I have come to realize that in Nashville no one is actually in charge.  The city seems to run via independent brokers and contractors. The City Hospital, the safety net for the poor, was awash with scandal this past year.  The Mayor's office, ditto.  Then we have the MDHA that runs as fiefdom handing checks right and left to any developer with a check and plan.  We have the Police who are just a hot mess but a recently voted in Community Oversight Board has no plans or directives and are taking applications for pretty much anyone to be on board.  I can see that working out, not well.

Then we have more Astroturf groups that seem to come out of the woodwork when needed to protest something, make demands and then disappear.  I would love to see the filings on these groups and their point of origin, their tax status and the like but then it would require me hours of time to find out what I already know - its the large contingency of Black Churches that surround the community. They can quickly moblize and have experience forming and filing paperwork.  There is more shade here than under a Magnolia tree.  But the reality is it is the City and the State that enabled this to happen and in turn blaming Amazon is not finding the source of the root of the problem. Then I realized they were likely "educated" here and that may be also the problem.  As few actually understand the "average" income statement generated by Amazon. Again this is  high order math to figure out this one as the range in salary, the job title, requirements and the rest can affect said average.  It's complicated.

As for the school board they are certainly not running the schools and the board meeting last night was a standard clusterfuck and will continue to be as the Director just throws down the race card and cashes his checks with his full time driver taking him on his rounds to do whatever he is doing. No one actually seems to know but he has minions in which to ensure his presence is not forgotten. It is like an ever present shadow that overhangs all across this district.  I can assure one that it is a D that leads the way in dysfunction.

The last grasp on transit reform to actually make Nashville a city went down in flames with a federal grant lost.  Oh gosh what does that mean?  Well it disproves the demand by Amazon that having mass transit was a qualification for their location.  Guess not. But I never said it was about any of the demands other than one - cash via incentives.  Again Tennessee is a no income tax state and that matters as well. By paying your Executives well above the average they can have a car and a driver like the Director of Nashville schools all day every day.

Meanwhile the checkbook is open and waiting as Ken Burns fresh off his incredibly boring Vietnam documentary (hell This is Us did a better job showing the affects of the war) is doing one about Country Music and happily he was given 375K of incentives in which to sing his song.  True the Council has not voted on these incentives, greenlighted by the former Slattern Mayor, but I doubt no will the last note heard.   There is something in the water here, no really something, as the infrastructure is dilapidated with lead in the school water and varying other aging structures around town (likely public housing) but with no money, no revenue other that property taxes and sales taxes that means it will be a long song before that is addressed.   How about a total budget overhaul and audit and look at where funds were allocated and any non-essential get cut.  No wait that would mean we are not "it' anymore and we need to be it, we want it and have to have it.  Gosh that temper tantrum demand seems familiar.

And the violence in this city has not been reduced despite the cold weather it just continues with daily gun robberies, car thefts and other more violent crimes that go on without resolution.  There is a gathering regarding this and it is held a police precinct.  Do the families killed by Police go to?   Well this could be Phoenix Arizona which holds the title of the most Police killings nationwide.   Again the heat issue cannot be ignored when it comes to gun violence. But its all everyone else's fault 

That mantra has enabled people to believe they inherit trauma and in turn I have heard more PTSD of late as a means of justifying all sins and failings.  As one who had trauma, both in the version of a major head injury and in turn the result of that coming from being drugged and let to die (I cannot say if I was raped but I think he was the man the witness saw open the car door say I was alive and walked off) I think he was following me home to do this or kill me or both who knows) So I have a hard time with that acronym being used to explain it all.  Or I just had a really bad night maybe that is how I should phrase it?  But once again the Civil War is the reason for that as well.  Ah the South always wins when it comes to complaining - The Martyr Complex.


I can no longer tell if my trigger word is my safe word and frankly I think they should be the same and I will make mine Jesus given that is the holidays.  Have good ones yourself.  And to all a good day.  It can't get worse.. Oh wait it can I live in Nashville and the day is young.  But baby its still cold outside and I warm up with a Bourbon and you?