Media Elite Keeps Us Ignorant - Then Calls Us Stupid

Hey Yupette,

What's worse than "fake news" -- the infomercials published by news blogs like ArlNow and Inside Nova? The Media keeping us ignorant in the news sections of print and blog publications and then calling us stupid on the editorial pages.

Like information about immigration. If you visit the Department of Homeland Security's Web site and look for immigration data you will come across the following: Number of immigrants granted permanent legal residency in the U.S. during 2016 - more than 1 million; number of persons with student, travel, and work visas who overstayed their visas in 2016 - more than 600,000; number of persons who crossed a U.S. border illegally and weren't apprehended - more than 300,000. Why do the Media keep us ignorant of these data? By the way, the number of immigrants granted permanent legal residency in the U.S. has about about 1 million per year, for many years, including during the 2008 - 2013 economic recession.

How about the Media Elite which keeps us ignorant and calls us stupid? New York Times Board of Directors doesn't include any minority group members. Of course, Mexican mega-billionaire Carlos Slim, who financially bailed out the Times in 2009, has a lot to say about what appears, and doesn't appear in the Times about immigration. A search of Amazon's Board of Directors doesn't reveal any minority group members. Amazon owns and operates The Washington Post.

Anyone see any socio-economic diversity on ArlNow and InsideNova?

Dey shu be all White to me, Homey.

John Smith in Nauck (but you can call me Dwayne). RIP Doc Muse.

County's Anti-Small Business Agenda Continues

Hi, Yupette,

Anyone else read yesterday's ArlNow feature about the BrickHaus beer garden's travails with DES inspection services, and the negative comments about DES, Arlingrton Economic Development, and County Government in general? Had to be a first for ArlNow which is usually a shameless County Government booster. Maybe Scott Brodbeck was dizzy from too much eclipse watching.

It's long been obvious to me that County Government hates essential small businesses, especially those that try to grow by renovating existing buildings in low-density neighborhoods. County Government also hates workforce employees who are essential to small businesses and wants them out of Arlington.

I have a cat and took her to NOVA Cat Clinic this month for her 6-month check-up. NOVA Cat Clinic's plans were stalled for years over DES approval of its renovation of the building on Cathedral Lane the clinic's owner purchased from the Catholic Archdiocese. DES finally issued a certificate of occupancy and the clinic is moving from the re-purposed home the clinic occupies on Kenmore Street.

I agree that this is the local government we get when we allow 1-party government to rule us for decades.

Thanks for your blog.

Patricia from Cherrydale

County Board Work Session Boosts 'More Car Diet'

Hi Yupette,

County Board held a work session on August 15th about restricted parking in residential neighborhoods. Meeting was announced a week in advance and there were no open public meetings in advance. Supposedly, the work session was about "fairness" and who gets to park in residential neighborhoods, besides neighborhood residents. Actually, restricted parking was hindering County Government's "More Car Diet" and Smart Growth urbanization.

County Board members can't make secret promises to special interests like sports groups for neighborhood parks re-purposed into regional lighted athletic fields with synthetic turf if parking is restricted in the neighborhoods. County Government can't implement re-purposing McMansions into apartment buildings, child care facilities, and small businesses like yoga spas if parking is restricted in the neighborhoods. County Board members can't promise residential neighborhoods will be used for special events if parking is restricted in the neighborhood.

Consequently, the County Board decreed a complete moratorium on additional restricted parking, including neighborhood applications already in the pipeline.

In fact the "selfish" neighbors who want to restrict parking are only reacting to the reality that their residential neighborhoods were never designed for Smart Growth urbanization.

Again, this is what we get when one political party stays in power year after year for more than 35 years.

Here's a photo of Libby Garvey's and my Fairlington neighborhood which is already parked out while Libby makes more promises to more people and groups for more use of the Fairlington Regional Sports-Recreation-Activity Center.

Terri, Fairlington