newsobserver.com projects - Mary Easley - Comments

Re: Scandal follows Oblinger

AgentPierce — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:49:36 -0400

I could understand if someone had a unique talent but also had a "smudge" on his resume from some indiscretion out of the past .... that had been followed by a reasonable period of notable achievement ..... BUT Oblinger's "indiscretion" is still a steaming pile of cr*p.

He was fully aware that he was part of a conspiracy to circumvent a very clear policy. He made a conscious decision to take part in that conspiracy.

I could see him joining a faculty somewhere and contributing .... but to be given Academic CEO status so soon after being "caught red-handed" is ridiculous.

New Mexico .... have you no shame?

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

scharrison — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:20:53 -0400

Oh, I am quite the partisan, Paul. I even border on partisan hackery from time to time. I'm a Democrat who loves Democrats, and I've donated money, time and effort to get some of them elected. I actually almost donated money to your opponent, until I realized how unnecessary that would be. And, as you can see, I'm also prone to taking petty jabs at naive Republicans if I think it would make me look clever.

Just to clarify, for anybody reading this who might have thought that I was non-partisan: Well, I'm not. To be totally honest with you, whenever I read or hear someone claim to be non-partisan, the first thing that crosses my mind is, "The bull$#!+ express has left the station, and it's barreling down the tracks right at me. Time to jump." ;)

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

PaulTerrell — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:44:22 -0400

scharrison, when you do some digging into MoveOn.org and ACORN then you will have credibility in digging into this new group. Otherwise you will be viewed as just another partisan.

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

domewatcher — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:06:28 -0400

I don’t think we will ever earn the coveted “most corrupt” state award.

Think about it. The Democrats control just about everything. So the few Republicans we do have don’t even have their phone calls returned by the media. There could be some awful happenings right on the floor of the General Assembly and the Republicans would have no outlet to get the news out. Our chance of winning the most corrupt award is lessened by the media's reluctance to print anything bad about our beloved Democratic leadership.

The only reason any of this scandal stuff is even coming up now is because of that 'lone reporter' at the News and Observer. Curly, I think is his name. I’m pretty sure it’s not Moe or Larry. This guy has been doing that investigative reporting thing and I’m surprised his stuff has been printed. He seems to be the only one interested in investigative journalism and the only one assured of losing his job.

It’s hard on a player to get busted if he is a Democrat. Not too many people want to get involved. Our corruption just does not have a national flavor. Our corruption may be a big deal around here but it don’t mean much on Broadway. We never get any respect.

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

scharrison — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:46:43 -0400

It might be helpful to readers if you mentioned that Republican State Senator Andrew Brock is a founder/leader of this organization. I wasn't aware elected officials were allowed to manage 527's, especially ones that hope to raise boodles of money by paying 10% commissions to their fundraisers.

I might just have to do some more digging on this...

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

GiggleBox — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:01:53 -0400

If it's an "answer to MoveOn" shouldn't it attack Republicans?

MoveOn just attacks Democrats now. That's the downside to winning everything. Just ask MADD or the NRA.

We're BCS material.....but a few years off from being #1

domewatcher — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:57:08 -0400

I do not know what criteria one uses to select the most corrupt state.

But I am proud of my state, North Carolina. Our state government corruption has a certain flavor about it – a redneck flavor not available to Illinois or New Jersey. We do not have anyone down here to compete with Gov. Blago and I think some high up married man in New Jersey state politics turned out to be gay! The Governor of New York was consorting with a “lady of the evening!” And transported her across state lines for nefarious purposes which violated some interstate commerce laws. North Carolina state politics seems rather drab when talking about Blago and gayness and interstate commerce.

Cannonsgate and the missing travel records are pretty mundane things. The loaner car was just an oversight, I’m sure. And Ms. Mary’s job was a typical state government job in that no one knew what she was doing and why she was paid so much. ( I wonder about that with just about every state government employee I know.) Jim Black was just working the system. The European vacation was more comedy than corruption. Easley can’t touch Blago! Blago loves publicity and he has way more hair than Easley. And most of us North Carolinians are too scared to even talk about New Jersey. And NC can’t compete with New York in anything.

I think our state is on the right track but I do not feel we deserve the honor as the most corrupt state. We’re like in a rebuilding year. Don’t get me wrong, we have a lot of potential. Some good players who are learning the system. We’re not in the same league as Illinois, New York or New Jersey – but we are definitely BCS material!

We’re getting there………..just wait 'til our redshirt freshmen take the field. Keep the faith. Until then we can tailgate and Cannonsgate.

Re: Ad seeks to rescue America

BitterEXdemocrat — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:51:51 -0400

Wow! GREAT TV AD!!!

and YES, NC *IS* more corrupt than NJ and La COMBINED! (corrupted by some of the 'nicest' people you'd ever wanna meet so they think)

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

readall1032 — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:40:51 -0400

Another cute book to articulate the details of wrong. We have no leaders. It is all about the money! What is the answer to making this world a better place? That would be a question I have no answer to. The part I'm sure of is this. Lawyers, real estate developers, insurance agents and the like have a special place in Hell reserved for them.

Hurry - Special Discount ends soon!

domewatcher — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:29:58 -0400

I’m sure there will be a simple explanation.

It was probably some type discount coupon deal. I know I see a lot of coupons in the paper for “buy one, get one free” or “buy one and get the second at half off.” And a lot of restaurants in college towns give 10% off with a student ID. If you check the local paper or those coupon books you will probably find a coupon that reads: “25% off lots with a Governor’s ID.”

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

melted — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:49:55 -0400

Ace may no be so acey after this.

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

ishley — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:14:09 -0400

Your first example after the jump: "...paralegals received a telephone call... ." is not an example of the passive voice at all. The verb "received" is past tense, not passive. That sentence, using the passive voice, would read "A telephone call was received by one of my...paralegals... ." As Strunk & White say, the passive voice is sometimes appropriate to emphasize the object noun rather than the subject noun, but generally the active voice is preferable. E.B. White wrote in the introduction of Chapter 1, which contains the explanation of the active/passive distinction, that all aspiring writers should commit these rules to memory. I think that professional journalists should heed his advice; to the extent they have not, they should have the book within reach at all times.

Language can be used to inform or to obfuscate, and both the active and passive voice can accomplish either objective.

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

Puddentain — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:58:52 -0400

You gotta love a lawyer named "Ace".

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

BitterEXdemocrat — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:39:41 -0400

add a cagey loiwyer and look at the obfuscation of facts...these people are all sleazeballs, now INCLUDING Richard Stanley...wonder if HE gets a reward for 'talkin right' ???

Re: The Voice of Cannonsgate

AgentPierce — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:52:32 -0400

This one has officially fallen down the rabbit hole. Mike and Mary will be guests of honor at The Mad Hatters Tea Party unless the Queen of Hearts demands "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS" ....