Commission Impossible

CIC: I'll go with St Christopher.

Mark,

This challenge is not really related to the post, but instead to something else that most people are aware of today.

Here's the wikipedia blurb on Saint Christopher from a Roman Catholic perspective...

Christopher was a Roman of imposing stature and physical strength, originally named Reprobus. According to legend, Reprobus—referred to as a giant by those who knew him—converted to Christianity and vowed to serve Jesus Christ. Other sources say his name was Offero, and that he was born in Canaan.[2] He sought out a Christian hermit to inquire as to how he could better serve Jesus. He directed him to a path with a dangerous crossing point at a swift river, and suggested that the man's great size and strength made him a good candidate to assist people in crossing the river. So, Reprobus began his new work, ferrying people across the river on his back.

One day, a small child approached the river and asked to be carried across. Reprobus began to comply, only to discover that the small boy was far heavier than any other passenger he had taken. When they finally reached the other side safely, Reprobus asked the boy about his identity and his weight; the child revealed that he was in fact Jesus Christ, and that his unusual weight was due to the fact that he bore the sins of the world. The boy (Jesus) then baptized Reprobus in the river, and he acquired his new name, Christopher, which is Greek for "Christ-carrier" (from Christos, "Christ", and pherein, meaning "to bear").[2]

The child then told Christopher to plant his staff in the ground. The staff miraculously bloomed into a fruit-bearing tree. This miracle converted many.

Enraged at these conversions, a local king (or by some accounts, the emperor Decius) had Christopher imprisoned, where, after cruel tortures, he was beheaded as a martyr.

History/religous study is always interesting.

Lon

Perhaps that would be St. Valentine?

Mark and I try hard to ignore the whole thing - except for the kids. We make it special for them.

New construction should pay to create needed public facilities…. However….

I am having a wee bit of difficulty understanding how a mini storage causes school enrolment to grow. I thought that kids lived in homes, not mini storage facilities.

Similarly, their usage of San Diego County statistics of commercial/office space utilization does not quite apply to Chico.

All, while we’re in one heck of downturn in the construction industry… Now is a dandy time to put a little economic salt in the wound.

As you point out, isn’t it fascinating how fee nexus includes many of the very same things that we were told that the facilities Bond would cover? Plus, you should look at what it costs to build 1 square foot of school facilities… Yikes… you’d croak. Which is probably why they do not specifically mention those numbers in the study – they are literally “unbelievable”.

I think that the root issue is that state law allows them to collect a maximum of $2.97/sq ft of residential and $0.47/sq ft of commercial in this area… therefore they will.

It is merely a matter of paying someone to write a justification for the fee. In this case it was these folks:
http://www.gfsi.com/

Tina,

I woke this morning to a giant helium balloon that said "Be My Valentine" and was attached to a bag of chocolates. I was so excited... then noticed it was for my son.

There was a smaller balloon attached to a soap bubble blowing set, and I thought "well, not as good, but beggers can't be choosers". Turns out that was for my son to play with my daughter.

I was expecting a heart shaped pendant from Kay jewelers, but I guess I'll have to cry myself to sleep tonight.

The CIC is pretty obscure. I think he would be related to the Church of England, but is better known as an author or poet, and played a part in how Valentine's Day is currently celebrated. But he's not a Saint.

Lon

Mark,

It's funny how government institutions find ways to attach fees and taxes to virtually anything. No matter what industry is taxed the cost will always filter down to the consumer. In this case you're right that the report is just a means to an end. They need to justify an increased fee, and the creation of new fees, because they spend too much money.

I'm just curious how the falling enrollment that is often cited dovetails with the descriptions of increased enrollment used to take more money from private property owners/buyers.

Is Chico's enrollment still declining (apparently it was 4 months ago)? What is the root cause of declining enrollment?

Lon

Marissa's gone to Florida to enjoy Disneyworld and a biz convention without me... so i'm stuck here on Valentines day without my valentine.

I always hated this day anyway. But that was back in high school and post-high school....

now it's just another day that I have to spend money on to keep my other half from beating me senseless with my louisville slugger that I keep under the bed.

CIC: Geoffrey Chaucer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer

What is the root cause of declining enrollment?

Economics.

How can young families afford to live here? Where would they work where they could afford our housing costs?

Remember how Chico received dubious national attention for having remarkably UN-affordable housing? There are forces at work here that create the situation.
There is relationship between not only the cost of a home, but is relative to the jobs and incomes available to home buyers... Quality of life begins with a good job and a good place to live.
Chico and Butte County are near the bottom rung in the State’s economy in terms of average income per household and housing affordability.
We’ve talked before about our severe lack of good paying private sector jobs. Government jobs is the 2nd largest area of job growth in Butte County.
Statewide… it’s a problem. Temporary economic downturn aside, state population is expected to grow by around 600,000 per year. We try to keep people from coming here (restrain growth, which ALWAYS makes it more expensive) and then at the same time wonder why housing is un-affordable… young families are among the first to be pushed away.

http://www.independent.org/publications/article.asp?id=1746

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4775

Mark,

Yes it is Chaucer. From wikipedia...

The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

Chaucer is also credited with the first literary reference to Valentine's Day as a day of love...

The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer:[5]

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [choose] his make [mate].

This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia[6]. A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on May 2, 1381.[7] (When they were married eight months later, he was 13 or 14. She was 14.)

Ahhh, young love... really young.

Lon