NCBlogs

Want to know how Michael Vick burned through his fortune?  The Smoking Gun has the story and below are the highlights (click on the images to enlarge).

  

It seems I’ve lost my stack of sticky notes I’ve been keeping. Poor blog lost the fodder.

I need to buy a journal or something.

I also need to stop being tormented by my dentist. She’s as sweet as sweet can be, but I was fairly certain she was going to break my jaw earlier today, and everytime my heart thumps a beat, I am reminded of it with a flash of hell in my cheek. I was much happier without health insurance, I think I recall.

And to hell with smoking. I’m too tired of packing my mouth with cotton to care anymore.

Kaki King & The Mountain Goats @ Cat’s Cradle
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 - Carborro, NC

Let me first say, that there is nothing like standing in a sold out show with everyone around you singing “Hail Satan.â€

That’s just magical, folks. More magical than writing this post on a napkin so I can type it into wordpress later.

After a very entertaining drive which involved parking on the side of I40 to retrive my ticket that had escaped from my visor and out my barely open sunroof into heavy traffic and an incident with a pervy trucker, I met up with two awesome folks at Cat’s Cradle in Carborro to witness what was billed as the Last Best Night of Your Life. It almost was, really.

Kaki King, as always, is pure joy to the ear; even more so in person. It was difficult to watch her hands the entire time as heads were bobbing too and fro (someone remind me to wear my giant boots to the next general admission show please) but what I did see was inspriring. She is definitely the Reed of our time. And good gravy is she gorgeous! Pull Me Out Alive was good to hear, but the Black Pear Tree collab songs w/Darnielle hit the spot.

The Mountain Goats? The words don’t exist for how much that rocked. Up The Wolves, the duet with Kaki, and then to end it all with The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton? Hail Satan indeed. Why I haven’t gone to see them before, I have no idea and I do believe my respect and admiration for Mr. Darnielle has no limit at this time.

I mean, when was the last time you went to a show and the musician is so filled with love that they offer to sexually pleasure each and every one of the audience?

Magical I tell you.

Senator Lewis commented last night that we were witnessing a non-violent revolution. And indeed, it almost felt that way.

But then everyone woke up this morning and realized that we’re still a mess as a nation. And we will continue to be for a very long time. True change, you see, is not a fast food drive through. Change begins with us, not some elected official in Washington. I hope folks keep that in mind. I’m personally looking forward to the political drama coming to a close and people actually getting back to work on things that actually matter.

I cannot begin to explain how greatful I am to be on vacation this week so I don’t have to endure the utter chaos I am sure will ensue at work tomorrow. Not even my vivid imagination could conjure up the scene. I’ll amuse myself with some overdue housework instead.

My first meeting at the Jacksonville Trails and Greenways Commission was last evening. It went well and I was particularly glad to have been a participant in a late addition to the agenda (more on that later).

The Commission discussed the following:

And that’s the report. It was a productive and interesting meeting…And that’s not something I can always say.

I have particular opinions about the motorized vehicles on the trails issue and I will be public with them, just not in this post, which is about reporting the events from the Commission meeting.

Have questions or comments? Is there something you think the Trails and Greenways Commission should discuss or consider? Let me know.

I made the following statement tonight at the Greensboro City Council meeting during the "speakers from the floor" segment.  Other speakers included Fred Gregory and Roch Smith:

My name is Joe Guarino,  and I live in Hamilton Forest.

I have been following the Police Department controversy closely since its inception in June of 2005.  Most of you are likely aware that the city now admits there is  no evidence that the infamous line-up book at the center of the controversy was used in an inappropriate way. 

The City Manager recently wrote each of you to remind you of the other issues in this controversy, and recited a laundry list of offenses allegedly committed by former Chief Wray and his subordinates.  The city had bought into certain complaints that had been made by minority officers during 2005 even though the context for each respective situation had not been sufficiently taken into account.

Over the last two years, the citizens of the city of Greensboro have received that context from the Bledsoe series in the Rhino Times.  And it turns out that the instances of monitoring and/or investigating of certain officers that took place prior to June, 2005 appear to have been completely justified.

For many of those matters in which accusations had been made against Wray and his subordinates, a perfectly reasonable explanation existed; and their actions were entirely defensible.

Lawsuits predictably ensued after the city bought into those initial complaints. And in recent months, we have seen the city defend itself against some of these lawsuits, and ironically take a position that was directly contrary to those it took during late 2005 and early 2006.  Now the city wants to settle with the officers who filed an EEOC complaint, even though the group includes those officers involved in the recent alleged sexual assault case.

Amidst all the noise and controversy, there were a number of men and women who worked under former Chief Wray at various ranks.  Some of these officers were suspended and/or prosecuted; some were demoted; and others were made to feel as if they should resign or retire.  Many of these officers lost considerable income because of this controversy, and some incurred significant legal expenses.  They were trying to do the right thing, and to protect the citizens of Greensboro.  But they were treated shabbily by the city.

These include men and women who, for relatively low wages, gave decades of their lives to serving the city, and who had placed themselves on the line for the safety of others.  For some of them, this whole matter has been a serious injustice.  Their careers were unnecessarily impacted, and some saw their financial situations jeopardized.  And this injustice has yet to be made right.

The city council has the capability to remedy this situation, in spite of all that has transpired.  I think it is time for the city to restore everything those officers and their families lost because of the manner in which this whole affair was handled.

Dear JACOB,

This post is for you. Look! Annie is eating a snowball. She likes snow. She thinks this is fun. She wags her tail all the time, especially when it snows and she has a little boy around to play with. She would love to eat snow cream with you one day when you visit. She also wants to chase you on a sled as you ride with your daddy & mommy down our mountain through the Indian Meadow, and she will help you throw snowballs at your father. Your Aunt Re Re owes your Daddy lots of snowballs:) We'll build a fort or maybe, if the conditions are right, we'll build an igloo and build a campfire inside.. No matter what, we will have fun times. There are many hot chocolate w/marshmallow days in your future.

Love,

Aunt Re Re

The other photo above this is just a little look at mountains from the deck of the Grove Park Inn @ Asheville. 

Photo by
aymlis on Flickr

Profiles of donors, volunteers, clients, and other supporters are a staple of nonprofit newsletters. You can also use them in your annual reports and other marketing materials.

Today I posted 25 different questions you can ask when interviewing the people you’d like to profile. These questions will help find that special something about the person that makes them really worth profiling and that will be of keen interest to your newsletter readers (remember, you still need to write for your reader, even when you are profiling someone special in your organization!).

I’ll be sharing lots of tips on how to write personal profiles and how your nonprofit can use them during the webinar on Thursday, November 20, 2008 called How to Write Moving Personal Profiles about Donors, Clients, and Other Supporters.

P.S. Still looking for your thoughts on the 2009 Weekly Webinar Series . . . Here’s the Quick Survey.

Affordable Nonprofit Marketing Training for Your Staff, Volunteers, and Board. The Nonprofit Marketing Guide Webinar Series gives you the real-world, practical tips you need at a price you can afford. Review the Upcoming Schedule Now.

WLOSer Courtney Brennan, standing in the cold outside Asheville City Hall on Tuesday night, said that the city got a stark financial briefing from its chief financial officer. The sour national economy has translated into lower sales tax collections and a slower growth in the city's tax base.

That means an immediate $1 million budget shortfall, and a $5 million shortfall for next year's budget, Brennan said. If some quick cuts are factored in, the city still faces a $3 million budget shortfall, Brennan said, which means council will have to find even deeper cuts that will affect city services.

I'm also assuming that the possibility of a property tax increase could loom.

But how will City Council make these cuts? What projects will be put off? What fees will rise? What services might be cut? Scrutiny Hooligans asks the same questions, and provides a link to the current city budget.

I get enough email on any given day that it really takes a special subject line to grab my attention.  My Dad managed it today with one word: Pricks.

Now my Dad's not a cusser so when he uses salty language it really sticks out.  His email was in response to this post about how I'd like our next leader of the financial sector to be described. I really like what he wrote:

Put another way, I'll take a competent jerk over an incompetent clown any day, especially when it comes to my money.

Now I'm just waiting for an email from my Mom with the subject "A-holes" and I'll have seen everything.

If you want to do Romeo & Juliet with guns, cars, etc., that's fine.

Admit it, there are times you want to call someone and be guaranteed you don't actually talk to them but are still able to leave them a message.  You know the scenario: your wife calls and leaves you a message but you're getting ready for a meeting and don't have time to talk so you don't call her back and while you're in your meeting you get another message, left in that "I'm pissed that you're ignoring me" voice, asking where the blankety-blank you are and why you're being such a wank.  You can't very well say to her, "Honey I wanted to let you know I got your message but I didn't want to talk to you, because if I had you'd have kept me on the phone for 10 minutes about something totally trivial and out of my control and I really had to go into my meeting."**  Well, you could say that but then you'd be on the couch for a week.

**Please note that I've never, ever thought these things myself.  I swear.

My friends, technology has once again come to the rescue.  My friend Dan emailed me a link to a great service called SlyDial that allows you to dial a number and it automatically bypasses the ring and takes you directly to voice mail.  I downloaded the version for Blackberry and it works like a charm.  To be honest I have no idea how it works behind the scenes, but it's cool and it's free so I recommend it for any of you who love voice mail but don't like actually talking to anyone.

Can you think of scenarios where this could come in really handy?  Feel free to share.

The new hotel taking shape on Haywood Street on the location of the former Asheville Chamber of Commerce.

On the corner of Battery Park and Wall Street, with Asheville's Flat Iron Building in the background.

Loyal reader i can't tell gives us the dates for public ice skating at the Asheville Civic Center. Thanks, yo!

Progress Energy is raising rates. Great. The Raleigh News & Observer has it:

Andy Ciordia posted a photo:

Everyone has the right to good food. The right to food is not a luxury.

Andy Ciordia posted a photo:

Youth delegation stopped to help build a net of works.

Andy Ciordia posted a photo:

Youth delegation stopped to help build a net of works.

Andy Ciordia posted a photo:

Youth delegation stopped to help build a net of works.

Andy Ciordia posted a photo:

From the time we start handling money as children until the day we retire, we are constantly extolled to save money. Put some aside for a rainy day. Every penny counts.

Background
Lately, I have been seeing quite a few opinion pieces lamenting the virtually non-existent savings rate that exists in this country. Very few people maintain any sort of balance in their bank savings accounts if they have one but savings also includes things like 401k plans or IRAs. When the median amount in 401ks is about $23,000, people who are expecting to live comfortably in their retirement are in for a bit of a shock. Naturally people who earn much more tend to have more savings but interestingly enough so do those on the other end of the income scale. These low-income workers do have quite a bit of cash savings because of lack access to credit but also they know that their situation can turn bad at any moment and they need something to fall back on. It is the vast middle class that seems to be in the worst situation.
There is no question that saving is difficult; temptation dogs every step of the way: buy this iPod, get these new shoes, furnish your home from Pottery Barn and we give into this temptation because it is easier to do so. But I do not think that is the real problem though. Having a normal life today with everyday expenses like gas, groceries, utilities, and basic clothing consumes nearly all of the net income we have.

When I hear about various government initiatives to increase savings through raising 401k limits, Healthcare Savings Accounts, Social Security replacement saving accounts, education saving savings accounts, I wonder if these lawmakers realize just hard is to save any portion of your income today. As growth in middle class incomes have essentially flat in the past six years, any price increases such as we are experiencing now with gasoline and healthcare insurance premiums gnaws away what little remains of the paycheck.

Saving today is just a way to defer spending money into the future but people have to deal with the needs of today. Saving for your family or retirement is problematic.

Family Planning
A change in circumstances like a prolonged illness or a birth of a child can wreck havoc with the family finances. For example, placing my newborn daughter in daycare a few months ago meant a transfer of money from other household expenses to the daycare. For her day care, I will be paying about $8300 this year which is a large portion of the family discretionary income. It is offset by some through the child tax credit and dependent care tax credit but only by $2100. The difference represents a shift in either spending or saving for the household to the daycare. It will be a similar situation if a family member took ill and required prolonged care.

So many families are faced with the situation that to save would required significant sacrifice and far too many families just do not have the ability to make those sacrifices. This is a reason why many people are in debt not because of extravagant spending but paying for everyday expenses and emergencies.

One recommendation that financial planners always put forth is to have the equivalent of three months of income stashed away in a special emergency fund. It is never clear whether they are talking about net or gross income but regardless, for most families the equivalent of having 25% of your income placed into such of an account is nearly unattainable. Certainly it can not be accomplished within a year; it may actually require five to ten years to build up this type of account at the near exclusion of all other savings.

Then there is the case of saving money for university and post-secondary education. Sending your child is getting more and more expensive. Not everyone deserves to go to college but many families think it is their right and would do everything they can to put their children through. There are various saving vehicles available. Some provide prepaid tuition and fees; others are set up like IRA accounts where the money withdrawn is not taxed. But still you have to contribute to an event that is as far into the future as fifteen years away with no idea how much it would really cost for the initial four year program. Many families now are realizing how grossly they underestimated the costs and have to use mortgage refinancing or have the child take on student loans to pay the costs. People do not think about college costs until the child is almost in high school but then again consider that when the child was born, most families are young and just starting off and getting by.

For most families, it is the paycheck to paycheck living that really raises the stress levels. This is really an acknowledgement that the social safety net is quite weak and that you are on your own for the most part. Having substantial savings can alleviate that stress significantly knowing that for awhile you are okay. But in the real world, saving is a luxury only some can do and rest of us just gets by.

Retirement Savings
The real problem though is saving for retirement. Company pensions are becoming scarcer these day and while the Social Security crisis is a bit overblown, there will be less forthcoming from the government in the future for senior citizens. So to make up the difference in income and the lifestyle they want to lead as retirees, people have to save now. Again, though, family incomes today do not have the ability to contribute to any sort of retirement plan. The median amount people will contribute to their 401k or similar plans is about $2400/year. Very few people can contribute to the maximum amount which for 2006 is $15,000, up from $14,000 last year. As for me, I will contribute about $9600 this year into my 401k plan. That amount represents a significant portion of my income but I think it is essential to have funds in the account now so to take advantage of the long term growth of money. I could use the contributed money to pay for expenses today but then I will be shortchanging myself for the future.

However, it is the expectation that the stock market will continually grow that underpins the whole rationale for investing in 401k and IRA plans. A stock market crash or a prolonged recession can undo years of careful saving and sacrifice. But that is the risk you have to take when you invest. Otherwise you may just be better off placing your money in real assets like real estate.

Thinking about the future
There is a saving crisis in this nation. Of that I have no doubt but it is just one of many crisises facing families today. If a family has to split its income and follow the recommendations of various financial planners and put some money in 401k plans, some in college fund accounts, some in a rainy account, there will be scarcely anything left over to survive on.

Sometimes I think people have a lottery mentality to life, that some event will put a large amount of money in their hands whether it is the lottery, a college scholarship, a big tax refund or an inheritance of some sort. That is a dangerous way of thinking in expecting that the future will take care of itself. Most likely it will not happen. But in a way, it is helpful to be optimistic considering most families’ current saving situation is rather depressing.

I have no real magic recommendations on how to save. Saving requires patience, time and sacrifice. If you remain focused on your saving goals then you can succeed to some degree. My income does not allow me to save for every situation I mentioned above so I decide to focus my savings on retirement and college funds and hope that no calamity befalls us. It is a bit of a tightrope act to keep it all together and a fair bit of sacrifice on my part but slow steady wins the race which in this case is the race of life.

"The number of eggs deposited varies; I never found more than seven in one nest, though I have been assured that eight or nine may be laid; six or seven is the average number, however. The laying season commences (here in North Carolina, at any rate) the last week in April, and continues until the middle of June, or late, as two broods are frequently raised. I found perfectly fresh eggs June 12^th, and have seen barely fledged birds in August. But the second and third weeks in May are great times for laying. Then, when the season is at its height, some idea of the countless numbers of rails in the marshes may be gained from the fact that baskets full of the eggs are gathered by the boys (and men too) and brought to the Beaufort market, where they sell for about five cents a dozen. When perfectly fresh they are very good to eat." by Dr. Elliott Coues, American Naturalist. - 1869

Dr. Elliott Coues, Naturalist and Army Surgeon at Fort Macon, was assigned to the fort for 20 months beginning February of 1869. (Above information from Friends of Fort Macon)

date: Thursday, November 20th
doors open: 8:30 pm
where: Amos’ Southend
price: $7 for 21+

UNC Charlotte’s favorite rock band BKTF (Brandon Kirkley and the Firecrackers) will be at Amos’ Southend this Thursday to premire their first EP “What We Thought We Knewâ€. BKTF will headline the show with The Chase, and Stegosaurus will be opening. The show is $7 for 21 and up; under 21 is $10. They’ll have t-shirts and of course the CD for sale the night of the release. Definately something you dont want to miss if you’re a fan of good local music.

If you are curious what they sound like you can check out their MySpace.

GIVE AWAY

Brandon from BKTF also hooked me up with a autographed shirt and a copy of the cd. On top of all that you will have the chance to hang out with the band after the show. I know pretty awesome right? All you have to do is comment here and by noon Thursday and we will randomly pick one person to receive the awesome prize. Good Luck!

While my husband stayed home, content with cleaning, I escaped on a Sunday drive to the tops of mountains. I found slightly deeper snows than down in the valleys. I started on Howards Knob and wound my way up Junaluska and along Tater Hill. I told my sweet husband that I was just testing out the new snow tires. He totally bought it:)

On my drive I listened to a mix of bluegrass and blues. I listened to Mavis Staple doing a live version of "I'll take you there." When I returned home I was doing a very innocent Google search when all the sudden I happened upon an internet train wreck. You know? A place on the web which is so foreign and out of place you just can't not look. Meet Diana Campanella aka Artemisbell. She likes to dance and it is a wonder she isn't more famous. She's 55 Y.O. and is quite a hit in Brazil. She is prolific in posting of Youtube videos of herself dancing in her Scottsdale, AZ living room. Don't worry--this is safe dancing. She is a completely wonderful nut.. 

This is a longer, more expansive take on the man-on-the-street interviews Howard Stern played where Obama supporters were asked why they liked him so much, and then were asked specifically if it was because of his stand against abortion, etc.  It was hilarious to hear most of them say, when prompted, that they supported Obama because he was for the surge in Iraq and against abortion.  It is really sad though that people can be so stupid.  Check out the How Obama Got Elected site to read more about their project, which includes a poll they commissioned showing similar results.

What is really frustrating to me is that we knew the media would not inform the electorate (they never do) and that always leaves it to Republican candidates to do it.  McCain's campaign should have done a better job getting the facts out there.  When we could not even tie the Democrat-controlled Congress to their 13 percent or so approval ratings there was no doubt we would lose.  It infuriates me that McCain didn't try to hold Dems accountable in the subprime mortgage mess in any real way, or to tie them to anything else the incredibly unpopular Congress did. 

People will now at least realize who is in charge, but that just means the media will now report the glass half full version of every news story.  At least maybe the the U.S. military will now get a bit of attention and credit for their incredible work -- now that there is no way media attention to them will help Republicans.

As glad as I am to see efforts like the one at How Obama Got Elected, this was needed before the election.  I kept wondering where the "Harry and Louise" ads were on the bailout and on the Democrats' role in the subprime mortgage mess.  It is inexcusable that Republicans lost when they had so much ammunition they could have used, but for some inexplicable reason decided to hold back.  I know they were outspent by hundreds of millions of dollars and had the entire news media actively campaigning for the other side, but they didn't lose by much, even with all that against them. Not only did the media's efforts to keep the electorate stupid help elect Obama, but the Republicans ineptitude was to blame as well. Sadly, so far, I am not seeing any indication yet that things will be different in 2010 or 2012.