I Hope this works!

Just Desserts

That's classic. I hope they do take his house and turn it into a hotel. The chance it goes through? Zero, none, zip zilch. But it would be awesome.

Will it change his stance? You don't really know. Too many people in America aren't really freedom loving anymore. They want a whole bunch of rights they don't actually have, and none of the rights that actually matter. Like the right to private property.

It goes along with the whole transferable development rights. Why would I want the right to do what I want on my own land? I'd much rather have the right to force some company to pay me for doing NOTHING. Why would I want the right NOT to be thrown out of my home, so that some developer can come in build some hotel, when I can have the right to watch my government kick old people to the curb in order to expand its services that I can take advantage of?

The spreading problem in this country is democracy. This country isn't meant, was never meant, to be a democracy. It was meant to be a Republic, with a constitution, which documented the established written constitution enumerating the rights of the government. The rest being maintained by the individual.

This confusion, thinking we are a democracy, allows for the absurdities of law we're faced with now. Its okay to strip someone of their right to use their own property, if it benefits the "community." The community of those doing the stripping of course. Those who are on the "right" side of the line, to paraphrase someone here locally.

Rabun County Hospital out of the way.

Won't have to go to many more Authority meetings now. Its unfortunate in a way. More news for me. And of course a public hospital must disclose its business to the citizens, not true for a private concern.

But ultimately I think the Commissioners are right. The County doesn't belong in the health care business. Some people higher on the government food chain could do well to learn the same lesson.

Transferable Development... Rights?

On Friday, Adam and I spoke with Robinette Kennedy, who was speaking on behalf of a program called "Becoming Better Stewards of the Land." The program is bringing a couple of environmental professionals to Rabun County, in order to discuss development here, and how to protect the environment. Its being scheduled for July 16th, so that it will coincide with public hearings on the comprehensive plan for Rabun County.

So far, so good. But one of the things it looks like they are gonna push for here, is what they call Transferable Development Rights. Now I'll explain it to you as best I can:

Basically, you set up development zones around your towns. Now if a business or factory wants to move into the development zone, they've gotta buy a transferable development "right", in order to develop the land. So what they have to do is go to some farmer, or other owner of some green space, and basically they pay about 70% of the value of that green space, to the green space owner, in order to have the "right" to develop the land they've already purchased in the development zone.

Now I'm a cheapskate. I'm almost notorious for it. I buy Malt-o-Meal Cereal because its cheaper than real Lucky Charms. Most of my sustenance comes from free food at the radio station. And you are telling me that I have you pay for 70% of something I don't even get to use? And I have to do this because the local government tells me I have to? Stop me if this sounds like a "right." The right to pay through the nose in order to utilize the property I already purchased at the obscenely high price of the land that is Rabun County.

What is happening to property rights in this country? The supreme court manages to find something in the constitution that allows local municipalities to seize a person's property in order to sell it for a profit to a concern that will bring in a little more taxes? And right here in Rabun County, my property rights will no longer include "developing" what i just bought.

Don't get me wrong, I don't live in the middle ages. I'm cool with zoning, and junk car ordinances, and impact fees. The difference is, with zoning, I know before hand, that the property I am buying is in a commerical zone, so I will be allowed to build my store. I know that the land I bought was in a industrial zone, so I can build my factory. That's just good planning.

I'm sure that this program will have alot of good ideas for Rabun County. We know we need help with silt and run off, and the mountain ridge protection. But I think Transferable Development Rights is fundementally the wrong way to go.

Sadly unsurprising, instead of unbelievable

Ten Euros for Terrorism

This shouldn't particularly surprise anyone. The radical left has always supported terrorism,dictatorship and violence in the middle east. Initially at the behest of the Soviet Union, which of course armed Egypt, Syria and others to send against Israel. They do it now, because they don't know any better. If gigantic baby-devouring aliens from space landed, the radicial left would side with them, against the United States.

Why we'll always flunk the Global Test

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/pacepa200506160738.asp

A fable to think about regarding War on Terror

The Wolves and the Sheep

Why should there always be this fear and slaughter between us? said the Wolves to the Sheep. Those evil-disposed Dogs have much to answer for. They always bark whenever we approach you and attack us before we have done any harm. If you would only dismiss them from your heels, there might soon be treaties of peace and reconciliation between us. The Sheep, poor silly creatures, were easily beguiled and dismissed the Dogs, whereupon the Wolves destroyed the unguarded flock at their own pleasure.
-Aesop

Agreeing with Brooks

David Brooks Column on Culture

Jury Trials are a joke in this country.

A motionless Jackson dabbed at his eyes with a tissue as the verdicts were read, and he later was embraced by his chief lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr. Another member of his defense team burst into tears, and some of the women in the jury also wept and passed around a box of tissues.

So.... yeah. Jury Trials are a joke. Particularly for celebrities. Holding a side the fact that the Prosecution was definetely stretching with the conspiracy counts, does anyone honestly believe that a non-Michael Jackson accused Child Molester would be walking out of the courtroom in anything but a not so fashionable pair of matching wrist and ankle bracelets??

On the Jurors

Anyone who could actually get on a jury in this country has no business deciding anything. For two reasons. The first, anyone competent, regardless of formal education, is going to be given a pass by Defense Attorneys. Seems like step one in any jury trial is take the "reason" out of "Reasonable doubt."

And, two, most "reasonable" people would want nothing to do with a trial like this. The idea of being kept away from one's jobs and personal projects for some absurd and indefinete amount of time doesn't appeal to most of us. So what's left are either people who think getting 40 bucks a day sounds pretty appetizing, or those who want to be near the celebritiy of this case. So you're left with jury pools that look like the cast of "Survivor." And considering that on that show every year some moron gets sent home for getting bitten by a snake or some other mishaps, while surrounded by FILM CREWS, I think that says something right there.

You know the Athenians had the same problem with their legal system more than twenty-five hundred years ago. They paid people for attending their juries, and apparently it ended up that every legal case was being decided by those serving on juries as a form of welfare, with no real interest in actually determining Justice... probably more interested in a lucrative book-deal.

To the Hospital

went off completely without a hitch. A total formality. Everyone who spoke was in favor, or already presumed the deal was gonna go through and just wanted to make suggestions to the new soon to be owners. Whether this will really kill discord between those from the old hospital and the new hospital remains up in the air, but everyone at the meeting seemed to think that it did. I was a little unimpressed with the fact that no one spoke against the sale, since if no one disagrees, you start to question to value of the speeches made in favor. Its like going to a game only to see a blow out.

The Right Perspective

The Right Perspective: "I'll make sure to include in all promotional announcements that the more it rains, the more fun you can have at an Arts Festival. Once again, I'm sorry.'"

Waiting for the Meteor...

that will finally make us extinct.

Da Boss and some actual news.

Linking to your boss's blog? Priceless


The main story this week should be the Rabun County Hospital Sale. I've been suprised with how quiet the issue has been, considering what i'm told was a major spate back when there was also Rabun Memorial Hospital. I've been told that a serious objection by large numbers of people at this meeting on Thursday could kill the deal, but in truth, I think the impact the nay-sayers would have make would need to be massive. WAY bigger than chaining yourself to the courthouse or something like that. Although man, wouldn't that be awesome?

"This is David Shideler reporting live on day 26 of the Hospital Hunger Strike..."

So true...

Fear of the unknown sends thousands back to law school, but others plunge into the precarious world of entry-level jobs. In college they were discussing Dostoyevsky; now they are trapped in copy-machine serfdom.

Captain Obvious testifies before Congress

Panel tells congress intelligence needs re-vamping, sky reported to be blue

Seriously though the problem is that people do not understand what intelligence is. Intelligence doesn't give answers. It gives probabilities and possibilities. Intelligence briefs are loaded with comments such as, "it is likely" or "it is plausible that" or "according to reliable sources such and such MAY..."

If you had asked the intelligence community, "Is it possible for a terrorist group to hijack planes and use them to bring down a building?" They would have said, "Yes, definetely." If you had said, "Is it probable that they will attempt to do so." They would probably have said, "Maybe." Than you have to recognize that you've got a community not a single organization you're asking. So you get 6 "Maybe yes" 2 "Maybe No" 1 "Probably" and 1 "Probably not."

How do you decide which to go with? The 6 "Maybe Yes?" votes? what if "Probably" tells you they have a "reliable source?" But "Maybe No" has what they call "technical means".

That's why ultimately the fate rests in the hands of the decision makers. All intelligence can do, is provide some reasonable guesses. Then policy makers will choose one. It doesn't mean that the intelligence is flawed. It doesn't mean that the intelligence has been manipulated. What it means is that the system works the way its supposed to. Possibilities are suggested. There are never any smoking guns. People in this country apparently claim to want an intelligence service that will keep them safe always, know everything, and always be prepared. You can have one of those if you want them. But to get it, you don't need a National Intelligence Director, you need a Reichsfuhrer.

Sorry Folks

I know I've been mega-quiet.

Adam had Commissioner Pete Cleveland on the Friday Morning Coffee Break last week. It went really really well. I did a little show prep, and was preparing to understudy in case Adam's dental problem meant he couldnt' do the show. But no dice. Anyway, it sounded really good. I even stayed in the van while doing my rounds because I wanted to here each segement.

In International News:

No vote on Constitution indicative of European Malaise