My apology to Observers and Lakewood.

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Jim O'Bryan
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My apology to Observers and Lakewood.

Postby Jim O'Bryan » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:59 am

Today I am sitting here, embarassed, and sadden over the Observer's attmept to get information out to the public. We thought we had a format that would allow for the emotion, the theatrics, to be pulled from the electorial process.

Some members of the Advisory Board, thought we had a process that would add to the program and the city, not detract. Others from outside the Observer board, fought it from day one. In the end I was fighting to keep this discussion alive, only caring about keeping it fair and honest between the candidates.

Jeff Endress thank you for a thankless task that ended up pitting friends against friends as the emails, and calls flew non-stop from the moment it was announced. The LO V Debate Committee never wanted this to get as ugly as it got behind the scenes. I personally never wanted you or your family to suffer, and stand by your decision to kill the debate. in the end, I have to believe that the Advisory Board is stronger and more dedicated than ever.

Mayor Thomas George, Ed FitzGerald and Ryan Patrick Demro, thank you for trying.

I am sorry to put the city I love so dearly through this.


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Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Dustin James
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Postby Dustin James » Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:37 pm

Not sure why there are no replies to this Jim.

Maybe I'm just too far removed from the maelstrom. We live in times where the notion of friends pitted against friends over ideology is truly cause for a pause.

Which comes first, friendship or ideology? One born of years and sometimes decades of unconditional love and giving the benefit of the doubt; the other an odd mixture of environmental, social, political and righteous opinion. We have our differences of those said opinions, but I think no less of you. I think that you are insane on occasion and on others, laser clear in your direction! So what?

There was a saying in our parents generation, probably left over from WWII. It was a barometer for who you considered a friend: "who would you like to be in a foxhole with?" Not terribly relevant for folks our age (thankfully at least for now), but it spoke directly about character and commitment. Would you literally trust this person to watch your back as you watched theirs - with your life?

I'd gladly be in a foxhole with you Jim. You are extremely creative and passionate about the city of homes called Lakewood, among a host of other positive things.

I'm sorry the debates or whatever did not lay out as planned, but from my limited perspective, I would ask that you not be too hard on yourself and that any detractors would also pause and give you credit for trying.

Life is short enough. Keep up the great efforts and know that you are appreciated!

Your friend.

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Jim O'Bryan
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Postby Jim O'Bryan » Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:44 pm

Dustin James

Thanks for the kind words.

I have taken the Japanese philsophy of business with the Observer.

If it works, we all made it work.

If it falls short it is all on me.

As you know my friend, I would have you and your family in my foxhole any day of the week. I have a house for you and Linda when you are ready.

Thanks again.


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Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Kevin Galvin
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:35 am

Postby Kevin Galvin » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:46 am

Mr. James,

I certainly won't speak for others but I will offer my reason. It would not surprise me if others felt the same way.

I felt no need to comment as I figured it was Jim taking the blame for something that he was not responsible for having taken place.

Your point is well taken however. Jim and I come to the democratic party from different points of the "left to right" spectrum but I have had the pleasure of meeting him. For that reason I felt no need to comment. Since it seems like the big guy knows everyone under the sun I failed to consider that some readers may not know him and hence they would not have known he was being a leader in the true sense of the term.

My mistake, there may be some people reading these posts that have not met Jim. For them I say, JAMES, get your head out of .... you did nothing wrong. Actually, I feel that it would have been difficult for any one person to have pulled it off by themselves. Yea, come to think of it, it was a conspiracy, yea, that's what it was , a conspiracy!! :wink:


dl meckes
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Postby dl meckes » Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:46 am

Kevin - I don't know that I would use the term "conspiracy."

The Observer project is more like a "special op."

The strength and the weakness of the project is the same: people have ideas and can run with them. People try things. There are unintended consequences.

When things work, it's great. Any problems hang out in public for everybody to see like giant underwear flapping on a clothesline.

Jim gets to be the target AND the spokesmodel.

In this particular case, Jeff was volunteered to be the zebra and took a lot of flak because of it.

People tried to do something to get information out. It didn't work out exactly as planned, but all three mayoral candidates participated and got some space in the paper and on the Deck. I didn't see that kind of coverage in any other news media.

In the end, that was a beautiful thing for candidates and citizens alike.


Dustin James
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Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:59 pm

Postby Dustin James » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:15 pm

Freedom of expression is a beautiful thing. Expressing beautiful things IS freedom. Things that are beautiful aren't always free...nor is freedom. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Behold and cherish your freedom to express, for you are beautiful.
-dustin

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kate parker
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Postby kate parker » Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:51 pm

Dustin James wrote:
I'd gladly be in a foxhole with you Jim. You are extremely creative and passionate about the city of homes called Lakewood, among a host of other positive things.



quoted for truth. nothing but love for O'B.

kate


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"To be honest I like president Bush as well" - Jim O'Bryan

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Kevin Galvin
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Postby Kevin Galvin » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:03 pm

[quote="dl meckes"]Kevin - I don't know that I would use the term "conspiracy."

The Observer project is more like a "special op."

DL,

As I have proven in the past, my attempts at humor leave something to be desired. My SNL style conspiracy comment was meant in jest since Jim believes in more conspiracies than most people I know. I hope my comment was taken the way it was meant. In retrospect, I can see how it may have been offensive and that was certainly not my intention.

Where I was going was that Jim did not need to apologize. A variety of things happened that would have been difficult for anyone to coordinate in order to have things end the way they did. The bottom line was that eventually all the info was posted. If things had worked perfect the first time out of the box, it would have been remarkable.

I am hopeful that I explained myself. No offense intended!


dl meckes
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Postby dl meckes » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:54 am

Absolutely no offense taken. I was also teasing Jim.



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