The Legend of E. Manuel Goldstein

MLive has a comment board that periodically purges those commenters who are too provocative for their tastes. Apparently, total freedom of speech is not MLive's claim to fame when it comes to the comment boards. The latest example is the case of E. Manuel Goldstein, and the subsequent commenter screen name Content Disabled, who were unceremoniously dumped from MLive's archives of comments. Recently, MLive started using a bot-managed comment collating service called "viafoura" whose website touts its ability to "manage" commenters. E. Manuel Goldstein and Content Disabled would have none of that, and MLive apparently couldn't handle it anymore.

E. Manuel Goldstein's ironic name comes from the book Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell. The character is used  by the fascist State to inflame the Party Members during a daily "two minutes hate" session. Goldstein's face is shown to crowds gathered  for the daily exercise, and when his voice comes over the loudspeakers, the crowd goes into a murderous frenzy,  much like the neo-fascist comment posters on MLive's comment boards. E. Manuel Goldstein's comments were recently purged, but the  Fuzzbollah collective managed to save them to post them here for your reading pleasure. 

Transit Millage follies

Since the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is likely fading towards irrelevancy due to the DDA removing their parking subsidy from the Market's budget, the Fuzzbollah collective will engage in general commentary about Ann Arbor politics.

The Market is broken, the thieves still rule, and certain politicians aided and abetted those thieves and frauds, time to start calling them out. Here, for your reading pleasure, is a Fuzzbollah polimerick which neither the Ann Arbor Chronicle, nor even middleoftheleft would print on their sites. What have you guys to fear?

In tree town up came Transit Millage
Since Ann Arbor's no longer small village
The Millage it passed
Left Lou Glorie aghast
Opposition framed tax as a pillage

Jack Eaton warned voters in ought twelve
Transit leaders their Millages to shelve
His supporters they killed
Library & Arts funding stilled
Eaton then sought to write "note to selve"

In twenty fourteen we find Eaton
Not telling whether supportin' or defeatin'
But then says with a grin
Results need questionin'
Eaton's words are the ones Eaton's eatin'

Kathy Griswold said John Hieftje's grail
Is to use Transit Millage for rail
Yet without any proof
Her argument went *poof*!
Now she'll find something else 'gainst which to flail

In this mess we find citizen Hayner
Opposing what should have been a no-brainer
He kept citing "facts"
Talking points soft as wax
Lesko Griswold playbook is insaner

And finally that Hunter named Libby
Fancies self a songwriter so glibby
When called a curmudgeon
Fuzzbollah's words are a bludgeon
But censorship don't look good on her bibby

Tabone Orchards Persecuted at Market!!

Fuzzbollah has been informed of recent persecution of Tabone Orchards by Market Management. As of this time, there is only some sketchy information available, but once Fuzzbollah digs into it, be ready for some stench!! Funny that the persecution would be of another orchard, the limited details offered made it sound like a similar incident involving Erie Orchards. Way back when, someone associated with the Growers Association cartel complained about Erie allegedly selling out-of-state peaches, which was later to be proven false. Erie was forced out of the market for some time, and the owner was forced to spend considerable time and money proving the allegations false.

This time, a similar complaint was lodged against Tabone. Fuzzbollah wonders whether this is all a set-up. The last time was a Growers Association cartel concoction (with Scott Robertello, a worker from Kapnick Orchards as one of the complainants). Somebody should do a FOIA to see just exactly who the complainant is this time. Fuzzbollah would put money on it being a cartel shill.

Stay tuned!

Fuzzbollah Proposes "Medical Marijuana Daze" At Ann Arbor Farmers Market

Photos from Seattle Weekly

If Seattle, WA can do it, why can't Ann Arbor?

http://www.seattleweekly.com/slideshow/seattles-first-cannabis-farmers-market-32673345/8/

From the article: "More than 600 people showed up Sunday for Seattle's first Cannabis Farmer's Market, held at the Little Red Bistro in South Lake Union. Market founder Jeremy Miller said he plans to bring the market to Seattle two more times next month (in addition to stops in Olympia and Tacoma)."

We have the perfect facility here in our beloved town, along with a "cannabis sensitive" culture. All that would have to be done is to designate one day per week at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market to help dispense needed medicines to those worthy individuals who have MMMJ cards, licensed by the State of Michigan. MMMJ patients could be assured they are receiving locally-grown, high quality medicines, and the Farmers Market could earn more by leasing stall spaces to local growers. It only makes abundant sense.

In fact Fuzzbollah is getting out in front of this issue early in Ann Arbor. In response to a February 4, 2011 article in the Ann Arbor Chronicle regarding the Ann Arbor City Council's continued deliberations on a licensing procedure for MMJ dispensaries and cultivation facilities, Fuzzbollah wrote the following:

"Definitely yes, more compassion is what is needed. MMJ does provide significant pain relief, and without the many side effects of prescription drugs. Not every patient or caregiver is going to be able to produce the high-quality high-cannabinoid concentration medicines that are needed by state-licensed MMJ patients. What happens when the caregiver or grower/patient messes up their crop? Are they supposed to go without their meds, and suffer in pain? Or not be able to follow through with chemotherapy – in the case of many cancer patients – because they can’t keep their food or chemo drugs down?

There must be an outlet, a compassionate outlet and option for those times when a patient cannot get their medicine through the usual channels or because their crop has failed for whatever reason. With some of the communities around Ann Arbor, and the whole rest of the state for that matter, placing all sorts of impediments in the way for MMJ consumers to obtain their medicines, Ann Arbor is likely to be a place where many will come. This reeks of opportunity.

I agree some kind of regulation of the market will be necessary. We don’t want criminal elements controlling the MMJ marketplace. Quality control can be huge issue. Perhaps MMJ sold in A2 should be tested for cannabinoid content so the patients can understand which variety is best for their particular condition, and to ensure they are getting the best – and not getting burned. One way for MMJ patients to have a say in all this is to have MMJ patients appointed to the proposed licensing board. I can also see the day when A2 has its own MMJ Commission. If marijuana is legalized outright in the future, these controls could prove beneficial as they will already be in place.

Maybe there should be a MMJ day at the Farmers Market!"

"No Faked Goods" Makes It To National Media!!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703404004575198270918567074.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_6

An article appearing in the April 29, 2010 edition of The Wall Street Journal highlights the fraud occurring at some of the Farmers Markets across the country. The article cites the "No Faked Goods" campaign being waged by former Market Commission Chair Luis Vazquez, and Kapnicks "operator" Scott Robertello's (note he did not say to the WSJ reporter anything about his purported 'ownership' of Kapnick's Orchards) continued flouting of "Producer-only" Market Operating Rules.

Apparently, Market Muckraker Vazquez is not alone in advocating for better policing of "Producer-only" claims. Also apparent is that numerous markets are attempting to "weed out" the "bad apples" - those re-sellers who undercut the REAL farmers.

As Locavore movements sprout up across the US, one can expect that this issue will not die, and maybe, just maybe, Market Manager Mollie Notarianni will get the message that Ann Arborites do not want fraud.

It should be noted that at the Market Commission meeting on April 6th, 2010, Mr Vazquez asked the Market Manager to investigate the sale (re-sale really) of "Proven Winners" plants. There are a few vendors at the market re-selling these items. Vendors must include a Proven Winners tag in their pots as they sell the plants - this according to an agreement which MUST be signed by the vendor. The agreement can be found here: http://www.fourstargh.com/information/documents/Customer-GrowerAgreement2009-2010.pdf

Curiously enough, during the meeting, Market Commissioner Dave Barkman admitted to selling Proven Winners plants at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and tried to claim they are "just like any other plants sold there." Great, we have a sitting commissioner, from out-of-town, who knowingly is breaking the Producer-only rules, involved in the rulemaking process.

We begin to see a pattern here: first, Scott Robertello was a Market Commissioner who had a hand in delaying any rules development and construction of additional sheds at the market. He participated on a "Harassment Committee" and tried to get Mr Vazquez removed from the commission, and another organic produce vendor arrested - for very flimsy reasons. Now we have another Market Commissioner - Dave Barkman - who was also a member of the Harassment Committee (boy, did they ever name themselves correctly!), who sells the same Proven Winner plants that one can purchase locally (and presumably for a better price) at Meijers, The Produce Station, Alexander Farm Market, Abbott's Nursery, English Gardens, Home Depot, Fraleigh's Landscape Nursery, Plymouth Nursery, J&T Gracia's (wait - they're another A2 Farmer's Market vendor!) and about 100 other retailers within 25 miles of Ann Arbor (see list in the locator at www.provenwinners.com). Are the Proven Winners products so unique that they should be given premium space (and price) at our market? Undercutting those real farmers who can prove they grow from seed?

All of this must be embarrassing to the Market Commission, and to the Market Manager. They may have to change the name from Farmer's Market to Broker's Market, because of the fraudulent business activities of a few unscrupulous vendors.

Fuzzbollah suggests its long past time to clean up the corruption at this market, and that Dave Barkman resign from his commission post before somebody demands his removal for cause.

Seniority Abuse At The Market

On Tuesday April 6th, 2010, during the Public Market Advisory Commission meeting, a public hearing will be held on an application to transfer seniority rights. However, since the City of Ann Arbor has not placed PMAC meeting minutes for January-March 2010 on the PMAC portion of the City's website (isn't that part of what the $12,000 IT charge to the Market Operating Fund should cover?), the average citizen cannot rely on meeting minutes to know why such a public hearing is being held. The only public reference, other than the notice given in PMAC agendas for March and April 2010, is in an Ann Arbor Chronicle (March 4th)article on the March PMAC meeting. From the article: "The commission discussed a request to transfer market seniority from Ken Preilipp to Karlene Goetz. Preilipp – of HillTop Greenhouse & Farms – is retiring and has applied to transfer his seniority to Goetz, a relative who also sells at the market.

A public hearing on the transfer is set for the commission’s April 6 meeting. This is part of a standard process whenever a transfer is requested, said Molly Notarianni, market manager. The commission will then make a recommendation, which will be sent to the city’s community services administrator for a final decision.

Responding to a question from commissioner Diane Black, Notarianni said there are limited conditions under which seniority can be transferred: When someone dies, retires or the business is purchased.

Peter Pollack told commissioners that they should plan to vote on the transfer at the April 6 meeting."

We at Fuzzbollah think that the commission was not counting on the stinking pile of crap below:











What the complaint, from 2005, indicates is the displeasure of a group of 28 other vendors at the market with any seniority being given to Carleen Goetz, since she was maintaining a stall of her own at the market, along with or alongside Preilipp. The complaint also states that a previous complaint had been filed about Preilipp/Goetz seniority by another vendor - George Merkel - two years prior to this complaint!!

So why didn't the Market Manager(s) at the time - Louise Wireman in 2003, or Jessica Black in 2005 - DO ANYTHING about these seniority complaints??? These complaints were never even brought up before the commission in 2003 through 2007 (Look at the meeting minutes for those years - oh, wait a second, that would require an FOIA). Why do issues at the market drop out of sight and fester for years before action is taken?

With the issue of seniority and transfer of seniority rights at the market (Ann Arbor being probably the only Farmers Market in the whole US that has such a convoluted set of seniority and transfer rules), one gets the sense that seniority is "important". This next bit comes from another paragraph out of the Chronicle's article: "After the meeting, Notarianni clarified why the status of a vendor’s seniority is valued. There is a seniority list that records how long each vendor has been selling at the market – some vendors go back several decades, she said. At 6 a.m. every Saturday, the market manager gathers with the vendors to assign stalls for the day. A vendor’s seniority determines the order in which those stall assignments are made – the most senior vendor gets first pick, and so on." What Mollie won't acknowledge is that the City of Ann Arbor does not have COMPLETE records to indicate true seniority. In fact, in the past, seniority was determined by date of first APPLICATION to sell at the market, and was only recently changed to date of being issued a permanent stall.

Furthermore, just 3 years ago, Community Services Administrator Jayne Miller allowed Scott Robertello, who claims he owns Kapnick Orchards - which he most certainly DOES NOT - to transfer seniority rights from Kapnick Orchards to Kapnick Farm Market (or Kapnick LLC, or R&S Farms - or all 3 business entities - the City's Legal Department isn't clear about this) all WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC HEARING!! Such selective enforcement of rules is blatantly unfair.

All one has to do is ask Ann Arbor attorneys Kevin McDonald, Abigail Elias, and Mary Fales of the City's Legal Department the following: At what meeting of the Market Commission was a transfer of seniority recommended for approval for Scott Robertello to change from Kapnick's Orchards to Kapnick Farm Market (or any other business entity)? How was this transfer officially documented?

So, I can just picture everybody lawyering up depending on the outcome of this April 6th hearing for Preilipp and Goetz. If the PMAC recommends an OK for the seniority transfer, then at least one of the group of 28 that signed the complaint may bring suit against the City. But if the transfer is denied, then Preilipp and Goetz may sue the City for giving a pass to Robertello - and to Wasem's (when old lady Wasem died in 2007, a transfer of seniority would have been a mere formality, but then, per the rules, Bruce Upston would only be able to transfer seniority to 3 stalls - not the 4 they currently sell from). At the very least, you will see a whole bunch of angry vendors.

Better yet, why not just scrap the corrupted seniority system, start fresh and unbiased, and go to an annual lottery system?

Former Market Commission Chair Fights For Better Baked Goods Rules At Market

In this posting, Fuzzbollah is allotting to former Market Commission Chair Luis Vazquez the Bully Pulpit. He proposes to speak before the Ann Arbor City Council, and protest at the 90th Anniversary of the Farmer's Market. Below is an open letter to be sent to City Council, the Parks Advisory Commission, and the Public Market Advisory Commission. If you wish to support Mr Vazquez's petition, please do so in the comments section below the posting.

Take it away Mr Vazquez:

It is said that one bad apple can spoil a whole barrel full.

The Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market is billed as a “producer only” market. Customers of the market rely on the notion that vendors are growing the produce, making baked goods from scratch, and hand-making crafts sold at the market. In fact, as the 90th anniversary of the Farmer’s Market is being celebrated, the city’s website contains the following statement “The Ann Arbor Farmers Market features locally grown food, plants, prepared food items, and handcrafts, all sold by the wonderful people who make them.” My concern is for the integrity of these statements and notions, and to bring to your attention rules that are not being followed that could damage the reputation of our Farmer’s Market.

Chapter 31 of City Code states the following:
2:94. Persons who may use.
The Public Market may be occupied by persons who are offering for sale articles of their own raising or production.

Market Operating Rules state the following:
V. MARKET OPERATIONS
1. Vendor Operations
A. Vendors shall use the Market in strict accordance with the Market Rules, and Chapter 31 of Ann Arbor City Code.
B. All food and products offered for sale at the Market must be grown or made by the vendor who offers the product for sale.
G. Vendors shall not misrepresent the quantity, quality, type or origin of food or products in any way.
H. All food and products offered for sale at the Market must be grown by the vendor, or made by the vendor in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana.

I am directly approaching City Council with this matter because I have attempted to get redress of grievances through the proper channels and have been ignored. As a taxpaying citizen who has served over 5 years on the Market Commission, including 2 years as Chair of the commission, I feel I am getting the runaround from Ann Arbor’s Parks and Recreation Department.

In March of 2009, I contacted the Public Market Advisory Commission and asked them to consider and adopt a set of rules regarding baked goods (attached) that explicitly define what baked goods items are acceptable for sale at the market. When I was Chair of the Market Commission, we worked on such rules, but never got to the point of adoption of these rules as the Market Commission was dissolved in July 2007.

At the Public Market Advisory Commission meeting of April 21, 2009, I brought forth a complaint regarding vendor Kapnick’s Orchards after finding this vendor on the list of a baked goods supplier. I asked the PMAC and the Market Manager to inspect this vendor to verify the origin of their baked goods (not just their pies – all of their baked goods).

The Public Market Advisory Commission and the Market Manager have never replied to me regarding the consideration or adoption of the proposed baked goods rules, so I am appealing directly to the Ann Arbor City Council to adopt them.

Regarding my complaint about Kapnick’s Orchards, I never received a reply from the Market Manager, but did receive a reply from her Supervisor Jeffrey Straw, who states in an email “Our rules currently state that baked goods must be produced by the vendor but the definition of "produced" is not exclusively specific and therefore left to the decision of the market manager.”

I have no objection at all to vendor Kapnick’s Orchards continuing to sell apples and other produce that they grow. However, I vehemently object to any vendor having an unfair advantage over other legitimate baked goods vendors by using “thaw and bake” products, and putting a Kapnick’s Orchards label on them. There is evidence that Kapnick’s Orchards is not making or producing their baked goods they sell at our Farmer’s Market, and that deserves an investigation, not some bureaucratic baloney that the definition of a “producer” is so unclear or nebulous.

The Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market has already lost one legitimate baked goods vendor because of Kapnick’s deceptive baked goods practices. Big City Bakery owner Scott Newell found he could not compete with “thaw and bake” products being sold at the market and decided to not sell at the market anymore. Scott Newell’s business is located in the City of Ann Arbor, he pays taxes, and he also served on the Market Commission prior to it being dissolved. Scott wrote the proposed baked goods rules that are attached, and they deserve consideration and adoption.

I will be protesting at the 90th anniversary of the Farmer’s Market, and asking people for their signatures on a petition supporting adoption of the attached proposed baked goods rules. There will also be an opportunity for people to support the petition on-line.

Furthermore, I am asking City Council to consider discontinuing operation of the Farmer’s Market by the Parks and Recreation Department. My observations and experience tell me that Community Services Administrator Jayne Miller has dropped the ball in making improvements to the market’s physical structure (including years-long delays in basic maintenance) and market operating rules. I have absolutely no confidence in Jayne Miller, or Jeffrey Straw, to make the changes necessary for a successful market. They disregard citizen input, have contempt for community organizers, and make all of the decisions themselves regarding policies of the market. The most recent example is the imposition of increased stall fees. The Public Market Advisory Commission was not kept informed in a timely manner, opposed the stall fee increases, but was overruled by city functionaries – including City Council. If the Public Market Advisory Commission is so ineffective, and can be capriciously overruled, then why have a commission in the first place?

There is also citizen resistance to using any Parks and Rec millage taxpayer funds to make improvements to the market’s physical structure. I think it is tragic that after spending over $120,000 of Market Operating Fund money for a Master Plan, that City Council tabled indefinitely the proposals to build additional structures and water retention measures on the market site. Instead of the Farmers Market being a better revenue generator and a much more viable public space, we are stuck with a dull -looking, mismanaged, impossible-to-find-parking-nearby space.

A more suitable overseer may be the Downtown Development Authority, as they are more closely aligned with the business community in Ann Arbor. The market site is really a parking lot most of the time anyway. Perhaps the DDA can get Market Operating Rules revised in a timely manner, and enforced. The Farmer’s Market deserves a fresh start with the slate wiped clean.

City Council should seriously consider what is happening in our city regarding local foods. There is substantial interest in creating alternative farmers markets – the Zingerman’s lot on the westside of Ann Arbor, and the Liberty Lofts property come immediately to mind. The focus would be on artisanal foods, local foods, and organic foods. These markets have the potential of taking business away from the traditional Farmer’s Market. I believe businesses at Kerrytown would suffer the loss as well. If citizens and visitors cannot be assured of the origin of their produce and baked goods, then “we the people” will seek out alternatives.

The proposed Baked Goods Rules are as follows:

DEFINITION OF BAKED GOODS
Definition of seller: A seller is the producer of the item or items sold. There can be NO RESALE of pre mixed, pre formed or pre baked items not made by the seller. The seller must be the producer/creator of the item/ items sold as defined below.

If the item is a baked good then that item must be MIXED, FORMED and
BAKED BY THE SELLER in exact accordance with the following definitions:

Pies: No pre made thaw and bake or pre made thaw and serve pies are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Pie fillings must be mixed by the seller. Any canned fillings must have additional new ingredients which distinguish it from the original canned product added by the seller and the pie shell must have been mixed by the seller and formed by the seller. The pie must be baked at the business address given on the application which must be the true location of business and production of the item.

Cookies: No pre made thaw and bake or thaw and serve cookies are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Cookies must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller. Any pre mixed ingredients must have additional new ingredients added by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

Breads: No thaw and bake or thaw and serve breads are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Breads must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller. Any pre mix ingredients must have additional new ingredients added by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

All other baked items: No thaw and bake or thaw and serve baked goods are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. All other baked goods items must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

Other baked goods examples:
Brownies may be from a pre-made box mix only if new ingredients are added to said mix. Brownies must be mixed by the seller and formed (rolled, cut, etc) by the seller and baked by the seller, at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

Pizza must have crust mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and ingredients added and baked by the seller, at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

EXCEPTIONS: The thaw and bake rule can be waived ONLY if the seller mixed and formed and then froze the items themselves. No thaw and bake items are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market unless the seller froze the items they mixed and formed and baked themselves.

Example:
Breads can be mixed, formed, frozen, (baked or unbaked) then sold only by the seller who makes them.

Pros: Since most of the baked goods sellers at the market already meet the above criteria, they will be affirmed in the knowledge that the items offered for sale are unique and comply with Market Operating Rules, and also will gain the public’s trust.

Cons: Those vendors who violate these rules will be forced to either increase their costs of operation to comply with the rules (possibly increasing prices paid by the consumer), or they will have to forego the income they would otherwise make at the Farmer’s Market from baked goods.