Scattershots – 22jun15 (updated 27jun15)

George Rebane

Economic development in Nevada County must address what many of us see as the three legs of the county’s existing economy – IT based industry, tourism, and retirees.  Absent public service employees, these are the three main cash importers.  There are initiatives in place to attract more IT companies through increased broadband availability and a new business incubator in the plans.

But not much is being done to boost the other two areas.  (Yesterday’s NC Bike Race Classic was a sad commentary on tourism.)  Additionally, aging retirees who want to downsize from their big houses on acres of land are forced to seek their next abodes elsewhere (quality condos, smaller houses in protected neighborhoods, variable care communities, …).  Tourism is suffering because we don’t have enough quality beds at reasonable prices to attract more weekend visitors who want to attend evening performances from our rich palette of cultural offerings – Music in the Mountains, In Concert Sierra, Center for the Arts, theaters, the fairground, … .

People driving up here from the flats would rather have a nice dinner, attend a performance (or two), perhaps enjoy an after dinner libation, and then hit the sack instead of driving two plus hours, tired and three sheets to the wind, to get back home.  They would much rather wake up refreshed, have a good breakfast or brunch, and then be on their way.  The boost to our economy that such a weekend agenda would provide, multiplied a thousand times, is not hard to imagine.  Another decent hotel or two, and a proper performance center would fit the bill nicely.

But in addition to the intrinsic financial risks that such projects normally entail, our county and cities add on their own regulatory and procedural burdens as recently pointed by our RL Bob Crabb in the nearby cartoon filched from The Union.  Our electeds deny all this by putting the onus on those dumb and good-for-nothing outsiders who are not bellying up to the Planning Department counters with their project plans.  But reality advises otherwise, Nevada County’s ‘development friendly’ reputation is known far and wide.  And without our chambers of commerce and planning jurisdictions actively simplifying the development processes, and then inviting people to come up here and see the opportunities, nothing much more will happen in these woods.  Tourists won’t come and retirees will continue to leak out at greater than replacement rates.

Anthropogenic global warming (AGW) is in the news again with the Pope’s controversial encyclical and the next UN global warming conference in the fall.  Here on RR the debate between the Skeptics and True Believers has revived in spades to the point where one reader (True Believer) has challenged another reader (Skeptic) to a public debate in which the TB promises to maximally embarrass the Skeptic, presumably by exposing the Skeptic’s case allegedly based on both weak science and a fundamental misunderstanding of the involved science.  Here are my two cents on this challenge.

The problem is that the TB has no technical credentials and bases his belief in AGW on politically sponsored reports, at least twice removed, that cite discredited datasets, ignore major areas of science impacting earth’s climate, and evince profound ignorance about the design, care, and feeding of complex climate models (the so-called General Circulation Models, GCMs).  At the same time the Skeptic is a scientifically read and astute engineer, fully credentialed with multiple degrees that attest his technological pedigree.  I began thinking about the conduct of such a media reported/recorded debate, and who would derive what profit from it.  The bottom line is that I couldn’t think of any way that such a debate between those two would shed useful light on the issue, or in any way contribute toward a resolution of it in the minds of its most likely audience.

This conclusion is abetted when we consider the TB’s more complete resume that includes being a well-practiced and rehearsed activist for almost all the leftwing causes and initiatives that have made California into the taxed, regulated, indebted, and economic basket case that it is today.  The TB will have no alternative but to spout today’s made-simple for broad, unread audiences, and politicized ‘consensus science’.  And the Skeptic will be forced to take his refuting arguments to the next technical levels where few, if any, will be able to follow – all the while the TB baselessly disparaging every one of those arguments in a manner that elicits uncritical nodding heads among the gruberized, and leaves the others numb.  Everyone knows that such audiences have been meticulously prepared to either ignore or mistrust all uncomfortable and confrontational arguments about AGW aka global warming aka climate change.

What’s more disturbing is that the entire True Believer society has for some time been quite comfortable with the way their message has massaged the masses.  Team Gore, to their strategic credit, even refuses to put their best scientists on a stage with skeptical scientists to discuss the evidence in front of a technically knowledgeable audience.  While the skeptics contend every emerging piece of IPCC’s evidence for AGW in its detail, their arguments are summarily ignored.  The only recognition of the Skeptics is a vague reference to them as ‘Climate Change Deniers’, or worse, ‘Climate Deniers’, inferring the existence of a discredited knuckle-dragging, flat earth bunch howling in the wings.

And the saddest part for our overall body politic is that such debates are now beyond the pale for many other socially important issues that relate to numbers and/or science.  And, of course, they all do.  My conclusion is that polarized dumbth (q.v.) has reached a level in the land such that only slogans shouted across the chasm serve as an acceptable substitute for dialogue.

[23jun15 update]  The topic of saving the world’s sovereign nation-states and distinct, regionally anchored cultures has long been a topic of debate and discussion on RR.  The EU is now in the throes of attempting to reconcile a good-sounding but poorly thought theory of how manage fractional or partial sovereignty.  And the problem comes down to the question of what is a border.  It turns out that having complete control of your borders is fundamental to a people’s self-determination.  Europe is rediscovering that now, and we (at least the progressive ‘we’) in America don’t have a clue.  A strongly recommended read on this is ‘What Borders Mean to Europe’ by Stratfor’s George Friedman.  The piece is like a periscope into our own future, a future that is already underway.

[27jun15 update]  In the late 00s I talked Jo Ann into letting me become a student pilot.  Reluctantly she gave permission (which I still don’t have for riding a motorcycle) and I started my lessons at Alpine Aviation under the tutelage of owner Gordon Mills.  Anyway, I progressed appropriately and on a sunny day soloed – three takeoffs and landings, followed by a longer 'victory lap' solo flight over these Sierra foothills, especially beautiful when you’re alone in the airplane.  The cross country phase of training followed with my taking the occasional solo flights in the single-engine, low-wing Diamond DA-20.

In my defense contractor days I was privileged to work with men I consider to be the best pilots in the world – carrier based, light attack – these guys (gals?) fly their F-18s so low as to occasionally get tree branches in their undercarriage.  I worked with the squadrons at Lemoore (light attack) NAS and Whidbey Island (medium attack) NAS in the design of advanced in cockpit displays for successful penetration of complex sensor and SAM fields during target in/egress.  From my naval aviator colleagues I learned about ‘OK-3’ carrier landings – tailhooking the third of four arresting cables that puts your aircraft in the optimum spot on the deck for rapid repositioning, thereby allowing a tight final approach pattern to get returning fuel-starved aircraft quickly onboard with a minimum of fuss.  The logged OK-3 landings on a pilot’s record were very important to good assignments, promotions, and general bragging rights within a talented, exclusive, yet very competitive comradery.

So during a solo flight on final to Nevada County KGOO’s 25 (runway), I decided to nail an OK-3 landing.  I picked my precise touchdown point (where my ‘tailhook’ was going to snag the ‘#3 cable’) and set my glide path appropriately.  Well guess what? your junior league aviator nailed the KO-3, but in so doing sacrificed my flare so that I touched down what might charitably be characterized as a mite hard – and porpoised, bouncing back in the air.  When I brought that bucking DA-20 safely on the runway, I felt pretty red-faced knowing that someone else had probably seen that crappy landing and was grinning ear-to-ear.

Anyway, since landings have always been my favorite part of flying an airplane, I decided to taxi back, take-off again, go around the pattern, and redeem myself.  This I did, but as I was making my take-off run, I noticed that the airplane somehow seemed to be underpowered.  I was puzzled since the engine sounded normal as I lifted off after a longer than normal run and then went around.  After landing again (no OK-3 this time) I taxied back to the Alpine hangar to report on my experience.  Gordon came out and discovered that I had shredded six-inches of the propeller’s tips, which explained the weak performance of the aircraft on the second go around.  Anyway, that turned out to be an expensive flight, but a valuable lesson in piloting.

I continued my flight training after that, but was convinced by a same-age friend who had abandoned his own flight training, that I should also reconsider going on with something for which I would have limited time in the future.  The convincing argument, reinforced by Jo Ann, was that infrequent pilots who do not keep up their hours are a danger to themselves and others when they do climb into the cockpit as Pilot In Charge.  The stats tell the story, especially for older flyers.  So now I wistfully consider just going back and flying with an instructor on windy afternoons coming in on final in a steep forward-slip, then converting into a side-slip before touchdown.  Fun stuff, even if it isn’t an OK-3.

Comments

[Account Deleted]

We didn't take in the race yesterday or the Blue Grass Festival.
It wasn't always that way. My grandparents bought land here in 1929 and I was up here at 3 weeks of age on the 4th of July 1951. I'm not an 'old timer' but I remember the Purity Market on Broad and going to SPD when they first opened.
The reason we didn't attend any of the usual events yesterday was due mainly to the fact that we are clearing out. No one else in the family is in the position of living here and I've had enough of this state. We will miss the beauty and the weather, but I can no longer stomach handing money over to a corrupt and lawless govt. We'll be here maybe a few more months and then we're off to Idaho. We will miss our friends and miss what I had always thought was our family's legacy until I was no longer. Idaho is not perfect. No place is. Our taxes will be remarkably the same, overall. But when I pay for something, I'll get value in return. And no one is trying to jack up the price of energy as punishment for being evil for using energy. In a way, for most of you folks out there in virtual land, nothing will change. I'll still be right here. And of course, we'll come back and visit.
We will have a brand new, 2100 sq ft home with all of the usual nice amenities and a huge 3 car garage in a quiet dead end street with 2.6 acres near BLM land and a view of the Boise Mountains to the east and the Owyhee Mountains to the west. For the price of an old dump with 1/2 the square footage and .66 acres. It's just down the road - I checked.
No matter what the leftys here all say, I'm not rich and I like to be able to afford what I live in.
Not really going away mad. Somewhat sad and resigned. I love it here, but I know when I'm outnumbered. I can tolerate a difference of opinion, but not insanity and stupidity.
The left always talks about how wonderful democracy is, and this voter is casting his ballot with his wallet and his feet.

[fish]

Scott.....good for you!

You can watch California implode from a distance!

[Jeff Pelline]

Scott,
Good for you! Sad and resigned, yes. But new opportunities await. Wish more of the terribly unhappy people who comment on this blog would adopt the same attitude.

[fish]

Posted by: Jeff Pelline | 22 June 2015 at 07:41 PM

Sorry jeffy .......you seem to be stuck with us.

[Jon]

Scott, kudos for following through on your desires. Best wishes. I have friends in Idaho who love it, some beautiful country, but don't think I could fathom the drives to the Coast and Tahoe. Housing values are great. Some things remain, the dry western fire danger and the impacts from climate change.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/us/politics/effects-of-climate-change-could-cost-billions-epa-report-says.html

[Todd Juvinall]

Yep, Jeffy is stuck with us. But hey, he is a silver spooner and has no problems. What a dope.

[Barry Pruett]

We have a bunch of friends that moved from Nevada County to Coeur D'Alene. They love it. Safe travels.

[Todd Juvinall]

Regarding the debate between a true scientific fellow and a political tool from Truckee. You are right GeorgeR, it would a tough one for the Denier since he is into that boring stuff, the facts. The Truckee troll though, astute in political activism will have all those politician tools we all seem to hate in America. I recall NH2020 was a favorite of the troll and he even carted it around the county for the Gang. He lost his ass as did the gang once the folks saw the ruse. But, you are probably right, slogans and Iphone mentality seem to be prevalent now and as Jesse Waters says, "this is my world and you are in it".

[Jeff Pelline]

Also Scott, as this retired journalist, a Pocatello native, points out (and this has been my experience too) "I’ve seen the flag in the rear window of pickups in Idaho.":
http://www.pocatelloshops.com/new_blogs/politics/?p=10936
So you'll never feel far from your former home in western Nevada County!

[Gregory]

George, for one thing, I do self identify myself as a physicist and engineer, with matching degrees. I also passed through the skeptic phase in March 2007 on my way to out and out scoffer, when it came to accepting catastrophic effects on the evidence at hand. That has only gotten stronger; while it's been clear from the beginning CO2 has a temperature impact, it's now clearly smaller than natural variations with the "cosmoclimatological" effects misidentified as positive feedbacks from the CO2 temperature perturbations. No positive feedbacks, no catastrophe, no catastrophe, no cause for alarm.

And no, I wouldn't be forced to take even more technical positions when faced with emotional appeals to the consensus. I'm perfectly good with picking apart the Frischian BS by noting which fallacies he's using. In fact, he posted a link to the cartoon poster of the classic fallacies that he keeps handy, supposedly to keep from falling into them but I've come to the conclusion that, like the FUE, he relies on them to "win" arguments.
Stevie's cartoon version:
http://thespudd.com/wp-content/uploads/logical-fallacies.png
Cute, huh?

I think it much more likely that Stephen Frisch, six figure CEO of the wretchedly misnamed rent-seeking Sierra Business Council, has figured out he can't win at a war of the written word and he has nothing to lose by the invention of this outlandish "debate" as a rhetorical device. Part of that is that his standard tactics are honed for use against right wing conservatives, not left-center libertarians with 100+ Grateful Dead concerts and one visit to Timothy Leary's house in their past. Stevie and Jeffie just can't handle arguments with people more pro-choice than they are.

[Walt]

Urinalist is more like it. Only the news that's unfit to print. Hell. It take a lot to get sent pack'n from a small town paper. Even LIBS rarely visit that blog.
Mr. R's pages here gets more traffic than a Frisco LIB could ever dream of.

[Jeff Pelline]

Walt,
Is that hardhat covering up your bald head? LOL.

[Jon]

Jeff, surely not a lot of value under that awning, regardless of a few matted hairs.
Worst news of all for Walt is that Walmart today announced it was scrapping everything and anything with a Confederate Flag symbol.
Progress comes slowly, but it always comes.

[Jeff Pelline]

Yes, I figure that sent him reeling. Check out "Walt's" comments: http://profile.typepad.com/6p017d3c0b77a7970c
At least they're in one place for perpetuity.

[fish]

It's really creepy when two of jeffys personalities are in the same room together.

[Jeff Pelline]

David Larsen of Carmichael (AKA "fish"). Nope, we're different people. And there's more of us — millions in fact — where that came from. The Ca. population is 38 million. Might be time to pack up for Idaho. LOL.

[Gregory]

Todd, the "Truckee Troll" was using standard "Delphi" techniques to control and guide the NH2020 'town hall meetings' to the predetermined conclusions that SBC was hired to guide the sheeple towards. If you recognize the game being played it can be countered. In fact, with just about any debate, recognizing the game being played by your opponent is half the battle. It isn't about baffling the audience with your prowess, though that can help.

I've had the climate discussion with a number of lefties and they can be very receptive to science arguments. It helps if all the BS conservative cliches are avoided. No, it isn't a hoax, just bad science, and let me tell you how it came about.

I almost feel bad for the Vatican but they probably need to get their knuckles rapped with a ruler every four centuries or so as a reminder to stay away from science.

[Jeff Pelline]

Gregory is still smarting from the statewide (and countywide) defeat of Prop. 23. Ouch.

[fish]

Millions......that's a bit much jeffy....even the most troubled multiple personality patient only had 30 or so.

Keep reaching for the "stars" though!

[Jeff Pelline]

"fish," your perspective is so irrelevant that you have to retreat from Carmichael to western Nevada County to be "head." ROFLOL.

[fish]

Posted by: Jeff Pelline | 22 June 2015 at 09:28 PM

Those are all words you can find in the dictionary.....I've just never seen them arranged that oddly before.

Two bottle night ....huh Jeff? Chili fries tonight too?

[Jeff Pelline]

"fish," you can't keep relying on the same old narrative to overcome your own irrelevancy. You are a nobody in Carmichael who is trying to be a somebody in western Nevada County. But you are still a "small fish in a small pond." Give it up, man.

[Barry Pruett]

http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2014/12/18/californias_population-growth_problem_101445.html

Interesing read on California's population problem.

[fish]

Oh jeffy.....I'm a nobody in Western Nevada County too.....not a real mover and "shaker" like you.

[George Rebane]

OK, we are again enjoying the company of Mr Jeff Pelline. Is there no other venue for his considerable wit? I don't want this comment stream to become another tiresome mudball exchange with our lonely retired journalist from whom we still await a position statement relevant to the topics at hand.

[fish]

I've offered to do this over at jeffys.....apparently he suffers from a nasty case of premature moderation.

[Jeff Pelline]

George,
This is about the most unfocused, illiterate and unaccountable venue imaginable — "fish," "Walt," "gregory," etc. Just coming to wish "Scott" well. Sort of like the California migration version of "Ten Little Indians." LOL.

[Jon]

George, to be fair, if you want to talk about positive statements relevant to the topics at hand- can I ask what has fish contributed to the betterment of most of threads on this blog? I hope you can sincerely assess that comparison without your conservative bias at play.

[Barry Pruett]

George. My point is that Nevada County's efforts at economic growth are greatly hampered by being located in a stagnant California. Scott's testimony is simply further evidence.

[fish]

Yeah.....it's oh so much better at "No Comment Junction". How's Gloria these days?

[Jeff Pelline]

And let's not forget "topics at hand" being defined as "scattershots" or "sandbox." ROFLOL. [One then wonders why this man continues to grace us with his considerable presence. But no matter, for his own good, it's time for another time out. gjr]

[George Rebane]

BarryP 940pm - An excellent essay on California's population problem - net out-migration by our most productive cohort. Quoting from the piece -

"Even though economic growth and California's net domestic migration aren't highly correlated, the Golden State's poor overall business climate likely is affecting its migration patterns. California's litigious nature, high tax regime, and excess regulatory environment make the Golden State unfavorable to business development. The state's high cost of living due to restrictive development policies and high energy costs make California an expensive place to live. This leads to young professionals leaving and incentivizes immigrants to look elsewhere, leaving behind an aging resident population.

There is no silver bullet to return California to the population dynamic of the 1990's when population growth exceeded, on average, 1% annually. Still, Sacramento needs to prioritize making California a holistically attractive place for young working professionals to start a business, start a career, start a family, and encourage others to do the same."

And these pages are replete with the progressive sentiments that have made it so.

[fish]

Posted by: Jon | 22 June 2015 at 09:47 PM

As I've said on numerous occasions.....I will happily depart when our host tires of my antics.

All you have to do is ask him.

[Barry Pruett]

Exactly. Nevada County is getting older just like the rest of the state. Nevada County is cursed by being anchored to a progressive legislature that fails to appreciate the unintended consequences of their progressive agenda. Our local reps do the best they can considering.

[Todd Juvinall]

Barry, I think we do have a problem here in the state with the democrat legislature and Gov. Have you seen the budget? The people have lost their noggins. If Apple wasn't importing those millions og Iphones made in Red China, the state would have no moey! We need a Republican in charge.

[Account Deleted]

I don't want Kali to implode (or explode!) and I'm not leaving with a chip on my shoulder or an attitude. I wish everyone here well. One thing I won't have to worry about is forest fires. Our lot is located on ag land and there's not much of anything to burn. So - no fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods - sounds pretty boring, actually. There are 3 rivers nearby for kayaking and the Bogus ski area is about 45 minutes away. I'm getting up to speed with the local politics, but still need to learn more. Won't be moving in until fall, so I'm still a tax paying Californian for now and will complain about everything that's not right about this state until then.
I'll tell you one thing I found already about the ruling party in Idaho - they hired Larry Craig as their financial chair of their executive committee. Really? That's the best they could do? I hope no one from the Rs tries to sign me up after I move there. They'll get an earful from me about that.

[Todd Juvinall]

California will miss your input ScottO. You really know how to put a liberal in their place. Hope you keep it up.

Hey Fish, I watched the last twenty minutes of the Godfather and lo and behold there was "FISH"! From the comedy cop show Barney Miller I think? Anyway, keep on posting you witty and demonstrable words.

[Russ Steele]

George writes and interesting article that deserves some discussion, and the comment threat is full of non-sense bull sh*t by the "fish" and the FUE. What a waste of bandwidth.

Scott, when I was growing up my family alternated between living in Nevada County and Lemhi County, Idaho. I graduated from Salmon High and went to Idaho State for two years before joining the Air Force. I wrote a book about my adventures in Idaho, Cobalt: The Legacy of the Blackbird Mine.

Since retiring, we have made more trips to Idaho than any other state. It is a great place to live in the spring, summer and fall, but winters can be a challenge. Many of our friends who live in Idaho winter in Arizona, snow birds in RV parks. One RV resort we visit hosts 20-25 couples from Salmon every year. We considered moving to Idaho, but it was too far from the grandkids in Roseville.

Wish you the best of times in the great state of Idaho.

[Jon]

Scott, that was funny to hear about Larry Craig...he of the mistakenly shuffling feet in the airport stall. A great Republican hero to many in your future state apparently...so watch the comments about the popular Mr. Craig if you want to be accepted in Idaho circles. These guys just cannot go away and herd cattle or plant potatoes fast enough.

[Don Bessee]

Sounds like the liberal lament land is so bereft of relevance he has to come to RR so someone actually sees his name and nonsense. Can the dark lord of liberal lament land be his own pellineophile? He really needs a fanboy. ;-)

[Gregory]

I guess Pelline got tired of animating Annie Fox.

[Walt]

Yes, the Lefty law writers have done a great job regulating the county and state right out of business. Why build here. when the same money can get you much more somewhere else?
Nevada Co. isn't the only pretty place. I know a few that are heading just North of the state line.
I got a good taste of over bearing construction regs just fixing my old deck. OH the joys a mandatory building permit will generate.
You can build two homes for the price of one in just about any other state. People who like to keep their money are going elsewhere to retire.

They Co. I work for built 5 to 10 new driveways a year in the past. Just one this year.
Work is WAY down.
Yup,, more regulations and fees are just what we need...(NOT)

[Paul Emery]

George

You completly ignore the reality of the huge impact of the cultivation industry in our county. Why did you choose to do that? It is real money. Millions of dollars. The impact on our schools,businesses and real estate is huge.

[Bill Tozer]

I have not gone to a financial planner as my older brother and youngest sister have done. Both live in very nice houses in nice areas, have led hard working middle class lives and one lives on the California coast and the other lives near The Regan Presidential Library on their private 3 acre pond.vBoth sought and obtained retirement planning advice by different financial planners in their respective areas.

Both were told the same thing: Leave California. My sister was surprised and stunned to learn that if they stay in California, their money would run out within 2-3 years. This is from my sister and her husband that paid cash putting 5 kids through college, 4 of which attended Cal, the school with "the great marching band."

My Brother (the one that lives on the bluffs overlooking the ocean in a big house fully paid for) worked two to three jobs (even in the Marine Corps) and has retired from the lab he was in charge of, a chemist by trade. He was told his money would run out (despite his ingrained frugal habits) in about 8 years. He was told to get the hell out of California as well.

Make what you will of it. I probably will follow suit as well.. And I was born in California as well as both my blood parents. Once lived in Northern Idaho. Great place. Little regulations in all aspects of one's life. Make that all aspects of one's life were not regulated nor taxed. Imitate that. Cheap housing, buy or rent. It was a great Beatiful place back in the day. Then the California's started moving up there and ruint everything.

A word to the wise. If moving to Northern Idaho, tell them you are from Missoula or Spokane or Sioux City...anywhere but the airborne disease infested Bay Area known as "California". It does not matter if you say you're from Nevada City or Penn Valley, or Beautiful Downtown Blithe, its all crazy Californians to them.

[Jon]

Tozer, lets be honest- if their money will run out in 2-3 years in CA, it will likely last 4 years tops in another state. CA is one of the better places to stay if you're lucky being holed up in your house under Prop. 13. The state tax differential in other areas just isn't that big. And other states have personal property taxes as well. I must say, a place like FL- you can't beat the financial numbers, but if that the ONLY test you care about, happy trails in relocating to the hot humid, hurricane risky home of Jeb!

[Paul Emery]

George

In the 1960's and 70's the City of Ashland, Jeffersn County and the State of Oregon invested millions in the development of the Shakespeare Festival which is why it is such a developed industry today. Government grants accomplished that. We give pathetic support for the arts in Nevada County. This is what could have been.

"In 2013, a typical year, 108,388 individuals bought 407,787 tickets, seeing an average of 3.76 plays each. Of these, 92,234 people were visitors to the area spending $54,534,565, excluding their theater tickets. Added to the $32,233,543 in actual Festival expenditures, the direct contribution to the local economy in 2013 was $86,768,108. The total contribution based on the multiplier effect brought total impact to $251,627,515.

http://www.oregonbusiness.com/the-latest/4360-oregon-shakespeare-festival-shatters-records-for-attendance-and-revenue

[Gregory]

Paul, Ashland also had a state college to anchor the festival.

It's pure silliness to think the ingredients existing in Ashland were ever in Nevada County.

[Bill Tozer]

Jon, I am a West Coast boy now. Never been to FLA, but I heard ithe surrounding neighborhoods of Miami are just like being in Lima or Bogata, cities I am well acquainted with. I really don't care for Peru, but Colombia or Nicarguana is more my style. Ecuador is nice in the hill country and hidden spots. Gas was 50 cents a gallon 3 years ago, healthcare for ex-pats about 50 bucks a month with good hospitals and seeing a real doctor and fresh cut long stemmed roses was about 9 cents for the romantic. Eating out is about 3 bucks for a good 3 course meal, maybe 9 bucks for the full blown 5 course fancy restaurant dinner. Of course, one must avoid Quinto like the plague, and avoid all cities south of San Diego. Strike that. Avoid all cities everywhere in the Western Hemisphere. :). Good climate near the Equator and being a West Coast Boy, I prefer the west side of the Andes. But that is just me.

Central Ametica has gone down the tubes because of the drug routes, drug trade, drug turf wars, drug violence, and now even the mules are snorting meth. Sad. Drugs have destroyed a region once known as a good place to have a siesta. Colombia today is not your Colombia of 25 years ago. It's a viable option. Not cheap there as other comparable places, though.
If I wanted to move to Panama City (have job and place waiting in the wings) I would rather move to Vegas, which is not very damn likely. Costa Rica is now a den of petty thieves and not safe for women. Another sad. Lived a bunch of places in The States and the choices are getting fewer to move to. Loved every place, but I have changed and have different priorities and wants. Been there, loved it, done that. Climate is more important to me now as my fingers can't handle the cold. Actually, Tennessee had some good areas on the eastern side where you can make 9-11 bucks an hour and survive. Imagine that. Living good on a cab fare budget. You still can pick up a home for 70 grand, sell your home here, and live in hog's heaven there. Just like the Bay Area People with their awful purple airborne diseases do when they sell their little shitholes in the Santuary City by the Bay and live high off the hog here. Or, just like people selling their homes here and moving to their own private Idaho. Ring around the roses, pocket full of poisies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down...here or there.
There is no right place or right answer, only the right place and right answer for the specific indivual with their specific needs and wants and parameters.

[Gregory]

"This is about the most unfocused, illiterate and unaccountable venue imaginable" -FUE 9:46PM

This is from the guy who just had his LinkedIn mentioning his BA from Cal (it's in Rhetoric but it took some coaxing for Jeff to own up to that) and a MA in Journalism; in short, you never got past the Trivial Arts. Hell, just among the revelers in my living room right now are two degrees in physics, one electrical engineering, another chemistry; from Harvey Mudd, Cal, LMU and Harvard, and it's just my kid and me.

You have nothing to add. You truly are a fluke of the universe; you have no right to be here and whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back.

[RL Crabb]

Tozer 6/22/10:47pm - I wouldn't worry too much about telling the locals in Sandpoint, Idaho, you are from Nevada County. There are dozens of ex-pat locals in Bonner County, many of them classmates of mine. The rest of the population are the children of my grandparents who moved there from here in the forties. They assumed Nevada County would dry up and die after the mines closed.

[Paul Emery]

Gregory
Pure silliness? Please elaborate.

[Account Deleted]

It isn't just the taxes that are in place right now. It's an attitude of how the govt regulates and controls. Kali's attitude is constantly one of raising taxes higher and higher, as they are right now. Also, there is the issue of energy costs. In Idaho (and elsewhere) they have the remarkable attitude that energy should be as cheap as possible. In Kali they think it's evil to use energy and artificially drive up the cost and in turn drive up the cost of everything. The major cities and probably soon, the entire state will run the minimum wage up to 15 or more an hour. Welfare costs will not drop one dime. That cost will have to be picked up by consumers in higher prices and/or higher unemployment. Idaho is a right to work state, so the unions don't hold so much power. There isn't the huge glob of wealthy Hollywood and bay area types that enjoy an easy and seemingly never-ending steady stream of money and have no idea how the average wealth generator lives.
The economy goes up and down, but Kali doesn't get it until it slaps them in the face. I wish I could stay, but I have given up hope that this state will learn anything and live within it's means.

[Account Deleted]

Oh yeah - about mentioning where I'm from to Idahoans. The 2 families across the street are from the golden state. Most of the natives just think of the money I'm bringing to their state and say: 'welcome'.
The Californians they don't like are the ones that move to Idaho because it's where the job went and they resent moving there and let everyone know they think Idaho is a backwards redneck dump. One friend of ours told us flat out - "you don't want to move there, it's full of hicks".
Well. Boise has a symphony orchestra and the Gene Harris Jazz Festival.
Run by hicks, apparently.

[Bill Tozer]

Scott and Crabbie,
I loved the Northern Idaho area. Lived in the area about 6 years as a young buck. Can't say much about the Boise area because I am unknowing, except everyone that I know who moved there from Kali never came back and never intend to.

A fairly recent story: about a year or so ago, the company put out the call for techs in Northern Cal to help out for a few months in Kansas and Utah. No way was I going to drive out to a mid west plains state in the dead of winter. Done that. Baby, it's cold outside. Four went to Utah. Not Odgen or Salt Lake, can't remember the place in Utah.
Long story short. Of the 4 young men that went to help out in Utah (flown home every 6 weeks to see their families here for 2 weeks, paid), 3 out of the 4 Techs from the area covering Yuba City to Chico moved to Utah with their families after a few months passed. They have no intention of moving back. There is a good live to live outside of the Golden State.

[Todd Juvinall]

My ex's cousin lives in Hayden. She is a Sacramento transplant. I went to visit last October and drove the 2,000 miles RT. Never again! Yikes! I did not care for the place. It is right up against Coeur d'Alene and though there are some pretty areas I still did not care for it.

[Gregory]

Paul, yes, silliness. The "we'd all be rich if only the state gave us millions fifty years ago like Ashland got" story doesn't fly. Ashland has a college going back to the 1800's. They also had a major highway (now an interstate) on what is the natural path from Central Oregon into California, and their academic theater history also goes back to the 1800's.

Sierra College is a wonderful resource but when I asked one Sierra College Trustee how many attending transferred into a baccalaureate program I was told "Don't ask".

In short, Ashland was bustling before the state chipped in, and so was their Shakespeare. Maybe you should set the wayback machine to 1880 and convince the state to build a University of California at Nevada City, set the wayback machine to the late '50's and convince Eisenhower to put I-80 through Grass Valley and you'd be there.

[Bill Tozer]

BTW, if you really want to win friends and influence people, just walk into a bar in Dallas or the Austin area and loudly announce how much you like it here in Southetn Oklahoma. Goes over great. Not! Don't mess with Texas.
Or try this gem I used once when sowing my wildoats in a mad trapper saloon in boonies up inThe Great Northwest. Used it after hearing too many California rich people hot tub jokes. Most were not funny. After a few beers and a few nice civil games of billiards and after putting a few quarters in the jukebox and after everything is going smoothly, loudly announce to your new found drinking mates "Hi, I am Bill from Calironia. I am here to buy your land, take your job, and steal your women." Guarenteed to be a real ice breaker.

[Gregory]

Don't go look, but the FUE has reanimated a thread from years ago about Rebane getting a Planning Commission seat from Drew Bedwell (he and Frisch are waxing about the good old days) and he's got his hand up Annie Fox's skirt atwitter over the horrors of GOP pols shedding a handful of campaign contributions to a white supremacist tied to the Charleston shooter.

Jeff, I know you are reading this thread that you vandalized... one of George's asides in the posting lead was a mention of how sad the Nevada City Classic attendance was. During the Men's pro race I walked up and down Broad Street... where was Jeff? My estimate of the attendence at that time was maybe 200. And where was Jeff's reporting of the Classic? All we really got was a sentence about how great it was to have a Cal graduate win the race followed by a paragraph cribbed from the winner's website.

Jeff, would it have been that hard for you to waddle out the door down to the race?

[George Rebane]

Most regular readers know that I fastidiously avoid the FUE's blog for many obvious reasons. But since he so often mentions RR and leads a rant chorus against me and my readers (beats wine shop openings), we have a volunteer Designated Reader of his screeds. This morning I got an email from the DR entitled "Dip Shit is Clueless" which quoted Pelline writing, "Chris, George Rebane wrote on his blog: “Yesterday’s NC Bike Race Classic was a sad commentary on tourism.” Translated: He didn’t go. The angry, white retirees in our community can be a real drag." Since I reported on the bike races attendance, I didn't think I needed to add that Jo Ann and I enjoyed the races again as guests of Tom Coleman on his National Hotel's balcony. Highly recommended location to take in the entire scene.

It appears that readers missed my editorial add-on to Pelline's 950pm. As usual, the FUE's copy got so putrid that I had to give him another time out. That must be why he's fulminating back in Never-never Land.

PaulE 1040pm - we discussed MJ's economic impact on the country for years. And of course you are right that it's our major 'ag product' and cash crop. Frankly, I don't know how to include it in a discussion of the county's economic development. It's legal status is murky, future uncertain, and dollar size unknown.

And re your 1101pm and Gregory's 823am exchange - While there is no contention with the data you both present, I'm still hopeful that given our slightly out-of-the-way location, proximity to the I-80 axis from Reno to SF, other nearby recreational/cultural venues, and natural beauty, that it will be possible to make the planets line up if only govt would support such a project for economic development. But sitting behind mounds of codes and regulations with their dismissive hands-off attitude will definitely not help any kind of business growth.

[Bill Tozer]

Gregory, remember a few years back when Buy Local was the rage around here. Oh, the experts came in to teach us about sustainable this and that with more bike paths, etc.. Their expertise was well received and the two examples of how it can work were Boulder, CO and Bellingham, WA. WTf?

Boulder is a college town with the U of Colorado there. Microsoft is the 2nd biggest employer, outside of the Univeristy and public servants. The demographics don't even compare with Nevada County. Like the median age was in the 30's or something, and yes, they have more bicycles per capita than we. Sun Systems was building a huge place there just outside of Boulder, not far from the Celestrial Tea huge factory/giant buildings. And mostly unslopped usable land. You start to get the picture.
Bellingham is home to Western Wa University, another college town. Nice place near the coast. Full of young people as well. Yep, it's easier to be sustainable when you are younger. :). A web search at the time revealed all the malls and big box stores that were the heart of the Bellingham's retail economy along with Commerical fishing. Sustainable college town, packing the pizza joints on weekend nights.
May I say that Gregory just might be correct in his replies to Mr. Paul, our own events coordinator.

[Todd Juvinall]

My old friend John Taylor passed away and his obit was in the Union. He was our Ag Commissioner when I was a Supervisor. John was a truly nice man. His wife Betty was in the League of Gal Voters and a democrat. She and I got along really well for the eight years I was there. Anyway, the county Ag when I was elected issued (and still does I think) a list of the Ag crops and values every year. Timber was the biggest then, maybe in the 20 millions range. It was that way until the eco's destroyed the industry with the Spotted Owl hoax. I don't ever recall a line item for marijuana. I would suggest Paul Emery ask the Ag commissioner to add that line item to the yearly list and we can keep track of the impacts. What about it Paul?

[Bill Tozer]

Whatever the DR is getting paid, it ain't enough. Like an elephant who works for peanuts. In this case, it's an elephant observer working for peanuts. A filthy job doing the DR thang it is, but somebody had to do it I suppose.
. Kesti was right. Stand back and let the PHUE show his true colors. Think Kesti might even say His Assholiness is rather ignorant, but I could be wrong again. His Lardness's words speak for themself, or is it itself? Where is my high school English teacher when I need her so badly.

[Todd Juvinall]

Oh, regarding the Jeff Pelline postings. He seems to include me in his George Rebane's screed as well. I think he is obsessed. When he comes here to crap his hate he is only doing it because no one is posting at his crappy blog. He is lonely. I would suspect he stayed home watching his video cam pointed at the race as he does BOS and City Council meetings. I cannot believe he was actually in charge of our precious local newspaper and I thank Jeff Ackerman for booting him to the curb.

[George Boardman]

Dr. R: Your 9:11 AM got to the heart of the issue: There is no coherent economic development plan in Nevada County because there is no leadership on this issue from the Rood Center.

The Supes' No. 1 priority is to balance the budget. Economic development is considered a second level priority, and then they'll get involved only as appropriate.

Instead, they are content to send a check to the ERC every year and distribute patronage to the local chambers, hardly a winning economic development strategy.

Maybe I spent too many years in the Bay Area, but I'm used to seeing leadership and initiative from local elected officials. All we have up here is a bunch of auditors.

[Bill Tozer]

Well, I am saddened to hear about the reported low attendance at the Father's Day Bike Classic. Guess I avoided the area for nothing. Many people put many hours of labor of love into it. Suppose with the Tour de California, the newest has plain worn off. Or, it could have been the heat. I did enjoy immensely listening to the Father's Day Blue Grass music emitting from my old tube battery operated radio all weekend. KVMR did a good job letting me clear brush and poison oak while listening to good pickin music for free.
I am delighted that Dr. Rebane had the best seat in the house to view the bicycles. Quite an honor. The FUE was also invited to the balcony on The Nat'l Hotel overlooking the festivities, but some darn structural engineer nixed the invite. Something to do with the balcony's weight capacity and the safety of those below. Safety first is the mantra. No wonder the PHUE woke up with full of piss and vinegar. Poor man can't get no respect...in his own hood no less. A modern day tragedy.

[Gregory]

George 9:11AM

'Tis nice to see Pelline's gratuitous and baseless slam demolished so completely. Yes, the National's balcony is a delightful vantage point for Broad Street doings, a perfect view of the race. Where was Jeff?

Ars gratia artis

I see no chance whatsovever for the State of California to borrow millions from the Chinese for venture capital to fund a permanent cultural festival in western Nevada County that currently isn't even a temporary festival. Nor will Sierra College's Grass Valley campus be anything more than a satellite campus for a junior college down the hill. If the local arts crowd want something akin to Ashland's bread and butter, try building something up to the pount that Ashland's was *before* the state money put it in overdrive.

If we can get that wayback machine up and running, besides the interstate and UC campus, see if you can't convince the powers that were to preserve the Never Come Never Go Railroad.

BT- my enthusiasm for Buy Local wilted considerably when I noticed a ladder I bought on sale in Glenbrook had a lower everyday price in a hardware store just over the line in Auburn, before the big box stores moved in.

[Gregory]

Boardman 9:44

The bay area has been booming since they got their hands on the gold and water flowing from the hills. There's money to spend because wealth is being created.

The golden geese of western Nevada county have been plucked and baked and the best thing the County could do for business is to really balance the books, including all the unfunded liabilities.

In related news, airport users have been informed (again) that airplanes can't be washed at the airport. No soapy water is to be used. Aircraft can be rinsed with clear water but no water is to run off into storm channels. However, the owners of the Mercedes and Lexi at the Rude Center (some of which are more valuable than many of the airpanes at KGOO) are still perfectly free to wash their cars in their driveway and let the sudsy water flow out to the curb. The airport manager hopes to get grants (millions?) to built a legal washramp in the future.

Madness.

[Gregory]

You started it, Jeff, and your happy fun slanders of SESF have done no one any favors, including you.

Remember when your blog was a happing place, before your narcissistic control freak tendencies choked the life out of it? Sad.

The least you could do is apologize to George for your faulty reporting that George wasn't at the race, and put away the "angry old white guy" ad homs forever.

[George Rebane]

GeorgeB 944am - Thanks for those good words. I've been on that ED soapbox for years trying to goad the Supes and Councils to put their shoulder to the wheel. I think it might be of considerable help if you wrote a column or two in that vein, and we could pick up and/or point to each other's words. Your "bunch of auditors" observation is spot on. Without such coordinated backing, Greg's dour analysis will continue to rule the day (year after year).

Administrivia - Mr Pelline, a man who cannot take no for an answer, was here again with his predictable contribution. His 954am and 1016am have been unpublished. I should add that readers' continuing reference to his visits only makes him believe that he and you have entered into a meaningful dialogue. There is no evidence of that from the record. Nevertheless, should he ever deign to contend the issues and viewpoints expressed here, he would be as welcome as are his other progressive/liberal colleagues.

[Gregory]

"Why do you allow your "like-minded" commentators to make personal attacks but then erase the rebuttals?"-Pelline

Funny, that's exactly what Pelline did to me on his blog, letting Doug Keachie make up horrible defamations one after another and tying my hands. A difference being that here, the defamatory speech is by Pelline in the first place.

[Bill Tozer]

Gregory, Yep, I bought two stepladders at A to Z (a 6 and an eight footer) at a cheaper price than Home Depot one weekend. A to Z is one place I support, along with Penn Valley Hardware since Scott has taken it under his wings. I do purposely avoid the Basin store as all costs and do not believe Home Depot is better or more afforable than a couple of our local hardware stores. The last two times at the Home Depot I walked out empty handed and shaking their dust from my slippers. Only been there 3 times and walked out 2 of the 3 times empty handed. Plus, I got a lifetime discount at Penn Valley hardware for being such a upstanding citizen working on his humble abode, which may not make the items cheaper than other places, but it covers the sales tax plus a bit more. I do my shopping by grabbing what I need and getting the heck out of there as quickly as possible. 5 minutes under the floors cents lights is too long for me. In and out, back to the Do it Yourself thang in the least amount of time possible. I be a hick from the sticks that hates going anywhere on my days off. That includes "filin' stations". Too many miles on this ragged frame, so now I am content just to gather some moss. Turning into a Howard Hughes recluse, without the long hair, long yellow fingernails, and money. :)

[Todd Juvinall]

The County cannot even allow an EIR to proceed. The San Juan Gold Mine EIR was stopped by County Counsel with some "made from whole cloth" BS rules that CEQA never imagined (two and a half years delayed already). So the proponent withdrew the application until the Supes tell the Counsel to go pond sand. But alas, they are afraid. And I like them all, but Boardman is correct, it is all about balancing the budget, nothing about free enterprise. So until they allow the Mine's EIR to proceed, they can't or won't see anyone come here. Why would a business needing to build or mine or create come to a County that can't even follow the onerous CEQA laws?

[Gregory]

Regarding economic development, the best lecture I ever got on the subject was from Tom Brown, founder of Burr-Brown, Inc., at the time the only home grown Tucson tech company but after his death was sold to Texas Instruments making his daughters wealthy beyond the Dreams of Avarice had they not been raised right. Mr. Brown was the father of a dear friend of mine and suitemate of my eventual wife, Teri when we were all undergrads at Mudd. My late Teri and I drove the three of us and Sarah's stuff home at the end of that college year for a week's visit at Casa de Brown.

Mr. Brown had quite a story about dealing with the Tucson city and county fathers, and the Chambers of Commerce. The basic mindset of Main Street is backwards... they love car dealerships. Department stores. Things that generate sales tax revenues that can be spent immediately, but all those things are conduits to drain wealth from the community. Yes, you get cars, but very little of the money spent locally in retailers actually sticks locally; it mostly flows elsewhere. City councils, county supervisors and local Chambers do NOT have the patience to see solid local governance actually result in a company growing that can ship goods OUT and have wealth shipped IN. They don't see the home prices rising because of the wealth flows as a result of those companies, they don't put 2 and 2 together and attribute the property tax revenue being because of those companies that don't directly pour coins into the city and county collection boxes.

Shopkeeping, buying low and selling high, they understand. Hiring people smarter than shopkeepers to build ever more functional and small operational amplifiers, A to D and D to A converters, they have not a clue, and in the end, Burr-Brown has returned BILLIONS to the local economy.

I had a nice chat with our now former tax collector at the Big A once, and she had never even considered the car dealerships they were trying to lure in at the time didn't actually create wealth for the county. I wasn't surprised.

[George Rebane]

Gregory 1110am - Exactly so. The notion of 'importing cash' into the county has been a new one for many of the community leaders whom I have lobbied over the years. All the restaurants, hardware stores, specialty shops, and, yes, car dealerships draw almost all their sales from locals. And since the county cannot print money, these locals ultimately had to get their dollars from somewhere outside the county, i.e. the cash importers. As you again point out, such cash importing businesses are only those who sell their product to buyers who live elsewhere. I used to think that this was an easy concept to communicate and sell hereabouts. That has not been the case.

[Gregory]

Perhaps someday they'll decide money really does grow on trees and make pine needles legal tender.

BTW Jeff is off conversing with Annie Fox, who let it slip is libertarian; all 10 of the listed posts are Jeff and Annie. My crack investigative team has finally located a photo of Jeff with Annie, dispelling all doubt she does in fact exist:
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ja5qOR-eyFo/maxresdefault.jpg

[Todd Juvinall]

Gregory, now that is too funny!

[Bill Tozer]

My Gregory, you should let your crack investigating team off the leash more often. Indisputable evidence with visual aides. Sweet.

[Todd Juvinall]

Do yopu think "The Three Faces of Eve" or something like that, applies?

[fish]

Posted by: Gregory | 23 June 2015 at 11:35 AM

Thank you for a horrifying yet not entirely unexpected answer to the "mystery" of Annie!

[George Boardman]

Things must be slow over at Jeffy's because the latest news concerns his new license plate. Not surprisingly, it relates to eating.

[Walt]

" CHOWDWN"??

[George Rebane]

I swear, half the country has its head up its collective ass. Now we're all exercised about the Stars and Bars as symbols of institutionalized racism. The evidence? Well the Charleston idiot posed with the flag and that made it institutionalized across the country. Hillary is breathing a sigh of relief - she now has the race issue to divert people from her frauds and scandals and lies and a professional record that any scoutmaster can better after taking kids to summer camp.

But no one, starting with ABC, NBC, CBS, wants to talk about the blatant lies from the Dem camp on Prof Gruber's role in drafting and sleazebag selling Obamacare. 'Who dat?' is still the Dems' response when confronted with newly discovered emails (shown on FN) that tie the Gruberizer himself to the belly of the beast. Again, would appreciate a symmetric lying campaign from the rightwing.

And then we have Peter Lee, head of Covered California fame, who just got a 27% raise and a $65K bonus for blowing the project to sign up Californians to their new and fraudulent healthcare plan. The project is running 300K sign-ups behind and is $100,000,000 over budget. As perennially maintained in these pages, you really have to be a f@cK up to do well at the bureaucratic levels of government. In his favor, Lee has opined in private that he thinks Obamacare is a disaster and will not work. Only in government.

[Don Bessee]

Well, Dr. R I would submit that Lee's raise and bonus is more a reflection of the insiders view/expectations of what was really going to happen when it got going. For them ONLY 300k signatures and $100 Mil. behind the flow is worthy of a 27% raise and cash bonus. Well to be honest you couldn't get a tesla for that paltry bonus anyway, right?

[Todd Juvinall]

No surprises George. I just watched O'Reilly and Kirsten Powers go at it. She is supposedly a smart gal but my goodness. No wonder we can't get ahead on the "race" issue. White liberals just don't believe our country has even tried! So, let's all feel like crap and join the white liberals I guess. Unfortunately, I have concluded that there is nothing we can do or say that will EVER change the minds of these people like Powers. They revel in the racial jeans.

[Walt]

If it isn't the rebel flag,, it's "O" declaring open season on Americans outside U.S. boarders. The Dept. of kidnapping relations will soon be open for business.

[Account Deleted]

I'm surprised at you, George. You answered your own unasked question.
Why would some one get a bonus and a raise for presiding over a colossal flop?
"In his favor, Lee has opined in private that he thinks Obamacare is a disaster and will not work."
'In private' and the pay raise and bonus will keep it that way.
Otherwise Fox News might just let him go 'public'.
The raise and bonus are peanuts compared to the cost of the trouble an insider could cause. They have enough damage control going with the Gruberizer.

[Paul Emery]

Don

Speaking of wasting money how much do you think it cost to arrest and attempt prosecute Brad Peceimer.
That's not even taking into account the lawsuits that are sure to follow.

[Paul Emery]

Scott

You might ask the same question of the Banksters who made millions in bonuses while sucking up Taxpayer funded bailout cash.

[Don Bessee]

You go boy (PE)! I think our County and all of CA has become more realistic about the Americans for Safe Access folks litigiousness that is empowered by the self promoting sharks. Its going to be a rocking elections cycle, of that I am sure. ;-)

[Paul Emery]

Well Walt I'm sure you or anyone who participates in this blog would be very upset to be arrested for resisting arrest for the act of requesting a search warrant when no crime was committed.

[Paul Emery]

Pardon me that was meant for Don B. but the question is to anyone.

[Walt]

The real question Paul, is how much did his attorney pocket? Now THERE went some big bucks.
Has the IRS finished with him yet? Once the FEDS smell money, they do a body cavity search.
They play by their own rules.

Then there is the fact the "G" man may have made the charges "go away" to hide the high tech way they gathered evidence. The story on that has been out for a while. Maybe that's what got the charges dropped. Now that defence attorneys know about it, it's the first question they ask.

[Walt]

WOW Paul,, you had a premonition? Now that was a good one.
On that note, yes the cops "F"ed up. So, since they didn't show him the warrant like they do on TV, he had a right to use deadly force?
I don't know the law on that. If it needs to be in hand when they show up, or fresh off the judge's desk and on the way to be valid.
Just because it's portrayed one way on the boob tube does not make it a fact.

[Todd Juvinall]

I is never a good thing to arrest an innocent man or gal. However, sometimes appearances are deceiving and it happens. That is the price of fallible humans. Of course we are the most litigous place in history so there will be a few lawyers getting fat on the lawsuits. Those lawyers then donate to democrats who then pass more laws allowing for more lawsuits. Yep, what a system.

[Paul Emery]

Walt

Apparently he didn't attempt to use "deadly force" or they would have made the charges stick. Brad P. had no criminal record or any known history of violence that would have led to an aggressive pursuit without the need to show a warrant. In the end he was not prosecuted for any crime and all charges were dropped.

Todd
If there is a lawsuit it will cost NC taxpayers money to cover the sloppy work of NCSD. Don't blameBrads lawyers, he was the victim of a false arrest.

[Walt]

Well no shit Paul, we all know he didn't. You dodged the question as usual.
By what you write, you don't understand the use of a warrant. It has nothing to do with being a flight risk or being violent.
"false arrest"? LOL!! Plenty of probable cause. ( how many pot plants did they find?)
That much I DO know.
With your logic I could have sued the Co. for trespassing when they showed up tag my deck work.

[Walt]

BTW Paul, when "he" was posting here under his alias, he even stated he had no problem selling weed "on the side" ( other than for medical use) to make an extra buck.
I warned him to play by the rules. And low and behold,, a few weeks later the "man" was slapping the cuffs on him.

[Paul Emery]

Well Brad apparently the judge ruled that there was no evidence a crime was committed so all charges were dropped. From what I know about the case there was pretty sloppy police work all the way around.

[George Rebane]

PaulE 713pm - If I recall, after AIG it was the government pushing cash to the banks, and not their "sucking it up" - recall the famous weekend meeting when Bernanke called in the heads of the eight biggest banks and told them how much each of them would take. But that is not here nor there, the banks did pay back the Fed with interest. Those little factors seem to be omitted in the leftwing narratives.

But Peter Lee's is a completely different story. He has screwed up big time and gotten rewarded for it, said reward from taxpayers in a state with almost $1T in unfunded liabilities, and no possible solution in sight. I trust you will send the CCC to respond.