsibilities. It has taken a tragedy like the Minneapolis bridge collapse to get them to lift a finger toward rebuilding the infrastructure. They will now use that tragedy to lie to you about what caused it, tell you that Republicans are responsible for it and leverage the useful idiots loyal to them to give a green light to higher taxes. Then, given the bigger pool of money to be spent irresponsibly, will inevitably create some additional government bureaucracy to determine how to further waste it.

Watch for some memorial highway to be built in the name of some high profile Democrat and a whole host of monuments along the highway to honor their own, built courtesy of taxpayers. The infrastructure will become what it is today, a deteriorating bystander, needing but not getting the money to keep it from completely collapsing. They will pat themselves on the back and shed a little tear for their venerable predecessors that they honor with this waste and hold a press conference. Meanwhile, another bridge in some obscure Republican leaning County will continue to crumble until the voting demographic changes.

Let the Spin Begin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:35:00 +0000

The DFL dominated legislature, fails. By many accounts, including those of DFLers, the DFL failed to deliver on anything other than rhetoric, blather, veto-bound pork laden bills, and broken promises. The DFL has demonstrated, once again, their utter disconnect from the common man and common sense.

Locally, they failed to deliver the much vaunted DECC expansion, they failed to articulate any strategy for the future of the financially challenged City of Duluth and they failed to capitalize, in any meaningful way, on their majority in the House and Senate.

On the DECC expansion, they had the full support of the Governor, a majority vote, committee controls and every other tool at their disposal, yet they failed to deliver. They failed to deliver increased LGA which will have a huge impact on your local property tax bill and they failed to deliver numerous aspects of their agenda they campaigned on, promised and ultimately failed to deliver.

The DFL is a Party...a drunken party as evidenced by their Senate President, a lost, disorganized, out of touch, foolish party of low functioning Socialists. They cannot get the simplest of objectives through to the Governor without attaching pork that to the most casual observer, appears Mayberryish. They have no rhyme, reason or direction. Why they continue to garner a single vote is nothing less than evidence of dull-normal IQs of the thousands of voters dumbed down by decades of propaganda.

We get what we deserve. 85% of the voting public in this area has no idea who represents them, their individual political beliefs, relative to the votes they cast or the long term ramifications of the decisions of their elected leaders. Duluth will not change until the voting public stops drinking the daily dose of Socialist propaganda doled out by the Duluth News Tribune and it's DFL hack reporters and Publisher. Yes, the DFL FAILED and has failed Duluth for half a century. Grip it, Own it, Recognize it and vote accordingly.

Surreal...but all too Real

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2007 01:38:00 +0000

Duluth has truly become a dumping ground. We have a shooting in Morgan Park. Morgan Park, the "Model City", a community unlike most in Duluth. It is physically different from any other neighborhood in Duluth. It is physically isolated and the neighbors there know each other...they thought. Morgan Park was a place people who lived there knew was safe. They got up in the morning, left their homes and children and did so knowing, with relative certainty, the neighborhood and the home they left in the morning would be the same they returned to that evening. It was, in many ways, the American Dream.

What has happened to that fair community? Well let's start with the DFL and what they have done to Duluth. First and foremost, US Steel agreed to expand the steel plant, the life blood of the City of Duluth, if the Legislature would do one simple thing; not increase their taxes. The DFL lead local leaders, seeing dollar signs all day long and never understanding the reality of business, called the bluff. Only US Steel was not bluffing. Faced with lean competition in much more favorable markets with less insatiable Unions, US Steel did what they promised and pulled out. This left a huge void in the Duluth job market but an even larger void in the Morgan Park landscape.

USX Cement was soon to follow. Faced with anti-cement dust mentality and an ambivalent attitude about the jobs potentially lost, USX closed and the plant was dismantled. Richie's restaurant closed, the corner malt shop on 88th disappeared, IGA closed, Gambles Hardware went under and Morgan Park, home to two grocery stores, formerly a hospital, a number of local restaurants, and a haven for family life, began it's metamorphosis...ushered in by the guardians of the future, the Democrat, Farmer, Labor Party, the new Communists of America.

They have done Morgan Park a great service, ridding it of the nuclear families of the 60s and 70s and replacing it with the welfare, drug clans and gangs of the 90s and 00s. Duluth is truly on the right path, just ask any DFLer. They have low IQs, a shitty work ethic and not an ounce of economic sense in their heads.

Due to their utter lack of intelligence, they feel the need to control through absolute power. In large part they have succeeded due solely to attrition of those who are more intelligent. Intelligent people leave hopelessness and tyranny, while stupid people embrace it. After-all, what chance do stupid people have, absent tyranny? They lack the intelligence to analyze, are far too insecure to trust, and are far too comfortable in their shit bag, Union, entitlement existence to challenge anything but their right to the TV remote.

Duluth has indeed become Chicago. We have all the crime, the scum, the violence yet none of the vast opportunities. The biggest difference is, in Chicago, there is opportunity for most and in Duluth, the opportunities are limited to those who have a bankroll, connections and DFL power broker/pawns in their back pockets. All others can go outside and play the game of hide and go fuck yourself.

The DFL rules supreme and if you don't like it, they are all too eager to teach you the lesson...don't cross us or we will crush you. Kruschev could not have said it better...wait, the DFL repeats it daily.

Those of you who hold this insane loyalty to the DFL have succumbed to the notion that they are looking out for you. The DFL is your guardian, the DFL is your Party. If you believe this than you have obviously never read a DFL sponsored bill, the DFL Party platform or the DFL Party history as written by objective historians. Your loyalty, as such is based on ignorance. The DFL has capitalized on your ignorance for 100 years. Go along, you will be more comfortable...even if your property is rendered worthless, your business bankrupted by taxes, your bedroom monitored by their social police. Wake up...Hello???

So, the Model City is no longer a Model. The dream has become a nightmare. What should you do about it? Get rid of those who have been in power since before, during and after the decline of Duluth...the DFL. They despise you and your wish for freedom and independence. If you are no longer dependent on them and become an independent, free entreprenuer, you are a threat to them. You have to ask yourself why.

Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 03:15:00 +0000

"The War in Iraq is lost". The thoughts, words and sentiments of Harry Reid and the scumbag, defeatist, weak, treasonous, fanatical liberals of the DNC. Harry is not the minority of his party, and in-fact, he may actually represent the views of millions of Americans. Herein lies the problem. Harry is a low-life, scumbag traitor who would have been tried, convicted and hung 100 years ago, a time when patriots understood the value and sanctity of this country and had the resolve necessary to fight for and defend it to the last man. Unfortunately, so many weak-spined, misguided, useful idiots have somehow captivated the American landscape, despite the reality that the majority of Americans do not want us to lose or retreat in the Iraq struggle. However, the nature of our challenge and the many successes seem to completely elude those in the news media as well as a huge number of fickle, weak, ADD Americans. The only thing worse than the rush to betray our military, is the fact that it is driven by millions of Americans whose only source of information is the nightly network news. This willful ignorance and a willingness by these millions to be lead around by the nose by a bunch of Manhattan liberal traitors is a sickening phenomenon and it will lead to the destruction of this great country from within.

Our defeat will not come at the hands of our enemies, it will come by way of the media and so many Americans' belief that the media is unbiased or actually reporting the entire truth. Why is it that people value their country and future so little that they are not even willing to put out the effort it takes to get informed? Why do you believe we should leave Iraq or stay in Iraq? What is the right course of action and why?

The pat answers come from both sides but the truth of the matter and the scope of the issues are much more complex than anyone seems to understand. This is the defining conflict of our age and our seeming willingness, at least as portrayed by the media, to abandon it does not bode well for our future. The terrorists in Iraq are following a forty year old play book and we are allowing it to work on our collective consciousness.

During the Vietnam conflict, the enemy knew they did not have to prevail against our troops but only to provide a daily body count to our media and the American public, defined at that time and today as well, by a bunch of feel-good, hippy, peace-niks who have no patience. The Communists played our media against us and they were ultimately successful. The insurgency in Iraq, funded and assisted by Mahmoud Ahmedinijad and his Islamic-Nazis are simply following the same play book. They understand the United States lacks resolve because the same bunch of dope-smoking hippies who succeeded in calling for our defeat in Vietnam, are now in positions of real power. They lack conviction and more importantly, the resolve to see this through to completion. The United States made a commitment to go into this conflict. Our leaders, Democrats and Republicans alike, stood, apparently united, and voted to send our troops into conflict.

The Democrats are made up of the feel-good, hippy, peace-niks and double talking, traitors. The Republicans are made up of a bunch of weak-spined politicians who would rather part ways from the Commander in Chief to preserve their political viability, than stand up to the weak, mislead, fools who are calling for our withdrawal. There is not an intelligent soul on this planet that believes for one second that the US Military cannot defeat the enemy in Iraq. We have the power, the technology and the personnel to wipe the map of the country of Iraq. Most intelligent souls, however, know that by pressuring a weak, American, Prime time TV culture, they will erode the support of Americans to be American. We commit, but seem incapable of maintaining the necessary resolve long enough to finish anything meaningful.

Resolve is the thing that sets us apart from our enemies in Iraq. They have it, our troops have it but the American public and the congressional body politic are as weak-spined and fickle as prime time TV. They want the war completed in the time it takes Jack Bauer to get involved in yet another catch-22. They want a first round knock out and for the opponents to then hug and high five each other. They have no taste for real blood or real conflict or reality for that matter. Popularity is more important than victory. Expedience is more important than honor; and peace, however temporary, is more important than security.

Treasonous Traitors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:45:00 +0000

What does it mean to be American? What does it mean to be Peruvian, Iraqi, Iranian, Slovakian, Greek? What responsibility does an American have to actually call themselves "American"? At what point does an American relinquish their right to be considered a true American?

If an Iranian openly criticizes their government and renounces their country and citizenship, the likelihood is that they will be hanged, by crane, in a very public place and without mercy or delay. If a Peruvian denounces their citizenship, well, frankly my dear, who gives a damn?! Declaring one's heritage carries with it some responsibility and accepting that responsibility is reciprocal with the declaration. In essence, merely being born here and living here does not make you an American. You may be legally American, have American citizenship and have all the rights of an America but are you an American? Further, you may climb the ranks, sleaze your way into elected political office and still, as one who's birth ensures their rights, you may become a non-American.

For those of us fortunate enough to be born here but too ignorant and stupid to understand the responsibility of our citizenship, you are not true Americans. You are here and American by default, but don't for one second, believe you are deserving of the greatness of this country. You do not wake up as an infant with the right to call yourself American simply because thousands of your brethren died to ensure your future. There is a whole slate of responsibilities that millions of Americans have abrogated to a degree to no longer have the right to call themselves American. When you denounce your military when they are engaged in war, you are no longer an American. When you give aid and comfort to the enemies of our country, by any means, you are no longer an American. When you declare that our military, engaged in war, having not committed but a small portion of our might, is defeated, you are no longer an American. When you decide, it is more expedient to appease weaklings and defeatists, than to embrace and support the most valiant among us, you are no longer an American. When you decide, America is wrong, solely because euro-trash thinks we're wrong, you are no longer an American.

It takes strength, character, commitment, devotion, nationalism (when did that become a bad thing and who made it bad...explore this) and patriotism to preserve the nation. Those who say we are defeated are traitors and they will do whatever it takes to destroy this great nation. They must be defeated. They must be confronted and they must be exposed for what they are, treasonous traitors.

Anyone who says we have lost or that we cannot win, should be jailed and silenced for it is their words and actions that will lead to the demise of this nation. Should this nation be defeated at the hands of those who detract from our resolve, or should we resolve to remove them from this nation? We are at war. We will prevail. Only the treasonous traitors we have placed in high office will stop us. Do you want the United States Of America to lose? If you do, you deserve nothing short of trial, conviction and death. That is the fate deserved by all who call for our retreat from our enemies.

Remember This...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:50:00 +0000

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18143312/
http://judicial-inc.biz/h,holocaust_hero_of_virginia_tech.htm

Context

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 01:50:00 +0000

The gun mania that puts my boy in danger every time he goes to school
First Virginia Tech victim named
Aspirin could stave off cancer and help victims to survive
More young doctors oppose abortions on ethical grounds
Could a full English cause lung disease?
T-bone or rib-eye? Why millions feel bamboozled at their local butcher's
£8m lottery winner's spending spree
Wolfowitz won't resign as governments show unease
Chimps are actually more evolved that humans
Sickest-of-the-sick child porn sites have quadrupled
Kisses from Richard Gere plunge Shilpa Shetty into India row
MySpace invaders trash second home to tune of £30,000
Madonna arrives in Malawi 'for charity work not adoption'
Coroner attacks US military again for failing to help with an inquest
Britons are the grumpiest in Europe
MORE NEWS

The news and links as posted today. What will the media spin out of this terrible tragedy? The anti-gun lobby will make hay. The mass hysteria of a mass killing will, I hope, cause a lot of soul searching, empathizing, praying and honest reflection. Unfortunately, as evidenced by various headlines and by-lines, the blood-capitalists have already set in motion the propaganda campaign to further whittle away your right to defend yourself. Yes, those of us who are law abiding citizens and value our right to defend ourselves via the Second Amendment will become the enemy of the left once again.

Those of us who, had only one of us been present today, tragedy would have been averted, prefer to be prepared to defend against maniacs than be their victims, will be made into gun toting whack jobs worthy of scorn and derision. Guns are BAD. If I would have been there, as the first rounds were fired, armed and prepared, perhaps thirty people would still be alive. If anyone like me, highly trained and proficient, had been there rather than the hysteria that paralyzed all who died and those who stood by and witnessed the mayhem, maybe we would be having a very different discussion.

God bless and give comfort to those who died and those who mourn them, those who are struggling from their injuries and all impacted by this terrible tragedy. My deepest and heartfelt condolences to those who are suffering as a result of this utterly senseless tragedy.

It's Only Money

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:30:00 +0000

The Great Lakes Aquarium gets another 100Gs and there is notably little outrage. Well, Duluth's apathy factor seems to increase with every hair-brained decision by the Council to throw more money into bottomless pits.

The GLA has a dubious history of disclosure and transparency. They have been close lipped about certain facts and figures such as whose actual decision was it to refuse the $1 Million settlement offered during the lawsuit against the contractors? Will we ever get an answer to that question? If not, why not? Whose facility is this anyway?

The next thing we will see is the implementation of the taxing plan to build the next "public facility", the DECC expansion. Why are we sinking $70 Million into another facility when we are struggling to figure out how to pay for the last one and the one before that and the one before that? The DECC already receives over $1 Million every year in tax subsidies and now they want more to "invest" in a marginally larger hockey rink. The argument is and always has been, if we build it, they will come. That is, we will be able to attract bigger acts, bigger games, have more than one big event at the same time, etc.

Maybe we should take the $1 Million annual subsidy away and say, if you can make it on your own and make this facility a net contributor in tax dollars, you can have this sum to "invest" in what better be another net contributor. We have the GLA and it exists for what reason? What tangible benefit does it provide the community that we sink hundreds of thousands of tax dollars into it every year? How does it benefit the businesses that are collecting and paying the taxes that fund it? Does Grizzlies benefit from it? Does Moldeez benefit from it? They are paying for it among many others.

We are being held hostage to the notion that if we pay more, we get more. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If those businesses currently paying the tourism taxes were allowed to place that three hundred thousand dollars into a loan or grant fund, imagine the good they could achieve. Place that money into an interest bearing account and once a year, open it up for application for loans and grants available only to those businesses who currently collect and pay the tax.

Better yet, instead of increasing the current tax to pay for another misguided venture, require those now receiving the tax dollars to stand on their own. We would have more than enough to cover the new rink. Unfortunately, that flies in the face of socialism and Duluth is a socialist City. Take from the producers and give to the non-productive.

The DFL has never strayed from the policy of spend and tax, then spend more and tax more. The promises to eliminate or reduce taxes once the projects are done are nothing more than lies to get you, the taxpayer, dumbed-down long enough to get their pork then bury it behind the scenes forever. It's just more of the same. It's Only Money.

Popping Early

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:55:00 +0000

The Don has apparently decided it is time to break out the big guns, or should I say the little placards. As if Duluth doesn't already know who he is and his obvious party affiliation. But do we know what he stands for? You'd think after this amount of time with him serving on the Council, serving as Council President, campaigning for Congressman Oberstar, we would know what Don stands for. Unfortunately, he has spent most of his time paying lip-service to various groups and causes while doing little to define himself.

Now, the unavoidable DFL type campaign replete with fuzzy logic and feel-goodism will once again take Duluth by it's collective apathy. The true frustration for those of us who keep a finger on the pulse of local politics is how to expose the true man behind the phony. How do we expose the meat, or lack thereof, behind the facade? Will Duluthians vote once again for the DFL label, package and marketing machine or will people actually do their civic duty and attempt to determine what the various candidates stand for?

The likelihood is history will simply repeat itself and Don will get the nod. After-all, he is revered by all who love fluff and are wary of substance, truth and maturity. Further, the stodgy old establishment will go with blinders on, dunce caps donned and cast their straight DFL ticket. Those looking for true leadership and seeing the rocks before the ship will vote for the underdog, only to be disappointed when Don and Company pop the corks as the predictable results are posted.

What will you do? Will you get off your sofa, your recliner, your apathy and get out to try to find the best fit for Duluth or, like so many other apathetic, ignorant Duluthians, will you attach your leash to your nose and like the many lemmings, post your straight DFL ticket? For the sake of your children and mine, I pray you get off that soft, cushy couch and learn who it is that seeks to represent you. Understand that Don does not represent Duluth, does not have the maturity or common sense to lead a horse to water, and much less, a City to fiscal solvency. He is a facade, a dog and pony show for the DFL and the young, starry-eyed, liberal, brain-washed University crowd. He will say what he thinks will get him elected. Just remember, it will be a familiar message with no substance, no true commitments to any tangible principles and finally, but perhaps most importantly, the predictable list of endorsements.

He will undoubtedly be endorsed by AFSCME, Progressive Action, the DFL, the Fire-fighters, the Duluth News Tribune, Organized Labor and every other left wing, fringe kook organization just as generations before him. The only variable is whether he will be able hold sway with the Chamber of Commerce. They are perhaps the most fickle, weak-spined organization in Duluth, selling out only to preserve their client base and never truly representing the business community in any substantial manner.

The Don will be elected Mayor and will again, fail to lead the City in a new direction. He will be another mouth-piece for the organizations endorsing him and will utterly fail to represent the general population of Duluth. We will get what we deserve. Another liberal, fuzzy minded, feel-good numb-skull with nothing to offer but lip-service to those who are in control...the liberal establishment of Duluth. This is the reality of Duluth. Despite his actions, his election will be based on how many groups he can bamboozle into believing he actually represents something. He will be elected based not on his ability, history of failure or silly-assed tenure on the Council but on all the "nice" things he will say between now and then and how many will be seduced by his phony message. Let the seduction begin.

Electable

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:55:00 +0000

So we have the first few declared candidates for City Council and Mayor clamoring to make names for themselves and raise funds. Who will win? Well if history is any teacher we will end with a DFL dominated City Council and the DFL endorsed candidate for Mayor doing little or nothing and the non-endorsed challengers spending night and day door knocking, fund-raising, mailing, calling and posting signs anywhere they are allowed. They will spend untold dollars and efforts trying to keep up with the theft of their signs and in the end, they will be disappointed.

All the while, the public employees will be greasing the wheels, wheeling and dealing, working tirelessly to ensure the candidate who will approve the fattest contracts gets elected. AFSCME will spend countless dollars and man hours promoting the DFL candidate. One must ask why, in a non-partisan election, endorsement by political parties is even allowed. It's all OK as long as it is only practiced by the DFL.

Duluth has become a perfect example of how, when one party, one philosophy and one approach is allowed to continue unchecked, they will eventually become a self-fulfilling prophesy. The DFL has ruined the economy in Duluth, stolen the future out from under our children and created a political monopoly. How is it that they have been so successful?

Through four decades of utter domination, they have vilified business and placed the region in an unsustainable cesspool of entitlements for public employees at the expense of all else. They have done this through a relentless campaign of disinformation, misinformation, propaganda and with the help of an ignorant, fickle public. They have co-opted the public employees and their unions into what are often very questionable campaign practices, questionable quid-pro-quo wheel greasing and at times, intimidation and corruption.

Take the example of Mayor Herb Bergson's handling of a draft report from the State Auditor's office. This report was stamped on every page with a warning that disclosure of it's contents was a violation of the law. Yet, with apparent impunity, Mr. Bergson disclosed the contents to the Publisher of the Duluth News Tribune, apparently a clear, flagrant violation of the law and what were the consequences? His political friends benefited, one of his political opponents was effectively neutralized if not ruined personally, he received pages of sympathetic press including four front page stories related to the contents of that report and has faced none of the legal consequences of his actions.

Next, the example of Herb Bergson scamming tickets from various entities for the ostensible, if not dubious, purpose of "donating" them to underprivileged. This act was not only, unethical and immoral, it was a repugnant display of DFL arrogance and Herb's personal arrogance. At worst it is another quid-pro-quo to ensure Herb's political future, though we know not what that will be. It demonstrates the utter disregard for decency by the DFL and their accomplices at the News Tribune and various other media whores. It is a repugnant display of hubris and elitism that is embarrassing to all but the completely brain-washed, which apparently represents at least 60% of Duluthians.

How on Earth does the DFL retain any credibility, the news media any integrity and talk show host Lew Latto, any listeners? These are but a few of the actions of nose-thumbing by Herb and the DFL Party that in any other political arena would have resulted in scandal, resignations, prosecutions and investigations. It is unbelievable to me the general public of Duluth is not enraged that their Mayor is seamingly operating contrary to the laws of this City and State with apparent impunity.

Imagine the fallout if one of the private citizens of Duluth released the contents of a draft report from the State Auditor's Office, the contents of which were critical of Mayor Bergson! The private citizen would have been subjected to immediate prosecution, the maximum penalties applicable and the Duluth News Tribune would undoubtedly have committed front page, after front page to the personal destruction of the individual responsible. The duplicity and hypocrisy with which the DFL operates in this area is absolutely mind boggling and repugnant. Their ability to preserve their own in the midst of such acts demonstrates their utter control of the region.

One has to ask why the City Attorney has taken no action. Don't for one second buy the utter BS that he couldn't do it because he operates at the pleasure of the Mayor. He has a legal, professional and moral obligation to take action yet has has abdicated that responsibility. The County Attorney, lacking jurisdiction must have some avenue of action such as contact with the State Attorney General. It would require something other than apathy and professional dereliction of duty.

This is the Modus Operandi of the DFL and continues to be the playbook from which they handle opposition and take care of their own. God only knows why they have gotten away with this behavior but it is what it is...and it will continue.

Fundamental Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:35:00 +0000

The City of Duluth has become spin central. Nothing is true but what the DFL tells you. Nothing is fact, even that which we know to be, unless the DFL gets it's shot at spinning it. No truth is too big for the DFL to dispel.

The latest DFL windbag lunatic is Garry Krause. Garry, Union Boy, DFL Poster child Krause. Garry, Shutter Bug, Krause. Garry, the embarrassment of the year to the Duluth City Council, bonehead, goofball, Garry, Chauchesku look-alike and mentee, Krause. Yes, the wisdom of this man escapes even the most devout scumbag DFLer lately. He has stepped outside the bounds. Why? He has advocated following a nearly 100 year old law.

The problem? Garry as conveniently failed to absorb the fact that by putting more than half of the most profitable bars and restaurants out of business, or even merely displaying his ability to be remarkably unstable, unpredictable and plainly stupid, he has failed to realize he is cutting his political throat, the throat of all taxpaying citizens of Duluth, the DECC, Spirit Mountain, GLA, Sister Cities Commission, et al, ad nauseum. Maybe he's on to something...a quick death, as that is what will occur if he fails to change his incredibly incompetent mind about his vote on the upcoming proposed change to the Duluth City Charter. The proposed change will eliminate the draconian language that, had anyone been paying attention in this City for the last 70 years, would have precluded the issuance of an enormous amount of existing licences.

Garry's problem is an axe he has been grinding ever since one of those owners caught him red-handed, in his front lawn on a Sunday Morning, while his kids were watching cartoons and eating Cheerios, taking pictures of his property, for God only knows what purpose. This personal vendetta has so clouded Garry's judgement and lead to a grudge so intense and so personal, Garry will do anything to ruin this person, including taking the City finances into the toilet and dozens of businesses and their hundreds of employees on his scorched Earth crusade. The intensity of this vendetta has robbed Mr. Krause of his judgement, and ultimately, his fitness to hold political office. Nobody from his party has spoken publicly about the need for this idiot to step aside and seek help, rather, they simply continue posturing. Why? Garry is on their side and a much needed ally. Bottom Line, they will never sell out one of their own, whether that person is utterly deranged or not, the vote and the power is all that matters.

Bayfront Schmooz

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:32:00 +0000

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." Just when Mayor Bergson thought he was could extort more money from the BBF, he gets reeled back in by the Don. Who that may be is debatable. Many in Duluth subscribe to the notion that Jeno is The Man. If that is the case, when you have a Mayor such as Herb who has declared his independence; "I will not run again" conversely, he is apparently beholden to the scumbags still attempting to manipulate the governance of this City from either afar or within. What or maybe more appropriately, whom does he fear? His own shadow perhaps?

Mayor Bergson has an ego so fragile, the slightest affront from any group, pro-gay, anti-gay, pro-business (almost nobody), anti-business (DFL and practically everyone else in Duluth), fishermen, marina owners, developers, pilots, swimmers, people who defecate, urinate or wash dishes, homeowners, landlords, renters, drunks, teetotallers, faithful, atheists, agnostics, law and order types, police, lawbreakers, liars, incompetents, cheeseheads, or practically anyone on the planet depending on the time of day, the cause celeb' and Herb's state of consciousness. How does one plan for the future?

Here's how, grab a square of beach on Park Point and don a blindfold; spin yourself around exactly or not twelve thousand times and then turn the other way exactly or not, approximately, almost or about or maybe a hundred or so times; then, find the water, the grass, the sand, the lunatics who are advocating for compromising the safety of pilots, their families, (remember, if one, just one of those planes impacts one of those trees, they, the trees, will all burn) moving an airport to save a few trees-fly over Duluth sometime to put this into perspective-then call Herb about your latest concern. He will undoubtedly pay you lip-service. Then call Yvonne Putzner Solon...she will express her deep concern, bring it to committee and 124 years later, maybe something will be done but it will resemble nothing you intended and, you will be dead, but hey, you got your bill!

I digress, who runs, owns, controls this putz? Who is the Putz? Will anything ever change? Is Duluth just another example of a City hijacked by a goon squad of liberal scumbags disguised as business people and do-gooders or are we just too stupid to understand macro-economics of the mafia? I'll vote for all of the above as they are all my opinions and few if any of you have as much information about what's going on in Duluth as I do. Why is that? Because, as a Citizen of Duluth, I take responsibility and, unlike you, I choose to do something. I am doing it...are you?

Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 01:53:00 +0000

Duluth is facing enormous and unprecedented challenges. How do we, how will we and can we come together to solve these issues? Where is the middle ground and where is the consensus? What do we agree are the biggest obstacles to our future?

The key to all of this is to understand the disparity between Duluth and similar sized cities. Further we need to understand the relationship between government and those who fund it, namely, private citizens and business. To find common ground we need to have a vision for the future.

In Duluth we lack a vision. To find consensus we need leadership behind that vision. Lacking a vision, we have "leaders" who are incapable of leading, after-all, how can they lead if they are leading us nowhere? To find the middle ground we need to agree on the meat of our vision. Lacking a vision, we have no middle ground, just shifting sands of political posturing. Consensus is lacking as we have a divided community, those who follow the winds of popularity and those who seek leadership and true progress.

The final sticking point seems to be the differences in the definition of "progress". "Progressives" have arguably made the word their own however, progressives are universally in favor of regressive policies, practices and politics and "conservation". "Conservatives" on the other hand, seem to be more concerned with true progress, development, growth and technology, which ultimately results in conservation and efficiency than the "progressives". How is it then that the "progressives" who are largely conservative, regressive and anti-technology have successfully hijacked the moniker "progressive"? The explanation lies in an analogy. Today's internet culture has epitomized the notion of first come, first served. In essence, if you get out there first and register a domain name, a marketing approach, a growth strategy, a sales concept, it is, in effect, yours as long as you pay your monthly and annual fees and dues. The same holds true with the "progressives". They have coined and essentially been allowed to monopolize certain terms, concepts and theories and in large degree, their definitions have been accepted as gospel.

Herein lies the problem. Everyday people accept the term "progressive" as meaning one who advocates progress. In Duluth, the progressives have hijacked every politically influential organization and board from the Chamber of Commerce to the comprehensive planning process. This has resulted in cynicism by the conservatives who have been effectively disenfranchised from Duluth politics and influence for decades.

How then do we arrive at a solution to the issues facing Duluth with such a one-sided approach? Those of us with more realistic, conservative, development oriented solutions to the long term problems facing Duluth have to simply wait it out. If we want to avoid personal liability at the hands of the City, we have but one choice and that is to move our families and businesses outside the City limits until the City either collapses or is able to arrive at more realistic contracts with AFSCME, convince the State Legislature to take a bigger bite of our liability or declare bankruptcy. The City does not have the tax base or resources to overcome it's current liabilities without extorting an unsustainable tax burden from the individuals and businesses.

The City should not be let off the hook by the Legislature. This is a situation of our own making and we must bear the brunt of the fallout. Political paralysis has infected the Council and Mayor's office and hope is fading that the Unions will ever come to their collective senses. The current crop on the Council would rather debate the Iraq War on our nickel than solve the issues they were elected to address. Reality is setting in with those of us looking objectively at the situation and the long-term road map being laid by the Council, the progressives and the Mayor. Some things never change and insane people must not be expected to effect positive change without outside intervention. The intervention will not occur as long as Duluthians continue to subscribe to the DFL lines of liberal BS and vote these clowns into the majority.

Lose, Lose

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:39:00 +0000

The Mayor has done it again. How many failures must we watch as this Mayor seems to be on a scorched Earth policy of Political ineptitude. It is unbelievable to many that one of the biggest financially beneficial events to Duluth has been lost because, in the view of the Mayor, the City didn't get a big enough direct benefit from the event. This Mayor obviously has no understanding of business, economics, common sense, or human nature. The City of Duluth is on a slide, the likes of which we have never witnessed. Mayor Herb Bergson owes it to this City to resign immediately and in doing so, ask those he has run out of town to reconsider in his absence.

Now we hear the Kroc Center plan has been scuttled. This, another situation of the Mayor's making with a large portion of the responsibility also shared by the Godless majority on the City Council, fearing that this gift horse might one day mention the word God. These idiots have taken the City on a politically motivated train wreck of epic proportion. There seems to be no bounds to the stupidity and short-sightedness of the Duluth City Council, Mayor Bergson, the DFL Party, and the Unions who all seem bent on destroying what little is left of Duluth. I read a comment today to the effect that we should reverse the course of Grandma's Marathon, thereby eliminating the last big noteworthy event on the Duluth calendar.

What is Duluth coming to and why are we going there? If the Bluesfest was so frigging evil, why was it so successful? Has our illustrious useful idiot Herb considered the long-term ramifications of the outcome of this debacle? The damage to Duluth's reputation will be impacted on a nation-wide level. There are right and wrong ways to re-negotiate with purveyors within the City of Duluth but it seems beyond the comprehension of Herb and his henchmen.

It truly is time for the citizens of this City to decide whether they want to live the draconian existence desired by Herb Bergson, 7 of 9 City Councilors, AFSCME, the DFL and so many backwards thinking, boneheaded, ultra-liberal, knuckle dragging, neanderthals. Duluth needs change. It will not happen until those who desire to stop all change get out of power. The DFL desires no change and in-fact, wants to return to days before we had the hope of the Kroc Center, before the excitement of Bayfront Blues Fest and apparently devoid of any hope for a future for Duluth.

Herb Bergson, my message to you is if you have a decent bone in your body, if you have one ounce of decency, one pebble of integrity, you will resign and apologize for your monumental failures which are far too many and to great to detail here. Everything you have touched has turned to shit and it is time you recognize, acknowledge, apologize for and let Duluth move beyond you and your seeming limitless ability to screw things up. Leave this area and let the memory of your failures fade. You owe this to Duluth.

Defending Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 12:05:00 +0000

Well, defending his political life I suppose is what Herb Bergson is doing. This latest scandal being swept under the rug by so many well-meaning, foolish and ignorant Duluthians is just another in a long line of misdeeds by our current and infamously stupid Mayor.

There are some key points people of Duluth must come to grips with. The people Mayor Bergson gave those tickets to have a vote. Political survival for Mr. Bergson, if it is to be had, will require the greasing of many wheels and the burying of numerous skeletons. What better way to do it than with favors? The American Indian tribes in this region wield enormous power and influence and were recipients of his most recent largesse. Hell, he said it himself in that now published e-mail to Ken Beuhler, "relations are strained". So should Ken "suck up" so Herb can suck up? Well, why not if it results in political leverage for Herb?

People must understand that this is not about Herb being charitable, it is about graft and corruption and it runs very deep in Duluth. Herb is just the latest scumbag politician to succumb to the trance-like state those with political ambitions enter upon election to an important office.

How is Herb asking Ken for tickets or asking for tickets to bluesfest any different from him entering a local restaurant and pressuring the owner for some free meals for the homeless or pressuring a bar owner for a bottle of fine scotch for a drunk on First Street who is going through withdrawal? There is no difference, it is using a public position as influence to receive something of value from a constituent. Everyone in public service, from police to plow-drivers know this is a giant no-no and knows that receiving additional favors for any reason due solely to your position is against the law, against every ethical standard of his or her position and grounds for termination.

Why does Herb expect to be held to a lower standard? Because he is the Mayor Dammit! Well, is there a better reason? Charitable or not, as a former cop, if he sees this behavior as appropriate, one wonders what he may have thought was appropriate as a Police Officer. If being called for abusing his position is simply political opportunism by those criticizing his behavior, what then is the appropriate standard? These rules and ethics are in place for a multitude of reasons. Herb, as evidenced by his reaction to the DUI in Wisconsin while on city business, the release of a draft report to the Publisher of the News Tribune while acting in his official capacity as Mayor and now the ticket scandal orchestrated while acting in his official capacity as Mayor and not being the least bit shy about using his elected position for influence, demonstrates a sort of socio-pathic type behavior. In his mind, breaking the rules and laws is OK unless you get caught, then the only bad people in your life are those who caught you.

This latest scandal and Herb's reaction to it is demonstrative of his disdain for rules and ethics, his obvious superiority complex and his delusional, grandiose sense of his own importance. He is not fit to serve in public office and must resign or be removed. On the other hand, it is not characteristic of a narcissist to look inward or do the right thing, only to lay blame, obfuscate the truth and attempt to deflect criticism to others. If you choose to defend Herb or turn a blind eye to his latest repugnant behavior, you promote and condone it. Will we as a community tell Herb it is OK steal from one to give to another? Is it OK for the Mayor to be Robin Hood? The answer lies in the answer to the question I have already posed, is it OK for the Mayor to use his position to further influence and bribe people into political favor? He is buying votes, bottom line, and that my friends is illegal.

More of the Same

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:30:00 +0000

Ticketgate...The Empire Strikes Again...Herb and his DFL lackeys have done it again. They have blown Bluesfest. Why? Socialist Greed is the only answer. They have become another example of greed by those who are not willing to work for their sustenance. They prefer to suck the teat of the public from birth to death. They expect you to work for them. They expect you to love them, revere them, support them, promote them, care for them, smile for them...Kim Jong Il of North Korea has a similar problem.

The DFL of Minnesota is a cancer. They are an illness for which we must find a permanent cure and exorcise permanently. Herb is merely a symptom of a larger disease. He and his policies, practices and means are promoted and supported by his party.

Herb's greed extends from his quid-pro-quo at the Willard Munger Inn to the Ticketgate fiasco. He has certainly received far more tickets than he donated and it is utterly repugnant to see intellectually dishonest Duluthians stepping up to the Council podium to defend this cretin. Anyone defending this blowhard needs to deeply examine their motives and decide, does this creep actually represent you and your best interests, or in other words, you support crime and criminals, or are you merely blindly supportive of the DFL? Either way, you have been misled, are misguided and ignorant of the truth staring you in the face. As such, you are part of the problem, just as much or maybe even more than Herb.

Life is too short. Be honest with yourself and exorcise this man from our leadership. It is time to recognize and realize he is worthy of nothing more than disdain and derision. Do it not and you are lying to yourself.

Illegal Acts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:03:00 +0000

I read an interesting article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucac/20070307/cm_ucac/shootingelephantsinabarrel by Ann Coulter this morning and a lot of what she says hit home. What she is getting at is disparate treatment of Republicans in the legal arena. Apply that logic to Duluth. Look at Mayor Herb Bergson's conduct while in the Mayor's office. He wrecked a car while under the influence of alcohol and was charged and plead guilty. He violated the Minnesota Data Privacy Act when he illegally disclosed the contents of a draft report from the State Auditor's office to the Publisher of the Duluth News Tribune, yet has faced zero consequences. This violation carries with it the penalty, if convicted, removal from office.

Why then is it that he has faced no charges? Yep, he's a Democrat. If he had been a Republican, he would have been summarily hanged, drawn and quartered by the local media, he would almost certainly be doing time and would no longer be our Mayor. Yes, it seems the Teflon applies to Democrats here in Duluth as well. What does that do for their credibility and integrity? What does it matter to them? The Democratic Party as a whole has never concerned itself with such trivial matters as honor, integrity or their own duplicitous approach to every meaningful issue. To be a Democrat means to be duplicitous as their position on nearly every issue requires it. Irreconcilable differences of philosophy and ideology need not be considered as long as the constituency believes they are being taken care of, even if that care consists of mere positioning and lip service.

Mayor Bergson has brought dishonor to the Office of Mayor but it matters not as long as he continues to pander to the Unions, say what most DFL Duluthians want to hear, even if he is lying, and even if his words are utterly contradictory to his actions. The DFL has never been concerned with those details. The lipservice paid to the military "support the military by bringing them home" or translated, let's support the military by undermining their current mission. Let's support them by telling their enemies, we don't think they are capable of winning. Yes, the DFL and the DNC are illustrations of hypocrisy, duplicitous hyperbole and dishonor on so many levels, it is hard to comprehend how anyone with an ounce of soul or integrity could subscribe to their dogma. They are now in the majority in the U.S. Congress, the Minnesota Legislature and of course, as always, every conceivable body politic in the the Arrowhead region.

Republicans meanwhile are laying low to avoid all the feel-good DFLer's. Why? So they can avoid having their dogs shot, their homes and businesses vandalized, their reputations besmirched and their livelihoods ruined. Yes, it's all about Minnesota Nice, isn't it?

Global What?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:10:00 +0000

It seems the whole "Inconvenient Truth" crowd, up in arms and becoming more militant by the minute about the issue of Global Warming have a few sticky issues to deal with of late. Just look at the North American Continent. We are under a sustained deep freeze, the likes of which we haven't seen in my lifetime. States and regions rarely seeing freezing temperatures and snow are buried and crops grown in California and Florida have been hit hard by freezing weather. Areas that haven't seen snow in decades are seeing it, in many cases for the first time the inhabitants of the area have seen in their lives. Lake Superior, is iced over as far as the eye can see.

"Before and after" photos instill panic and the frenzy to convince all the glaciers are shrinking the oceans are inundating everything, everywhere, are deceptive in nature and are often deliberately taken during predictable fluctuations. The Earth is a dynamic planet but by cosmic standards, we are relatively static. Our climate has seen dramatic shifts in a cosmic blink of an eye that have resulted in mass extinction, destruction beyond our comprehension and devastation over vast areas and periods long before humans ever graced the planet. On the other hand, if you consider the range of climactic possibilities on a universal scale, our fluctuations are miniscule.

The reality of humans even being able to measure global climate change is dubious at best. Where and how are these measurements being taken? Well the answer will leave most of us doubting the ability to detect anything on a global scale. We know less about our own planet than we do outer space and surrounding planets. We have vast regions of the oceans that have never been explored, measured, mapped or quantified. The most obvious thing to even the casual observer with a speck of intelligence and knowledge is that the oceans have great affect on our day to day climate, yet they are only one part of the equation. Ocean currents are dynamic and the temperature and circulation of the water in the oceans has a greater affect than humans can even comprehend. The variables are so vast and unexplored it is truly foolhearty and arrogant to think we, mere humans, can begin to understand the complexity and dynamic nature of the global climate.

The Sun, 93 Million miles away goes through fluctuations that directly affect our climate...and we can control that influence how? The orbit of the Moon has a dramatic affect on our climate. The tectonic plates shift contstantly, changing the visible and inaccessible landscape constantly. Following the Earthquake that resulted in the devastating psunamis the Earth actually "wobbled" on it's axis. The long-term affects of that event on our climate may never be understood or quantified. The Earth's magnetic poles are shifting and that will have dramatic long term affects, not understood at all, on our climate. Foliage cover of the Earth changes dramatically with the seasons yet we have not even begun to quantify, on a global scale, the potential effects.

Jet streams shift, Ocean currents change, ocean temperatures shift with changes in cloud cover, current changes and moon cycles, volcanoes erupt, continents shift, forest fires burn, earthquakes occur, psunamis result, ice fields are dynamic and constantly shifting, polar ice caps have changed dramatically, ebb and flow, break and reform, meteor strikes can devastate the entire Earth, wind blows, convection sucks and so does the "science" or lack thereof, surrounding the entire "Global Warming" debate, since it started gaining momentum.

Lump together all other natural factors affecting our global climate and you understand that any politician claiming they will do something about Global Warming, is suffering from delusions of grandeur. I challenge any human to specify how humans would be able to effect change to our climate on a global scale when we have a difficult time figuring out how to keep homes and businesses warm and when we still have few ideas how the Earth has evolved since the Dinosaurs were wiped out, by a still unknown force.

To assert that humans can effect global climate change by an act of Congress or by Presidential decree is beyond ludicrous. There just seem to be far too many delusional politicians with too much time on their hands, promoting an agenda they think will influence a fickle, ignorant public into voting them into office so they can fix the planet. It's like the Duluth City Council attempting to change the course of the Iraq war; it's silly, disingenuous, inane, delusional and deceptive.

Take the bait like all the lemmings on the Global Warming, Man be damned, bandwagon and you, along with Al Gore and his minions will be eating crow by the truckload by the end of the decade. Use your noggin and your common sense and you will quickly dispel the utter myth of Man created Global Climate Change and if global climate change is occuring, that we are in any way, able to change the course of our climate.

Figure this one out and send me the solution: Cork the next major volcano eruption and all the cows asses and you will make a bigger impact on CO2 emissions than if you eliminate every man-made source on the planet. Delude no more and go in Peace!

What to Do?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:42:00 +0000

It has been some time since anything truly logical took place in the Council Chambers. We hear things like a resolution opposing the Iraq war, past resolutions dealing with a Syrian Prisoner, the CIA, Secret Service, etc. The question to be asked is: how do these ridiculous resolutions promote productive agenda for Duluth?

If a Councilor wants to send a letter to the President to express his or her opinions on the Iraq war, so be it. On the other hand, this assinine resolution does two things, it represents the views of a few of our Councilors, possibly a majority of Duluth and yet, it does not represent the views of many Duluthians. The resolution has about the same weight to the US Government as a grain of sand has on Park Point. It is embarrassing to witness the spectacle of these little goofballs acting like this resolution has any more weight with President Bush, Congress or the US Military than the ink used to write it. Come on people!

Let's get back to the business of Duluth and stop distracting yourselves with these innane, useless and utterly meaningless debates. If you want to express your opinion, do it on your own time. You have been elected to do the City's business, please get on with it.

Some Things...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:47:00 +0000

I suspect Duluth is on the right track since we continue to do the same things over and over. We seem in a love affair with publicly funded development. I would argue publicly funded development is counter or the antithesis of privately funded development. Privately funded growth results in immediate and long term tax benefit to the City whereas, publicly funded development does not. The term "development" when used in the context of a positive trend in a community, refers to this benefit, that is, the benefit of increased property value and economic activity which results in commerce. Commerce, resulting in tax receipts, is how City functions are funded and until Duluth and Duluthians grasp this concept, we are bound to the same direction and the same pitfalls.

City subsidies to encourage private development are beneficial only when it results in the commerce and tax benefits of similar, non-subsidized developments. Tax increment financing does not meet this threshold of benefit as it does not result in revenue to the City. The way of encouraging "development" in Duluth has accomplished one thing for certain, it has honed the skills of the City's most adept developers as tax recipients. That is, they have become skilled in the art of benefiting from the investment of their own money, getting a return not only from that personal investment but also from the public investment; a sort of private/public double dipping. This is good for the bottom line for the developer but, at least for the short term, it does nothing to benefit the public.

Only when Duluth realizes, removing obstacles to private investment, creating a favorable tax environment and marketing Duluth as a good place to conduct commerce, will we overcome the fiscal woes imposed on us by the current and recent past politicians. The problem however, is similar to the Chicken and the Egg. How do you market Duluth as a good place to do business to those outside the City when the tax picture and City Red-Tape, prove it to be just the opposite?

This is our dilemma and it will take years of undoing decades of misguided law-making by the "leaders" of Duluth. This will likely not occur as those currently skilled at working the system, are the true power-brokers in Duluth and they don't wish for change since the current system of quid-pro-quo works quite well for them, thank you. For change to occur, those in positions of power have to look inward and forward. If they truly wish Duluth to move forward, for Duluth's children to have a chance of staying here and for true economic development, the government must get out of the development business and leave it to the entrepreneurs of the world.

Heads Rolling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:21:00 +0000

I nicked my neck the other day while shaving. A little shaving cream seeped into the tiny nick and I was surprised by the amount of pain. Imagine the surprise of Nick Berg, hands and feet bound but not blindfolded, when Islamic radicals, following a rambling dissertation, all captured intentionally on video, grabbed him, threw him to the floor and proceeded to cut his head off. Yes, he was fully conscious. Yes, he was fully aware of what was happening to him. Relative to alternative means of killing another human being it was quick. Nick only screamed and struggled in horror and agony for about thirty seconds. That first cut through that sensitive skin on his throat and the subsequent sawing through his esophagus, brachial plexus nerves causing brief but unimaginable pain, through the muscles and tendons in his neck, all the vessels feeding his brain and finally, his last realization that this was, in-fact the end of his life on Earth. All the brief but adrenaline enhanced emotions, thoughts, feelings, excrutiating pain and fear he must have felt haunts me. The life leaves his body and only God knows the extent his brain continues to function beyond until those final moments. This is the fate Islam and Islamic fascists condemned all non-Muslims to upon the first acceptance of it as a religion.

To understand the depravity of people who are capable of and willing to commit such an act against another living, breathing human is to explore the depths of faith, devotion and the reason for our existence. Until such time as we are able to talk to God, we must guess what is behavior that a rational being who would rule all the universe and who, according to innumerable religions, controls our eternity.

Absent such answers from God, we have to decide how we will live together on this planet. After-all, this is the only existence we know, for certain, that involves us and our individual choices. Man, we could get really deep with this and I could get all graphic again, describing the hundreds of people who are routinely dispatched in this manner in the Muslim world. On the other hand, I wish only to point out the battle to which I can only hope we are committed against the people who commit these acts.

We have had a dramatic shift in the political lanscape and if you listen to the pundits, it is all because of the Iraq war. If you listen to the talk show hosts, they will debate the proper designation of the conflict. I consider it a rebuilding effort, and the US role being that of restoring order and security as well as training the Iraqis to defend themselves following what can only be described as a swift and brilliant defeat of the Iraqi Army. That done, we get out. Some are comparing this "war" to WWII if only that it has "lasted longer". Don't we still have troops in Germany? We still have troops in Iraq. WWII was a geo-political war. The war against terror is primarily a propaganda war. The terrorists are winning because that is their strategy. A several thousand year old strategy of breaking your opponent by creating terror and demoralization is working against the most technologically advanced civilization in the history of the Earth, because we lack resolve and patience. Our military is committed and our troops, as evidenced by record re-enlistments in-theater are occuring. Yet our political leaders are divided, the newly elected majority of Democrats appears like a ship without a rudder and all the political divisions have, among the senior Democrats, magically disappeared...on Iraq.

The shifting landscape over the next weeks and months holds something I don't believe anyone has considered. Within the now Democrat dominated Congress, there will be a number of newbies, coming in with a perceived mandate to "get our troops out now". This idealism will collide with the reality of a lack of direction from the Democratic Party for the future, the power of the Comander in Chief and a generally idealistic approach to the conflict vs. the reality of our commitment. The junior members of Congress coming from the Democratic Party, expecting to see their adrenaline enhanced euphoria and fervor to get out, will be disappointed.

Nancy Pelosi has made it clear that dissention in the ranks will not be tolerated and there will be repurcussions for those who engage in it. The stage is set for civil, or not so civil war within the Democratic Party. 2008 will usher in the ultra-important election, as has every other. Yet this one will be different. The Democrats, never able to keep the rabble on a consistent, logical strategy, will be in disarray in short order. By 2008, Americans will be begging for the divisiveness between the two parties over the dissention and disarray of the Democrats. Finally, the average Joe will be dismayed by the fact that he or she, in 2006 voted for a "change of direction in Iraq" and did not get it at the hands of many Democratic majorities both Nationally and among the states.

Ours will be a rapidly changing landscape and by '08, the Democrats will be scratching their collective heads wondering how, in this day and age, the Republicans were able to maintain Unity for six years when theirs unraveled in less than two. They capitalized on portability of information, access to constituents via internet, posting out of context sound-bites while the Republicans relied upon it yet exercising no influence over it. The lesson has been learned and in the immortal words of George W. Bush, fool me, er, uh, yer, um gonna, if you fool me, ah, your, gonna, you won't fool me again...or something like that.

Criminal?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 May 2006 23:51:00 +0000

Marti Bascaglia says it would be a waste of time to investigate and potentially prosecute Mayor Herb Bergson for releasing an auditor's confidential draft report to her. Herb has apologized and many have suggested that should suffice. The resulting fray, a conclusion of three, count them, three front page, headline reports by the "news" paper headed by Marti Bascaglia. Both heads are in the frying pan and it is just a matter of time before they both sizzle under the heat of a policy of nose thumbing at the rules, laws and mores of our community. The combined arrogance of Herb Bergson and Marti Bascaglia are eclipsed only by those of Kim Jong Il of modern day Korea, Hitler and Mussolini of days past.

Fortunately, unlike their mentors, they hold positions of power and influence in a tiny playground of nitwits. That playground, on the other hand has become that of nitwits at their own hands. Herb Bergson lacks the integrity to command any respect, but among a few, wields just enough power to instill fear into enough people to render a community and it's trusted employees completely impotent.

The unmitigated willingness of Marti Bascaglia to engage in ruthless character assassination has more than a few in her tiny peer group shuddering with fear. The rest of us looking in cannot help but wonder what goes on in the mind of a textbook narcissistic personality. That personality in a position of relative power has an enormous amount of ability to do both good and bad. Unfortunately for Duluth, Marti has not the judgement nor the vision to comprehend the damage done to this small community when she embarks on her crusades leaving all that is decent and good about it, in ruins behind her. The wrath of Marti and her editorial board is a force of terrible consequence in the tiny little haven of Duluth but in real world relativism, she and her board are but a pimple on the ass of society. They are worthy of scorn but certainly not enough energy to get through a trivial gossip session over lunch.

You see, to be relevant, you have to present attitudes, opinions and logic that is considered worthy of ponder by the population at large, not just your peers and local community. Duluth is a tiny microcosm of the United States and as a stand alone community is relatively irrelevant. While we machinate over the hate filled and dislexic boys and girls club of the Tribune, the rest of the world simply goes on. We are not noticed. We have no attention paid to our trivial quibbles and comic eye poking and face slapping. Marti is no more important to the world than she makes herself in her own mind. Unfortunately, she gets validation from her many foes within the community including myself. She believes that by being the topic of conversation in Duluth, she is valid and relevant. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We, as a community have strayed so far from the mainstream as to render our entire existence and presence, irrelevant. What we do here, stays here. Nobody cares outside of this area, with a possible tiny handful of exceptions. People born and raised here but forced to move away to find a relevant life occasionally check in, but to their dismay, and likely disappointment, the only thing that has changed is we have become even less relevant.

Still Here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 23:41:00 +0000

Spring has sprung and projects abound. I haven't upddated for some time and will be sparse in new postings but look for me to spice things up a little. Local issues will still be my focus here but the content will be less cumbersome to read and I will be including more links and sourcing.

Free Speech recently got a boost from the FEC as they decided to leave blogs outside the spectrum of their scrutiny. The logical thing for them to do was of course just that. It is going to become more and more impossible and impractical, without gestapo tactics and World Wide Web policing on a frightening scale, to monitor or regulate speech on the internet. This is a good thing.

I won't be shy about taking advantage of my right to free speech. I will continue my figurative in-step stomping on the Tribune and lampooning our overly deserving local politicians. The lunacy continues and seems to have affected more than the usual 6 or 7 Councilors and leftist talking heads around Duluth. Enjoy Spring, the mosquitoes are right around the corner!

Free Speech Survives FEC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 14:10:00 +0000

"FEC Won't Regulate Internet Politics". This statement reverberates throughout the internet today. Although in many circles, it will get nary a glance, among bloggers, however, this is an important and significant development. You and I will likely never encounter the likes of FEC enforcement but imagine answering the door and having two federal agents standing there with warrants to seize your laptop. It is at least a little disconcerting. The door remains open to an infinite variety of attacks on free-speech, such as fallacious accusations of libel/slander but those can be avoided by qualifying what you say as opinion and not getting into specific allegations or accusations represented as fact, etc.

Why is this significant? This allows people like you and I to blog about candidates for political office, independent of the majority of constraints without fear of federal prosecution. The local implications are obvious as well. Would a State be willing to bring enforcement action against little ol' me if the FEC has already come out in support of allowing this type of communication? This will likely have implications for States with more restrictive rules as well. The best part is Free Speech has survived another attempted assault.