This is the slogan that Barrack Obama ran on during his campaign. From the figures that I have seen, almost 75% of the already, suggested appointments he has selected, are Clinton holdovers. Is this the change you can believe in, that some of you supported and voted for on November 4th?

I just want to take a minute and offer my sympathy to the many of you who lost your friend, Sunny Day.

http://www.berryfuneralhome.com/obits-new.asp?ID=4923

Breaking News at the Daily Times. This stood out to me;

Agents responded to that area and then followed the suspect vehicle to two other locations where the suspects allegedly purchased more precursors to make the drug.

Why not make the stop when the car was stopped? Unless the “precursors” were something that could be picked up via a drive through, these idiots would have had to of been out of their car at some point. I hope those innocent in this chase are all okay.

At any rate, here is video from the scene; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spz8_rpE0e0

TN Senator Bob Corker grills the “Big Three” executives in yesterdays hearings here on C-Span. (slide video bar to start time of 1:45 and run til 2:04) Pretty interesting stuff for 20min worth of footage.

Pay special attention to the very end of the time 2:02 to 2:04. The difference between Dodd and Corker could not have been drawn more clearly, both between the men and their parties. This would have been a nice debate to have had 3 months ago.

Which do you think is right. Should a US automaker have to pay for employees in a shut down factory? Should workers be the victims of bad upper management decisions on making the wrong cars? What do you think?

Do you think they deserve the bailout money from taxpayers? The banks got it and the airlines have gotten it in the past.

I am very happy to tell you about our kick off for the “Share the Road” specialty license plate. The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation needs to receive 1000 pre-orders before the state will start production. Several artists are submitting art for the plate design. Depending on the submissions, we may present the different options for registrants to vote for their favorite. The state has final approval for the design so we may go through various iterations. It is state law that motorists must give cyclists 3 feet of clearance when passing. The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation is striving to educate motorists, cyclists and police departments of this law statewide. Our website, www.jeffrothcyclingfoundation.org has an order form and instructions on how to order your plate. A portion of the plate proceeds will benefit the Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation. Show your support for cycling and help further our cause to make Tennessee a safer place for cyclists!

As a taxpayer, I am bothered by the fact that the CEOs of the bailed-out companies continue to live high on the hog.

For example, the corporate jet aircraft owned by AIG are listed below. This list was taken directly from the current FAA registration database.

You will find:
Two Bombardier BD700 jets - value $25 million each - cost of operation $3000+ per hour
Two Dassault Falcon 2000EX jets - value $30 million each - cost of operation $3000+ per hour
One Dassault Falcon 900EX jet - value $25 million - cost of operation $3000+ per hour
One Cessna Citation 560 XL - value $10 million - cost of operation - $2000+ per hour
One Agusta AB139 Helicopter - value $7million

Three more registration numbers are reserved for new aircraft to be delivered!!

These SOBs just halved the value of our retirement accounts, and they are living like kings.

Tell me again why we should support the bailouts.

If the government would require that the CEO of any company requesting a bailout, agree to give up his corporate jet and work for $1 per year until the taxpayer money was repaid, we would halve the bailout requests and double the speed of repayment.

Conservatives are busy trying to deny the truth: the USA is no longer a center-right country but instead one in which most people agree with the basic ideas of, gasp! liberals.

Read all about it here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-l-borosage/the-center-left-nation_b_143159.html?page=8&show_comment_id=17915458

In case you missed it, on October 31st, the DT had an article titled “Grand jury panel nixes charges against mayor".

To fill you in, I filed paperwork with the Grand Jury because of Cunnningham forcing the board members of South Blount County Utility District to vote to add fluosilicic acid to our water. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, trading anything of value in exchange for a vote is bribery or extortion. Jerry bribed these people; in return they were assured reappointment to their position which supplies not only a monthly pay, but health benefits and travel perks. That amounts to misconduct in the mayoral office.

I not only had a copy of Jerry’s letter to the manager of SBCUD and excerpts of legal authority, I had a laptop computer with a TV clip of one of the board members saying that they were being forced to vote for fluoridation.

I also had hired a lawyer for representation during my Grand Jury panel hearing (which consists of the foreperson and two jury members).

Now to the meat of my story. The DT quoted Joe Colquitt, panel member, as saying “We didn’t find the grounds.” “She had a lot of stuff from the Internet, but she couldn’t substantiate it…We all voted ‘no true bill’".

The mayor said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome. He said it’s just another foolish, frivolous thing “that some folks with nothing but time on their hands delve into. The time would be better spent having a job".
(I think he wants us too busy to stay on top of what’s happening in our county.)

Here’s my facts. Joe Colquitt was not even a member of the panel. I don’t know who he is, but he surely couldn’t have voted or known what kind of information I provided.

My panel was made up of Penny Piper and two women panel members. Ms. Piper would not allow my attorney into the session, saying “We don’t do lawyers". She also did not allow me to show my laptop film. She told me immediately to hurry up because they had to be in court. I was sitting in the hall waiting for 30 minutes before I was called in, so there was no need for the rush.

When I was called before this article was written by the DT, I was told that the topic would be our fluoride lawsuit…..nothing was mentioned about the grand jury (which had occurred almost a month previously). If I’d known, I could certainly have provided correct information.

According to the oath that the Grand Jury takes, their sessions are to be private. Now, even though Joe Colquitt wasn’t a part of my hearing, where’s his authority to be interviewed at all?

Something is wrong with the Grand Jury system here in Blount County.