newsobserver.com projects - Louis Sewell - Comments

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

BitterEXdemocrat — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:47:40 -0400

Yet another example of how SLEAZELY degraded the state he was elected to serve. WHEN will he be INDICTED?

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

mmclendon — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:38:34 -0400

Great reporting! Sounds like a lot of trees are cut down to print these certificates. On the plus side, trees are a renewable resource. I wonder though, how many people got the Tar Heel Tater Head award during Easley's term? That is the big one!

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

JoeBlow39 — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:07:04 -0400

The handing out of this certificate due to connections goes way back before Easley. I know for a fact that Martin gave these out like candy in the 1990s. Two co-workers with less than 10 years experience with the state had theirs hanging on their office wall.

I asked why they were awarded the highest honor in the state and never received a straight answer. After working several years with them, I found out they both had family connections to Martin.

Bottomline, those who receive this certificate and deserve it should feel proud. To the majority of recipients, I hope you can at least make up a plausible story to tell people when they see you so proudly displaying your undeserved certificate.

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

cometrudolph — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:43:41 -0400

Big deal
How many of these were State Employees with 30 years?

I see Federal Prison in the Future for Sl*Easley

vraptor — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:13:53 -0400

What a sleaze ball. Speaker Black meeds some company in federal prison...

It is fun to look up Jimbo....

http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp

JAMES BOYCE BLACK. 50655-056. 74-White-M. Release: 03-31-2012. LEWISBURG USP

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

ejkane — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:37:31 -0400

I'm outraged and more! I wanna be a member of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine! What's the Order of the Long Leaf Pine? Never mind, everyone else is and I wanna be a member too!

P.S., Are these people who need "long leaves" to cover their "you know whats?" Just asking. ;-)

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

barbie50 — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:28:51 -0400

I'm outraged about this. I used to be in charge of submitting Long Leaf Pine nominations, and I was told repeatedly by the Easley folks that the only people who would be considered were employees of our department who retired with 30 years of service. We occasionally tried to submit awards for very deserving North Carolinians outside of state government, and they went no where. They told me only the governor's office could make nominations for other folks. I really didn't have that big a problem with that, assuming they were going to very special people who were worthy of the award. But, now I do. I mean -- giving his inlaws the award? I'm sure they are lovely people, but what did they do to deserve this award? They produced his wife. Maybe they are the ones who taught her how to get a high-paying state job that does virtually nothing, pay $60 for a cheeseburger and onion rings in Itally, or figure out how to get Rick Hendricks to loan her a car. Are those talents worthy of this award?

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

j1c2kp — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:17:59 -0400

jdjcary, according to the article some are not from North Carolina.

But you're right, it's who you know.

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

jdjcary — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:46:06 -0400

It is not necessary that you do something special, just if you know someone in the political system. Of course you do have to be a native. Some do deserve the award, but many only receive it because of who they know or if they have a friend who knows the person to call. Such is the story of many awards.

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

stevemichaels — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:34:26 -0400

Geez how did he find the time between his oversees "cultural" trips, getting his wife an easy gig at NCSU and deciding which free car to drive - he truly was a champion of multi tasking -

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

JohnPershing — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:16:40 -0400

It's sort of like grade inflation in the universities all over the nation.
Obama will do the gran finale with currency.

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

sixnine — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:13:24 -0400

Well that sure is a slap in the face for those who really were deserving of the award.

You probably never even met the people for a hand shake!

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:09:06 -0400

Incidentally, your chief Dome blogger is not related to either of the Beckwiths that received the Order, as far as we know.

— RTB

Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order

j1c2kp — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:08:01 -0400

Guess I was wrong, I thought this award was a very special, rarely given, totally deserving award. Why not just give the award to every NC born citizen? Now I'm not saying that those mentioned in the article are not worthy (don't know anything about his in-laws though it does seem strange that both would get the award) but to give out nearly 10 a week... No wonder he was not around much, he was way too busy making the list of awards each week. How many of his donors received awards? Hendrick, Bleeker, the Campbells, etc.?

Re: Dome Memo: The Wimpy budget?

tangoz — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:53:54 -0400

It is obvious that Perdue does not know what she is doing. She has shown zero backbone in taking on the Good Ole boys network in the State Senate.