GetReal
Joined: 01/31/2007
Posts: 6

Recent Comments by GetReal
Disappearance of Theresa Parker, 911 dispatcher in Walker County
04/02/2007 06:23:23 PM
There are so many men who love, marry, and care for their wives.

There are a few who instead take a hostage, making her life hell.

Jealousy, rage, insecurity, and dysfunctional control often rule this secret orgy of madness,
and she stays because she fears for her life if she leaves.

This happens MUCH more than you might think.

Police Officers are often held to a higher standard of behavior in many cities,
and domestic abuse is one issue where ANY infraction is cause for dismissal.

Some offer a second chance only with intensive intervention and extensive counsiling,
but positive results are sometimes questionable. There is no quick over-the-counter remedy.
No band-aids or man-to-man talks change anything.

Any Police Chief who overlooks and/or diminishes such abuse does no one any favors, even if his
intent is to give an officer a break. This only rewards/enables bad, and possibly dangerous, behavior.

I hope and pray that this current situation is not such a tragic and quite unnecessary scenario.
Even if it does play to the obvious (but as yet unproven), we can at least learn from this.

Abuse comes from many variables.

It stops only when good people do the right thing, and the bad ones take responsibility for their actions...

...early on, BEFORE someone dissapears.
LaFayette police criticize review panel for new public safety director
02/12/2007 06:42:41 PM
MadAsHeck:

While I applaud your zeal and enthusiasm for involving yourself so passionately in city government policy and operations, you have yet to come up with any viable infraction or even behavior by any city
official, elected or not, that would justify a recall. Where exactly is the fire? So far, about all I have heard is petty and unproven allegations with a good deal of emotional and unenlightened rants concerning policy, procedures and even silly "accusations" that have no practical or meaningful basis.

Additionally, you have not done your homework on most of which you speak, which leaves you with little credibility, along with that appearance of a malcontent naysayer constantly seeking attention at others expense.

Listen to NorthGaCitizen. He has the practical view tempered in reality and knowledge of how things actually work. Your efforts are based more in unenlightened and unfettered emotion than anything that would seem to actually be of help in this process.

Are you are already on the agenda? If not, an opportunity to speak at the meeting will not be.
I can hear your scalded dog yelping in advance and your accusatory statements toward the council for not letting you speak, instead of blaming yourself, again, for not doing your homework.
LaFayette police criticize review panel for new public safety director
02/09/2007 07:25:57 PM
Madasheck, thank you for the kind words, but the ones following those certainly prove my points.

Let me assure you right off that the only dog I have in this fight is for good government
through honest criticism and the universal application of rule of law. One's rights to complain of or question public officials is essential, but with it comes responsibility.

I absolutely abhor those who would seek and gain power through false allegation, dirty tricks, engineered innuendo and unfair character assassination. I have no great debt to, particular fondness of, nor allegiance of any kind to Mr. Arnold. Period. However, I have seen nothing of any valid weight so far in these pages that would indicate any grounds for recall or any evidence whatsoever of the municipal misconduct necessary for such an extreme corrective measure.

Madasheck, your rather stunning collection of specious presumptions and assumptions sometimes boggle the mind, and I hesitate to waste bandwidth responding to the bulk of them, especially those that attack my character. Let's stick to some of the more blatant allegations, such as your broken-record claims of "illegal secret meetings." Nothing of the sort, sport. Thought that was properly addressed that in my last post. Protocol has been properly followed, and your wild claims fall short of what is real in the world of municipal government and even the mechanics of democracy.

If you don't like the way things are done, it is quite right to get involved, but in a positive and responsible way. If you have better ideas, by all means go public with them,
but know that our system requires the full story to be heard, and those in public service deserve that their voice be heard in response. Nothing requires them to respond to every wild allegation thrown at them, by the way, so don't get TOO pompous or hurt when they don't.

truth_hunter, it's too bad you do not understand how city government is structured.
The city manager has the responsibility of hiring ALL department heads, and public safety is no exception. Our elected city council has the last word, but it is not their function to do the "grunt" work in regards to winnowing through applicants. Council members are paid a small honorarium. City managers are paid a salary.

As far as revealing my identity, I find myself being far too entertained by the idle speculation, class warfare and creatively poisonous fiction directed towards me.
The fact that I spent five years in a mill, repair my own (200 K) car, socialize
in solidly middle-class circles and attended public schools make these yarns the stuff
of chortles, chuckles and the occasional guffaw.
LaFayette police criticize review panel for new public safety director
02/09/2007 11:14:37 AM
In a democracy, ignorance works as well as treason. Some of the posts on this blog bear this out...in spades.

Human behavior owns certain traits that are unchanging through the ages: Greed, ego, suspicion, jealousy, and especially envy are always with us.

What separates an honorable person from one who is willing to bear false witness against another for their own personal gain, real or perceived, is and always will be their intent in and choice of behavior.

The litany of totally unproved charges and character assassinating innuendo against our city officials continues here unabated, and this pulp fiction mentality makes this writer more than leery of not only their motivation, but what stripe of replacement they are lobbying for.

Let me be clear: our system of government is based on truths derived from a rational process that involves questions, examination and evidence in order to arrive at a conclusion and ruling.

We elect and trust our public officials to use these tried, true and lawfully accepted methods. With such honorable, trusted and skilled officials as Sheriff Steve Wilson on the committee in question, what exactly is your problem?

The council does not have the time nor inclination to sift through hundreds of applicants. This search committee is an accepted method, and to imply otherwise is just not truthful, helpful or honorable.

It is a good system, requiring character,
procedure and accountability.

Some of what I have seen here has none.

An emotionally-charged ego-circus and
slime-fest is not anyone's idea of a good system. Face it.

In matters of personnel at such a level,
an executive session is not only allowed,
it is mandated.

"Secret" meetings? What ignorance...or do such words intend to inflame those who may know no better? Is that your audience of intended supporters?

For everyone's information, oversight of an executive session is built in, involving a witness that can swear as to the intent, agenda and minutes of the meeting. This very meeting appears to be part of an oversight process by the City Council, who will bear ultimate responsibility for the choice in question.

Think you can do better?
THEN RUN FOR OFFICE.

What I have read on this blog coming from certain people in no way meets any standards of fairness or civility.

By their words, I, for one, am more than suspicious of anyone that they would want to replace those public servants that we now have for anyone who would ascend to power on the shoulders of such malevolent gossip, sewerage-slinging and the serving up of such dumpster-juice as has been smeared across this page.

If you truly seek to improve things, do so in an honest and honorable manner.

If you have facts, post them.
If you have serious problems with reality,
write a novel.

It pays better than blogging, and we will likely get better local government
without you.
LaFayette police criticize review panel for new public safety director
02/03/2007 07:54:54 AM
IrishRed, you falsely infer what I did not say. Maybe you should read it again.

It was aimed only at those, civilian or not (AND their acolytes), who SEEMED to be allowing themselves to fall into dark areas of behavior that help no one nor solve any dilemma, which MAY shed light on exactly WHY they may have been passed over for consideration. Think about it.

In no way, shape or form do I impugn the nature of our first-class police force, the thought of which causes me great distress. Was that your real intent in saying such?
LaFayette police criticize review panel for new public safety director
02/01/2007 09:36:53 AM
The posts on this blog indicate to me that some of those passed over seem to lack the character, judgement and temperance necessary for such a demanding position.

False accusations of nepotism (there is no brother-in-law), dredging up past family problems which no longer apply (daughter now a successful professional) and postings of whatever specious poison comes to the mind of an anonymous coward is just not positive, productive, healthy or responsible behavior for anyone with this burg's best interest.

What do you want of a City Manager?

The facts are that Mr. Arnold has proven himself far more than just competent at managing your money, equipment, and personnel. Arguments can certainly be made as to the merits of his particular style concerning the latter, however.

It does appear, though, that this particular personnel issue is being handled competently, especially with Sheriff Wilson on the committee. There is very likely not a better Sheriff in this state, and he should not be criticized for not adding fuel to this green-eyed fire by exercising his valid right of no comment. It was the proper decision, under the circumstances.

If you want to criticize the city manager, it might be wise to stick to his actual job performance instead of engaging in idle speculation concerning such an important personnel vetting process by using unbridled and vicious character assassination instead of pertinent facts concerning his city management.

To be fair and to show this missive not just an advocate piece, here is an example:

Attracting new businesses to LaFayette is of utmost importance, as we have lost so many. The Peebles fiasco, with their grand opening marred by ineffective and delayed delivery of city services, was inexcusable, and some heads should have rolled:
The corporate and commercial contracting folks now think badly of LaFayette.

Let's stick to what is really important and pertinent in this matter, and not stoop to the irresponsible inflammatory rhetoric of fools, gossips and ill-informed hot-headed troublemakers. This city's future depends on it.