Tuesday's HOT List
The Hot List with a New Feature!
Below is this Tuesday’s Hot or Not list, I’ve also included a new feature titled “City Hall Staffer of the Week” read below to see if its you!
HOT
1. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – Conducts an inventory of the state’s cars finds we are missing 30,000 and Worker’s Comp rates fall by 27%. Good news has finally begun to roll-in for the embattled Governor.
2. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – Proved why is Mayor and smarter than everyone else with this delay in the Sunshine debate.
3. Councilman Dennis Zine – Proved why he has one of the smartest staffs in Council. Maneuvered and bargained the Mayor’s office into a corner.
4. School Board member Jose Huizar – Collects a majority of the Council in his bid to become the next representative for CD 14.
5. BFI – Not that I am a fan of them, but one must pay respects to their deftness at keeping their issue alive.
NOT HOT
1. Ricardo Torres III – So much of a political hot potato that both campaigns are trying to steer clear of this man. A close confidant of Nick Pacheco’s, so close he immediately discloses any letters or correspondence he gets from Nick’s enemies.
2. John Edwards – takes a simple post about him and gets his entire friends and family network to attack the blog. You could either fight us or take it as tongue and cheek like Jim Alger and Stuart “Stu” Waldman did. Give them a call if you need some guidance on how to deal with the blog and yours truly.
3. North Valley Coalition – This isn’t a comment about my feelings toward them, I actually like and respect them. Although, on which side won this debate they tasted victory only to be left with the bitter taste of defeat (or postponement).
4. Animal Defense League – Get over yourselves. While you may be passionate regarding your issue, you should poll Angelinos and ask them where they rank your issue. Public Safety, Basic Services, Senior Services all poll better with Angelinos than some arcane General Manager of some unknown City department.
5. Councilwoman Janice Hahn – This week she showed how Christian and forgiving she is by switching her vote only to screw with the new mayor. I think we should recite some New Testament scripture to her, because an “eye for an eye” doesn’t apply anymore.
City Hall Staffer of the Week:
Leslie Pollner (she's the girl with her face down)– Legislative Director turned Deputy Chief of Staff who dates LA Times reporters. Leslie has been described as one of the young bright stars in City Hall by a longtime lobbyist. Mr. Roderick likes to post on the happenings in Ms. Pollner’s life which means she is one of the “cool kids” at City Hall.
So to all you interns and entry-level types fresh from college, look to Leslie to be your older sister and mentor. She gets the Chief’s nod and hopefully is honored by being the very first person to receive this award.
*****Nominations now being accepted******
Send an e-mail to Chiefwilliamparker@hotmail.com and we will consider your nomination. The board will include Mayor Frank and Mayor Sam in the final decision. Once nominated you will be considered as a potential City Hall staffer of the week for the following 3 weeks. After that time has passed your nomination will need to be resubmmitted.
I've received numerous e-mails from many City Hall types from their personal accounts who want to be included in this fun contest.
Now that you know rules leave us alone!
For now let us all sit in quiet awe of our first winner Leslie Pollner.
Posted by Anonymous @ 8/09/2005 06:59:00 PM
122 Comments:
Chief Parker,
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been doing a great job all along, it is difficult to govern a state that has very liberal large cities. It would help if the cities had majority Republican representatives.
The Mayor Antonio, I voted for him and I am disappointed so far. I expected him to be more accountable in his appointees and not have conflict of interests, instead he appoints his friends, contributors, family, and pay for play. His insistence in abolishing this type of government is what I voted for instead I got a repeat of a Hahn Administration and who knows it may be worse.
Zine-no comment
Jose Huizar. Let me say this, it comes down to this, has he done a good job at his current position in LAUSD? NOPE, then why would I think this person is hot, not hot, he is not hot. He has more skeletons in the closet that I care to dust out. Drop out rates are horrendous.
BFI is a scam against the people of the Valley and Villaraigosa is in their pocket as he showed his true alliance today.
Ricardo Torres-no comment
John Edwards-If Pacheco chose this person to help him, I trust his judgement. So far, Huizar is the one with staff problems, spinning won't work Huizar staff, not on this election.
NVC & ADL-villaraigosa should hang for the backstabbing he did to these two fine organizations.
Janice Hahn-good council member, Villraigosa should learn and appreciate that she has her own mind and does not need to follow anyone like a sick puppy.
Attention Mayors and Chief,
I had a long discussion about the following terms with a coworker. We both disagreed on what these terms actually meant. Does anyone on this site know exactly what the difference is on:
LATINO
HISPANIC
CHICANO
MEXICAN
LATIN AMERICAN
MEXICAN AMERICAN
ETC...
IF I WAS BORN IN THE US BUT HAVE IMMIGRANT PARENTS, WHAT AM I?
ALSO, IF I WAS BORN IN NICARAGUA, LEFT AND BECAME A CITIZEN OF THE US WHAT AM I ALSO?
OR IF I AM PLAIN NICARAGUAN?
Thanks Chief Parker,
From now on I will post more often.
Janet
Zine's staff is both "HOT" and "HOT" if you know what I mean.
8:12 PM
take a chicano studies course at your local college.
Sincerely,
A Latino
Much kudos for the call that Jon Edwards is NOT HOT. Edwards is an arrogant troll who hates Latinos and Latinas.
The part about Pacheco hiring him and trusting his judgment! Laughable! Truly hilareous! This is the same Pacheco who trusted the judgment of Ricardo Torres and all the others who embarassed our comunity.
Jon I know you post twenty times on this site you are not fooling anyone Jon.
To CPM: Yesenia, is that you? Mrs. C?
Good post.
The truly funny thing about John Edwards is how when the bad post came out about him and how bad he is by the guys who own the blog then John clearly posted like 20-30 other posts to try to get people off the issue and get rid of the comments about him but you saw how they all came back and it ended up being one of the most popular posts ever on the site with a ton of people confirming what the blog owner said in their original post.
C'mon everyone, Edwards can always go back to his position at the CTEC.
Woopsie - that's right. That org. um well, yeah, no longer exists.
Janice Hahn should be hot. The Mayor would never dare so openly take his feud with the Hahn family to her. This plus her "nothing to lose" attitude gives her a leg up on council.
The majority of the council endorses Huizar? Reason NOT to vote for him, per this CHE staffer!
to 8:12pm.
Its what alot of *anglo* americans dont understand. Its a cultural thing. We are all Americans. But we have not given up our cultural background. Of course you dont understand, how many anglo/white americans hold onto their ancestors culture? Hardly any that I have met. ugh wait, there was 1 family in my old Torrance neighborhood that spoke German. I always thought that was pretty cool. Frankly, does it matter?
Dont look down on someone who embraces their cultural background, its what makes this [standing on soap box] country great, right?
Embrace your tacos, hug your burritos..whisper sweet spanish nothings to your chimichangas...
Do what 9:01pm says, if you are really sincere, get to know your fellow --Americans.
PicoGrl
Man oh man, Pacheco went from Lloyd M to this guy? How low can you sink?
***For immediate release***
I'll let you know chaps that I have on good information that ABC is currently interviewing John Edwards to be the next Bachelor.
They believe that young millionaires just do not attract visitors anymore. Instead, they want to tell the story of the Irish cab driver who became a "Political Director."
The trailers show him dispensing calling cards with that title at events in El Sereno. This is must-see TV!
Sounds more like Nick Pacheco: Fear Factor...
Janice Hahn = LOSER
8:12 PM
There was a study at the University of Illiniois on Identity, Race, and Ethnicity...very interesting research.
Race-Human Race
Ethnicity-mongoloid, Latin/Hispanic
Identity-female/male, mexican, nicaraguan, salvadorian
Imagine if there were no borders, we would just be Latin, that's it.
***For Immediate Release***
Josh Talmadge of the Los Angeles Daily News recently ran into John Edwards at a Jose Huizar mixer.
Regarding his alleged role in the next edition of the popular ABC series "The Bachelor", Edwards had this to say. "While I can neither confirm nor deny my involvement in The Bachelor, I can tell you I enjoy nothing more than swindling young ladies of their hearts!"
According to a spokesman for the John Edwards for City Council campaign, Mr Edwards is very displeased by this development.
He will not be appearing on The Bachelor this season. Instead, he has signed on for Fox's mid-season replacement,
WHO WANTS TO MARRY A HUNDRED-AIRE?
"Jose Huizar can have all the endorsements in the world, but it will not help him when people look at his failed record on the Board of Education," Pacheco spokesman John Edwards said. "He has to be held accountable for the high dropout rate, the truancy and the violence on school campuses."
Janice Hahn is one of the few council members who cares about her constituents. She is HOT!
This just in.
Jose Huizar, tired of receiving so many endorsements, has made one himself.
'I wholeheartedly endorse John Edwards. I appreciate his work, and look forward to running into him again soon! Go, John, Go!'
Me, too.
Antonio Villaraigosa
Chief Parker,
Poppycock.
I am very disturbed by this character assassination. John Edwards is not the liar, swindler, cheat, fraud, or douchebag your website is making me out to be.
He is a gentleman and a scholar. Of even temperament, and constant in loyalty. A friend to all, both great and small.
Pippip, cheerio.
BTW, I am not John Edwards. You have my word on it.
Many, many thanks.
A Supporter of John Edwards
(Who Is Not John Edwards)
Chief Faker:
This is clearly all a plot on your behalf to get the brilliant Mister Edwards off the Nick Pacheco campaign.
You are thrashing him to get Nick to get rid of his brilliant mind.
Oh crap, who am I kidding? You are hoping that he stays on the campaign in light of how many people in the district he has pissed off.
Which is true? Which is reality? Which is spin?
Jose H's blogging crew is out in full force tonite!
11:21's right. Let's see something about JH's Political Director!
I bet he's out in the community making enemies everyday too!
CypressParkMama, will you marry me?
Huizar = No Accomplishments
Huizar got seven accomplishments today.
Janice Hahn is definitely hot this week. And Zine's staff? Don't have the best reputation in CH, but some nice folks. And when they're running this blog, ain't this a conflict of interest?
The reason Ed Reyes is endorsing Huizar is "because Huizar returns telephone calls". Hey, Ed, I called your office about six months ago and I'm still waiting to hear from you...or anybody in your office.
Name an accomplishment Huizar can say he did for the kids with pride...nada...he has not done one thing but increase the drop out rate while in office.
Antonio is getting the endorsements for Huizar, do you really think Huizar is capable of getting these endorsements, no he is not. He is a puppet.
I will not vote for a person who is incomptent in managing anything. No matter if the mayor had endorsed him. I can think for myself and I will choose the best candidate. However, Huizar is not the candidate that can do this job, his failure at LAUSD and record of corruption through land deals lost for LAUSD shows he is not capable to manage a district. He is supported by Villariagosa, but I think it is out of vengeance. VIllaraigosa hates Pacheco and is vindictive and this is how he is getting back at him. VIllaraigosa does not like huizar, he hates him, he is just using him.
How do you expect Huizar to build consensus with other politicians if he couldn't even get along with Roy Romer for the longest time. He has an ego that he tends to feed daily and it does not involve helping others, just himself.
"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's endorsement is not going to erase the fact that former School Board President José Huizar is responsible for 61% of Latinos dropping out, racial tension in our schools and overspending his 2003-2004 budget by a quarter of a billion dollars."
After that same press conference, Huizar's camp e-mailed dozens of journalists. However, someone goofed, and the text describing the attached press release read, "It's almost all Antonio quotes, because that is what we want printed. The other participants are mentioned... Are we ok with it?"
Huizar,
The Beaudry Building (non classroom item) is an example of District overspending and the cost of its purchase could have been used to build schools.
Los Angeles school board President Jose Huizar was one of the few officials who were thankful of the governor’s plan because it proposes no new cuts to education. It does, however, order the state to keep the $2 billion it owes to local schools as part of Proposition 98. A provision of the proposition allows the state to withhold those funds during economic hardship, with a promise to reimburse schools once the state’s fiscal house is in order.
“I appreciate the governor’s commitment to education and know that we could have faced deeper cuts,” Huizar said.
John Perez, president of United Teachers Los Angeles,
which represents about 45,000 Los Angeles Unified
School District teachers, said that he had spoken with
"various school board members at various times in the
process  about various candidates." But he said that no
UTLA official had lobbied on Medina's behalf.
School board members, Perez said, "told us that this
woman was young, intelligent and had a good resume.
That sounds like the kind of lawyer the district would
want, right?"
Some board members, including President Jose Huizar,
acknowledged that there was lobbying by political and
community leaders on behalf of candidates. But they
denied that those efforts affected the decision.
"This type of jockeying occurs when there is this type of
high-profile decision," Huizar said. "I got calls not only
about her, but on a number of candidates."
Several people who applied for the job said they believed
the board's process had been rigged from the start and
that its ultimate decision was guided by politics.
But Huizar denied that charge. "In this process, I believe
it was open and transparent," he said. "I just think people
were unhappy with the results."
The LA Times says that a suspect has been arrested in yesterday's shooting at Locke High School. Apparently, the victim was just an innocent bystander. The shooting took place at 110th and Avalon, about 6 blocks from where I was student teaching last quarter. Unforunate... I hope the girl pulls through.
Locke High School shooting
While I was attending the LAUSD Local District 4 orientation, there was a shooting going on outside of Locke High School
Numbers game
With soaring LAUSD dropout rates, it's time to stop the excuses
The latest dropout figures for the Los Angeles Unified School District show an alarming spike over the last school year. More than 16,000 students left school unaccounted for -- a 50 percent increase over the year before, and nearly three times higher than the California average.
It's no surprise that one board member called the rise "alarmingly high." But wait, LAUSD officials responded, it's really not as terrible as it sounds. Why the increase had nothing to do with students and everything to do with how the education establishment played around with numbers, they said.
How reassuring.
But what's most alarming about the disclosure is not so much the deplorable numbers themselves -- the LAUSD's high dropout rate has been common knowledge for a long time -- but how officials responded with the same old deflect-and-defend attitude that was the hallmark of the old "can't-do" days.
What parents and taxpayers want to hear is what school officials are doing to keep teenagers from dropping out.
Instead, LAUSD officials seem more interested in downplaying the problem and shifting blame than working to correct it. They fault a new policy of not tracking students after they leave school, whether they're dropping out to go to work, moving to another school or district, or leaving town. They are all counted as dropouts. To top it off, the state is calculating dropout numbers in a different way based on a new federal formula, which they said adds to the higher rates.
Fix a broken LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District)
You've heard about it. Overcrowded classrooms, student failure, dropouts, school crime, school race riots... LAUSD was once the finest school district in the U.S. It now ranks among the worst. School officials will tell you that LAUSD's academic scores are on the rise. But what they won't tell you is that don't average in the zero scores of the 33 percent of LAUSD students who drop out -- mostly illegal immigrants or their first or second generation offspring.
Using LAUSD's method of keeping score, I could prove that people lived longer in the 17th century than they do today if I didn't count all those who died (dropouts) before the age of twelve.
Villaraigosa will fail in this promise.
The second major corruption scandal facing El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles is the outright theft of billions of the 7 billion dollar per year budget of the Los Angeles Unified School District that is meant, in part, for the education of over 500,000 Latino children. The LAUSD has approximately 700,000 students and delivers one of the most inferior educational programs in the United States. The district is supposed to be governed by a 7 member school board that is elected one each in seven political districts. Because of outright gerrymandering of the districts' boundaries, Latinos have been able to elect only one of the seven school members. Over the years this has resulted in the election of political cliques that care little in educating the growing and majority Latino, largely immigrant, student population. The school board politicians respond to the business interests of the city's elite and over the years have squandered billions of dollars. One particular corruption scandal has involved the district's school construction program that has shamelessly enriched top level school administrators, many who have since been dismissed or have retired. One notorious case among many involves the most expensive non-high school in the nation called the Belmont Learning Center that was meant to serve immigrant Latino students from low income families in the downtown area of the city.
The Belmont Learning Center has so far cost over 272 million dollars but it still stands only about 2/3 completed on a toxic lot a few blocks from city hall. There are serious doubts that it will ever be completed. This project is a perfect example of how billions of dollars have been stolen over the years by unscrupulous vendors, contractors, consultants and unsavory lawyers with inside help from school politicians and crooked and incompetent school administrators. The Belmont Learning Center involves questionable land deals, shady contractors and greedy lawyers tied to the mayor's office and a prestigious law firm. The case has been investigated by the County's Grand Jury and the County's District Attorney is being pressured to bring prosecutions but judging from how the LAPD scandal is being handled, there is a good possibility that the crooks may never be brought to justice. In L.A. , it appears that only Mexicans, other Latinos, impoverished immigrant youths and blacks get prison terms. After all, who will fill the brand new cells built by one of the fastest growing industries in California?
There seems to be significant connections in these two Los Angeles scandals that have major implications for Mexicans and other Latinos in the city, the state and the nation. The LAPD crooked cops where taking advantage of the anti-Mexican and anti-immigrant hysteria that was begun by former Governor Pete Wilson when he called for a war on the Latino youths of the Pico-Union area of Los Angleles and who were associated with an organization called the 18th Street gang. This anti-Latino hysteria created the so called anti-gang CRASH program that gave license to the LAPD to abuse the civil rights of the residents of the immigrant community. The results is what we have witnessed in terms of the framing and imprisonment of innocent victims. On one side we have a political establishment that justifies police brutality and misconduct on the grounds that police authorities are dealing with "dangerous" criminal youths who commit crimes, because of their unemployability due to lack of education, and on the other side we have these same political hacks stealing the money that is meant for the education of these youths. This a classic Catch-22 for La Raza in Los Angeles and, in large part, in the United States as a whole.
Los Angeles Chicanos Excluded from Panels Investigating Police Corruption
Mayor Riordan's Republican plans for repression are supported by the Democratic National Committee. This collusion is a perfect example that, for La Raza, there is really no difference between the political parties in power. Both parties ultimately serve the interests of the "Whites" only and hire "vendido hispanics" to do their dirty work against La Raza. The DNC has hired an hispanic by the name of Lydia Camarillo and she has worked very closely with Mayor Riordan to ensure that Chicanos do not embarrass the city with legitimate political demonstrations. Maybe they feel that the LAPD and LAUSD corruption scandals are enough embarrassment.
In conclusion, the lack of Chicano representation on the "Rampart Police Scandal Review Panel" and on next year's Los Angeles County Grand Jury indicates that we are still politically powerless in a city where the population of Mexicans is second only to Mexico City. This is mainly due to "spineless" political leadership from Latino elected officials and to the fact that these "politicos" are elected not by us but by the gringo power structure for their benefit and not ours!
LAUSD Corruption Scandals" (Cuacuahtzin Column, by HectorCarreon) -- "The City of Los Angeles, California, with the second largest Mexican population next to Mexico City, isstarting the new millennium with two major corruption scandals clouding its future. The first scandal is unprecedented inthe annals of the city's history and concerns Los Angeles Police Department officers involved in large scale criminalactivities that include murder, bank robbery, street muggins, drug dealing, torture, false arrests, witness intimidation andthe framing and imprisoning of innocent Latino youths...."http://www.wbai.org - wbai.orgPowered by Mambo Open SourceGenerated: 29 July, 2005, 18:46
Cooley responded directly to charges made by Patchett on Belmont who told Full Disclosure Network™ in a videotaped interview last February that his investigation and that of the LAUSD Inspector General discovered "false claims, kick-backs, conflicts of interest, bid-rigging, and a license to steal" in what he terms the "$175 million fraud known as Belmont". Cooley denied that Patchett ever provided him with a request to indict and stated both the LAUSD Inspector General and Patchett never named names and claims that people working under Patchett did not agree with his work.
Full Disclosure Network(tm) is an alternative news source and covers issues of public corruption including "BELMONT: The World's Most Expensive High School", a scandal in Los Angeles County. Scott Wildman, former chair of the CJLAC, offers his investigative insights on the Belmont issue.
According to LA County DA Steve Cooley, Los Angeles has a long history of corruption, and because his office is doing such a good job prosecuting corruption, it appears that we still have a lot of it. Asked why the three strikes law is not applied to illegal aliens who are arrested, convicted and deported multiple times, Cooley stated "we don't treat them any different from any other citizen.
PUBLIC CRIME & CORRUPTION - PART 2
Taped 3-12-04
L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley defended his decision not to indict or to call a Grand Jury investigation on Belmont. He said there was no evidence of any crime and that former Special Assistant District Attorney Anthony Patchett and the LAUSD Inspector General had failed to name any names or ask for indictments. When asked if it was a crime for the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers to represent both the LAUSD and the Belmont Contractor/Developer, Cooley said that the LAUSD may have unwittingly signed a waiver, absolving the law firm of conflict of interest
SCHOOL AUDITORS & INVESTIGATORS SPEAK OUT
ON LACK OF BIG DOLLAR PROSECUTIONS
Date Taped: 7-27-05
Paste this on your url
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/Program_Details/videoblog7.htm
Los Angeles, CA . School auditors and investigators describe their disappointment over the failure of prosecutors to file charges for the big dollar crimes that were documented by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Office of Inspector General. In a nine minute video blog featured on Full Disclosure Network™ website starting Monday, August 8, 2005 the investigators describe some of the most egregious investigations undertaken by the Inspector General's office.
Former Inspector General Don Mullinax responded to Full Disclosure™ when asked what he thought about the fact there were no prosecutions resulting from his extensive reports of waste, fraud and abuse on the still incomplete $330 million Belmont Learning Center. Mullinax said he was disappointed "after having spent almost three years of my life working on that report, other reports and on the District Attorney's Belmont Task Force on Belmont."
Anthony Patchett who headed the D.A.'s investigation on Belmont said "Don Mullinax did an outstanding job. He found a lot of fraud and corruption. It's just the fact that when he took those cases to the District Attorney's office, they chose not to go forward with them. They'll go ahead and they'll prosecute the small crimes under $15,000, but for the other crimes that Mr. Mullinax has found, they still have that blind eye towards that".
According to Interim Inspector General Jerry Thornton some of the problems have been resolved but investigations are ongoing. “If you are looking at lower level employees, if you're looking at people that manage cafeterias and people that do the grounds work, we could do this for the next 15 years and nobody would ever say anything to us. But when you elevate your investigations up to the hierarchy of an organization like this, you're always going to meet resistance. Everybody's for accountability until you hold them accountable”, he said.
Investigator Karen Sexton told Full Disclosure™ about the investigation of the adult schools whose contractor and other unnamed individuals were never prosecuted when the Inspector General's investigation found classes that didn't exist, ghost students and people working double assignements. She said the only outcome of the investigation was "they no longer work for the District and the contract was not renewed."
Bob Williams , promoted to Acting Deputy Inspector General following the departure of Don Mullinax, told Full Disclosure™ the BB Bond investigation resulted in auditors finding $600 million that was spent on different things (click here to see PAGE 4 of the BB Bond follow-up report) that went to the actual contractors as opposed to the projects. When asked what the outcome of BB Bond investigation was, the supervising investigator told Full Disclosure™ “the outcome basically, was nothing.”
The Full Disclosure Network™ has been producing a series of video blogs for the Internet using video clips from television interviews and events featuring prominent leaders who involved in the school construction, planning, development and investigations of the L. A. Unified School District and Belmont Learning Center. The video blogs and television programs are featured on 40 cable television systems and video streamed over the Internet from www.fulldisclosure.net . In 2002 the Full Disclosure™ program was presented with a local public affairs Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
FEATURED FULL DISCLOSURE™
PROGRAM SERIES
BELMONT REVELATIONS
BELMONT: The Worlds Most
Expensive Highschool
Watch Our 13 Minute
Desktop Video
BELMONT DEMOLITION
VIDEO ONLINE
Watch our 5.13 minute video presentation for unseen photos of the quiet holiday demolition!
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/flash/BelmontDemolition-5min.htm
When questioned about the little known LAUSD Financing Corporation, McConnell stated that it considered to be a "Land Bank" that holds resources (from Certificates of Participation) for future land purchases by the District. Asked why the media had not ever reported on LAUSD Financing Corporation which was formed in 2000 he said that further details as to how it operates is available from the General Counsel of the Board of Education.
The Belmont
Learning Center involves questionable land deals, shady contractors
Many parents, however, see it differently. They are anxious for answers and distrustful of the school district, which has let them down on safety issues again and again. In 1989, Park Avenue School was ground zero for an LAUSD toxic nightmare, and now the bad memories have literally arisen from the tainted ground anew — eerily echoing the events of a decade ago and raising profound questions about the school district’s commitment to maintaining safe schools.
The irony of this history repeating itself is not lost on district environmental consultant Angelo Bellomo, who, in 1990, helped oversee the original temporary fix at the school. "The experience at Park Avenue is why there is a state law that prohibits the construction of schools on former hazardous-waste disposal sites," he said. "A follow-up investigation should have commenced years ago. So now we have members of the public who were concerned 10 years ago and who are now asking the same questions about the school’s safety all over again."
Dumb and Dumber
School board learns why shady deals are done in the shade
How brain dead was the four-member board majority? "I see a great opportunity here for parody," commented Jennifer W. Solis, a 10th grader at Belmont High, who writes an education column for School Wise Press. "Let's get rid of the entire procurement process, and save millions on salaries, benefits and office space. Anyone who wants to sell something to the LAUSD can simply meet in a secluded place with as many board members as it takes to secure four votes. Each board member can have a page on the LAUSD Web site where interested vendors can submit bids (à la Priceline) for the quid pro quo required for that member's support."
On the bright side, at least the school system is turning out future graduates with more horse sense than the elected representatives.
Rabid Liars like Chief Faker quoting the Bible.
There's a special place in hell for you.
Can you COUNT to 80, Chief Parker.
You said you could.
How HOT is it to lie about the ONLY accmplishment ADV said he could claim for 2 years in city office - 80 neighborhood watches? That's what YOU lied about for months.
(It's okay is he wins, right? That's what PARKE told you to say).
Bush lied about WMDs and he won, so no problem there, either. Tell those assholes protesting the war/occupation of Iraq to shut the fuck up.
Bush won, all is forgiven. Lies don't count. Just like ADV.
The last item tell it all... Mayor Sams is just a "get me a date" scam by a bunch of lonely city hall nerds who haven't scored since junior high basketball season.
Antonio ----hasn't done a damn thing in two months accept be at photo ops and is campaigning hard for Sleazy Huizy. Extending a contract was nothing.
Zine---still is an idiot and flip flops on many issues. He has no credability on council anymore
Sleazy Huizy--has become the joke of CD14. Not one council member stated anything relevant about his accomplishments beause he doesn't have any. They are all puppets for Antonio & kissing his butt. Jose will get hammered in the debates. Watch for his people to take notes on how Pacheco answers with experience, knowledge and a vision and record of accomplishments. Then JOse will go around using Pacheco's words. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. LAUSD will haunt Jose throughout the election.
Anon 12:34 AM (and others)
Mayor Sam would like to have examples (with proof like scans of documents especially) of this and other Team Huizar goofs.
You can email to:
mayorsamyorty@aol.com
Will the CD14 election be known as a "bitterly fought contest" or what? It has quickly become about Tricky Nick trying to become MAV's own 'Bitter Bernie.'
Call him BitterNick Pachueco.
chief faker,
while you suck more often than not, i do have to agree with your choice for city hall staffer of the week.
leslie is awesome!
by agreeing with you do i lose all blogger credibility?
.
Anyone need some Nick Relief?
Go to:
www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522960/199697.htm#image_1
.
How many of these councils members have actualy worked with Sleazy Huizy? I think 2. Pretty damn sad they are so afraid of Antonio they would put their names out there without knowing all the failures of Jose. Just wait until Jose embarasses himself at the debates.
Leslie Pollner should also be on your hot list Chief.
i want to be the president of the leslie pollner fan club.
your council floor fan.
xxxooooxxxx
Noam, stop posting about your girlfriend on here. It's grossing me out.
Sorry this is not Noam.
xxooxxoo
I'm diggin this Hot list thing you've got goin. Yes, Leslie is aces. But if you want beauty and brains, then I'm thinkin your next Hot city hall staffer should be Jennifer from CD3. Owww! Come to think of it, any female staffer from CD3 is worth a shout out. Zine knows how to pick em. All other councilmembers get a clue.
It sucks that the North Valley Coalition has to be on the Not Hot list while BFI gets to be on the Hot list. They aren't really the ones that are keeping their issue alive.
They said back in 1999 that the landfill would be opening in July of 2000. It's 2005! The North Valley Coalition is the one who holds them up.
They just keep maneuvering to stay in the nearly dead game of environmentally disastrous landfilling. Their "deftness" comes in the form of politcal campaign contributions and knowing exactly how the city operates from the inside. The NVC's comes in the form of hours and hours of volunteer work and trying to convince people who don't live near us why it's a city wide issue.
You are such a hoot! I should come here more often.
CD3 Jen is a work of art. My whole body chemistry changes around her.
How do i become the city hall staffer for next week?
cd2 traveler
To become a hall staffer of the week you need to go out on a date with Parke Skelton at the IN-N-OUT in Pasadena. At that point he will look at you and decide, he might just hold your hand or more.
We have learned the identities of all the bloggers on this site.
And none of them are Parke Skelton.
Who is Parke Skelton?
Leslie will always be tops amongst us interns.
I don't want Leslie as an older sister, i want her as something else...
:)
Gosh Noam, things must be really slow down in the Times office if you are posting on here. Don't you have some political shin's to kick?
12:40...
That's what "Parke" wants to know. He sold out to the money people so long ago, he can't remember earning an "honest" dollar.
Or, maybe he never had scruples. Same result, either way.
All this stuff about Parke and CD 14 is boring me. There's enough of that stuff on here. Let's get back to the freaky stuff!
Hey FLY you can't have a clue who's posting unless you own this site. That's the only way you can get their ISP's.
Burke Williams
Augustan literature is a style of English literature whose origins correspond roughly with the reigns of Queen Anne, King George I, and George II. In contemporary critical parlance, it refers to the literature of 1700 up to approximately 1760 (or, for some, 1789). It is a literary epoch that featured the rapid development of the novel, an explosion in satire, the mutation of drama from political satire into melodrama, and an evolution toward poetry of personal exploration. In philosophy, it was an age increasingly dominated by empiricism, while in the writings of political-economy it marked the evolution of mercantilism as a formal philosophy, the development of capitalism, and the triumph of trade.
The chronological anchors of the era are generally vague, largely since the label's origin in contemporary 18th-century criticism has made it a shorthand designation for a somewhat nebulous age of satire. This new Augustan period exhibited exceptionally bold political writings in all genres, with the satires of the age marked by an arch, ironic pose, full of nuance, and a superficial air of dignified calm that hid sharp criticisms beneath.
By PAUL NOWELL, AP Business Writer 50 minutes ago
Most of the blame for the financial woes of snack maker Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. lies with two former executives who tried to "manage earnings" to meet Wall Street's expectations, according to a report issued Wednesday.
Neither Chief Executive Scott Livengood nor ex-Chief Operating Officer John Tate are still with the once high-flying company. It's not clear whether their departures, and the recommendation Wednesday from independent directors to restate past earnings downward by $25.6 million, will return the luster to the former Wall Street darling known for its tempting "Hot Now" treats.
Morningstar analyst John Owens called the report a "a small but significant step in restoring investor confidence." But Owens added the Winston-Salem company must still grapple with double-digit sales declines at its factory stores and financial problems with its franchisees.
Meanwhile, the company faces several lawsuits, including one that alleges workers lost millions of dollars in retirement savings because executives at the company hid evidence of declining sales and profits. Krispy Kreme is also the target of a federal criminal inquiry in New York and a Securities and Exchange Commission probe into financial irregularities.
Those investigations could stall the company's effort to return to profitability, Owens said. In June, the company said it would miss the deadline for filing financial results for the quarter that ended May 1, and that it expected to post a loss when it does so.
"The SEC and the U.S. Attorney are still not done with their investigations," Owens said. "So certain other things may come to light."
Krispy Kreme Chairman James Morgan sounded hopeful in a statement issued Wednesday.
"The completion of the special committee report represents an important step forward for Krispy Kreme, both in understanding what occurred and in providing the framework for our upcoming restatement of our financial statements," he said. "Krispy Kreme is a powerful brand, and we believe we are making progress every day in getting the company back on track to realizing its full potential."
The company's stock, which traded for $105 in November 2000 before a pair of two-for-one stock splits, closed at $7.30, up 15 cents, or 2.1 percent, Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.
Attempts to contact Livengood and Tate on Wednesday were unsuccessful. Livengood has a nonpublished telephone number in Winston-Salem. Tate, who went to work as chief operating officer and executive vice president of Restoration Hardware Inc., did not immediately return a telephone message left at his office.
Livengood's attorney said the report contained weak allegations.
"We are pleased that the report specifically stated that no employee said that they participated in or were directed to manage earnings," said F. Joseph Warin, at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. "We strongly disagree with the subjective speculation of the report."
The report said the two executives failed "to establish the management tone, environment and controls essential for meeting the company's responsibilities as a public company."
The report said company officers and other employees who had substantial involvement in the accounting errors have left Krispy Kreme, but also found that the company should not sue any current or former directors or executives.
The report also found that none of the former and current Krispy Kreme executives interviewed on behalf of the committee acknowledged an effort to beef up the company's stock price by manipulating financial transactions. But, the report stated, "The number, nature and timing of the accounting errors strongly suggest that they resulted from an intent to manage earnings."
"But we never received credible explanations for transactions that appear to have been structured or timed to allow for the improper recognition of revenue or improper reduction of expense," it read.
Government investigators will be more able to determine if there was criminal intent, the report said.
The committee co-chaired by Michael Sutton, formerly chief accountant of the SEC, and Lizanne Thomas of the Jones Day law firm, concluded Krispy Kreme should restate its past earnings downward by $25.6 million — $22.2 million for 2001-2004 and $3.4 million for previous years — to account for the mistakes.
"The Krispy Kreme story is one of a newly public company, experiencing rapid growth, that failed to meet its accounting and financial reporting obligations to its shareholders and the public," the report read. "While some may see the accounting errors discussed in our summary as relatively small in magnitude, they were critical in a corporate culture driven by a narrowly focused goal of exceeding projected earnings by a penny (per share) each quarter."
In January, Krispy Kreme forced out Livengood, turning to turnaround specialists Stephen Cooper and Steven Paganos to try to overcome sinking profits.
Cooper previously led the turnaround at Boston Chicken, which declared bankruptcy in 1998. That was just five years after the restaurant chain went public with fanfare similar to that surrounding Krispy Kreme's initial public offering in 2000.
"While the company still faces serious challenges, we believe we are addressing the critical issues," Cooper said in a statement issued Wednesday.
Waldman - stop cutting and pasting shit on here. I know it's you and it's not working. Get back to doing nothing.
We know Waldman and Hertzberg like Krispy Krem. I see them in the drive thrue all the time!
Cd3 Jenny yum yum yum..........
......the ultimate of Jennys
The standard by which all other Jennys are measured............
Ummmm.....DOUGH-NUTS!!!!!!
Ummmm.....Jenny!!!!!!
(CD3 Jenny, not AV's Jenny)
stuey has been having some krispe cream it looks like
which is his fave...me likes new york cheescake
Hey chief give props to CD3 Jen too
Waldman's donuts added a buck fifty too.
Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to?
You give me something I can hold on to.
I know you think I'm like the others before
Who saw your name and number on the wall.
Jenny, I got your number.
I need to make you mine.
Jenny, don't change your number,
8-6-7-5-3-0-9, 8-6-7-5-3-0-9
8-6-7-5-3-0-9, 8-6-7-5-3-0-9
Jenny, Jenny, you're the girl for me.
You don't know me but you make me so happy.
I tried to call you before but I lost my nerve.
I tried my imagination, but I was disturbed.
Jenny, I got your number,
I need to make you mine.
Jenny, don't change your number,
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
I got it, I got it!
I got your number on the wall!
I got it, I got it!
For a good time, for a good time call....
Jenny, don't change your number.
I need to make you mine.
Jenny. I'll call your number,
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
Jenny, Jenny who can I turn to? (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
For the price of a dime I can always turn to you.
(8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
8-6-7-5-3-0-9 (8-6-7-5-3-0-9)
5-3-0-9
5-3-0-9
5-3-0-9
5-3-0-9 (//fade out//)
Jenny are you talking about the CD3 or CD14?
CD3 Jenny.
There is no other Jenny.
No other Jenny comes close.
Have you seen her lips?
Even women want to kiss her!
Jenny CD-14 is better.
Y'all should actually get back on thread. Leslie is well deserving of this recognition. I knew her after she had done the CORO program (best leadership training anyone could be part of), when she left LA and Bruins Masters to attend the JFK School of Gov. There she performed so well on her paper regarding specific issues in Africa (I can't remember exactly the topic of the paper) that she was recognized by Secretary of State Colin Powell.
She returned to LA and Bruin Masters and got a job with CM Wendy and has done a great job. I run into her rarely because I don't work in city hall. But Leslie is great person with a strong work ethic. Kudos to her and keep on swimming! Won't see you cause I'm at Glassell with scaq.
Chief Parke, we demand an immediate removal of Lesley and insist you put up Jennifer from CD3. she got more votes from your readers than Lesley no one even mention her.
Second the motion. Everyone in our office thinks Jen's da bomb.
Who cares about Colin Powell? Jen from Zine's office should be in MAXIM!
I heard when Chief Parker got the word on Lloyd being on the Millionaire, Stuart Waldman freaked! He started screaming and yelling at staff and was ready to fire people. Source of the leak was nitwit Lloyd himself. Lloyd won't tell Stuart who Chief Parker or Mayor Sam are and he knows. Stuart told me he is pissed!
He shouldn't tell, this blog is good and it would serve no purpose to rat anyone out...
Looks like there is a Jennifer fan club here Chief Parker
Jenny is a pretty nice girl,
but she doesn't have a lot to say
Jenny is a pretty nice girl
but she changes from day to day
I want to tell her that I love her a lot
But I gotta get a bellyful of wine
Jenny is a pretty nice girl
Someday I'm going to make her mine, oh yeh,
someday I'm going to make her mine.
To my secret admirer: Who are you? - CD 3 Jen
Jen,
Antonio Villaraigosa, you know "The Mayor"
Go to topic "Apologies for the Spam Comments" at the beginning of this blog
Huizar posts.
its more than one over here, its all the guys in our office. We love Jenny!
Well thanks whoever you are! - CD3 Jen
Are you talking about Jennie Carreon Lacey, or who. Jennie is hot, but who is the other Jennie?
Jennifer Forkish of course...not the other Jenny. I'd be careful thanking these people CD3 Jen. They could be some real wackos. There are plenty in City Hall.
If you like the girl, say hello. Don't post your drivel on the blog you 40 year old virgins.
Its a wonder anyone gets pregnant these days the way you young people screw around on computers with this nonsense.
Back in my day, if a man fancied a woman, he gave her a flower.
But we used to drink at work in those days too.
Why do you talk about us City Hall Staffers with so much disappointment? There are plenty of good looking guys in City Hall, but they are mostly Democrats, big turn off.
Mayor Sam it is the HOT List so we are commenting on the hotties whether they be people or groups. I think people still drink at City Hall though especially nowadays.
nancy from cardenas' office is a real hottie. Too bad her boss is a major cockblocker.
Lisa Sarno missing front tooth today, voter from El Sereno hit her.
You can't be serious!!! Jen Forkish hot?!?!
Man, this blog must be filled up with some loser nerdy guys.
9:54 you sound like a bitter ex boyfriend.
jenny would be cute if she got rid that tan purchased on those spots on Ventura blvd.
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