Story and photo by Brent Miller. Read Part 1 of this story.

Customer Service and Service Philosophy: Unleashing Excellence

The Town’s mission statement includes the phrase “providing exemplary services” and two of the Town’s eleven values address customer service:

• Our organization exists to serve our citizens…
• We will provide outstanding customer service that is polite, friendly and responsive.

So it seems fitting to discuss customer service and service philosophy at the retreat. Assistant Town Manager Mike Bajorek presented highlights of a survey about Cary’s customer service and a plan to improve that service.

Town Council members were surveyed using an online tool. Complete results were distributed to meeting attendees; the overall results indicate that council members are quite satisfied with service provided by Cary town staff but that it still remains important to improve customer service. When asked about what they hear from citizens about Cary’s customer service, overall satisfaction remained high although responses were slightly lower than for Council’s own satisfaction with staff’s service. However, customer satisfaction was lower among business owners, according to responses from council members who hear from them. Among a few areas identified for improvement, the Inspections & Permits department was cited most, especially as the cause of lower satisfaction among business owners.

The themes identified most often by the council’s survey feedback were to improve consistency, be more helpful and take ownership of issues. Gale Adcock believes that the lack of consistency and helpfulness is the biggest complaint of business owners in the area of inspections and permits. One recurring complaint from business owners was inconsistency in the form of dealing with different inspectors who provide different information. Bajorek indicated that this stems from the policy of responding to inspection requests the very next day, which means that businesses get very timely responses but are unlikely to have the same inspector each time. Mayor Weinbrecht suggested that perhaps the town’s customers should be given an option – let the customer decide if they prefer immediate responses or are willing to wait to obtain higher consistency. Don Frantz added that taking ownership could also help respond to this dissatisfaction by encouraging staff to help solve inspection issues rather than just identify them.

Mr. Bajorek then described the “Unleashing Excellence” initiative that the town is undertaking to improve customer service. Objectives of this effort are:

• Look at everything through the eyes of the customer
• Relationship (rather than task-based) mindset
• Create moments of “Wow!”
• Hold all employees accountable for customer service

Regarding the last point, Bajorek observed that for town employees, customer service is “not just part of your job – it is your job”.

In terms of overall customer service improvement, Bajorek stated that the town will use training and education, process reviews, measurements and accountability to “unleash excellence”. Initial focus will be on regulatory staff, front-line operations staff with frequent customer interactions, high-use customer processes and web site interfaces.

A spirited discussion ensued about applying these goals to the Town’s web site. Jennifer Robinson advocated for customer-based interfaces that are easier for people to find and navigate – she suggested examples such as “I want to start a business” or “I want to look up a rezoning” as easy ways to interact with the web site. She also believes that current events should be easily and immediately accessible on the home page – she noted that when she wanted to see what time she needed to arrive at the Cary Christmas parade, she could not find an entry on the town’s web site calendar of events. Lori Bush agreed and suggested similar ideas of role-based web site interfaces such as “I am a citizen and I want to…” interactions. She stated that people should not need to click through lots of screens to get the information they want, such as a calendar of events.

Council consensus showed support for the overall customer service improvement initiative, although Gale Adcock wants to ensure that we measure and track current and future data to ensure that we know if we have improved, and Jack Smith reminded staff, “Don’t fall into the trap that improvements will cost more money”.

Cary’s biennial citizen survey is in process now and it will offer some additional feedback about satisfaction with the town’s service – but in the meantime, citizens and business owners can expect even better service as the town “unleashes excellence”.

General Capital Projects and Funding

Budget Director Scott Fogleman led a discussion about capital projects funding, with the main goal of determining whether or not the Town Council would support using borrowed money (that is, issuing bonds) to augment the cash-only funding that has been used for recently so that more capital projects could be completed.

Budget discussions can be complex; many complexities and details are omitted here in the interest of reporting the salient points. As high-level background, though, Cary’s budget has two major divisions: a general fund and a utility fund. The utility fund is essentially a “zero-sum” budget that is funded by utility (water and sewer) fees and that money is spent on utility projects. The general fund is the more familiar part of the budget that is funded by property taxes, sales taxes, various fees and other sources. General funds are spent largely on the services and amenities that the town provides (other than utilities), such as public safety (fire and police), parks and recreational facilities, public works (trash collection, streets, sidewalks and so on), general government and other functions. Both the utility fund and the general fund have an operating component and a capital component. The operating budget addresses day-to-day expenses of operating the town government; the capital budget addresses large projects such as water/sewer plants (in the utility fund), streets, sidewalks, parks, buildings and facilities and other projects (in the general fund). Interested readers can learn more about the budget on the town’s web site (http://budget.townofcary.org/budget/fy2011/bib/bib.htm).

The retreat discussion considered the capital budget component of the operating fund. In recent years, during the economic downturn, Cary has deferred many capital projects such as road improvements. That means that the town has remained economically healthy, achieving a budget surplus each year, but it also means that planned improvements such as street maintenance, new parks and sidewalks and other projects have not been performed. In addition, for the past three years, the Town Council has chosen to fund the reduced list of capital projects entirely with cash, without taking on additional debt. In prior years, the town borrowed significant amounts of money to complete capital projects, and the cost of servicing that debt has grown.

Fogleman reported that the current capital reserve (essentially, cash on hand to fund capital projects) is $19.7 million, and that about $5 – $6 million of capital reserve annual revenue is expected. Capital reserve revenue comes primarily from Cary’s share of the state gasoline tax, transportation development fees and other fees. In addition, operating fund surpluses (money available above and beyond required expenses and the required minimum balance in Cary’s “savings account) has also been transferred from the general fund each year so that it can be applies to capital projects. However, Mr. Fogleman reported that that “excess” amount will largely be consumed by debt service (interest payments for debt that was taken on in past years) in 2012.

But with nearly $1billion of capital projects identified in Cary’s 10-year outlook, and nearly $200 million of those projects included in the 10-year plan (that is, deemed high priority), the funding demand clearly outweighs available capital funds.

The other source of funding for capital projects is borrowed money, typically issued in the form of bonds. In 2003, Cary voters approved a bond referendum for streets and parks/recreation; about $60 million of those approved bonds has not yet been appropriated and could be applied to capital projects. However, this would require taking on that additional amount of debt in the town’s budget (the bond referendum gave the town the authority to issue $160 million in bonds, but only about $100 million has been issued, so to use the remaining available $60 million would require issuing new bonds – that is, borrowing this additional money).

So the options presented to council were:

1. Continue funding capital projects with available cash only (this would mean that Cary would continue to perform fewer capital projects).
2. Use cash plus the additional authority from the 2003 bond referendum to issue $60 million in new bonds.
3. Use cash plus new bond authority to issue some amount of new bonds (let the 2003 bond authority expire and instead present voters with a new bond referendum for capital projects).

Of course, any new bonds issued (money borrowed) has the associated possibility of that political anathema – tax increases. Although Cary’s property tax rate has not increased in many years and previous bond issues have avoided the need to increase taxes, and although revenue depends on many factors, such as the economy, growth and so on, it was apparent that a tax increase is probable if additional money is borrowed. The tradeoff, of course, is how many streets, sidewalks, fire stations, parks and other things are built or improved.

After much discussion, council consensus was to not use the authority from the 2003 bond referendum (that is, let that authority expire and not issue the remaining $60 million in bonds that are approved), review the list of high-priority capital projects and if additional borrowed money is desirable, place a new bond referendum before Cary’s voters in the next year or two. Mayor Weinbrecht summarized this approach, saying “Citizens need to decide how to handle the projects that have been delayed – either accept decreased service levels or accept a possible tax increase to complete the desired projects”. With this direction, Town Staff will provide council with a list of priority capital projects and their associated costs so that Town Council can decide how much money might be requested from voters in a bond referendum. Don Frantz also asked staff to consider the timing of a bond referendum (this year or next year), if one is pursued. Finally, council also achieved consensus to maintain the current debt ceiling that it has established – no more than 15% of the budget expenditures are used for debt service (that is, interest on borrowed funds). So even if a new bond referendum is pursued, the amount of funding would be limited by this debt ceiling policy (currently, Cary spends 11.6% on debt service).

Boards and Commissions Review

The final topic of the retreat was a review of the town’s boards and commissions. The Town has several boards and commissions that consist of appointed citizen volunteers who advise the Town Council on various topics. According to the Town’s web page:

Town of Cary has nine Boards and Commissions. Each is unique in its size, meeting schedule, and specific function; however, the overall mission is the same: To make Cary a place in which we can be proud to live, work and play.

The nine boards/commissions are:

• Citizen Issue Review Commission
• Economic Development Commission
• Environmental Advisory Board
• Information Services Advisory Board
• Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board
• Public Art Advisory Board
• Planning & Zoning Board
• Town Center Review Commission
• Zoning Board of Adjustment

Town Clerk Sue Rowland presented the results of a survey of current and previous board and commission members and their staff and council liaisons. Nearly all boards were deemed highly effective and valuable, with clear roles and expectations, by the survey respondents.

However, there were three clear exceptions: the Citizen Issue Review Commission (CIRC), Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Town Center Review Commission (TCRC) all had lower marks from survey respondents in several categories. In particular, the survey indicated that CIRC and EDC members believe that those commissions are not well utilized by staff and council and some suggested that they be eliminated. TCRC members indicated that their mission statement limits their effectiveness; hence, that commission is not well utilized by Council. Members suggested various actions ranging from eliminating the board to restructuring its organization and purpose.

Using a “sticky dot exercise”, council members selected the boards and commissions that they wanted to further explore for possible changes. It was no surprise that they overwhelmingly selected the three commissions with the least positive survey results:  CIRC, EDC and TCRC.

After much discussion about each of these boards, Council achieved consensus on each one:

• The Citizens Issue Review Commission (CIRC) will be replaced by a “task force” model – that is, when council members agree that an issue needs more citizen study, a task force (essentially a temporary board or commission) will be appointed to perform that study and generate a recommendation. The Council believes that the task forces should be composed in large part of graduates of the Town of Cary’s School of Government.
• The Economic Development Commission had already undergone some introspection by its own members and a subcommittee of the Council. At the retreat, the Council achieved consensus to accept that committee’s recommendations and take other actions that will result in the EDC being replaced by a task force model similar to that of CIRC, to address particular issues as they arise. In addition, a related body called the “governing board” will be renamed and expanded so that it includes Council, Staff and citizen members who will address economic development issues in an ongoing fashion.
• The Town Center Review Commission was chartered to review site plans for downtown development projects, but the projected work for TCRC has not materialized. Hence, the Council determined that TCRC also should be replaced with a task force model, similar to CIRC and EDC.

Closing Remarks

In closing remarks, each participant – Staff and Council – described one “takeaway” of the retreat. Town Manager Ben Shivar indicated that this retreat had provided the “clearest direction of any retreat since I have been Town Manager”. Engineering Director Tim Bailey, who has attended 18 retreats, echoed this sentiment, saying “this is the best council consensus and direction of any retreat I have ever attended”. Planning Director Jeff Ulma summarized, “We’re a heck of a team!”

In his closing remarks, Mayor Weinbrecht thanked Vee Willis for all of her work in organizing the retreat and Michelle Ferguson for “being the best facilitator”. He reiterated his appreciation to Town Staff and stated, “I am honored to work with such an impressive group of people. I believe we work together really well, and I believe we have the best staff in the state of North Carolina”.

Part 1 of this story began with the expectations of new Council Member Lori Bush and veteran Jack Smith. Bush’s reflections at the end of the retreat were positive. She expressed her appreciation for all of the information from staff and stated that the retreat was “different from what I expected. It wasn’t just ‘talking head’ presentations but real discussion and interaction. I felt very welcome and comfortable as the newbie of the group”. Smith noted that this year’s retreat had focused topics that resulted in clear directions. He said he did not really see that single “Aha! moment” this year, but he noted that “the energy spent on the land use plan update will pay off in the future”.

The retreat is a time for staff and council to spend time in an informal environment to explore topics that are important at the time. Although no official action is taken, the retreat establishes important directions for the next year and beyond, and observers will see items from the retreat coming before council for formal votes in the next few months. This retreat established consensus for several topics – so although no official decisions were made to float a bond referendum or abolish commissions, those directions were set and future actions are expected.

Cary citizens can stay informed and become involved in the important business of the town council via the “Town Council” tab on the Town’s web page (http://www.townofcary.org/Town_Council.htm) where one can find agenda and minutes of council meetings and many other related items. And of course, town council meetings, work sessions and retreats are public meetings that are open to anyone to attend.

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Brent Miller has been reporting on Cary Town Council retreats and other issues of municipal government for CaryCitizen since 2009. He is the Vice President of The Friends of Page Walker, a member of the town Planning & Zoning Board and an a 2009 inductee into the Cary Volunteer Hall of Fame.

Story by Bob Fennel. Photo by Tom Mousseau.

Cary-lina, NC – The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 behind Eric Staal’s goal and 2 assists in a loud RBC Arena on January 6, 2012.

These two teams always have great games against each other with the teams splitting the two previous meetings this season.  Coach Kirk Muller made a major change for the Staal line putting Jussi Jokinen and Tuomo Ruutu as wingers with Staal.  The second line remained the same with Brandon Sutter, Drayson Bowman and Chad LaRose.  Third line was Tim Brent, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Andreas Nodl and Jiri Tlusty, Anthony Stewart and call up Brett Sutter on the fourth.

Great Goalies

The game was billed as a top goalie match-up and both Cam Ward and Ryan Miller didn’t let anyone down as both made several key saves, some unbelievable.  The Staal line generated plenty of offense and the puck was certainly in the Sabres end more when they were on the ice.  The entire defensive corps did an excellent job keeping the lanes clear for Ward to see the puck and sending rebounds safely to the side boards. Late in the period, the Brent line had a great shift keeping the puck in the Sabres end for their entire shift getting off several shots and frustrating the heck out of the Sabres. No scoring in the first and no penalties but a very exciting period of good hockey to watch.  Shots after 1: Canes 15; Sabres 12

POWER Play

Sabre Mike Weber was called for high sticking Brett Sutter early in the second. While Sutter took exception and wanted to have a go at Weber, his team mates had to tell him a power play was better than playing 4 on 4.  And right they were as Staal won the initial face off with Jokinen picking up the puck.  Jussi skated to a clearing then passed over to Justin Faulk on the left point.  Faulk took a few strides to the center then let go a hard shot with both Staal and Ruutu well positioned in front, not allowing Miller time to react as the puck found the back of the net.  Just 21 seconds later the Sabres tied it up on what appeared to be a missed assignment when Thomas Vanek was left all alone on Ward’s right post.  The Canes defensemen had the crease covered so to me, it looked like they needed a forward down low for help in the coverage. The Canes had another power play that again looked better than the past few games even though they didn’t score.  At the end of the period, the Tlusty line made every opportunity of their ice time forechecking well in their offensive zone as the puck never crossed the blue line. Shots after 2: Canes 23, Sabres 21

Great Third Period

Staal’s line first shift in the third was again full of energy, speed, skill and with Ruutu, body slamming.  On their second rush, Gleason sent the puck wide to the right of Miller hitting Ruutu’s stick.  The puck careened off the back boards to Staal.  Staal collected the puck on his back hand, quickly to his forehand while on a strong move to the net, he then banked the puck off Miller into the net.  A few minutes later, on a soft play deep in the Canes end, Jamie McBain and Jason Pominville tangled for the puck. Pominville pushed the puck toward the goal with the puck bouncing off Ward’s left skate into the net.   On a strange play that must have been a ‘I’ll make up for that later in the game’ play, Jokinen and Nathan Gerbe went at each other along the boards near the penalty box.  Uncharacteristic for both players and they’re both class, skilled players.  On the subsequent 4 on 4, LaRose picked up the puck at the Canes blue line quickly going up the right wing. Brandon Sutter and Tim Gleason read the play extremely well for an odd man rush.  Sutter put on his jets with Gleason wisely and his defensive nature settling in at the blue line.  With Sutter going wide in text book fashion, LaRose kept the puck, releasing it at the right moment and shooting it to the long side of Miller to give the Canes their third lead of the game. With just under 4 minutes to go, Faulk got called for the softest cross check in the entire NHL this season.  Jay Harrison had another solid game and with 2 minutes to go, got high sticked, cancelling the Sabres man advantage. When Faulk came back on the ice, the Canes had a power play.  Staal stole the puck just inside the Canes blue line, passed to Sutter in stride for the clear.  Sutter crossed the red line up to the right side of the Sabres blue line.  His eyes got as big as golf balls seeing the empty net and somehow got off a shot as he was being hooked down to the ice.  How sweet it was seeing that puck glide into the net with the Caniacs living up to their reputation of the loudest house in the NHL.

This was a great game to attend.  Large crowd and it was good to see the woman in section 323 in the Sabres sweater again.  First saw her in ‘Movember’ when folks in the NHL grew facial hair in support of men’s health awareness.  Her goatee looked great.  Shot totals: Canes 35, Sabres 33

Story and pictures by Lindsey Chester. Above, Abby Roberts, owner of the new Scout & Molly boutique in Cary’s Stone Creek Village.

Cary, NC- Cary just upped the fashion factor with Scout & Molly’s now open in Stone Creek Village.

The Stone Creek shopping center in Cary is the fourth location for the locally owned chain.  Scout & Molly’s is a women’s clothing boutique with an eclectic mix of upscale fashion.

I asked store owner Abby Roberts why she picked Cary and she replied that circumstances  just fell into place when she met franchise owner Lisa Kornstein Disbrow. Abby had just packed off her youngest child to kindergarden and was looking for a new project. She was debating opening a store and had begun doing her research when she met Lisa. Lisa had always wanted a Cary location. The Stone Creek Center’s location and surrounding demographics were a perfect fit.

Who’s the Customer?

Abby says she had one idea when she opened the store, but everyday the customer is evolving. A high school student can find a top just as easily as a soccer mom who needs something for a party, or a business woman who needs a jacket.

Premium denim is a best seller

Best Selling Items

Scout & Molly’s is known for their premium designer denim and the Cary store is no different. Jeans that retail around $160 are displayed in a unique way on an antique church pew right down the center of the store. A range of styles and washes is available to fit every body.

Accessories have also been extremely popular and Abby has three local jewelry lines that are arranged artfully on tables in a range of price points. She noted that these lines can do custom orders.

Dresses and dressy tops for a night out  have also been popular. Now that cool weather is on the horizon, some jackets are beginning to sell. A faux leather bomber (fooled me) at about $100 is almost sold out. Military styling also continues this fall and she had a couple jackets near the register with antique buttons calling my name.

One of the many colorful racks at Scout & Molly's

The store is arranged by color with areas of navy, purples, yellow/oranges, black and neutrals gathered together. She buys limited quantities of each style, so a customer won’t run into someone else wearing the same thing on a night out. Most of her lines are exclusive to the store in this area.

Key Brands

In Denim she buys Hudson, Joe’s and AG, and other lines include: Joy Joy, Suzanne Monaco, Alison Ann, Trixie, Michael Kors and French Connection.

Franchise a Big Help

Abby noted that her partnership with franchise owner Lisa is a key to how she was able to open the store and learn the business at the same time. Lisa’s extensive knowledge about brands, margins, and budgeting have been key to this location’s initial success. Each of the four stores buys independently which results in some differences in the merchandise mix.

They all have the pear green and bright color scheme but only Abby’s Cary location has an enormous peacock mural painted on the wall.

Mural painted by local artist Jennifer Wood

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photos by Leslie Huffman and provided by JustNeem.

Cary, NC – Sometimes a business starts with just a seed. An idea to create a quality product and at the same time make a positive change in the world.

That is what Peter and Magda Radtke have done with their Cary-based company JustNeem.

The Seed

Peter, a biochemist by profession and Magda, a teacher, wanted to do more and put their passion to work in a meaningful way. After traveling with a Disaster Relief Organization doing work in Africa, Peter met with folks from Mauritania. This area of Africa is 90% desert and the people there suffer with extreme drought and poverty.

Looking for a way to help and researching the scarce resources that existed there, the indigenous desert trees were explored. The mahogany-like tree, the Neem, was growing well in this part of Africa. In India, the Neem tree was well known as the “village pharmacy” because of it’s healing properties and had been used in medicinal practices there for over 4000 years.

Peter then turned to his many colleagues in biochemistry to do further research into Neem’s healing properties. At the same time, Magda had been busy with her hobby of soap making. The concept of bringing all of these activities, ideas and products together was then rooted.

JustNeem Grows

All parts of the tree have been studied extensively in Neem research. The fruit, and in particular the kernel, contains oil with very high amounts of active bio-molecules. These bio-molecules hold a variety of beneficial compounds. Well-documented properties of Neem include its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral effects, as well as its role in accelerated wound healing.

It is with these healing oils that JustNeem makes their products. All soaps and lotions are made with the finest cosmetic grade raw materials and contain Neem and other natural ingredients.

Beginning with small craft and art shows like Cary’s Lazy Daze Festival, JustNeem sprouted. Soon, their products were picked up by Whole Foods Market and now appear in the Southeast region and New York Whole Foods stores as well as small local shops around the country.

JustNeem Blooms

On a visit to their soap kitchen in Cary, I got a first hand look into how they make their amazing soaps. The smells of florals, tropical fruits and spices wafted through the air.

I saw how all the products were handmade in small batches and wrapped and labeled individually. Here is a list of the bath and body products now being produced there with Neem oil:

• Soaps -20 different scents, all made with natural ingredients including lavender, shea butter, cranberries, Aloe Vera, ginger, vitamin E, coconut & sunflower oils
• Body Lotions – 9 different scents and all contain the valuable properties of Neem and act as a natural skin protector and soothing agent.
• Outdoor Body Spray – Neem oils combined with herbal extracts provide a deterrent to biting insects without the use of chemicals. Also used to disinfect minor cuts and sooth itching skin.
• Men’s Shaving Soap & After Shave – Contain the antiseptic and healing properties of Neem and soothes the skin after shaving.
• Bath Salts & Tub Tea – Soothing to the skin.
• Lip Balm – Protects and moisturizes.
• Neem Cure Oil – Neem oil has been known for centuries to help treat topical wounds, skin blemishes, burns, and infections.

JustNeem body products can be purchased locally at all Whole Foods Markets, A Southern Season, at small boutiques or at JustNeem.com.

What I do know first-hand is that the soaps have been fabulous for my teenage children’s’ skin. It has dramatically reduced acne breakouts for both of them. I have also been using the body lotion (Green Tea Scent) and love the smell and moisture it brings to my skin.

These products containing the Neem oils are said to also treat:

• topical wounds
• skin blemishes
• burns
• infections
• eczema and psoriasis
• athletes foot
• bug bites
• diaper rash

This stuff really is amazing!

Returning to its Roots

Peter and Magda have been collaborating with humanitarian organizations in Mauritania, West Africa to help create jobs centered around this tree. The Neem tree can be used to generate income for families simply by planting the tree and selling its leaves and fruit.

Magda and Peter travel to Mauritania on a regular basis to visit their partners there. They purchase all their Neem raw material from Mauritania, using existing Neem trees and paying a fair market price for labor and goods. This helps create jobs and generates income for families living with few resources.

With proceeds from soap sales, JustNeem is now funding the planting of Neem trees in neighborhoods surrounding the city of Nouakchott and have established a Neem tree orchard. The goal: to create a self sustaining industry in Mauritania with Neem, providing it’s people with jobs, a fair income and a richer life.

Perspective

There are few people you meet in life that want to make the world a better place and then actually act on that desire. After doing my own research into the benefits of the Neem tree, and what it’s fruits might mean for those in an impoverished country, I know that Peter and Magda have found their future.

Their dedication to providing wonderful quality products in a family company and  improving living conditions in Mauritania is steadfast. It was no accident that Peter and Magda made the therapeutic Neem tree the base of their business.

Just like the tree itself, JustNeem has shown it has healing powers.

Cary, NC- Mission Heart Hug, the nation’s only program dedicated to collecting and distributing shoebox gifts to military spouses, is partnering with Chick-fil-A, Crescent State Bank and Penske Truck Rental for a gift drive entitled “Mission Possible.”

From Dec. 10 through Dec. 17, 12 Central North Carolina Chick-fil-A restaurants and 13 Crescent State Bank branches will serve as collection sites for gift boxes. Penske will provide the use of their trucks to facilitate pick-up and distribution of the shoeboxes to military spouses this holiday season.

Mission Heart Hug

Mission Heart Hug was started by Dr. Steven and Mrs. Diane Rumley, co-founders of Encourage Her Ministries, as a way to thank and support military spouses. The son of a World War II veteran, Dr. Rumley proudly followed his brother into the Air Force, where he served for four years before beginning his life as a minister.

While many worthy programs provide shoebox gifts for the more than 1.4 million active duty soldiers in the United States and abroad, Mission Heart Hug offers a way of saying thanks by providing an opportunity to prepare shoebox gifts for military spouses this Christmas season. Mission Heart Hug has distributed around 100 shoebox gifts to military spouses and has a goal of distributing 1,000 gifts this year.

How to Help

Participating Chick-fil-A locations will include a Mission Heart Hug postcard with every purchase from Dec. 1 through Dec. 17. On Dec. 14, select Chick-fil-A restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to Mission Heart Hug to support the Mission Possible holiday shoebox drive.

Supporters of the cause can participate by preparing a shoebox with appropriate gifts, along with a $7.50 donation (tax-deductible check payable to Encourage Her Ministries) to help cover shipping and other project costs, and dropping them off at participating Chick-fil-A restaurants or Crescent State Bank branches between Dec. 10 and Dec. 17.

Suggested gifts for military wives

• pocket-sized Bible
• book of inspiration
• lip gloss/balm
• shower sponge
• bath lotions/gel
• body spray
• note pads
• journal
• stationery
• stamps
• jewelry

Suggested gifts for military husbands

• a pocket-sized Bible
• book of inspiration
• coffee samples
• non-breakable mug
• nail clippers
• shower gel
• deck of cards
• gum, hard candy
• note pads
• pens

Monetary donations can be made online through a secure PayPal account at www.missionhearthug.org.

“No one has ever given me a gift while my husband is gone”

Chana, a military spouse whose husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan, wrote: “My children had been so excited to see what was in the box. To all of our surprise, most of the contents was for me. This was not very common. I wanted to send you this e-mail to say ‘Thank You.’ I cannot begin to explain to you how special it made me feel. No one has ever given me a gift while my husband is gone.”

“We are extremely grateful for all prayers and donations that will bring small comfort to military spouses this Christmas season,” said Dr. Rumley, who also serves as pastor of Potter’s Hand Bible Church in Apex. “They and their family members sacrifice every day so that we may enjoy our freedoms.”

Cary Donation locations:

Chick-fil-A in Stone Creek Village
1000 Valleystone Drive
Cary, NC 27519
Phone: (919) 465-0699

Crescent State Bank
Cary Preston Branch
1005 High House Road
Cary, NC 27513
Phone: (919) 460-7770

Cary Kildaire Branch
1155 Kildaire Farm Road
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 467-7400

For more information, visit The Mission Heart Website, call 919-274-7344 or e-mail Friends@EncourageHer.org.

Cary, NC – You know those hard to please teens? Five Below has their number, the number being $5 or less.

As previously reported, Five Below recently opened a store in Cary’s Crossroads Shopping Center. They have an interesting concept – everything in the store is $5 or less. It’s aimed at teens and pre-teens. They sell a wide assortment of items including sporting goods, games, fashion accessories and jewelry, hobbies and collectibles, bath and body, candy and snacks, room décor and storage, stationery and school supplies, video game accessories, books, dvds and more.

I wanted to know more about the concept, so I called the company in Philadelphia. They connected me with CEO Tom Vellios.

Superstar CEO

Five Below was founded in Philadelphia in 2002 by David Schlessinger, creator and founder of Encore Books and Zany Brainy along with Vellios, former CEO of Zany Brainy.

They saw a need – stores that focused on teens and preteens in their post-toy age and that sold trendy items at a kid-affordable price points.They have 39 stores from Massachusetts to North Carolina and west to Ohio.

Tom says their store in Cary has exceeded his expectations.

Trends for Holiday 2010

I asked Tom what trends they are banking on this holiday season.

Tom said two of their “top 10″ are already performing:  Cuddlee Pets, at $5 are already a huge hit, as are their jeggings (you know, those jeans- leggings).

“What we do best is that we find ways to bring the highest quality and the latest trends.”

He went on to explain that their stores are comprised of eight “worlds” and that they have employees who become the experts of their “world”  and determine key items they must have. Big volumes allow them to keep their prices extremely competitive.

Last year’s picks

Asked what were hot items last year, Tom immediately mentioned Christmas hats and stockings emblazoned with sports teams logos. What’s the latest for 2010? Gnomes! Especially gnomes with team logos. They are planning this item as their door buster on Black Friday.

“Our shoppers want gifts that are useful, but also fashionable, and in line with the trends and product lines they’re seeing at high-end retailers,” said Tom Vellios. “Teens and tweens will only choose merchandise that supports their dynamic, high energy lifestyle, and Five Below’s expertise at identifying and satisfying those desires has been a key part of our rapid growth.”

Want to please your teens? Look for this:

• All things tech. Technology is an integral part of the youth lifestyle, inextricably woven into young peoples’ daily lives.
• Products that help teens express their personal style. Fashion can be the ultimate form of self-expression and creativity for teens
• Classic still sells. Teens still demonstrate a strong desire for the traditional gifts that have been exchanged for generations before them, like board games, craft kits and sports balls.

This year’s top 10 holiday gifts for $1 to $5 include:

1. $5 iPhone and iPad accessories, such as cases, chargers, and screen protectors
2. $5 jeggings, the increasingly popular and comfy jean-legging combo
3. $5 Cuddlee pets that translate from cute and cuddly stuffed pets to comfy pillows
4. $5 craft kits, like make-your-own friendship bracelets
5. $5 video games and accessories for the Wii, DS Lite, Xbox 360, PS3, and PS2
6. $2.99 Ty Beanie Bandz: a brand new wearable item from the creators of Beanie Babies
7. $5 sport balls from classic brands like Spalding, Wilson and Franklin
8. $5 infinity scarves in bright colors and pastels
9. $5 fragrances
10. $3 gag gifts like candy poopers – Santa, reindeer and snowman figures that “poo candy” and make…um…”applicable sounds” too!

Your teen may already knows about Five Below. Take them there. It’s a great place for a trendy and fun Christmas gift sized perfectly for teen wallets.

Happy shopping!

Cary, NC – It’s great to make Money’s Top Ten. And it’s satisfying to be in Forbes Top 100, too. But it’s even better when our kids lead the nation in education. That’s the picture one gets from the release of results for the 2009-2010 AP Test scores.

Wake County Scores Above State, South & USA

Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) scored well above the nation and the region by all measures. This snapshot of Percentage of AP Exams Scoring 3 or Higher tells the story:

The average score for 2009-10 in Wake County was 3.39. The average in N.C. was a score of 2.89.  The U.S. average in 2008-2009 was 2.88 (2010 data not yet released for the nation).

Wake County students who took AP exams scored a 3 or higher 76.4% of the time.

How Tests Are Scored

AP Exams test high school students in a wide range of subjects from Calculus to World History. From WCPSS:

AP Exam grades determine whether a student is qualified to receive college credit or advanced placement into a higher level course in college. The scores are reported on a 5-point scale as follows:

• 5 = Extremely well qualified
• 4 = Well qualified
• 3 = Qualified
• 2 = Possibly qualified
• 1 = No recommendation

Growing Body of AP Students

Another measure of achievement is the growth of students taking AP exams. More from the report:

The number and proportion of WCPSS students taking AP courses and exams continues to grow.

Between 1996-97 and 2009-10, the student enrollment in WCPSS grew by approximately 63%. During that same time, however, the number of students taking AP exams increased by 238% and the number of exams taken increased 269%.

More and more Wake County kids are taking on the challenge of college level coursework in high school. That’s a very good trend.

Congrats to All

Don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers – Wake County citizens have a lot to celebrate when it comes to schools.

Congratulations to all the adults who make our schools work – teachers, staff and parents.

Most of all, congratulations to our kids. I mean, what teenager wouldn’t rather watch Made than study AP Calculus. But study they do. Everyday.

Take your AP student out for pizza or an ice cream. Show them you appreciate all their hard work and achievement.

Film review by Andrew Johnson for CaryCitizen

Director: Randall Wallace
Starring: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, James Cromwell, Scott Glenn
Runtime: 116 minutes
Rating: PG, for brief mild language.
The Bottom Line: A dull and predictable loser of a film with some pretty dangerous messages to boot.

Are you tired of feeling down in the dumps?  Frustrated by recession woes?  Don’t worry, there’s a new movie out there that’s sure to make you feel better!  It’s about a horse, and it will remind you that if people were able to overcome incredible obstacles in the past, surely you can overcome all of your problems now!

At least, that seems to be the thrust of the marketing for Secretariat, the latest in Disney’s ever-growing series of inspirational sports films based on true stories.  Set in the early 1970s, it follows Penny Chenery (Diane Lane), a well-to-do housewife whose father has become too ill to take care of the family farm.  Despite being urged to sell it, she realizes that one of the colts of a pregnant mare has the genes rendering him a potential racing champion.  The ownership of the colt was to be determined by a coin toss with a millionaire named Ogden Phipps (James Cromwell).  It’s a coin toss Chenery loses, but she ends up with the colt she wants anyway after he chooses another.  Called “Big Red” off the track and “Secretariat” on, the horse is Chenery’s only chance to save her family’s property, but he’ll only be valuable enough if he wins the Triple Crown.  Spoiler from history: he does it!  If that comes as a shock to you, then you haven’t seen many movies.  Unfortunately, the film fails to recognize that when the ending is already set in stone, the journey there needs to be entertaining, insightful, and in general worth two hours of our time.  Not only is it one of the dullest films I’ve seen all year, it’s also surprisingly dangerous in its depiction of traditional American values and the all-important ideology of victory.

I won’t deny that Secretariat’s Triple Crown win was astounding, or that it could potentially make for a good film, but Secretariat presents everything with such nauseatingly bubbly Pollyannaism that all dramatic tension is thrown out the window in favor of tried-and-true inspirational fluff.  The script is the stuff of Hallmark movies, and the performances don’t fare much better.  Not even Diane Lane and John Malkovich can overcome trite dialogue and clichéd speeches about believing in oneself and the virtues of winning.  While I wouldn’t expect much more from a Disney sports film, Secretariat takes its positivity to such an extreme that it’s downright boring, with all potential threats easily vanquished under the sheer force of Penny’s willpower.

It all feels like a carefully constructed studio endeavor meant to appeal to the same crowd that made last year’s The Blind Side such a financial success.  Like that film, Secretariat follows an upper-class white woman who takes a chance on a supposed lost cause and nurtures it to success.  And like the compassion of Anne Tuohy, Penny Chenery’s decision threatens to disrupt her relationship with her family and results in intense scrutiny and pressure from other (primarily male) members of her class who don’t approve of what she’s doing.  The only difference is that instead of resorting to covertly racist stereotypes in order to promote healthy, implicitly white, family values, Secretariat thankfully just goes ahead and casts an actual animal as the object in need of upper-class saving.

That doesn’t change the fact that the film is a love letter to the predominantly white, horse-racing bourgeois culture of the 1970s.  Though it disguises itself as “progressive” by including scenes that portray Penny as a feminist icon, such as one in which she storms into a gentleman’s club in order to seek advice, it glorifies the white-dominated culture of horse breeding by avoiding all other issues that were going on at the time.  Despite the fact that at this point in time America was in the midst of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, no mention is made of outside events despite the fact that they’re part of what made Secretariat’s story so transcendent in the first place.  The reason Secretariat’s victory was “inspirational” wasn’t because just it was the first Triple Crown victory in 25 years, or because his owner was a woman, it was because it came at a time when, much like now, America was trapped in the middle of intense international and domestic conflict.  The film reduces all this to a few shots of Penny’s daughter getting ready for an anti-war play, since God forbid we stop thinking about the troubles of a few rich socialites who risked hundreds of thousands of dollars on an entire horse race.

Meanwhile, the film’s only non-white character, Secretariat’s groom Eddie Sweat (True Blood’s Nelsan Ellis), is portrayed as so obsequious and joyfully submissive to his white employers that for a second I forgot which century I was living in.  African-American culture is reduced to old-fashioned stereotypes while the culture of the white elite is portrayed as that of hard-working, never-say-die winners.  “You ‘bout to see somethin’ you ain’t never seen befo’!” exclaims Eddie, who also sings and loves God, since in the worldview of Secretariat all black people must be soulful and religious.  Actually, Eddie, we have seen this before, in the subliminal racism of films like Song of the South. Now, it’s possible that Eddie Sweat may very well have been like this in real life.  But when packaged in a film so clearly aimed at appealing to middle-class, primarily white viewers, the “facts” carry some pretty insidious messages along with them.

The most damaging theme of all, however, may be that which draws most people to the theaters.  While there’s already a plethora of inspirational Disney sports movies out there, what makes Secretariat so despicable is the extremes to which it presents its go-the-distance morality, particularly given the current historical context we find ourselves in.  This isn’t just a film about how working hard and being smart will bring success.  Rather, Secretariat argues that simply believing you’ll win is enough.  Ignore the advice of everyone around you, even the most sensible and practical suggestions, since if you just want them bad enough you’re sure to get even the most outrageous rewards.  It’s a message seemingly fueled by the rags-to-riches promise of the American Dream, but at least that myth revolves around supposed merit as opposed to simple desire.

“Risk” is a concept that takes on quasi-religious proportions.  So many elements rely on chance, yet Penny never stops believing, so it’s only natural that all her dreams come true.  She even obtains Big Red through a coin toss that she loses. As soon as she realizes her opponent will get his choice of colt, and that he’ll choose the one who isn’t Big Red, she nearly squeals with glee.  Don’t you see, America?  Losing is actually winning!  Even if you take a gamble and lose, you’ll still win in the long run!  Quick, somebody call my real estate agent and tell him the good news.

Another subplot involves Penny attempting to sell the breeding rights to Secretariat for an astronomical sum.  The only way it would be worth it to investors is if Secretariat wins the Triple Crown.  The odds against this are so high that you have to wonder if the people investing in Secretariat were borderline insane.  And yet, the film’s depiction of Penny is one of uncompromising optimism and naïveté.  She believes in Secretariat, so he has to win, right?  We already know he will, so there are no true stakes to be communicated in her gamble, and her financial manipulations are portrayed as practically a sure thing.  We’ve already been told Secretariat is a product of eugenics and selective breeding practices, so if anyone can pull it off, it’s him.

Again, while I’m not arguing against the film’s presentation of facts – that’s what actually happened, after all – it’s discomforting to see risk exalted to such a high standard when we’re still recovering from an economic recession brought about primarily by financial gambles with no guarantee of returns.  In order to make ends meet short-term, Penny must convince others that Secretariat’s breeding rights will be profitable in the long run and won’t, to use a term ripped from the headlines, become “toxic assets” that are ultimately worthless.  At one point Ogden even offers to buy Secretariat from Penny for enough money that would allow her to pay off her father’s debts and ensure the farm’s survival.  Yet she denies his offer, claiming, “If he does what I think he’ll do, his value will double, if not triple.”  “You’re that stubborn,” he retorts.  “I’m that right,” she quips in response.  Her blind faith overrules logic and she even passes up her original goal – saving her father’s farm – in a grab for more.  If this film were set on Wall Street, she’d be a villain.  But since we’re in the Virginia countryside and Penny seems like someone with healthy “family values,” she’s actually a heroine who saw potential that others ignored.  In Secretariat, risk isn’t risk at all; if you just believe hard enough, everything’s sure to turn out in your favor.  The final jab comes at the end of the film, when Secretariat’s victory celebration is scored by a gospel choir rendition of “Oh Happy Day,” which cements the concept of winning as a religious ideal that should be pursued no matter the long-term risk to yourself and those around you.  Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that the case of Secretariat was the exception, not the rule, and it’s irresponsible to promote it as anything but a tremendous risk that miraculously avoided disaster.

At its core, Secretariat is a science fiction film disguised as an inspirational family drama, proudly enforcing the lie that you can do whatever you want and succeed if you just believe it hard enough.  Chenery’s real-life accomplishments are neutered into cliché movie tropes that don’t do Secretariat’s victory justice. There’s even a scene involving mind control, in which she communicates her middle-class American values about the importance of winning and beating the odds to Secretariat just by looking him in the eye in order to spur him on to victory.  And no, that’s not joke.  I could barely contain my laughter when I realized I was watching a movie based on real events that involved a woman telepathically talking to a horse.  Secretariat’s blind optimism is so overwhelming that the film slides into self-parody without realizing it, all the while continuing to proclaim that if you just want it bad enough you’ll get it, damn it!  Real life would suggest otherwise.  Perhaps the film’s hilariously oxymoronic tagline sums it up: The Impossible True Story.  It’s the only honest message to be found in Secretariat.  At the end of the day, its subject’s victory was a miracle, not the norm, and our current national strife shows that to claim otherwise isn’t just foolish, it’s downright destructive.

Andrew Johnson is a freelance writer and the host of MovieChatter, a weekly film discussion podcast.  He also blogs about film at The Kuleshov Effect.  Of all the opinions out there about the current state of cinema, he swears that his are the right ones.

Film review by Andrew Johnson for CaryCitizen

Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language.
The Bottom Line: If this movie was a Facebook status, it would be worth a solid “Like.”

The rise of social networking may very well be the defining  characteristic of this decade.  The use of the internet not merely for commerce or website creation but as a hub for the vast majority of social interaction is a development of the times that has had a radical impact not only on the way we conduct business but on our day-to-day lives, down to every minute detail.  Where we once had to work hard to exchange information about ourselves, it’s now at our fingertips at the click of a button.  I used to have to think really hard to remember what each of my friends did for a living.  Now, through sites like Twitter and Facebook, I might know what they had for breakfast this morning.  The world is drowning not in any concrete substance, but in information itself, and the new film The Social Network shines a light on how we got here.

An origin story for an entrepreneurial superhero, The Social Network is less about the invention of Facebook and more about its creator, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg).  A sophomore at Harvard eager to become one of the social elite, he accepts a proposal by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer in a dual role), both Olympic crew rowers, to create an online networking site for Harvard students.  He gradually spins this into his own creation, “The Facebook,” on which anyone with a Harvard email account can upload personal information about themselves and connect with others.  When it becomes an overnight sensation, he hires his best friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) as CFO, but it isn’t long before he catches the attention of Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), whose ideas threaten to create an obstacle for their friendship.  The film flashes back-and-forth between this period of time in 2004 and several legal meetings he would later face in the wake of lawsuits from both the Winklevoss twins and Saverin.

It’s a classic story we’ve seen a million times before, a rags-to-riches story about how greed corrupts and just because you have more money doesn’t mean you’ve found fulfillment.  The difference between The Social Network and its predecessors is that Mark Zuckerberg isn’t an innocent hero who gradually becomes undone over the course of the film.  He’s an antihero from the very first scene, in which he’s dumped by his girlfriend not for being such a nerd, but for being so condescending towards those that are not.  He may be a visionary, but it’s only because he’s a misanthrope trying to distinguish himself from the pack.  Unlike the Winklevosses, who believe in being “gentlemen of Harvard” and treating problems in a dignified manner, Zuckerberg understands when you’ve stumbled upon a great idea the only that matters is who gets there first, no matter the cutthroat measures it might take.  Second place is the same as last, and you aren’t worth knowing unless you’ll help him reach the top.

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing”) takes a formulaic and boring story – the creation of a website isn’t exactly an action-packed topic – and turns it into a Shakespearean drama of revenge and betrayal.  The dialogue consists of his trademark rapid-fire succession of jabs, one-liners and smart-alec remarks that turn every scene into a verbal battlefield.  This isn’t just conversation; at times, it’s war.  He wisely stays forsakes truth in the name of telling a dramatic story, factual accuracy be damned.  Let’s be clear: this is not an accurate portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg.  It reduces him to a monotone bully, and even goes as far as to imply that the creation of Facebook was in essence just a way to get revenge on – or possibly impress and win back – a woman.  Are we really supposed to believe that the world’s youngest billionaire is so anti-social and petty?  Well, it might not be true, but I’m guessing the result is far more entertaining than the real thing.

Sorkin’s script is expertly translated to the screen under the direction of David Fincher, who draws fantastic performances from his cast of young actors.  Andrew Garfield’s turn as Salardo confirms him as one of the most talented up-and-coming actors working today, while Timberlake gives his smoothest performance yet.  But it’s Eisenberg’s show, and he gives it his all, at last moving out from under Michael Cera’s shadow and beyond simplistic “shy and awkward” character traits.  His Zuckerberg is still socially awkward, but that’s just because he’s an angst-filled visionary with little patience for most of the other puny minds around him.  He thinks nobody respects him, so he doesn’t respect them in return.  Eisenberg deadpans sarcastic one-liners and implicit insults with such stone-faced intensity that the true soullessness of his character is quickly revealed; he’s part man, part monster, part computer, and the combination might be deadly.

Fincher crafts Zuckerberg’s world with his signature color palette of murky blues and browns.  His aesthetic style presents Harvard not as a bright gateway to success, but as a swamp-like environment where everyone competes to be king of the jungle, and the alpha male isn’t the one with the biggest muscles but with the most cunning mind.  Though it might first seem puzzling why the director of Se7en and Panic Room would feel compelled to direct what was at first jokingly referred to as merely “the Facebook movie,” it soon becomes clear that The Social Network fits naturally into his filmography.  Like many of Fincher’s protagonists, Zuckerberg is a disaffected young man struggling to come to grips with his place in a spiritually dead society.  He’s a cross between Fight Club’s Tyler Durden and The Game’s Nicholas Van Orton, filled with anti-establishment rage but ruthless enough to claw his way to the top.  Like those two films, The Social Network contains a strong anti-materialism slant, asking what good it is to be wealthy if it costs us our souls.  The film doesn’t ignore the irony that although Mark may have invented a network for people to “friend” each other, he has no real friends of his own except for the one he’ll eventually stab in the back.  In this respect, perhaps it’s an adequate reading of the times: it becomes much easier to manipulate to hurt each other if we don’t treat our “friends” as anything more than an avatar on a screen.

While social networking may the defining development of the decade, that doesn’t automatically make The Social Network its defining film.  Don’t believe the hype.  This is not the next Citizen Kane, or the best film of the year, or even the best entry in Fincher’s filmography.  When it comes to the issue of how social networking has impacted society, films like We Live In Public and even this year’s Catfish present a much more complex and compelling take on whether or not sites like Facebook are ultimately helpful or harmful.  The Social Network is a story we’ve heard a thousand times before.  That said, it’s a story told extremely well, and a riveting look at how one man’s insecurities lead to an invention that will change everything.  The Mark Zuckerberg of The Social Network may be a jerk, but now he’s on top of the world, and the same forces that led him to create Facebook – the desire for success and acceptance among “friends” – now quietly engulf you and me.  From anonymous, hate-filled posts on internet message boards to that funny tweet about your cat meant to impress others with your wit, there’s more of him in all of us than we’d like to believe.

Andrew Johnson is a freelance writer and the host of MovieChatter, a weekly film discussion podcast.  He also blogs about film at The Kuleshov Effect.  Of all the opinions out there about the current state of cinema, he swears that his are the right ones.

Film Review by Andrew Johnson for CaryCitizen

Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin
Runtime: 133 minutes
Rating: PG-13, for brief strong language and thematic elements.
The Bottom Line: A sequel that manages to surpass the original in nearly all respects.

“It’s bulls***,” proclaims Gordon Gekko in 1987’s Wall Street. “I don’t create.  I own.  We make the rules… We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the hell we did it.”  The true implications of that statement become apparent in Oliver Stone’s new sequel to that film, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.  Inspired by the 2008 financial crisis and the resulting recession, the film  asks how much bulls*** the economic elite can keep piling on before the world drowns in it.

Our protagonist this time around is Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), a young Wall Street trader whose mentor commits suicide after rumors spread by a rival (Josh Brolin) cripple his firm’s value.  Hungry for revenge, Jake finds a new father figure in the form of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), who famously proclaimed, “Greed… is good” in the original film.  After spending two decades in prison, Gekko is eager to reconnect with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan), Jake’s fiancée.  The question is whether he’s really a changed man or just the same old shark hoping to use the financial crisis to get back on the top.

Douglas is electric.  He sinks back into the role that got him an Oscar with ease, bringing a heartfelt sincerity to Gekko’s pleas for forgiveness while retaining a sense of cunning.  He may be sorry, but he’s still crafty, and jail gave him a lot of time to think about his next move.  Brolin is wonderful, as usual.   And Shia LaBeouf holds his own against the veteran actors, proving he was smart to take a year between projects after his disastrous turns in the Indiana Jones franchise and the atrocious Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  Now that his face isn’t being plastered on billboards every few months he reminds us that the reason he hit it big in the first place is that he’s a legitimately talented actor.  The character of Jake is his most complex role yet, and he pulls it off with flying colors.  It became easy to make fun of him once he was being promoted as Hollywood’s next big “it” boy, but the truth is that of the new crop of young leading men in rotation he’s by far the most charismatic and likely to have staying power.  However, the men are all overshadowed by Carey Mulligan, fresh off her Oscar nomination for last year’s An Education.  Her portrayal of a young woman caught between love and a fear of her father’s materialism is flawless, and cures all the bad memories of Daryl Hannah’s hokey delivery as the love interest in the original.  Between this and Never Let Me Go, it’s clear she’s destined for greatness.

The original film was at its best when directly tackling the moral grays of our financial institutions.  The new one lives in these ambiguities, with every scene dripping with commentary and a harsh depiction of a system in ruins.  Given Stone’s politics, it’s unsurprising that he’s so critical of the economy’s movers and shakers, with the federal bailout being portrayed not only as an improper response to a conceptually sound system, but as just another example of hypocrisy that reveals the free market’s inherent culpability.  Somehow, despite its extreme cynicism, Money Never Sleeps still feels remarkably mature, never taking the route of the original in directly stating the point.  Sure, there are on-the-nose shots of literal bubbles about to pop, but on the whole it’s a much more natural approach to the issue of economic growth and excess – at least until the final scene, which is so pat and obviously studio-influenced it nearly nullifies both films that preceded it.  Perhaps it’s because the social critique is bolstered by a believable emotional crux in the form of Jake’s relationship with Winnie.  Or maybe it’s just because we’re still dealing with the effects of the economic downturn.  For whatever reason, it’s easy to identify with the anti-establishment sentiment coursing through the film, and though it’s all very dialogue-driven it’s far from dull.

In the original Wall Street, Gordon Gekko was the personification of the evil excesses of an unregulated free market, but his unchecked greed was counterbalanced by the actions of Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), who showed that maybe there is honor among thieves.  In the sequel, Stone doesn’t just critique the people at the top of the financial food chain, but the system itself.  Is the free market inherently a broken system, doomed to repeat the same cycle of bursting economic bubbles until the global economy collapses entirely?  He seems to think so.  In Money Never Sleeps, both individual and institutionalized development is founded on deception, from executives’ manipulation of the stock market to Jake’s manipulation of his girlfriend.  Long-term progress is forsaken in the name of short-term gain, and actions such as those taken by Fox won’t stop exploitation, but merely decide who’s doing the exploiting.  In Wall Street, greed was good because even though it left most Americans at the bottom of the heap, it catapulted the economy forward.  In Money Never Sleeps, we come to realize that eventually greed will just carry all of us, the rich included, to our own destruction.  Gekko may have been wrong about greed, but he was right about the bulls***.  That’s something else that never seems to sleep.

Andrew Johnson is a freelance writer and the host of MovieChatter, a weekly film discussion podcast.  He also blogs about film at The Kuleshov Effect.  Of all the opinions out there about the current state of cinema, he swears that his are the right ones.

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