It was a very good year for films. Perhaps too good. Of the eight pictures nominated two, Spotlight and The Big Short are worthy of Best Picture awards. When that happens it creates the possibility that a lesser film like Mad Max or The Revenarent might win in a split vote In January USA Today touted Mad Max as the Best Picture of the year.
Leonardo DiCaprio the star of Revenant is favored for Best Actor and the Director Alejandro G. Inarritu. (Last year's winner) is a favorite for Best Director.
Oscar's recent trend of sharing the wealth among the nominated films may end this year drowning in a sea of too many good films confusion .
It might help to think of four best films as twins which in fact they are.
The Big Short is essentially a caper movie similar to the Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis original Oceans 11 of the 1960's . Then the plan is to knock off every Casino in Las Vegas in a single night.
With an equally stellar cast, the Big Short plans to do the same thing on Wall Street and with a tad of moral equivocating walk away with Billions. Legally. For non the financial expert the finer points of how they are to do so is casually are cleverly explained in the film. For example
a lady in a bubble bath pauses to takes viewers through finer points of sub prime mortgages.
There is no glitz or glamor to Spotlight which is rated "R" for subject matter. It is a Working person's movie set in Boston. The Spotlight is the investigation journalism side of the paper as opposed to news which is called "Metro". Years before the paper went down the same path only to bail at the last moment and "dump" provocative the story in Metro" where it got lost in magnitude of everyday news.
Neither the the ensable cast of either movie realizes the magnitude of what they are taking on. In both cases the information they seek can be found directly in front of them and readily available to them via a computer or a public directory.
Both movies are Best Picture caliber films but this writer would give a slight edge to Spotlight. While there are women newspaper reporters, both films are essentially guy movies.
Room and Brooklyn are Chick flicks but they will enjoy them too. There is not much that I can say about a movie titled not "the Room" or "A Room" but just "Room"without giving away too much much the movie but clearly it is the third best of the nominees for Best Picture. Brie Larson the star is excellent as is the writing, the direction and a the rest of a mostly female cast.
Were it not for the Picture being a virtual remake of 1940 movie Kitty Foyle staring Ginger Rodgers as an Irish American working girl (way back when women didn't work) and with romantic decisions to make, the picture might have rate higher. Trivia wise IMB says Brooklyn star Satires Ronan was considered for the role played by Brie Larson. In Room. One wonder how that might have worked out.
The movie Kitty Foyle was told mainy in flash backs using a snow globe to indicate shifts in time. A year later Citizen Kane would use the technique. In 1940 Ginger Rogers got the Oscar for Best Actress topping Betty Davis ( The Letter),
Joan Fountane (Rebbeca), Katherine Hepburn (Philadelphia Story) and Martha Scott (Our Town).
Bridge of Spies is an excellent cold war movie directed by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (Neither were nominated. Who was was Mark Rylance who according to one critic stole every scene he was in for a Supporting Actor Nomination. We agree. Rylance is also a three time Tony Award winning actor.
Mad Max and The Martian are 3D special effects films which aside from those effects the air author found boring.
This writer has not seen Revenant and is in essence boycotting the film for leaving the theaters early and making itself available only as a "pre-order ( meaning you have to buy it to see it) on Oscar weekend. The writer regrets any inconvenience this last item may caused the reader.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
City Manager Jay Cravens promises April/May Town Hall meeting to get Citizen's Input.
In the January 6th 2016 Edition of the Birmingham Bloomfield Hills Eagle, in an article titled
As another year closes out, local leaders discuss what’s ahead in 2016,
Mr.Cravens is is quoted as saying “I’m really excited about this opportunity. We will have a town meeting, probably in April or May, to get citizen input on issues or matters that concern them,” Cravens said. “If any of these matters need to be budgeted, we can do it as we adopt the 2017 budget in May.”
Since the last town hall meeting in the City of Bloomfield Hills was October of 2010 that is indeed news. The 2010 Town Hall meeting was not however about residents providing input for City Commissioners. Instead It was an opportunity for residents to express their views on a $600,000 contract to restore services with the Bloomfield Township library. The Commission which donated it's time from a regular scheduled meeting for the Citizen Town Hall claimed neutrality on the subject and let the residents go at it.
One would think that after a six year absence such a reversal of policy would deserve a fanfare greater what a phone call to City Manager Cravens could muster. Say trumpets blaring and cymbals crashing. Perhaps even an announcement from City Commission and the Mayor himself. Mr Cravens who has a tendency to talk
out of his hat, did not however say on what authority he was speaking.
The idea of the town hall meeting is a good one. Having it at the time of City Budget meeting in which money is allocated for various departments and projects for the coming year is not so good . Budget meetings are already open to residents provided that they realize that a ticket to a baseball game allows one to observe but does not allow one to play in the game.
In recent years residents attending the annual budget meetings have been offered only no view admission. The audio visual aids at City Hall are one sided but for the Budget meetings the City does not even employ something as basic as an overhead projector. One needs the binder that is given to the "attending"commissioners to follow along. Commisioner attendance at Budget meetings has not been outstanding. Once to force attendance a former Mayor schedules a budget meeting immediately following a regular evening Commission Meeting.
Residents were welcome to stay but without visual aides in the court room like setting all they saw was the top of commissioners head behind binders as the particulars were narrated to them by a droning voice of a presenter also staring at binder.
If you want to attend a Budget meeting(s) one should file a Freedom Information Act (Foiya) in advance by simply by writing on a sheet of "I want to attend the (Date) budget meeting and request a copy of what is being discussed at the meeting be made available to me at the meeting (the Binder)." Then you take your request it to City Hall , get it date stamped, submit it, and ask for a copy of the request which will cost you ten cents. The date stamping and the copy is not a requirement but I included them lest you arrive to discover the your request got lost in a bureaucratic shuffle of big government. Even simpler, e-mail your request which is automatically date stamped and you save ten cents in the process.
No you can not take the binder home or anywhere off premise but you may return to City Hall and review it any time until budget is approved and the material used to prepare it trashed.
Now back to the Birmingham Bloomfield Eagle which is best bare none at reporting local Municipal news, and every City of Bloomfield household an receives an edition in the mail free of charge. The Eagle does not fancy itself a King or Queen maker, endorse candidates or positions, or preach. It simply provides the news. The newspaper is unique in it's ability to get scoop caliber comments from the high and the mighty that is the envy of other publications including this one. The Credit is due to Eagle writer
.
So Mr.Cravens, a Town Hall Meeting,(the first in six years) in April or May to coincide Budget 2016-2017 planning time ? So the commissioners can pencil in residents requests as fast they
come up ?
Actually it is much simpler than that. If the City Manager, The City Clerk,, and the City Treasurer could prepare four or five extra Budget 2016-2017 binders for the four or five residents who would wish to attend, a better budget informed citizenry would make for a better Town Hall in say September.
If the extra binders. are a problem interested residents could be asked To RSVP them in advance to prevent over loading the system.
If security is a concern(IE residents going off with the binders) The binders could be chained to the tables medieval monastery style. Last but not least do not give up on the overhead projector. They are fairly bulky and not likely to be put somewhere and then forgotten. Try the basement under the fire station
The idea of the town hall meeting is a good one. Having it at the time of City Budget meeting in which money is allocated for various departments and projects for the coming year is not so good . Budget meetings are already open to residents provided that they realize that a ticket to a baseball game allows one to observe but does not allow one to play in the game.
In recent years residents attending the annual budget meetings have been offered only no view admission. The audio visual aids at City Hall are one sided but for the Budget meetings the City does not even employ something as basic as an overhead projector. One needs the binder that is given to the "attending"commissioners to follow along. Commisioner attendance at Budget meetings has not been outstanding. Once to force attendance a former Mayor schedules a budget meeting immediately following a regular evening Commission Meeting.
Residents were welcome to stay but without visual aides in the court room like setting all they saw was the top of commissioners head behind binders as the particulars were narrated to them by a droning voice of a presenter also staring at binder.
If you want to attend a Budget meeting(s) one should file a Freedom Information Act (Foiya) in advance by simply by writing on a sheet of "I want to attend the (Date) budget meeting and request a copy of what is being discussed at the meeting be made available to me at the meeting (the Binder)." Then you take your request it to City Hall , get it date stamped, submit it, and ask for a copy of the request which will cost you ten cents. The date stamping and the copy is not a requirement but I included them lest you arrive to discover the your request got lost in a bureaucratic shuffle of big government. Even simpler, e-mail your request which is automatically date stamped and you save ten cents in the process.
No you can not take the binder home or anywhere off premise but you may return to City Hall and review it any time until budget is approved and the material used to prepare it trashed.
Now back to the Birmingham Bloomfield Eagle which is best bare none at reporting local Municipal news, and every City of Bloomfield household an receives an edition in the mail free of charge. The Eagle does not fancy itself a King or Queen maker, endorse candidates or positions, or preach. It simply provides the news. The newspaper is unique in it's ability to get scoop caliber comments from the high and the mighty that is the envy of other publications including this one. The Credit is due to Eagle writer
.
Who actually covers many communities, county services and even a school Board in addition to Birmingham Bloomfield Hills. The newspaper has also has what seems to be a new and expanded
.archives for finding back issues or topics on line
come up ?
Actually it is much simpler than that. If the City Manager, The City Clerk,, and the City Treasurer could prepare four or five extra Budget 2016-2017 binders for the four or five residents who would wish to attend, a better budget informed citizenry would make for a better Town Hall in say September.
If the extra binders. are a problem interested residents could be asked To RSVP them in advance to prevent over loading the system.
If security is a concern(IE residents going off with the binders) The binders could be chained to the tables medieval monastery style. Last but not least do not give up on the overhead projector. They are fairly bulky and not likely to be put somewhere and then forgotten. Try the basement under the fire station
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Open Meeting Hand Book as Published by the State of Michigan Attorney General
Attorney General Bill Schuette
Recently the office of the state's Attorney General published on line an eminently readable guide book to the Open Meetings Act. This not legal mumbo jumbo but a listing of what your rights as a Citizen are and the Government's obligation to you. It pertains all governing bodies from local libraries, to committees formed by a City Commission to, the Governor and State legislator.
You pay your taxes to the State and the City so you should know what you your rights are regards to what to do about what such governing bodies may decide.
You don't have to care if you don't want to but ignorance to some who govern is licence and you don't want to go to sleep, only to discover that have you inadvertently awaken, in second coming of the late great East Germany.
To read the above 21 page handbook Click here.
The above presentation by Sue Jeffers and the Michigan Municipal League is even more readable in that it uses big type and colors. It also highlights areas of responsibilities that were once considered grey areas. No pun intended. To read the 32 page presentation click here
In the Current issue of the Hills Highlights, the official news letter of the City of Bloomfield Hills, newly elected City Commissioner Susan McCarthy describes, aYou won, now what training she received from the MML. Two bullet pointed topics she mentioned in her article are a review of the of the Michigan Open Meeting Act Oma and the better known Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) pronounced "Foyah".
How does the Government of the City of Bloomfield Hills do in maintaining the purpose and the precepts of the Michigan Open Meetings Act. ?
Not particularly well.
Mention of MOA conjures up all sorts of lurid images of secret meetings facilitated by the electronic age devises used to avoid public witness but that is not our point here.There are no allegations about our government doing said nor have there ever been to the best of our knowledge.
What there has been however and, is currently, is a refusal to adhere to the most simple and easy to fulfill requirements of MOA that indicates a unhealthy disrespect for MOA.
Because MOA is meant to open government for its citizens, ignoring the minor points of MOA indicates an unhealthy disrespect for citizens as well. There are two areas where our City delivers less than what the Michigan Open Meeting Act requires.
1)MOA requires is that proposed (or draft) minutes of a meeting ) must be made available for public inspection within eight days after the applicable meeting. At the next meeting the governing body has five days furnish the public with approved minutes.
Mention of MOA conjures up all sorts of lurid images of secret meetings facilitated by the electronic age devises used to avoid public witness but that is not our point here.There are no allegations about our government doing said nor have there ever been to the best of our knowledge.
What there has been however and, is currently, is a refusal to adhere to the most simple and easy to fulfill requirements of MOA that indicates a unhealthy disrespect for MOA.
Because MOA is meant to open government for its citizens, ignoring the minor points of MOA indicates an unhealthy disrespect for citizens as well. There are two areas where our City delivers less than what the Michigan Open Meeting Act requires.
1)MOA requires is that proposed (or draft) minutes of a meeting ) must be made available for public inspection within eight days after the applicable meeting. At the next meeting the governing body has five days furnish the public with approved minutes.
1) 0n the City's web site under Welcome to minutes on demand it states that meeting minutes will be posted once they are approved by the "Council Board". That means a delay of a month before residents are able to learn what was their government discussed at the last meeting. MOA does not require Citizens to attend meetings. It does require the Government to provide it's citizens with draft status of the most recent meeting in 8 days. That includes City Commission meeting, Planning commission meetings and Zoning Board meeting. To ignore that requirement is an violation of the Open meeting act.
2) The formation of sub committees and committees of one.
By Michigan law a committee of one is not a committee and therefor not subject to MOA. Nor are advisory Committees because they advise rather than decide.
Claims of lack of a quorum and "therefore not a sub committee subject to MOA" is in some cases a subterfuge. The key is what is the intent. Is it a lack of bodies or is it intended to by-pass the Citizens it is supposed to include ?
In the Current issue of Hills Highlight. Commissioner McClure writes " The City Manager, Building officials, with some input from our consultants, and a subcommittee, will be reviewing our building department organizational structure and some processes."
Who is on the sub committee ? Do they they meet ? Are meetings open to the public ? Are minutes kept of their meetings ?
Per Moa Minutes must be kept for all meetings and are required to contain:
- a statement of the time, date and place of the meeting;
- the members present as well as absent;
- a record of any decisions made at the meeting and a record of all roll call votes; and
- an explanation of the purpose(s) if the meeting is a closed session.
Except for minutes taken during a closed session, all minutes are considered public records, open for public inspection, and must be available for review as well as copying at the address designated on the public notice for the meeting.
Proposed minutes must be available for public inspection within eight business days after a meeting. Approved minutes must be available within five business days after the meeting at which they were approved.
These are the questions and principles behind MOA an with the goal providing an open and transparent Government.
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