Kay Brooks

Missed the boat vote

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:12:00 +0000

The Davidson County Election Commission unanimously voted to certify the [District 5] election at a meeting this afternoon. [Former Councilwoman Pam] Murray came late to the meeting and missed the vote.

She was given an opportunity to speak later on in the meeting, at which time she said certifying the election results was an “act of injustice.” Tennessean

Give it a break Ms. Murray. One of the most important appointments of your life and you were, again, AWOL when your constituents needed you most. Despite that, the Commission still allowed you to speak and your very last act as a Councilwoman was to whine and throw this accusation at them:

“In closing, to agree with this act of injustice is like sending an innocent person to the death chamber; and (it is with) this reason I cannot consent to this election,” Murray said in a letter to the commission.

Like we need your consent. In your newly provided free time you might want to check on the phrase 'consent of the governed'.

And seriously? The Commission's bureaucratic act of affirming that the numbers were right and you lost by 2 votes was akin to killing an innocent man? Do you know the definition of hyperbole? Would you have been late to the execution also?

Time to move on, Ms. Murray. Like it or not, the voters have chosen. It's now your turn to choose. Choose to be a statesman who is still committed to improving her neighborhood--even if she's merely a private citizen.

Two a day is OK with Murray

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:43:00 +0000

CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) filed her election financial reports late according to a blog opposing her effort to stay in office. I'm not surprised.

Thankfully, the blogger thought to cross check the donors with the police reports. This is the kind of reporting that our regular media outlets should have done. Wonder why subscriptions are down?

Further into the blog post is more evidence that Murray is happy to take money from landowners that are a detriment to the health and safety of the people she's supposed to represent. Her three biggest donors had over 4,000 calls for police service since 2003 when Murray became a councilman. That's about 2 a day from just three businesses on desperate Dickerson Road alone. That's a huge drain on police and city resources. She's not cleaning up and improving the neighborhood she's ignoring obvious safety issues.

How does she justify not initiating an effort to shut those businesses down completely as nuisances for the good of the neighborhood and taxpayers generally? How does she justify taking campaign contributions from them?

Tomorrow is election day in District 5. Nashville needs a better quality of representation for that district. District 5 needs a better quality of representation. Hopefully, they'll get it very soon.

UPDATE: Here's the link to Murray's Financial Disclosure Statement just filed.

Garcia needs to testify

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:23:00 +0000

MNPS BOE Chairman David Fox (District 8-Hillsboro-West End) is exactly correct. The memos of former MNPS Superintendent Pedro Garcia are not the inviolate word of God. And considering how much weight appears to be given them I'm convinced that Garcia, himself, needs to be subpoenaed and state under oath what he alleges in the memos and be subject to cross examination.

He could have left quietly but no, he had to leave this little present. I say let's get him on the first plane back to Nashville. We're footing the bill and having to live with the consequences. I don't care of it's inconvenient for Garcia. Maybe he should have more thoroughly considered the consequences of his memos. Shades of junior high note passing! He should be man enough to come and stand by and defend his words.

The Nashville Scene seems very correct with their cover article in 2007: Best Foes Forever.

Who is William Rock?

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:56:00 +0000

For a man who has spent a life time, we're told, in education and is being called as an expert witness in the MNPS rezoning trial he's got a remarkably light public presence. Good thing he was friends with the plaintiff's attorney...we might never have heard of him otherwise.

William Rock is a distinguished service professor emeritus of the Department of Educational Administration at SUNY Brockport and served on the faculty here from 1968 through 1995. In 2001, he established the Annette Lamphier Rock Nursing Scholarship in honor of his wife, Annette, a lifelong nurse. This award will help support and nurture the education of nursing students at the College for years to come. He and Annette reside in Brockport. (SUNY-Brockport)

Give it a try...Google, Google Scholar, Bing, Ask, Yahoo, Cuil, Dogpile, LinkedIn--they would have nearly nothing at all on this guy if it weren't for current news coverage. How do you get to be a "nationally recognized school rezoning expert" and not have a paper trail that's on-line somewhere?

Kudos to HCA

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:11:00 +0000

From the folks at Post Business comes word that an employee union, Service Employees International Union, wants to set medical protocols that WE might have to suffer the consequences of.

Union officials say the policy [employees not inoculated against the flu must wear masks] should have been subject to negations (sic-I assume negotiations) since it affects employment terms, but HCA has declined to bargain. HCA officials said the policy is part of their comprehensive infection-control program to protect workers and patients, and they plan to continue moving forward with it.

The medical experts thinks protecting their patients from possible infection is a good idea. Who on Earth is the SEIU to make medical decisions that could endanger the rest of us? What's next? No more Hep B shots? TB test? Hair nets or rubber gloves? Just wait until the SEIU starts throwing their weight around via Obamacare. Lord have mercy on us all.

Is this the change voted for?

Tweets all over the courtroom

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0000

The Tennessean's education reporter Jaime Sarrio is also tweeting the rezoning hearings. For those of you who tweet (or set up an RSS feed from these tweets) you can follow the rezoning hearing at both

http://twitter.com/tncourtroom
and
http://twitter.com/NashvilleJeff

Should be very interesting to compare these two streams.

Any others?

Tweeting rezoning hearing

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:36:00 +0000

The Metro Nashville Public Schools rezoning hearing this morning is being tweeted by Nashville Jefferson.

Check his twitter page: http://twitter.com/NashvilleJeff

Plaintiff witness Mrs. Spurlock testifying about allegedly falsified school choice form choosing John Early for her daughter
Defense: No discriminatory intent; choice abrogates any discriminatory impact.
Plaintiffs: Rezoning goals stated by the Board are "subterfuge, pretext, a facade"
Filling up now -- and it looks like Mark North will be repping the School Board today

Wishful thinking?

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:56:00 +0000

What does CNN know that we mere mortals don't? Or is it just wishful thinking on their part?

CNN has already scrubbed the mistake but Google has it cached.

Some heritage more valuable than others

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:21:00 +0000

Spot on editorial about the fairgrounds in the City Paper this morning. Larry Woody nailed it.

'There is a theory we have no trouble embracing that some of Nashville’s “progressive” movers and shakers are eager to shed the city’s perceived Hee-Haw image — namely, country music, stock car racing and country-bumpkin fairs and flea markets.

“First they moved the Grand Ole Opry out of town, and now they’re running stock car racing out,” Denson said. “They’re doing away with the history and tradition that made our city so unique and special. It’s sad to see.”'

Again, Nashville focuses on proving to the world we're not hicks. It's a serious mistake to turn our back on our heritage. And whatever happened to "dance with the one that brung ya?" The fact is ordinary people live here, pay taxes, attend humble events at the fairgrounds and yet get the back of the hand from their own government--well it's palm side up come tax time though.

'Dean said he realized the decision to close shop was difficult, but “given the inability of either [track or fair] to support itself financially, it is simply time for us, as a city, to move on.”'

So is this the bar for deciding what comes and goes in this city? Or does that bar get raised and lowered depending upon how favored by our betters the project is?

“I once heard somebody say that the city doesn’t need a ‘playground for race drivers.’ Well, the city sure has a lot of ‘playgrounds for golfers.’ What the difference?”

Or tourists at a convention center.

Do they think that forcing the closing of the fairgrounds will feed the Nashville and Music Center Convention Centers business? I doubt it. The fact is those venues are too expensive, too inconvenient and not suitable for many of the events now held at the fairgrounds. I can think of one annual convention that will probably move out of the city if this happens. I don't think it'll be the only one.

"Metro officials seem anxious to close the fairgrounds, yet what they intend to do with the property remains unclear. Proposals have ranged from building low-income housing to creating another business park."

Because that whole Metro Center project worked out so well? I believe someone already has big plans for the fairgrounds and Mayor Dean knows exactly who it is. We the people just aren't privy to it yet.

Go Gotto

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:38:00 +0000

CM Jim Gotto (District 12 Hermitage) wants us all to see the Music City Center numbers (so do a lot of other people).

"If, in fact, these contracts are giving away the space or heavily discounting it, then that doesn't bode well for being able to pay the operating expenses of the convention center," said Gotto.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau said the details of what each group is paying for exhibit space and hotel rooms needs to be a trade secret for competitive reasons. WSMV

"Competitive reasons"--right.

From the screen shot I can only assume that there are discounts and incentive numbers that have been whited out. How on Earth can councilmen or taxpayers evaluate the wisdom of this huge financial commitment without those numbers? How can I believe Terry Clements, lobbyist for the Convention & Visitors Bureau, who said just last Thursday there were no freebies when I can't see the actual numbers? They'll let the Council peek at the numbers but they can't walk away with copies? No. Without hard copies available to keep convention proponents accountable over time NO Metro councilman should vote for this boondoggle. You want taxpayers to cosign for $1 Billion dollars but we can't see all the details of the deal? I don't think so.

And further, we're not supposed to be concerned about the convention center numbers and that half of the conventions aren't actually going to fully utilize this 'needed' larger facility because it's the hotel rooms that bring in the money?

You want to keep the particulars of the deal private? Use your own money.

Well of course he wants the MCC

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Dan Brodbeck of American Constructors, Inc. opines his support for the Music City Center. His opinion would carry more weight if:

He actually owned property in Nashville.
He could prove that those construction workers would be Nashville citizens and not transients moving in to take advantage of the jobs for the three years of building.
He could prove that those long terms jobs were the kind that could actually support a family and not just minimum wage hospitality ones.

Indentured Servants

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:11:00 +0000

From yesterday's Tennessean:

"The [Music City Center] debate centers on a simple question: Can the city afford the most expensive project in its history, particularly in these tough economic times?

Metro had about $2.3 billion in debt at the end of the 2007-08 budget year, including $1.7 billion in obligations to be repaid with property tax revenues. The city's debt has grown by about $650 million over the past decade.

The convention center project would add at least as much money to the debt load in one year. Critics said that could put Metro in a tough position."

Ya think?? Add that $2.3 billion to the $1.3 TRILLION the Obama administration also has us co-signing for (not to include the $1 TRILLION health care bill) and we have become indentured servants --not taxpayers.

And you just have to love the part where the debt is being repaid over 30 years...but there are no guarantees the MCC will be useful for 30 years. The Nashville Convention Center only lasted us 20 years. Does this feel like a 'fleece agreement' or whole life insurance to anyone else? All the money is made up front by a few and the rest of us are left holding the debt for an aging facility that drops in value the moment we drive it off the lot. If this is such a great deal...let them use their own money--not ours.

From earlier in the article: "That [debt] would make it extremely difficult to build schools, renovate libraries or reinforce bridges."

Have you seen how badly maintained many of our schools are? Do you remember that new storm water bill you just got to pay again for what was supposed to have been repaired years ago? Do you want your hard earned dollars (those of you currently fortunate enough to be earning dollars) committed to your family's welfare or as a 'backstop' for the financing of an unnecessary tourist destination? We do need infrastructure upgrades. We do need major repairs to many of our public schools, we do need public safety equipment. Most of all we need city planners and policy makers who are willing to lift their gaze from the downtown core and its "urban vitality" and look around at the whole rest of the county where there are more than enough legitimate needs that need immediate attention.

MCC need not found

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:30:00 +0000

I've been cruising around the Music City Center website and I kid you not the link at the bottom of this paragraph is dead.

The NEED – Nashville wants to take advantage of an attractive downtown to draw visitors who bring tax revenue to our city. Nashville operates on two main sources of tax revenues – property taxes and sales taxes. By growing the convention business, Nashville can expand the sales tax revenue from visitors and thus depend less on property taxes from citizens. To learn more about why Nashville needs a new downtown convention center, please visit the By the Numbers page.

Actually, what happens when you click on that link to go to a page called "theneed" their server says: theneed.php was not found... That's what I've thought all along.

It's also interesting to note that in order to persuade Nashville to build a new convention center they've got to denigrate the current facility. And if they fail to get their new center they'll have to figure out how to undo all those negative comments in order to keep business flowing to the still quite serviceable 20 year old Nashville Convention Center.

Which begs the question---how long will this new Center be competitive? Will it also be obsolete in 20 years?

Convention Center sales pitch

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Last night, Thursday, I attended a hastily called neighborhood meeting regarding the Music City Convention Center. According to Dianne Hunter (she's the woman on the far left next to the wall) she wanted "to get the clear hard facts not filtered through the media." To get those 'clear hard facts' she had a friend hook her up with Terry Clements one of seven lobbyists for the Nashville Convention & Visitor's Bureau (CVB) and she invited Council Lady Karen Bennett (District 8 Inglewood) to a small meeting in a local restaurant.

At 6:49 pm on Wednesday evening a note was posted to a neighborhood listserv providing minimal notice to the community of the meeting to be held 23 hours later. Bennett responded with a note early the following afternoon stating:

"I was contacted several weeks ago by Ms. Hunter wishing to speak with me and bring a couple of her friends with her concerning the Convention Center. I told her I would be happy to speak with her but until we have the financing portion of the package that there was really no way of having an informed conversation."

Hunter apologized at the end of the meeting for the miscommunication and the poor choice of the venue. She stated that she had asked a few people to attend and told the restaurant manager there would be between 12 and 15 people. Clearly though, considering how the table was set up to seat no more than 10 and the placement of the video screen they didn't expect the twice that number that did show up. It was a terrible venue for anything other than an intimate few who could sit close together since the meeting was in the main portion of an open restaurant with music, chatter, kitchen noise and all hard surfaces.

Councilmen in attendance included Bennett, CM Michael Craddock (District 4-Madison), CM Jim Gotto (District 12 Hermitage), and CM Mike Jameson (District 6-East Nashville) .

There were also two representatives from Nashville Priorities in attendance.

Bennett was allowed to speak first and made it very clear that this was not a meeting she had called. She stated that she was holding her own community meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 6:00 pm at the East Precinct. At that time the all important financial information would be available for the community to evaluate. She also admonished the CVB saying that several of these sorts of one sided meetings were being held across the city that confused constituents about who was hosting these meetings and put councilmen in a difficult spot. This tactic needed to end.

Clement began his PowerPoint presentation, which was not viewable by a full third of those in attendance, by stating that 'if you don't travel much you may not know the power of the Nashville brand'. I'll admit it came across as talking down to those of us who haven't had the opportunity to travel as extensively as he had. It came across as "We're the professionals who know this subject. You're unsophisticated. Trust us." Not a good start.

He went on to say Nashville had lost over 300 meeting by not having a larger facility. He stated the Music City Convention Center (MCC) will compete for 70% of the convention market. Glaringly obvious to me was that being in the competition doesn't equal money in the bank from winning. He did say that Mayor Dean had given them permission to start selling space not even yet approved and that if we didn't build the facility there were penalties that would have to be paid to those convention clients. Clement stated they had pre-sold 227,000 hotel rooms over 8 years, had 22 clients on board, denied that anyone was getting any space for free (hotel rooms swapped for convention space kinda thing), couldn't say how they determined the room or space rates and didn't know what the break even point was. Great, they put the cart before the horse to ensure that taxpayers have additional incentives to approve the MCC. I have little patience with this tactic.

Clement was very careful to say visitor taxes will 'primarily' fund the MCC but his slide omitted the word 'primarily'. Also careful to emphasize that property taxes will not fund the center. If he mentioned sales taxes I didn't hear it.

Another slide said the center had been 'vetted for 11 years' which is false. It's been talked about for more than a decade but never fully vetted. We're still waiting on solid numbers. Clement himself stated "the financial package is not complete yet. Hopefully, in November."

The PowerPoint was filled with pretty renderings of the facility, there was a lot of talk about the LEED roof, the proposed roundabout, urban vitality, and jobs that would be created. Of course when Clement was asked what the average salary of an MCC employee would be he had no idea.

Jameson and I both asked for a copy of the PowerPoint but Clements avoided promising a copy saying he thought it might be too large to email.

While there were several very polite questions and even a few from Hunter who seemed mostly concerned about the LEED aspects and traffic I did go a bit 'town hall' on Clement. I started by stating that I didn't think government belonged in the convention business at all. I continued by pointing out that our federal government was putting us into debt for $1.5 Trillion dollars, that the state government was only too happy to throw money away, and now, during economic hard times (and I provided a personal example) taxpayers were supposed to co-sign for more debt? How was this facility going to benefit my family and my neighborhood? Clement had already mentioned Nashville's stormwater problems and I reminded him of that expense, that our police and fire needed equipment and raises and that the sales tax monies, that fund public schools, were on the line for this MCC. Why should I support this over those other and more vital government services?

He couldn't answer. He was professionally polite and attentive but there is no way you can make a case for the MCC getting in line ahead of the family grocery bill, public safety or public schools. He was wise to not even try. I dearly hope the Council understands that 'build it and they will come' was fine for a Hollywood movie but it's not the way to run a city.

Wrong Rex

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:54:00 +0000

The City Paper's anonymous gossip creates some mud for slinging but doesn't have the facts to back it up.

Seems Mrs. Michael Craddock dared to get a job with a land developer her husband, as Metro Councilman, worked with during the development of the Home Depot in Inglewood. According to the CP Gossip: "Craddock backed the development because it meant job creation," Wrong Rex.

From my fist person observation Craddock backed it because the neighbors backed it. They had two hard choices and chose Home Depot as the lesser of two evils. One choice being an apartment complex guaranteed to house a transient population. The other a stable, accountable corporate entity with a remarkable business record. Which would you choose to live next to?

Regarding the destruction of Evergreen I never heard Craddock say Evergreen had to go. The destruction of that historic property was the end of a long and convoluted story. All of us working on preserving it and working with the developer clearly understood we didn't own the property and Moore did. Clearly Moore was not going to preserve the property. Clearly we were stuck with Home Depot. What I saw was Craddock ensuring that the neighbors were heard, that their concerns were addressed, that Home Depot didn't just throw up a concrete box with day laborers haunting the entrance and that they preserved the two historic cabins that had not been razed.

Kudos on finding work at all Mrs. Craddock. I'm in the hunt myself and have put the word out and completely understand 'any port in a storm'. Considering Mr. Craddock's position it'd be hard to find any employer that didn't have some connection to Metro government, the council, or Craddock's real estate business. Should she have recused herself from all those potential employers? I wouldn't ask her to.

Per Pupil Spending

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:23:00 +0000

The EIA has their latest charts of school spending by district out from the '06-07 school year. Here's Tennessee: http://www.eiaonline.com/districts/Tennessee.pdf

Nashville stats include enrollment of 73,731 and per pupil spending of $8,561. That's an increase of 18.8% since the '01-'02 school year for only 8.9% more students.

Tough to budget

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:27:00 +0000

If we hadn't kept the thermostat at 78 degrees, faithfully used the clothesline, turned out lights and gotten a new HVAC unit last year, I've no doubt we'd be in this woman's shoes with a sky high electric bill and no way to pay it before the disconnection was ordered. Thankfully, we managed to keep ours (a family of 6) under $250 all summer.

It's very tough to regulate utility usage. Budget billing, being charged equal payments during the entire year, can only go so far. Until someone creates an inexpensive meter that says how much money has been spent or manages to 'budget' the weather it's going to continue to be a tough call.

It's been decades since I applied for utility service but it seems to me I had to have a good credit history. I'm not sure I'd extend payments six months but having a previous history of paying fully, negotiating a plan with NES based on past credit history and the customer's current budget (and not on some arbitrary NES demand) and following that plan should keep disconnection at bay.

Here's the web page for the NES Power Board: http://www.nespower.com/boardmembers.aspx. You might want to contact them.

Just a reminder of their previous attempt to take our change for their charitable work: Increase In Rates Not Enough.

Also note, Leo Waters formerly of the NES board is moving on to the convention center board.

Tweeting

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Maybe I have time for 140 characters every now and then. http://twitter.com/kaybrooks

Personal Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:34:00 +0000

I've avoided explaining my light posting hoping that our life would soon revert back to something resembling normal and I could resume soon. However, it looks like we may have a new normal.

Our life has been a bit of a roller coaster ride since Christmas. Back then, my husband, our family's major breadwinner and the patron who supports my community activism, was unexpectedly laid off. A week later he was hired by a former employer (at a lower rate). Two months later he was laid off (at least we had a clue this time). Both layoffs were for lack of work in an specialized industry we now understand is very dependent upon credit being readily available. Within a week he went to work on a commercial renovation project that lasted about six months (at a lower rate again) and has been expectedly laid off.

While I enjoy blogging--it doesn't bring enough to pay the bills and so I've polished up both our resumes. We're both hitting the bricks and pixels looking for work. If you need an excellent finish carpenter, millworker, bass player or a politically busybody mom with great office and administrative skills let us know at KayBrooks@gmail.com.

I'll still be able to eek out a few posts now and again but for this immediate season my focus must turn from my passion about educating children and government issues to those people I hold near and dear. I have the blessings of a supportive husband, amazing children and a church family that really does walk closely with us on the journey. They make the journey bearable and worth finishing well. I hope you're similarly blessed.

So, I'll post when I can, when I can't stand not saying something and when I have a few minutes. Thanks for reading and for your patience.

Paper clips say it all

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:42:00 +0000

The downside to term limiting presidents is that they can arrange much of this to really hit us when they're safely out of office and completely unaccountable.

Debt is bad. It's that simple. Don't do it.

Hat tip: WhyHomeschool.blogspot.com

Text of Obama's speech to school children

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:43:00 +0000

The White House has released the text of Obama's speech to school children scheduled for tomorrow. Pretty boring stuff for the most part.

A couple of snips and comments.

"But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. ..."

Can we go back to that part about how you got into law school?

Moving on--he was fortunate. He wasn't cobbled by a failing public education system--the very place many of these children will be listening from. Agree with what Mrs. Obama taught him or not she was effective in creating a president with a little help from her friends. She saw to it that he went to good private schools and got what he needed to succeed in his world.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

Well, except for the part where I'm selling your future down the drain with 12 Trillion in debt. We've pretty much mapped out a slavery situation for ya there.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day.

[Insert your own pithy response to his lack of experience here.]

What we will never know is what the original text may have been had there been no venue for the opinions of concerned citizens and parents.

UPDATE: How many times does he say:

I, me, my = 80
You/Your= 203 (about 10% of the words)

The speech kerfluffle

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

There is so much more to be upset about in our public education system than a 20 minute speech by Obama and some badly prepared lesson plans. Instead of taking children out, parents with children in public schools should go into those schools for this event. The system can easily work around your child’s absence for this speech. They can easily marginalize you as a reactionary nut for withdrawing your child. By being there you make it clear that you support efforts, from the top down, that encourage your children to value their education. You also make it clear to the system that you're watching them and will hold them accountable.

And then plan on returning over and over again. If you're in the school regularly you will discover so much more that needs your attention and you will have your first person testimony as evidence of the real problems. It’s more important that parents spend time learning what goes on day-to-day than react to a speech from the supervisor of the US Department of Education. When you find excellence reward it, point it out, and encourage it. Otherwise, reveal those teachers and staff that obviously need to be in another line of work. Find the incompetent management of resources. Attend school board meetings and out the regular rubber stamping of the administration. When was the last time your school board actually asked about anyone on the tenure list before approving it? When was the last time they asked a serious question about a contract, a textbook, a new policy? Read your child’s textbook and do some googling about its inaccuracies and/or bias. Find out what’s in those daily lesson plans. What organizations with what POV are your children subjected to while in school? Whether to have uniforms or candy in the lunchroom are such minor and foolish issues to waste the finite educational lives of children on when in loco parentis has allowed the government so much control over children, their minds and their hearts than parents realize.

Parents, if Superintendent of US Schools Obama’s speech caught your attention—great, but don’t waste your time focused on that. Don’t major in the minors. There is real work that needs to be done. Start in your child's classroom and don't quit until people who believe like TN House Rep. Tommie Brown (D-Chattanooga), featured in the video above, are no longer in charge of your family's life.

(Hat tip: Rep. Stacey Campfield for the video.)

MDHA Convention Center

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Just want to remind folks as we wade further into the convention center land grab and billion dollar public funding of what should be an entirely private enterprise that MDHA's land grab attempt last year to condemn Joy Ford's property for a must have hotel on Demonbreun and Music Row has resulted in not one shovelful of dirt being moved since the parties came to a land swap agreement last October. Last October folks. Nearly a year now.

I shudder to think where that land owner would be if we hadn't gotten very vocal about MDHA's handling of that mess. I'm concerned that with Obamanomics and few real controls over MDHA taxpayers will get stuck with a lot of land and a lot of debt.

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are:
'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America

I don't know about you, but this family can't afford any more government help.

Good question Motor City

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Folks in Detroit are asking a great question. Why is a Detroit methadone clinic manager on Nashville's city council?

The article at MLive.com notes much of the trouble between CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) and residents of her district. They provide handy links to Nashville news reports and even YouTube video of the woman defending a recent zoning bill.

They also make mention of the brand spanking new WeThePeopleOfDistrictFive.com website for recalling the councilwoman. The recall effort's motto:

Our Councilmember should be from Music City...not Motor City

If you want to contact the recall folks email them at: WethePeopleD5@yahoo.com

With this article it looks like Murray will be fighting on two fronts now.

UPDATE: Channel 5 has a report on the petition drive. Remarkably, they managed to find Murray somewhere. I was unimpressed by her displaying a standard expanding file folder as evidence of all the work she's done in six years for the district. Not even an inch a year of paperwork.

"My true neighbors know I have done my job over there," said Murray."

What exactly is a 'true neighbor"? Exactly where do they live?

I caught a Channel 2 report with their Chris Bundgaard while making dinner but I don't see a link on their site. Pity. There was video of Bundgaard doing what so many had done before--trying to get a hold of Murray via phone and getting a full voice mail box instead.

UPDATE II: Here's the Channel 2 video.

Thanks for the link, Schaffdk.

The nationalization of your body

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Brooks) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:14:00 +0000

Mark Steyn's latest essay is about health care not surprisingly. As usual some good thoughts in there and well worth reading in full.

Here's the money quote that jumped off the page for me:

"And there's nothing you can do about it because,
ultimately, government health represents
the nationalization of your body."

There goes 'my body, my choice'.