SON OF FLUSH

Read this:

http://www.windsorstar.com/Consultant+gauge+public+tolerance+rate+increase/1333145/story.html

This is how Star Readers Responded to the Above:

http://communities.canada.com/windsorstar/blogs/soundoff/archive/2009/02/27/300827.aspx

And This:

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Political+cover/1339132/story.html

Ward 4 Coucillor and W.U.C. Board member Ken Lewenza Jr. blames the Media and irrelevant bloggers for the W.U.C. rate hike confusion. He wants to hire a consultant to consult the public about raising rates.

Sample Windsor Star Reader Comments:

TO WUC morons
RESIGN. All of you. Just resign and stop this crap once and for all. If you havent noticed there is 11% unemployment and 8500 people on welfare in this city. You guys on the board of WUC have an IQ of 12. Thats less than a dog. This is beyond stupid. As for Ken Lewenza Junior man have some dignity and just resign. You are only making yourself to look and sound like a joke.
February 26, 2009

11:06 PM


Ha !
Bet they hired a consultant on how to hang a roll of toilet paper.
February 27, 2009

3:24 AM


Open Letterfrom 60 plus
Dear Eddie and Council has it ever crossed your minds that all of these studies are just another sign that you are all incompetent. All the years that I have lived in Windsor I cannot recall one city council that ever had so many surveys done. The only answer that these surveys prove is that none of those elected are capable of doing the jobs they were elected to from Mayor down to rest of the City Council. STUDY THIS.
February 27, 2009

7:31 AM

Disgusted
Total water usage = $0.53 Total water charges = $62.98 What's wrong with this picture? NO MORE RATE HIKES!!!!
February 27, 2009

8:32 AM

Headline
"WUC calls for study to gauge public's desire to be poked in the eye with a stick" makes as much sense as this study
February 27, 2009

10:30 AM


Idiocy Reigns in Windsor
Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! How stupid can Junior and his playmates get?
February 27, 2009

12:45 PM


CITY DOCTOR
I now pronounce the mayor, his councillors and the management of the cororation of the city of Windsor...
BRAIN-DEAD FROM THE SHOES UP
February 28, 2009

9:04 AM

BBS

That's 208 comments so far, and counting. That just might be a record for comments. Despite all the supposed "disinformation" out there it seems like many people are grasping the concepts pretty well. The question is, are the Mayor and Councillors listening? Call or email your Councillor, the Mayor and the WUC. Make sure they can't help but hear - loud and clear.
February 28, 2009
10:09 AM

Crafty Councillor Brings Public Deception Public

If You Elect a Journalist to City Council is he Still a Journalist?

If you ask anyone who watched this week's Council session the answer can't be anything but "YES". Ward 3 Councillor Halberstadt gave viewers a birds eye view of how it is done.

In Orwellian fashion, our elected officials tried to pass a motion pertaining to the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Property negotiations. Councillor Halberstadt proceeded to dog the Mayor, Solicitor, Administration and Council about one singular detail or rather one non-detail according to Council et al. As it were, Council was voting to erase a couple of questions posed by Councillors Halberstadt and Mara from the record. Unprecedented! Relevant and important questions which the Councillors had asked in the past and subsequently reminded everyone about again last night. Both Councillors requested and never received access to the "Price-Waterhouse Evaluation Study of 2006". Very understandable and very fair considering that the asking price for the Detroit half of the tunnel has just spiked by an additional $25 million.

Lets repeat. The Mayor, Council and Administration attempted to erase the Councillors questions from the record. Thats the Orwellian part and in case you need to brush up on "1984", here is the Wikipedia definition of Orwellian:

"The adjective Orwellian describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free society. It connotes an attitude and a policy of control by propaganda, misinformation, denial of truth, and manipulation of the past, including the "unperson" — a person whose past existence is expunged from the public record and memory, practiced by modern repressive governments."

Councillor Halberstadt's own words were: "I won't let it drop". He would not be the "uncouncillor". Very calmly and with the skill set of a journalist he kept posing questions and kept everyone off balance until his objective was also met. If his questions and concerns were not going to be in the official public record he made sure that they were recorded on camera and in the process made the rest of the Chamber look foolish and deceptive. He deceived the deceiver. The Mayor and Solicitor rattled off one clarification after another, the Clerk spewed some sort of doublespeak to the effect that the items were not really officially off the record because they were also on another record and Councillors Gignac and Valentinis chirped their usual "make nice" raw raw from their safe perch on the fence. The truth must be dangerous if Council and Administration are resorting to such tactics. The Mayor and Council have a choice. The truth will come out in bits and pieces as it usually does or they can just be transparent and get it over with. For now, One Councillor is on record. How does that old addage go? You can take the Journalist out of journalism but you can't take the journalist out of the Councillor?????

Chris Shnurr has an excellent summation here (watch the Councillor in action):

http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/maid-in-windsor-secrecy-prevails/

The exalted Blogmeisters observations are here:

http://windsorcityon.blogspot.com/2009/02/in-my-opinion-mayor-is-petrified-that.html

Craig Pearson of the Windsor Star sums it up here:

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/What+city+hiding/1272625/story.html

Start of a Local Sailing Blog

Leonard, "Too Tall Strahl" has just started a local blog about local sailing and the local characters who are "Rag Baggers" and other sorts. So far looks pretty good and if there is anyone who has passion for sailing and sail racing it is Len. By the way...Len has also taken up amateur photography. You will quickly recognize that. Take a look at his blog entry here:

http://lionheartsailing.blogspot.com/

P.S...Paul Synott...If you come across this please consider entering the blog on the WE-SPEAK blog roll. Thanks and...See you out there.

Mayor Gets Credit for Red Bull Flyer

Make no bones about it. This was a Hail Mary throw and Windsor took the win because Mayor Eddie Francis called the play; ultimately tossing a flyer to completion. Sure. There’s a lot of speculation about how the play really went down. Some credit Dwight Duncan and Sandra Pupatello for tarring the ball with $3.2 million, making sure it stuck square in the numbers. Many question the timing. Did our Provincial Ministers cough up because they were getting a lot of public flak or did Duncan pay the piper to free up the political log jam between the Ministers and the Mayor? Heck…We’re not even sure if the money is a gift or a loan. None of that matters now.

Eddie Francis made the play. He went to London to woo the Red Bull executives, he put the word out for sponsorship and when none came forward he turned to Duncan and simply asked for help. Dwight Duncan bought in and cut the check. In the business world asking for the sale is fundamental.

Many are pondering the terms and conditions for the Provinces timely gift. Everything will eventually come out in the wash but that doesn’t matter now either. The ball is in motion. In a little less than 5 Months Windsor, Ontario is going to be Canada’s host city for the world renowned Red Bull Air Race.

Windsor is playing with the Titans. San Diego, Budapest, Porto, Barcelona and Abu Dhabi. This event will broadcast to 500 million people in 115 countries. From here on in we have to fall into formation. This has to be our 3.2 million dollar, once in a millennium opportunity to showcase Windsor to every reach of the planet. Every blitz, every sweep, every tackle, every nickleback and every rush has to count. Our Mayor and Ministers have given us the air yards; now it’s up to full team effort. Every business, every organization and every citizen have to dig in their cleats to guarantee that Windsor will be recognized. Every window has to be washed, every street swept and scrubbed, every picture straightened, every blade of grass coiffed and every local jewel highlighted. Shine up our buses and taxis too.

If ever there was a need to network and spend some advertising dollars it is now. Not necessarily a lot but well orchestrated. Grass root if you will. This is a prime opportunity for local Chambers of Commerce, the Windsor-Essex Development Commission and the local Tourism office to strut their stuff. Arm members and affiliates to talk up the event while at home and on the road. Don’t forget press releases. Lots of them. Local Companies can put the word out to their out of town customers; perhaps bringing them in for the race, some local golf and sailing. Whatever. There is a position here for everyone. Museums, corporate tours, all BIAs, eateries and clubs and every campus. The city might host an all expenses paid event for Canadian journalists to come and enjoy the event. It is also a great opportunity for residents to invite their out of town relatives. Bring them in and treat them like kings and queens. Even the bloggers have a role here. Let the world know that Windsor is here for them.
Yes, the game is on. Windsorites have to embrace that and ring: “Bring it on!” Just remember that in all of this it is imperative that we protect our quarterback. His toss is bringing the world to Windsor. Its time to get in the huddle and slap some cheek.

http://www.redbullairrace.com/races.php?id=3&subpage=3&lang=en