Mayor Jak shocked

[twobits]

Even though James Miller makes me gag, I had to laugh at the Quote of the Day inclusion in today's Herald. Summary and paraphrased, Mayor Jak is SHOCKED that the Americans could elect someone like Trump with no "Presidential" qualities.

Just to let ya know Mayor Jak, most of us now are even more shocked that Penticton residents elected someone with no "Mayoral" qualities as well. You have even managed to make Trump look good no matter what he does.

[southy]

Twobits I still think you should run in the next civic election. Xt and I will campaign for you cause we know you can make Penticton great again. I'm still trying to find out if it was mayor jak or someone else who put the muzzle on council members.
Also how does this Mitch dude gain so much notoriety within city hall? What is his real claim to fame?

[twobits]

Lol, make Penticton great again. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted! I would be happy if the electorate next time round actually paid attention and just didn't vote for change for the sake of change. Look what that got us. I did try to warn but the reality is this forum does not have the readership to influence anything much.

[fluffy]

I would be happy if the electorate next time round actually paid attention and just didn't vote for change for the sake of change.

But that's the Canadian way. We don't elect new representatives, we fire the old ones and then spend the next four years crying and whining.

[rustled]

Lol, make Penticton great again. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted! I would be happy if the electorate next time round actually paid attention and just didn't vote for change for the sake of change. Look what that got us. I did try to warn but the reality is this forum does not have the readership to influence anything much.

Never underestimate the influence a few negative words can have.

In my experience, those few well-chosen negative words casting doubt on someone will always have a far greater effect on the opinions of the masses than you would get by saying anything positive about anyone. People are more willing lend you their ears when you come to bury, but not to praise, which is why people talk about the complaints of Barillaro, Kimberly, Slump, et al far more than they talk about the good news shared in the letters to the editor.

A little misery goes a long, long way in creating perception bias, and perception bias is more powerful than reality. It also does a great deal to muddy the waters, making reality that much harder to assess. I realize a few posters on here firmly believe the current mayor and council are taking us all down the rocky road to Hades, but a few of us (perhaps many) wonder what would have happened had they been able to simply do their jobs unassaulted by the constant criticism of those determined to make a name for themselves by finding fault.

[fluffy]

A little misery goes a long, long way in creating perception bias, and perception bias is more powerful than reality. It also does a great deal to muddy the waters, making reality that much harder to assess. I realize a few posters on here firmly believe the current mayor and council are taking us all down the rocky road to Hades, but a few of us (perhaps many) wonder what would have happened had they been able to simply do their jobs unassaulted by the constant criticism of those determined to make a name for themselves by finding fault.

Excellent points. Add to the mix a local newspaper intent on fueling the fires of discontent and you have more fences than pathways for council to accomplish anything.

[rustled]

... Add to the mix a local newspaper intent on fueling the fires of discontent and you have more fences than pathways for council to accomplish anything.

"More fences than pathways" sums it up beautifully, fluff.

[XT225]

In my experience, those few well-chosen negative words casting doubt on someone will always have a far greater effect on the opinions of the masses than you would get by saying anything positive about anyone. People are more willing lend you their ears when you come to bury, but not to praise, which is why people talk about the complaints of Barillaro, Kimberly, Slump, et al far more than they talk about the good news shared in the letters to the editor.

I wouldn't compare our present mayor to the quality of someone like Jake Kimberly. Jake knew what he was doing and still does. He was a great mayor. I can only think of one or two past mayors who were useless; most were pretty good. When Jake writes a letter, its factual and well thought out. Praise for anyone has to be deserved. Our present mayor and most of council just hasn't earned that right, at least not yet.

[Drip_Torch]

Add to the mix a local newspaper intent on fueling the fires of discontent and you have more fences than pathways for council to accomplish anything.

Case in point being; a few weeks ago when the editor that spends all his time “fueling the fires of discontent” called out, yet another, conflict of interest. Was it a BIG deal? No. Should it be ignored, or overlooked? Absolutely not. The problem is not the small core of people that lend critical thought to the fabulist representations that come out of cityhall. The problem is cityhall is well-known for its prevarications, and that doesn’t seem to concern either of you.

A little less emphasis on perception management and little more emphasis on finding the path, instead of walking the well-worn short cuts, would certainly lend itself well to the concept of creating certainty. The type of certainty that people can invest their time, energy and resources in.

Right now, we have an investment climate that’s amiable to land developers and real estate sales. Cool, it’s nice to see people enjoying a return on their investments, and I don’t have problem with development, or to a lesser degree, land speculation. I just know, it’s simply not working for everyone, and a community is more than just a group of people living in the same place. It also involves a feeling of fellowship with others, a sharing of common attitudes, interests and goals.

For what it’s worth… I like mayor AJ. I don’t always agree with him, but I think he’s got his heart in the right space. I share some common ground with the guy, and often agree with his outlook. To circle back to this topic for a moment, I agree with the mayor, the US election results were shocking and it’s hard to believe the electorate is so disengaged, or disenfranchised, that they chose uncertainty over the establishment. (Both through the republican nomination and the general election)

Truth be told, I was somewhat disappointed when neither of you took the time to point out Mayor AJ’s good traits on the “Herald Poll thread”. Instead, you both took to attacking message, and creating silly little diversions in an attempt to get people to take their eye off the ball. What are you hoping to achieve with that? You know there probably less than 50 people that read these threads and most of us are engaged enough to see through the greenery you plant around these topics.

In my experience it’s like this, you want to dress up a dog and call it a horse. I don’t have a problem with that; and as a matter of fact if you’re good at it, I could probably set you up with people that’ll give you an award for your efforts. For decades, I was surround with people that could paint an elephant Chroma green and sit it in the middle of the room – and, after a little magic, make it completely disappear. I’m down for that… I get it. I’m the guy that can see it for what it is, and I made a career out of reminding those incredibly-gifted creative people: “no, you can’t ride a dog” and “mind the elephant sitting in the middle of the room.”

I’ll say it again, for added effect: you can’t ride a dog, and there’s an elephant sitting in the middle of the room.

I’d really enjoy it if you two guys could put on your community minded thinking caps and take a really good hard look around. Not just at the spectacular setting (although, it’s tempting), not just the wineries, real estate investment opportunities, structured recreational programing, glossy picture, - but, a dynamic wide shot, including the gritty stuff.

In my view, cityhall seems to get itself into trouble when it uses the long lens, on issues, to achieve a Bokeh.

I really suspect, if you could back away from subjects a little bit, and take an inventory from a dynamic wide shot, without a perception bias, – you’d clearly see the one thing in our way.

[fluffy]

The Herald ran their five part series on the polls twice in a month, and have continued to run their "dump on council" articles almost daily since. If you think there isn't some sort of targeted vendetta there you need new glasses. I am so sick of whiners.

On any issue that council is taking flak over there are some pretty good arguments supporting their decisions. Do you ever hear that in the Herald ? Nope. You get excellent coverage on people rallying agaisnt them though, and a significant number of those people are basing their opinions on what they read in the Herald and only what they read in the Herald. Whatever happened to concepts like balanced reporting and journalistic integrity? Isn't there a moral responsibility to deliver both sides of the story?

Jake knew what he was doing and still does

I can't argue with that. What do you want to bet he's out having drinks with James Miller right now?

[twobits]

Case in point being; a few weeks ago when the editor that spends all his time “fueling the fires of discontent” called out, yet another, conflict of interest. Was it a BIG deal? No. Should it be ignored, or overlooked? Absolutely not. The problem is not the small core of people that lend critical thought to the fabulist representations that come out of cityhall. The problem is cityhall is well-known for its prevarications, and that doesn’t seem to concern either of you.

A little less emphasis on perception management and little more emphasis on finding the path, instead of walking the well-worn short cuts, would certainly lend itself well to the concept of creating certainty. The type of certainty that people can invest their time, energy and resources in.

Right now, we have an investment climate that’s amiable to land developers and real estate sales. Cool, it’s nice to see people enjoying a return on their investments, and I don’t have problem with development, or to a lesser degree, land speculation. I just know, it’s simply not working for everyone, and a community is more than just a group of people living in the same place. It also involves a feeling of fellowship with others, a sharing of common attitudes, interests and goals.

For what it’s worth… I like mayor AJ. I don’t always agree with him, but I think he’s got his heart in the right space. I share some common ground with the guy, and often agree with his outlook. To circle back to this topic for a moment, I agree with the mayor, the US election results were shocking and it’s hard to believe the electorate is so disengaged, or disenfranchised, that they chose uncertainty over the establishment. (Both through the republican nomination and the general election)

Truth be told, I was somewhat disappointed when neither of you took the time to point out Mayor AJ’s good traits on the “Herald Poll thread”. Instead, you both took to attacking message, and creating silly little diversions in an attempt to get people to take their eye off the ball. What are you hoping to achieve with that? You know there probably less than 50 people that read these threads and most of us are engaged enough to see through the greenery you plant around these topics.

In my experience it’s like this, you want to dress up a dog and call it a horse. I don’t have a problem with that; and as a matter of fact if you’re good at it, I could probably set you up with people that’ll give you an award for your efforts. For decades, I was surround with people that could paint an elephant Chroma green and sit it in the middle of the room – and, after a little magic, make it completely disappear. I’m down for that… I get it. I’m the guy that can see it for what it is, and I made a career out of reminding those incredibly-gifted creative people: “no, you can’t ride a dog” and “mind the elephant sitting in the middle of the room.”

I’ll say it again, for added effect: you can’t ride a dog, and there’s an elephant sitting in the middle of the room.

I’d really enjoy it if you two guys could put on your community minded thinking caps and take a really good hard look around. Not just at the spectacular setting (although, it’s tempting), not just the wineries, real estate investment opportunities, structured recreational programing, glossy picture, - but, a dynamic wide shot, including the gritty stuff.

In my view, cityhall seems to get itself into trouble when it uses the long lens, on issues, to achieve a Bokeh.

I really suspect, if you could back away from subjects a little bit, and take an inventory from a dynamic wide shot, without a perception bias, – you’d clearly see the one thing in our way.

No further comment required.

[twobits]

I can't argue with that. What do you want to bet he's out having drinks with James Miller right now?

And isn't it interesting that while I applaud Kimberly's position on Skaha Park and recognize the value the SOEC he was instrumental in getting done, as an administrator of public funds he was almost as bad as Jakbite. I would have to go all the way back to Dot Whittaker to find someone as bad.

[fluffy]

I’d really enjoy it if you two guys could put on your community minded thinking caps and take a really good hard look around. Not just at the spectacular setting (although, it’s tempting), not just the wineries, real estate investment opportunities, structured recreational programing, glossy picture, - but, a dynamic wide shot, including the gritty stuff.

I do think council has an eye on the long game, the improvements to downtown and the lake fronts show an appreciation of the fact that a whole lot of our eggs are in the tourism basket. The attempted partnership with Trio shows an understanding that the real estate cards are stacked against the viability of summer businesses but summer businesses are an important sector of the local economy. Sure, some diversification would be nice, the decades old mantra of "good, well paying jobs" has been droning in the background for decades , if you've got an idea to solve that one then by all means share it, people have been working on that one as long as I can remember. In the meantime the Canwoods and the Castle Glasses will continue to disappear, and the Peerless Pages and the Modulines will continue to struggle.

My concern is not so much with council's performance, councils come and go and we'll all get our chance to make our feelings known come next year's election. My complaint is the manipulation of the uninformed voter, a sizable group if not a majority, through the media, whether it be main-stream, alternative or social.

PS: Wouldn't it be interesting if Mr. Kimberly's name shows up on the mayoral ballot next year?

[rustled]

I'd wish him luck. He, too, has felt the irrational wrath of the disgruntled "you're not doing what I want you to do" voters.

Looking back over the list of previous mayors and councils, it's interesting how ready Pentictonites have always been to turf their leaders for not performing to our liking.

Tough crowd, even when the local daily's business model was more focused on journalistic integrity.

[fluffy]

Inevitable really, in a town so polarized between continuing the status quo and economic growth no matter what you do , half the town is going to cry for your head.