Rich control elections...

Senator Finney:

 

Reference The Mountain Press's article, Thursday August 21: headlined "Finney: 'Rich' control elections."

 

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were the only persons who received no pay for serving. Franklin thought the honor of serving should be enough but the people thought that would mean only the rich could serve. In fact today, only the rich can run for office.

 

I believe you were wise to drop the recount effort. Politics is not a fun game, unless you win. The article mentioned you "loaned" your campaign $100,000, you asked people to give money to the campaign but you loan money? People suspect politicians who spend more to get a job that the job pays. I do not know what State Senator pays but my guess is more was spent to get the job than it pays.

 

You were using arguments that did not make sense. If the rich control the elections, having $100,000 liquid places you among the rich in Sevier County. If Parton has the influence you suggest he has why did the tax issue fail? No, while you may be every thing you say you are you voted against Sevier County and never successfully explained how your vote benefited Sevier County. Politically that was a mistake that could not be overcome.

 

Good luck in your future activities. Ronald Reagan would support Overbey, a fellow Republican, unless you believe a Democrat would be better for Sevier County or if you believe Sevier County deserves a democrat since it did not vote for you.

 

John Jenkins

425 Patterson Lane

Gatlinburg, TN 37738

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Michael Phelps

The advice I would give Michael Phelps is to get out of the public eye as soon as possible. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose. The media has found his father and now knows Michael does not get along with his father. Not a good role model. He is twenty-two or so years old, no college education, a mental disease ADD or the like, no skills except swimming, lots and lots of money, and a mother and sister or two who expect him to share with them. He will soon self destruct if he does not get out of the public eye. Warren Buffett lives in the same house for thirty years, Sam Walton drove a used truck. Phelps is talking about getting home to his cars (notice plural) and setting up his house, lots of furniture and pool and on and on. 

 

Michael, get out of the public eye!!!!!!!!!! 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.

The year is 1907, one hundred years ago......

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.

Regards, John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TNEmail: jrjenki@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com/ Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Olympic Gold

In the Olympics in basketball and baseball anything but Gold is nothing. Watching baseball there appears to be too many white guys....

 

Why is it some white boys from Georgia win the Little League World Series twice, last time they beat a group from Japan, lose their abilities when they get to the MLB? Then blacks and hispanics rule....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

I have decided to be a write-in candidate and this is my platform by Bill Cosby

(1) Press 1 for English is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports. We will use the 'Walmart' policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border (six month tour) They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes --Steroids - The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed; Wheat, The world needs to eat.  A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money will immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.
 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

3rd in line to be President

Being aware of who is 3rd in line to be President might help the voters decide who they want to represent them in the House or Representatives.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Final Report for Priority Gatlinburg

TO: City Manager,

      City Commissioners,

CC: President, GGF:

 

Reference today's The Mountain Press headline "Opinion: Change takes leaders"

 

Being permitted to do anything one wants to do with ones property has never been as American as apple pie. Being a good neighbor is as American as apple pie. Robert Frost wrote in his poem The Wall "Good fences make good neighbors." Good neighbors do not place a garbage dump next to their neighbor's house and your right to burn trash ends where my nose begins. As leaders, I presume you received a preliminary report and challenged the apple pie comment.

 

What encourages you to believe you are different leaders now than you were before the report? Leaders do not need to hide behind consultants telling them what they already know. Leaders would have been following the consultant's recommendations before they were recommendations because they are just common sense.

 

Geoff Wolpert is quoted in today's article, "If we're going to make our community a certain way, we have to require it to be that way." OK, now what does that mean?

 

Jim Kennedy is reported to have said "the priorities of the project would require that city officials resolve to deal with the issue of public improvements versus private ownership." You did not already know that? What we know is that neither you nor your predecessors have shown a willingness to do so.

 

The reason downtown Gatlinburg is the way it is, is unrealistically high lease prices subsidized by underpaid employees and taxpayers. Geoff Wolpert is reported to have said a detailed plan will get everyone onboard. Did anyone check his breath? Mayor Mike Werner is reported to have said, the key will be showing (the land and business owners) there is a benefit in going along with the plan, even if it requires an investment or a sacrifice to making it happen. You needed a consulting firm to tell you that? Why haven't you already shown the benefit?

 

If you want anyone to believe you are serious, and want business owners and land owners to compromise you can begin by removing the Hard Rock Café guitar that extends over the sidewalk. That is an example of how the old boy/girl network works. Show us the network is a thing of the past and the granting of variances is dead. My guess is the people are watching to see something change....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Olympic Athletes

The Olympics are all about money. Olympic participants should repay any assistance provided by the citizens of the United States. The Olympics are nothing more than the athletic version of the Cold War. If the athlete wins they will have received lots of money so they can afford to repay the loan. Anyone who does not win should not have been sent.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

What is Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander

Using as an excuse a desire to protect Russian citizens, Russia attacks Georgia. Our leaders complain that Russia invaded a sovereign country. What did the United States do when we invaded Iraq. We were not protecting American citizens we were satisfying Georges lust for revenge on Sadaam. George's venting has cost thousands of lives. He will be eligible for a Crimes Against Humanity trial. Should be interesting....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Hillary Not Out Yet

What do you think? Hillary will be nominated at the convention. Some delegates, super or otherwise, refrain from voting in the first ballot. Obama does not get a majority. On ballot #2 when delegates can vote for whomever they like and Hillary gets a majority and Obama goes home. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson jump for joy.

 

The Obama followers stay home and McCain becomes President although everyone whoever was in the military knows being a 1st Lieutenant qualifies you for NOTHING!!

 

Al and Jesse continue to whine the government is white. If Obama becomes President Al and Jesse lose their income. They will no longer be THE black leader, Obama will be although he is one half white and has not slave blood in him.....

 

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Cannot be Trusted

I know you do not like to read things like this but the Chinese, the Russians, and any country where the people are raised without God cannot be trusted. They have no Christian morals, ethics and character. They may look like us but they do not think like us. For them anything goes piracy; deception. cheating.

 

If I had the authority I would check all electronics involved in determining Olympic winners of events. This would include the wiring in the "touch" panels in the swimming pools to see if the response could be delayed if the swimmer is not Chinese. I would check all gymnastic equipment to see if anything has been put on the surface, rings, bars, balance beam, everything. Have you noticed a trend in winners coming from certain lanes? Track and field equipment also should be checked. Are the balls and spears the Chinese throw the same as the others? Check everything............Clothes everything...

 

People raised without God are the same as the people were before Jesus lived was crucified, rose from the dead and the returned to His father where he lives today looking at how the United States tries to deny Him.

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Why Tennis

Can someone explain why Tennis is in the Olympics? There are international matches almost every week and now they are in the Olympics. No wonder no one watches......

 

Soccer? Volleyball? Basketball? What is that sport that is similar to Lacross but no stick?

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Why do the men wear shirts and the women wear bikinis?

Men and women do not compete in physical sports because.......

 

If the men are stronger, faster, more exciting to watch why should anyone watch the women play an inferior kind of volleyball? One reason would be to see more skin and see how close to the vital areas you can see.

 

The men in ice skating wear more clothes than the women but the women are more popular. Why? More skin, more leg, more crotch, and nice short skirts to look up. Watch the men and the women and consider most of the display is to show the woman's crotch. They swirl around so everyone gets to see.

 

Once you separate men and women in sports you accept one is superior than the other. The inferior has to do something to get an audience.....With women it is displaying their body with men it is jumping higher and running faster. Depends on the activity which one will attract more viewers.

 

Put long pants and a t-shirt on the women volleyball players and prove my point. The same with ice skating. Same with golf.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Pornography and Voyeurism - Prime Time

There are many "definitions" of the term pornography. "Arousal of prurient interests" "intended primarily to arouse sexual interests" you get the idea.

 

Another term voyeur has an interesting definition: a person who has an exaggerated interest in viewing persons who are disrobing, engaged in sexual activity, again, you get the idea.

 

Now can you explain why the producers of television sitcoms and movies feel it is necessary that their viewers watch couples swallowing each others tongue? Watching the James Bond girls half or totally nude? The hero overpowering the girl encourages rape and abuse. If it does not, why not?

 

Prime time shows are pornographic and encourage voyeurism. No wonder our society is going to hell...

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

No Team Sports in the Olympics

Team sports have no place in the Olympics. The Olympics are the athletic version of the Cold War. Each country is there to prove they are superior. Why else a medal count? Team sports take too long to complete, besides they have other international opportunities. Volleyball? Basketball? Baseball? Softball? BORING!!! When will NASCAR become an Olympic competition?

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Chad Pennington

Chad Pennington being the most popular person in the Jets' locker room says a lot about the Jets. What has Pennington done for the Jets? He is a professional athlete. He is paid to deliver. He failed, again and again and again....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Bernie Mac

The "unexpected" death of Bernie Mac appears to be another example of hospital-failure. A sick person goes to the hospital and becomes sicker and then becomes dead. When a person goes to the hospital their family and friends must go with them to protect them from the hospital staff.

 

Overworked and underpaid nurses hesitant to call an overworked and underpaid doctor in on their day off. Waiting to see if the patient improves or digresses. If we think medical care is expensive now just wait until it is free....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Joey Cheek

Joey Cheek was not going to China to watch the olympics he was going to China to support his "cause" and try to force the Chinese government to do things his way. Hurray for the courage of the Chinese government to keep troublemakers out of their country. Oh, if only our government would do the same....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Strangely Silent?

Have you noticed, no politician, including Obama and McCain, has expressed moral indignation concerning Edwards' tryst and lying? Why, you ask? They all do the same thing. Politicians are like rock stars to the mentally and morally lacking female groupies besides all politicians are unethical, immoral, and dishonest. They have to be that is the job.... Why else pay $1 billion to get a job that pays around $300,000 a year. Want to meet chicks run for office, any office...

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Favre

Remember Favre tearly re-retiring last spring? Now he wants to play? The first time he gets hit whereever he plays we probably will not hear more from him. Have you wondered why a millionaire does not want to stay home with his wife and sick son? Most men if given the opportunity would jump at the chance at staying home with his family especially when one of them has major problems. Apparently Favre craves the NFL groupees a little longer....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Mary-Kate Olsen

When people such as Mary-Kate Olsen depend on the 5th amendment or demand immunity they government is prohibited from considering them guilty of any crime but not the public. We are free to consider Ms Olsen a criminal which she freely admits she is by her lack of willingness to help the police.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Nascar and the Brickyard

Nascar owes those who had tickets at Indianapolis last week. The fans paid to see a race and saw an embarassment. Anyone with a ticket should be given a free ticket for next year's race. Hopefully some lawyer will get a class action against Nascar.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

You can do better

Cable network's evening "News" shows do not report news, they rehash what was "reported" yesterday and the day before that and the day before that and on and on and on. They are lazy.

 

The Nancy Grace shows does not tell us anything we do not know it just beats up on the focus of their "investigation." If the "contributor" does not say exactly what Ms Grace wants, she interrupts and goes to another…

 

The detective who 76'd the OJ trial is considered an expert on everything. You could see it coming. What policeman who arrests blacks has not used the "N" word? When Furman lied the trial was over. He was not a competent detective he is not a worthwhile "contributor."

 

Polly Glasses' death did not make her father an expert on anything.

 

Oberman has a talk show where he complains about Bill O'reilly.

 

Listen up…..get new "contributors" what you have are staffs at large.

 

ESPN used to be a source for sports news but today they are in bed with the teams, coaches, players they are afraid to say anything serious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Reference Brownlee Reagan's properties at light 3 in Gatlinburg.

City Manager and City Commissioners:

 

Reference Brownlee Reagan's properties at light 3 in Gatlinburg.

 

How about an ordinance requiring the removal of buildings and structures and whatever else to cover the Fun Mountain fiasco on all properties unoccupied for 3 months or 6 months or whatever length of time you like.

 

A lawyer would have to insert the right words. The tone of the ordinance would be to require the property owner to remove all buildings and structures, add appropriate landscaping and provide continuing maintenance. Without a public hearing after 1 year the property would be considered abandoned and forfeited to the city. 

 

Mr. Reagan's lack of concern for Gatlinburg should be disturbing to every Gatlinburg resident.

 

John Jenkins

425 Patterson Lane

Gatlnburg, TN 37738

865-430-4427

jrjenki@yahoo.com

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Greenbay and Favre

Brett Favre has been paid very well, no one owes him anything, he has overstayed his welcome and has damaged his memory. He will be remembered as that old guy who hung around too long....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

3rd In Line to be President

It might be time for the public to address the issue of who is 3rd in line to become president. If the public new it was Nancy, they would be shocked... Tell them.....

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

As Gay Marriage returns to the country’s attention

Throughout the Bible one can easily find that God condemns homosexuality and promises that those who participate in such will not be among those saved. Condemnation of adultery and fornication as well as a host of other sins are also easily found along with similar promise.

 

Christians have selected homosexuality to detest more than other sins. And because of that selection Gay Marriage will become the law of the land.

 

Why do Christians abhor homosexuals but not adulterers or fornicators or other "sinners?" Could it be Christians fear homosexuality and envy those who can "get away" with adultery or fornication?

 

Those who "play the game" and marry but then divorce and marry and divorce several times are practicing serial adultery. Christians celebrate such acts by idolizing the participants. Today's Christians are no different than the Christians in Corinth who were proud of their tolerance of the man who had his father's wife.

 

Instead of being selective Christians must "Abstain from every form of evil."

 

As long as our "Christian" country permits adulterers and fornicators to enjoy the same legal benefits as married couples, homosexuals must and will be permitted the same benefits.

 

If Christians want to change the world we must vote AND tell the people the Good News about Jesus. 

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

History of Cereal

During the early 19^th century most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey and coffee. Christian fundamentalists considered the diet to be bad on the soul and worse on the colon. They believed that constipation was God's punishment for eating meat. The diet was also blamed for fueling laziness and lust. To rid America of these vices, religious zealots spearheaded the country's first vegetarian movement. In 1863, one member of this group, Dr. James Johnson invented Granula, America's first ready-to-eat, grain-based breakfast product. Better known as cereal, Jackson's rock-hard breakfast bricks offered consumers a sin-free meat alternative that aimed to clear the conscience and the bowels.

 

Jackson's innovation failed to appeal to the masses, but it caught the attention of Dr. John Kellogg. A renowned surgeon and health guru, Kellogg had transformed the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan into one of America's hottest retreats. Socialites such as the Rockefellers to the Roosevelts flocked to "The San" to receive Kellogg's unorthodox treatments. But shock-therapy sessions (picture John D.) and machine powered enemas (no picture required) were the only items on the agenda. Kellogg also stressed such newfangled ideas as exercise and proper nutrition. It wasn't long before he started serving bran biscuits similar to those of Dr. Jackson---only with the Kellogg name on them. To avoid a law suit, Kellogg changed the name of the cereal by one letter, dubbing it Granola.

 

By 1889, The San was selling 2 tons of granola a week, despite the fact that it was barely edible. The success inspired Dr Kellogg and his brother W. K. to produce more-palatable fare. After six years of experimentation, a kitchen mishap by W. K. yielded the breakfast staple known as cereal flakes.

 

In many ways, the cereal flake is the perfect consumer product. It is easy to produce; easy to sell, and even to this day has a profit margin of 50 percent. And this is where Post comes in.

 

Charles Post marketed Grape-Nuts as curing appendicitis, improving one's IQ, and even "making red blood redder." By 1903 he was clearing $1 million a year.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Amazing Fact Generator

From amazingfactgenerator.com. Check it out and you too can know:

The longest jellyfish on record measured 260 feet and Pope John Paul II was the first Papal Harlem Globetrotter. The team made him an honorary member in 2000 when they visited the Vatican and Elvis Presley's hair was naturally a dirty blond color. He dyed it to look like his idol, Tony Curtis and Technically speaking a male ballet dancer is a ballerino. Now how could you have made it today without those bits of trivia?

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com/
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Regulations

Did you know it takes 20 years to build a landing strip in an airport? Our clean environment regulations and our safety regulations are destroying the United States. No pulp mills, no steel mills, protecting snails, no air strips. We're killing ourselves.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Gang Signs

Players who show gang signs while in uniform must be banished from any league. Forever.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Report not Make News

If the following is true, the media has lost sight of their place in society. Report not make news.

 

My niece, Katelyn, stationed at Baluud , Iraq was assigned, with others of her detachment, to be escort/guard/ watcher for Martha Raddatz of ABC News as she covered John McCain's recent trip to Iraq . Katelyn and her Captain stood directly behind Raddatz as she queried GI's walking past. They kept count of the GI's and you should remember these numbers. Sh e asked 60 GI's who they planned to vote for in November. 54 said John McCain, 4 for Obama and 2 for Hillary. Katelyn called home and told her Mom and Dad to watch ABC news the next night because she was standing directly behind Raddatz and maybe they'd see her on TV. Mom and Dad of course, called and emailed all the kinfolk to watch the newscast and maybe see Katelyn. Well, of course, we all watched and what we saw wasn't a glimpse of Katelyn, but got a hell'uva view of skewed news. After a dissertation on McCain's trip and speech, ABC showed 5 GI's being asked by Raddatz how they w ere going to vote in November; 3 for Obama and 2 for Clinton . No mention of the 54 for McCain

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

You can't believe anything Obama and McCain say...

You must remember the public cannot believe anything Obama or McCain say. You can only look at what they do. Go back and look at what George Bush said while he was campaigning and look at what he DID as president. 

 

How do you know a politician is lying; their lips are moving.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Double Standard

Double standard.

 

Recently our local paper had one of those inserts on the subject of entertainment. You know the ones, television schedules and the like. There was a story, no author identified, praising the television show Family Guy. I do not watch the show but the description in the article read a lot like "high school" humor. As the unidentified author described it "humor about bodily emissions." 

 

The anonymous author wrote about an episode that purported to show God as a bearded, white-robed ladies man hitting on a girl at a bar. He lights her cigarette with a bolt of lightening. "Magic fingers," he purrs. But then, to his chagrin an independent second bolt of lightning incinerates her. He summons his son Jesus ("Get the Escalade, we're outta here!") and makes a fast exit.

 

Unless the show's developers, networks broadcasting the show, print media et al are willing to illustrate and write about  Muhammad in similar situations and therefore endure the rioting, property damage, and accompanying death threats by our Muslim friends, I suggest God and Jesus be left out of cartoons and articles.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Republic vs Democracy

The United States is a Republic, not a Democracy.

A republic is a government having a chief of state who is in modern times a president and in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.

A democracy is government by the people; especially: rule of the majority: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.

Death Penalty

The problem with applying the death penalty is human error. In Tennessee we have just sent home a criminal who has spent 22 years on death row. He will be given another trial. Look at all of the death penalty cases that are overturned. Because of judge error, prosecutor error, defense attorney error, police error, et al.

 

Our justice system is set up to convict the people we want to convict and to release those we want released. Guilt and innocence have little to do with the process.

 

If we are to use the death penalty it should be enforced within three months of conviction. If it is not carried out within three months, life without parole should be the default.

Regards,
John Jenkins

865-803-8179 cell

Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com 

Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com 
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

Hyperbole is the Best Thing Ever.

Shall Not Be Infringed

With the latest decision on gun ownership based on party lines instead of the Constitution concerns about the right to an abortion being overturned. Have you ever considered how Congress will word a law prohibiting abortion?

The woman who was the claimant in the Roe vs Wade did not have an abortion. The court's decision came to late for her.

The court decided a woman has a "constitutional right" to an abortion for any reason during the first trimester, a "constitutional right" to an abortion for health of the mother during the second trimester and NO "constitutional right" to an abortion for any reason during the last trimester. As you can see it is not a Constitutional issue.

The courts have "made laws" instead of interpreting the Constitution. As you can see by the resulting court decisions it is not a constitutional issue making it a state issue not federal. If Congress ever writes a law imagine how miscarriages will be treated. The ex-mother-to-be could be liable for manslaughter or depraved indifference.

30 years ago, Ohio, approved a law to keep vehicles with wheels larger than a pre-define circumfrance off the sidewalks. The result was kindergarten age kids had to ride their big-wheels in the streets. We have to keep congress out of trying to make decisions. They are not mentally fit for the challenge.

Barack has Rev Wright and Hillary has Bill. Must be frustrating.

Who Permitted the Cole to be Bombed?

Has anyone considered charging the commanding officer of the Cole with incompetence allowing the murder of some of the men under his command who trusted him? In a foreign port he did not have a perimeter established to keep unknown people away from his ship? How stupid can a commander be?

Imagine

Think abut the more than 3/4ths of a trillion dollars spent in Afghanistan and Iraq , that we do not have. Imagine what it could of the positive things we could have done with it. AND more than 4,000 of our military would still be alive and multiple thousands would still have all of the body parts.

Look on the bright side. Our amputee Olympic team will be the best ever.

Qualified to be President?

I heard Clark's comments concerning John McCain. With all of the disagreement maybe someone should explain just what part of being shot down in an airplane qualifies one to be president? What part of being a fighter pilot qualifies one to be president? What part of being a POW and tortured qualifies one to be president.

On the other hand what part of being 1/2 white and 1/2 black qualifies one to be president?

As with ALL retired generals Clark is bored and lonesome. As a general the people around him treated him as if he were a god and he loved it. Today, no one cares if he lives or dies. Must be lonesome. But in this case he is right.

Obama is not qualified to be president and neither is McCain. See what our political parties have stooped to.

But don't forget Harry. No one liked him either.

Could Hillary Possibly Be Right About Iraq?

Sen Clinton said the Iraqi government has not met any benchmarks required of them at least not on time and she believes they will continue to fail until they are convinced we are leaving. She just may be right...

Civil War, Viet Nam, Korea

What is the difference between the United States, during the Civil War, and Viet Nam and Korea?

We fought to keep the United States one nation and we fight or fought to keep Viet Nam and Korea split. Does that make sense?

Immigrants and Benjamin Franklin

As we look at how immigrants are changing our country today it might be interesting to look back and see how it was. Recently I read a book about the Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. You might be interested to know he was not nearly as esteemed during his lifetime as he is today. Apparently it is easier to esteem someone we never met.

Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 by William Penn as a refuge for his fellow Quakers. It was a fast-growing colony continually beset by factionalism and conflict between its legislature and its Penn family---controlled executive. Its population, in 1750, was around 120,000 making Pennsylvania the fourth largest colony after Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maryland. Twenty years later it was the second largest colony. The lack of any established church and the Quakers’ reputation for religious toleration attracted a most varied mixture of religious groups. By mid-century the Quakers had become a minority in their own colony at just below 1/4th the population. (I bet they wished they could have closed their borders.) Scotch-Irish Presbyterians made up another quarter and Germans, composed of a wide assortment of religious sects totaled about 40 percent. Favoring the Quaker policies of pacifism, no militia, and low taxes the Germans tacitly agreed to let a Quaker oligarchy run the assembly. Indian problems on the frontier where most of the Scotch-Irish were settled, and that fact that the Penn family, which had converted to Anglicanism, refused to pay what many though was its fair share of taxes, meant that politics in the colony was contentious and turbulent. The bulk of the population of Pennsylvania thought the Penns should do more to pay for the costs of supporting the colony. Above all they should permit the assembly to tax the hundreds of thousands of acres of proprietary lands the Penn family had not yet granted or sold to settlers.

The massive immigration of Germans into Pennsylvania was considered a major problem. “Why should the Germans be suffered to swarm into our settlements, and by herding together establish their language and manners to the exclusion of ours?” The early settlers wanted to exclude all Germans and black people from the New World. They thought the country should belong to only the English and the Indians, the white and the red.

Not much has changed other than the invaders.

Benjamin Franklin thought the Pennsylvania government neglected the defense of the colony against America’s French and Indian enemies. When the Legislature did not act to defend the colony in 1747, Benjamin Franklin almost single-handedly raised 10,000 armed men in the Militia Association and organized lotteries to raise funds to purchase weapons and ammunition and to build defenses on the Delaware River.

Imagine if someone would do that today.

Some things don't change.

Lately the FLDS vs. Texas has been the news. Police, using what they say was a telephone plea for help, raided a compound, removing over 400 children. The court jumped at the chance to get involved and has arranged for the children to be separated from their mothers.

Most states set the minimum age to marry between and including 14-18 with New Hampshire setting the minimum age for girls at 13. In Utah for those 15 years old, parental consent must be obtained, approval from Juvenile Court is necessary with the court concluding the marriage is voluntary and in the best interests of the minor. In the best interests of the minor; I wonder what that includes and I wonder if the judge is a member of FLDS? Is that the fox watching the chickens? It is law is it right?

Throughout most of the 19th century, the minimum age of consent for sexual intercourse in many of the states was 10 years old. In Delaware it was seven; as late as 1930 twelve states allowed boys as young as 14 and girls as young as 12 to marry with parental consent.

Governments have problems regulating things:

• The Oregon legislature barred marriages between white people and anyone more than one-quarter black in 1859, just three years after statehood. (It also imposed a $5 tax on black, Chinese, Hawaiian and “mulatto” people.) A few years later, the legislature extended the ban to marriage between whites and “any Negro, Chinese, or any person having one fourth or more Negro, Chinese, or Kanaka (native Hawaiian) blood, or any person having more than one-half Indian blood.” No other state referenced Kanakas, and Nevada was the only other state to mention Chinese.
• Married women were not allowed to make legal contracts in twelve states until 1940.
• The sale of birth control devices to married couples was forbidden until 1965. In the early half of the 1900s contraception was charged with “perversion of natural function,” morality” and “fostering egotism and enervating self-indulgence.”
• Interracial marriage was forbidden and punishable by prison in 13 states until 1967.

If the state can decide what is best for the FLDS when do you suppose they will decide what is best for the Church of Christ and what do you suppose that might be?

If the state decides that marriage at 7 years is OK does that make it right? If the state decides that marriage at 7 years is not OK does it make it wrong. Who is to decide these matters and how do they decide? The courts have shown they are not capable of such decisions.

Imagine how it will be for our great-grandchildren

On the subject of adolescence a couple of stories recently in The Mountain Press. One, we have Miley Cyrus, I believe she is 15 years old, embarrassed over photographs she had taken of her by a professional photographer. Photographs approved by her parents. Photographs that have been called “risqué.” Second, we have a singing group, the Naked Brothers, 10 and 13 years old respectively appearing at Wal-Mart promoting their latest DVD “I Don’t Want to Go to School.”

Miley appears on the Disney Channel and the Naked Brothers appear on the Nicolodean channel. Both considered to be “kid friendly and family oriented.” Not so recently we have Jamie Spears, 16-years old, unmarried, pregnant on the Nicolodean channel's most popular show.

The world has changed. The transition between childhood and adulthood is much longer today than it was less than one hundred years ago, when a boy proved himself a man when he could shoulder and share adult hardships, risks, and responsibility working side by side with his father in the fields. By the time he was a seasoned seventeen or eighteen, he was ready to start his own family. A girl became a woman by the time she reached childbearing age; fourteen or fifteen was often considered old enough to marry. The transition from childhood to adulthood was so short that adolescence---at least as the distinct stage of life we now consider it---hardly existed.

Today the traditional determinations of adulthood---the establishment of occupation and family---are routinely postponed until after college. With the period of childhood innocence seeming shorter and shorter, we’ve created a new ten-or-twelve-or-more-years-long designation, a no-man’s land (or no-woman’s land) we term adolescence. Over the past fifty-years or so, this new limbo-land life stage has become an extended period of awkward uncertainty.

We have stretched adolescence further than anytime in history. Any child of any age, with the click of a mouse, can see naked people performing sexual activities of all persuasions, “meet” complete strangers while in their own homes while their parents cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Imagine how it will be for our great-grandchildren.

Politicians Do What Politicians Do Best

Letter to local columnist...........

Reference your column in The Mountain Press, Monday April 28th.

I have a simple but pessimistic philosophy but it makes situations like this one understandable and tolerable. My premise is: Politicians are unethical, dishonest, and immoral. They take care of themselves first, those who give them money second, and last and least, if it is convenient, those who vote for them. I look only at what a politician does. Many politicians say things I disagree with while doing very little I disagree with. On the other hand many politicians say things I agree with while doing things I disagree with.

To paraphrase Obama's preacher, a politician says what politicians have to say.

Question: How do you know a politician is lying? Answer: Their mouth is moving.
Oh yes, one other point to my philosophy. When a politician accuses another politician of doing something dishonest, immoral or unethical, the accuser does the same thing and may be worse.

Look only at what a politician does.

In Commissioner Whaley’s situation he has shown himself a poster boy of my premise but we must look at who voted for him AND who benefits by his actions in addition to himself? Something stinketh in Denmark. Sevier County being a poor county closes the door on opportunities to hold elected office to all but those who have already stolen their share and now want more.

I believe Will Rogers said something about sending the town thief up to rob Washington DC. Sevier County politicians do not have to go that far.

Attempted Suicide or Munchausen Syndrome?

In 2006 a local man drove his car into a tree in an apparent attempt at suicide. He missed. His vehicle ricocheted into the nearby house, killing an occupant sleeping on the couch. The man has been convicted and sentenced to one year in the county jail and 2 years probation.

I seem to remember The Mountain Press reported sometime back that Dr Smith had attempted suicide several times and now we have another attempt. He is either a most inept doctor or just maybe there is another reason. Have you ever wondered why Dr Smith waited until his trial was over, he had been convicted and had his hand slapped by the court to try again? Have you wondered if maybe none of these attempts were meant to kill him? Maybe he just wants the attention.

Munchausen syndrome (named for Baron von Munchausen, an 18th century German officer who was known for embellishing the stories of his life and experiences) is a psychiatric disorder in which a person repeatedly acts as if he or she has a physical or mental disorder when, in truth, they have caused the symptoms. The person acts this way in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. They are even willing to undergo painful or risky tests and operations in order to get the sympathy and special attention given to people who are truly ill. Munchausen syndrome is a mental illness associated with severe emotional difficulties.

Is it possible Mr. Finchum died as a result of Dr Smith seeking attention?

You must admit it makes one wonder.

Simple but Pessimistic Way to View Politicians

I have a simple but pessimistic philosophy but it makes situations like this one understandable and tolerable. My premise is: Politicians are unethical, dishonest, and immoral. They take care of themselves first, those who give them money second, and last and least, if it is convenient, those who vote for them. I look only at what a politician does. Many politicians say things I disagree with while at the same time they do very little I disagree with. On the other hand many politicians say things I agree with while doing things I disagree with.

As Obama's preacher says, "Obama is a politician and he says what politicians have to say."

Question: How do you know a politician is lying? Answer: His or her mouth is moving.
Oh yes, one other point to my philosophy. When a politician accuses another politician of doing something dishonest, immoral or unethical, the accuser does the same thing and may be worse.

Look only at what a politician does.

Who Decides Age of Marriage?

Lately the FLDS vs. Texas has been the news. Police, using what they say was a telephone plea for help, raided a compound, removing over 400 children. The court jumped at the chance to get involved and has arranged for the children to be separated from their mothers. Some claim they are concerned about some of the marriages being arranged. What is the problem? Arranged marriages occur in many countries around the world including the United States.

Most states set the minimum age to marry between and including 14-18 with New Hampshire setting the minimum age for girls at 13. In Utah for those 15 years old, parental consent must be obtained, approval from Juvenile Court is necessary with the court concluding the marriage is voluntary and in the best interests of the minor. In the best interests of the minor; I wonder what that includes and I wonder if the judge is a member of FLDS? Is that the fox watching the chickens? It is law is it right?

Throughout most of the 19th century, the minimum age of consent for sexual intercourse in many of the states was 10 years old. In Delaware it was seven; as late as 1930 twelve states allowed boys as young as 14 and girls as young as 12 to marry with parental consent.
Governments have problems regulating things:

• The Oregon legislature barred marriages between white people and anyone more than one-quarter black in 1859, just three years after statehood. (It also imposed a $5 tax on black, Chinese, Hawaiian and “mulatto” people.) A few years later, the legislature extended the ban to marriage between whites and “any Negro, Chinese, or any person having one fourth or more Negro, Chinese, or Kanaka (native Hawaiian) blood, or any person having more than one-half Indian blood.” No other state referenced Kanakas, and Nevada was the only other state to mention Chinese.
• Married women were not allowed to make legal contracts in twelve states until 1940.
• The sale of birth control devices to married couples was forbidden until 1965. In the early half of the 1900s contraception was charged with “perversion of natural function,” “immorality” and “fostering egotism and enervating self-indulgence.”
• Interracial marriage was forbidden and punishable by prison in 13 states until 1967.

If the state can decide what is best for the FLDS when do you suppose they will decide what is best for the Church of Christ and what do you suppose that might be?

If the state decides that marriage at 7 years is OK does that make it right? If the state decides that marriage at 7 years is not OK does it make it wrong. Who is to decide these matters and how do they decide? The courts have shown they are not capable of such decisions.

On the subject of adolescence a couple of stories recently in The Mountain Press. One, we have Miley Cyrus, I believe she is 15 years old, embarrassed over photographs she had taken of her by a professional photographer. Photographs approved by her parents. Photographs that have been called “risqué.” Second, we have a singing group, the Naked Brothers, 10 and 13 years old respectively appearing at Wal-Mart promoting their latest DVD “I Don’t Want to Go to School.”

Miley appears on the Disney Channel and the Naked Brothers appear on the Nicolodean channel. Both considered to be “kid friendly and family oriented.” Not so recently we have Jamie Spears, 16-years old, unmarried, pregnant on the Nicolodean channel's most popular show.

The world has changed. The transition between childhood and adulthood is much longer today than it was less than one hundred years ago, when a boy proved himself a man when he could shoulder and share adult hardships, risks, and responsibility working side by side with his father in the fields. By the time he was a seasoned seventeen or eighteen, he was ready to start his own family. A girl became a woman by the time she reached childbearing age; fourteen or fifteen was often considered old enough to marry. The transition from childhood to adulthood was so short that adolescence---at least as the distinct stage of life we now consider it---hardly existed.

Today the traditional determinations of adulthood---the establishment of occupation and family---are routinely postponed until after college. With the period of childhood innocence seeming shorter and shorter, we’ve created a new ten-or-twelve-or-more-years-long designation, a no-man’s land (or no-woman’s land) we term adolescence. Over the past fifty-years or so, this new limbo-land life stage has become an extended period of awkward uncertainty.

We have stretched adolescence further than anytime in history. Any child of any age, with the click of a mouse, can see naked people performing sexual activities of all persuasions, “meet” complete strangers while in their own homes while their parents cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Imagine how it will be for our great-grandchildren.

Justice? Mercy? Vengence?

In the criminal justice system no one wants justice. If we know the criminal we want mercy. If we do not, we want vengeance.

The story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah gives us an insight into Gods forgiveness. David became sexually involved with the wife of Uriah, one of David’s Mighty Men. When Bathsheba became pregnant David attempted to cover up his sin. He had Uriah recalled. Uriah was such a dedicated soldier he would not go to his house while his men were not at there’s. David sent Uriah back to the front with a message to Joab. David knew Uriah would never read the message. The message instructed Joab to place Uriah at the front of the battle and withdraw from him allowing Uriah to be killed. Following the appropriate mourning period, David took Bathsheba as his wife, one of many.

It is reasonable to consider that Bathsheba was trying to seduce the King. She had to have seen the King walking on his rooftop. Possibly she was trying to attract his attention. No matter, David’s act was inexcusable. He had violated God’s law and taken another man’s wife. He was responsible for his own actions.

Think about it, Uriah died because he trusted his king, he trusted his commanding officer and he was loyal to his fellow soldiers. Talk about unfair.

BUT!!! God forgave David as well as Bathsheba and through their second son, Solomon, they were in the genealogy of the Messiah.

Lesson to be learned is forgive and move on, God has.

Lawsuits Must be Capped

It is inexcusable when neglect and carelessness adds to or causes the suffering and/or death. And it may be criminal.

Nursing home care is not the only place where the elderly are not treated as they should be. Remembering my parents' experience with doctors leads me and my two sisters to believe a lot of and maybe most doctors are not as inquisitive as they should be because the patient is old. As Mr. Fly verifies, the elderly are often ignored because the doctors believe they are just looking for attention. Aches and pains, while possibly serious and life-threatening, are often overlooked because aches and pains are part of getting old. Tests look for the obvious, and other possibilities are not considered because the patient is old. But, that is not reason enough to cause the rest of us to pay higher prices for nursing home care or for doctor care.

I have no idea what Mr. Fly's mother was paying for care, but would we be willing to pay double the amount, triple the amount, how about 10 times the amount?

All lawsuits must have a cap and a time limit for payout. Why should the family of the "victim," with wise investment of a settlement, live their lives in luxury? Why should their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and on down the line not have to work a day in their lives while the rest of us pay higher prices for health care, medical care, health insurance, and medical insurance?

My parents were in a nursing home in Ohio, where my sisters live. At least one of them and most of the time both visited our parents every day. Yes, every day. One of my sisters went in at 10 p.m. on a Saturday to find the patients in the area our dad was in up and watching a movie. Believe me, most of the patients had no idea what was going on. There are good nursing homes. It is mandatory for families to stay in touch with the patients as well as the workers as well as the administrators.

Recently a friend mentioned how curious it was that two parents can care for 12 children but 12 children cannot care for two parents.

Businesses Not Providing Health Care Programs

Businesses in Sevier County are subsidized by state or federal government programs such as TennCare or Medicare and the rest of us.

There is a court case in California, Golden Gate Restaurant Association vs. the City and County of San Francisco, that challenges part of San Francisco's new universal health care access program that requires medium and large employers to spend a certain amount on their workers' health care or pay a fee to the city.

Sevier County should impose a fee upon all businesses whose employees are not covered by a business-provided health care program.

It is time for the land owners of Sevier County as well as the business owners of Sevier County to get off the backs of the workers and taxpayers and pay their fair share for their employees' health care. Until they do, the rest of us are paying for them.

When you see a land owner or business owner driving an expensive car, living in an expensive house, returning from an expensive vacation, remember who really paid for it.

Risk Analysis

A couple of days ago I read Take the Risk (Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk) by Ben Carson MD. Carson writes about a simple risk analysis exercise he uses whenever he faces an uncertain situation. He says he thinks it can help anyone answer the questions: “When should I take a risk?” and “What should I risk?” He believes we consider only one risk-analysis question:What is the worst that can happen if we…

It seems like a good process to me so I thought I would pass it along.

• What is the best thing that can happen it I do this?
• What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
• What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t do this?
• What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t do this?

He suggests answering: Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?, in no particular order, in the context of the four basic Best/Worst Analysis questions will sharpen the focus and refine the accuracy of any risk analysis process.

• Who? (would be most affected)
• What? (does one need to know the make a decision)
• Where? (are you going? (your goals), are you now (your skills, your abilities, your thinking, and your attitudes) will you start (your preparation)
• When? (often the timing of a Best/Worst Analysis affects your conclusion
• How? (plan of action)
• Why? (responding to any risk requires identifying your motives, which involves personal values)

As Forrest Gump said, “And that’s all I have too say about that.”

Gatlinburg City Commission and Variance

Gatlinburg, City Commissioners,
Gatlinburg, City Manager:

Reference: Article in the Saturday, April 19, 2008 The Mountain Press, “Commission grants variance as long as conditions are met” by Candice Grimm.

My purpose for this note is to encourage you to be involved with the Planning Commission prior to their granting of variance that involves the safety of Gatlinburg residents and property.

The Mountain Press article contained a comment “Granting of a preliminary planned unit development (PUD) plan for Phase IV … has been a tough one because the road grades --- at 18 and 19 percent --- exceed the city’s maximum of 15 percent.” Someone should remind the Planning Commission it is not their responsibility to find ways to grant variance. Their responsibility is to ensure the developers comply with current laws and guidelines.

The article contained Fire Chief Greg Patterson’s concerns of fire truck’s engine overheating and due to grade, water in the fire trucks tanks shifting therefore not being available for pumping. It is not in the Planning Commission's purview to grant variance that may very well result in the damage to city property or the loss of life. It is not in your purview to sit idly by.

The article adds that Patterson, Maples, Ball and others agreed that it is a difficult situation and since there is no other place the road could have been built to lower the grade the Planning Commission granted a variance. If the road exceeds current safety standards, DUHHHHHHHH, DON’T BUILD!!! It appears the Planning Commission is looking for reasons to grant variance not looking to ensure standards are met. Why? What do they benefit by granting variance?

Buyers of the developed properties will be depending on your oversight. When their property burns because a fire truck breaks down or there is no water resulting possibly in the loss of life your oversight or lack of same will become public knowledge and the City of Gatlinburg will face law suits.

The result of current processes are the developer gets their money, Planning Commission members benefit when the developer returns the favor, the future buyer of the development owns property at risk, and citizens of Gatlinburg are liable for damaged city property and law suits against the city.

Looking back at the expansion of East Parkway, neither the City Commission nor the City Manager was involved much to the dismay of the citizenry. If Gatlinburg, city government will not look to the interests of Gatlinburg citizens who will? If Gatlinburg city government will not protect Gatlinburg citizens, exactly what is your purpose?

In Gatlinburg granting variance is the way business is done as is evidenced by the guitar on the Hard Rock Café. Isn’t there a rule prohibiting signs over the sidewalk? How about lighted electric signs? While the Hard Rock café is ugly, a terrible first impression for Gatlinburg and tells the world the good-old-boy/girl network is alive and well, it is not life threatening. Granting variance for development that may result in loss of life and property as well as destruction of city property must not be allowed. Government’s primary responsibility is to govern. It is not government’s responsibility to do favors for friends.

John Jenkins
425 Patterson Lane
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-430-4427 home
865-803-8179 cell
jrjenki@greenbriersolutions.com

Not-So-Bright Ideas in Science.

Not-So-Bright Ideas in Science.

Every year, Harvard’s science-humor-journal, The Annals of Improbable Research, hands out its Ig Nobel Prizes for genuine experiments “that cannot, or should not, be reproduced.” This year’s award winners include the scientist who figured out how to extract vanilla from cow dung and the man who invented a bottomless bowl of soup.

So as not to overwhelm you I will tell you about those two.

Nutrition: The Bottomless Bowl of Soup.

To test the psychology of eating, Brian Wansink of Cornell University created a bottomless bowl of soup, which constantly refills itself through a tube hidden underneath the table. Wansink invited a study group over for a meal, without disclosing that some of the soup bowls were rigged. Participants who ate from the self-refilling bowls devoured 73 percent more soup but claimed to have eaten the same amount as everyone else. They also didn’t report feeling fuller: Wansink discovered that without a visual cue like an empty bowl, people just keep eating.

Chemistry: Finding the Sweetness in Cow Dung

Farmers in Japan have finally found a purpose for their surplus cow dung---they can use it to flavor ice cream. By applying heat and pressure to the excrement, Mayu Yamamoto of Tokyo’s International Medical Center was able to produce vanilla flavoring. Actually, the breakthrough promises to be quite lucrative because cow dung is much cheaper than vanilla beans. To side-step the issue of “bovine excrement” appearing on the ingredient list in foods, manufacturers are only putting cow vanilla in soaps, candles, and shampoos. Regardless, Toscanini’s ice cream shop in Cambridge, Mass., created a new flavor using Yamamoto’s extract in honor of the Ig Nobel ceremony. The temporary offering was called Yum-Moto Vanilla Twist.

One additional one you deserve to know the rest of the story.

Peace: The Gay Bomb

Why nuke your enemies when you can make them fall in love instead? Researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio are developing a sort of combat Chanel No 5 that will cause enemy soldiers to become sexually irresistible to one another. The idea of the “gay bomb” is to make the enemy too distracted by their libidos to fight back. Other fascinating chemicals the same researchers worked on include a spray that lures bugs to enemy lines, a chemical that gives enemy soldiers horrible halitosis, and a chemical that makes skin extremely sensitive to sunlight (an especially bad condition in places like the Middle East).

Delta & Northwest

When Delta and Northwest merge you will have one giant money-losing airline with two sets of very rich Senior Executives with their Golden Parachutes and lots of out of work little guys.

Merging is the only way the senior executives can get money since they are so inept at their jobs.

Virginia Tech Will Happen Again

Events such as what occurred at Virginia Tech one year ago will continue to happen because we as a society have decided we prefer to have mentally deranged people living on the streets or walking among us as if they do not have a problem instead of isolating them and treating them.

If the students had been armed the results at VT would have been much different.

Our laws are such that if one of the students at VT had shot the killer in the back that student would have to hire a lawyer to try to stay out of jail. Why? because until the killer kills we say we cannot treat him as a killer. Preventive action is punishable in our society. If not by the law by paying a lawyer to protect us. Ludicrous,.

Businesses Not Providing Health Care Programs

Businesses in Sevier County cannot or will not pay the inflated leases and rents unless they can continue to pay their employees minimal wages and minimal or no benefits. Some businesses offer benefits to their employees but the employees cannot afford to pay their share and do not subscribe. Businesses in Sevier County are subsidized by state or federal government programs such as Tenncare or Medicare and the rest of us.

There is a court case in California, Golden Gate Restaurant Association vs. the City and County of San Francisco that challenges part of San Francisco's new universal health-care access program that requires medium and large employers to spend a certain amount on their workers' health care or pay a fee to the city.

Sevier County should impose a fee upon all businesses whose employees are not covered by a business provided health care program. It is time for the land owners of Sevier County as well as the business owners of Sevier County to get off the backs of the workers and taxpayers and pay their fair share for their employees’ health care.

Until they do, the rest of us are paying for them. When you see a land owner or business owner driving an expensive car, living in an expensive house, returning from an expensive vacation, remember who really paid for it.

Sponsors of the Olympics Will Suffer

Sponsors for the Olympic Games better watch out. They will be seen as supporting an event put on by a country that does not believe in human rights and abuses prisoners. When the Chinese government cracks down on the demonstrators before or after the games the sponsors will suffer. The IOC selected China to put on the Olympics. They will now understand that was a disastrous decision.

The United States government does not owe the Olympic athletes anything. The Olympics gives the athletes a stage to become very rich. That is after we the people have paid for their training as well as their families.

If the games go on they must be without sponsorship from any company that hopes to do business in the United States. Any sponsor will be a target. All sponsors will suffer, It is the American way.