Tuesday 16 February 2016

MEANWHILE FROM VICTORIA, A BIT OF LIGHT RELIEF...COURTESY OF ABC NEWS 16 February 2016 (DON'T START GETTING IDEAS, FOLKS)



Victorian council meeting cancelled after person in banana suit protests against mayor's trip


A person dressed as a banana and handing out bananas in protest against mayoral expenses has disrupted a local shire council meeting north of Melbourne.

The stunt was apparently a barb directed at Mitchell Shire's mayor Sue Marstaeller over her trip in her council car to Coffs Harbour, which has a tourist attraction known as the Big Banana.

The Broadford meeting was called to a halt after the large banana wandered around the chamber.

Former mayor Bob Humm said it was unfortunate a council meeting was cut short by the person's antics.

"I think it was very disappointing for probably a couple of the councillors because a couple of them had some fairly important items on the agenda that they needed to get moved and passed through the council," he said.

"I was a little bit surprised that the meeting was completely adjourned; the councillors possibly could have gone to the council room — called the meeting off for half an hour, got [to] the council room, then come back and completed the meeting.

"But obviously the mayor was quite offended, which she has the right to be offended because she'd been given the opportunity, the right, to be able to use that vehicle by the CEO in the first place."

Mr Humm said it was not the first time locals had resorted to the tactics. Someone dressed as a gorilla ran around the chamber when the shire was discussing circuses about 10 years ago.

Mitchell Council had 'serious' issues to discuss

Mr Humm said he believed the person dressed as a banana was a local being disruptive.
"I think there's been enough said and enough put around in the local papers in regard to the mayor and the trip up to Coffs Harbour ... I think it's time we put it aside and got on with more serious things," he said.

Mitchell Shire ratepayers have a fortnight to decide whether they want to seek an exemption to new laws that will see all Victorian local council rate increases capped at the inflation rate of 2.5 per cent, starting in mid-2016.

The council has notified the Essential Services Commission that it is considering the exemption option, and it has until the end of March to make a final decision.

Ms Marstaeller said under a 2.5 per cent cap $633,000 would be cut from the budget for the next year and a total of $44 million over the next decade.

*******
 
NUDGE NUDGE, WINK WINK…


Is this the new ‘broome’ that will sweep York clean?



Come to Monday’s Council meeting and find out.



64 comments:

  1. OK James maybe you can go to the next council meeting dressed as a ....... (ideas anyone?????)

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  2. lets go to the next meeting dressed as mushrooms

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  3. I'm going to dress up as an Avon Waste rubbish truck with a bag of crisp notes on the back and go to the next council meeting in York.

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    1. Anonymous16 February 2016 at 04:49 - I love your comment. Today's smile!

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    2. so true anonymous 4:49 and you could sit next to Wallace and Denise they would appreciate you even more

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  4. hey that's not you in that suit James, I heard you were away for a few days

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  5. most contributing to this blog would go as the grim reaper for what they want to do to our town

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    1. Opposing SITA's proposed dump; resisting the expansionary efforts of Avon Waste and all attempts to make York a receptacle for metropolitan rubbish including toxic waste; cutting back on Shire expenditure by staff restructuring and reducing staff numbers to sensible proportions; recruiting properly qualified staff to fill vacant positions; setting up an agency to promote York as a tourist venue, here and overseas; beautifying and revitalizing the town e.g. by planting trees along Avon Terrace; developing an efficient management plan for the YRCC...etc...WTF has any of that got to do with the Grim Reaper? Because those are the things most of us want for York. What do you want for the town?

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  6. you forgot the attacks on the individuals on teh council that are very personal and go way beyond what is reasonable behavior and you are totally responsible james

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    1. No, I've forgotten nothing. I take it you mean people employed by the Shire rather than elected members of Council.

      I'd like to know what you mean by 'very personal'.

      Very few shire employees have been targeted by this blog. Those who have been targeted have a very poor track record so far as dealings with the public (and in some cases their own colleagues) are concerned. While CEO Hooper was in charge, they did more or less as they pleased, using their positions to do favours for friends and to make life hell for people who asked awkward questions or otherwise annoyed them. Some but by no means all of that story is in the Fitz Gerald Report. The cackling sound you can hear is that of chickens coming home to roost.

      Those people obstructed every attempt by former Shire President Reid to introduce open, honest and accountable governance to the Shire, as he had a clear mandate to do. They played a significant role in persuading the DLGC to suspend council and in hounding Matthew from office. They are entirely and exclusively responsible for the odium in which they are held by many in the York community. Don't you dare tell me that I am 'totally responsible' for what is being said about them. They sowed the wind, and now are reaping the whirlwind.

      It is not my duty to protect them, but you might be surprised by the number of comments about them I have declined to publish because they are obscene or otherwise 'very personal', as you put it. I wonder if, were our roles reversed, they would extend the same courtesy to me. Somehow I doubt it.

      Delete
    2. James, your giving the idiots a voice again. Clearly these people are not rational and there is absolutely nothing you or anyone else can do to change that.
      Let them start their own blog for the Hooper worshipers.

      Delete
    3. Sometimes 'giving a voice to the idiots' provides me with an opportunity to restate what we (and they) know to be the truth, but some readers may not know.

      There's a good example in comments on the previous topic, where to my surprise somebody had never heard of James Best's purchase of Chalkies. They've heard of it now!

      That said, these days I try to keep in check my generous instinct to publish everything people say. There are some very silly people out there. Some of their comments I delete, some go straight to the spam folder, and a few get published to give the world something to laugh at.

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    4. anyone that doesn't agree with your (anon 16:54)view is an idiot - you're an idiot

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    5. I do recall a post lambasting Pam Law...not quite sure what she did wrong, but there was a photo of her, probably shouldn't attack staff that have no responsibility in how Ray Hooper ruined the town...

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    6. Anonymous 21/2 @ 21:56, you appear to have an excellent memory, but I think you should pay more attention to the meanings of words.

      On 26 August 2015, I posted a rather fetching photo of Ms Law (aka King) sitting on a metal sculpture which I believe to be a property from 'Game of Thrones'or maybe 'Lord of the Rings'(she seemed to be dressed for New Zealand).

      This was in the context of a recent massive rates hike imposed by Commissioner Best and A/CEO Simpson.

      The photo was accompanied by a brief parody of a stanza from the Lord Chancellor's song in Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta 'Iolanthe'. It was intended to amuse readers, not to punish Ms Law.

      'Lambast' means 'to beat violently or severely'. In nautical use it means 'to flog with a rope'. In my post, there is no violent attack on Ms Law, just a photo and a short ditty which admittedly plays on her name and attributes to her a degree of ruthlessness in the exercise of her responsibilities as rating officer.

      A couple of defaulting ratepayers had complained to me of rough treatment at Ms Law's hands and what they perceived to be a lack of compassion in her pursuit of them. My post made no mention of any of that, nor of research I had carried out and documents I had seen relating to glitches in the rating after change of use of a property owned by well-known residents of the town.

      'Lambast'? I don't think so. That certainly wasn't my intention.

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    7. It is also described as:
      verb: lambast
      criticize (someone or something) harshly.
      "they lambasted the report as a gross distortion of the truth"
      synonyms:criticize, castigate, chastise, censure, condemn, take to task, harangue, attack, rail at, rant at, revile, fulminate against, haul/call over the coals;

      I think the word lambast does indeed fit what anonymous 21.56 was meaning...

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    8. No, it doesn't. I did none of those things. If you disagree, please explain why. Use your thesaurus if you need to.

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    9. Oh it's so nice to be a topic of discussion again. The treatment that I received on the blog at that time was hurtful. There were things directed at me about not doing my job properly, when those things were not part of my job. The rates officer needs the CEO's permission to do anything, this takes time and some people are very impatient.

      At the time just before I left the Shire, I was receiving death threats on my home phone and being stalked at home, due to the job. Because people didn't like being chased up for their overdue rates. This was not a nice way to live when you are on you own with two children. I got not assistance from HR or the police.

      I know that some of the matters I was working on dragged on for longer than they could have. However, if other internal departments can't do their jobs properly then I can't do mine. Responsibility also falls with the individual landowner to do what is requested from departments such as Landgate. Let them in your door to do a revaluation and get the matter settled once and for all, is one suggestion. I have found some ratepayers to fight at every step of a process. It's no way to build a working relationship that will benefit anyone.

      How do ratepayers feel about this? Should someone who has paid no rates be eligible to have several thousand dollars reimbursed to them? Where would the Shire of York be financially if they kept giving handouts? Get a grip people if you pay nothing you get nothing.

      I hear people complaining about the outsourcing of and cost of debt collection. As a rates officer, you do not have the legal right or ability to serve or even write up summons' for companies, these must be done by a lawyer, along with many other tasks. As the bad debts had been left for so many years under previous leadership, when a new one came in along with a new Shire President, I was very clearly told to bring it all in.

      Many ratepayers on that list had not paid rates for over 3 years. This means legal action and sale of properties if they can not make payment. As for all the legal fees, the Shire of York does not pay them, they get on charged to the ratepayer. They show up in the financials as a payment, the money is then charged back through the individuals rates. This information should be made available.

      Oh Roma, I always did everything I could for you and David and treated you with nothing but respect. You lied with the comment you put on the blog about your pension claim. I told you, with witnesses around, that your claim "had been mixed in with the renewals", of which I had over 500, not in with the new applications. New applications were no longer being lodged on that form. The renewals were not a priority to process as it was just a case of checking that all the details were still correct. You should have been directed to lodge your application directly through the Water Corporation instead of completing the paperwork that you did. I did process it for you immediately and then forwarded you an updated rates notice the following day. The issue was sorted out straight away. I don't get the need you have to publicise all the small problems that you come across with the Shire. Especially when this was the first one with me and it was fixed immediately.

      I reached a point when I knew it was time to call it quits; with the Shire, the town, with my financial independence, with everything I knew. I think other people should do the same.

      On top of everything that was going on within the office and from other ratepayers, the comments on the blog in August destroyed me. There are some people in this town that have no concern as to how their actions will affect others. Some of you are out there suing the Shire, maybe I should sue those of you that destroyed my life, just a thought.......but I am not that petty.

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    10. Perhaps if you spoke up about the leadership at the time Pam, people would have respected you.

      You know in your heart of hearts how they targeted people they didn't like and you did nothing. Everyone knows Roma is a drama queen, but there were others who's rates issues were based on falsified documents and lies and you know it, whether you admit it or not.

      I do however respect you for finally calling it quits. No job is worth selling your soul for.

      Nothing I read on the blog about you seems like it may have been life destroying, but no one jnows what went on behind closed doors either. Have a little empathy for those they did destroy and you may have an epiphany as to why everyones so angry.

      With the rate hike and land values destroyed lives and businesses continue because no one can leave atm.

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    11. Kudos to you Pam but please don't blame the public for their anger, its justified. You are a victim as well, that's clear. If there has been dubious practices going on behind the scenes speak with Dacombe and get it on record, please.

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    12. Pam, I have to agree with Anonymous 15:06 that there is nothing 'life-destroying' about what was posted about you on the blog. I've been subjected to much worse, and dismissed it with laughter.

      It bothers me that we now live in a society where speaking one's mind or making a silly joke, whether or not offence was intended, is likely to evoke mutterings of legal action based on somebody's hurt feelings. No wonder the Islamists are coming after us. As a nation, indeed as a civilization, we're becoming emotionally undisciplined and politically effete.

      All the same, I'm very sorry that you felt it necessary to change your life so drastically, and very angry that you were stalked and threatened and got no help or support from HR. On that score, somebody in the Shire has some explaining to do. I take it from what you say that you complained to the police - what do you think went wrong there?

      Your comment makes it clear that as many of us suspected, the Shire administration has been dysfunctional across the board for quite a while. You are not to be blamed for the shortcomings of senior colleagues and other agencies you had to work with. It's a pity you were the one who felt she had to fall on her sword.

      Anonymous, I know Roma well. She is plucky and outspoken but that doesn't make her a 'drama queen', as you so rudely describe her. Those of us who are fighting on the same side for local government reform and a more prosperous and dynamic York ought to treat one another with more respect.

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    13. James, the problem at the time, which ate away at me the most, was the fact that I had no right of reply to any of the posts. (Due to employment conditions) When there are so many issues arising from long term ongoing dis-satisfied residents, the suspension of the Council and the tension within the administration office and then with these posts hitting the blog, when all I am trying to do is be one of the good guys, there comes a breaking point.

      No one knew my personal situation. No one knew whether or not those posts would have the affect that they did. Some people may be able to laugh them off, I could not, they were the final straw. My name is mud in that office now due to one staff member. I stood up to her at the very end and she ended up spreading bullshit lies about me through the office.

      In the end the truth will come out. Don't worry about that.

      York deserves better than it is getting. But honestly, unless people in mass go into the administration office and be specific about having something fixed or done, the chances are slim. This is what I would tell my rural ratepayers all the time. "If all of you on this road want this done, then please all put in an Action request. The more people that write in directly about the one topic at the one time, the better".


      On the police matter, I was told to go to the Northam Magistrates Court and get a VRO against the particular person. If the VRO was breached then the police could act. At that time I did not have the mental strength to go through that process, so I left and stayed with friends instead.

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    14. That same staff member did that to many of us too Pam. So did the councillors of the day.

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    15. Pam, I genuinely respect you for coming forward, No one will disbelieve you that a staff member gave you a hard time, bullied you even. No one, whether a member of the public or member of staff should put up with the tyrannical behavior from anyone. I won't mention any names, but I'd stake money I could narrow it down to two people (TC and/or GM).
      I would implore you to write everything thing down and record as much information as possible, then speak with Mr Dacombe and officially have it recorded in the system. It's a well known fact that two members of administration staff are effectively holding the town to ransom. Worse, those same members of staff are playing people off against each other. Remember when Michael Keeble was here and a certain member of staff told you all that complaints had been lodged about the staff, wasn't true was it !
      Remember the special Council meeting in the Chambers when a certain member of staff had you all stand downstairs effectively segregating you from the public? That's not the way it should work Pam, we all live together, it should never have reached the point where its them and us. Unfortunately, some people don't see it that way, they feel threatened and vulnerable if people are united, these people have narcissistic personalities, they need to control.
      Send James an email, discuss how you feel. He's a bit of a prick sometimes and doesn't know when to stop talking, but he'll steer you through what you need to do. Like many people in York, you have suffered and are emotionally scared, there has to be a healing process, by making your comments, you have started the process, please see it through.

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    16. With regards to your statement on Roma, I must stand up for her as she had told me at the time what happened with her rates and it is not what you state. It was most unkind of you to accuse her of lying and very hurtful, not what a person of integrity does. Hers was a renewal not a new one and she had previously filled in the form that you do from the Water Corporation. She filled in the form which is what you sent her. Roma is a good person and stands up for York and does a lot within York. She has the guts to ask question that need to be asked and that is what is needed with the Council. I had only just met her when I suddenly lost my Father and Mother within a week. She and David could not do enough for me and helped enormously getting through this sad and stressful time. She is usually the first to put her hand up to help.

      I have sympathy for you and what you have gone through. I was on the end of a lot from Hooper and its not easy to take.

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  7. Anonymous17 February 2016 at 16:54 Hooper acolytes would not be capable of setting up a blog, even with their headmaster help.

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    1. If they need help setting up a blog, they only have to ask. If they asked nicely, I wouldn't mind writing for them. 'Let a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend...'

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  8. That is very kind of you James, you could also help by providing spelling lessons for them.

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    1. Impossible. They tell so many lies they forget half of them and their blog would make no sense. Especially Tony "Pants on Fire"

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  9. very good James just as you explained your blog is about building York and not personal attacks - try reading some of this rubbish and tell its about improving York

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    1. Sometimes people go too far - on both sides of the argument. I have rebuffed many personal attacks, some of them very distasteful. I'm sure you are capable of doing the same, anonymously or otherwise.

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    2. your no different James read some of your "high moral ground" pieces they are just personal based attacks on individuals - its not right to do that, there can be no justification high moral ground or not

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    3. No different from what?

      I don't believe I've ever used the expression 'moral high ground', nor have I claimed possession of that much-coveted terrain. Unfortunately, it would have been impossible to write about many of the topics I've covered without discussing personalities, but to describe anything I've written as 'just personal based attacks on individuals' is merely silly.

      Since you are too cowardly to tell me who you are, I'm in no position to judge what moral right you have to lecture me on this subject. I believe my conduct has been entirely justifiable - but I would say that, wouldn't I? Why do you think there is 'no justification' for writing about personalities - like James Best and Tony Simpson, to name only two - who have behaved so disgracefully and displayed such contempt for the ordinary people of this town? In this context, where does 'niceness' aka political correctness begin and end?

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  10. why am I cowardly that's a nonsense argument, I simply have an opinion different to yours so that makes me cowardly - I dont get it, your a cheap literary stunt borrowed from low life court room lawyer, to discredit the other side when your losing and have nothing else of substance to say

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    1. You’re not a coward because your opinion is different from mine. You’re a coward because you presume to sit in judgment on me without having the courage to disclose who you are.

      The rest of your comment is merely inarticulate personal abuse, apart from your admission that you 'don't get it', with which I wholeheartedly agree.

      Delete
  11. James, seems you have trodden on a painful corn with Anonymous19 February 2016 at 15:43 and Anonymous20 February 2016 at 16:29.
    Any chance he/she has had a run in with a Lawyer at some stage recently......KIWI national maybe???


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  12. Seems I've trodden on a fair few corns lately. A neighbour declined to return my friendly greeting or acknowledge my presence in IGA this afternoon while ostentatiously exchanging pleasantries with my wife. Actually he's a very nice bloke, but I know he's friendly with people who may conceivably find me not to their taste.

    By the way, it's my wife who is the lawyer, not I. She's most definitely not a 'low life courtroom lawyer'(I've met some of those), though she does appear in court from time to time.

    I quite enjoyed being called a 'cheap literary stunt', until it occurred to me it might be rhyming slang.

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  13. York appears to have a rather unique breed of humans...they speak one day and ignore you the next.

    Fair weather friends are not worth having!



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  14. no wonder no one wants to be identified, if they did the next day you would be gutting them with commentary on the blog, I dont think that person is cowardly I can see what they are saying and i'm not so quick to degrade them James, maybe be a bit more open to these comments or there will be a few more people not wanting to talk to you, just a thought, its a small town

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  15. maybe not Roma, they are just normal people that dont want all the negativity that the blogs are pedaling, I have to say I dont blame them, sometimes I wish the blog could be more positive and helpful to build the town and look forward, I think others have posted similar comments to this but I though I would add my bit as well but i mean it in a friendly way thanks for the blog James

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    1. Then contribute some positive good ideas for the future or start your own blog. How many times does it need to be said.

      So far I've not seen anything that resembles a way to "move on" other than what Jan and James have posted.

      This town can not move on when the people within sit and wait for everyone else to do something.

      At least this blog highlights past mistakes which gives those of us who do something some hope that our good ideas might get some traction and I stress might, due to the fact everyone's watching the senior staff.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21 February 2016 at 04:11 -I was not simply commenting on the way the person treated James which, in my opinion, was extremely rude, I was also speaking from experience. I have found when you are of no further use you are ignored. I witnessed the same thing happen to friends here recently who provided countless hours of free professional assistance.

      I am sure if people contribute their ideas to bring vibrancy back into York James will be only too happy to publish them.

      By the way, York will 185 in September 2016. This is a wonderful opportunity to close off the CBD and celebrate our Birthday.

      Delete
  16. The blogs don't peddle negativity. They point out wrongs that cry out for correction. As I've tried to explain more than once, that is a positive, not a negative thing to do.

    The people peddling negativity are the ones who believe that past wrongdoings, some of which may amount to crimes, should be overlooked or brushed under the carpet and those responsible never held to account.

    This blog in particular has put forward a slew of positive ideas for improving York. Hardly anyone seems to have noticed. I have challenged the blog’s detractors to put forward their positive ideas, only to discover that they have none.

    The negativity you complain of mainly resides in what those detractors throw as comments at the blog. Remember the lunatic who threatens to drive people he doesn't agree with out of town? That's a pretty negative attitude, if you ask me, but I don't hear him being accused of negativity.

    There are citizens who will always be loyal to people they perceive as having money, power, or what they consider to be class, regardless of justice or truth. Frankly, I'd rather they didn't talk to me. There are plenty of folk who are glad to. I wasn’t complaining about being snubbed, merely remarking on it.

    Nobody has to read the blog. It's not compulsory. Why people who dislike what it stands for continue to read it, let alone post comments on it, is a complete mystery to me. Will somebody please explain?

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  17. The more they do it and the more there are bites the more it waters down the truths and questions. That's why they do it. Then they can say to their ignorant acolytes "See this is what we had to put up with," they're vexacious.

    Just dont publish them. And when they complain you haven't published them don't publish those complaints either.

    Seems to work for the other blog. No one talks about negativity in relation to that blog.

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    1. 'Negativity' in the mouths of this blog's detractors is just an empty catch-cry. I think people who throw words like that around couldn't begin to explain exactly what it is they regard as 'negative', and why. It amuses me that they complain about ‘personal attacks’ but don’t hesitate to engage in them.

      ‘Negative’ used in that way first became a catch-cry in the 1980s. Back in the ‘70s, politicians used the word ‘emotive’ to condemn statements and arguments they didn’t like. So much of language use in the post-modern era seems designed to stifle thought.

      For all its faults, this blog has a very wide readership that increases with every passing month. I'm not sure that's true of the other blog, much as I respect it and enjoy reading David's excellent contributions.

      Giving space to hostile remarks may not be such a bad thing. I’ve no doubt there are many readers who enjoy the cut, thrust and parry to which it often gives rise. And it stops us critics of the status quo from becoming complacent. Perhaps it keeps us honest as well as on our toes.

      Delete
    2. whats your surname Hitler or Mao Tse Tung? Whatever happened to freedom of speech

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    3. well done James good to see your open to posting all comments agreeable or otherwise - they cant complain then can they

      Delete
  18. James, both you and Roma are from the same mould, you just enjoy bitching. Neither of you have any specific issue other than a generic desire to moan about any matter; Councillors, admin staff, depot staff, members of the public etc etc etc etc etc etc etc!
    Now the hot political topic in York appears to be that someone has ignored Roma, OMG, WTF, stop press, call out the guard, batten down the hatches, DEFCON 1, nothing could be as bad as this. So all you people out there who dare to complain about rates increases, cost blow outs, land purchases, the Hooper's , just put things in perspective it could be much much worse, someone might ignore you.

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    1. Well, I can't speak for Roma, but I wish silly, spiteful people like you would ignore me.

      I have defined many 'specific issues'. I do not enjoy 'bitching'. In case you think I mind being ignored, believe me, I don't mind at all.

      If you were honest, and capable as you clearly are not of understanding what you read, you might acknowledge that I have made many constructive suggestions as to how we might improve governance in York and lift the town out of its current malaise.

      Have you done that? Can you do it? Whenever I ask for positive suggestions from folk like you, a mysterious silence descends - as the saying goes, we can hear a pin drop.

      Please, stay away from the blog. You've obviously nothing true or useful to contribute, and you're just giving yourself conniptions. Start with a Bex and a nice lie down...

      Delete
  19. Well you've confirmed my suspicions the way you talk down and dismiss those with a different view certainly speaks to the credibility of this blog James

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    1. That's a very negative remark. At least I weigh in with an argument, not mere personal abuse.

      Why do you say I 'talk down'? Is it because I don't just knuckle under to mindless, populist crap - and have respect for the English language?

      Delete
  20. well said Amber 1985 you have my vote

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  21. Found this little edict today. Quote - by MARK TWAIN.

    "Never argue with stupid people.
    They will drag you down to their level and then beat you, with their experience"!!

    I thought rather appropriate in the circumstances, for those who are literate and have some style, as opposed to those v. negative people, who constantly throw red herrings into the pile to try to deflect others away from the real issues. Now from memory, FOIs, hadn't been mentioned for several weeks and then suddenly a person, supposedly a literate 'mother of four', with "staring" children (think that was supposed to be starving), brought up the subject again and started accusing others of negativity. 'Her' outlook seems to be positively NEGATIVE. Are you an associate of the tall one and his friends?

    If your children are 'starving' (and I doubt it) perhaps the owners of a recently well off hostelry in town, could provide you and yours with the occasional meal. Failing that, the 'Salvos' have hearts of gold and I'm sure would help you out. Remember to say 'Thankyou'; be polite.
    And, if you are a Mum with 4 kids, you should be getting a fair whack from Centrelink - and that is just in endowment payments, for having them. If you want things to change in this town, stop your 'bitching' (such a lovely turn of a phrase), get off your backside and do 'something' to help fix the problem.
    Ay vey, enough already.

    Perhaps Romas' idea of Yorks' 185th year celebration in September, could be a good place to start.

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  22. Amber ?????? 198521 February 2016 at 18:13 - When you finish with your expletives, are you going to offer to to organise the 185th Birthday celebrations?

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    1. Anonymous??????? 22 February 2016 at 02:53, what expletives and no I will not offer to organise the 185th Birthday celebrations.

      Delete
  23. James perhaps dont react so harshly your feeding the flame, just let them have their say instead of trying to control the discussion

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  24. Hi Amber great post love it, try reading it James and others that follow, it may help you catch up with the rest of York, instead of being lost complaining about anything all of the time

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    1. No, it wasn't a great post. It was silly and spiteful, and I treated it accordingly. I have read it again, and see no reason to change my opinion.

      What is it that gives you authority to speak for 'the rest of York'? How would you know what 'the rest of York' is thinking?

      I'm not 'lost', by the way. I know exactly what I'm doing, where I'm going with it, and why. I doubt that you can say the same.

      Delete
  25. Come on James there are a dozen hardliners retired with nothing else to do that read this blog and take it seriously the rest of town some thousands think its bad for the town and ignore it - dont fool yourself here

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    1. It's quality that counts, not quantity - but what you are saying is statistically impossible. How many people have you interviewed to arrive at your conclusion? Not that it really matters, because as I always say, one on the side of truth is a majority.

      Obviously, you read the blog. Are YOU a retired hardliner with nothing else to do?

      You didn't answer either of the questions posed in my response to your original comment. Don't bother to respond to this one unless you are prepared to identify yourself. Otherwise, your response won't be published.

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  26. So do we know who the new CEO is? Did anyone go to the meeting?

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    1. Yes, it's the person whose photo I posted as the new 'broome' who will sweep York clean. More to follow.

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  27. can we skip the more to follow and give the guy half a chance do you think

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    1. Wake up at the back there! Two whole days ago I posted an article congratulating the Council on appointing Mr Martin as CEO. I did some research. It seemed to me he might be just what this town needs. That's clear, I think, from what I wrote about him.

      That's better than half a chance, in my opinion.

      OK, Rip van Winkle, you can go back to sleep now. Pleasant dreams.



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