snark·y (snär’kē)
adj. snark·i·er, snark·i·est Slang
- Rudely sarcastic or disrespectful; snide.
- Irritable or short-tempered; irascible.
We do love our snarkiness these days. Modern practitioners didn’t invent biting criticism, nor are they as good at it as past masters, like Shakespeare (“Thou slander of thy mother’s heavy womb! Thou loathed issue of thy father’s loins!”) and Twain (“Among our number was a vestryman,–the densest idiot I have ever seen at large,–who met the plainest evidence with the most preposterous objections, and who was sided with by two flabby parochial parasites”). Generations of critics and political humorists of all stripes made careers of their well-honed bitchiness.
Commoners have been sniping at the ruling classes since the Exodus (“for you have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”) Humor and back-biting are weapons of the powerless. Points first raised on the fringes of decorum eventually work their way into the political and creative mainstream.
Bainbridge Island is in a crisis on multiple fronts. Our government is forging ahead with the Winslow Way upgrade in spite of significant opposition. Our City is out of money. Our arts and social service organizations–which have long been enthusiastically supported by the citizenry–are on the chopping block. The public does not trust City Hall. Our leaders do not trust each other.
Yes. We’re snarky. Better that than open revolt.
But I’d like a word with a few of the commenters, not just on this site, but on the Kitsap Sun’s, and on the group emails that get sent around. Please. Re-read your stuff out loud before you hit the “send” button. If you’re criticizing someone, ask yourself if you would say it to their face. If not, don’t post it, don’t send it, don’t pass it along.
I have my own Mean Girl streak. I’ve been known to laugh out loud at a good send-up of a public figure. I like my daily dose of Wonkette, one of the snarkiest political websites around. But there’s a lot I’d say in private I wouldn’t write on this blog. One of these days, I might even be mature enough not to say those things in private.
Sarcastic humor is easily mishandled. In talented hands, it’s effective and pithy commentary. In the rest of us, it’s mostly just ridicule. And worse, it’s not funny.
The culture of snark doesn’t travel well into small towns. National public figures don’t know us, and don’t care (much) what we say. Local public figures are people we know. They’re our neighbors, our colleagues, our fellow moms and dads and church members and volunteers. They live in this community and love it, just like we do.
I have a blog in part because I’m interested in what other people have to say about the issues that matter to us. I like the comments people offer (almost 2000 since I started the Notebook 18 months ago). But I don’t want to spend a lot of time editing them, or trying to decide whether sharp criticism has crossed the line to insult and personal attack. Most questionable comments have a serious point to make, but throw in a gratuitous slam along with it. That’s why I error on the side of publishing most comments. But lately it seems comments have become more anonymous, more insulting, and less substantive.
I know you have something to say. Please filter it so people can appreciate your contribution, instead of getting sidetracked with the rights and wrongs of your insult.
It is easy to be snarky when the sharks are feeding on your flesh. Just because someone lives in the same community or is your neighbor should not require others to remain silent about their criminal and unethical behavior.
Possibly that is the reason bad behavior and greed guised as a professional endeavor is so prevalent in this community. Why this Island has such a bad rap around the Puget Sound. Because too many people look the other way and err on being polite instead of standing up for what is right and defend our laws or those around them who are being abused. It is time to call out the offenders in this community. There is too much chaos to ignore no matter how hard you try and suppress it. Time to call a spade a spade, and allow for discussions even if they are somewhat heated to get to the heart of the matter so they can be adequately resolved, and not allowed to politely fester.
For those of us who have grown up in the upper middle class ghettos of small towns filled with overly intelligent college grads wielding verbal stilettos, I say, “Dios ahogar, pero no se mata”.
Verbal stilettos are not a fashion statement. In some ghettos, a challenge to a duel is an honorable way to prepare a warrior for battle.
There is nothing quite as high handed among those who attempt to censor the hard won American freedom of the press, as those who wrest control by verbal judgments and manipulation. Bitten, but not killed by humor, is one road to self-knowledge.
A vote for me is a vote for the opportunity to see ourselves and laugh at who we are.
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
It doesn’t really matter if you call it a yen, pound foolish, or franc.
You can call any name you like (polite or otherwise), but it doesn’t change value.
All we get now, is Penny’s on the Dollar. Blame whomever you like, and call them any name you want; but tonight, you’re still holding Penny’s on the Dollar.
Sweet dreams.
Well put Althea.
Snarkiness, interesting word…
Words I didn’t know existed, but descriptive. I see it as a symptom and reflection of the nature of our community in this day and age. In the stock market there is an indicator called the VIX that reflects fear and greed in the market. A measure of emotion that drives a vast financial mechanism.
I mentioned at the council meeting that in the last 10 years or so I have seen a growing “meanness” in the back rooms of this community based on greed and the craving for power and I have been observing and participating in this community for 30 years. I believe it is appropriate that the word “Snarky” and it’s meaning emerge at this time. It reflects and is an indicator of the current, true nature of this community. I dub the: The Snarky index.
What we observed at Wednesday nights council meeting was not democracy. It was gang warfare. Your street gang against mine. Organized by city officials through email and phone trees to put on what the news media (which I have worked in most of my 40 year of working life) calls a “Dog and Pony Show” for the folks at home and to present a facade of legitimacy for a vote that was decided well in advance (4 to 3). In this method of government public good and comment are irrelevant. We parade our non-profit organization’s board members and directors forward for a 2 minute shot at a comment (some of the anointed get more time). The aged, infirmed, our tiered and huddled masses are employed strategically for “the tug on the heart string” effect and “experts” are oozing out of the woodwork. And you know what… it’s true and we need these things as a community (most anyway).
But, the insipid nature of this is that it becomes a strategic tool in gang warfare. Driving wedges between people and groups with partial and inaccurate information in many cases. You see this same “culture generating effect” coming from the Hotel Motel Tax grant process (LTAC, a lot of the same people also) and it permeates the back rooms of this community. I describe it in other writings as (“The Matrix of Influence” and “The Viral Nature of Unethical Leadership”)
It is a smoke screen to keep us distracted away from the real issues and questions our leaders do not want us asking: Who does this really benefit, is this to pay for mismanagement or bad management mistakes and if so who is accountable and how? Where is the real accounting and cost of what the public will fund for 30 years before you have a hearing and why weren’t the three and seven million dollar projects on the table for public viewing in this economy? And what about the previous public survey that rated the downtown remodel low priority (not the infrastructure repair), etc, etc.
Or is it to make sure those in our community who really know something or have cost effective ideas are not allowed to be considered in the greater scheme of things. This is why we spend enormous amounts of money on “outside” consultants. We can buy whatever result we want and they go away in the end. Local, knowledgeable people are a problem. Especially those with ethics and the public good at heart. There are many example in history to demonstrate the techniques described and claims made. I’ll tell you a few specific stories in the future.
In the end this is Bainbridge Island and who we are and what it costs to be this way.
“You measure the true value of a community not by what it is but by what it might have been.” – David Henry
Dave, could you write a little something for my “Penny’s on the Dollar” bumper sticker launch?
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
You be da man Althea.
On a less serious note, do you really want to edit the thoughtless posts of adults? Isn’t a simple delete clue enough for the clueless?
Penny’s on the Dollar
Sounds like you want buy a bank, cheep?
What’s your idea?
Dave, I want a whole town, cheep.
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
I’m sure you could buy all the public space in Winslow. The only problem is that the sewers and their denizens come with it.
Althea — isn’t it wonderful where those-in-the-know come up with new categories of control — snark, snarkly, snarkiness. How polished do the comments need to be — silky smooth or vanilla bland?
We didn’t get to this point in government affairs through innocent incompetence by those in power. There have been many on the payroll, consultant retainer or legal stand by. If the shoe — or Birkenstock fits — throw it at’m
Let’s step back from nanny-state censors. I think you see that.
A friend told me he saw a news report with a mayor from a small collapsed steel town begging anyone with employment to come to town and they will give you a manufacturing or retail space, free.
Sign of the times.
“If the city were a stock… I’d short it and not bother with a stop loss” Dave H.
There’s your bumper sticker.
The state Legislature just declared Ezra intellectually disabled, purportedly a less snarkier euphemism for retarded. Next they’ll be calling service animals tweeters and woofers.
Dave, when Ezzie calms down a teeny bit, I’d like to run that slogan past him. He’s slow, but what a great mind! And, when he doesn’t get it, he has style.
Personally, I prefer something nonverbal. You might pull strings with Geitner and put my cameo next to Ben’s. Can’t you see it?
The Bainbridge Buck for Penny’s on the Dollar bumper sticker.
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
Althea–This is for you–Don’t know how to get this to you other than to reply to this post. This is off topic but I wanted to draw your attention to the news of the demise of the Rocky Mountain News. Today’s website has a wonderful video about the last few weeks and touches on the topics you discussed a little bit ago. As a former weekly newspaper reporter, this just touches my heart and makes me very sad. I expect to see this drama replayed in Seattle in a few weeks.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/
Thanks for the continuing great job. As for the Council –I want to round up all the artists on the island and those who benefit or are touched by the arts and hold a protest at city hall. I am mad as hell!
Jeannie
Jeannie,
I appreciate your perspective. I was born in Boulder and come from Colorado merchant and cattle ranching family stock.
I too will morn the passing of the Rocky Mountain News as well as the PI. Even though I have focused on the evolution of the Internet in the last 17 years, I tried to help the Newspaper industry evolve with it. We need these structures. (I tried to get Sound Publishing and the Sun (Scrips and Black Publishing) to understand the effects of online classifieds long before Craigs List existed. 40% of their income, a useless effort.
Penny, I have several domain names that represent the future. Realeconomy, realgovernment, Diogenesaward (looking for an honest man/woman in government and business, ethics) and many more. Yes, Ben and Geitner need to figure it out. I intend to change the world. Bainbridge is a corrupt distraction but it is my home.
Now you know more than most.
Dave – Diogenes Lamp
A lady of my stature learned at boarding school I ought not cry, but I am so mad too, I could.
Portland OR, was once a two horse town. The executive editor from the Journal went over to the Oregonian; but the delicate ecology of community reporting, investigative journalism, newsie camaraderie and snarky competition that kept the community vibrant and passionate, withered. In the back rooms and boardrooms this even had its effects on administration of international news services.
The RMN is as much Denver as snow in the Rockies at Chanukah. And it’s worth saving some part of the PI community, if we can. Elect me mayor, Dave, and I will move the PI to Poulsbo!
On early maps, this island is marked as a camp of exiles. Here I am, after one of my verbs collided with the wrong prepositional phrase. Sometimes we all need a touch of snark to get us motivated; but shunning anyone, socially or psychologically – even a politician – is never the answer.
Exiled and excommunicated, if it weren’t for Ezra Pound Foolish, I would go crazy. He has style! I can’t help but wonder, WWBFD?
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
Dave, sorry about the comment of moving the PI to Poulsbo, I misspoke.
This would mean more people using our community as a door mat.
Elect me mayor Dave, and I will put a toll gate in at Agate Passage. The proceeds will go toward developing an electronic media infrastructure in our town of great creative will and small passions.
Maybe some trickle down to water monitoring.
Ciao from Navels, Penny & Ezzie
In defense of snarkiness.
Althea, I will try to respect your wishes. It is your blog and you are correct about snarkiness. But a few words in defense of snarkiness.
It is true that I can’t write very well. I know very well, all to well, that I am powerless as well.
To me there is a social contract of sorts between all of us, and when that contract is abrogated by those in positions of power, then I have no obligation to be polite, respectful or anything else to these people. Not all of the council members have done this but a significant portion have.
That social contract provides a level of trust that once destroyed can not be repaired by a cheerleading council person saying “lets all get behind the project now”. It isn’t just this project in my mind, it is a long stream of public statements, individual experiences, rudeness from the people in power, lack of responsiveness and elitism expressed in condescending behavior that break the contract.
Like everyone else I don’t believe it is nice to be rude or to pick on others, but when those in power break the contract that exists between us all then to some extent I believe they become fair game.
Obfuscate
ob_fus_cate [ob-fuh-skeyt, ob-fuhs-keyt]
verb (used with object), -cat_ed, -cat_ing.
1. to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
2. to make obscure or unclear: to obfuscate a problem with extraneous information.
Snarkiness vs. Civility. What style of hat is this new free speech suppression slogan on? Sound like someone is recycling the same ol’ cowboy hat the Mayor had sitting on the dais for months, when the insider gang was attempting to keep people from standing up for their rights and revealing truths about the underhanded government.
When people in this community are spending tens of thousands of dollars to fight for their basic civil liberties and property rights against the back room politics of city hall, a new Bainbridge hall monitor emerges in town to edit the dialogue on blogs.
Sorry sounds like more oppression. What’s next a limit on the number of words one is allowed to type in a blog? This is all to familiar to the 2 or 3 minutes people are reduced to at city hall? I just keep hearing the Mayor interrupting some citizen mid sentence just when they were getting somewhere … Mr. so and so please summarize, could you please summarize?
What’s next a dress code? Citizen uniforms on Bainbridge for the commoners? Can we just stick to the topic at hand and not derail the conversation about millions and millions of dollars being wasted at city hall? Pleas don’t assist with obfuscating the obvious.
Yes “obsfuscate”, I do happen to be this blog’s “hall monitor.”
I am not a member of any ruling class. I’m simply one of your neighbors. I do not ask you for money or time, or even your readership. I ask only one thing and I stated it as clearly as I can in the above post.
As the archives of this blog clearly show, I do not shy away from questioning and criticizing our local institutions, whether it’s government, our police department, developers, schools, or other media.
I very much appreciate comments that express strong views on all sides of an issue. I like satire and creative ways of making the point. What I do not like is name-calling and ridicule. It’s the written form of a temper tantrum.
There is an enormous difference between using “civility” as a way to silence dissent, and asking that people think about what they’re writing before they post it. It is possible to make pointed observations in very direct language without indulging in rants, unsupported accusations and low-blow attacks.
If you don’t think you can do that, this blog is probably not for you.
What’s different between the call for civility and your timely topic of snarkiness? Mid stream during an on line blog conversation about a high profile divisive political Island issue, you call people out on their behavior? Why not just let it go and continue with the topic at hand? Why let someone’s comment derail the conversation and take the spotlight off the problem?
Otherwise a blog can revert to a face book format where you only converse with a controlled group of friends and family. A more singular view point emerges instead of reaping the benefits of a real community dialogue. Can’t be both. Are you sure you want to be a serious hall monitor? Outside influences can always apply pressure, guess we are not privy to all the editing so it is hard to know.
Others of us are activist too, doing what we can in our own unpaid volunteer ways, trying to uphold the common good. We also deal with a great deal of dissent on many fronts. It’s all risky business on Bainbridge when corruption is so prevalent and you are pushed to the edge for going public.
Dear “What?” a.k.a “obsfuscate” and various other pseudonyms,
It’s hard to have a conversation about real community dialogue with someone who is not only anonymous but is pretending to be several people. I have made my point and if you disagree, then you disagree. In the end, on this blog I take the responsibility and I make the decisions. You have chosen to ignore my statement that I error on the side of publishing comments. You have also chosen to ignore the distinction I am making between criticism and abuse. If you look on the Kitsap Sun’s and the Review’s blogs, as well as most political blogs, they have rules that also ask that commenters refrain from verbal abuse. Normally I would send this message to you privately, but you didn’t leave your email address so I have no choice but to post it here.
PS–I can’t think of a better time than when we’re in political uproar to talk about self-restraint when discussing these very difficult issues.
While I wrote in defense of snarkiness, I do believe that Althea was correct in bringing all our attentions to hurtfulness that words can convey.
As to rules, in my mind we are all Althea’s guests on this blog and as such shoud obey the house rules.
That doesn’t mean that I won’t screw up and break a rule or three, but it does mean that Althea has the right to call foul when I slip.
Ugh, this conversation is not going well. I have not chosen to ignore your statements. At the risk of making a point that encompasses a bigger picture, it appears I have offended you. Sorry. That was not the purpose of posting.
As for posting Anonymously, yet another bigger topic, staying below the radar in this mean spirited community is a necessity…
Please city insiders don’t egg our house or threaten to burn it down again. Stop trying to take our property. Stop trying to run us out of our house and business. Stop violating our civil liberties. Don’t hurt our children again. Stop misusing the legal system to destroy our family. Stop intimidating and harassing our family. Stop threatening our lives.
The biggest mistake we ever made was putting our life savings into a home on Bainbridge. Seems like there are way too many souls that fit this description in this town. Why is that?
There are a number of people on this island that consider themselves outsiders. Myself included.
I don’t understand all the references you made in your last posting to the things going on in your life, but I did get the point that there is a lot going wrong right now.
I don’t know if there is anything anyone could do to help, but if you are up against the wall, there are people around you that have been up aginst a wall or two themselves.
If you had a hobby
You’d have time to play
Stop your blogging
Take up jogging
Burma Shave
Ahem… May I take up a chair?
The snark bites, but does not kill. Humans are the most vicious animals. Think of all the human resources we leave for road kill.
They probably all had a mother, too. I don’t know. I did.
It’s a fine line, isn’t it? But I live in a world, where I think we each know exactly where that line is.
I read aka
and csob
I read snarky
And what who me?
I read her
And also him
Can’t get away
From the bark of Jim
Rod and Flloyd
And no more taxes
Plenty of grinding
Of personal axes
Obfuscate
And Penny Wise
And many more
In disguise
Mad as hell
Just as mad as you
Are not
Am too
Donny Brook
And the real McCoy
Shining City
Oy Vey!Oh boy…
Harry Plotter
And Debbie Vancil
Bill and Barry
and other council
Black and White
And Dyslexic Osberver
Keep showing up
On my server
Puzzeled and Hunter
And water 101
I love this blog
It’s so much fun
Bainbridge Notebook
Is the site to see
Thanks so much
Althea P.
Priceless. John Haydon, you made my day.
At 4:43, Anonymous said that “staying below the radar in this meanspirited community is a necessity.” I can accept that as an individual opinion, although I have no idea what real and bitter experience makes it valid. And powerful political satire has been published under pseudonyms: Swift offered several examples under different names. I would still say that for ordinary people with a sincere interest in contributing to the betterment of our Island and its struggling, sputtering government, comments are more valuable with real names attached. Althea sets a great example, although it’s to her credit that she doesn’t require everyone to follow it.
I’m no expert on snarkiness, but as I understand it, in a snarky remark you are expected to be impolite and mean, but you can’t hit your mark and get away with it unless you are also witty. It’s the boring predictability of so much blogging that spoils the game and drives so many sensible people away.
How is this for an idea?
Stop the grumbling and be a part of the solution! To help the four and the Mayor who are and have made such bad fiscal decisions, driving this City into near and/or bankrupcy I want to suggest either a head tax for coming onto the Island and/or leaving ( The Bahamas have such a tax ) and /or just a collection bucket at the Ferry Dock where passengers and cars arrive asking for donations to help the City of Bainbridge. It could easily be explained we have four Council people and a Mayor whose decisions have lead to fiscal issues and we are asking for help?
Good idea?
Jerome needs a home. Jerome helps out at Walt’s.
Jerome is a casualty of Serenity house who lived there many years.
Are we a community, or just a bunch of snarks and anti-snarks?
Harry, if I may speak with you for a moment about my qualifications, I volunteered for Helpline before I declared my interest in politics.
I am sure they are working on a place to PUT Jerome off-island. Helpline is practiced at this.
Jerome has style. He’s so Italian.
Ciao from Navels, Penny and Ezzie
Mr. Quitsland, sensible is obviously a matter of family opinion.
Does anyone else share my view that Barry Peter’s statement of “time to come together” is really the equivalent of “now shut up”? That’s certainly how I read Bruce Weiland’s “get over it”. The victors don’t sound so confident about their victory.
Councilman Knobloch: You say you represent our Island. Do you represent Jerome, too?
Didn’t you ask our delegation to move off the dime with emergency legislation?
And you make a good show of answering questions, being honorable, saving lives, and retrieving the wounded.
Will you dodge this question, or tell us how you can help Jerome?
I think this is Christopher Lasch’s third place. Cherish it.
Correction. Ray Oldenburg’s “third place”.
Karen got my curiosity googling. Here’s the scoop on her reference:
Oldenburg identifies third places, or “great good places,” as the public places on neutral ground where people can gather and interact. In contrast to first places (home) and second places (work), third places allow people to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them. Third places “host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.” Oldenburg suggests that beer gardens, main streets, pubs, cafés, coffeehouses, post offices, and other third places are the heart of a community’s social vitality and the foundation of a functioning democracy. They promote social equality by leveling the status of guests, provide a setting for grassroots politics, create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.
http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/placemakers/roldenburg
Dear Ms. Paulson, maybe I shouldn’t expect our Council members to help the very most vulnerable of us in our community.
That’s why people donate to Helpline House; and why we have HHHS.
If I criticize those organizations, it seems like I don’t want aid to go to the most needy in our community.
But we don’t need Helpline House & HHHS to help the most needy in our community. We need real people, with real hearts, and real minds.
I don’t think Jerome needs Helpline and HHHS deciding where he lives or doesn’t. I think he needs the people who know and care for him to help him decide. Anything less is inhumane.
And I, for one, expect the people who say they are elected leaders, and serve on boards, to set the examples themselves; and enforce what is humane in our community.
Sorry… I didn’t mean to be unfair. That would include… we don’t need Housing Resources Board, et al.
Snarkalicious!
I am on the board of HRB (Housing Resources Board). I know that Jerome is moving to a facility off island within Kitsap County. I want to respect his privacy so I am not naming the facility.
When KCCHA (Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority) was ordered by the state of Washington to close Serenity House, it began looking for other housing options for residents. One thing it did was to purchase a 6 (I believe) bedroom home on Manzanita Road. It planned to rehab the house into a residential care facility, but due to its own financial difficulties, it was unable to follow through on the plan. HRB has submitted a proposal to the state to purchase the home from KCCHA and complete the work. One of the current care givers at SH is the proposed residential care manager at the Manzanita home. Bringing 6 former Serenity House residents back to live on Bainbridge is the proverbial drop in the bucket. No, it’s not enough, but it will make a difference to those 6 people. Keep your fingers crossed that we are able to bring this to fruition. Better yet, make a donation and become a member of HRB.
Steven, I’m a single parent of two kids living in a two bedroom home I rent. (My “bedroom” is in the corner of the living area.) If my landlords did not rent to me at below market rates, I would have had to leave this community 10 years ago when I divorced and had to sell our home. As a single parent, owning a home or even renting at market rate is out of the question. It wasn’t always. I decided to channel my frustration over this and try to become part of the solution. I chose to join the board at HRB.
I care about people like Jerome. And so do dozens of other “real” people with “real hearts, and real minds” who volunteer, serve on the boards and work on staff at Helpline House, HHHS, HRB, North Kitsap Interfaith Council, etc. You’re right in that what we do is not enough. For every person helped, many are turned away or put on waiting lists. It isn’t fair. The circumstances that put them in this vulnerable position aren’t fair. The state closing SH isn’t fair. But people in these non-profits work hard anyway because they can make a difference in a few lives.
I received an email last week from a person on staff of one of the mentioned non-profits sent to other non profits requesting help with moving a couple SR residents. It’s an example to me of how we as individuals in a community come together to try to support and look out for one another. This happens over and over again in ways that are quiet and unseen.
I offer these words in hope that they may allay some of your concerns inhumane treatment.
Thanks Kate for the comprehensive reply. I felt that I could only answer that the council did vote and I supported with lobbying the orginal monetary allocation to buy Serenity House in the first place. It is sometimes difficult for the community to understand the role that different agencies play when providing this most important service to our community needs. Well done Kate! Bill
Kate: As a council member, you have just brought me up to speed in a way that I could not have had otherwise. Thanks. I can fill in the blanks regarding county actions due to my affliation for four years sitting on the regional council. Again, well done. Bill
Back to Althea’s post. There is a funny story in the Onion News about a guy who throws posts up at 2:30 in the morning. I don’t want to link it here because of some of the language. Not appropriate for this forum, but if you are a fan of the Onion News. Check it out.
SD, I like your idea of a head tax. I would like to add that maybe an excise tax on Bainbridge registered cars would be appropriate also?
Charles you have taken SD’s head tax thoughts to a new level- excise tax on automobiles. I am sorry to say this is the dumbest idea yet. Thank goodness we do not have any warped minds in our City Gov’t. who would ever latch onto this excise tax idea. And besides it would only cover the problems created by previous dumb decisions by the Mayor and Council. We want these in the open as the City approaches bankruptcy.
Approaching bankruptcy?
WE ARE THERE.
Getting loans to stay alive and using some kind of float mechanism to keep the account going.
Or so I hear.
Snickity snark, howl and bark,
Some only come out at night.
Some harsh, some fluff, some blustery bluff,
With barks much worse than bite.
Snip and nip, and yippety yip,
The night is filled with cries.
But here’s a tip, there is no rip,
When we cannot see their eyes.
But it’s fun to read the hearts that bleed,
As they yelp their growly words.
As we slog the blogs for rabid dogs,
And other nerdy nerds.
Anon.