My blog buddy Savannah Red kinda got onto me this morning for NOT doing what I do here very much lately. No excuses offered – I’m here, you’re here, let’s do this thing.
I have a couple of bones to pick about the coverage of the Project Derenne thistimeitbetterworkorelsewe’rejustgivingup big plan unveiling last night. I didn’t go for a couple of reasons, mainly because they held the meeting south of Derenne and I don’t like to travel that far out of town at night.
Who are you people?
From what I could gather from the coverage – there were a bunch of angry people there who somehow managed to go for the past two years and hear absolutely nothing about this thing called Project Derenne.
What’s more, these knownothings claim to be property owners in the area of Derenne. HOW in the world is it possible? Your livelihood is tied directly to the future of Derenne and yet you haven’t noticed the billboards, the ads in the paper, the full color mailings from the project to property owners…
Is any of this ringing a bell?
I would, at this juncture, complain about the media seeking out these knownothings and only telling their story – but I know why that happened. They were the loudest people at the meeting and reporters are simple folk who respond to bright colors and loud noises much like the creatures on that Meerkat Manor show.
The people who have been paying attention and have taken part in the process didn’t have to yell last night because they pretty much got all their yelling done at meetings over the past TWO YEARS.
A few things that should have never made the air or print:
Under the heading “Recommendations” Ms. Conn included this:
“Transforming the commercial district south of DeRenne - where the landmark giant globe is - into one rimmed with businesses that are closer to the street. Two-story structures could have storefronts on the bottom, residences above. The buildings would create a buffer for parking, a linear plaza and a green space that would have the globe as a main attraction. It could become a new gathering spot for residents who wanted to attend jazz concerts, movies in the park or other events.”
I kinda think that wasn’t a “recommendation” because it is not something that can be done by the City Government. I think maybe Ms. Conn is confused between the developers “vision” for what Derenne can become and their “Recommendations” for what the city can do with Derenne. The latter is limited to intersection improvements or creating that loopy thing they want that would loop from 516 to Hunter to White Bluff. The city can build roads and not much else.
Ms. Hutchings from WTOC was the worst of the “find the loudest people and put them on TV” crowd.
"The businesses we're concerned about, the people we're concerned about, it's our neighborhood," said Kathryn Cook… "It's not going to happen. We don't have the money for that to happen. Saying we're going to plant trees and do this and that, where's the money coming from?" asked Cook.
Her question was never answered.”
Actually Ms. Hutchings and Ms. Cook – that question was answered like a decade ago – there are millions in sales tax dollars allocated specifically to work on Derenne. Both of you ladies should have known that, Ms. Hutchings because it is your job to understand the issues you are reporting about and Ms. Cook because you claim to be so interested in the future of your business.
WSAV coverage is a sin of omission. They too allowed Ms. Cook to prove her ignorance of the process and failed to provide answers that would educate and inform their audience but they also didn’t actual tell the audience anything about the plan.
“The latest concepts for expanding, developing, or changing traffic patterns and neighborhoods along derenne were unveiled Thursday night.
While the city sold the concepts for a less congested, more beautiful neighborhood, the reaction to the plans were mixed.”
I can only guess from the lack of coverage, spelling and grammar errors, that WSAV didn’t actually send a reporter to the meeting and some intern had to write it up.
Bottom line on Project Derenne for me is that the City has given the people who actually care about the issue ample time to comment and cajole and gripe – now they need to take care of business or get off the pot.
Bottom Line on Derenne Avenue for me is that you freaky southside people can have it. I’m staying downtown.
LIARS!
It has been a while since the Savannah Morning News has printed a blatant lie – they have been wrong plenty but obvious blatant lies have been thin on the ground until this week.
From the Vox:
"So an insurance company-backed study recommends to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that mammograms are not necessary until you are 50 and self exams are not beneficial? I was not aware a woman between the ages of 40 and 49 could not be stricken by this deadly disease. Blatant greed."
For those of you new to my amber waves of brain – You have a right to your opinion but you do not have the right to pollute the public discourse with false statements of fact. The above is a false statement of fact printed as opinion by an editorial staff that is apparently too lazy to check the details before they print something.
The “study” in question does not exist.
There was no study. There was a recommendation by a panel of doctors and other healthcare workers. They based that recommendation on other people’s research.
“We used 6 established models to estimate the outcomes across 20 mammography screening strategies that vary by age of initiation and cessation and by screening interval among a cohort of U.S. women. The results are intended to contribute to practice and guideline policy debates.”
The sources for the models they created were from scientific studies done primarily in socialist countries or the National Cancer Institute – not from any insurance company.
2. Nyström L, Andersson I, Bjurstam N, Frisell J, Nordenskjöld B, Rutqvist LE. Long-term effects of mammography screening: updated overview of the Swedish randomised trials. Lancet 2002;359:909-19. [PMID: 11918907]
3. Tabár L, Vitak B, Chen HH, Duffy SW, Yen MF, Chiang CF, et al. The Swedish Two-County Trial twenty years later. Updated mortality results and new insights from long-term follow-up. Radiol Clin North Am 2000;38:625-51. [PMID: 10943268]
4. Vainio H, Bianchini F, eds. Breast Cancer Screening. International Agency for Research on Cancer Handbook on Cancer Prevention, Report No. 7. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2002.
5. Moss SM, Cuckle H, Evans A, Johns L, Waller M, Bobrow L; Trial Management Group. Effect of mammographic screening from age 40 years on breast cancer mortality at 10 years' follow-up: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2006;368:2053-60. [PMID: 17161727]
The group making the recommendations is a pseudo governmental entity established by FEDERAL lawmakers and has no direct links to insurance companies. They also claim that cost-cutting was not their primary concern when writing their report.
The Savannah Morning News should be ashamed - printing this type of lie in the paper adds to the confusion and distrust many people already suffer when it comes to the healthcare debate. Printing lies on the topic at this pivotal time in our country is shameful.
Observe how the drones will swarm when they sense a threat to the hive….
Really y’all? Basing an entire business section on an unconfirmed comment that no one will admit to actually hearing?
Printing testimonials praising a quasigovernmental authority without any examination of the underlying facts or an accounting of that authority’s performance?
This is journalism?
Despite what I was taught on the debate team, I have recently been informed that using rhetorical questions is the sign of a smarta$$ and not the modern polite way to make a point.
I am a smarta$$?
For some reason the Savannah Morning News Editorial folk is circling the wagons around the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority.
“It is believed in some quarters that Mayor Otis Johnson then suggested the City Council look into "defunding" the quasi-government entity at the council retreat next week at St. Simons Island.”
Seriously – that all they got. Somebody says the Mayor said something that they can’t confirm.
Oh and while we're at it... City Council isn't going to St. Simons Island on retreat this year they are staying in Chatham County. At least that is what they talked about at earlier meetings. You know meetings?... where the Savannah Morning News should have reporters in the room but often don't?
This is journalism?
Not only are the origins of this article suspect, the newspaper’s reaction is something akin to killing a fly with a laser guided thermonuclear fission-assisted sledgehammer.
They only quote one person who was actually in the room when the supposed conversation took place – apparently more than 15 people were present – but Ms. Smith-Broady decided to devote most of the article to people who had simply heard the rumor, believed it and were really really angry about it.
Oh yeah the one person who was actually in the room and quoted in the article denies hearing anything like what the paper is claiming.
The only indication that the so-called journalists at the SMN tried to look into the situation at all is this limp excuse:
“The Savannah Government Television broadcast of the work session doesn't include that part of the meeting.”
Didn’t you have a reporter there?
BTW the reason they are having so much trouble finding the details of this supposed situation is because it may have actually happened the week before.
At least part of the conversation Alderman Jackson references in her interview took place during the discussion of capital projects on November 5th.
The Mayor at that time did say he wanted an accounting of activities along the MLK corridor and was displeased with what he sees as at the lack of progress.
I don’t know for sure if he revisited that topic at the last meeting, neither does the paper so they really shouldn't be writing an article about it.
This is NOT JOURNALISM.
Still not feeling bloggy but I feel I simply must call BS on this capper from the story on Georgia Power’s move to a new building downtown:
“Commercial Realtor John Neely, of Colliers Neely Dales in Savannah, called Georgia Power's Abercorn purchase "a vote of confidence in downtown and the future,”…”
Not even close – If this were a commercial entity spending money and moving into swank new digs I might agree. Unfortunately there is no sooth to say here when it is a government sanctioned monopoly immune to market forces so far as its revenue stream is concerned.
Georgia power regularly counts its money in billions – quite literally it makes enough in a month to buy and refurbish that building downtown twice. This does not reflect at all on the market or the downtown economy at all.
Gentle, Genteel and Gentile readers please forgive my slackness – I have been distracted by a family matter that I may or may not share in this forum.
The result of my distraction is that not much can get my ire up right now however there were a couple of things that struck me.
See what you get when you just show up?
Recently I have had many occasions to lament the absence of the media from important meetings at which important things happened that ultimately will impact every single citizen of Savannah.
That was not the case at the most recent City Council Meeting and from that single event the Savannah Morning News has managed to milk three headline-worthy stories and gathered intel to assist them with many more stories.
So far from that single event we had actual news on
Friday 11/6 – Enmark, city to try for compromise for Hampstead station and City suspends D.I. Grill's liquor license
Thursday 11/12 - D.I. Grille can serve liquor until hearing
Sunday 11/15 – Sales tax revenue coming in short
Monday 11/16 - West Savannah neighborhood to see more improvement in 2010
While not all of these saw action at the meeting - the lagging sales tax and the West Savannah renewal plan were discussed by leaders and provided reporters with a starting point for the larger story proving once again that there is tremendous value in just showing up.
Now a couple from the Vox -
"The actors and actresses on the set of 'The Conspirator' could smile, talk to, or acknowledge the fans that are there to admire and flatter them. They should stop being snobs."
Yeah cause if a bunch of people came to the office, restaurant, beauty salon or Wal Mart where you work and just stood there and stared at you – you would totally be all “Hey y’all thanks for coming down here and just standing around while I work.” Ignoramus!
"The difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals recognize the distinct strata of society and desire to address their problems. Conservatives recognize the distinct strata of society and desire to preserve them."
No – the difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals want total control so they can tell you what you can do and conservatives want total control so they can tell you what you can’t do.
Oh… wait that really isn’t a difference is it?
Mother may I break the rules – just a little - just this once – please?
People seem to have a difficult time figuring out my politics when, in my mind at least, it is very simple and clear.
There are Rules. Live by those Rules.
That’s it. Call it playground logic if you will.
Armed with that little insight you can see why this little piece of propaganda from the Savannah Morning News had me boiling:
“SAVANNAH CITY Council should either approve a rezoning at White Bluff and Hampstead, or buy the land from the developer.”
Partly I am mad cause they are wrong – partly because the editorial staff presented a whole page of wrong under a bigas animated banner ad for Enmark- the owner of the land.
This goes back to that whole Enmark thing from last week’s city council meeting.
Enmark is asking for permission to break the zoning law on a piece of land in a neighborhood. The paper would have you believe that is not only okay but their GAWD given right.
City leaders can't preclude property owners from the rightful use of their land indefinitely.
Rightful use? So, according to the paper, City Council has lost the power to enforce zoning laws? When did this happen?
Does this mean I can pursue my lifelong dream of operating a deer processing/taxidermy shop in the heart of Ardsley Park. I can put in the Helicopter landing pad I’ve always wanted?
Oh but no… Enmark is going to enhance the neighborhood by breaking the zoning laws.
“That Enmark is moving to get the rezoning anyway is a testament to its corporate stewardship.
The company has also pledged to build a store with a more residential-looking design, muted colors, and a single low sign on the White Bluff side of the property.”
Okay… see Enmark knew the zoning when they bought the land.
Everyone involved including Enmark says they can build the station they want without breaking the zoning laws but we are supposed to applaud because they want to break the zoning laws?
The paper tries to do a little MPC dance pointing out the “transitional”
nature of the area as an excuse to allow further commercial encroachment into
the neighborhood.
Doesn’t that just push the transitional part into the
residential part?
Where do we stop the transitioning part?
Will there be any houses left?
UPDATE:
This past Thursday’s City Council meeting is up on the web for all to see now.
The file claims it was created on Friday – but was not posted until this morning.
Skip ahead to a about 1:24:00 to see Alderman Clifton Jones peel back the curtain on what’s been going on over at the Metropolitan Planning Commission.
“In meeting with the neighbors I found that the MPC was responsible for encouraging Enmark to move into this area and intrude in that block. In my opinion I find that awful unusual. I did not know they made that type of recommendations but in this particular instance they made a recommendation. The MPC did - the staff I imagine because that is the way it is in this report.”
“…they told me there was a sign posted on the property - “Ben Farmer Realty”. So I checked it out and then we’re talking about a grand conflict of interest because I think Mr. Farmer had something to do with the very motion that got this where it is today.
I found that through his company there was an agent by the name of Carl Francis that actually sold this property to Enmark.
If I am wrong I got the wrong information but if I’m right then this is the information that I’ve been given. Mr. Mayor I’m saying all this because I don’t want to see this property affect a whole lot of other properties in the City of Savannah. If Enmark is able to further encroach into this area then what about the rest of Savannah?”
So the only thing Alderman Jones said that is in dispute is the part about a specific agent from Ben Farmer Realty that “sold this property to Enmark”
Mr. Farmer says that never happened. Okay – but what about the rest of it?
