Here is the agenda for the Huntington Urban Renewal Authority on Monday
Kyle Hobstetter
Agenda for the HURA meeting on June 15
1. Call to order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of the board on May 18, 2009
5. Approval of May 2009 Voucher Schedule
6. Election of Officers
Charles Holley, Director of Development & Planning to update Board on Artisan Avenue Redevelopment Project.
8. New Business
9. Unfinished Business
a. Federal Reserve Account
b. Local Checking/Savings account
c. July Meeting
10. Adjournment
Thursday, June 11, 2009
OPED "A new beginning"
“A new beginning.”
President Barack Obama was calling for a new beginning for Muslim and American relations during his keynote speech at Cairo University on June 4. While being greeted by standing ovations from those present at the speech, those who weren’t present gave the speech mixed reviews.
A statement from the Israeli Government to the BBC Web Site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) said “We share the hope of President Obama that the American effort will signal a new era that will bring an end to the conflict and a pan-Arab recognition of Israel as the Jewish state living in security and peace in the Middle East.“
A spokesman from the Iraqi government released a statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) that said “The government of Iraq is comfortable with the clarity of the President in respecting commitments to Iraq and the timetable for withdrawal stipulated in the security pact.”
While the positives of the speech and the way the president carried himself were praised, many found that the speech promised no change in current political policies.
Hassan Fadlallah, a Lawmaker for Lebanon’s Hezbollah, said in his statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm), “We have not seen any changes in U.S. policy towards the Palestinian cause.”
Hamas Spokesman in the Gaza Strip Ayman Taha, reiterated those remarks with his statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) when he said, “ Speaking about a policy of pursuing a war against extremism and working towards two states for peoples on Palestinian lands is no different from the policy of his predecessor, George W. Bush.”
Barack Obama has been in office now for 142 days now. His speeches will be compared to those of other famous and beloved presidents.
Ronald Reagan, who told the Soviet Union to “tear down this wall,” has the widely considered most popular speech on foreign soil in the presidential history.
He took a stance on the Berlin Wall and said what needed to be said. At the time the speech was received by the Soviet Union news agencies as “openly provocative, war-mongering.” (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html)
But, Reagan’s Secretary of State at the time, George Shultz, told Time Magazine in interview 20 years after the speech, (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html), that it was that the president believed was the right thing to say, even if it is something most of his peers won’t agree with.
"President Reagan had the idea that change could happen," Shultz said in the article. "That put him at odds with establishment thinking, which had embraced détente and assumed change would not happen.“
President Obama followed in Reagan’s footsteps that day at Cairo University. He has an idea, and it is one that will work for the better of not only our nation, but the world as a whole.
But what President Obama needs to do is continue with his idea and turn those words into actions. He already has a great start with him actually being in attendance for his speeches.
While he hasn’t really taken a strong action towards changing relationships, his words have inspired other people to take action as well.
According to an editorial in the New York Times, (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/opinion/11thu2.html?_r=2&ref=opinion), that said “President Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world seems to have helped undercut the extremists at the polls.” Said the editorial as pro-western forces took control over the Lebanon Parliament, which until the election was under control of the extremists of Hezbollah.
If President Obama wants to continue showing the Islamic world that “new beginnings” are on the way, he must continue to show actions on how America is changing.
He must remember the mistakes of the last administration that was in office. The last time his administration traveled to the Middle East, the president was used as target practice by a shoe throwing audience.
And while his policies sound the same as his predecessor, he willingly admits where mistakes have been made. While some consider it weakness, some consider it a strength.
Eugene Robinson, a columnist for the Washington Post said “Familiar policies sounded different coming from Obama, though — not just because of his identity but also because he showed a little humility.”
Robinson also said, “There are those who believe that admitting mistakes is a sign of weakness. I think it's a sign of confidence and strength, and I believe that's how it was received by Obama's intended audience.”
Many presidents in the past failed to show humility, which continued the image of the uncaring, bullying and narcissistic Americans that most other countries view us as.
While Obama continues a rock star status, during his speech an audience member screamed that they “loved him”, but when it comes to action, he could look at one of the most unpopular presidents, Richard Nixon.
While Nixon made mistakes, he also ushered in a new-era of relations between America and the “extremists” at the time China.
According to the BBC Web site’s reporter it was the day Nixon's ground-breaking visit was hailed as a diplomatic triumph as relations between the two countries thawed. He said it "changed the world". (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1821104.stm)
BBC reporter Simon Fraser remembered the incident for the BBC Web site. He said, “Without the "first step" taken by Nixon, Mao and Zhou in 1972, there would be no China-US relations today, an editorial in the People's Daily said.”
While we can compare President Obama to Ronald Reagan, to George W. Bush and to Richard Nixon, we need to remember, he is not these people. He has not been in office for more than half a year. Most presidents don’t succeed in their plans in this amount of time.
But the positive thing we can take from the past and the thing is something President Reagan’s Secretary of State George Shultz told Time magazine. (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html)
He said, “I guess the point I'm making here is that ideas matter a lot, the underlying ideas that stand behind policies. When you don't have ideas, your policies are flip-flopping all over the place. When you do have ideas, you have more consistency. And when you have the right ideas — then you can get somewhere.”
President Obama has the right ideas, now let us see if he can continue to act in the next three-and-a-half-years.
President Barack Obama was calling for a new beginning for Muslim and American relations during his keynote speech at Cairo University on June 4. While being greeted by standing ovations from those present at the speech, those who weren’t present gave the speech mixed reviews.
A statement from the Israeli Government to the BBC Web Site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) said “We share the hope of President Obama that the American effort will signal a new era that will bring an end to the conflict and a pan-Arab recognition of Israel as the Jewish state living in security and peace in the Middle East.“
A spokesman from the Iraqi government released a statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) that said “The government of Iraq is comfortable with the clarity of the President in respecting commitments to Iraq and the timetable for withdrawal stipulated in the security pact.”
While the positives of the speech and the way the president carried himself were praised, many found that the speech promised no change in current political policies.
Hassan Fadlallah, a Lawmaker for Lebanon’s Hezbollah, said in his statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm), “We have not seen any changes in U.S. policy towards the Palestinian cause.”
Hamas Spokesman in the Gaza Strip Ayman Taha, reiterated those remarks with his statement to the BBC Web site (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm) when he said, “ Speaking about a policy of pursuing a war against extremism and working towards two states for peoples on Palestinian lands is no different from the policy of his predecessor, George W. Bush.”
Barack Obama has been in office now for 142 days now. His speeches will be compared to those of other famous and beloved presidents.
Ronald Reagan, who told the Soviet Union to “tear down this wall,” has the widely considered most popular speech on foreign soil in the presidential history.
He took a stance on the Berlin Wall and said what needed to be said. At the time the speech was received by the Soviet Union news agencies as “openly provocative, war-mongering.” (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html)
But, Reagan’s Secretary of State at the time, George Shultz, told Time Magazine in interview 20 years after the speech, (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html), that it was that the president believed was the right thing to say, even if it is something most of his peers won’t agree with.
"President Reagan had the idea that change could happen," Shultz said in the article. "That put him at odds with establishment thinking, which had embraced détente and assumed change would not happen.“
President Obama followed in Reagan’s footsteps that day at Cairo University. He has an idea, and it is one that will work for the better of not only our nation, but the world as a whole.
But what President Obama needs to do is continue with his idea and turn those words into actions. He already has a great start with him actually being in attendance for his speeches.
While he hasn’t really taken a strong action towards changing relationships, his words have inspired other people to take action as well.
According to an editorial in the New York Times, (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/opinion/11thu2.html?_r=2&ref=opinion), that said “President Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world seems to have helped undercut the extremists at the polls.” Said the editorial as pro-western forces took control over the Lebanon Parliament, which until the election was under control of the extremists of Hezbollah.
If President Obama wants to continue showing the Islamic world that “new beginnings” are on the way, he must continue to show actions on how America is changing.
He must remember the mistakes of the last administration that was in office. The last time his administration traveled to the Middle East, the president was used as target practice by a shoe throwing audience.
And while his policies sound the same as his predecessor, he willingly admits where mistakes have been made. While some consider it weakness, some consider it a strength.
Eugene Robinson, a columnist for the Washington Post said “Familiar policies sounded different coming from Obama, though — not just because of his identity but also because he showed a little humility.”
Robinson also said, “There are those who believe that admitting mistakes is a sign of weakness. I think it's a sign of confidence and strength, and I believe that's how it was received by Obama's intended audience.”
Many presidents in the past failed to show humility, which continued the image of the uncaring, bullying and narcissistic Americans that most other countries view us as.
While Obama continues a rock star status, during his speech an audience member screamed that they “loved him”, but when it comes to action, he could look at one of the most unpopular presidents, Richard Nixon.
While Nixon made mistakes, he also ushered in a new-era of relations between America and the “extremists” at the time China.
According to the BBC Web site’s reporter it was the day Nixon's ground-breaking visit was hailed as a diplomatic triumph as relations between the two countries thawed. He said it "changed the world". (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1821104.stm)
BBC reporter Simon Fraser remembered the incident for the BBC Web site. He said, “Without the "first step" taken by Nixon, Mao and Zhou in 1972, there would be no China-US relations today, an editorial in the People's Daily said.”
While we can compare President Obama to Ronald Reagan, to George W. Bush and to Richard Nixon, we need to remember, he is not these people. He has not been in office for more than half a year. Most presidents don’t succeed in their plans in this amount of time.
But the positive thing we can take from the past and the thing is something President Reagan’s Secretary of State George Shultz told Time magazine. (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1631828,00.html)
He said, “I guess the point I'm making here is that ideas matter a lot, the underlying ideas that stand behind policies. When you don't have ideas, your policies are flip-flopping all over the place. When you do have ideas, you have more consistency. And when you have the right ideas — then you can get somewhere.”
President Obama has the right ideas, now let us see if he can continue to act in the next three-and-a-half-years.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
President's trips abroad
As everyone is still buzzing about the President Obama's speech in Cairo, this is not the first time that a presidential speech has been thoroughly examined in the public. When comparing his speech to those of former American President's spoken words to those in a foreign land, Obama has mixed reviews in comparison.
A criticism of Obama's speech was that he failed to make a strong stand and make the points that needed to be made (Fixing relations between Palestine and Israel). This was one of the main problems found by the students at Cairo University.
In comparison, Ronald Reagan made a strong stand when he told the Soviet Union to "tear down this wall." Reagan wasn't afraid to say what needed to be said and drew great reaction from the 20,000 people who came to watch him speak that day in Berlin.
But Obama speech, while not taking as firm a stand as Reagan did, still received a great response from the Cairo community. Barack Obama has continued to gain popularity and is considered as popular as a Hollywood actor. This can be compared to Ronald Reagan, who originally was a Hollywood Actor, and had everyone in love with him, as he was the nation's grandfather.
Another comparison can be looked at with JFK's speech in West Berlin which was famous for the his line "Ich bin ein Berliner" which in the native language mean that he is a native of Berlin. JFK used this to find a connection with the home country and bring ease to the situation.
President Obama used this strategy as well. Throughout his speech he used frequent quotes from the Koran, which won loud applause from the highly Muslim audience.
But Barack Obama's charm will not continue to work, he has to learn to take a definite stand on the issues the public wants as his personality will only get his so far in his presidential term.
President Jimmy Carter showed this by his toast in Iran for the Shah of Iran. With his little "speech," a seizure of an American Embassy happened and led to the end of Carter’s presidency.
President Obama needs to watch his foreign relations and what he says in a foreign land, or else he could be like the previous President, and be target practice for shoe throwing people.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Tri-State Commute Story Proposal
My story will look at the commute of workers who hold jobs around the Tri-State and must travel well over twenty minutes to reach work and students who commute from the Tri-State who attend Marshall University and how high gas prices affect said commutes.
I will research why these employees travel throughout the Tri-State, and pay high gas prices when the paycheck that they make will just go right back to paying for gasoline. I also want to look at students who live in areas such as the Charleston/Teays Valley area, the northern Kentucky area and the Southern Ohio area to attend classes at Marshall. I also want to talk to the companies where people work and with the school on what they are doing to try to help the commute.
Because of the drive this not only hurts the workers earnings and how much of the actual paycheck the workers uses for living expenses, but this could also affect the amount of hours they work and overall job performance. For the students, as they both tuition for school and the price of gas for the commute, they could not be able to afford going to school for that semester and be forced to stay in school longer and deal with growing tuition rates.
: For workers I can get a list from where the employees on and focus on the commute from these areas. I will also check gas prices around the area to see if the commute is cheaper for others. With the students’ commute I can check with the admissions office and see how many students are commuting to Marshall not only for the summer but also in past semesters.
Kevin Soucy: Is the plant manager for the Sunoco Chemicals plant in Haverhill. Many employees work in different parts of the area, so I want to talk to him about what the plant is doing about the commute and see if the plant is helping workers make it to work on time.
President Kopp: What Marshall University is doing to soften financial problems of the commute to campus.
AAA: I want to see if the company who specializes in transportation has any advice on how commuters can find a cheaper way to work and school. (Ex. Cheaper gas sites, different routes.)
Commuter Students: Get a first hand student experience on what they do to keep financial costs down on the their trip to school every morning. See if the commute keeps the student from taking the classes the student needs.
There can be a follow-up if something happens that the work provides transportation for the worker or Marshall comes up with a new way for transportation between areas.
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