Is the Newport Beach Fire Department Union soo afraid of losing their boy that they are resorted to Bullying Steve "the Union Meal Ticket" Rosansky's November opponent?
Apropos to the way the Newport Beach City Council does business, the Newport Beach Police and Fire Department Unions already had their minds made up on who they were endorsing before giving a chance for the other viewpoints to be heard...
...and they made it very clear at the beginning at the opponent's interviews that they were going to try to intimidate and bully "The Union Meal Ticket's" opponent out.
No surprise that this Union does not like the Democratic process...especially when their "Meal Ticket" is at risk.
Welcome to the Union controlled City of Vallejo...I mean Newport Beach...
CORRECTION - The Bullying and Intimidation did not come from the Entire Fire Department Union as a whole, only from one particular, and individual, member of the Fire Department Union interviewing committee. While this does not change the fact that the Endorsement was given BEFORE the interview was conducted, it does correct my earlier statement that the Entire Fire Union was trying to intimidate and bully. Only one member of the Union's committee was. Sorry for "Not Getting My Facts Straight."
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Councilman Keith Curry's Summer Newsletter
For the past year or so, I've been complimenting Councilman Keith Curry and Councilwoman Nancy Gardner for keeping the "subjects" up to date with their periodic newsletter.
With that said, here's Councilman Curry's latest edition.
As always it's really informative on the going ons in the City for the past summer.
However, since I've been pretty sick the past week, I could only keep my eyes focused on the big print, so I know Keith discusses John Wayne Airport, the Group Home situation, the Budget and Benchmarks, and the new City Hall.
...but I don't really know what's in the small print which follows the large bold print.
I can't really read this very well to even proofread myself, so I apologize for any typos, grammatical errors, or spelling mistakes I may or may not have made...
Anyways, enjoy.
With that said, here's Councilman Curry's latest edition.
As always it's really informative on the going ons in the City for the past summer.
However, since I've been pretty sick the past week, I could only keep my eyes focused on the big print, so I know Keith discusses John Wayne Airport, the Group Home situation, the Budget and Benchmarks, and the new City Hall.
...but I don't really know what's in the small print which follows the large bold print.
I can't really read this very well to even proofread myself, so I apologize for any typos, grammatical errors, or spelling mistakes I may or may not have made...
Anyways, enjoy.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Property
I dreamed last night I told Mayor Daley that I would pay more property taxes in order to provide hot water and shelter for everyone. (In the dream, the amount I paid was about half what it is in reality.)
I am a homeowner. I have a stake in the city. In the neighborhood. We have boxes on the front porch awaiting pick up by strangers who are moving. (One of the wonders of Craig's List.) The next-door neighbors are selling their house. I told them the boxes would be gone soon, that I didn't want to lower their property value. When I was in junior high, our principal said that if girls wore pants it would lower the property values. In eighth grade there was a protest. I didn't take part. I was too chicken. But a girl named W wore jeans, and in Mrs. F's math class she put her feet on the empty seat in front of her. Mrs. F jumped on it immediately: When girls wear pants they put their feet on the furniture. In school, the desks were always called furniture.
By high school we were wearing cut-off jeans and halter tops, though that principal put a stop to flip flops, then known as shower sandals. It was a safety issue. The principal liked to defy the school district and had a flowery sign over his office that said Love Room. Or something like that. There was a smoking area outside, which was considered progressive. No one brought up the health issue.
I remember a discussion about having police in the school. I don't know why it came up; maybe because drugs were found in lockers. I was on the student council and that was probably where we discussed it. Some of us objected (did I? I don't remember) and the counter argument was, If you're doing nothing wrong, why would it matter? And: If you're driving and you see a cop, what's your reaction? My reaction is I'd rather not see them. I tense up. I check my speed. And is that good or bad?
Now we have cameras at intersections to record erring drivers. When I lived in Miami, I remember there were police cameras on South Beach because there were so many muggings. This was when it was populated by frail, retired needle-trade workers with Yiddish accents. What does the city owe us and what do we owe the city? Chicago is like a nation-state. It could be very democratic, with 50 representatives on the city council. But I think a majority of them were appointed by the mayor. Meanwhile, I have not protested enough that yoga classes were discontinued a year ago at the park district when the teacher retired, and the district still hasn't found a new teacher. The park district is a public body that is supposed to be responsive to citizens. But the citizens needs to make themselves heard.
***
But what is property? Architects see buildings as containers for shapes. I don't believe exactly that property is theft, but most property in the US was originally ill-gotten. We feel that we don't deserve this big house. We also feel a responsibility to keep it up. It's about 110 years old and historic in a general way. We don't know its history. The headquarters at school is a mansion that came with a scrapbook about its history. It was built for the publisher of a long-dead newspaper and Will Rogers came there once to a party. When I went to the Millay Colony for the Arts, I saw that each person who stayed in a room wrote her or his name on the jamb. At another artists colony, Ragdale, the residents write notes in a notebook in each room. We have our say. We note where we were. What we did. I walk down the streets of Chicago thinking about what it looked like 50 years ago, a century ago. Some people go back further, and see prairie grasses and swamp where skyscrapers are now. (In French, gratte-ciel, sky scratcher--aggressive in both languages.) And part of everything growing around us, the trees and fertilized grasses and flowers, are tiny fragments of people who used to live around here. I assume someone somewhere has hypothesized about the process, about how long it takes for a body to decay in the ground, then become part of the atmosphere and material world. We bring dead flowers to decorate graves (we in general, not Jews) and then some caretaker takes them away. Jews leave stones, and eventually the stones become part of the earth and so on.
I am a homeowner. I have a stake in the city. In the neighborhood. We have boxes on the front porch awaiting pick up by strangers who are moving. (One of the wonders of Craig's List.) The next-door neighbors are selling their house. I told them the boxes would be gone soon, that I didn't want to lower their property value. When I was in junior high, our principal said that if girls wore pants it would lower the property values. In eighth grade there was a protest. I didn't take part. I was too chicken. But a girl named W wore jeans, and in Mrs. F's math class she put her feet on the empty seat in front of her. Mrs. F jumped on it immediately: When girls wear pants they put their feet on the furniture. In school, the desks were always called furniture.
By high school we were wearing cut-off jeans and halter tops, though that principal put a stop to flip flops, then known as shower sandals. It was a safety issue. The principal liked to defy the school district and had a flowery sign over his office that said Love Room. Or something like that. There was a smoking area outside, which was considered progressive. No one brought up the health issue.
I remember a discussion about having police in the school. I don't know why it came up; maybe because drugs were found in lockers. I was on the student council and that was probably where we discussed it. Some of us objected (did I? I don't remember) and the counter argument was, If you're doing nothing wrong, why would it matter? And: If you're driving and you see a cop, what's your reaction? My reaction is I'd rather not see them. I tense up. I check my speed. And is that good or bad?
Now we have cameras at intersections to record erring drivers. When I lived in Miami, I remember there were police cameras on South Beach because there were so many muggings. This was when it was populated by frail, retired needle-trade workers with Yiddish accents. What does the city owe us and what do we owe the city? Chicago is like a nation-state. It could be very democratic, with 50 representatives on the city council. But I think a majority of them were appointed by the mayor. Meanwhile, I have not protested enough that yoga classes were discontinued a year ago at the park district when the teacher retired, and the district still hasn't found a new teacher. The park district is a public body that is supposed to be responsive to citizens. But the citizens needs to make themselves heard.
***
But what is property? Architects see buildings as containers for shapes. I don't believe exactly that property is theft, but most property in the US was originally ill-gotten. We feel that we don't deserve this big house. We also feel a responsibility to keep it up. It's about 110 years old and historic in a general way. We don't know its history. The headquarters at school is a mansion that came with a scrapbook about its history. It was built for the publisher of a long-dead newspaper and Will Rogers came there once to a party. When I went to the Millay Colony for the Arts, I saw that each person who stayed in a room wrote her or his name on the jamb. At another artists colony, Ragdale, the residents write notes in a notebook in each room. We have our say. We note where we were. What we did. I walk down the streets of Chicago thinking about what it looked like 50 years ago, a century ago. Some people go back further, and see prairie grasses and swamp where skyscrapers are now. (In French, gratte-ciel, sky scratcher--aggressive in both languages.) And part of everything growing around us, the trees and fertilized grasses and flowers, are tiny fragments of people who used to live around here. I assume someone somewhere has hypothesized about the process, about how long it takes for a body to decay in the ground, then become part of the atmosphere and material world. We bring dead flowers to decorate graves (we in general, not Jews) and then some caretaker takes them away. Jews leave stones, and eventually the stones become part of the earth and so on.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The Question of Subject
If this is a cancer blog, and moreover, a breast cancer blog, then it should be about breast cancer, should it not? But if it is a blog that reflects what it's like to have (and have had) breast cancer, and when your treatment boils down to taking a pill every night, and when you're not thinking about breast cancer 100 percent of your waking and dreaming hours, then does your blog need to be 100 percent about breast cancer? (It's not, has never been.) Do people come to a breast cancer blog expecting to read about Life With Cancer, and grow disappointed learning about Life With a New/Old House? Or is that the message itself: That after breast cancer, there's room for everything else in your life?
But you never forget it entirely. There's that missing breast on the left, for one, and the hair that's shorter than it was two years ago, and there are people who ask, How are you? and then, How ARE you? with that emphasis, that heaviness, as if trying to pry out a secret.
In the news conference I went to for Stand Up 2 Cancer, Elizabeth Edwards said that she felt something in common with anyone who's had cancer. And that's true. I feel the same--that we've gone to that place that used to mean (and still might mean) Death. And we've gone through the same baffling, often impersonal procedures at hospitals. (By talking to one another, we're reasserting our individualities.) Before I had breast cancer, I felt that everyone who had it was going to die before her time. Though rationally, I knew that wasn't necessarily so. I remember hearing about someone who had breast cancer and then seeing her, healthy-seeming, and wondering why there was no sign. Thinking she was faking it--it being her health.
But you never forget it entirely. There's that missing breast on the left, for one, and the hair that's shorter than it was two years ago, and there are people who ask, How are you? and then, How ARE you? with that emphasis, that heaviness, as if trying to pry out a secret.
In the news conference I went to for Stand Up 2 Cancer, Elizabeth Edwards said that she felt something in common with anyone who's had cancer. And that's true. I feel the same--that we've gone to that place that used to mean (and still might mean) Death. And we've gone through the same baffling, often impersonal procedures at hospitals. (By talking to one another, we're reasserting our individualities.) Before I had breast cancer, I felt that everyone who had it was going to die before her time. Though rationally, I knew that wasn't necessarily so. I remember hearing about someone who had breast cancer and then seeing her, healthy-seeming, and wondering why there was no sign. Thinking she was faking it--it being her health.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
From nine....there will be three!
Costa Mesa is a interesting City. For those of us living down
the hill in Newport Beach....there is something somewhat distant
about it. People in Costa Mesa seem more down to earth...more
interested in specifics...more interested in providing a town
type atmosphere. It is only a perception, but have you noticed
that most Costa Mesa electeds....never move on to greater office.
Maybe they do...we just can't think of any right off hand.
We know we love Wendy Leece....she was on the NMUSD school board.
We know that Katrina Foley is a smart one that knows her stuff
and she still seems like a real person. We know former Mayor Gary
Monahan now owns a restaurant after starting out as a bartender.
We know that Jim Righeimer moved from Fountain Valley with his
lovely family. We know that Eric Bever was hand selected by
Mayor Alan Mansoor and got in one cycle. We don't know a lot
of the others running this time: Bill Sneen, Chris McEvoy, Lisa
Reedy, Chris Bunyan or Nick Moss. They all seem like nice folks
and we will do our best to hear what they have to say.
People run for City Council for a variety of reasons. Sometimes
it's just a issue or two that bugs them. Sometimes, City Staffers
have upset them on one thing or another. Sometimes, running over
people's rights or changing major things in the community give
them the impetus to "just go for it!". In any event, too many
do not realize the expenses necessary, filing responsibilities,
the various labor groups involved, the fund raising necessary,
setting up their websites, printing and mailing and sign costs
...finding a campaign manager and then dealing with the power
brokers in their cities. Most unconnected candidates are just
marginalized to the point...that they are considered more laugh
tracks...rather than candidates. It is really sort of sad to
watch at times.
Then there is Newport Beach..which we kind of know about..since
we ran for Council four times! We even won once in 1994 for two
weeks....but that is another story! Here in Newport Beach we
have the "Power Broker Candidates backed by Dave Ellis" and then
you have the "Greenlight Candidate's" which were back by Phil Arst
and Jean Watt and that whole group. Phil passed away this last
year and will be greatly missed. Then we have those crazy "Oh
boy...Independents"...like we were that dare to challenge both
groups!
In the old days, of Home Owners vs. Developers all was in rhythm
and joy. Sometimes a Home Owner candidate would win, sometimes
a developer candidate would win. But that was all before 1986...
when the developers got there foot strongly in the door and have
since...never relinquished that control. Then came the "Halley's
Comet Issues" we call them. Issues designed to get people off
track. Examples include: "The Location of a New City Hall!",
"Should the Oasis Center be Expanded?" and so it goes from there!
You get the idea that things that really matter like "Term Limits"
which did pass or whether to elect a Mayor in Newport Beach or
how to regulate Rehab Homes....are all issues that should never
be put before the average citizen...which may not be sophisticated
enough to grasp the realities of such things! Luckily, Term Limits
snuck in there several years ago. It is lucky that it did, but
the Power Brokers found a way around that by electing their four
vote majority and then having them step down before the end of
their terms and replacing them with choices of the remaining City
Council. So, if we wanted to change the City Charter and ask that
all future resignations require a vote of the people....the Council
looks aghast! Perish the thought...citizens! We have it exactly
the way we want it....which insures incumbency ad infinitum!
OK, so what about the three open seats in Newport Beach? Well, we
have one no-name person running against Steve Rosansky in District
one! Ed Selich is running unopposed in his district and Dolores
Otting is challenging Keith Curry. Sadly for Dolores - Keith has
been doing a pretty good job and it will be difficult if not quite
impossible to beat the incumbent Curry!
But back to Costa Mesa....it is pretty interesting that one of the
incumbents...Eric Bever is not considered the odds on favorite to
repeat. We don't exactly know why. So, can "The bearded guy" Chris
McEvoy beat out Bever or will it be someone else? Who knows? We do
truly believe Katrina Foley will be re-elected, so that basically
leaves the third choice of former Mayor Monahan or Daily Pilot...
writer, politically connected Jim Righeimer.
There can only be three!
Our big question is: Who is Dave Ellis supporting?
the hill in Newport Beach....there is something somewhat distant
about it. People in Costa Mesa seem more down to earth...more
interested in specifics...more interested in providing a town
type atmosphere. It is only a perception, but have you noticed
that most Costa Mesa electeds....never move on to greater office.
Maybe they do...we just can't think of any right off hand.
We know we love Wendy Leece....she was on the NMUSD school board.
We know that Katrina Foley is a smart one that knows her stuff
and she still seems like a real person. We know former Mayor Gary
Monahan now owns a restaurant after starting out as a bartender.
We know that Jim Righeimer moved from Fountain Valley with his
lovely family. We know that Eric Bever was hand selected by
Mayor Alan Mansoor and got in one cycle. We don't know a lot
of the others running this time: Bill Sneen, Chris McEvoy, Lisa
Reedy, Chris Bunyan or Nick Moss. They all seem like nice folks
and we will do our best to hear what they have to say.
People run for City Council for a variety of reasons. Sometimes
it's just a issue or two that bugs them. Sometimes, City Staffers
have upset them on one thing or another. Sometimes, running over
people's rights or changing major things in the community give
them the impetus to "just go for it!". In any event, too many
do not realize the expenses necessary, filing responsibilities,
the various labor groups involved, the fund raising necessary,
setting up their websites, printing and mailing and sign costs
...finding a campaign manager and then dealing with the power
brokers in their cities. Most unconnected candidates are just
marginalized to the point...that they are considered more laugh
tracks...rather than candidates. It is really sort of sad to
watch at times.
Then there is Newport Beach..which we kind of know about..since
we ran for Council four times! We even won once in 1994 for two
weeks....but that is another story! Here in Newport Beach we
have the "Power Broker Candidates backed by Dave Ellis" and then
you have the "Greenlight Candidate's" which were back by Phil Arst
and Jean Watt and that whole group. Phil passed away this last
year and will be greatly missed. Then we have those crazy "Oh
boy...Independents"...like we were that dare to challenge both
groups!
In the old days, of Home Owners vs. Developers all was in rhythm
and joy. Sometimes a Home Owner candidate would win, sometimes
a developer candidate would win. But that was all before 1986...
when the developers got there foot strongly in the door and have
since...never relinquished that control. Then came the "Halley's
Comet Issues" we call them. Issues designed to get people off
track. Examples include: "The Location of a New City Hall!",
"Should the Oasis Center be Expanded?" and so it goes from there!
You get the idea that things that really matter like "Term Limits"
which did pass or whether to elect a Mayor in Newport Beach or
how to regulate Rehab Homes....are all issues that should never
be put before the average citizen...which may not be sophisticated
enough to grasp the realities of such things! Luckily, Term Limits
snuck in there several years ago. It is lucky that it did, but
the Power Brokers found a way around that by electing their four
vote majority and then having them step down before the end of
their terms and replacing them with choices of the remaining City
Council. So, if we wanted to change the City Charter and ask that
all future resignations require a vote of the people....the Council
looks aghast! Perish the thought...citizens! We have it exactly
the way we want it....which insures incumbency ad infinitum!
OK, so what about the three open seats in Newport Beach? Well, we
have one no-name person running against Steve Rosansky in District
one! Ed Selich is running unopposed in his district and Dolores
Otting is challenging Keith Curry. Sadly for Dolores - Keith has
been doing a pretty good job and it will be difficult if not quite
impossible to beat the incumbent Curry!
But back to Costa Mesa....it is pretty interesting that one of the
incumbents...Eric Bever is not considered the odds on favorite to
repeat. We don't exactly know why. So, can "The bearded guy" Chris
McEvoy beat out Bever or will it be someone else? Who knows? We do
truly believe Katrina Foley will be re-elected, so that basically
leaves the third choice of former Mayor Monahan or Daily Pilot...
writer, politically connected Jim Righeimer.
There can only be three!
Our big question is: Who is Dave Ellis supporting?
Friday, August 22, 2008
Blog roll
>>A<<
Adeq aisyah
aisytouch
Ady
Annahayes
Arie
ariel'z Corner
Articles & facts
>>B<< Bagus Dd
Bima
Bamper xii
Blogger's trail
Brandsite
Bunda Salma
>>C<<
Catatanku
Cerita Wendy
Cyramiles
>>D<<
Darlyn
Dedi:say no to gaptek
Didiet
Dolly
Donabel
>>E<<
Eddy j Harto
Euisry
eRos's Personal Blog
Etavasi
>>F<< Family of Mine
franky
>>G<<
Gabriel
General Articles
Girlblogger
Green man
>>H<<
Hakimtea
Hameefinder
Health care Tub
Hendriono
>>I<< Ibrahim
Iksan-Sang penulis
Informasi Komputer & Internet
Interesting articles
Ivan Istiawan
Iza
Story of Me
>>J<<
Jacky
Janed
Jherson2
Jherson84
JomPhp
>>K<<
Kerudung putih
Kikil
Kholil
Kopitozie
Kursus komputer
>>L<<
Lia Balikpapan
Lina sarawak
LinGZ
>>M<<
Margaret
Marvel
Maulana
xzan_cah_Depza
Meiyclover
MimiChatz
Mixed articles
Mixed Collection
Ml Yono
Mother Is god
mrchoy
Mundane
Mywissblog
>>N<<
Nara
Noe
>>P<<
Pascal
Poetra Indonesia
>>R<<
Red Shadow
RawchitecT's land
Ritzchelle
Robert De Hartono
Rose
Rurumahku
Ryntept
>>S<<
Sharing film>
Subash
Static Stunner
>>T<<
Tehrouter-abiaz
Tisen
Treizna
Tyas
>>V<<
Vine
>>W<< Wahyudianasari
Wiran
Wisnuaji
>>X<< Xapi
>>Y<<
Ysugiri
Yunita
>>Z<< Ziezie
Adeq aisyah
aisytouch
Ady
Annahayes
Arie
ariel'z Corner
Articles & facts
>>B<< Bagus Dd
Bima
Bamper xii
Blogger's trail
Brandsite
Bunda Salma
>>C<<
Catatanku
Cerita Wendy
Cyramiles
>>D<<
Darlyn
Dedi:say no to gaptek
Didiet
Dolly
Donabel
>>E<<
Eddy j Harto
Euisry
eRos's Personal Blog
Etavasi
>>F<< Family of Mine
franky
>>G<<
Gabriel
General Articles
Girlblogger
Green man
>>H<<
Hakimtea
Hameefinder
Health care Tub
Hendriono
>>I<< Ibrahim
Iksan-Sang penulis
Informasi Komputer & Internet
Interesting articles
Ivan Istiawan
Iza
Story of Me
>>J<<
Jacky
Janed
Jherson2
Jherson84
JomPhp
>>K<<
Kerudung putih
Kikil
Kholil
Kopitozie
Kursus komputer
>>L<<
Lia Balikpapan
Lina sarawak
LinGZ
>>M<<
Margaret
Marvel
Maulana
xzan_cah_Depza
Meiyclover
MimiChatz
Mixed articles
Mixed Collection
Ml Yono
Mother Is god
mrchoy
Mundane
Mywissblog
>>N<<
Nara
Noe
>>P<<
Pascal
Poetra Indonesia
>>R<<
Red Shadow
RawchitecT's land
Ritzchelle
Robert De Hartono
Rose
Rurumahku
Ryntept
>>S<<
Sharing film>
Subash
Static Stunner
>>T<<
Tehrouter-abiaz
Tisen
Treizna
Tyas
>>V<<
Vine
>>W<< Wahyudianasari
Wiran
Wisnuaji
>>X<< Xapi
>>Y<<
Ysugiri
Yunita
>>Z<< Ziezie
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
I Have Been Breathing Tile
So now we are living in this old house that is older than many things in this world, a house that was standing probably looking much like it looks now (without the vinyl siding) when my grandparents were back in the shtetls of Slutsk and Pusvatyn and the other place that was a satellite of Kishinev. The famous and terrible Kishinev pogrom of 1903 had not yet taken place when this house was built. And supposedly, according to M the duct cleaner, no one has ever cleaned the ducts in all that time. I lived in the condo, also old, for almost 10 years and never got the ducts cleaned, though I thought about it, and my neighbors had it done. Last night I noticed that if you take off the grille (which is quaint and decorated and rusted) over the vent in the office, there's a breach in the duct, pocket of metal, with bits of tile and tile dust and gray grains of schmutz. And I had been breathing that??? I've been on prednisone and antibiotic since Saturday because I had a sore throat that turned into bronchitis.
Then I got the air duct cleaner guys to come over and they sucked out the particles opened all the vents and cleaned them. M the duct cleaner said that the pieces of tile came from the bathroom (the next room over) when the people before us replaced the tile with slate. Pieces of tile had come through the bathroom duct and were wedged in a little pocket that had formed in the seam of the metal duct. He got metal tape and sealed it so no more pieces of former floor could rise up. I felt so vulnerable, that dirt could fly right into the air here and I could breathe it and get worse and worse. And then I felt stupid because I'd known the ducts needed cleaning but I hadn't visualized what it really meant, that the air circulating around here was dirty, and it seemed so invisible and uncontrollable and impossible. I think they are clean now but the grilles are rusted and imperfect and I became afraid we had bought wrong, that we should have figured this all out beforehand. And then I went to yoga and while I was riding my bike east I thought, Why did we move three blocks west? It really is cooler by the lake and so here we are in the wrong house in the wrong place.
Then I got the air duct cleaner guys to come over and they sucked out the particles opened all the vents and cleaned them. M the duct cleaner said that the pieces of tile came from the bathroom (the next room over) when the people before us replaced the tile with slate. Pieces of tile had come through the bathroom duct and were wedged in a little pocket that had formed in the seam of the metal duct. He got metal tape and sealed it so no more pieces of former floor could rise up. I felt so vulnerable, that dirt could fly right into the air here and I could breathe it and get worse and worse. And then I felt stupid because I'd known the ducts needed cleaning but I hadn't visualized what it really meant, that the air circulating around here was dirty, and it seemed so invisible and uncontrollable and impossible. I think they are clean now but the grilles are rusted and imperfect and I became afraid we had bought wrong, that we should have figured this all out beforehand. And then I went to yoga and while I was riding my bike east I thought, Why did we move three blocks west? It really is cooler by the lake and so here we are in the wrong house in the wrong place.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Nonpartisan My Aunt Fanny
Nearly one hundred years ago California voters, sick of government corruption and ineptitude at all levels, enacted a series of reforms intended to make government more responsive and less corrupt. These included provisions for intiative, referenda, and recall, as well as nonpartisan election of judicial, school, county, and municipal offices, a provision still in the California Elections Code .
But that doesn’t matter to powers that be in the local GOP. Monday night, August 18, the Orange County Republican Central Committee voted on their first round of endorsements for local races in the county.
They endorsed all Republican incumbents, something they've done pretty routinely in the past. Hey, weren’t the Republicans the ones who were so hot on term limits a few years back? Oh, but that was different. That was to get rid of Democrat Willie Brown. No sauce for the gander here.
“Early endorsements” were also bestowed on a few anointed non-incumbent candidates: Gary Monahan and Jim Righeimer in Costa Mesa, Don Hansen protégée Devin Dwyer in Huntington Beach, and John Campbell staffer Lou Penrose nee Luigi Rossetti, Jr. in Dana Point. This was outside the normal vetting process, basically rubber stamping the directive of county chair Scott Baugh and the big boys with the big bucks via the endorsing committee. Presumably qualifications include close alliances developed with Mr. Baugh over drinks and a cigar at Gulfstream.
Look for the Orange County party and Lincoln Club to pony up for the chosen ones. Be aware that funds you may contribute to the GOP at large may or may not go to electing a Republican president, governor, or senator, but may be spent right in your own back yard on a candidate you may or may not support. If you like the candidates that’s fine; if not, give directly to the candidates of your choice.
But that doesn’t matter to powers that be in the local GOP. Monday night, August 18, the Orange County Republican Central Committee voted on their first round of endorsements for local races in the county.
They endorsed all Republican incumbents, something they've done pretty routinely in the past. Hey, weren’t the Republicans the ones who were so hot on term limits a few years back? Oh, but that was different. That was to get rid of Democrat Willie Brown. No sauce for the gander here.
“Early endorsements” were also bestowed on a few anointed non-incumbent candidates: Gary Monahan and Jim Righeimer in Costa Mesa, Don Hansen protégée Devin Dwyer in Huntington Beach, and John Campbell staffer Lou Penrose nee Luigi Rossetti, Jr. in Dana Point. This was outside the normal vetting process, basically rubber stamping the directive of county chair Scott Baugh and the big boys with the big bucks via the endorsing committee. Presumably qualifications include close alliances developed with Mr. Baugh over drinks and a cigar at Gulfstream.
Look for the Orange County party and Lincoln Club to pony up for the chosen ones. Be aware that funds you may contribute to the GOP at large may or may not go to electing a Republican president, governor, or senator, but may be spent right in your own back yard on a candidate you may or may not support. If you like the candidates that’s fine; if not, give directly to the candidates of your choice.
Monday, August 18, 2008
"I was against the idea before I was for it"
So John Moorlach's pivotally important Measure J is generating a lot of buzz (including on this blog). Many people, including those very supportive of our policemen and firemen (like me), have long seen the unbelievable fiscal irresponsibility public officials are willing to push through in an attempt to not anger the public employee unions. The past OC Supervisors vote for "3% at age 50" has left our county with an embarrassing unfunded liability. Our city has been no better. Earlier this year, some of us thought we would do what other municipalities in this great state of ours have done with HUGE success - force the voters - you know, "we, the people" - to approve changes in pension commitments. While Reed Royalty of OC Tax, Mario Mainero of John Moorlach's staff, and myself appeared to plead with the council to support this idea going forward, and at least give the voters the mere right to vote on it, a handful of folks appeared with fire coming out of their bellies to oppose it. The usual suspects - a firemen union rep, a teacher's union rep, etc. But, the loudest and most vocal opponent of the idea that night????
Dolores Otting. The opponent to Keith Curry in this year's council race.
And her position on Measure J, an IDENTICAL MEASURE to what we tried to do for the city earlier this year? She is now totally for it. She was against it for our own people., but is for it for the county at large. Go figure.
If one wants to review the video of that night's city council meeting, her exact reasoning was tied in to who did and did not support her in past campaign attempts. I would suggest that our city needs a measure like this, because we need to care for our own children's financial futures more than we care for anything else (regardless of the political ramifications). But Dolores has the right view on Measure J, no matter how incoherent it may be that one was against it for their own city, but supports it for their county. May we all do what Keith Curry and Dolores Otting are doing - vote yes on Measure J.
But when it comes to the council race, my vote has to be for the one that supported it both in my zip code, and in my neighbor's zip code.
Dolores Otting. The opponent to Keith Curry in this year's council race.
And her position on Measure J, an IDENTICAL MEASURE to what we tried to do for the city earlier this year? She is now totally for it. She was against it for our own people., but is for it for the county at large. Go figure.
If one wants to review the video of that night's city council meeting, her exact reasoning was tied in to who did and did not support her in past campaign attempts. I would suggest that our city needs a measure like this, because we need to care for our own children's financial futures more than we care for anything else (regardless of the political ramifications). But Dolores has the right view on Measure J, no matter how incoherent it may be that one was against it for their own city, but supports it for their county. May we all do what Keith Curry and Dolores Otting are doing - vote yes on Measure J.
But when it comes to the council race, my vote has to be for the one that supported it both in my zip code, and in my neighbor's zip code.
"I am proud NOT to have the Endorsement of the Fire and Police Unions"
As mentioned by David Bahnsen here, our wonderful City of Newport Beach, once upon a time, thought it would be nice to let the people vote on whether our City Employee's pensions should rise.
Well...that motion never even made it to light, as all of our Seven UNION BACKED City Councilmembers hid their tails between their legs and didn't even risk discussing it in public.
Bit of Background - the Police and Fire Unions were extremely involved with 2006 City Elections, and after the last election, where all of their candidates won, the Police saw their wages increased dramatically and the Fire/Lifeguards saw their pensions increased dramatically.
A small bit of payback I suppose, at the expense of our future (my 19 month olds included) taxpayers.
So...because County Supervisor John Moorlach knows that it's difficult for Union backed candidates to not support their Union supporters, he helped put a Measure on the November ballot which would take it out of the Elected's hands and into the voters, whether or not Government employees can get their Pensions increased.
Hmmm...taking the duties of the Electeds out of their hands and into the voters?
What do we elect them for in the first place...?
But as our Newport Beach City Councilmembers have shown, political payback is a b**ch and our Newport Beach pension liabilities should be fun come retirement age.
...and my hope that we can get our Current (and future) Newport Beach City Council members to grow a pair and take our City's future back from the Unions...
I have an idea - why don't we vote for the people who proudly declare,
"I am proud NOT to have the Endorsement of the Fire and Police Unions."
Newport Beach is the only city in Orange County where you'll hear the "Republican" candidates proudly tout the Union support....
Anyway...it's a long convoluted way for me to introduce this e-newsletter from County Supervisor John Moorlach...
Pensions and ethics
Well...that motion never even made it to light, as all of our Seven UNION BACKED City Councilmembers hid their tails between their legs and didn't even risk discussing it in public.
Bit of Background - the Police and Fire Unions were extremely involved with 2006 City Elections, and after the last election, where all of their candidates won, the Police saw their wages increased dramatically and the Fire/Lifeguards saw their pensions increased dramatically.
A small bit of payback I suppose, at the expense of our future (my 19 month olds included) taxpayers.
So...because County Supervisor John Moorlach knows that it's difficult for Union backed candidates to not support their Union supporters, he helped put a Measure on the November ballot which would take it out of the Elected's hands and into the voters, whether or not Government employees can get their Pensions increased.
Hmmm...taking the duties of the Electeds out of their hands and into the voters?
What do we elect them for in the first place...?
But as our Newport Beach City Councilmembers have shown, political payback is a b**ch and our Newport Beach pension liabilities should be fun come retirement age.
...and my hope that we can get our Current (and future) Newport Beach City Council members to grow a pair and take our City's future back from the Unions...
I have an idea - why don't we vote for the people who proudly declare,
"I am proud NOT to have the Endorsement of the Fire and Police Unions."
Newport Beach is the only city in Orange County where you'll hear the "Republican" candidates proudly tout the Union support....
Anyway...it's a long convoluted way for me to introduce this e-newsletter from County Supervisor John Moorlach...
The Long Beach Press-Telegram has an editorial this morning that extols Measure J, the measure our Board recently voted to put on the November ballot, by explaining a very current situation in the City of
This editorial highlights one of the key reasons these generous pension enhancements are doled out in the public sector: “everybody involved benefits.” One only needs to look at the ages of the city’s top management advising their councils to see that they will benefit, and soon. (I know, I know, you’re shocked, absolutely shocked.)
What is infuriating to me is that some cities can’t even afford to fix the potholes in their streets. How can they afford to take on additional pension liabilities? In the near future, when a city council votes to put a “pothole tax” on their ballot, don’t you buy it; it will really be a “pension enhancement/wealth transfer tax.”
Pensions and ethics
Press-Telegram editorial
Have taxpayers resigned themselves to pension-spiking at their expense? They shouldn't. It's still going on.
The latest example is the
"Negotiating" is a ridiculous term for what's going on, which is raw self-dealing. Everybody involved benefits, from the elected politicians who expect help at election time to city "negotiators" who of course will get the 25 percent increase, too.
The only reason anybody knows about it is that one city councilman, Republican Shawn Nelson, told the Orange County Register. Shawn is the only council member opposing this scheme at
Doing the "negotiations" in secret is perfectly legal, since state law provides for confidentiality in discussions of contracts and other legal matters. In
Councilman Nelson says it is unethical not to tell the public what those conferences are about, and he is obviously right. To its credit, the Register is doing its best to make sure the word gets out, and taxpayers have their say. Now, not later.
Most counties and cities, including
There is one positive glimmer. Also in
Also, thanks to Supervisor John Moorlach, the board has filed a lawsuit aimed at cutting sheriff's deputies' retroactive pension raises because they are a gift of public funds.
That they are. Just ask any taxpayer who doesn't have a government pension.
UPDATE 8/19/2008- I've been corrected - turns out Councilman Keith Curry had brought up the motion to the rest of the Newport Beach City Council and did not receive a Second...
In the Obits
The Tribune's top obit today is of a woman born in 1914 in Chicago of Czechoslovakian immigrants. She had a lifetime of social work, both in the US and abroad, working with refugees. She graduated from Northwestern in sociology in 1935. (She graduated from high school at 16, but her father thought she was too young for college. I'm impressed that it sounds like he assumed she would go to college. So she and her mother traveled in Europe.) Just after the war ended, she went to Europe and worked with displaced persons in Germany, where she met and married an interpreter she worked with. He was a former member of the Polish Army who had been a prisoner of war. Her name was Helen Zilka Jaworski and she died at 93 of "natural causes," which sounds peaceful and is a euphemism for "the wearing out of parts due to old age." But don't we all die of natural causes, unless we're the victims of homicide, suicide or
accident? Isn't cancer a "natural cause," albeit one we would very happily call unnatural and say To hell with?
And if humans are naturally aggressive, isn't war a "natural cause"?
The other obit of note was for Leroy Sievers, who was born the year I was. He was an NPR commentator who had a series on "Morning Edition" and on-line about his colon cancer that returned as a brain tumor and lung cancer. We're told that he "covered more than a dozen wars" and that Ted Koppel wrote that Sievers' "battle with cancer... [was] the most important story of his life."
I wonder if Sievers would agree. Is it better to cover wars or your own body's deterioration? Which is more helpful to the world at large?
I knew about Seivers' blog and national commentaries and was envious.
***
The in-text links aren't working right. You can find the obits here:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/chi-hed_jaworski_18aug18,0,225735.story
and here:
www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-leroy-sievers-obit-story,0,6433352.story
Link to Sievers' work on NPR:
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503400
--posted by Cancer Bitch
accident? Isn't cancer a "natural cause," albeit one we would very happily call unnatural and say To hell with?
And if humans are naturally aggressive, isn't war a "natural cause"?
The other obit of note was for Leroy Sievers, who was born the year I was. He was an NPR commentator who had a series on "Morning Edition" and on-line about his colon cancer that returned as a brain tumor and lung cancer. We're told that he "covered more than a dozen wars" and that Ted Koppel wrote that Sievers' "battle with cancer... [was] the most important story of his life."
I wonder if Sievers would agree. Is it better to cover wars or your own body's deterioration? Which is more helpful to the world at large?
I knew about Seivers' blog and national commentaries and was envious.
***
The in-text links aren't working right. You can find the obits here:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/chi-hed_jaworski_18aug18,0,225735.story
and here:
www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-leroy-sievers-obit-story,0,6433352.story
Link to Sievers' work on NPR:
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503400
--posted by Cancer Bitch
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Akhir kebersamaan dengan blogger.com
Hari ini tanggal 17 agustus 2008, dunia soer segera berpindah ke alamat baru. Kepindahan ini cukup lama tertunda karena sempat tersita dulu waktunya untuk mengurus blog2 saya yang lain yang peruntukan untuk program paid review. Ini sehubungan dengan niatan sejak 3 bulan yang lalu untuk beralih profesi menjadi blogger full time. Terima kasih buat temen2 yang masih menunjungi blog ini selama ditinggalan, dan untuk temen2 yang meninggalkan pesan untuk mendapatkan source aplikasi. mulai sekarang dapat di download langsung di alamat blog baru saya di sini http://meta-opinion.info .
terima kasih,
adi.
terima kasih,
adi.
Friday, August 15, 2008
It's Called Free Speech People
So I got a phone call this morning...
...from a very dear friend...
...which really agitated me...
...enough for me to really think about what I was going to write down...
...so as to not write something which I would regret later.
Let me start off with this:
I do not control what the other contributors write, nor do I tell them what to write or opine about.
I WILL NOT CONTROL WHAT OTHER CONTRIBUTORS WRITE, NOR WILL I TELL THEM WHAT TO WRITE OR OPINE ABOUT.
Because of that:
My response has always been, and will always be - Write whatever you want. I won't touch it.
So...I'm going to write this in bold and caps for those who have a hard time understanding this:
THE THOUGHTS OF THOSE OTHER WRITERS DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE,OR DISAGREE WITH MY THOUGHTS.
THE STANDS PEOPLE TAKE OR OPINE ABOUT ON THIS BLOG DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH MY STANDS OR OPINIONS.
IT'S CALLED FREE SPEECH PEOPLE.
For those who enjoy sitting on the sidelines and throwing anonymous (though...who am I to talk using my pseudonym) darts, I invite you to join this blog as a contributor so that your side of the story/issue/candidate can be heard.
Please send me a note at newportbeachvoices@gmail.com
...from a very dear friend...
...which really agitated me...
...enough for me to really think about what I was going to write down...
...so as to not write something which I would regret later.
Let me start off with this:
- This is not a newspaper with an Editor.
- This is a Silly Little Blog
- The other contributors have independent thoughts and opinions and have been gracious enough to give this Silly Little Blog their time, thoughts and opinions.
- I do not control what the other contributors write, nor do I tell them what to write or opine about.
I do not control what the other contributors write, nor do I tell them what to write or opine about.
I WILL NOT CONTROL WHAT OTHER CONTRIBUTORS WRITE, NOR WILL I TELL THEM WHAT TO WRITE OR OPINE ABOUT.
Because of that:
- I do not edit their posts (except for grammar/spelling).
- I do not delete posts which I do not agree with.
- I respect their thoughts (even if I do not agree with them, or in the Winship's case...understand them...)
My response has always been, and will always be - Write whatever you want. I won't touch it.
So...I'm going to write this in bold and caps for those who have a hard time understanding this:
THE THOUGHTS OF THOSE OTHER WRITERS DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE,OR DISAGREE WITH MY THOUGHTS.
THE STANDS PEOPLE TAKE OR OPINE ABOUT ON THIS BLOG DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH MY STANDS OR OPINIONS.
IT'S CALLED FREE SPEECH PEOPLE.
For those who enjoy sitting on the sidelines and throwing anonymous (though...who am I to talk using my pseudonym) darts, I invite you to join this blog as a contributor so that your side of the story/issue/candidate can be heard.
Please send me a note at newportbeachvoices@gmail.com
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Another take on Dolores and the Email Gone Wrong
Since the blog already features two posts on the bizarre development in the last couple of days regarding the campaign of Dolores Otting and the false email she sent out, I will do my part to add to the congestion on the topic. The problem is, I don't really think it is funny. In this day and age, where most of our email boxes are flooded on a daily basis with emails that range from perposterous to hysterical, I am quite concerned by the wisdom and judgment of one who would blindly send an email out with absolutely no attempt to verify its accuracy. Not only was the email totally false, the idea that even if an arrest had taken place at a rehab home, it would be Keith Curry's fault, is so stupid, so irresponsible, and so immature, I am at a loss for words. Dolores sent the email with the addition, "Just D.O. it", adding her signature behind the perposterous article. I don't think the credibility of the group that sent the email to Dolores even warrants additional criticism - they have managed to shred that to pieces all on their own - but I would hope that our city council candidates who are asking for the voters' trust would do more to earn it.
This thing will blow over, but to those who read the blog, I hope this serves as an indication of what we are dealing with this November.
This thing will blow over, but to those who read the blog, I hope this serves as an indication of what we are dealing with this November.
Silly Season High School - The Musical
Taking into account that Newport Beach is entering the Class of 2008 Silly Season take a look at what is brewing, courtesy of the Daily Pilot:
Rehab rumor ruffles feathers
The point of the article?
Expect any email which could possibly have Political overtones, however minute, to be given to the press by one City Council candidate or their opponent.
Expect the press to write an article about it (to help stir the pot).
Expect every single noise to be made into a Political issue and discussed at the Newport Beach City Council meeting (Don't worry, it'll get better when we have a bigger and better City Hall...)
And expect us Simple-Minded Bloggers to then make fun of all of them...
Don't believe me?
Read below for the Winship's comments on it too.
Rehab rumor ruffles feathers
The point of the article?
Expect any email which could possibly have Political overtones, however minute, to be given to the press by one City Council candidate or their opponent.
Expect the press to write an article about it (to help stir the pot).
Expect every single noise to be made into a Political issue and discussed at the Newport Beach City Council meeting (Don't worry, it'll get better when we have a bigger and better City Hall...)
And expect us Simple-Minded Bloggers to then make fun of all of them...
Don't believe me?
Read below for the Winship's comments on it too.
Following Newport Beach's Lead?
This little article got sent to me:
L.A. City Council considers tighter rules for group homes
It's interesting to see, or least appear to see, City Councilmembers taking initiative on this issue.
This brings me hope to ACTUALLY (and not pretend to with fancy/not followed up upon multi-city conferences) get other Cities, who house many, many Democrats, involved to convince Sacramento that their approach to Group Homes need to change.
This one is worth following.
...and hopefully Los Angeles will actually enforce their laws and not settle out of them...
L.A. City Council considers tighter rules for group homes
It's interesting to see, or least appear to see, City Councilmembers taking initiative on this issue.
This brings me hope to ACTUALLY (and not pretend to with fancy/not followed up upon multi-city conferences) get other Cities, who house many, many Democrats, involved to convince Sacramento that their approach to Group Homes need to change.
This one is worth following.
...and hopefully Los Angeles will actually enforce their laws and not settle out of them...
Rumor Mills.....
What happens when you pass on a known fact.....that turns
out to be....nothing of the sort? Candidate Dolores Otting
recently found out. It was all about Rehab Homes naturally!
This issue seems to have legs longer than Fred Astaire! The
mere mention of Rehab Homes...has a bunch of people all tied
up in knots. The City Staff, The City Council, The Citizens
Committee...and even the "The People"!
"What has gone wrong now?" seems to be the on-going question
that works people up into a near frenzy! Keeping a cap on the
emotions, especially when you live in a neighborhood with these
facilities close by.....has to be a challenge in itself. So
when Dolores got word that there was a bust at one of the local
Rehab facilities....it is easy to surmise..that it may be true.
Actually, the info was either wrong or slanted or somethings
and Dolores had to recant her position. Councilman Keith Curry
jumped on the opportunity with impunity to identify a mistake!
Well, of all the issues facing the City of Newport Beach...we
can say...finding the truth about Rehab Homes in Newport Beach
has not be an easy task. Getting down to the facts and the
truth on "Sober Living Homes", "Morningstar" or for that matter
any definitive finality on the subject seems to be months, if
not still years away.
So, to Dolores and Keith.....who we love both: Don't let this
"misreporting issue"...dissuade you from talking this subject
up in great detail. There are plenty of details and targeted
issues that still need defining...so go right at it!
out to be....nothing of the sort? Candidate Dolores Otting
recently found out. It was all about Rehab Homes naturally!
This issue seems to have legs longer than Fred Astaire! The
mere mention of Rehab Homes...has a bunch of people all tied
up in knots. The City Staff, The City Council, The Citizens
Committee...and even the "The People"!
"What has gone wrong now?" seems to be the on-going question
that works people up into a near frenzy! Keeping a cap on the
emotions, especially when you live in a neighborhood with these
facilities close by.....has to be a challenge in itself. So
when Dolores got word that there was a bust at one of the local
Rehab facilities....it is easy to surmise..that it may be true.
Actually, the info was either wrong or slanted or somethings
and Dolores had to recant her position. Councilman Keith Curry
jumped on the opportunity with impunity to identify a mistake!
Well, of all the issues facing the City of Newport Beach...we
can say...finding the truth about Rehab Homes in Newport Beach
has not be an easy task. Getting down to the facts and the
truth on "Sober Living Homes", "Morningstar" or for that matter
any definitive finality on the subject seems to be months, if
not still years away.
So, to Dolores and Keith.....who we love both: Don't let this
"misreporting issue"...dissuade you from talking this subject
up in great detail. There are plenty of details and targeted
issues that still need defining...so go right at it!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
No, YOU move beyond cancer
Nota bene: a brief article in the New York Times Science section, "Having Cancer, and Finding a Personality," by Ruth Pennebaker. Her description of post-cancer malaise is right on.
[Link]
I had my own rimshot moments during treatment. Satire can be used to divert aggression; in my case, joking was more productive than punching a hole in the wall. During my last radiation appointment, the nurse gave me a going-away present: a videotape titled "Moving Beyond Cancer." I told her I'd really prefer it if she gave Cancer a videotape called "Moving Beyond Elisa."
Posted by The Fifty Foot Blogger
"The last time I visited my oncologist after my treatments were over, I felt lost. The image that kept recurring in my mind was that someone with a gigantic pair of tweezers had picked me up, shaken me and tossed me back down. Now what?"
[Link]
I had my own rimshot moments during treatment. Satire can be used to divert aggression; in my case, joking was more productive than punching a hole in the wall. During my last radiation appointment, the nurse gave me a going-away present: a videotape titled "Moving Beyond Cancer." I told her I'd really prefer it if she gave Cancer a videotape called "Moving Beyond Elisa."
Posted by The Fifty Foot Blogger
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hemmed In: a Note from Cancer Bitch
The Fifty Foot Blogger, you may have noticed, has been guest-blogging and has graciously assented to continue for a while. I will be poking my nose in during her guesting. Right now I am oppressed by my own lack of discrimination. We moved yesterday and I have an Office One and Office Two in our new place. Office One will be my quiet, non-machine office, with bookshelves (and a laptop, at times). Office Two will have printers and fax machine and phone, and right now has six four-drawer file cabinets and about 25 boxes of books, literary magazines, office supplies (including about 200 used file folders), old work (such as fiction written at grad school, 1981-83) and old notes and books from articles written (a box on sleep and sleep deprivation, from a piece I wrote a number of years ago). I cannot move around in this office because it is so full of boxes on top of boxes on top of file cabinets. I am hemmed in by my past and my inability to throw away, though I swear I have thrown out and given away many boxes and bags of stuff. I threw away my typed-up dreams from the 1980s, assuming they're too boring for even me to re-read. But do I throw away my first rejection letter from the New Yorker (with a hand-written note by Daniel Menaker)? I have my letters in files according to year. I received about 10 from Roger Angell before I received an acceptance, and then after that he sent me about 15 more rejections. Cancer Bitch is seeking permission from you, dear blog-reader, to throw out such letters. I asked a writer friend of mine for advice and she told me she and her husband keep all their letters, because they have a storage space. I refuse to get a storage space. I want to winnow and cut. I'm too old-fashioned to get a scanner and scan everything and put on disk. I want to be austere. But it is so difficult. When I got my port removed last year, I got to keep it and it's in a little plastic bottle. Do I throw that out? Much of my writing depends on the past, some of it on my personal past. I've written essays that quoted from notes I took while traveling, while listening to lectures and watching documentaries, so I'm loath to throw out my many notebooks. But at what point does keeping these notebooks become counter-productive because of their sheer number?
I will keep my copy of my bat mitzvah speech, of notes that I received from friends in junior high, of letters my father sent me. But my early drafts of stories that never turned out? Who needs them? Chapters that never worked from an unfinished novel that never worked? Who needs them? I just went to the old apartment to clear away some last detritus and found in the closet a birthday card I gave to L several years ago. I threw it out without much trouble. There will be other birthdays and other cards.
In a figure drawing class years ago our teacher had us sketch, then change seats. We each worked on someone else's drawing. How easy it was to erase and change someone else's work. It would have been easy to crumple up and throw away, too.
In the old days poets lamented that their names were "writ in water" (see Keats). Is our cyber-writing the equivalent, or does cyberspace make us immortal--but immortal among more cyberwords and cyber-writers than Keats ever dreamed of?
I will keep my copy of my bat mitzvah speech, of notes that I received from friends in junior high, of letters my father sent me. But my early drafts of stories that never turned out? Who needs them? Chapters that never worked from an unfinished novel that never worked? Who needs them? I just went to the old apartment to clear away some last detritus and found in the closet a birthday card I gave to L several years ago. I threw it out without much trouble. There will be other birthdays and other cards.
In a figure drawing class years ago our teacher had us sketch, then change seats. We each worked on someone else's drawing. How easy it was to erase and change someone else's work. It would have been easy to crumple up and throw away, too.
In the old days poets lamented that their names were "writ in water" (see Keats). Is our cyber-writing the equivalent, or does cyberspace make us immortal--but immortal among more cyberwords and cyber-writers than Keats ever dreamed of?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sign of Things to Come
I hate to laugh...but...
Here's why surfer Jorge Lopez didn't qualify for the November Ballot for the privilege to compete against Newport Beach Councilman Rosansky and Dr. Gloria Alkire in District 2.
From the Daily Pilot article:
Lopez, upon review by the Registrar of Voters, had only five valid signatures out of 29, with the majority of signatures coming from residents outside his district – including a couple from Costa Mesa – according to the City Clerk’s office.
I guess it'll be a matter of time before Costa Mesa residents can vote in Newport Beach...now that would get very interesting huh?
Here's why surfer Jorge Lopez didn't qualify for the November Ballot for the privilege to compete against Newport Beach Councilman Rosansky and Dr. Gloria Alkire in District 2.
From the Daily Pilot article:
Lopez, upon review by the Registrar of Voters, had only five valid signatures out of 29, with the majority of signatures coming from residents outside his district – including a couple from Costa Mesa – according to the City Clerk’s office.
I guess it'll be a matter of time before Costa Mesa residents can vote in Newport Beach...now that would get very interesting huh?
...And Then There Was Two
Race On!
For District 2 in the Newport Beach City Council race, Councilman Rosansky and Dr. Gloria Alkire have qualified to run.
Surfer Jorge Lopez didn't get the signatures to qualify.
This one should get interesting as Steve gets a very formidable opponent in Dr. Gloria.
Let's see...
Count on this race to go down to the wire.
For District 2 in the Newport Beach City Council race, Councilman Rosansky and Dr. Gloria Alkire have qualified to run.
Surfer Jorge Lopez didn't get the signatures to qualify.
This one should get interesting as Steve gets a very formidable opponent in Dr. Gloria.
Let's see...
- Former Superintendent.
- Former School Principal.
- PhD in Leadership.
- Experience dealing with capital improvements and financing.
- Experience dealing with pension bloated staff.
- Experience wrangling politically elected board and City Council members.
- Lived in Newport for 33 plus years.
- Overwhelmingly (and sickeningly...I must add) positive and fair minded.
Count on this race to go down to the wire.
Friday, August 8, 2008
August Newport Beach - Centric Events
As we gear up for another Silly Season, here are a couple of Newport Beach based events, courtesy of the Republican Party of OC's calendar.
| Tuesday, 8/12/08 5:30 PM Special Event | Committee To Re-Elect Tom Fuentes Trustee, South Orange County Community College District Where: Duke's Place, Balboa Bay Club Please join Tom Fuentes on the patio at Duke's Place, Balboa Bay Club on Tuesday evening, August 12th, at 5:30pm for a Campaign Kick-Off Smoker with guest Bruce Herschensohn. Admission is free to this informal summertime Smoker on the bay. Complimentary cigar and a no-host bar for guests. Attire is casual for the evening's gathering of friends. Bruce Herschensohn has a marvelous new book out, called Above Empyrean. There will be copies available for $20. Bruce will be happy to personally autograph the book for you. RSVP to kathy@tavpro.com. |
| Wednesday, 8/20/08 6:00 PM Special Event | Featuring Congressman John Campbell Where: Law Office of Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, Newport Beach The Republican Jewish Coalition Orange County Chapter invites you and your friends to a wine and cheese reception featuring: Congressman John Campbell (R-Newport Beach). Rep. Campbell will speak about his efforts in support of the U.S. Israel relationship, and the GOP agenda in Congress. Congressman Campbell is a leader on such issues as American resolve in the Middle East vis a vis Iran. Rep. Campbell is also a star in Congress on fiscal responsibility and keeping America competitive in the global economic environment. Please come spend time with a wonderful, young Republican Congressman as we build our RJC chapter in support of the only pro-Israel candidate for President, Senator John McCain. All are welcome! Please RSVP to the RJC California office 310-478-0752. |
Councilwoman Nancy Gardner's August Newsletter
If more Councilmembers would only do this...
Here is Nancy's August newsletter.
Pretty standard, nothing controversial.
Enjoy.
Here is Nancy's August newsletter.
Pretty standard, nothing controversial.
Enjoy.
Breast Cancer Comics
The New York Times recently reviewed the graphic novel "The Bottomless Belly Button," by Dash Shaw. An astonishing 720 pages, the story follows an extended family as they react to the news that the grandparents are getting a divorce. There's a lot of buzz around "The Bottomless Belly Button;" New York magazine called it the "graphic novel of the year." And, there's just as much interest in the author and artist, 25 year-old Dash Shaw. For such youth, he's prolific, having already inked critically acclaimed "The Mother's Mouth," and several shorter works.
When I Googled him, I was surprised to see his name attached to a search result for "Breast Cancer Comics," from the web site MyBreastCancerNetwork.com. Readers submit their stories, and Shaw (who looks about fourteen in his profile photo) interprets them in graphic form. Perhaps it was a good gig for a starving artist. I somehow have the feeling he's about to become too famous for this kind of work.
"A Week at the Beach, With a Divorce Imminent" Book of the Times. [Link]
Breast Cancer Comics [Link]
Dash Shaw's website [Link]
Posted by The Fifty Foot Blogger
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
A Desperate Plea For Re-Election
Below is a plea for support for re-election recently sent out
from Councilman Steve Rosansky (District 2).
"Dear (deleted) ,
As you may have heard, I am running for re-election in the
City Council District 2 race this fall. I am writing to you to
for your support and endorsement in the upcoming campaign.
I am proud of my accomplishments over the last five years,
some of which I have listed on a document attached to this
e-mail. However, there is still much to be done. We have a
relatively new General Plan to implement, new civic buildings
and parks to construct, dredging of the Bay and Harbor to
complete and much, much more. It would be an honor to
continue this work on behalf of you and the other residents
of the City.
Please take the time to fill-out the attached endorsement form
and either mail, fax or e-mail it back to me.
Sincerely,
Steven Rosansky
Newport Beach City Councilman
District 2"
Rosansky lists under his accomplishments:
5. Group Home Conference & Group Home Legislation
Organized a conference in March 2007 to share ideas on the group home issue
facing cities across California. Over 300 people, representing over 100 local,
county and state agencies from Chula Vista to Eureka, attended the conference.
Encouraged and supported efforts by State Senator Harmon and others to
introduce state legislation to give more local control over group homes.
As you read it, you should note that in 2007, as then sitting
Mayor, Rosansky was commonly seen lashing out during
council meetings at Community members who demanded
his honesty. It was later discovered by District 2 residents,
that Rosansky had knowingly entered into a contract with a
known Drug Rehab Operator from 2004 through Spring 2007
in which Rosansky received compensation and financially
benefit from. But Rosansky apparently “forgot” to mention
this despite being required to disclose such a matter by City
Council’s own "Conflict of Interest" Policy A-16, which requires
a City Official to discuss, as a matter of public record, the
circumstance surrounding any “interest or conflict.”
During 2004 Rosansky voted in favor of the 2004-16 Group
Home Ordinance (rehabs). In the months that followed, the
2004-16 Group Home Ordinance helped cause severe over-
concentration of Drug Rehab Homes in Newport Beach and
much of that in Rosansky’s own district. Between 2004-2007
Rosansky consistently proclaimed that there was nothing that
the City could do to help alleviate the impact being felt by
residents from the Drug Rehab Over-Concentration problem.
Also, as then Mayor during 2007, Rosansky hosted a Conference
of Cities on Group Homes, Chaired the IROC Committee (focused
on Over-Concentration) and he voted in Council on many more
measures involving Group (Drug Rehab) Homes. All this while
Rosansky never publicly mentioned his for-profit, contractual
relationship with the Drug Rehab Operator until late 2007 when
residents uncovered evidence of Rosansky’s financial involvement
with that Drug Rehab Operator.
In my opinion, Rosansky has displayed a strong misjudgment in
many matters of ethics, local governance and honesty. Residents
should consider whether Rosansky is a leader who will truly put
the community needs above his own.
Keep that in mind as Rosansky pleads for support in his re-election.
Bob Rush
from Councilman Steve Rosansky (District 2).
"Dear (deleted) ,
As you may have heard, I am running for re-election in the
City Council District 2 race this fall. I am writing to you to
for your support and endorsement in the upcoming campaign.
I am proud of my accomplishments over the last five years,
some of which I have listed on a document attached to this
e-mail. However, there is still much to be done. We have a
relatively new General Plan to implement, new civic buildings
and parks to construct, dredging of the Bay and Harbor to
complete and much, much more. It would be an honor to
continue this work on behalf of you and the other residents
of the City.
Please take the time to fill-out the attached endorsement form
and either mail, fax or e-mail it back to me.
Sincerely,
Steven Rosansky
Newport Beach City Councilman
District 2"
Rosansky lists under his accomplishments:
5. Group Home Conference & Group Home Legislation
Organized a conference in March 2007 to share ideas on the group home issue
facing cities across California. Over 300 people, representing over 100 local,
county and state agencies from Chula Vista to Eureka, attended the conference.
Encouraged and supported efforts by State Senator Harmon and others to
introduce state legislation to give more local control over group homes.
As you read it, you should note that in 2007, as then sitting
Mayor, Rosansky was commonly seen lashing out during
council meetings at Community members who demanded
his honesty. It was later discovered by District 2 residents,
that Rosansky had knowingly entered into a contract with a
known Drug Rehab Operator from 2004 through Spring 2007
in which Rosansky received compensation and financially
benefit from. But Rosansky apparently “forgot” to mention
this despite being required to disclose such a matter by City
Council’s own "Conflict of Interest" Policy A-16, which requires
a City Official to discuss, as a matter of public record, the
circumstance surrounding any “interest or conflict.”
During 2004 Rosansky voted in favor of the 2004-16 Group
Home Ordinance (rehabs). In the months that followed, the
2004-16 Group Home Ordinance helped cause severe over-
concentration of Drug Rehab Homes in Newport Beach and
much of that in Rosansky’s own district. Between 2004-2007
Rosansky consistently proclaimed that there was nothing that
the City could do to help alleviate the impact being felt by
residents from the Drug Rehab Over-Concentration problem.
Also, as then Mayor during 2007, Rosansky hosted a Conference
of Cities on Group Homes, Chaired the IROC Committee (focused
on Over-Concentration) and he voted in Council on many more
measures involving Group (Drug Rehab) Homes. All this while
Rosansky never publicly mentioned his for-profit, contractual
relationship with the Drug Rehab Operator until late 2007 when
residents uncovered evidence of Rosansky’s financial involvement
with that Drug Rehab Operator.
In my opinion, Rosansky has displayed a strong misjudgment in
many matters of ethics, local governance and honesty. Residents
should consider whether Rosansky is a leader who will truly put
the community needs above his own.
Keep that in mind as Rosansky pleads for support in his re-election.
Bob Rush
Guest Blogger: The Fifty Foot Blogger
Greetings--I'll be guest-blogging here while Cancer Bitch moves to her new place. For the most part, these will be cross-posts in my own blog. However, if you find my meanderings amusing, you can read my earlier stuff at The Fifty Foot Blogger.
-E
Last week, I had my first gynecological exam since I started cancer treatment. TMI, you say? None of you complained when I wrote about breasts.
I haven't had the best of luck with gynecologists. There was Dr. Shifty, at my old HMO, who constantly glanced around the room while I asked questions, as if seeking an escape route. Then, Dr. Gorgeous, who lectured me about birth control while he was down there. Uncomfortable. The last one, Dr. Soccermom, hurt me during the examination, and blamed me, saying I was "too tense." Pain does make me tense.
So, my expectations were low when I walked into yet another waiting room of OB/GYN practice; this time recommended by my internist. After filling out the new patient forms, I started to browse the magazine selection. They had a couple of obligatory copies of Parenting, but also a number of news magazines and, to my delight, the latest issue of ReadyMade. If you're not familiar with ReadyMade, it's the bible of hipster Do-It-Yourself-ers; sort of a combination Popular Mechanics/Good Housekeeping for Generation Y. It's a pretty unusual magazine to find in a doctor's office.
One of the big problems I've had with OB/GYNs in the past is the feeling that they're really OBs, and the GYN part is an afterthought. This was first time I didn't automatically feel like a second-class citizen for not being pregnant. Dr. Soccermom's waiting room was full of baby magazines, brochures about breast-feeding, and mini photo albums of infants she caught on their way out. I have nothing against babies; I actually was one, at one time. But how about a little photo album of women you've successfully guided through menopause--hmmm? We're probably not cute enough.
The new gynecologist, who I will now think of as Dr. ReadyMade, was wonderful! First, we met in his office to discuss any concerns, a pleasant alternative to having to ask questions while half-naked and on an exam table. During the examination, he told me what he was doing and took care to cause minimal discomfort. I don't say this about a lot of docs, but he's a keeper.
ReadyMade [Link]
"Gynecologists say the darndest things" Radar [Link]
-E
Last week, I had my first gynecological exam since I started cancer treatment. TMI, you say? None of you complained when I wrote about breasts.
I haven't had the best of luck with gynecologists. There was Dr. Shifty, at my old HMO, who constantly glanced around the room while I asked questions, as if seeking an escape route. Then, Dr. Gorgeous, who lectured me about birth control while he was down there. Uncomfortable. The last one, Dr. Soccermom, hurt me during the examination, and blamed me, saying I was "too tense." Pain does make me tense.
So, my expectations were low when I walked into yet another waiting room of OB/GYN practice; this time recommended by my internist. After filling out the new patient forms, I started to browse the magazine selection. They had a couple of obligatory copies of Parenting, but also a number of news magazines and, to my delight, the latest issue of ReadyMade. If you're not familiar with ReadyMade, it's the bible of hipster Do-It-Yourself-ers; sort of a combination Popular Mechanics/Good Housekeeping for Generation Y. It's a pretty unusual magazine to find in a doctor's office.
One of the big problems I've had with OB/GYNs in the past is the feeling that they're really OBs, and the GYN part is an afterthought. This was first time I didn't automatically feel like a second-class citizen for not being pregnant. Dr. Soccermom's waiting room was full of baby magazines, brochures about breast-feeding, and mini photo albums of infants she caught on their way out. I have nothing against babies; I actually was one, at one time. But how about a little photo album of women you've successfully guided through menopause--hmmm? We're probably not cute enough.
The new gynecologist, who I will now think of as Dr. ReadyMade, was wonderful! First, we met in his office to discuss any concerns, a pleasant alternative to having to ask questions while half-naked and on an exam table. During the examination, he told me what he was doing and took care to cause minimal discomfort. I don't say this about a lot of docs, but he's a keeper.
ReadyMade [Link]
"Gynecologists say the darndest things" Radar [Link]
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
All's Quiet?
I must say.
You can already tell that the Daily Pilot is hurting.
2 years ago, with the 2006 Newport Beach elections, the room was abuzz. Between the Six (yes count'em 6) City Council Seats up for election, the General Plan and Greenlight II on the ballot.
This year?
We've learned more about Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook than any Newport Beach oriented election politics, lawsuits withstanding.
Costa Mesa is getting great (ok...decent) coverage (here, here and here).
What does Newport Beach get? A Surfer running against Steve Rosansky in the 2nd?
and an article from three weeks ago about Dolores Otting running?
That's great, but where's the follow up? How much have people raised? Where's the followup on Jorge Lopez and Ivan Moad?
Where's SJ Cahn and Alicia Robinson when you need them...?
Anyway, I was curious about it, so must all of you.
We'll start with how much our "Interested" Parties in this forgotten, yet wonderful, City of Newport Beach has raised from January 1 through June 30, 2008.
Councilman Michael Henn - Raised no money, spent almost $500, still owes himself $17,500.00 from his 2006 run.
Councilman Steve Rosansky - is GOING to face a challenger in the fall. Raised no money, spent $72, has $113.75 in the bank. But he's a good fundraiser, so should have some dough later on.
Lame Duck Don Webb - Getting termed out in 2 years. Doesn't need to even bother...raising money that is...
Mayor Pro-Tem Leslie Daigle - Getting ready for her Assem..., I mean City Council race in 2010? Raised no money, spent $261.70, and...get this...STILL OWES DAVID ELLIS/DELTA PARTNERS $5000 FROM HER 2006 CITY COUNCIL RUN.
Mayor Ed Selich - With no name on the horizon to challenge him in 2008, raised no money, spent $850.00, still has almost $6,000.00 in the bank from his 2006 run. Should a "Real" challenger pop up, he'll raise big Leslie Daigle/Mike Henn type dollars in no time.
Councilwoman Nancy Gardner - Nothing raised, $26 spent, still owes herself $10k plus from 2006.
Councilman Keith Curry - With a challenger in the 7th District, Keith has raised almost $38k, spent $8700, and has a bit more than $30k in the bank, although he still owes himself $17k from his previous election in 2006. The names who contributed are the expected names to see on his contribution report.
Council Candidate Dolores Otting - Raised $4367.00, spent $218.10, and has $4148.90 in the bank. Long ways to go, but Dolores knows lots of people and let's see how open their checkbooks become.
Newport Beach Fire Union - I guess they are gearing up to support their Union candidates...raised almost $10k, spent $1186.00, but they have $31310.49 in the bank. Prepared for heavy lifting. Is there another Fire Union contract coming up?
What does this all mean?
Nothing really...perhaps that's why the Daily Pilot hasn't blinked twice at Newport Beach.
What stands out to me so far?
You can already tell that the Daily Pilot is hurting.
2 years ago, with the 2006 Newport Beach elections, the room was abuzz. Between the Six (yes count'em 6) City Council Seats up for election, the General Plan and Greenlight II on the ballot.
This year?
We've learned more about Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook than any Newport Beach oriented election politics, lawsuits withstanding.
Costa Mesa is getting great (ok...decent) coverage (here, here and here).
What does Newport Beach get? A Surfer running against Steve Rosansky in the 2nd?
and an article from three weeks ago about Dolores Otting running?
That's great, but where's the follow up? How much have people raised? Where's the followup on Jorge Lopez and Ivan Moad?
Where's SJ Cahn and Alicia Robinson when you need them...?
Anyway, I was curious about it, so must all of you.
We'll start with how much our "Interested" Parties in this forgotten, yet wonderful, City of Newport Beach has raised from January 1 through June 30, 2008.
Councilman Michael Henn - Raised no money, spent almost $500, still owes himself $17,500.00 from his 2006 run.
Councilman Steve Rosansky - is GOING to face a challenger in the fall. Raised no money, spent $72, has $113.75 in the bank. But he's a good fundraiser, so should have some dough later on.
Lame Duck Don Webb - Getting termed out in 2 years. Doesn't need to even bother...raising money that is...
Mayor Pro-Tem Leslie Daigle - Getting ready for her Assem..., I mean City Council race in 2010? Raised no money, spent $261.70, and...get this...STILL OWES DAVID ELLIS/DELTA PARTNERS $5000 FROM HER 2006 CITY COUNCIL RUN.
Mayor Ed Selich - With no name on the horizon to challenge him in 2008, raised no money, spent $850.00, still has almost $6,000.00 in the bank from his 2006 run. Should a "Real" challenger pop up, he'll raise big Leslie Daigle/Mike Henn type dollars in no time.
Councilwoman Nancy Gardner - Nothing raised, $26 spent, still owes herself $10k plus from 2006.
Councilman Keith Curry - With a challenger in the 7th District, Keith has raised almost $38k, spent $8700, and has a bit more than $30k in the bank, although he still owes himself $17k from his previous election in 2006. The names who contributed are the expected names to see on his contribution report.
Council Candidate Dolores Otting - Raised $4367.00, spent $218.10, and has $4148.90 in the bank. Long ways to go, but Dolores knows lots of people and let's see how open their checkbooks become.
Newport Beach Fire Union - I guess they are gearing up to support their Union candidates...raised almost $10k, spent $1186.00, but they have $31310.49 in the bank. Prepared for heavy lifting. Is there another Fire Union contract coming up?
What does this all mean?
Nothing really...perhaps that's why the Daily Pilot hasn't blinked twice at Newport Beach.
What stands out to me so far?
- Mayor Pro-Tem Daigle still owes David Ellis money for 2006.
- The Fire Union has more money in the bank than Councilman Keith Curry.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Banning Ranch
The Register ran a thoughtful piece today on the situation our city faces: one in which a bonanza of opportunity has sat dormant at Banning Ranch, and where the owners have thoughtfully and earnestly begun the process of engaging the citizens in dialogue about potential plans. Unfortunately, it is also another case in our beloved city where radical and extremist anti-growthers threaten to leave the status quo as it is, all in the name of - well, I don't really know what.
I am not prepared to say exactly what should or should not happen in Banning Ranch. I have been very impressed with the developers work thus far, and am admittedly one who values the private property rights and good community more than I value anything the Sierra Club does or thinks. But this is not the time to make up one's mind - it is time to listen. It is time to see what makes the most sense for our city. NIMBYism is going to die one day, and I would be thrilled to see that death start here - in Banning Ranch.
I am not prepared to say exactly what should or should not happen in Banning Ranch. I have been very impressed with the developers work thus far, and am admittedly one who values the private property rights and good community more than I value anything the Sierra Club does or thinks. But this is not the time to make up one's mind - it is time to listen. It is time to see what makes the most sense for our city. NIMBYism is going to die one day, and I would be thrilled to see that death start here - in Banning Ranch.