Leave LA: Decision Time
Before I make my final decision if I am going to leave LA and move to Waterloo, Iowa I thought I should take a look at a few more things.People say that you can get any type of food in LA. That's probably true. However Waterloo is not without great dining spots. In fact here's one that reminded me totally of LA. And while I was hard pressed to find sushi - which would be a problem for me if I lived there - or decent Mexican food, I did find a bodega. And there is plenty of different types of dining ranging from the old fashioned A&W Root Beer Stand to Bosnian food and everything in between.
Last Monday night a 15 year old boy was the victim of gang violence; he was getting out of his family car and shot by two male Hispanic suspects. The teen died shortly after getting to the hospital.
When it comes to arts and culture okay yea they don't have Eli Broad or Disney Hall in Waterloo, but there's enough choices. And when do I get time to go to the Music Center anyway. I think the last time I saw a performance there was in 1992.
Last Monday night a 15 year old boy was the victim of gang violence; he was getting out of his family car and shot by two male Hispanic suspects. The teen died shortly after getting to the hospital.
I will make my decision this weekend and let you know Monday.
Labels: leave la?
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 9/28/2007 12:58:00 AM
30 Comments:
I believe your decision is already made. You will go to Waterloo. There you will be a big fish in a small pond (not a bad thing), and you may be able to actually put your ideas into practice. The machine that is Los Angeles is just too big and complicated and institutionally corrupt.
I am currently researching buying a home in Mexico,and I hope to be living there within 5 years while maintaining an apartment in LA for the high paid film work I do.
Corrupt Federales I can handle.
We can only hope. He can take the white boys who write for the blog too.
Oh, this thread is gon' get SPICY!
w00t!
We're all holding our breath....
Mayor Villaraigosa and City Council need to stop traveling to other sates or visiting other countries and start focusing their energy on this great city.
They should take the lead by legislating change to allow officers to perform their job effectively with the necessary tools to combat these nonsense gang murders.
They should start by working with the local municipalities, County supervisors, State legislators, Governer, and Federal government to ammend the Tiahrt Amendment to provide essential tools for fighting crime. Not limiting police access to ATF trace data!
Hope we have a true leader who will spearhead this change and place this item on the City Council’s Agenda.
The so-called "Tiahrt Amendment" is an appropriations rider that restricts cities' access to and use of ATF trace data.
These amendments have become increasingly restrictive since Fiscal Year 2003.
The current (FY 2006) Tiahrt Amendment does four things:
· Prevents ATF from publishing reports that use trace data to analyze the flow of crime guns nationally.
· Limits local governments' access to ATF trace data.
· Prevents law enforcement from accessing trace data outside its geographic jurisdiction.
· Prevents trace data from being used as evidence in any state license revocation, civil lawsuit, or other administrative proceeding (unless filed by ATF).
Provisions of the FY2005 Tiahrt Amendment:
· Prevented ATF from publishing reports that use trace data to analyze the flow of crime guns nationally.
· Limited local governments' access to ATF trace data.
· Prevented law enforcement from accessing trace data outside its geographic jurisdiction.
· Prevented trace data from being subpoenaed or acquired via discovery in any state license revocation, civil lawsuit, or other administrative proceeding (unless filed by ATF).
Provisions of the FY2004 Tiahrt Amendment:
· No federal money could be used to disclose to the public the contents of ATF's trace database.
· Therefore prevented ATF from publishing reports that use trace data to analyze the flow of crime guns nationally.
Provisions of the FY2003 Tiahrt Amendment:
· Limited ATF's ability to respond to.
Provisions of the FY2003 Tiahrt Amendment:
· Limited ATF's ability to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Hope Sam takes his MUTT with him. No wonder he doesn't give a shit about this blog anymore... he's bailing on the whole thing.
Bad idea Michael. It will just be harder to come back when you want to and you will want to.
Think really hard.
You're not a 15 year old boy in or near enough to gang territory to worry about that. They aren't looking for old(er) dead mayors. They are looking for other boys their age and you can't escape all forms of random violence no matter where you live.
And the food will suck. Big time.
I mean, what's more exciting than blogging about watching the corn grow?
Just do us one favor; take that idiot ZD with you.
He'll go over great at the Waterloo City Council meetings; I mean, they'll just love his way of presenting the issues.
They know what to do with an ear of corn for a guy like ZD.
That's it. I'm done with this blog. You've now turned it in to something else that what it is supposed to be. It's not about you. It's about L.A. Give it to Matt, Mike and ZD and you go home.
I say go to Iowa we will not miss you, leave already.
This is one of the first sites that exposed me to blogging on LA politics. I don't really have an opinion on Sam, but the site and all that you did for it is appreciated. Personally, I'd go to waterloo, but leaving LA is hard to do and when you arrive at your new home, the feeling of permanence will be both scary and a breath of fresh air. However, moving right before winter isn't exactly giving you the best chance possible to get used to your new digs. That nice restaurant isn't so nice when you have to put on boots and two coats just to get there.
Either way, good luck and thanks for the site.
What all you idiotic posters don't realize is that if this city and you continue to drive away educated, respectful, creative people like the creator of this blog -- which by any measure has been a raging success -- then, we will become another Detroit.
Shrinking population means shrinking property values. Loss of educated people due to lack of livibility means only the uneducated remain.
So keep dancing on MayorSam's grave. Then be sure to double check the headstone. It might have your name and well-being on it.
You need to look into climate acclimation issues, both for your sake and for others who wish to bug out. I'm a native LA person and I don't know how I would deal with the negative aspects of 4 seasons, snow, rain, etc.
Any ideas or suggestions on this?
I am just sad that this city has come to this. Imagine what the city should be. With beautiful weather, beaches, mountains, the movie industry, loads of entertainment, load of higher education... why have the beneficial influences left and the destructive influence come, primarily big development?
@1:09 AM You need to clarify and define "Trace Data". How are investigative reporters to identify the items to seek with the Freedom of Information Act?
Overall, it seems that President Bush is running cover for the Mexican Mafia again.
They're gonna follow you wherever you go, Mayor Sam, given that we've got Bush as Pres. and people like Pelosi and Reid populating Congress.
They want you to foot the bill for the illegals (and give them employment), and the illegals want that too.
Big development is a symptom. Socialism, illegal immigration and corrupt politics are killing this city.
I'm an insecure middle age unhappy sad sack, I wonder if I move elsewhere if I will find happiness or at least a lonely woman who will bring a temporary smile to my face.
Socialism is killing this city? Are you kidding? I've never paid such high taxes for such poor livability. And only in Shanghai have I seen this much development going on. The money is all at the top and the only redistribution of it is horizontal. Call it what you will - out-of-control capitalism or an oligarchy - it ain't socialism.
Mayor Sam, just remember that if you leave L.A. for Iowa, not only will you have four distinct seasons, but you'll be ducking for cover a lot more often from tornadoes (sp?). I'm a second-generation native Angelino, and ducking into a storm cellar to avoid a tornado is not exactly my idea of a good time.
Earthquakes I can deal with. Tornadoes, blizzards, floods, and rain plus hail falling sideways I can't. Besides, where else will you be able to go snow skiing in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon? Not in Iowa!
True, you won't have to deal as much with illegals marching around demanding citizenship like they're planning to do tomorrow, but it's only a matter of time before they start that sort of foolishness in Iowa. Then too, you're going to leave a lot of friends here, not only those who have interacted with you face-to-face, but those of us whom you've not met who blog here (I'm one of those you've not met).
Then there's the problem of finding employment, and finding that the wages are a lot less, but prices for certain items are the same there as here in L.A.
Personally, I would advise against the move. 7:54 AM is pretty accurate when he posted that moving right before winter is really not the best time for a move - and you're pretty well acclimated to the weather here. Moving to a different climate zone can be jarring to someone who's not used to it - not to mention having to deal with insects, rodents, snakes, and other critters one doesn't see in L.A.
Never mind the negative commenters here on this thread; one will always find negative people with nothing but time on their hands willing to waste everyone else's time (not to mention bandwidth).
In the final analysis, though, do what you feel is right and proper for you. If you choose to stay, it will be a positive for the City, and those who keep fighting the good fight (in both the private and public sectors) to reestablish accountability and transparency in
City government. If you choose to leave, then we who fight this good fight will have lost a very important ally.
Whatever your decision, I feel you are showing great wisdom and maturity by asking for advice regarding what course to take.
OhMyGoodness
You're going to sell?
In this market?
Where's your house?
I'll buy it... in 5 months when it's still on the market.
Bah hah!
There is a huge amount of stress connected with this city for "normal" people who know not of the corruption in city hall. The stress comes from increased density, traffic and generally too many rates in a cage.
For those who took the red pill and know how seedy things have become, it can get old fighting against the lobbyists, developers and candidates who gladly take money and look the other way.
You must have concluded that no amount of light shed on the corruption will result in real change. That is not a good thing for any of us.
8:11: It's not just the ignorant and racist posters who are driving off Sam, but Sam did it to himself by turning this thing over to the Dogg, letting him make it the most personal and virtriolic site seen anywhere. Along with a correlating drop in any intelligent discussion there used to be, which I've never seen. Many people only heard about this from the self-promoting fool and his buds who scream about it on our taxpayer Ch 35 and people tuned in with a curiosity about how weird it is.
Sam, you should have hung onto it and you'd have an asset to sell, but now your name recognition is working against you.
I've never paid such high taxes for such poor livability.
------------------------------
Exactly. That's Socialism and it's killing this city.
Sam...I'm a native and I'm never going to give the Mexican mafia the satisfaction! Don't you know...they want us to move!!! They want CA to secede!
Stay and fight! We have the momentum! Stay and enjoy the heavenly bliss we will experience after Villar loses re-election and Nunez & Co. are termed out!
Everyone wants to leave because of Villar...but he's washed up in this city! We have 18 months to find an American replacement! Keep thinking JUNE 2009!
To Anonymous at 11:53 a.m., please read, go back to school, something.
Comparative political systems, political philosphy. It won't hurt too much.
All very interesting. Stay tuned.
Thank god. The end of your whining.
Good fucking riddance.
This should be interesting, indeed. Do you wish to hear our guesses?
8:11 is absolutely correct.
Please don't go, Mayor Sam.
We need you!
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