Danny V for Vegas Vacation

[XLFD]

At the two city council meetings in March, local entertainer Danny ("Danny V") Vargas arose to voice his support of a splash pad at Copeyon Park.  There's nothing wrong with expressing your opinion at a council meeting, we fully support Danny V's First Amendment rights, and look forward to him coming forth at future meetings and joining the debate.  

At the first meeting I wrote of Danny displacing the arguments of those opposed:  "The main problem with Ben & Danny's theory is that none of the opposition to the splash pad is against it because it is a new thing. They have voiced concerns strictly due to location and the process used to get it rammed into that location."

At the second meeting, he resorted more to generalizations of those who opposed 'fun' and how to solve the wheelchair access problem-- by having other people drive them down and up the steep hill and let them walk to and from the splash pad.  Nevertheless, there's nothing wrong with not having a sensible argument when you speak at council meetings, it's just something I wouldn't advocate.

But just before this last meeting Danny V had made a short film (V for Video), posted it on his Facebook account, explaining where he professes his love (V for Veneration) of the idea of a splash pad going across from his business and about two minutes in he makes a rather odd sounding marketing ploy:

Danny V:  "I am going to donate trips to Vegas, Orlando, any... to anybody that spends $50 or more in donations for the splash pad. How can I do it? I can, I'm Danny V, that's how I can do it. I am doing it because it's something good in the community. You wanna know more, hit me at my in-box, send me an E-mail."  

Traveling on the road from Ludington to Las Vegas is nearly 2000 miles, one way, requiring about 80 gallons of gas and 19 hours of travel time.  Gas alone is $200 just to get there.

Traveling by air from Grand Rapids to Vegas would be $300 for economy-seats for 1 adult.

Traveling by bus from GR to LV is around $250 at the cheapest.

Travel expenses alone for one individual one way already eclipses $200, how can he do it?  He's Danny V (V for Value?), that's how!  Or maybe it's Danny V (V for Volume) where he packs his own Danny V-hicle with people and keeps losses to a minimum.  Or maybe it's just a sham.

It reminds me of persistent callers who would harass my mother on the phone, one that would try to interest her in an exotic cruise worth tens of thousands and another that would tell her she won $800,000 to $3,000,000 in the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.  They would explain to her that they were hers if she sent a modest sum to pay for processing, taxes, verification, etc. amounting usually between $500 and $1000.  These definite scams sounded a lot like Danny V's offer to 'donate trips to Vegas' for a $50 donation.

It's been a while since I've went to Vegas, so I had a friend (Harold Peterson) see what was going on with Danny's offer by sending Danny V a letter in his Facebook messenger inbox (it wasn't the letter 'V').  

After getting no response, Harold noticed that Danny had put up a post the very next day puffing up the splash pad and dissing the detractors.  The following exchange began with Harold pasting his previous night's question:

Notice how Danny V (V for Vampire) shrinks from shedding any light on his generous offer.  Rather than show exactly how he can offer Vegas Vacations for those who donate $50 to the splash pad, he restricts Harold to sending him an E-mail, when the inbox of Facebook would be much quicker and painless for both concerned.  Danny V would go on to explain why he couldn't divulge his methods over a secure Facebook messenger inbox.

"I said inbox me and replied here to E-mail me.  This is the methodology I and my firm use to document the best practices of any offer and is just being prudent.  So as not to have bots gathering information from social media... I could of blocked you or deleted you but now folks can see what happens when you or others like you do to try to make someone look bad while hiding behind a keyboard."

Apparently, Danny V is paranoid and worried about bots on social media, but for some reason thinks E-mails are somehow more secure to data collectors.  Boldly, he threatens to block someone asking him questions about an offer he made, while he doesn't even live up to divulging how his scheme works.  Except through an E-mail he doesn't even make readily available.  Harold makes the observation that his offer is nothing more than a cruel hoax by Danny V (V for Victimization) to trap the unwary.  Danny V turns it back on Harold saying the only cruel hoax is him having a fake persona, and that Harold is actually me.  I will neither affirm or deny that to protect the innocent.

Having been looking in on this interesting exchange, I write in my own official Facebook persona "Xavier (XLFD) Luft" (with my Christian name exposed in my "about" page):  "Did someone call?  Peterson's profile may be fake to protect his/her identity, but so is your offer used to entice the unwary into making other bad investments of their hard earned money.  Get involved with something honest."

To which Danny V (V for Venomous) exploded in a cascade of ad hominem attacks on me, most of them false or misleading, in a weird tirade that is still out there... but I can't see it, because Danny V (V for Vanquished) decided that he didn't want to debate or to describe his scheme so that anybody could understand what they were getting into for their $50 donation, and blocked both Harold and I shortly after Danny V (V for vexed) lost his cool. 

And lost any real street cred.   What kind of man blocks another for the one statement I made about his offer?  Danny V (V for Vaginal discharge?).  Most people around Ludington are smart enough to realize that your donation of $50 to the splash pad won't get you the Vegas trip or the Orlando excursion of your dreams from some riffraff like Danny V (V for vexatious) who can't even take part in an adult conversation on Facebook or at city hall.  Those who aren't smart enough, are the ones at city hall trying to put a splash pad in at ill-suited Copeyon Park.  Ironically, it is those people he has been tagging in his posts.

[shinblind]

With Apologies to the King

Goose poop splashpad gonna set my bud'
Gonna set the bud'get on fire
Getting whole lot of grant money ready to burn,
So set that swag up higher
There are thousands to bilk waitin' out there
And they're all livin' in debt they don't care
And we can go bankrupt with no money spare
Viva Lud Vegas, Viva Lud Vegas

Viva Viva Lud Vegas

In Danny V's defense he didn't specify which Vegas

And there is an Orlando, an unincorporated community in Rockcastle County, Kentucky although why anyone in there right mind would want to go there is beyond me.

https://www.evensi.us/lud-vegas-lincoln-hills-golf-club/292025337

https://roadsidethoughts.com/ky/orlando-xx-rockcastle-tidbits.htm

[Freedom Seeker]

Hilarious shinblind, but I'll never hear Elvis' song right again. Hopefully Mitch will see thru the budget. Mitch said some things in MCP interview that point to getting us out of this mess. At least recognizing it.

Danny V apologies about his comment about contact sports seems honest, but too late with the sped arrow. That's the only trouble with not having a prepared speech.

Four things return not:
The sped arrow
The spoken word
The lying lips
And hands that shed innocent blood

And we get only one time to make a first impression.

[AQUAMAN]

And this is Mayor Steve Miller's buddy too!

[Willy]

I figured there had to be more than meets the eye regarding the splash pad because common sense is not a guiding principle in the decision to use Copyeon Park. I thought that the adjoining condos had something to do with influencing the support for this. I still may be right but I can now see that by crossing the street many of the answers can be found. Danny V has revealed himself to be a self promoting machine. There's nothing wrong with his drive to get things done, however in this situation he is bucking many of the locals who can clearly see that this pad is a bad idea at it's present location. Along with Vargas are a host of people that have organized to move Ludington in a direction that will not benefit the people who are the rock solid base of the community. Many of these people like V are one minded and completely ignore the wishes of the people and this, as I see it, is the cause of most of Ludingtons problems. They influence City Hall and are involved with grants and other forms of raising funds for their projects. Many of the people who have the most influence are transplants and outsiders who bring with them ideas of how they can change Ludington into something other than what it is. All you have to do is see where these people are originating from. Most people who settle in Ludington from other areas do so because of it's hometown flavor not big city amenities. On V's Facebook page is a comment that describes how he approaches his projects, " I do not lose I win always. I either learn or accomplish the task or events I am involved with". Now there's nothing wrong with that attitude unless you are fighting public opinion. Another thing I noticed on his Facebook page is that his current city, hometown is New York, New York. You have to wonder who V is communicating with because I don't think it's the average Ludington citizen. 
The Community Foundation for Mason County, which is affiliated with the Muskegan Community Foundations, has a site on it's web page for raising money for the splash pad. I don't feel that this organization should be involved. Using groups such as this can be beneficial for charitable and necessary projects but for a splash pad money pit with deep ties to local Government who will be using tax dollars for it's existence is completely out of line. The roots of this splash pad plan go deep into the underbelly of politics and is why local citizens who are not happy with this project cannot get a word in edgewise and have little influence on decisions regarding it's construction. Outside influences again working in contradiction to locals. Besides the local elected officials there are a cadre of people who make the decisions for everyone else. No wonder X has been resisted at every turn. Ludington has it's own deep state.

[XLFD]

Thanks for your research, Willy.  Maybe that's why the 'deep city' people in Ludington like Copeyon Park for the splash pad:  you can't get much deeper down a hill than that.

[Willy]

It's not surprising that Danny V has deep ties outside of Ludington while thinking he holds sway over it's politics. We've seen this play out time after time in Ludville. This seems to be the standard operating procedure for transplanted  progressives who have changed every area they have transplanted to. Many parts of the Country have been shifted from Conservative to Leftism by these  gypsies of politics. Conservatives want to get along and are traditionally more moderate when it comes to change, but lefties want change on a major scale like children scooting from one toy to another. I'm not saying Danny is a lefty. He just acts like one.

[Freedom Seeker]

Good points Willy. I like your last statement of qualified political correctness. Attack the idea, not the person(s), an act Danny V could utilize. His ranting and raving surely attacks people who have opposing ideas to his, especially since he acknowledges just coming into the arena. A good politician at least acts like he listens to the other side, and to get politically correct, even a newbie in an argument should realize that one doesn't just drop handicapped people off and "let them walk" in their wheelchairs, good point X. Wasnt there a washington politician who made that insensitive blunder a few years back?

What about the hundreds of non-handicapped kids that want to walk to the park or ride their bikes? It's like city council has blinders and earmuffs on to needing sidewalks for pedestrians into the park. Wake up city council and do your jobs ethically. Who is this project for?

[stump]

And it seems that every response on this thread is indeed attacking the person not just his ideas. I wonder why anyone would speak up at a council meeting, get chastised or ignored by the council or roasted on the TORCH.

[Willy]

I completely disagree stump. These posts are simply responses to the actions taken by people whose interest are self serving and do not reflect common sense. Please show any post that would be considered an attack. These posts only show what citizens of Ludington are up against, who is involved, some history behind the people pushing the splash pad and the reasoning for the posts. Some humor has been sprinkled in but that can hardly be considered an attack. I thinks it's strange that you compare the Torches freedom of expression to disagree with decisions and actions by City officials and their cronies to the outright slandering perpetrated by those same people which is and has been an on going effort to diminish citizens concerns.  I guess we just see this situation differently. This forum is a reaction to what happens and would not exist if not for X who has been slandered and persecuted without so much as an apology.

[XLFD]

Thanks for the check, stump, it's sometimes easy to get carried away on forums like this-- but in my defense at least I started off by noting that Danny V had the right to say his stuff at council meetings, even though I couldn't recommend his viewpoint.  I never attacked him for that, but for his Facebook gimmick which was definitely deceptive to say the least, downright dishonest if you want to be closer to the truth.  Others whose comments you may see as abrasive saw that too.

Following more research, you don't actually get a trip to Vegas or Orlando as he claims, rather you get hotel stays at those places that are effectively free except for room taxes.  He is able to give that away when you give him personal information and likely some commitment that will bind you to a contract you might not be able to afford or need. 

Getting to either place is on your dime.  Getting free rooms and free drinks in Vegas isn't new, you just have to show you're spending a lot of time gambling or doing something else to compensate for their loss, getting free rooms is a way to attract suckers.  Similar schemes apply for Orlando.  The expected amount of money you will drop in their local establishments on the average will be a lot more than a few hotel room nights is worth.  Plus it will hopefully attract you in the future.  Danny V gets his own points when he finds new blood, and who best to prey on than somebody that donates to something like a splash pad in ill-suited Copeyon Park.

[AQUAMAN]

I didn't witness anyone attacking Danny V. at the council mtg., he's the one on the attack on anyone that either wants the pad in a different location, or not at all. For all intents and purposes, he was invited in by the Mayor like a crony, to do his bidding in support of the entire project at Copeyan Park as the only place for it. Just another implant here for only 1-1/2 years from NYC of all places. Then his main argument against locals is they just don't want to see people have fun, what a lame brain thought process there!!! Like others have calmly and cooly suggested, the soccer field, Oriole field, tennis courts by OJ, all are far better suited for a location, and all already have restrooms and changing rooms now.