Saturday, July 20, 2013

An Interesting Thought To Ponder

A friend sent this to me and it kind of made me think.

Hope you enjoy.


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Does Your Community Need Help with Economic Development? This article might be a good read.

I know there are many communities struggling to ignite economic development.  I found this great article on Why Local Governments Fail at Economic Development which I thought I would share with you.

Feel free to share this article with local public officials or  individuals who work in economic development agencies.

  

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Just a Little Bragging. Please Indulge Me.

Your blog post "How Local Government Decisions Are Really Made" was just featured on GovLoop  - Knowledge Network for Government....because it was awesome.

Keep up the awesome
- Steve

To see your blog post featured, visit:
http://www.govloop.com/profiles/blog/list?promoted=1&xg_source=msg_feat_blogpost

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

What Ever Happened To The Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence?

With the Fourth of July Holiday tomorrow it might be a good time to ask this question Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Well here is what history tells us.
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants,

Nine were farmers and large plantation owners;

men of means, well educated,

but they signed the Declaration of Independence

knowing full well that the penalty would be death if

they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.

He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.

He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: The Freedom we enjoy wasn't free!