Monday, May 31, 2010

Israel will now keep at least one nuclear-armed SSGN off the coast of Iran at all times.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7140282.ece

Cumberland Island gets good press from AOL.com.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-30/story/aolcom-ranks-cumberland-islands-secret-beach-nations-top-10

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 117

Subj: Desperately need your help




Desperately need your help

As a rule, I don't pass along these "add your name" lists that appear in

emails, BUT this one is important. It has been circulating for months

and has been sent to over 25 million people. We don't want to lose any

names on the list so just hit forward and send it on.

Please keep it going!


To show your support for President Obama please go to the end of the

list and add your name.



1. Michelle Obama.

2.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Councilman Sidney Howell reportedly loses it, goes off on wife's political opponent, police called.

This just in from a previously reliable source:

Reportedly, earlier today, at a St. Marys business, St. Marys City Councilman, Sidney Howell, upon spotting one of State Rep. Cecily Hill's yard signs in front of the business, yanked it up, replaced it with a Rindy Howell (his wife) campaign sign, then stormed into the business demanding of the owner the name of the person who put the Hill sign there.  Unfortunately, the owner gave him the name of the female Hill campaign worker.

Apparently, Councilman Howell knew where the woman lived. Reportedly, he immediately drove over to the woman's house and summoned her to her front door. There, he reportedly reverted to his old boozing, union thug persona and put a protracted and serious cussing on the woman.

Reportedly, when he refused the woman's instructions to leave her property, she called 911. The St. Marys police department responded, made Howell leave, and filed a report.

Reportedly, during his tirade, he told the woman that he would use his authority as a councilman to have city employees remove all Hill campaign signs from St. Marys.

Looking back on the Bird / Stanford episode at the airport, it now appears that Bird and Howell are more perfectly matched council bookends than I ever realized.

Sidney is normally a very pleasant, laid-back guy, actually. I have no clue what set him off.

St. Marys appoints new city attorney at special called meeting.

This afternoon around 4:00 the city council appointed Gary Moore, an attorney from Brunswick, as the new city attorney. Mr. Moore has served for years as the city attrney for Darien and will continue to do so. Their meetings are on different  nights than St. Marys.

Mr. Moore was the council's unanimous choice from a half dozen qualified applicants.

Camden missed out on a $100 million industry for lack of a large-enough industrial park.

In today's T&G, JDA Executive Director David Keating reveals that early on in his tenure here, he was approached by an industry wanting to build a $100 million plant here. The problem was we did not have a shovel ready site for the 1 million-square-foot facitilty they needed to build.

David is now proposing that the JDA acquire an additional 325 acre site with I-95 frontage. The largest parcel left in the industrial park is just 30 acres.

As I've stated before, my opinion is that David is a straight shooting, competent, hard worker and the first JDA director we've had who actually earns his paycheck. Were I on the county commission, my inclination would be to work with him to see how we could accomplish this acquisition. SPLOST immediately comes to mind.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

K-B Grille: Worth turning around for.

The K-B Grille is on the west side of Kings Bay Road, just across the road from Osaka's.

I finally made it there today. I say that because at least a half-dozen times, I've already passed the turn lane for it by the time I think about it. But today, I was actually headed someplace else when I thought about it and made a special trip. Glad I did.

It was the first time I had EVER been in anything in that little strip shopping area. The place is immaculately clean and has plenty of space to get around in my wheelchair. It has a nice bistro ambiance. It is essentially a soup and high quality sandwich operation, but they do breakfast as well.

I had the hungries for a good burger and fries. They use black angus beef. It came out char broiled with distinct, deep, char cross-hatching and a really good flavor. Good bun and nice lettuce and tomato. I was not too crazy about having to put on my own mayonnaise, but at least you can control how much. It was the best burger I've had in years. The fries were exceptional. They were the old-style, crinkle cuts from whole potatoes - not molded mashed potatoes. Clearly, the cook knew that the secret is fresh grease at exactly the right temperature and putting still hard frozen fries straight from the freezer into the grease. They were the most perfectly prepared and delicious fries I've had in years. Expect to pay maybe a dollar more than what you would pay at McDonalds or Burger King, but no comparison on the quality and preparation. Well worth it. Appears to be a family owned-operated restaurant.

I told them how much I enjoyed it and that I was going to write this review. When you go, tell them I sent you.

Let's hope that our JDA director can obtain a list of "Chambless Partner's" national competitors.

Read the article and you will see what I mean.

http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2010-05-27/supply-companys-new-savannah-warehouse-allows-it-expand-next-day-shipping

Follow-up:

Just after I posted this this morning, I sent an e-mail with a link to David Keating, Executive Dorector, Camden County Joint Developement Authority, suggesting that there might be a list somewhere of people in the business of locating sites for industry. I thought y'all might be intereswted in his prompt response:


Jay, thanks for thinking of us. Camden County is just as well suited, if not better suited, than Savannah for distribution businesses such as the one mentioned in the article. Like Savannah, we enjoy extensive access along I-95, which provides north/south linkages up and down the east coast. Like Savannah, we enjoy close proximity to excellent east/west linkages (in our case, via Interstate 10 just thirty minutes to the south). We have access to a bigger and better airport than Savannah (Jacksonville International) with more flights connecting to more markets; all within a 20 minute drive. And, we have access to a larger market than Savannah. Within a one-hour drive of Camden County are more than 1.25 million residents. That is the largest market anywhere in Georgia outside of metro-Atlanta. Why? Because the biggest border city to the State of Georgia is located next door – Jacksonville. Savannah does have a tremendous seaport, and we aren’t capitalizing on commercial application of our maritime assets (yet), but we have many assets they can’t replicate. We are home to the only Navy base in Georgia; we are home to more nuclear expertise than anywhere else in Georgia; and four of the largest international defense contractors have operations here. We are working hard to tell the Camden story and let the outside world know about the incredible assets of this community.



Regarding your suggestion, Georgia Tech performed an economic assessment study of Camden County in 2005. We recently had a follow-up meeting with the study director and are discussing a database search to identify specific companies to target in response to the opportunities presented in the report.

World events impacting Georgia's recovery.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-27/story/world-events-may-impair-georgias-recovery

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Close call for Cojack!

About 10:15 this morning, I was out taking CJ for his daily walk around around the neighborhood.
As we approached one house, I saw a little girl about 4 o 5 out playing on the lawn. When she saw CJ, she began smiling and waving. Kids love him and vice versa. As we got closer, she opened the front door to her house.

Out charged a large dog that looked to me like a cross between a boxer and a pit bull. He outweighed CJ by better than 2 to 1. I could tell by the dog's posture that trouble was imminent.

I quickly pulled CJ in and jerked him up into my lap just as the other dog got to us. Without hesitation, the dog went for CJ. They were muzzle to muzzle with teeth bared. I yelled at the dog and put my left hand in between their faces.

At that time, the woman of the house ran out and pulled her dog off. She was of course apologizing profusely. I told her it was okay, put CJ back on the ground, and rolled on.

Then I noticed the blood on my left hand. My first thought was to examine C J for any injury. He was fine and acting like nothing had happened. That's when I realized that my left thumb was punctured in two places.

I rolled back to the curb in front of the woman's house and called until she came out.  She assured me that the dog had his rabies shot. She offered to go get the records, but I told her I would take her word for it.
She got some of those pre-moistened wipes and a band-aid and I got cleaned up and bandaged. I don't think there was any real negligence. In truth, I think that the little girl probably innocently let the dog out to show it to me or to have it "play" with my dog.

The mother said the dog was a pound dog that the pound said was part boxer and part collie. I think the pound hides pit bull genes to improve the chances of adoption. It sure looked like boxer and pit bull to me - and acted like it.

I'm obviouslyy going to have to start carrying some protection on our walks. I'm debating whether to go with a taser or pepper spray. I personally woud like to see the pit bull breed spayed and neutered to extinction.

Chatham County Commission stands up to green eco-weenies and tells them to pay for their own recycling obsessions.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-05-25/chatham-proposal-leaves-recycling-private-providers

Before you head to Tybee Island, you might want to read this - especially the comments.

http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2010-05-24/tybee-police-apologetic-injuries-incurred-tased-autistic-teen

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pro-forma county budget hearing tomorrow night.

http://www.co.camden.ga.us/CurrentEvents.aspx?EID=554

Save your gas. The budget is a done deal, as always. I'll be seeing what Royal Weaver has to say instead.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Turns out that the Gulf oil spill is Dick Cheney's fault.

http://www.alexkearns.com/2010/05/devastation.html

Tea Party taps Weaver to speak Tuesday when original speaker begs off at the last minute.

Camden County Tea Party

Saint Simons Island, GA

Reply »
Report Abuse
Judge it!
#1

1 hr ago The next Tea Party meeting is this Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at the Camden County Annex Building starting at 6pm.

Originally, we confirmed Republican candidate for Attorney General, Max Wood, to speak but he had to cancel yesterday. He has a debate the following day in North GA and the drive was too much. Good luck Max!

Guest Speakers:

Libertarian Candidate for GA Governor, John Monds for the first hour.

Then, candidate for District 4 for Camden County Commissioner, Royal Weaver, will speak the second hour.

Come and speak with your candidates.

Next Tea Party meeting is June 1st..Speaker to be announced.

St. Marys City Council meeting tomorow night.

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/agendas/2010/5%2024%2010%20Amended%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Agenda%20(2).pdf

Council packet:

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/council/2010/5.24.10%20Amended%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf

What went on in the allegedly unlawful executive session last week is addressed in the above council packet.

Have you seen my campaign blog?

http://jayforfourforfourormore.blogspot.com/

Sunday Funnies; Volume 116

PONDERISMS


I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

Life is sexually transmitted.

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

The only difference between a groove and a grave is the depth.

Health freaks are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal

How is it one careless match can start a bushfire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'

Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there? I'm going to eat the next thing that comes out of its arse. '

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Brantley County Airport improvements delayed.

CountyCommission Chairman Ron Ham said the delay has had little effect on the county's bid to lure new industry.


"I don't think it has hurt," he said. "I think the companies that are interested in coming here see us working to lengthen and light the runway. It is an asset that is critical to the development authority's effort to bring jobs to Brantley County."

Gibson said the improved airport should have a very positive effect on the economic health of the rural county.

"It will be a 24/7 facility and won't shut down at night like it used to," she said. "It will be a facility that will be more useful to more airplanes more of the time. We are hoping for an economic impact that will be significant and will ... improve our tax base."

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-22/story/brantley-county-airport-still-closed-waiting-new-contractor-complete

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Next St. Marys city elections will likely be by plurality.

I hear that Gordon Jackson will come out tomorrow or Saturday with the details in the GTU, but, as  I understand it, the city did not get approval from the Voting Rights Division of the DOJ in time to put switching to majority on the ballot.

5/21 Update:

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-20/story/st-marys-change-elections-majority-will-not-be-july-ballot

Report on the Washington fly-in.

I just got back from this morning's report on the Washington fly-in. It was held at the county annex and hosted by the Camden County Chamber of Commerce. It was chaired by Christine Daniels, the chamber director. Presenters were Chris, Sheila McNeil,  and Dr. Will Hardin.

Other attendees were Herb Rowland and Jimmy Coffel from the school board, Commissioner Zell, Councilman John Morrisssey, Councilman Keith Post, Councilman Clarence Knight, the local Navy and Coast Guard CO's,  Doug Cooper, Marty Klump, County Administrator Steve Howard, Adam Kabasakalian, Walt Natzic,  and others.

It was quite interesting and informative. Those folks do a great job representing our local interests before our elected officials in Washington.

Community rallies to aid ailing Realtor.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-19/story/community-rallies-help-st-marys-woman

Note activities you can attend -one later today.

Mornings at St. Marys Hardees are likely to be even busier now.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/401026/terry-dickson/2010-05-20/many-agree-her-biscuits-are-best-theyve-had

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

No Conflict Bird continues efforts to torpedo airport move via GTU.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-19/story/st-marys-officials-say-airport-documents-are-inaccurate

Royal Weaver unveils colorful website with long list of calculated, campaign-oriented memberships.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~royalgull/

So far, it would appear that Royal has a lot of military leadership and NEC (MOS for non-Navy types)-specific technical training, but no formal higher education beyond high school. Perhaps he will reveal it, if any, in later additions to the website. While I will leave it to the voters to evaluate his statement "I won't always be the smartest person in the room,...,"* I will say that based upon my personal observations and interactions with him, he will almost certainly be the most compulsively gregarious person in the room, in a sort of oddly manic, "aggressively friendly" kind of way.

Let me suggest the following exercise which I just completed. Go to Royal's website. Start at the top of the
red column on the left. One-at-a-time, read each and every one of the touted memberships and activities.
After each one, ask yourself how that has actually benefitted you as a citizen-taxpayer as opposed to merely methodically building a contrived political resume in anticipation of this candidacy. Then ask yourself how you imagine that each one has better quailfied Royal to add county commissioner to his list of activities in lieu of an actual job. So far as I can tell, the only one is the Camden Citizen's Academy. I'll "graduate" from that about a week after the November election, by the way.


* By the pure luck of the genetic draw, I, on the other hand, with an IQ just 4 points shy of the recognized threshold for "genius" and a Naval GCT score of 140 more often than not am "the smartest person in the room." I hope that the voters will allow me to put that gift to work for them.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Sunday Funnies; Volume 115

DO YOU SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH?




These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges we re actually taking place.





ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?

=0 D WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'

ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?

WITNESS: My name is Susan!

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?

WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?

WITNESS: No, I just lie there.

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?

WITNESS: I forget.

ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?

___________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?

WITNESS: We both do.

ATTORNEY: Voodoo?

WITNESS: We do.

ATTORNEY: You do?

WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?

WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?

____________________________________



ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?

WITNESS: He's twenty, much like your IQ.

___________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?

WITNESS: Are you sh---ing me?

_________________________________________



ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?

WITNESS: Getting laid.

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: How many were boys?

WITNESS: None.

ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?

W ITNESS: Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?

WITNESS: By death.

ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?

WITNESS: Take a guess.

__________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?

WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.

ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?

WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.

_____________________________________



ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?

WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work ..

______________________________________



ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?

WITNESS: All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight.

_________________________________________



ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?

WITNESS: Oral.

_________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?

WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.

ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?

WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished.

____________________________________________



ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?

WITNESS: Are you qualified to ask that question?

______________________________________



And the best for last:



ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?

WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?

WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

Hunter Field turns 70 this week.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-05-16/hunter-airfield-marks-70th-anniversary-week

Charlie Smith advocaets use of dollar coins.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-15/story/st-marys-lawyer-coin-replacement-1-bills-can-save-us-money

Come to think of it, even though I remember them coming out, I've never actually seen one. One practical problem for merchants is that there is no designated place for them in the cash drawers of any existing cash registers. That's largely why $2.00 bills were a flop.

Camden teen dies tragically in freak accident during baseball game in Jax.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-05-15/story/georgia-teen-dies-freak-accident-during-baseball-game-north-jacksonville

My condolences to the family, his team mates,and friends.

http://jacksonville.com/dana-treen/2010-05-16/story/baseball-player-who-died-saturday-was-good-kid-always-helped-others

Thursday, May 13, 2010

When white trash Thuggies attack!

Well, I guess the campaign has well and truly started. I was attacked in Aunt B's just a few minutes ago.

A few weeks ago, on a shopping trip to Sam's in Jax, I picked up a new bottle of a really delicious spaghehtti seasoning mix I've been using for years. Tone's makes it. On a whim, I picked up an extra bottle for my friends at Aunt B's. The next time I made a batch, I took some down to Aunt B's for the ladies to sample.

Now, before I go any further, you should know that there is a sign (an 8.5 X 11 laminated sheet of paper) on the back of my wheelchair that reads "Hello, You're following Jay Moreno, candidate for county commissioner, District 4 (St. Marys)." Moreover, on my shirt, I have the green badge I posted on here the other day.

So, I'm going through the buffet line. There is no one behind me as I start.  When I saw the spaghetti sauce, I dipped up a ladle full and canted the ladle towards me to see if it had the easily recognizable seasoning in it. When I saw that it did not, I put the ladle back down into the spaghetti sauce. The bowl of the ladle was never more than an inch from the surface of the sauce and squarely in the middle of the pan. 

I moved a few inches forward and was in the process of dipping up another entree when a bleached blonde who had appeared behind me said in a loud voice to one of the employees behind the steam table, "Could you get me some fresh spaghetti sauce? People have been playing in this and contaminated it."

When I turned, the woman was smirking at me. I asked, "M'am, you're not talking about me, are you?"
"Of course I am. You were playing with the sauce and you had your nasty hand over it!" she bellowed.
I said, ""You're not from here, are you." "Of course, I am. Why?" "Oh, you're just surprisingly nasty and obnoxious to be from here."

Up to that second, it had just not clicked what in the world this woman's problem could be. Then it hit me.

"Oh, I get it, my name is on the back of the chair and you're a political enemy. What a vile piece of white trash you are!" At that point, realizing her true objective, I turned my back on her and finished getting my food. She went back to her table. That was the end of it.

Later, someone who observed the attack was kind enough to tell me that the vile scum works as the office manager at the new location of Enterprise Car Rental where A&W used to be. I suspect that rather than being an ardent backer of anyone in this race, this is probably a smoldering Bill Smith Thuggie. Anyone know who this 40'ish, chubby, bleached-blonde trash is?

Follow up: About 3:30, I was back out and about. I turned off of Hwy 40 and went into that pet store in front of the Walmart center to purchase another bottle of a special shampoo for Cojack. When I exited their lot in front of the gas station, I hung a left heading to Walmart. As I passed the back end of the new Enterprise car rental location, there the trashy broad was, standing out back smoking a cigarette. She looked quite shocked when I eye-balled her as I drove past. What scum!

Movie making on the cheap in St. Marys.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-12/story/st-marys-shows-hospitality-hurricane-filmmakers

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Tuition hikes coming to Georgia's state colleges.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-11/story/tuition-hike-coming-georgia-state-colleges

This just in: MORENO GOES GREEN!!

Click on image to enlarge.

Have you visited my campaign blog?

http://www.jayforfourforfourormore.blogspot.com/

City council votes to increase St. Marys water/sewer rates.

At last nights meeting, after a very informative and well done PowerPoint presentation by Councilman Chuck Trader and a seemingly interminable bout of poliitcal grandstanding by Councilman Bird, all but Bird voted in favor of a 35% increase in water/sewer rates. Additionally, apartment complexes will now be charged $10.00 per month per apartment in addition to the actual usage charged to the complex as a whole.

This was necessitated by a shortfall in the revenues from the water/sewer enterprise fund with regards to servicing the $43,000,000 bond issue to build the new sewage treatment plant completed recently. To provide the necessary additional funds by no other means than a rate increase would have required a 65% increase. However, by using a combination of $1.2 million of SPLOST funds and a half-million from the general fund balance, the Water / Sewer Committee - with the lion's share of the work being done by Chuck Trader - was able to hold it down to 35%.

Council has promised to revisit the rates fairly often to see if future increases in housing starts will allow for ongoing incremental reductions in the rate.

The alcohol ordinance was postponed.

The newly revised tree ordinance was passed as part of the consent agenda.

Council turned down a request from Camden House for a $6,000 donation - at least until such time as they come back at a later meeting with a budget for Camden House.

A Mr. Joe Rowell addressed council about some serious problems in his neighborhood. He lives down at the end of the street that runs alongside the Sonic restaurant. As I understood it, he has an ongoing problem with drunks trespassing across the posted lot at the end of that street on beer runs to Harveys Supermarket. Moreover, he says that local teens have taken to not only playing their music way too loud as they "cruise" through the Sonic parking lot, but have lately taken to meeting up there to have drag races on Spur 40, starting in front of Sonics. He complains of not only little if any police presence but actually being harassed on one occaission by a repsonding SMPD officer. Council and the city manager were obviously surprised and shocked by the info Mr. Rowell gave them.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Updated shedule of CCBOC meetings.

All,


Below you will find the updated meeting schedule for the Month of May and June 2010 regarding the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget:

• May 18, 2010, 5:00 PM - Solid Waste Authority Meeting

• May 18, 2010 Regular Meeting, 6:00 PM - FY 2011 Budget will be presented under Presentations

• June 1, 2010 Public Hearing, 5:30 PM - Receive comments from the Public regarding the FY 2011 Budget

(prior to the Regular Meeting)

• June 1, 2010 Regular Meeting, 6:00 PM - FY 2011 Budget will be voted upon under Regular Agenda Items

If you have any questions regarding this schedule you may contact me at the information below and I will do my best to assist you.

Your opinion counts! Please take our Customer Service Survey.

Katie Bishop

County Clerk

I'm guessing that Thomas Green Casey, III would not vote for me even if he did live in District 4.

"I hope you choke on your Aunt B's, ungrateful fat hypocrite bastard.

The world would be such a better place if your would just cease to type. I would rather you have lost your hands and mouth than you legs."   Thomas G. Casey, III 







Sweetheart of St.Marys pens love letter to conservatives.

http://www.alexkearns.com/2010/05/media-vampires-suck-oil-who-knew.html

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Amen, Tom!

http://savannahnow.com/column/2010-05-09/barton-merit-should-trump-race-city-hall

Sunday Funnies; Volume 114.

 Speaking German in Texas


  Near Fredericksburg, Texas, where there is a large German-speaking
  population, a farmer walking down a country road notices a man drinking
  from his pond with his hand..

  The farmer shouted: 'Trink das wasser nicht. Die kuhen haben dahin
 gesheissen.'

  (Which means: 'Don't drink the water, the cows have s_ _ _ in it.')

 The man shouted back: 'I'm from New York and just down here campaigning for
 Obama's health care plan, I can't understand you. Please speak in English.'

  The farmer replied: 'Use two hands, you'll get more water.'

Happy Mother's Day!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36969170/ns/today-mothers_day_guide?Gt1=43001

Wind turbines off Georgia coast?

http://www.news4jax.com/news4georgia/23487464/detail.html

Go for it!

Iraqi brass visits Ft. Stewart.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-05-09/fort-stewart-hosts-iraqi-kurdish-officers

What serious tourist drawing power really looks like.

http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2010-05-09/first-10-years-equals-135m

Saturday, May 8, 2010

This just in: city attorney resigns; no salamanders or woodpeckers threatened by new airport.

The St. Marys city attorney has submitted his resignation effective the last day of May. The city is already advertizing for his replacement.

Sorry, Alex, Bob, Greg, et al: there are no salamanders to be found and no woodpecker nests threatened at Site 1. So says the recently completed report.

St.Marys City Council meets Monday.

Agenda:

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/agendas/2010/5%2010%2010%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Amended%20Agenda.pdf

Councils' packet:

http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/council/2010/5.10.10%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf

Trust me, if you've got a few minutes, there is some very interesting reading in this packet.

 Do you recall your reaction to your first sight of Dr. Jones' garish electronic sign downtown? I remember thinking that it was really incongruous for a future doctor's office. Well, it turns out that it willl actually be "Doc's House of Chicken and Waffles" where, apparently, you will be able to wash down your chicken and waffles with beer or wine. Sounds delicious, eh? Kind of makes ya' wonder if "Doc" Jones ever intended to open a medical office there, eh?

Good luck with that "trademark infringement" thing, Doc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscoe%27s_House_of_Chicken_and_Waffles


The tree ordinance is interesting reading. I wonder why pecan trees  are excluded from the list of "approved" trees?

The finance director's figures are also interesting. With the exception of the water/sewer enterprise fund, we are in surprisingly good shape, all things considered.

Don't miss the proposed guidelines for what you can build in the historic district and beyond.

Savannah's socialist ex-social work professor cum mayor seeks Obama bucks for his old pet project.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-05-08/mayor-promise-neighborhood-grants-bring-fierce-politics

Savannah's interim city manager gets 10% pay raise to $190,000.

http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-05-07/savannah-buy-county-water-system

Chicken processing returns to Douglas along with 1,000 jobs.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-07/story/pilgrims-pride-reopen-douglas-plant

By the way, there is a ship load of frozen chicken leaving the Talleyrand dock in Jax for Russia every week.
That's a lot of chicken Kiev.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

My Financial Disclosure Form is now on line.

http://jayforfourforfourormore.blogspot.com/p/to-enlarge-these-pages-left-click-once.html

Last night's CCBOC meeting.

Well, the highlight of the evening was the 5:30 workshop on the employee health plan.

Staci Bowick and Mary Smith, CIC, from the local office of Cumberland Insurance Agency, who consulted on the changes to the plan which went in to effect January 1, 2010, gave an excellent PowerPoint presentation on the dramatic results derived from the changes - the changes which I advocated very vocally and strongly for.

Let me cut to the chase. Based upon the achieved reductions in overutilization just since January 1, there will be tremendous savings, just as I knew there would be. I did not spend 20 years in the insurance business and learn nothing.

It is now predicted that at the close of FY 2010, the plan costs will be ONE MILLION DOLLARS lower than they were in FY 2009!

But wait, it gets better! The projected cost for FY 2010 will be a full TWO MILLION DOLLARS lower than what it would likely have been without the changes.

I may not be able to keep a Trident missle launch-ready or do a complex financial audit, but I do have a very wide range of useful, germane experiences which will serve me - and more importantly, the voters - very well if I have the privilege to serve as the commissioner from District 4.

Staci Bowick is worth every penny we pay her. In this one project alone, she has saved the county millions. Hopefully, county employees will recognize the debt of gratitude they owe her. Why? Becuase they have a better plan - a plan which will have fewer and way smaller rate increases in the future.

The rest of the meeting was largely uneventful and routine. It was over by 6:30. See the amended agenda at   http://camdencommentary.blogspot.com/2010/04/ccboc-meeting-tuesday.html  if you want to know more. Note that the presentation of the proposed FY-2011 budget was put off until the next meeting.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Presentation of FY-2011 budget dropped from tonight's CCBOC meeting at last minute!

This just in a 10:35 from Interim County Clerk, Katie Bishop

Agenda Amendments



Removal under Presentation:


Presentation of Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. (Presented by Mike Fender & Steve Howard)


Renumbering of Items under Regular Agenda:


To reflect Item 3 as Item 1 and renumber the Agenda accordingly.

Que pasa? Quien sabe?

To review, here are the budget shortfall solution options presented to the commission last week.

Option 1: A 0.25 mil tax increase. (That's $10.00 per $100,000 of APPRAISED value before exemptions.)


Option 2: An across-the-board 3.6 salary reduction.

Option 3: Draw down $200,000 from the fund balance and have an across-the-board slary reduction of 1.6%.

Option 4: Reduce the fund balance by the entire $391,307 and have no salary reduction and no tax increase.

Traffic light, turn lanes , and street re-alignment coming to Kingsland's "five -points," eventually.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-05-03/story/dangerous-five-points-intersection-kingsland-may-lose-point-road-work

Monday, May 3, 2010

Dear Reader, If you don't have a clue what I look like, click on the link below.

Caution: This file contains graphic images which may not be suitable for some viewers.

http://jayforfourforfourormore.blogspot.com/

Would-be Times Square bomber apparently a home-grown, incompetent, nut-case.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/times-square-bomb-scare-york-authorities-probe-evidence/story?id=10532755&page=2

NOLA rids of Mayor Ray Nagin in one more week.

This should be interesting to watch.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/03/gulf.oil.spill.main/index.html?hpt=C1

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Two nice Sunday afternoon events.

About 2:45, I arrived at the Howard Gilman Memorial Park where there are also no van accessible disabled parking places. I was there for the "Country Sunday in the Park" event organized by the DDA Director, Alyce Thornhill, who doubles as the  talent booker for the DMA. For the hour I stayed, I really enjoyed it. I found a spot under the shade of an oak tree where the onshore breeze kept the temperature just right. The musicians, who were playing for free, were quite talented. Apparently, these guys play together on Mondays - in Woodbine, I think. By the way, the 85 to 100 people in attendance were easily 95% 60 years-old and up.

I got my first up-close look at the pavillion or band-shell or whatever we are calling that thing. I can readily see where it would cost $360,000. That thing could  withstand a nuclear attack. A hurricane would not phase it.

At any rate, I left at 3:45 to attend the 4:00 PM dedication and tour of the new St.Marys Middle School.
That is a beautiful school, inside and out. I'm glad not only to see what my ESPLOST taxes helped build but also of my support fot the last ESPLOST. It is already full to it's designed capacity of 725.

Royal Weaver and his campaign minder were there. No sign of Gary Blount, the candidate, just Gary Blount the Assistant School Superintendent.

I met Rep. Cecily Hill and School Superintendent Will Hardin for the first time. Of course I put in a plug for myself!

When I passed back by the park after the school tour, it was five fiften and the musicians were still playing to a smaller crowd - even though they were only sheduled to play until 5:00. I recommend y'all check this out if they do it again.

My campaign blog is a work-in-progress.

So far, I've detailed how I am both intellectually capable and educationally well prepared to serve the people of Distirct 4 and the entire county exceedingly well as a county commissioner.  I've also listed some of my "negatives" which are actually positives.

Tuesday, I'll get finals out of the way then drop off  my financial disclosure form at Judge Gilliette's office on  my way to the county commission meeting. I'll post the notarized copy the next day.

In coming days, I'll give my view of the state of the county, where I think we need to go, and how I believe that I can help to get us there as a county commissioner.

Here, again, is the link:  http://www.jayforfourforfourormore.blogspot.com/.

Sunday Funnies; Volume 113

A Mother's Dictionary


Bottle feeding: An opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2 am too.



Defense: What you'd better have around de yard if you're going to let the children play outside.



Drooling: How teething babies wash their chins.



Dumbwaiter: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.



Family planning: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster



Feedback: The inevitable result when the baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.



Full name: What you call your child when you're mad at him.



Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.



Hearsay: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.



Impregnable: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.



Independent: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.



Look out: What it's too late for your child to do by the time you scream it.



Prenatal: When your life was still somewhat your own.



Preprared childbirth: A contradiction in terms.



Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.



Show off: A child who is more talented than yours.



Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.



Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything.



Temper tantrums: What you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children.



Top bunk: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.



Two-minute warning: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.



Verbal: Able to whine in words



Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.



Whoops: An exclamation that translates roughly into "get a sponge."