Site Address Change

If you have by chance bookmarked this page, I have started using a different blogging system and the address has changed to:

thedaily411.wordpress.com

That is the "behind the scenes" address but you can always simply type in www.thedaily411.com and that will get you to the blog. The new system is a bit more advanced than blogger.

Thanks for reading and check out the new site.

Google Social Networking Platform- Orkut

Google’s new social networking site is called Orkut. There is a lot of talk that Google is going to do all it can to overtake Facebook in the social networking arena since they lost the recent bid to purchase part of Facebook to Microsoft. Out of curiosity I made an Orkut account and started tooling around. It is very similar to Facebook but I noticed something very strange. When I did a search for individuals living in Greensboro I was amazed at how many people that appeared to be of the Indian descent (Did I just break a pc rule by saying Indian?) Of the 15 or so pages that came up under this Greensboro search only 15 – 20 people appeared to be American. Google is either doing a test with fake info or a certain population got a heads up on Orkut. Check it out… its interesting to say the least.

synerG Candidate Survey Greensboro City Council Elections

I just received this email from the fine folks at synerG.

"synerG, under the umbrella of Action Greensboro, is an active volunteer organization of young adults in Greensboro, North Carolina leading initiatives with the mission to attract, engage and connect Young Professionals to Greensboro.

In preparation for the upcoming City Council Election, the synerG Leadership Initiative gave candidates the opportunity to reach our membership through a survey designed by Greensboro’s Young Professionals themselves. We are interested in helping our more than 1,000 members stay informed and involved in local government and encourage participation in every election.

Please note: this survey was conducted via www.surveymonkey.com without the aid of spell check. To maintain the integrity of both our organization and the responses given by candidates, answers are published as they were submitted and have not been edited for spelling or grammar."

Click here to check out the survey. Thanks to synerG for doing their part.

Kay Hagan and Peoples Comments

I had the opportunity to hear Kay Hagan speak about a month ago and I thought she was a very interesting and has done a good job representing Guilford County (from what I have seen). A day or so before I saw her speak she announced that she would not be running for the United States Senate. Rumors have been flying lately that she has changed her mind and will be running in 08. This morning all of that speculation came to an end. The Kay Hagan for United States Senate campaign is on! She has posted a video on her Web site that you should take a minute to watch.

Ed Cone, a Greensboro blogger has also posted this story on his blog but what I would like to draw your attention to is the comments that people have made. Why is it people want others to fail so badly? Is it because they have failed at life and want someone to join their club? One of the comments (By Dr. Mary Johnson) was, “A "fresh voice" in Washington? Are you kidding?” Maybe she isn’t kidding.

Teachers Get Bonuses

The teaching profession is one of the most undervalued careers in today’s job market. Thanks to the Mission Possible performance bonus system. The bonus system is structured around the end-of-course and end-of-grade test. According to

Kern Steps Up Game and Targets Johnson

I just saw this on Ed Cone's site. He says "Kern goes negative." Would you call this negative or the truth? After reviewing Johnsons campaign records, I would have to say truth. If you live in Greensboro and there is a large plot of open land near your home... it has to make you wonder who is on your side.

Milton Kern Committed to Becoming Mayor Without Being Bought by Big Business

Greensboro, NC. (October 29, 2007) – They seem to be everywhere: on yard signs, in magazines, in the newspapers, on the radio and on TV. They are the candidates hoping to win your vote and become part of the Greensboro City Government. Have you ever wondered who pays for all of that advertising? One thing is for sure, Milton Kern, the front runner in the race for Mayor refuses to be bought by individuals and businesses that only want him in office for their own personal gain.

“When I am elected as Mayor on November 6, I will have a clear conscience and not feel obligated to vote one way or another on important issues,” said Milton Kern, candidate for Mayor. “Greensboro is a thriving city but is in great need of an energetic Mayor that can lead the city with the people’s best interest at heart. Residents need a Mayor that has not been rumored to be involved with past scandals such as Project Homestead and that has not run a campaign heavily funded by individuals that have a vested interest in getting a certain person elected as Mayor.”

It is no secret that Kern’s opponent in the race for Mayor has raised money from those doing business with city hall. Large developers such as Edward Krusch ($4,000 donation), Bill Kotis ($1,000 donation) John Kavanagh of Kavanagh Homes ($500 donation), Koury Corp. (combined donation of $1,600), and Portrait Homes General Manager Zach Tran ($250) have donated thousands to Kerns opponents’ campaign fund. As it is widely known that Kern has been the back bone of downtown Greensboro’s redevelopment and has been in the construction business for more than 40 years, it seems strange that fellow developers would not be financially backing their colleague, and furthermore, that they are instead backing his opponent. Could this be due to his adamant stance that his vote on the City Council will not be bought?

Kern’s opponent has voted to approve several controversial issues brought on by developers… issues that negatively affect Greensboro residents like Guy Sanders.

Sanders who lives on what he describes as the “narrow, heavily and speedily traveled Horse Pen Creek Road” knows the importance of the City Councils vote. "More people have died or been seriously injured on this stretch of road between New Garden and Battleground than any other road in Greensboro over the last 10 years," said Sanders. "What makes it more outrageous is the City Council approved the development of the Portrait Homes plan (on Horse Pen Creek Road) knowing full well of the problems on this street."

Kern recently saw further evidence that his opponent was mysteriously being sought after by the local development community. A “Get to Know the Candidates” town hall meeting sponsored by Portrait Homes and Zach Tran is planned for Monday October 29th at 6pm at The Palms at Westridge. As of October 24, Kern’s opponent was confirmed to be at the meeting along with other city council candidates. As of October 29th at 2pm, Kern was not invited to this meeting and calls placed to Zach Tran about the possibility of Kern attending were not returned.

When you vote on November 6, vote for Milton Kern and know that when the next big development comes along he will vote for what is right for the people, not what is right for the developers.

Have a Question About Voting or the Candidates

Click here.

Greensboro Police Department Must Improve its Community Relations

I live in downtown Greensboro and witnessed a very surprising turn of events last evening. I was upstairs doing some work and my girlfriend was downstairs watching HGTV. Around 10:30 pm she yelled upstairs and said, “do you see the police over by X’s house?” I said yes and looked out the window to check things out. All I could see is the flashing lights from the police car and figured someone got pulled for speeding. 10 minutes or so go by and I hear this commotion and at first I didn’t know what I was hearing but I did know it sounded like a mixture of a policeman yelling and someone jumping over my neighbors eight foot tall privacy fence. I quickly ran downstairs to see what in the world was going on. I looked out the front door and saw 3 police cars. I then went to my back door to scope things out and that is when I saw my neighbor (in her 60’s at least) looking terrified and holding a white hat that had fallen off someone’s head as they jumped her fence and fled from the police. I took the hat from her and told her to go inside (at this point I had no clue who was in either of our backyards). I went back out front and handed the hat to the policeman (and noticed they had one person in custody) and said, “Can I ask what is going on?” He then says, “I will come talk to you guys in a bit” which I was completely fine with.

The next thing I know another police car shows up along with a police dog. The officer and dog proceed to walk through my back yard (gun drawn) and out the back searching for who knows what. Eventually eight police cars lined the street and they looked to be searching very hard for someone. As I stood inside looking out the window the policeman talked with the man in custody and he seemed to be of no real interest to the police (he was handcuffed).

After 30 minutes had passed my girlfriend kept asking me to go ask what was going on. I didn’t want to bother the police again… after all I was told that they would “Come talk to us in a bit.” Not wanting to wait she walked outside and politely asked what was going on and the same policeman that I spoke with said, “Just a routine traffic stop” and he said nothing more. Are you freaking kidding me? This left my girlfriend feeling extremely unsafe and I think her feelings were warranted.

Would it have hurt for the policeman to come up to our door (I turned the light on outside to emphasize that we were up) and tell us that everything was fine and a bit of what had taken place? I don’t need to know the specifics… but I would like to know who the heck jumped my neighbors fence and if they were a serious threat to anyone’s safety. How do you think my poor neighbor felt? All she knows is that someone jumped her fence running from the police and that eight police cars were sitting in front of her home.

I am troubled by the lack of interest that the police officer had to calm those affected by this “routine traffic stop” and feel as though this is just one of the 900 things wrong with our police department. (Sarcasm ahead) If it is routine to have eight police cars, 10+ officers and one police dog on the scene for a traffic stop, the police department needs some serious training.

I would like to thank the City of Greensboro for this first hand experience and making my girlfriend scared in our own home.

"The Gays" Are Going To Protest Against Obama

Our friend Perez Hilton says "the gays" are going to protest outside one of Obama's campaign stops this weekend. There was a time that I thought he had a huge chance of beating Clinton. I think he is starting to falter far to often.

Who stinks more Wells or Jones?

Up until about a month ago I could have cared less about local politics. Since then I have researched many of the candidates and at times found myself feeling frustrated. Why? I will keep that to myself.

I have been paying close attention to the race for Mayor and City Council at Large but today decided it was time to look into the district that I live in, District 2. Until this morning at 10 am I had never heard of either candidate running to represent me, my neighbors and the homeless people that walk up and down the street I live on.

I did a quick search on Goldie Wells and ran across this article from the Greensboro News & Record. One of the questions from the article that Wells answered is below.

Question: How would you evaluate the City Council's handling of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report?

Answer: F

Sex Tapes Don't Always Help Celebs

Her name is Hoang Thuy Linh and she is a huge TV star in Vietnam... well that is until her sex tape hit the Internet. You can watch the porn here or read the news story here.

Mark Zuckerberg... Worth $3 billion!

This is Mark Zuckerbeg. Oh, you don't know the name? Did you know he had a net worth of $3 billion at the age of 23? Facebook ring a bell? He created it. Check out some facts on Mark below (you might find yourself shaking your head and saying "damn").

Drops out of Harvard (obvious in hindsight, but a move perhaps 0.2% of Harvard students would ever consider).

Builds Facebook.

Blows away competition.

Raises plenty of top-tier venture capital.

Walks away from guaranteed dynastic wealth (and annoying last-minute negotiating ploy) offered by Yahoo mogul CEO Terry Semel.

Ignores outraged "experts" raving about lunacy of Facebook $6 billion valuation.

Ignores outraged "experts" raving about lunacy of Facebook $10 billion valuation.

Triggers bidding war between Google and Microsoft.

Ignores outraged "experts" raving about lunacy of Facebook $10-$15 valuation.

Makes smart decision to raise a mountain of money when he can instead of when he has to.

Masterfully negotiates through press, dissing Microsoft (and stoking Ballmer competitive fire).

Makes Microsoft pay $240 million for the right to sell remnant ads in Europe while setting valuation for financing at $15 billion--and gives up almost nothing in return.

Takes another $500 million from New York hedge funds.

Establishes paper net worth of approximately $3 billion at age 23.

Civil Rights Museum

I just read this Letter to the Editor in the News & Record. I don't know all the facts about the museum but I do know I have lived downtown for 2.5 years and it does not appear that much progress has been made. I have heard rumor of funds being misused as well as other things that I can only call rumor. I think it is time for the City to tell these guys to, "finish the project or step aside." Think of downtown like a neighborhood... if someone was building a house next door to your home and it took this long how would you feel? The building that is being turned into Center Pointe (downtown Greensboro) has been completely stripped down and almost looks like new on the outside... and that has taken all of a year or so to do? If "step aside" is not the right statement, "ask for help" should be.

According to the museum Web site the project will cost close to $19 million.

5 Ways to Make Yourself a Workplace Superstar

Being the best that you can be is simply human nature. Sometimes you do your very best but for whatever reason feel like your efforts go unnoticed. Take a second and read this article about making yourself a Workplace Superstar. Back in the day everyone always made a big deal about having gaps in your resume. I really like writers theory on why gaps of time should be left in between jobs.

At Large Candidate Sandra Anderson Groat Opens Up

I emailed Sandra and asked her two simple questions. Why shoudl someone in the 25 - 35 demo vote for you and if you were not running for At Large, who would you vote for. Her answers are below.

"Integrity and independence are timeless. I have behaved in that manner during my first term on Council. I want to be the people's Councilperson. For the most part, we all want the same things for our lives - good job, good home, a safe and healthy community, recreation opportunities for all ages and family types, and a great place to grow up, marry, and raise a family. I understand family. I have 4 stepchildren and two children (and some sons and daughters in law) in this age group. I also have a 13 year old son and 4 grandchildren from 12 to 3. I know what they want and need in their lives. And I know that I can work for those things as I have been doing this first term.

Those top things are elected officials that you can trust, economic development providing more jobs and opportunities for advancement in life, trust in the public safety in our community. Elected officials should be open and available to the public. I will work to start the news conferences that we voted on and trained for that never materialized. I am well aware of the issues of crime and gangs in our community that must be dealth with. Four of the gang related shootings were within 2 miles of my office. Unfortunately, I am afraid that this issue is something that we are Reactive to instead of being Proactive.I can ask and answer hard questions. I can take responsibility for what I say and do. I am more interested in being a good public servant than I am in political correctness. I will work to restore public trust in our elected officials and believe that this can only be done through transparency. I will hold town meetings or work in any setting to listen to the taxpayers...they are the ones paying the bills --- they are my bosses.

Finally, one good thing in being older is I have listened and learned about life on the way, and I have some wisdom. I trust my ability to make the very best decisions that I can for the good of you 25 -35 year olds. You add a lot of excitement and fun and contribute to our City in many ways. THAT IS WHY I FEEL CONFIDENT IN ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE.

Who I would vote for in the at-large race if I weren't running is a hard question. It may not yet be her time, but Marikay from Mahi's ( I can't spell her last name) seems straight forward and honest with no agenda other than public service. It is difficult to identify candidates that have true motive. I hope these answers aren't too long. VOTE FOR ME! Thanks for giving me this opportunity."

My take on the Monday Night At Large Forum. Big Surprises!!

Last nights City Council at Large forum at the downtown library was pretty interesting. I enjoyed listening to this group of candidates much more than the candidates for mayor… they were very boring.

I am simply going to be honest for a bit so try to read the entire post before you fly off the cuff. As I watched the candidates enter the room I found myself judging them by how they looked and who I felt I could relate to. It was also humorous that when I first saw Kevin Green (who I knew nothing about) I instantly thought to myself, “This guy looks like a car salesman!” His face was red, his hair was slicked back and he just looked like he was a product pusher. Marikay Abuzuaiter… I think in the running for politics rulebook it should say, “If your name is Marikay Abuzuaiter change your name before you start a campaign.” People are not going to vote for her just because they can’t pronounce/remember her name. Robby Perkins seemed to be the only guy that I got good energy from (before the forum actually started).

Once the candidates sat down (Sandra Anderson was late) they each had five minutes to talk about anything they wanted. At the end of this first segment I liked (when I say liked understand I mean the best choice of the options) Sandra Anderson, Kevin Green (Which really surprised me) and Robby Perkins. Bill Knight seems like a very nice guy but I think his inexperience is going to hurt him. After the first segment the candidates were asked a series of questions and had two minutes to answer each question. This is where I really started to question one candidate… Robby Perkins. When Robby is standing in front of a crowd he is “on” and can really deliver his message. He seems like a much more polished politician than the others when he is “on.” Let me explain what “on” means. When you are “on” you are essentially performing for the audience. When Robby was sitting down and not answer a question his body language was absolutely horrible!! He was slouching in his chair, tilting his head back and rubbing his face as if he were bored to death. At one point he winked at someone in the audience! He looked like a tool! If you are running for office you have to remember that you are being judged 100% of the time and there is no arguing that. I liked Robby’s answers but the vibe he put off when he was not answering a question really made me feel like everything he said was just an act.

I had to leave around 8 pm but was happy that I had the chance to see the candidates in person. Sandra and Kevin should have my vote unless they do something crazy between now and the election. My third vote is up in the air between Perkins and Rakestraw. Rakestraw seems on point but she seemed a little aloof. I'm not trying to be mean by saying what I am about to say but I'm sure it’s what hundreds of others have already thought to themselves. Rakestraw, needs to start asking people about her attire. The flag vest was over kill and the photo on your flyer makes you look crazy. Purple eye liner, bright red lipstick and the giant pearl necklace are all fashion nightmares!

I want to say again that Bill Knight seems like a very nice guy. If Perkins and Rakestraw end up turning me off, Knight will have a vote from me. I think his accounting background could really help some of the budget issues.

Oh and one more thing. Every candidate that I have seen speak mentions that they only manage one person, the city manager. I feel like this statement is made so that they can distance themselves from the police fiasco. I really wish that all candidates that have been in office that are currently running had to answer this question, “The one person you manage has failed the city. How does that reflect on you and if you can’t manage one person why should you be re-elected?”

PS- The guy that is doing the write in campaign for mayor was at the forum handing out cards. Is this guy joking?

Mayor Forum..... Veryyyyy Boring!

To better educate myself I went to the mayor forum last Thursday at the library in downtown Greensboro. I was actually kind of excited to attend the event and was ready to be open minded about both candidates, Johnson and Kern. Other than the five A&T students (who were there only to see how a forum is run because they are doing one of their own) I was by far the youngest in the crowd. The median age of the audience was somewhere around 62. Before the question and answer session started each candidate had 10 minutes to talk about anything they wanted. This is where I quickly new that I was in for a long night.

Let me cut to the chase. The candidates were more boring than I could have ever imagined. The one thing I did note is that Johnson looks tired. Can she really pull off being mayor?

I plan on going to the At Large session tonight at the same location... I think it starts around 6:45 pm. Hopefully this forum will not put everyone to sleep.

Someone needs to give the two candidates for mayor a little passion.

At Large Candidate Sandra Anderson Opens Up

Or not.

Two candidates for the Greensboro At Large race (Perkins and Knight) have opened up and answered two very simple questions that I asked them via email. These same two questions were sent to Sandra Anderson on October 17 and I have not received any type of response.

I have heard good things about her but not responding to an email is pathetic. Really, think this email thing. If she didn't want to answer the questions she could hit reply and simply say, "I'm not interested in answering the questions via email. Please come hear me speak at X forum on X date." That took about 5 seconds to type.

Why does she not have a Web site of any kind? If she can't respond to a simple email how will she respond to voters needs once she is in office?

UPDATE: Just got this email from Sandra and will hopefully have some answers very soon.

"Good morning. I read your blog this morning. I'm not making any excuses, but I don't remember receiving your questions. I will be happy to answer them."

At Large Candidate Bill Knight Opens Up

A week or so ago I sent Robbie Perkins an email asking him why someone in the 25 - 35 age demo should vote for him. I also asked him who he would vote for if he were not in the At Large race. I have asked the same questions to Bill Knight. It took him five days to answer the questions but is answers are below.

"1) I decided to run for City Council out of concern that our present council has its eye off the ball on the important issues of the day. I have deep business experience that the Council lacks. I understand the budget and am concerned about trends that are developing in the city’s financial picture. I want the Council to roll up its sleeves and get to work on the difficult decisions that lay ahead. I am in favor of increased attention to our economic future, but I recognize the need to balance economic growth with our ability to service growth without penalizing the citizens through increased taxes and poorer services: for example, further water restriction. I do not favor tax incentives unless they provide a win-win that no one can dispute will make Greensboro better and not burden the taxpayers. I want to see lingering unanswered questions about the Project Homestead investigation addressed. I want the city to step forward to acknowledge that the SBI investigation and Guilford Grand Jury found no fault with former police Chief David Wray. I want to lead efforts to restore his good name so he can get on with his life and find meaningful employment elsewhere. I want another city manager. I have no conflicts of interest that will compromise my ability to serve, and I refused the endorsement or financial support of all special interest groups.

2) If I were not running I would be inclined to vote for Mary Rakestraw, Marikay A., and Sandra Groat. Mary is politically savvy; Marikay owns a small business and is passionate about our water situation; and If Sandra continues to distance herself from the current Council I think she can be an effective voice for responsible government, even though she is a sitting member. Everyone wants a wholesale change in city government; if I were not running, Mary, Marikay, and possibly Sandra offer the best chance for a real change."

The Latest Milton Kern for Mayor Email

Dear Friend of the Milton Kern for Mayor Committee:

Greensboro’s future is at stake. As a community, we are at a crossroads. The decisions we make today will impact our community for many years to come. I want to be your next mayor who uses common sense solutions to get things done.

I am a businessman, not a career politician. As mayor, I will have an open door policy, and will not support decisions that affect all of us being made behind closed doors without accountability. I will fight for open, efficient and responsive government. The mayor and city council are all employees of the citizens of Greensboro, and must be responsive to their bosses – the taxpayers.

As mayor, I will provide our police and fire departments with the resources and support they need to protect our communities. Just as important, I will make sure that the police department is free of discrimination and corruption, so that you can trust the police to act with professionalism and respect.

I know that economic development comes from taking action, not accepting politics as usual. I’ll work to attract new businesses and to make sure that existing businesses have the support they need to succeed.

With your vote on Tuesday, November 6th, you will join me as we continue to move Greensboro forward in the right direction when it comes to:

-Efficient and open government.
-Retaining and attracting quality jobs,
-Providing our police and fire departments the resources and support they need to protect our communities.

Together we will keep Greensboro moving forward with common sense solutions to get things done. Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,
Candidate for Mayor
City of Greensboro

Milton Kern for Mayor Headlines – October 18, 2007:

Early Voting Starts Today
Early voting starts today, Thursday, October 18th and runs through Saturday, November 3rd. If you or someone you know is not registered to vote, they can do so at any of the Early Voting sites and vote on that same day. However, same-day registration ends November 3rd and will not be available on Tuesday, November 6th. Follow the link below to the Guilford County Board of Elections website for more information. Every vote will be crucial in this year’s election!
Early Voting Information

Kern Kanvass This Weekend
Join us this Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st as we canvass precincts G32, G33 and G34. We will meet at Claxton Elementary (Pinetop Road off Westridge near Bryan Boulevard) on Saturday at 9:30am, and at Westminster Presbyterian Church (W. Friendly near Holden Road) on Sunday at 1pm. The more volunteers who join us, the more doors we knock on and voters we reach. Join us and bring along 1 or 2 friends and family members. We’ll have all the information you’ll need, and it will be a very simple process. If you have any questions, feel free to send us an email at info@miltonkernformayor.com.

Mayoral Forum Tonight – Join Us and Let Your Voice be Heard
The Greensboro Neighborhood Congress is hosting a mayoral forum tonight, Thursday, October 18th starting at 6:45pm in the Nussbaum Room of the Central Library in downtown Greensboro. Hear from Milton Kern and bring your questions for both candidates to answer so you can make an informed decision on November 6th. Find out where the candidates stand on protecting our neighborhoods and quality of life, growing our economy, getting more water flowing to Greensboro, bringing more accountability to local government, and being more responsible with our taxpayer dollars.

Rudy Giuliani Asks "What Experience Does Hillary Have?"

I just saw this excerpt over at Drudge.

Excerpt from Mayor Giuliani's interview that airs tonight on FOXNEWS's Hannity & Colmes at 9PM ET:R. GIULIANI:

"Honestly, in most respects, I don't know Hillary's experience. She's never run a city, she's never run a state. She's never run a business. She has never met a payroll. She has never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people.

"So I'm trying to figure out where the experience is here. It would seem to me that in a time of difficult problems and war we don't want on the job training for an executive. The reality is that these areas in which - maybe there are some areas in which she has
experience but the areas of having the responsibility of the safety and security of millions of people on your shoulders is not something Hillary has ever had any experience with."

She can easily turn this around. While Bill was president she got first hand experience and met leaders from all over the world. This might not seem like much... but it is enough to sweep Rudy's comments under the table.

Harry Potter Writer JK Rolling Shows Some Boob

From The Sun,

"She needed more than a magic wand to cover her blushes after a journalist pointed out her dress had slipped down, revealing her underwear.

She gasped: “Oh gosh! Thank you for that.

"You can have any questions you like answered now.” JK was launching her Open Book Tour at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre. "

What a nasty looking bra! You can get the video here.

At Large Candidate Robbie Perkins Opens Up

After a recent post prompted several people to comment, I made this post. Of course the individuals that commented on the first post had nothing to say about how to get people to vote. Yesterday I decided to email Robbie Perkins, a guy that I know absolutely nothing about, and ask him why individuals in the 25 – 35 demo should vote for him. I also asked him that if he were not in the At Large race who he would vote for. His response can be read below.

"I was elected to City Council in 1993 as a 39 year old business person and served until 2005. During that time, I spearheaded the following efforts:

1. Scenic Corridors for NC 68 and the Outer Loop.

2. Conceived of and implemented the Heart of the Triad project, working with two counties and five cities to create jobs at the center of our region.

3. Continually advocated for higher development standards, maintaining that we needed to have functional, well designed projects in our city.

4. Supported revutilization of downtown Greensboro.

5. Attempted to put a historic designation in place in Westerwood, which was defeated by a 5 to 4 vote of Council. We were able, however, to eliminate many of the high density residential uses within the neighborhood that were causing it to deteriorate.

I can work with the other members of Council to make things happen in our community. I would greatly appreciate your voteIf I only had two votes to cast in this election for at large candidates, they would be for Kevin Green and Sandra Anderson.

Robbie Perkins"

I appreciated the prompt response but have responded to Robbie’s email with the following, “That is what you did. What do you plan on doing.” I am personally interested in what is being done to bring jobs to Greensboro, NC. I also have a separate question about downtown businesses. Does the city review business plans or can anyone just start a business? This may be a dumb question but with so many random businesses opening like the popcorn store, I am curious to know if the city has any type of standards that businesses must meet. The short leg of Elm St btwn Washington St and Natty's now has six retail spaces open. It would be great to see national retail outlets targeted and turn this portion of Elm into "Retail Row."

UPDATE: Additional response from Robbie Perkins below.

"- Continue with regional planning and the Heart of the Triad effort.
- Regain public trust in City hall and the police department
- Strongly support downtown revitalization
- Actively recruit business and industry to the city.
- Create a more business friendly attitude in Greensboro
- Work on development standards that provide incentives for higher quality development.
- Finish the Randleman Dam
- Work to insure that our transportation needs are met in the future."

Breaking News About OJ Simpson

Looks like the case against the Juice is heating up... but then again, he did beat a murder wrap and the evidence was overwhelming!

Read the news from our friends at TMZ.

National Political Ads to Reach $3 billion

To the local politicians that feel the pain of raising a few grand… national political television advertising is expected to reach $3 billion. Read the story here.

Isn't it crazy that it takes that much money to influence (brain wash) the American people?

Cancer Death # Decreases... Don't Forget About Aids

It is great to read that deaths related to cancer are starting to drop. I wish the same news could be said about AIDS on a world wide level.

Tell Others Why They Should Vote

Yesterday I posted this blog that got a few folks fired up. I went back to Ed Cone's original post that prompted my blog entry and saw the following comment from Joe,

"I know a whole lot of people who aren't happy with the state of things in Greensboro, but who've told me they didn't vote yesterday and probably won't vote in November because it won't make any difference, all politicians are alike, nothing's going to change, etc. I don't agree with them, but I'm finding it hard to make any headway against the apathy."

I think this is a very good point. Do you think people don't vote because they don't care or because they feel nothing will change? Feel free to bring up that we "owe it to our veterans" to vote but please understand that the statement doesn't offer most folks much motivation. In no way do I disagree with the statement so don't say that I do.

If you are going to comment, your comment should only offer a suggestion on how to get people to vote... both young and old. On a local level, how do you get a person to vote for something that has appeared to be a joke for so long? I would be very interested to hear what Sandy Carmany has to say to these questions (not because I don't like her but because she seems to be very open).

PS- I will be voting in November.

One of The Jenna 6... Back in Jail

One of the Jenna 6 kids is back in jail for a crime he previously commited. Will people rally behind him again this time for breaking the law before the 6 became national news? Check out the article here.

I truly hate the race game.

Don't be Pissed Because I Didn't Vote!! This is a Must Read!

This entry is in regards to local politics in Greensboro, NC.

The following is from Ed Cones blog,

"You couldn't take 3 minutes out of your life?" Greg Woodard reflects on his defeat in a City Council primary that drew 7% of voters: "What is up Greensboro? I just don't understand."

I will honestly say that I did not vote and I couldn’t tell you the first thing about Greg Woodard. Yes I will vote in November but time was against me yesterday. I would love to know the median age of the individuals that did vote yesterday. Does the 7% turnout reflect negatively against the Greensboro community or against the individuals running for office? I am almost inclined to say it reflects worse against the folks running.

I am 28, live and work in downtown Greensboro, get my news online and really have no connect with the local political community. How did Greg Woodard try to reach me? How did the other candidates try to reach me with their message? I remember seeing a female on a billboard (maybe Sandra?) and that is about it. I saw Milton Kern’s Web site only because I was sent a link on MySpace. Do you really think I am going to vote for you because I saw your billboard? Please do not insult my intelligence by making that assumption. The local campaign has the same problem that the News & Record has! What? They care too much about the older generation and don’t worry about targeting the younger generations. How many candidates have a Facebook account? The Greensboro directory in Facebook has 28,000 members and I am sure MySpace has even more than that.

If you lost I’m sorry but don’t get high and mighty because people didn’t vote. You should have created an email campaign, sent me a mailer or done something outside the box to get my attention. It cost $400 to advertise in the downtown magazine 99 Block’s, you could have taken out a two page ad for less than a grand telling me how great you are (for the at large candidates). Did you do that?

What do I, a successful 28 year old care about? The minimum wage not getting drastically increased, what are you doing to create local jobs so I don’t have to move, what are you doing so hundreds of thousands of dollars is not being wasted on this police department crap, who is getting fired for letting the police department have the issues it has?

It is to bad that Greg Woodard waited until after the election to get me fired up about something.

Does Congress Consider NASCAR to be Hazardous?

It seems as though Congress thinks NASCAR fans are like a pack of wild animals. If you are going to the race this weekend this story should make you feel great about your health.

First Madonna Scores $100 Million... Now its Heather Mills Turn

First it was Madonna, now Heather Mills (Paul McCartney's ex) can collect a pay check for more than $100 million. Check out the story here.

Two news stories in one day about people receiving more than $100 million has made me feel very poor.

How Madonna Just Made More than $100 Million

From outrageous music videos, to nude photos, to kissing Britney Spears... Madonna has done it all (don't forget Dennis Rodman). Now she is leaving her long time music label, Warner Brothers Records, and will be joining Live Nation. The venture will pay her more than $100 million! This is a move that will likely start to change the landscape of the music industry. Read the full article here.

Republicans...

I know you may have completely forgotten that there is a very talented group of Republicans running for president so I wanted to make sure you stay up to date on the latest debate.

Get the info here.

Is it just me or is everything Hillary Hillary Hillary? I almost feel like people are going to start saying, "You mean there are other candidates?"

Top 10 Web sites Visited by College Men & Women

Anderson Analytics has just released a research report which names the top 10 most visited sites by college students by gender. Check out the results below.

MySpace vs Facebook

Facebook is all the rage these days. I have tooled around on both sites and prefer the simplicity of Facebook. I don't log in on a daily basis but when I do log in I like that there are not 20 messages telling me how to make my penis larger or some girl name Candy wanting to be my "friend." MySpace has turned into flashy front page ads and lots of porn. It is so yesterday.

Yes MySpace will probably make $1 billion there first fiscal year... but that might just be their downfall. Check out this USA Today article about MySpace and Facebook.

This could be really good.

This could be really good if you like the hip a d hop.

Water Restrictions... Who Cares?

I think it's safe to say that most people typically disregard water restrictions. This story from WGHP certainly got my attention when I read "If the current drought continues, Greensboro could run out of water by February." Now surely we will get some rain and the drought issue will go away, but what if we don't? When do we stop watering plants? Do you even care about the drought?

Will New York Lose Another Icon?

By no means am I a sports fanatic but this story really stood out to me. It's about the Yankees manager Joe Torre. Basically the team hasn't done that great and someone in upper management said if they didn't win the division title (I think) then Torre was out as manager. I personally think a statement like that makes a person second guess their first instinct and can hamper performance.

Anyway, the Yankees lost last night and New York might have also lost Joe Torre, a man that has brought New York City some of its greatest high's during its darkets lows.

Read The New York Times story here.

Greensboro Resident Runs the Chicago Marathon

When I received an email from a friend who was running the Chicago Marathon I was very excited to read about their experience. I was shocked when I read that the race had been called off around the 4 hour mark due to the heat. One person even died. CNN does a good job explaining the ordeal.

The friend that did the event is also a member of Greensboro's Southside Running Club. If you are a runner, check out the Web site. And no you do not have to live in Southside to be a member. And no you do not have to pay a fee to join.

Google gPhone

Will Google be taking over the world one cell phone at a time. Read this and you be the judge.

Rosie O'Donnell: Barbara Walters fired me from 'The View'

Check out the following from the New York Daily News on Rosie O'Donnell:

"Barbara Walters' ears must have been burning Wednesday night.That's when Rosie O'Donnell mounted the stage at Roseanne Barr 's invitation during her late-night set at Comix on W. 14th.Rosie started off by saying, "When I was fired by Barbara Walters" -the first time she didn't stick to "The View's" spin that her departure from the show was by mutual agreement."

Click here to read what Rosie said about "couchmates wearing earpieces."

Rim- Tapas and Fine Wine

Rim 219-A S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 27401 Telephone: (336) 230-2055

From the outside looking in the new tapas restaurant in downtown Greensboro, Rim, doesn’t look very exciting. All you can see is one sitting area (VIP) and the kitchen. Once you make your way inside there is a very long hall that leads you to a very surprising atmosphere. The dining area is very modern and at first I felt like I was walking into a trendy New York restaurant. Oh and if you give them a visit, make sure you scope out the sculpture of the naked female coming out of the waterfall…

So yes the place looks very nice and the service was better than other wine bars in the area but I just do not dig the tapas ordering style. I felt as though the individual food items were overpriced and the amount of food you get is very small (Twelve bucks or some for two scallops). The one thing Solaris does that Rim doesn’t is they give customers the option to get a full meal rather than the tapas portion. Rim should consider doing the same.

You should at least give it a try because you might enjoy the experience. I liked the atmosphere and the conversation but at the end of the night $50 had been spent and I was still hungry. The only design flaw that really stood out was the flat screen TV’s on the walls. The owner of Rim also dreamed up Bar Fry (same location) that was open for about 6 hour’s total. I have to imagine that the owner had the TV’s left over from Bar Fry and didn’t want them to go to waste so he left them on the wall. A DVD loop of pictures plays on the TV’s (5 or 6 of them)… it is very random and takes away from the atmosphere.

If you want to go somewhere for just drinks I think Rim is definitely on point for that. If you are going to eat, you better bring some snacks from home to make sure your hunger is satisfied.

Office Ultimate 07 for $59.95

Microsoft has launched www.theultimatesteal.com where anyone with a college email address can get Office Ultimate 07 for $59.95. Al you need is a college email address.

Items included in the Ultimate package:

Access 2007
Accounting Express 2007
Excel 2007
InfoPath 2007
Groove 2007
OneNote 2007
Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager
PowerPoint 2007
Publisher 2007
Word 2007

Check out the site, this is not a joke.

Clinton Has a 33 Point Lead

You might hate her and hope that she doesn't get elected as president, but Hillary Clinton is certainly a force to be reckoned with. This story has her 33 points ahead of Obama!

Which Republican could beat her? Does anyone even stand a chance at beating a Democrat this year? The current situation is so bad that I think people just want to see something different.

Thoughts?

Popcorn Business... No I'm Serious

I know you have seen the articles that bring up the fact that certain businesses in downtown Greensboro have had to shut down due to lack of business. These articles always bother me because they are very one-sided. The one that sticks out in my head was of course printed by the lovely folks at the News & Record.

No one ever brings up the qualifications of the person running the business… or the business concept. Did you know a popcorn store is opening in downtown Greensboro (in the strip across from McCoul’s)? Does that make you shake your head? When is the last time you were heading down Elm St. and said, “I sure would like to have some popcorn?” Let’s imagine that the rent on this space is $2,000 (which is very low) and the average tub/bag of popcorn is $5. That means they have to sell 400 bags of popcorn each month just to break even! I wish the business owner the best of luck... but man, they better be putting something great into their popcorn.

I think going forward city officials really need to take a closer look at the businesses that go into downtown.

Are men happier than women?

Did you ever imagine that men would be happier than women? Women always seem to be so chipper but it appears to be a cover up. Why do they do that? Wouldn't you be happier if you just let loose and showed your feelings? After all, women are supposed to be the feeling experts. Click the image below for some stats on the subject.

Mayor Race

Is it pathetic that I have no clue as to what the candidates for the upcoming Greensboro election (mayor) stand for? Milton Kern is the only name I can even think of

Do you?

Should I even care?

I do know that I emailed the person taking care of Milton Kern’s blog and informed them of multiple spelling/grammar errors. By no means am I grammatical genius but when you are staging a campaign, you should at least get things like spelling and grammar triple checked. The site still has some of the errors. For example, if you are running for mayor, the M in mayor should not be capitalized. You only capitalize a title if it is directly before the person’s name. Ex. President Bush vs. the president said…

Daily News

Did you ever think a little Web site called MySpace would allow teenagers to make millions? Check out this story.

Copy cat- Nooses have been found hanging from a tree at Andrews High School. Watch this Fox 8 report.

What do you think about WFMY's news DigTriad.com project? It is really great that they are stepping out and trying to do more with the Web, but should they not have just converted WFMYNews2.com?