Monday, July 31, 2017

Meth, Meds and 'Mergencies

Though it is a town with a very limited tree canopy, in one sense, Port Angeles is very much an evergreen community. Yes, the classics never die! That's why you will, every six months or so, see a headline like this:

Ideas broached for economic growth in Port Angeles

Say! Now there's an idea! Hold a meeting, wag some jaws, and "grow the economy"! But, folks, before we do that, let's be sure we're not just spouting out harebrained notions that we've been over before, or just embracing any of the same old, same old scams that are so prevalent here, okay? Keep it real, people...

A few individuals focused on the high career prospects for those who learn coding and cybersecurity — and the fact that these jobs can be performed anywhere in the world.

Port Angeles also could become a gathering place for the tech community, they said.

Port Angeles School Board member Sandy Long said unlike metropolitan cities such as Seattle, Port Angeles does not have a large community space where people can gather.

Schroeter wrote “confirm space” on a poster and posed a future performing arts center as a potential gathering place that could host tech groups and others.

People! Did you not...Sigh...

Okay. Tech jobs develop where tech people congregate, or at least might want to congregate. Now, look around...Do you see any groups of talented young brilliant minds just, you know, hanging out in Port Angeles? (Insert sound of crickets chirping here.) No, I don't see any either.

Remember that phrase, "quality of life"? The one that NOAA invoked as to why they were giving Port Angeles a pass? Guess what? That phrase is vital to the tech industry as well. Since, as this PDN article points out, those jobs "can be performed anywhere in the world," they tend to want to "perform" them someplace nice. With amenities, with culture. With...You got it, go on...That's right, with quality of life.

Oh, and they also probably want to "perform" them in a place that has good schools and does not have a raging drug abuse problem. (Full disclosure: Since I work at a tech company - we have ping pong tables and everything! - I think I have a little bit of an understanding of what they're looking for in terms of locations and/or employees.)

Hey, you Google sissies! Think you so damned smart!
We got us some toilet seat horseshoes on our tech campus!

So, when someone says Port Angeles "could become a gathering place for the tech community," it's true that it could. It's not absolutely impossible. Port Angeles could also become a place where Space X launches shuttles to Mars. It could. But does it seem likely? No.

Especially, and this is the other thing I warned you people not to fixate on, but especially not when Port Angeles is the place where scams are King. You see, the preposterous "need" for an "arts (which is to say conference) center" is just that - preposterous. Trying to sugarcoat and spin that scam as something vital to the future "tech community" development of Port Angeles...Well, that just strains credibility, credulity and everything else. It's obvious, it's clumsy.

Just like low tech Port Angeles.

I think the immediate "growth" areas for "economic development" in economically distressed Port Angeles are listed in the title to this piece. Keep it real, people.

32 comments:

  1. With brilliant young minds like Sandy Long working on this...

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  2. CK, you're right to focus on one of the things that wasn't even mentioned in the article, which is the staggering level of substance abuse here, especially opioids. Our county is awash in drugs, and current employers are already having trouble finding people who can pass a simple drug screen. Someone would have to be on some pretty strong drugs to think that any tech company in this world would locate in a place like this with a problem like that. Tech companies are also usually more diverse and worldly than not, so the racist and unworldly "rough riders" here are also a big barrier to that happening. Who do these losers think they're fooling with such high flying (no pun intended) talk? Like you say, CK, keep it real. Trying to grab these impossible dreams only deepens the nightmare reality of living here.

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    1. that is bullshit. Our level of opioid abuse is no greater than any other rural area of the country. Look at Vermont. Looks at New Hampshire (5 OD deaths in one tone, in one weekend -- this last weekend. Town is 1/2 the size of here).

      The problem with attracting Tech here is that we have no office space, no fast backbone (for cheap) and no skilled workers.

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    2. But you don't deny that there is, in fact, an opioid abuse problem. Hopefully you also wouldn't deny there is a school performance and drop out problem as well. In addition to the old (especially for tech) median age of the residents, and the depressed local economy, and huge amounts of public debt coupled with a decaying infrastructure. Surely you won't deny all those realities, right? As for the endemic, persistent and nearly lethal levels of local political corruption and graft, the kind that absolutely hinders economic development, well, I don't see how ANYONE could deny that.

      So, really, when it coms right down to it, I somehow don't think the barrier is "no office space." Sure, the are plenty of rundown buildings and houses and inflated rents, but o say there's no office space...That's kind of missing the (many) point(s). Don't you think?

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    3. That should be "comes right down to it.." I need to buy a new keyboard...Sorry!

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  3. I just cringe now whenever the word "EDC" is invoked. I haven't looked into this new director yet but how on earth did he think going into that position was a good career move? He's young enough to still have other jobs yet ahead, but this one might put the stank on him. Unless he's already hit bottom and the EDC snapped him up anyway.

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    1. The NEW EDC director hasn't figured out the snake pit, yet. And, once he does, he will bail. What's the phrase "feets don't fail me now".

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    2. The Clallam County Economic Development Council is the kingpin model of nonprofit abuse. Their revenues are nothing but extortionate gifts. In public they flap gums but in private they steal from the coffers, year after year after year. Oh, and add running any potential competitor of their gang members out of town. They do the exact opposite of their promises, so to keep it real, they're an outright criminal fraud.

      The county being a faucet for them I get, with a cut of the loot getting back to those who authorize it. And PA just feeds that mob out of sheer stupidity. But what about the other cities in the county? Does Sequim enable this mob as well despite public opposition? We never hear about that.

      And why does the high tech fiber optic system stop at PA when it was contracted for the entire county? Why did the city allow a sale of that very infrastructure by the vendor to a third party (and now Wave), when the city itself was the owner? Yet another of the countless scams, but a big one when it comes to attracting real business.

      So this EDC mob is the backwater poster boy for why real 21st century development does not occur west of Sequim. Until the citizens stand up and kick the mob out of town, PA has no future. Start with the EDC or forget talking about this topic because complaining never stops corruption, and the perps just laugh at you like the childish bullies they are.

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  4. Another great piece, CK.

    And, yes. Port Angeles: Low tech, and proud of it.

    Or, as we see with the actions of the so-called leadership in Port Angeles, innovation and creativity are seen as bad and dangerous. You have to conform to our way of seeing things, our way of living, our view of what is right or wrong, or we will run you out of town. Just the kind of atmosphere "tekkies" are drawn to, right?

    "Performing arts"? Who are these people kidding? In a town as intolerant and backwards as Port Angeles? What self respecting artist of any medium will stay in a place like this? As you point out, any of these professions can be "performed" anywhere in the world. Why would any intelligent person locate and invest in a town that demonstrates EVERY DAY what a pit of ignorance, intolerance, corruption and deceit it is?

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    1. The will said "performing arts" the people with their money grubbing paws are saying "conference center".

      How things get twisted up here is that the same people have their filthy mitts in the mix.

      So, yeah, vote for Moran he's endorsed by "Orville Campbell". Vote for Oppelt who won't disclose his silent partners.

      Welcome to the town where time never moves forward.

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  5. I've got an idea for economic development here. Get rid of every single current local elected official, and every single person currently "working" on economic development. Replace them all with local citizens, chosen at random.

    I would bet money the random sample would do better than our existing "experts". Because really, could they do worse?

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    1. Umm ... They ARE all local citizens, chosen at random.

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    2. I don't think choosing from among a group of people who have themselves chosen to run for office is anything at all like random...

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    3. Hold on there, out of cast of characters this go-round, Marolee Smith and Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin stand out for their selflessness. They are honest people who have no business to subsidize at public expense. Take a look at what they are saying. For some reason it's difficult to find in media, but they've made their positions alot more clear than the cronies. If you want a shot at change, they are it.

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    4. Absolutely! Both are really decent people who actually care.

      Geee. Ya wonder why Terry Ward and crew are not backing them?

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  6. Does anybody think Port Angeles will ever step outside of it's self created crazy-making, take an honest look at what is going on here, and do something that will actually address the many problems?

    Or will it be more of what this thread is about. Every election cycle, a few candidates flap their lips about "change", but nothing ever comes of it because we all know the base in this town isn't looking for any changes.

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  7. It's High Noon, and here are all the comments (all ONE of them) on this article on the PDN's website:

    "Downtown Merchant

    2 hours ago

    This is at least the 4th time this type of meeting has taken place in the last 12-18 months. Each time, the same "new" ideas are discussed. Awesome. Now do something about it."

    Exactly.

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  8. What is not mentioned so far is that the entrenched "stakeholders" like things just the way they are. If we got an educated bunch of people to come in here and get involved and VOTE for the best people and, God forbid, run for office themselves, then the entrenched thieves would have to move on to another backwater swamp to set up shop. Oh no, there is not another area where people like county administrator, Jim Jones would survive, much less thrive as he has done here. Bill Peach could not get elected dog catcher in Seattle or even Bothell. Mark Ozias could not get arrested as a "leader" in any other jurisdiction. No, these entrenched snake-holders like it just fine and they will hold onto power with any handle they can find from ruination of anyone attempting change to using the corrupt district court to harass an individual showing too much independence. Our only hope is an FBI "perp-walk" including most of the present "leadership."

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  9. The growth we need right now that would be of benefit economically is another long term drug rehabilitation center.A large, long term drug rehabilitation center. It should put some of the many ex drug abusers who have found that now they are drug felons, drug rehab counselors are the only viable career path available to them. They could support their families again! Put some of those oxford house success stories who cant find jobs to work finally before they give up and throw in the towel. It would provide a healthy space for the many other opioid addicts currently still trying to kill themselves and be a economic Boom for the folks having to continuously replacing their stolen possessions. Another overnight homeless shelter would be nice. I doubt it would provide much of a economic bump but it would be a dandy place for people in long term treatment to volunteer while they are practicing getting their lives back and acting like human beings again. Somehow I doubt my imput would be welcome.

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    1. Of course, decriminalizing all drugs, and providing clean heroin to those addicted makes too much sense. Of course continuing to spend billions on the "War on Drugs" has shown such great success. We can see that has really slowed down the illegal drug trade, right?

      As a compassionate society, we would see that forcing addicts to feed their sickness with poisonous street drugs and watching them die as a result day after day, is not right. Do we criminalize other sick people?

      With drugs that are clean, and provided, there are no ODs, no deaths, and the crimes associated disappear. The costs to law enforcement, emerg, and society at large, drop off.

      Saving all that time and money, society could then do what you suggest. Provide real treatment for the addicts to get them to be productive members of society.

      But, in today's America, righteous rhetoric is more popular.

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  10. And the fantasyland "economic development" scam continues on...

    "Goschen sees Port Angeles as a unique location for an advanced wood products manufacturing because of the potential relationship with the Composite Recycling Technology Center.

    There’s potential to pair the recycled carbon fiber from the CRTC with the wood products to increase strength and prevent more scrap carbon fiber from going to landfills, she said.

    If it turns out it’s not economically viable for a private business to operate on its own, Goschen sees potential for a public-private partnership, she said."

    Public-private partnership? Gee, that's REALLY worked out so well in the past in Clallam County. Only MILLIONS of dollars have gone down the rathole (and into designated pockets) in the past, with NO jobs to show for it...So how could it go wrong this time?

    But you better move fast, because the rats are starting to flee the sinking ship that is the CRTC. We know it. You know it. Everybody knows it.

    But not everybody will acknowledge it, no matter how obvious the pickle(ball) you're in is...

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    1. Maybe someday those really interested in "economic development" in this town will step back from the usual and expected prattle, and look at what does Port Angeles really have to offer, that other towns/cities/areas don't have more of.

      Given so many other communities have "quality of life" for residents, the infrastructure to support industry in place, have easy and adequate transportation for goods and services, have a population base nearby large enough to keep local businesses patronized, etc, etc, etc.. why would any new company, enterprise or thoughtful person move out to Port Angeles?

      As we have seen over and over, people move to Port Angeles thinking it is a nice place (Define "nice" any way you want). After they are here for a period of time, try to do anything different and otherwise get slightly involved, they see the reality, and move away.

      It isn't about coming up with some slick spiel to cover up the realities here. It isn't about conning more people with yet another scam, pretending to be creating "economic development". We've been doing that for decades now, and the population of the town has not grown for decades. At a time when the region is the in the midst of great prosperity.

      Like they say: You have to accept that you need help, before you can get help. As long as so many in this town continue to think it is "Another GREAT day in Port Angeles", things will remain the same.

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    2. And as we see from the vote results, Port Angeles doesn't see any need for change.

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  11. LOL, things are so bad there it even takes an outside blog author to get this basic level of info about the dark side of PA.

    IMHO things there will get even worse because of the epidemic of denial.

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    1. Because, as we've seen so clearly recently, a local muckraker like Dale Wilson is at too great a risk, financially and otherwise, to keep digging. CK, by benefit of having been here and then leaving, is out of the range of influence of the good ol' boys here. And you know that just drives them nuts! Thanks, CK! Keep it up!

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    2. Yes, thank you CK for very thoughtfully turning over the rocks.
      We don't say it every day, that we really appreciate your analysis.

      Fortunately not every place needs a blog like this, but PA is in dire need of a blog like this. When one finally accepts the harsh and dark reality, you then glimpse the extent of untreated mental illness that abounds in government.

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  12. With single digit efficacy for successfully (however that's defined) treating an addict, I will place my money on stocks of treatment centers.
    http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-billion-dollar-rehab-racket-that-drains-family-savings

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    1. The only realistic development plan would be huge f@#&ing maximum security prison. It would blend right in.

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    2. Don't forget that a former mayor of PA was touting just such an idea as "a natural" not that long ago...

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    3. Thankfully I'm no insider, so I did not know that. But it figures. All they ever see is the next scam to make payroll. Forget whether it's a good, bad, or just plain ugly idea. They're so desperate they'll take any form of toxic waste as long as it adds a few bucks to the coffers. Gotta replenish what you keep stealing.

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  13. The opportunity to vote with your feet is declining in many rural areas. https://www.wsj.com/articles/struggling-americans-once-sought-greener-pasturesnow-theyre-stuck-1501686801

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  14. Port Angeles is itself one big turd tank, and very, very proud of it.

    May the Chinese buy up all your land.

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