Phantom of the Opera - Far too many notes for my taste
Having seen Phantom six times - 3 times in NYC, once in London, LA, and Hong Kong, I understand the humor in the note scenes.
For those who missed it, worth a view and listen. Nothing like an ignored letter writer.
Click below on video (Watch on YouTube) to see clip from Phantom. Lot of humor in them!
First Note - Rural Broadband -- Phantom
Race, redistricting, rural broadband, and economic development impact on a community.
PG EDITED VERSION (CLIFF NOTES) LETTER TO EDITOR (ANOTHER NOT PUBLISHED) FOCUSING ON RURAL BROADBAND.
Again Harrison area MIA - and with all the race misinformation, move to Delta District, and now rural broadband(?), maybe annexation of Boone County with Missouri is next? Or is it easier to just move to NW Arkansas or Missouri?
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Note - Lyrics (adjusted for newspapers) satire for those digitally impaired
Opera!
The job of assessing Arkansas’ broadband needs and developing a master plan for expanding coverage has been assigned to a company providing high-speed broadband service to about 2,100 customers in apartment and large commercial properties in Pulaski County and Northwest Arkansas.
I know the Broadband Development Group well, I met with principals (Hendren and McAlister) at their request, and my expense, to educate them on cable and private cable in 2015 during their start-up. Focus then, and still is large apartment and commercial opportunities in urban areas, nothing rural!
Might note there was a willingness to contact me on cable TV, but there has been a deafening sound of silence on rural broadband, a recognized successful pioneer in that area! Obvious reason is they want to avoid any disruptive force (explained in letter) to their well orchestrated and financed effort to please lobbyists?
You can imagine where Harrison fits? Note town hall meetings in Batesville, Salem in Fulton County and Fayetteville mentioned in article.
Again here's another unpublished Letter to Editor
Broadband Development Group of Little Rock, which is led by CEO Lou McAlister, also serves several hundred people at properties in Mississippi and Texas.
Another Note - Rural Broadband - Phantom (unpublished)
As far as the $2.2 million for consultant to make broadband implementation plan, the whole process is a joke.
Transparency was never an issue. For consultants who typically bid on government project, no issue with request for proposal process.
When politicians agree on something it starts becoming dicey. Next you check ownership and lobbyists connected to the three companies who submitted bids then it gets dicier.
Broadband Development Group is on five lobbyist lists of Martha Hill, Hill is the wife of U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark; Morril Harriman; Kendra Pruitt; Derrick W. Smith; Ark Monroe III.
Any new leapfrog technology affecting traditional businesses represented by the five lobbyists is dead on arrival. More candidly any new broadband solutions will be aborted shortly after conception. For Yogi Berra fans: 'It's Deja Vu All Over Again’.
I’ve participated in enough third world tech bids to understand the advantage of insiders, I’ve started at the ambassador level and country president. Again that’s third world!
Statement of work is nothing more than non-self-incrimination generalities. Lot of - “pretty broadly”, “outcome in best interests of state”.
No doubt most of the politicians involved dismiss The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman as the bible for flat-earthers. How could technology jobs be created in India, a place of ignorance, poverty, and inequality?
Don’t realize that broadband will never be the panacea, just the enabler.
For longtime technologists, major changes only come from a disruptive force.
I always refer to Sam Walton as a disruptive force. Walmart store #2 is located in Harrison. I experienced the negative and positive.
My dad, pioneer in retail TV sales, was adversely affected when people voted with pocketbooks for change. Later In my international marketing for cable software, I always pointed to Sam Walton saying “there would never have been a Walmart without the success of Harrison” (my home office).
My credentials includes recognized pioneer in PC software in Arkansas, although initially working on large mainframe in DC with government, and later with oil companies in Louisiana and Kentucky.
Reinvention in technology comes as a necessity for survival.
I founded a rural software company in the Ozarks, and sold systems in over 50 countries pre-commercial Internet.
Many of the Y2K “computer memory” issues that limited the large cable system customer care and billing system providers, who ran only on mainframes with COBOL code, was the reason I was able to enter the international market first with a system on the desktop (PC).
As far as rural broadband, tangible value must be seen immediately!
With all the Smartphone apps, many no longer need the traditional computer equipment (desktop, monitor, printer) to become proficient in the use of broadband.
Satellite service with gigabit-speed, and just 20 milliseconds of latency. Could create a location agnostic work network reducing need (and cost) for fiber.
Elephant in the room is Elon Musk and Starlink. Known as a disruptive force in space and electric vehicles. Lobbyists (and politicians) want to make things “or” when it should be “and”.
Important point is Starlink (satellite) has gigabit-speed, and just 20 milliseconds of latency. This will create a location agnostic work network reducing need for fiber.
Outside “independent” consultant missing in action.
Phantom
Note - Race - Phantom (on irresponsible media handling of Harrison history)
Race, redistricting, rural broadband, and economic development impact on a community.
PG EDITED VERSION (CLIFF NOTES) LETTER TO EDITOR (ANOTHER NOT LIKELY TO BE PUBLISHED) FOCUSING ON THE KEY RACE ISSUE.
I am perplexed by your recent editorial,??Sun-up town Ready, reset, go.
As far as sundown cities – a well-researched Washington Post article in 2006 called out Rogers, Arkansas, circa 1962 for sundown signage, but had no mention of Harrison?
Your editorial states the “Newspapers at the time helped inflame mobs with irresponsible reporting” referenced the Elaine massacres in the Delta, but failed to identify the Arkansas Democrat and Gazette as the culprits – two separate papers at that time – taking ownership (of irresponsible reporting) missing.
I began my research on Harrison’s racism image in fall of 2019 with the pending visit of a technology CEO from the Netherlands to Harrison. I became alarmed by the image created by social media (and supported by mainstream media including the AP). Having traveled globally, it’s common to Google an area before arriving. I did. Wow! Was I surprised!
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My investigation, totally independent, was the result of successfully starting a technology company in the rural Ozarks, and eventually taking it into over 50 countries, pre commercial Internet. Professionals from various counties were always well received no matter the color. It would have been professional suicide if otherwise.
I have documented my findings on racism in more than 100 time-stamped articles. There were many surprises, and since it was self-funded there is an attempt to find and place blame. Not without threats, but most have used gaslighting. Never directly questioning my credentials. My view was as a capitalists.
I was a student in Arkansas during the ’57 integration of Central High, and my first job out of college was in Washington D.C. during the late 60’s. Witnessed racism up close and personal. Nothing like ’68 since, even as bad as the Covid has been.
There is a continuing reference to an event over 100 years ago, creating a local “cottage industry” for reboots, missing are several key facts.
“But how many Arkansas history classes teach the Harrison race riots of 1905 and 1909? In which mobs drove nearly all Black people out of the town? And Harrison became one of many Sundown Towns in the American South — in which certain folks of color knew they’d better be out of town by sundown, or else.”
Or reference to Encyclopedia of Arkansas?
"Though nowhere near as murderous (meaning zero killed, nobody in Harrison Race Riots) as other race riots across the state, the Harrison Race Riots of 1905 and 1909 drove all but one African American from Harrison (Boone County), creating by violence a (factually not all white, differing view on actual number of blacks) remaining all-white community similar (Rogers?) to other such “sundown towns” in northern and western Arkansas." ?
The Ozarks, as far as business opportunities, was a very unattractive location around 1900. It was rocks and hills, no plantations, only a hardscrabble life. Families and friend depended on each other for survival. Other than small farms, small businesses, tourism created by dams in the 50’s and Buffalo River, not much happened until the 70’s.
So why were any outsiders, including blacks, relocating to Harrison area circa 1900? The only reason was the new railroad.?Do your research on census, including railroad workers. Black railroaders was second to plantation slaves.
The 1905 riots and railroad bankruptcy were connected. Since slaves were uncommon to the local culture (friends and family were totally dependent on each other to survive), blacks were in the delta or places with plantations, so there was no pent-up emotional hate to rid themselves of the blacks, as long as they had jobs, and not breaking into homes to survive. That went for non-blacks, as well, many of those outsiders, with little publicity, left for Missouri.
My research in no way is intended to exonerate Harrison. Just shift focus to where it belongs - current indifference by leaders for allowing current day Klan to reside and do business in the community is the real problem. ?
Another Note, If ignored, more to come
Interesting story developing about Boone County Arkansas being disinherited?by 3rd district NW Arkansas to 1st District (better known as the Delta).
If you know the history of Congressman John?Paul Hammerschmidt from Harrison and all he did for NW Arkansas - Interstate leg named for him and his effort to start?XNA - it's a travesty - as well where have been Governor Asa Hutchinson and 17th ranked billionaire?Jim Walton of Walmart (Harrison store#2) and Arvest (local banks)?
Since Harrison media (TV) is primarily Springfield, MO and shopping (market) is Southern Missouri could it be time to be annexed to Missouri?
Would have regional and even national interests Fox, NBC, CNN, WSJ, USA Today.
Notes on redistricting
In the 60's popular WWII combat pilot hero and businessman John Paul Hammerschmidt, from Harrison, was elected Congressman, serving from January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1993. Even once defeating former President Bill Clinton, who was considered a very popular rising star in the Democratic Party.
At that time Harrison was the?center?of political activity for the Third District of Arkansas.?Interstate 49 in Arkansas?was designated the John Paul Hammerschmidt Highway based on his?full support of Northwest Arkansas.
Including his key effort in building of the airport at XNA. Note JPH's editorial in Chicago Tribune above - "The recent effort to build a new airport began in 1990, and I am proud of the role I was able to play in getting this project started. Before retiring in January 1993, I served as the ranking Republican member of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee. In September 1990, I was the host for a field hearing in Springdale, Ark., attended by 14 members of the committee.
Northwest Arkansas was at that time, and still is, one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. The purpose of the hearing was to take testimony from business and government leaders from throughout northwest Arkansas about the need for improvements to the region's transportation system. The committee heard compelling testimony from several people, including the?late Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart;?Don Tyson, then chairman of Tyson Foods; and J.B. Hunt, then chairman of J.B. Hunt Transport.
As a result of the clearly demonstrated aviation needs,?a planning grant for the regional airport project was announced in November 1990 by then-Transportation Secretary Samuel Skinner.?The project has enjoyed the continued support of U.S. Sens. Dale Bumpers and David Pryor, both Democrats, as well as my successor, Rep. Tim Hutchinson, a fellow Republican."
Again Northwest Arkansas
Phantom - Lyrics
Check out following?--?Phantom meets Bond!
Lots of suspense, intrigue, and discovery over the past 60 years.
Dr. No, first James Bond movie in 1962, which coincidentally was the year Walmart began.
Suspense builds around the death of an era. How does it happens and more importantly, why? And what's next?
More than just a James Bond franchise, it's about a community and its future.
How can a community lose over a billion dollars in value? And not realize it? Or care? Where was James Bond and W when it happened? Amassing $7 billion in worldwide box office revenues for the 26 Bond films.
W was becoming the world's largest company by revenue, with US $548.743 billion, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. It is also the largest private employer in the world with 2.2 million employees.
Rural broadband requires a disruptive force, not controlled by lobbyists and politicians. Same as Bond in his efforts to fight evil outside the system.
How can a once invaluable member of your network be told they are no longer needed? In fact they are now identified as a "redheaded stepchild" that hurts their image. Get lost! See what happens when Bond was told that, and then a community.
Redistricting final nail in the economic development coffin?
Much concern about National Socialism, when local socialism is worse. All politics is local -- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Tip O'Neill is most closely associated with this phrase.
Low unemployment and high poverty rate leads to being a leader in food stamps despite "positive" economic development news. Time to unpack those mysterious contradictions.
Unlikely players - Pogo, Gaslight the movie, and gaslighting.
Warning - More on those to follow later.
Including a "Jon Gruden moment” coming soon implicating key people.
As far as social media including Facebook, Wikipedia, Google, and YouTube, eliminate immunity against liability under sect 230 of the 1996 federal Communications Decency Act; you’ll fix Facebook & social media.
As far as mainstream press, you can't fix stupid.
Community resets for the umpteenth time. See how redistricting, rural broadband, and race affect economic development. How resetting became a cottage industry.
As we all know the James Bond phenomena is fed by miraculous recoveries, even in the closing credits there was a cryptic "James Bond will return."
Will it happen to a community? Stay tuned!
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