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Macon County Commissioners

Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County Board of County Commissioners.

Franklin Town Board of Aldermen

Coverage of the meetings of the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen.

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Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County School Board.

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Friday, June 29, 2012

Heat Wave Expected This Weekend


A Major Heat Wave is expected to hit our area this weekend. Please take the time to drink extra water and limit your time outdoors if you can.


Here is some information from the National Weather Service:

The Hazards of Excessive Heat

When the body heats too quickly to cool itself safely, or when you lose too much fluid or salt through dehydration or sweating, your body temperature rises and heat-related illness may develop. Heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has been in the heat too long or exercised too much for his or her age and physical condition.



Studies indicate that, other things being equal, the severity of heat disorders tends to increase with age. Conditions that cause heat cramps in a 17-year-old may result in heat exhaustion in someone 40 years old, and in heat stroke in a person over 60. Sunburn, with its ultraviolet radiation burns, can significantly retard the skin's ability to shed excess heat. Acclimatization has to do with adjusting sweat-salt concentrations, among other things. The idea is to lose enough water to regulate body temperature, with the least possible chemical disturbance--salt depletion.
Source: National Weather Service



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The June 28, 2012 Hangout of Venture Local Franklin


I had a nice time hanging out with local entrepreneurs at Livingston's Bar and Grill last night in Franklin, NC.

See more photos on my G+ page and find out more about this group on their website or Facebook page.



The next hangout will be on August 23rd from 5.30pm to 7pm at the Frogtown Market located at 61 South Patton Avenue in Frogtown.


Among the local events being promoted by the group are:


June 30th...The WNC Photowalk that is being led by Bonnie Pickartz and me.


July 1st......The Where's Waldo! initiative happening at Books Unlimited and 19 other businesses in downtown Franklin that begins on July 1st.


July 4th......Independence Day Activities in Franklin, NC


Downtown: Parade, watermelon, kids games and more. 9am to 1pm.


Lion's Club Annual BBQ: At the fairgrounds from 11am to 7pm. Get chicken, sides, dessert and drink for a $10 donation to their scholarship fund.


Fireworks and Fun at the Rec Park: Sponsored by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. This is a July 4th tradition in Franklin.


July 13th......StreetFest 2012 kicks off on Friday the 13th with music, shopping, fun and an outdoor movie on a 26 foot screen. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy this event! Ghostbusters is the movie that will be shown.


July 21st.......The Franklin Folk Festival: An annual event that celebrates the heritage of our local people!


July 28th.......Cash Mob: The very first cash mob will take place starting at noon at Rosebud Cottage. Bring $20 to spend and meet at the clock tower at 11:45am so we can all go in together and give a boost to a local business!


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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Review of Day One of the Google I/O Developers Conference



Wow. What a day yesterday was in the tech world!



The first day of the 2012 Google I/O developer Conference was epic. The keynote was an experience. If you want to see the Google I/O Keynote, here are a couple of places to watch it:

Twit TV Live Special

Watch Chris Pirillo Watch the Keynote

Here is a brief overview of what happened.

Activations


Google announced that its hardware partners have sold over 400 million Android devices. Last year, that number was 100 million.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean



The next update to Android is called Jelly Bean. To be more precise, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so it is an incremental update to IAndroid 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwhich. The update was part of Project Butter and uses a new search interface they call cards that make it easier to display information that users typically search for.

Introducing the Nexus 7 Tablet



The Nexus 7 tablet was an anticipated move by Google and some details of it were leaked prior the official release. The Nexus 7 is a 7" tablet that ships with Jelly Bean and is Google's answer to the Amazon Kindle Fire and is a distribution platform for Google Play much like the Kindle Fire is a distribution platform for the Amazon Store. It retails for $199 and will ship in the middle of July. It will be the first tablet that has Google Chrome installed as the default browser. You can order yours by clicking here.

The Nexus Q Introduction



The Nexus Q is spherical device that is called a "social streaming media player" that is remote controlled by any nearby Android-operated smartphone or tablet. It seems to be a digital juke box that delivers music and video during parties and retails for $299.

You can also see the official Nexus Q Video.

Google+ Tablet App and Events

I couldn't find stand-alone video for this section, so you'll have to watch it as part of the coverage I've linked to at the top of this article.

A sorely overdue Google+ tablet app was introduced that brings the full G+ experience to tablets and phones. Also introduced was G+ Events. This allows you to create events and invite people to them.

*Personal note* This led to a period of a few hours last night where I received invitations to over a hundred events...most of them virtual and silly...by people who were over-exhuberantly playing with this new feature. Thankfully, it calmed down by the time I logged off for the evening.

The EPIC Project Glass Demo



This was the most epic product demo in the history of the tech world. It started when Sergey Brin Kanye'd Vic Gundotra with a "time sensitive update".

He presented a demonstration of the Google "Project Glass" which is a wearable camera that includes a speaker, microphone, touchpad, gyroscope, compass, accelerometers and is wirelessly connected to a phone or tablet that the user carries.

Five people wearing the devices jumped out of a blimp (correction: it was a zeppelin) over the Moscone Center where the conference was taking place, landed on the roof, handed them off to bicyclists who jumped to another roof, then handed the devices off to people who rapalled down the side of the building and then the devices were bicycled into the building and into the auditorium and onto the stage to thunderous applause. All this was streamed live from the point of view of the people wearing the devices.

Here is the polished video of the demo:



Then Sergey announced that all those developers who were present could buy the prototype for $1500 and it will be avaialble in January 2013 for them to play with and use to develop apps for the new device.

Other Updates, Other Thoughts

Why is Google releasing a tablet that will surely make the company close to no money? There is no chance Google can produce such a high quality tablet for much less than $200, so the margins on the Nexus 7 have to be tiny. The answer is the same answer to the question, “Why is Google giving away Android for free?” It is also the same reason that for Google, Android activations are the most important metric and the one mentioned at almost every opportunity. Namely, for an advertising company, what matters most are impressions. Users. The audience. The money is there, it always has been, but first and foremost, Google needs to be everywhere.

Source: The Paradox of the Apple Google War Brought to a Whole New Level by Hillel Fuld

Google+ Platform Basics



Google+ History API will bring in your past updates from around the web

Meet Google Nexus 7, Kindle Killer By Joe Wilcox

Spec Comparison: New iPad v. Nexus 7 v. Kindle Fire v. Surface via Paul Allen

Made in the USA: Google's Nexus Q is symbolic and significant via Kenyan Mobli

Twit TV

I'm a fan of Twit TV and have included the shows they've posted so far where their hosts discuss the events of the first day of I/O 2012, along with links to where you can download the video and audio of the show...



This Week In Google 153: Did I Mention it Takes Pictures?

Tech News Today 351: Falling for Glass (video not uploaded to Youtube yet)

TWiT Live Specials 131: Google I/O Keynote Day 1 (this is good if you missed the live presentation of the keynote)

TWiT TV on Google+




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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Google I/O 2012 Live Coverage



Here is the Google I/O Live-blogging widget for live coverage of Google I/O.





I am hoping that it is a dry run for rolling this kind of product out for bloggers to use when covering live events. I would love to be able to use something like this to cover local government meetings and other events as they happen.



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Monday, June 25, 2012

Beware Who You Share Your Info With Online



Just got a call from the NC GOP Victory Office in Asheville using info I had given on Mitt Romney's website. The caller has no idea where my town was and thought it was close enough to Asheville to go make calls from there for Romney. (I live an hour away from Asheville)

I'm not happy that my info was shared with anyone. Even more so that it was shared with a NC GOP Victory Office. The Romney campaign might as well contract these calls out to the Democrat Party because the Victory Offices in North Carolina are next to useless.



Not to mention that I am extremely upset that my name and phone number were shared with the NC Victory Office organization. The Romney Campaign would serve itself very well if they avoided getting entangled with that organization.


I wanted to help the Romney Campaign, not the NC GOP Victory Offices.

/rant



Yes, I have shared my concerns with the Romney Campaign. I just thought it would be a public service to warn you that your information may be shared with your state party.


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The Supreme Court expected to rule on ObamaCare and Arizona's Immigration Law Today


Photo Credit: Eddie Gehman Kohan



Today is the day we may find out what the Supreme Court has ruled on as many as six cases, the most important of which are:

DHHS v Fla. (Minimum coverage and Anti-Injunction Act)
Fla. v. DHHS (Severability and Medicaid)
National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius (Severability)

Arizona v. United States (Does Federal Law preempt S.B. 1070?)

Live coverage begins before 10am at http://scotusblog.wpengine.com/

I will posting the highlights of the SCOTUSblog coverage live on G+ and will post a wrap up later today on this blog.



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Friday, June 22, 2012

Highlights of the 2012 Right Online Conference



The above video is of a Town Hall discussion at last weekend's Right Online Conference hosted by Americans for Prosperity.

You can check out the highlights of the conference at Right Online.

I have embedded some video below that haven't been embedded on the highlights page. Enjoy them and use them to energize you for the coming election season.

Joe Heck


Andrew Marcus


Jonah Goldberg


Lars Larson


Rusty Humphries


Breitbart Award Presentation


S.E. Cupp







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Nobody Can See Me


This little bunny was perfectly still long enough for me to get a few shots of him. I like this one the best.


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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Macon County Planning Board 06-21-2012




Here is video of tonight's meeting of the Macon County Planning Board. 
I note that Al Slagle was absent, and that is very unusual for him. I hope everything is okay with him.


I am still trying to get the board to send me an electronic copy of the agenda when it meets. So far, I have been unsuccessful.


**Note** I missed the previous meeting ( the first regular meeting in months as this board has been in limbo) of this board due to a misunderstand of the time on my part. I apologize for that error.



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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

AFP Launches Jobs Agenda for 2012 Election





PRESS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June, 20 2012
CONTACT: Levi Russell at LRussell@afphq.org or (703) 224-3200

AFP Launching $5.5 Million Ad Effort

ARLINGTON, VA – Today Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the nation’s largest advocate for economic freedom, announced a multi-state ad effort that demonstrates how badly President Obama is out of touch with the real economy.


“When President Obama said the private sector was doing ‘just fine,’ he surpassed his own bad record of being out of touch with the economic challenges Americans are facing. Our new ad demonstrates just how far removed the president is from the real economy,” said AFP President Tim Phillips. “The fact is the private sector is severely hampered by the specter of rising taxes and new regulations.”


Titled Doing Fine, the new ad begins airing today and will run for ten days in Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Doing Fine calls on President Obama to support the AFP Jobs Agenda, which encompasses a number of policies proven to support a vibrant economy and job creation.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH DOING FINE (also embedded above)


This latest ad effort brings the total amount that AFP has spent educating on President Obama’s disastrous policies to $20 million since last Fall.
In addition to this major ad buy, AFP will be conducting grassroots efforts educating citizens on other big spending politicians who support the Obama agenda, including this ad on Senator Tester, which is currently running throughout Montana and is supported by the Tester Truth Tour.


“Big government policies and rampant spending have been a disaster for the country,” continued Phillips. “We urge President Obama to get back in touch with the real economy, and support policies that will help our nation thrive once again.”


For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Levi Russell at (703)224-3200 or LRussell@afphq.org


Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

###


Find out more information at The AFP Jobs Agenda.



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Friday, June 15, 2012

Mitt Romney: The First 100 Days

From repealing and replacing Obamacare to slashing burdensome federal red tape, a Romney Presidency will be anything but more of the same. The first 100 days of a Romney Presidency will be the first 100 days toward getting America back on track and reversing the damages of the last three and a half years. Mitt Romney has the plans to turn our country around and the experience to get the job done.

Visit Mitt Romney's website to learn more.







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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Blue Mammatus


I derived the above from a photo I took of some Mammatus clouds on May 27, 2011 during a storm in Franklin, NC. The original photo is below.




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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Macon County Commissioners 06-12-2012



**10.22pm** Here is the audio of tonight's meeting:

Download MP3




The Macon County Commissioners will be meeting tonight and will vote on the budget for the coming year. Other items that will be discussed are on the agenda embedded below.



I won't be tweeting from the meeting and will post the audio a couple of hours after I get home and the video a couple of days later.





JUNE 12, 2012
AGENDA


1. Call to order and welcome by Chairman Corbin

2. Announcements

3. Moment of Silence

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Public Hearings(s) - None

6. Public Comment Period 

7. Adjustments to and approval of the agenda

8. Reports / Presentations

9. Old Business
  • Consideration of approval of the budget ordinance for Fiscal Year 2012-13 - County Manager/Finance Director
  • Consideration to authorize lease agreement with the Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin - County Attorney
10. New Business
  • Consideration of renewal of contract with New South Strategies, LLC
  • Consideration of awarding bid for mobile generator light towers for Emergency Services - David Key
11. Consent Agenda - Attachment #11
All items below are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. No separate discussion will be held except on request of a member of the Board of Commissioners.
  • Minutes from the May 8th, May 15th, May 21st, May 23rd, May 31st and June 5th meetings
  • Budget amendments
  • Tax Releases - None
  • Monthly ad valorem tax collection report
12. Appointments
  • Airport Authority
  • Board of Adjustment
  • Health Board
  • Town of Highlands representative on the planning board
13. Closed session

  • Per G.S. 143-381.11(5), with regard to property acquisition
14. Adjournment/Recess 




Macon County Commissioners Agenda Packet 06-12-2012

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Appalachian Afternoon



I seem to have lost my blogging mojo. Perhaps I have found another calling...


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Saturday, June 9, 2012

A Table and Chair on Main Street


From a photo I took yesterday on Main Street in Franklin, NC.


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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Franklin Aldermen 06-07-2012



**7.15pm** Here is the audio and a photo of the letter that Mayor Joe Collins has sent to Chief Hicks regarding the Nikwasi Indian Mound. (I have a photo because there were not not enough copies to go around to the members of the press, Barbara McRae of the Franklin Press and myself, who were present at the meeting).

Download MP3


Photo of letter sent by Franklin Mayor Joe Collins to Chief Hicks of the Eastern band of the Cherokee Indians:






The Franklin Town Board of Aldermen will be meeting this afternoon at 5:30pm. I will be tweeting at @WPIG on Twitter using the #MaconGov hashtag.

I will have the video up by 11pm and the video as soon as I can in the coming days.


Meeting Agenda
Thursday June 7, 2012 - 5:30 p.m. 
1. Call to order -Mayor Collins
2. Street closing request for Freedom Rocks Concert - Bob Contino
3. Per contract obligation with Bright Meyers appropriate $50,000 earnest 4. money out of fund balance - John Henning Jr
4. Budget discussion for FY 2012-2013
5. Report from Town Attorney on easement issue - John Henning Jr
6. Adjourn




Franklin Aldermen Agenda Packet 06-07-2012



The Budget Message from Sam Greenwood (Town Manager) to the Town Board of Aldermen...


Budget Message 2012-2013 (Town of Franklin)

The proposed budget for the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year...

Proposed Budget 2012 (Town of Franklin)



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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

On the 68th Anniversary of D-Day

Normandy American Cemetery as viewed from the air. More than 9,000 Americans are buried here.


The above photo is an aerial view of the Normandy American Cemetery maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. More than 9,000 Americans are buried here.

67 years ago today, the Allies launched an invasion of Europe to liberate her from the clutches of Nazi Germany. Learn more about this momentous day in world history at the National D-Day Memorial.

The Allied casualties figures for D-Day have generally been estimated at 10,000, including 2500 dead. Broken down by nationality, the usual D-Day casualty figures are approximately 2700 British, 946 Canadians, and 6603 Americans. However recent painstaking research by the US National D-Day Memorial Foundation has achieved a more accurate - and much higher - figure for the Allied personnel who were killed on D-Day. They have recorded the names of individual Allied personnel killed on 6 June 1944 in Operation Overlord, and so far they have verified 2499 American D-Day fatalities and 1915 from the other Allied nations, a total of 4414 dead (much higher than the traditional figure of 2500 dead). Further research may mean that these numbers will increase slightly in future. The details of this research will in due course be available on the Foundation's website at www.dday.org.



Source: UK D-Day Museum FAQs


Here is a little background on the Normandy Landings on D-Day via Wikipedia:


The Normandy landings were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time(UTC+2). In planning, D-Day was the term used for the day of actual landing, which was dependent on final approval.
The assault was conducted in two phases: an air assault landing of 24,000 AmericanBritishCanadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. There were also subsidiary 'attacks' mounted under the codenames Operation Glimmer and Operation Taxable to distract the German forces from the real landing areas.[4]
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion of all time, with over 160,000[5] troops landing on 6 June 1944. 195,700[6] Allied naval andmerchant navy personnel in over 5,000[5] ships were involved. The invasion required the transport of soldiers and materiel from the United Kingdom by troop-laden aircraft and ships, the assault landings, air support, naval interdiction of the English Channel and naval fire-support. The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: UtahOmahaGoldJuno and Sword.

















This is the entire broadcast day on the radio from June 6, 1944. This will give you a feel for how people back home learned of the invasion of Europe. You can download the audio for yourself at the Internet Archive.

And here are some documentaries about D-Day, including a prayer by President Roosevelt that was broadcast over the radio to Americans, and a speech by President Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day.



























D-Day: The Normandy Invasion by crazedigitalmovies


















And here is FDR offering a prayer on national radio for the troops invading Europe.


Transcript:




My Fellow Americans:


Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.


And, on the 40th Anniversary of the invasion, President Ronald Reagan gave an unforgettable speech paying tribute to those boys who stormed a beach and began the liberation of Europe...













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Monday, June 4, 2012

Franklin Aldermen 06-04-2011
Public Hearing on Budget

**10.25pm** Here is the audio of the meeting:

Download MP3

The video won't be ready until Wednesday because I have to have my laptop free for the public hearing on the county budget that will take place tomorrow night.



The Franklin Town Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight despite what the dates say in the agenda packet I have embedded below.

I will be there to cover the meeting and will post the audio and video as soon as I can after the meeting is over.

If you want to follow along in real time, search for #MaconGov or follow @WPIG on Twitter.



Meeting Agenda
Monday June 4, 2012 7 p.m. 
  1. Call to order -Mayor Collins
  2. Approval of the May 7, May 21 and May 29, 2012 meeting minutes
  3. (A.) Public hearing 7:05 p.m. on the proposed Budget for FY 2012-2013
    (B.) Consider adoption of the proposed Budget for FY 2012-2013
  4. Public session
  5. Presentation on Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan Update- Chris Stahl
  6. (A.) Appoimentnt of Vicki Springer to fill vacancy on Tourism Development Authority
    (B.) Appointment of Mike Grubermann to fill vacancy on Tourism Development Authority
  7. Budget amendments-Janet Anderson
  8. (A.) ABC reimbursement resolution- John Henning Jr
    (B.) Installment Purchase Contract- John Henning Jr
    (C.) Easements- John Henning Jr
  9. Adjourn

Here is the full information packet regarding the meeting...
Franklin Aldermen Meeting Agenda 06-04-2012

The Budget Message from Sam Greenwood (Town Manager) to the Town Board of Aldermen...

Budget Message 2012-2013 (Town of Franklin)

The proposed budget for the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year...

Proposed Budget 2012 (Town of Franklin)

I suggest that you download the next document and rotate it in your PDF Viewer.


The 2012 update to the 10 Year Solid Waste Plan for Macon County...
Macon County 10 Year Solid Waste Year Plan (2012 Update)


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From the Mailbag:
Why Bush was so bad at the end of his term



I get some interesting email from time to time and have decided to start sharing some of them here on the blog.

Here is one I received this morning:



This is interesting and something to pass on by email and mouth!
This tells the story, why Bush was so bad at the end of his term.
 
Dont just skim over this, read it slowly and let it sink in. If in doubt, check it out.
 
The day the democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009, it was actually January 3rd 2007 the day the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and the Senate, at the very start of the 110th Congress.
 
The Democrat Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995.
 
For those who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is "Bush's Fault", think about this:
January 3rd, 2007 was the day the Democrats took over the Senate and the Congress. At the time:
 
The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77
The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5%
The Unemployment rate was 4.6%
 
George Bush's Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB GROWTH
Remember the day...
 
January 3rd, 2007 was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.
 
The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy?
BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES!
 
Unemployment... to this CRISIS by (among MANY other things) dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FIASCOES!
 
Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie - starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy.
 
And who took the THIRD highest pay-off from Fannie Mae AND Freddie Mac? OBAMA
And who fought against reform of Fannie and Freddie?
OBAMA and the Democrat Congress
So when someone tries to blame Bush..
 
REMEMBER JANUARY 3rd, 2007.... THE DAY THE DEMOCRATS TOOK OVER!"
Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democrat Party.
 
Furthermore, the Democrats controlled the budget process for 2008 & 2009 as well as 2010 &2011.
In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases.
 
For 2009 though, Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office. At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete the 2009 budgets.
 
And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete 2009.
 
If the Democrats inherited any deficit, it was the 2007 deficit, the last of the Republican budgets. That deficit was the lowest in five years, and the fourth straight decline in deficit spending. After that, Democrats in Congress took control of spending, and that includes Barack Obama, who voted for the budgets.
 
If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it from himself. In a nutshell, what Obama is saying is I inherited a deficit that I voted for and then I voted to expand that deficit four-fold since January 20th.
 
There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!
 
 
 



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