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Monthly Archive for October, 2007
Here is a great update on where we are with regards to net neutrality, and includes this observation regarding (the lack of reasonable) competition when it comes to broadband:
[...] Comcast competitors AT&T and Verizon “are two of the same companies that have been accused of participating in the warrantless wiretapping program. So my choice is a company that throttles my bandwidth without telling me or a couple of companies that hand my data off to the government without telling me. I guess that still qualifies as competition, but it’s not much.”
Exactly. What kind of a playing field is it for consumers when they’re forced to choose between giving their business to a company that actively discriminates against legal usage of the service, and companies that have participated in widespread violation of their rights? Why should we be forced to compromise our ethics for companies that clearly have none?
The answer is that we shouldn’t have to. More robust competition that serves the entire country, and not just rich urban and exurban areas, will go a long way towards giving consumers more options for their communications services.
This is why EPB’s Fiber to the Home is going to be good for the Chattanooga market, but only if they make a strong committment to net neutrality and privacy. Are you listening, EPB?
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Here’s yet another penguin from the Tennessee Aquarium. This week I’ve got a rather surly looking macaroni penguin (as opposed to last week’s very distinguished gentoo penguin).
Things are about to get really crazy for a little while here at Chez 10K (in a good way!), so if things get quiet in the coming week, never fear! I shall return! In the meantime, enjoy a few of the week’s creatures!
And have a wondertastic weekend!
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Let’s look at the numbers.
The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and anti terrorist efforts abroad could cost the country $2.4 trillion over the next ten years, according to a report Wednesday.
The money, over 70 percent of which would go to support operations in Iraq, includes the estimated $600 billion spent since 2001, Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag said in testimony before the House Budget Committee. That estimate includes projected interest, since the government is borrowing most of the funds required.
OK, let’s give Bush credit for what he got right. Even a good president would have sent troops into Afghanistan. However, a good president would have gone in, gotten the job done and then gotten out, so we probably wouldn’t still be there. But, since Bush is used to having everything given to him instead of earned, we’ll go ahead and take 30% off the top.
$2,400,000,000,000 x 30% = 72,000,000
$2,400,000,000,000 – $72,000,000,000 = $1,680,000,000,000
So the current United States population is 303,026,362.
Let’s see how that breaks down, to find out what each individual owes — my portion, your portion, your kid’s portion, your grandmother’s portion:
$1,680,000,000,000 ÷ 303,026,362 = $5,544.07
$5,544.07. That means my family of three is into this stupid endeavor for $16,632.21. I don’t know about you, but I can think of some really cool stuff I could have done with that kind of cash.
So, where are you going to come up with that money? More importantly, where are your kids going to get it? They’re ultimately going to be the ones who have to pay this bill. Maybe you better up your contribution to their savings accounts…
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Joe has the latest on the Littlefield-Rutherford saga, and I’ve added these tidbits to my previous thread on the subject.
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This comment demonstrates just how ridulous this situation has become (from the chattanoogan.com):
A resolution and an ordinance presented by Councilman Leamon Pierce directs that the city administration not be allowed to hire anyone who has resigned and then had an ouster lawsuit filed against them.
Perhaps Rutherford and Littlefield should be asked to foot the bill for all this stupidity, or does their sense of entitlement extend to expecting the taxpayer to foot the bill every time their senses of entitlement get out of control?
The council also hired its own attorney – Roger Dickson – to advise it on the issue. City Attorney Randy Nelson said he could not represent either side in the unusual clash between the council and the mayor.
The Times Free Press also has coverage:
The council also passed a related resolution stating that a “disqualified person” cannot get medical benefits upon his or her resignation. Both the ordinance and resolution were submitted by Councilman Leamon Pierce.
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Ron Littlefield has gone public with his desire to take a corrupt and dishonest politician (Marti Rutherford), who has not been legitimately elected since 2005, and put her back on the public payroll for three days (this is after the city attorney took her OFF the public payroll), so that she can qualify for taxpayer-subsidized health care (assuming she gets credit for the years she was serving illegitimately). That was yesterday’s news.
Today, let’s check in with the public’s reaction:
The Times Free Press is collecting commentary here.
Also from the TFP: Hot topics provide tinder at Littlefield roast
The Chattanoogan.com is collecting responses:
Littlefield Help For Rutherford Shows Mayor’s Mindset
The Mayor Did It Right
Recall Mayor Littlefield – And Response
Chattanooga’s Little Lie
More Evidence Of Incompetent City Government – And Responses
When Is Insurance Fraud The Right Thing To Do?
What kind Of City Jobs Could Marti Do For The Next 3 Days?
At Least This Mayor Is Open
Now It’s Time To Oust Littlefield – And Reply
… and the blogosphere weighs in:
mkelly:
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Mayor returns Rutherford to city payroll, future benefits to follow
Irresponsible Journalism: Corruption Begets Corruption
also note the comment Mesh added to this post:
I really like the bit where he explains that he tried to handle the matter “behind the scenes” until it “accelerated.” And then opened his letter to the City Council with this:
“I do not wish for you to be caught unaware of my intended action regarding Ms. Rutherford’s benefits.”
Well, actually, yes he did. But let’s not get hung up on details.
Worst Mayor Ever: Oh. No. He. Di-int.
Tennessee Ticket: Another “Worst Mayor”
Tennessee Ticket: Just who are Littlefield’s community?
Irresponsible Journalism: “City Employees Are Disgusted”
10K Monkeys: City Council Votes Unanimously To Fight Littlefield On Rutherford Benefits
BillColrus.com: Hillary Ronham Littlefield
Tennessee Ticket: Marti Rutherford to resign more than a month after she, uh, resigned
Tennessee Ticket: Mayor Littlefield blasts council for “vindictive” treatment of Rutherford
Worst Mayor Ever: Spiteful, Small & Mean
Also, the morning press has featured the story this week, though the feature they call a “blog” doesn’t allow for linking to individual posts (which is probably why they’re rarely cited.)
And from the October 24th edition of the Times Free Press, we hear from the left side of the editorial page (not a peep from the right!):
Continue reading ‘The Public Responds’
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As long as you‘re using my money to hand out health care to citizens in Chattanooga, I’d like to make a case for the next beneficiary of your largesse (wait, what am I saying — that’s my largesse, now, isn’t it?) to be this guy, because oh. my. god. I think he could use a friendly gesture (and some health care).
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The story is on the Chattanoogan.com:
Mayor Ron Littlefield said Monday he has decided to put former City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford back on the city payroll for a three-day period so she can qualify for retirement medical benefits.
He said she is covered under the city plan through the end of the month, but she needs to be on the payroll on her 62nd birthday (Nov. 3) in order to qualify.
This man doesn’t want the homeless guy who lives under the bridge to get to keep the 25¢ that some stranger might give him in a moment of generosity, but he’s willing to help a crooked politician who was not legally elected scam her way into health insurance — subsidized by… you guessed it! The taxpayer! This is a disgusting abuse of power!
Ron, you are, indeed, the worst mayor ever.
UPDATE: from the Times Free Press:
Councilman Jack Benson on Monday disputed the mayor’s rationale.
“He’s left something out of the equation,” he said. “She wasn’t qualified to even serve these two and a half to three years. Now we’re extending that time to accommodate her when according to her residence she shouldn’t even have been there in the first place.”
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