mrdducci
Member since Jun 3, 2019
Recent Comments
Re: “'A Comedy of Errors'”
Also to Anon,
We need to 'waste millions' on tourism infrastructure like the Visitor Center and the Canopy Walk and the zoo because they are about quality-of-life issues, giving locals and outsiders things to do, and more importantly perhaps, because they are wealth generators. They are the things that bring money from outside that then gets spread around so we can pay our police and have safer neighborhoods-and streets without pot-holes, that will then speak to those average, middle-class folks that maybe Eureka is indeed a good place to live, work, and play. Tourism isn't the only answer, but with Humboldt's and Eureka's natural assets, it's low-hanging fruit, and as those tourism generated revenues help lift the Humboldt and Eureka economies, everyone benefits, even you.
Re: “'A Comedy of Errors'”
To Anon,
I totally agree. That's one reason why we were so eager to get our shot, to once and for all dispel the perception that locals are nere'do wells who only get opportunity because they 'know somebody, or are part of a 'good old boy' network. We are neither. The Humboldt Made Creative Team is made up of outsiders who came to LIVE in Humboldt at some point in their lives for various quality of life reasons, while we plied our trades and developed our skills marketing, branding, and selling, to a national, and in the case of Yakima, an interntationl market. In my case, with no prior business experience or training, I was able to attract an all-star team of individuals, mostly locals, and we went from 0 to 25 million in fourteen fun, wild and profitable years. We won awards for innovation and customer service from some of the largest outdoor retailers in the nation. The publication of our annual catalogue was hailed as a significant event by the folks on the floor of our 1,500 retail outlets, because it was lively and fun and rich with information about a complex product line, AND quite purposefully, it featured Humboldt County in the photography. When the Isuzu people came to do an ISO 9,000 quality check, we got a perfect score, with the exception of two details, and to our chagrin they were written up in their final report. They flagged the paper towels we used for napkins, and the splinters on the park benches up in Redwood Park where we had several business lunches in the sunshine. They'd never had a picnic business lunch before, much less one surrounded by glorious redwood trees. Other than those two details they declared their visit the BEST vender visit they had ever made. So don't tell me because I live here I don't know how to sell, or market or brand. Izuzu and the rest of the marketplace loved us because we made a great product and we always strived to be genuine and authentic, and real. So now that I've waved my own flag, I have to ask you. What are you doing personally to make Humboldt and Eureka a better place to live, work, and play-the initiative at the foundation of the City proposal-besides being grumpy and taking pot-shots. Just curious.
Re: “'A Comedy of Errors'”
Greenson's article is by far the most accurate description of what took place around the RFP and the proposal submissions. What he left out, and will likely never be revealed, that is in private conversations with key council members, a clear majority of them and City staff feel that Humboldt Made is the better choice; for it's bottom up strategies, vs. Eddy Alexander's top down approach, not to mention HM's current track record and it's boots on the ground, highly skilled and committed local team, myself among them. I for on would welcome the "significant exposure to litigation." Yes! Sue the City, assholes! Then all the chronology, and the facts would be made known. And all the speculation, mis-information, outright conspiracy theories and uninformed jealous bullshit would be blown-up and tossed aside, the end result being that Humboldt Made's submission debacles, and there were some, I grant you, would show up as not materially affecting our proposal in any way that gave us an advantage or a leg-up. As locals, we wanted this opportunity to finally get to do the hard work ourselves, in a genuine and authentic way.
Re: “Eureka Staff Repeatedly Provided Council, Public Inaccurate Information About Marketing Contract Process”
Im part of the Humboldt Made creative team. All we hoped to do was apply our considerable skills, energies, and knowledge of Humboldt and Eureka to move the County and the City forward in a genuine and authentic way. We dont need people from across the country to tell us who we are and what to do about it. Working with the community we can do that ourselves, thank you. I fear that poor management of the processes involved will eliminate a worthy group of locals who were ready to give everything weve got for Humboldt and Eureka. Read the proposals folks, and judge for yourselves. And remember, its hard not to be part of an inner circle when the circle is so small to begin with.
Re: “Billboard Gets Unsanctioned Anti-racist, Anti-KKK Facelift”
One billboard at a time. Black lives matter!