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Friday, April 03, 2009

Open Thread for Friday

No Hotsheet today kids, make your own, it's free.

Zuma Dogg illuminates a Daily News story about the dog and pony show that are the Los Angeles City Council meetings with all the time they waste on silly procolamations and presentations.

For Mr. Snark who says that the bloggers here have never got a City proclamation:

Labels: , , , , , ,

48 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Alarcon calls for a vote of "no-confidence" in General Manager of Animal Services Ed Boks.

"Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles City Councilmember Richard Alarcón introduced a
motion calling on the City Council to take a position of “no confidence” in LA Animal Services (LAAS)
General Manager Ed Boks. This comes on the heels of an incident where Mr. Boks unilaterally decided
to revoke the City’s incredibly successful spay/neuter voucher program, only days after he joined Councilmembers to celebrate Los Angeles Spay Day 2009 and promote the spay and neuter vouchers at a San Fernando Valley spay and neuter event.

“Time and time again, Ed Boks has shown an inability to make competent decisions in his role as
General Manger of the Animal Services Department, with his most recent move to revoke the spay neuter voucher program just the latest in a long line of questionable management decisions,” said
Councilmember Alarcón. “The City of Los Angeles is committed to creating a more humane, no-kill city and it has become blatantly obvious that Ed Boks is not the correct person to get us to that goal.” (snip)

As Councilmember Alarcon’s motion states, “Los Angeles pays its general managers very well.
In return, the city asks general managers to adhere to city laws, policies and procedures, to consult with
the public and city advisory committees and to keep elected city leaders apprised of any significant
changes in their department’s operations and processes. Mr. Boks has consistently failed in his
responsibility. He should know better. Because of his actions as described above and in the media, how can the City of Los Angeles have confidence in his ability and desire to do the best for Los Angeles? Obviously it can't.” More info here in Alarcon's pdf press release about the motion
No confidence in Ed Boks

April 03, 2009 10:29 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

downtown neighborhood council president being investigated for misuse of city money:

www.garmentandcitizen.com

April 03, 2009 10:46 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

OMG !!! Zuma writes about time wasting?

What next? LaBonge writing aobut cheerleading?

April 03, 2009 10:50 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Stock Market stabilizes.
NASDAQ is UP for the year.
Housing starts UP.
Home sales UP, prices no longer in free-fall.
Consumer spending is UP.
Consumer confidence is UP.
Obama a hit overseas, calms a jittery world.
Some are saying "the worst is over."

Tell me again Higby, how much he sucks?

April 03, 2009 11:20 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I'm Jim Alger and I was paid to anonymously blog that message.

April 03, 2009 11:34 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

http://donculo-rants.blogspot.com/

April 03, 2009 11:57 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

He’s the cheapskate of staff. Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama’s right-hand man, lives in a basement apartment on Capitol Hill rented to him by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. Just one problem: He’s not allowed to live there.

That’s what private investigator Joseph Culligan discovered after asking questions of D.C. officials. A zoning administrator responded to Culligan’s inquiry and told him that DeLauro’s house at 816 E. Capitol St. NE was listed as a single-family dwelling, and as such, could not be rented out.

April 03, 2009 12:06 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

President Obama greeted the king of Saudi Arabia with a full bow from the waist yesterday, a move one commentator described as a violation of protocol and not worthy of the office he holds.

“I am quite certain that this is not the protocol, and is most unbecoming a president of the United States,” writes Clarice Feldman in an American Thinker commentary.

The situation developed as leaders of the world attending the G20 summit in London assembled for a photograph to mark the event.

In this first image, after the king extended his hand while Obama approached, Obama bends from the waist until his head is nearly at the monarch’s waist

April 03, 2009 12:06 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

“Don’t think we’re not keeping score, brother.” That’s what President Barack Obama said to Rep. Peter DeFazio in a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic Caucus last week, according to the Associated Press.

A few weeks ago, Mr. DeFazio voted against the administration’s stimulus bill. The comment from Mr. Obama was a presidential rebuke and part of a new, hard-nosed push by the White House to pressure Congress to adopt the president’s budget. He has mobilized outside groups and enlisted forces still in place from the Obama campaign.

Senior presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and her chief of staff, Michael Strautmanis, are in regular contact with MoveOn.Org, Americans United for Change and other liberal interest groups. Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina has collaborated with Americans United for Change on strategy and even ad copy. Ms. Jarrett invited leaders of the liberal interest groups to a White House social event with the president and first lady to kick off the lobbying campaign.

Its targets were initially Republicans, as team Obama ran ads depicting the GOP as the “party of no.” But now the fire is being trained on Democrats worried about runaway spending.

April 03, 2009 12:07 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Days after GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner was forced out by the Obama administration, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner left open the possibility that such moves could happen again.

In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, Geithner acknowledged the government has had to do “exceptional things” – citing AIG as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“We have changed management aboard,” he said. “And where we’ve done that, we’ve done it because we thought that was necessary to make sure these institutions emerge stronger in the future.”

When asked if he would leave open the option to pressure a Black CEO to resign, Geithner replied: “Of course.”

April 03, 2009 12:08 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The "silly procolamations and presentations" you regularly condem are what's known as "community building" to most of the city's good citizens -- look it up, you sourpuss contrarians.

You take a city of 4 million, racked with strife and stress, spread them out over dozens of miles, and try and create goodwill and cohesiveness while spending pennies of the overall city budget.

It may mean nothing to the ignorant peanut gallery of misfits that posts here (because you'll NEVER be asked to participate in any form), but to the kids, parents, visitors from sister cities, community organizers, volunteers, mini-heroes, quasi-celebrities, and myriad do-gooders, it means the world -- and they'll probably tape the presentations, send copies to all their relatives around the country and spread more goodwill in one Friday morning that all your jealous kvetching will affect the world in your entire lifetime.

How would you instill pride, encourage volunteerism (which saves the city a fortune each year), promote sacrifice and selflessness, and just generally nudge people into doing good things for each other?

OH YEAH, you'd make them BLOG bitter-cisims all day about how much they HATE everything local politicians do?

Yeah, that'll work! DON'T try to be part of the SOLUTION, just keeping pointing to the shit on the sidewalk until someone else picks it up.

SNARK!

April 03, 2009 1:03 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

Mr. Snark -

I have plenty of those proclamations including one right here on my desk from Wendy Greuel.

I appreciate the thought (though really its not a thought, its a routine, cookie cutter activity) but it does nothing for the City.

Bringing Mickey Mouse to dance with Janice Hahn and take up two hours of Council time does nothing for our City.

April 03, 2009 1:30 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

Now back to real news - instead of bashing on Obama and Alger defending him, lets talk about the DWP. I agree, sell it.

April 03, 2009 1:30 PM  

Blogger Zuma Dogg said:

10:50, no loserdummy, the Daily News wrote about it.

And you should read the Daily News today for outrageously numbskulled comments from Richard alarCON, who had money poured into the Children's Museum as it was going belly up and bankrupt. But what does HE care? Now the people who are owed money have to bite it. Thanks CON. Read the article at DailyNews.com. I'll be commenting THOROUGHLY on this discracioso!

AND HOW ABOUT ENOUGH MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, at a time when you are talking about firings and cutting services and raising fees and meter rates and new taxes --

WHILE CONTINUING TO SHELL OUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THINGS LIKE "running" events, like on today's agenda. You cannot RUN away from the budget problem, nor solve it by spending another $20,000 on "running event" again today.

Today, on the Special Event Fee Waiver item, there were a couple more races on the agenda -- and this week, CON's "El Grito" Shadifest bilked another $50,000 out of the city's general fund, after $75,000 already came through the week before. So that's $125,000 for El Grito fest, that I happened to catch. This must be one hell of an event. And I hope it is free and open to the public and isn't having paid sponsorships, and a lot of profit schemes.

And with Fourth of July coming up, ZUMA DOGG IS HERE TO REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZEN'S OF LOS ANGELES THAT A SPENDING CAP BE SET BY COUNCIL ON HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT THIS YEAR ON 4th of July CELEBRATIONS? I don't know how much was spent last year, and on how many events...BUT IF WE ARE FIRING TEACHERS AND THERE WILL BE MORE KIDS PER ROOM...

Then you BETTER be spending MUCH LESS this year on 4th of July events than last year, and on less of them, and the crowds can combine a little, or people can watch on TV, or go somewhere else.

THIS IS NO TIME TO BE "BOO HOO HOO" CRYBABIES WHO CAN'T HAVE THEIR FIREWORKS PARADE SCALED BACK IN ANYWAY.

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE AT SOME POINT PEOPLE...AND IF IT ISN'T JOBS AND SERVICES, THEN IT IS PARADES, JOGS, SPRINTS, RUNS, WALKS AND FIREWORKS. Not all of them, but the expense better be scaled back in a way reflective of a city that just lost $7 BILLION in risky Wall Street and Real Estate developments, when they should have been in "investment grade" investments, and if Zuma Dogg was blogging alerts about it (if Zuma Dogg knew LACERS was in trouble at Wall Street and in Downtown projects of the mayor's patronige-cronie-special interest-camapaign contributors...then how come NO ONE in the Villaragiosa administration, Villaragiosa himself or ANYONE on City Council did a THING to look into it and prevent it??? ("L" on each of your foreheads, especially YOU councilmembers who stood silent, you spineless cowards.)

SO TO SUM IT UP VILLARAGIOSA AND LOS ANGELES SHITTY COUNCIL:

No more money on jogs, walks, runs, sprints, warm-up, stretches, face-painting, donut sprinking, or cronie enhancing events out of the general fund for the reasons stated above you stupid, irresponsible, cowardly dummies:

AND...SET A CAP ON HOW MUCH THE CITY IS GOING TO SPEND ON FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS. And it better be much less than last year. How can it NOT be you squanderous nincompoops?

I'm not sure if you are all just dumb, or corrupt? I think in most cases it's both.

Either way, cut the bullcrap, take your heads out of Villaraigosa's ass...and Villaragiosa, take your head out of your own ass...and Robin Kramer...start telling your boss how severe the situation is and how City Council is nothing but a bunch of powerless grandstanders that can't help themselves...


AND START ADDRESSING THE LACERS ISSUE AND FIND OUT HOW THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, AND ARE, MANAGING THESE ACCOUNTS GOT THE ACCOUNTS? Were there campaign contributions to Villaraigosa. Were they risky investments, instead of "investmen grade" (especially into Villar's pet real estate projects, including CRA money..and now M. Maddux had declared bankruptcy. How much LACERS money was poured into Muerello Maddux properties, along with CRA dollars? Did the money managers get AIG sized bonuses while they lost $7 Billion in one year? And why did the City go deaf, dumb and blind like Roger Daltrey in "Tommy" and allow this to happen? HAVEN'T YOU IDIOTS HEARD OF "STOP LOSS" LIMITS???

I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO PRISON OVER THIS!!!! ASK SOME QUESTIONS PEOPLE...Forget the ducks, elephants, squirrels, museums, art exhibits, solar panels, $1 surpulus ambulances and all the other stuff...

YOU SHOULD BE FILLING CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND ASKING THE MAYOR IN PERSON AT EVERY PUBLIC PRESS EVENT (SHOUTING IT AS COMPLIANT WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT) ASKING THE QUESTIONS I HAVE JUST PRESENTED!!!

Do you think I thought these questions up, myself? Or do you think some smart people on the inside who know what questions to aks, whispered in my ear what questions to aks?

But day in and day out, people on the other side of the rope sit back like willing accomplisses, standing silent. (NOT very high expectations for Wendy Greuel as City Controller. Do you think she's suddenly going to completely change? She was just elected. She could be showing us what to expect out of her office. She doesn't have to worry about getting re-elected with the mayor's support...

SHE'S never been MORE FREE to finally use her position to become a leader.

(Where'r the cricket sounds, Fred?)

So I guess I am most disappointed in Ms. Greuesome Greuel for her Academy Award-worthy performance of "Hellen Keller" at the LA City Council meetings.

NOW PULL THE PLUG ON NON-SENSE, PUT A CAP ON 4th or July spending, and get to the bottom of LACERS so it doesn't happen again (and so it isn't STILL happening) and SOMEONE STAND UP AND START MOVING YOUR MOUTH AND MAKE SOME CUTS, LOSERS.

April 03, 2009 2:22 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

OH YEAH, you'd make them BLOG bitter-cisims all day about how much they HATE everything local politicians do?

'Scuz me, Snark. Higby doesn't "make" bloggers post. He LETS them.

Big difference.

Huge.

April 03, 2009 2:54 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

To SNARK 1:03 pm

I have no problem with Council issuing proclamations and congratulations but I highly RESENT the use of time scheduled for meeting times of the City Council to do it.

Most City Councils in the state conduct receptions and presentations at special events.

So, our Council wants to do it ON television? OK. Fine. I do not care who is giving who a blow job on Channel 35 to boost their "popularity" with the constituents. Just do not waste the time of people who have BUSINESS to conduct at City Council meeting to sit through more than an hour of this SHIT.

Call another meeting at 9:00 fucking AM with one item: Presentations and Proclamations. One hour on Fridays. Then, at 10:00 am on Fridays start the Council's meeting and get to the business of the City.

Some City Hall types like to blog on here about public comment being a waste but in comparison to the time wasted by our Council members in Council meetings for these presentations it is nothing. These presentations are so incredibly disrespectful to those there for items of business on the agenda.

Public comment is a joy compared to the Council presentations. Why? Because a lot of times (not all the time) regular people are raising serious issues and the Council often reacts to them.

That is a positive impact despite the complaints about the theatrics of some public commenters.

Signed,
A lobbyist who has to sit through all of this crap.

April 03, 2009 2:56 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What a sloppy dorm-like den.

Very unbecoming of a guy in his mid 40s.

April 03, 2009 3:08 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

2:56 is dead on correct.

Many of you may not know that IN ADDITION to the Dog and Pony show done in Council the Clowncilpeople do an ENCORE at a separate occasion (in front of a funny set made to look like the White House Briefing Room with a big medallion hanging in the back)that is another show on TV35.

Why not just do this as a TV show period? TV35 wastes WAY too much time airing a lot of programs like old movies, arts programs from New York, etc. that they could just run the Proclamation TV Show over and over again so everyone's grandma can see their kid get a cert.

And speaking of non-City related programming on TV35 WHY ARE THEY RUNNING HUELL HOWSER OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

Don't get me wrong, I like Huell and even once put up a website urging him to run for Mayor. But you can watch Huell on KCET, KOCE, KLCS and many other stations here in So Cal. Why do we need to re-run the same programs on TV35? I would rather they re-run the City Council meeting. You can't tell me it's an expense thing. Once the Council meeting is in the can you can't tell it costs more to run it than it does a movie.

April 03, 2009 4:35 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

Dang my last comment almost looks like a Zuma Dogg comment!Hoody Hoo!

April 03, 2009 4:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

If you think proclamations are stupid, why did you get in line to get one? You should have told Wendy you don't want it. Hypocrit

April 03, 2009 4:50 PM  

Anonymous Watching in Sunland said:

You guys wish Jim Alger was still around. He grew up, got smart and left you fools behind. Good for him. Not that it stops you from randomly mentioning his name so you could smack him again.

April 03, 2009 4:50 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

No, Michael, it does not look like anything Zuma might write, because:

1) It is only 1/3 as long as a standsrd Zuma post; and

2) The words are spelled correctly; and

3) The grammar is correct; and

4) It makes some sense; and

5) There is no over use of CAPITAL LETTERS to shout out your message.

Sorry, don't compare yourself to that moron. It is bad enough you allow his nonsensical posts which require us all to scroll down and ignore them.

Have a nice weekend.

Oh, yes, there were no HOODY HOOS in the original post.

April 03, 2009 4:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Yeah, and you are stanky just like zooma dogg, too

April 03, 2009 4:58 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

4:50 - it's hypocrite.

And I didn't stand in line. I wasn't even there to get it. Someone delivered it to my office the next day (along with similar certs from Carol Liu and Paul Krekorian.)

Hoody hoo!

April 03, 2009 5:17 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

You're PROUD of it, Higby.

That's why you put up this photo. You are proud. If you weren't, you wouldn't have done it.

Proud hypocrite. That "e" on the end is for extra, as in extra proud BBW, which your shrillness sounds like more each day.

April 03, 2009 5:23 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Why aren't these lame ass proclamations on the council agendas? They're nothing more then political paybacks. Last Friday Bitter Bernie gave one to an old time actress from Battle Star Gallactica. What has she done to improve his district? OMG What the hell is up with these lame ass politicans like Perry and LaBonge showing up to LAPD press conference near USC where they finally made an arrest on the hit and run driver. How much do you guys want to bet they are ILLEGAL? These morons have no business at these press conferences. You know the cholo Mayor has to be out of town otherwise he would have been there.

April 03, 2009 6:19 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Higby,

A friend was offered a proclamation. He declined it. They never did a presentation or delivered it. You are a liar, and a hypocritE. I bet you were crawling on hands and fat knees begging for your certificate.

April 03, 2009 8:07 PM  

Blogger mary whoopee said:

Of course they're illegal, 6:19. I also heard from a very reliable source who spoke directly w/ law enforcement that the on-the-run-to-Mexico-father-of-the-7-month-old-anchor-baby-Luna-guy has a shaved head and possibly has gang connections. And hate to say "I told you so," everybody, but here goes: AH- SPANISH! THE LANGUAGE OF CRIME! Woo-hoo!!

April 03, 2009 8:33 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Battlestar Galactica?

I could have sworn it was Star Trek and my - what a big difference they were! Star Trek was a long running classic and the other was just... a television show.

Who cares what she did for her district. Look what she's done for black woman all through the generations!

April 03, 2009 10:01 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

MC @5:23 PM you always spell hypocrite wrong when your blogging fast and under stress.

April 03, 2009 10:13 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

All the really important law enforcement officials speak to Rita.

Ha.

April 03, 2009 10:14 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Rita is a racist.

Whoo hooo.

April 03, 2009 10:15 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Jim Alger told me that Higby BEGGED Greuel's office for a proclamation for months and finally gave him one at a Council Meeting in Van Nuys. He was fat and slobbering and profusely thanked (and profusely sweat) the Council for honoring him.

That was the same meeting where Zuma was shouting "Beaner" at Ed Reyes and had to be carried out by four LAPD cops. Higby started screaming like a girl and told them to leave Zuma alone.

April 03, 2009 10:21 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Her sickness without borders @ 10:21

April 03, 2009 10:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

HIGBY is FAT
ZUMA is a MORON
RITA is a RACIST

Higby why do you sweat so much?

April 03, 2009 10:44 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Higby without his account name at 10:26

April 03, 2009 10:45 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Why isn't Higby covering Ed Boks? Because he is a racist and hates animals. He eats them.

April 03, 2009 10:45 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Lobbyist who sits through long-ass council meetings with their boring proclamations -- you most certainly do care about who is blowing them.

As much as you hate proclamations, you love to know who is getting blow jobs.

Lobbyists love that shit.

April 04, 2009 1:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Who cares about Boks? Ten of you out there? Big deal.

You also cared about Stuckey. You cared about Greenawalt.

Forget those people. They'll never be happy.

April 04, 2009 2:04 AM  

Blogger Zuma Dogg said:

That was the same meeting where Zuma was shouting "Beaner" at Ed Reyes and had to be carried out by four LAPD cops. Higby started screaming like a girl and told them to leave Zuma alone.

April 03, 2009 10:21 PM

THIS EVENT NEVER HAPPENED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM AND IS 100% COMPLETELY BLOG FICTION.

April 04, 2009 2:50 AM  

Blogger mary whoopee said:

Guess what 10:44? Here in the USA it's not illegal to be fat. It's not illegal to be a moron. It's not EVEN illegal to be a racist. However, it IS illegal to enter this country w/o the proper paper work. Either you've got something to hide or you can't be bothered. We don't need either contingency. Here's another brilliant revelation: It's also illegal to kill. Y'know...(and I'm just thinking out loud here) you should probably thank your lucky stars it's not against the law to malign
those who create viable internet forums, insult those who expose local political corruption, and bad-mouth those who resent gangbanging, murderous illegal aliens. Still feeling self-righteous, 10:44? Hmm?

April 04, 2009 3:12 AM  

Blogger Zuma Dogg said:

CITY MAY BE TAKING IN $30 MILLION LESS DWP DOLLARS: Los Angeles Times reports (April 3, 2009) that "a Superior Court judge has issued a tentative ruling ordering the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to repay its customers nearly $30 million that city officials had hoped to spend on other services. The tentative ruling, which was issued last week, said the DWP's long-standing practice of moving money from its water fund into the city's general fund -- which pays for such services as police, fire protection, street maintenance and libraries -- violates provisions of the anti-tax measure Proposition 218.

[So looks like the city may end up another $30 million short of what they thought, ontop of the $7 billion they will now unexpectely be paying out to cover the LACERS (pension and retirement) losses this past year in risky (non-investment grade) real estate and Wall Street investments. (More on this topic all over this blog.) SOLUTION: Throw a parade or have a "jog-fest" with even more money out of the general fund.

IBEW MEMO WARNS OF L.A. CITY FIRINGS: Well, Villaraigosa waited until it was too late, but looks like firings MAY be on the way, as the mayor has been warning about; and as Zuma Dogg has sadly been predicting as the only solution. Much of the city's budget deficit was created by Villaraigosa being waaaay too generous with the unions, giving them waaaay too much when the city couldn't afford it, in an effort to shore up votes for his re-election. It worked! And now that he has been re-elected with the support of unions he gave rasises to -- that got us into this mess...he's about to be sworn in, then fire all those people he promised raises to!

According to KNX 1070 AM/Los Angeles, the IBEW union issued a memo to members warning that 2000 jobs may be cut (people fired). Job losses MAY be able to be prevented, but they WON'T be, due to the nature of union leadership. The scenario Zuma Dogg was warned to watch out for, is the offer to either "give back" some of the recent salary raises and benefits the douchebag-dummy mayor gave away when he had no ability to deliver on the promise (especially after he just let $7 billion get away from the general fund, and into the accounts of risky, dice-rolling Wall Street investement portfolio managers and Villar's cronie real estate developers); OR, people will have to be fired/jobs lost.

Now of course it would be better for all workers to take a reduction and have everyone keep their jobs (it IS called a "union") -- not only so people do not become unemployed, but because it is better to have positions filled so work across the city can be done.

But here is the problem with the way union leadership is organized, and this is why any choice like this will end up going the way of "job cuts for some" rather than "salary reductions for all":

The union leaders who vote on these decisions have the seniority, and they are the ones who will NOT be fired, if people are to be fired. So why vote for your own salary reduction, when you can vote to have OTHER people fired and keep your salary and benefits in tact. (It IS called a "union," but the way it is set up, it should be called a "divisive.")

IS VILLAR GOING TO TRANSFER POLICE MONEY INTO GENERAL FUND?: An anonymous comment on Mayor Sam's blog says, "Isn't the TRASH FEE SUPPOSE TO PAY FOR POLICE? I heard the Mayor is moving the trash fees into the general fund."

[Ooops, he is? That would be a big "no-no" because he swore that was going into a lock-box ONLY for police hiring. Bad enough it went to raises for existing cops, instead of hiring new ones. But at least it's money spent on police. THIS MONEY MAY NOT BE PUT INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER ANTONIO'S ASS! Plus, we all know money in the general fund is being excessively spent on parades, street festivals, runs, walks, face painting, cookie cutting, and corporate and corporate-sponsored events. BUT THE MONEY WAS PROMISED TO HIRE MORE COPS! (LMFAO!)

SCREW SOLAR, BETTER UPGRADE THE TRANSFORMERS: Villaraigosa really BLEW it over this Measure B solar panel initiative. Everyone knows he couldn't care less about the environment, except saying, "The greenest big city mayor" is the kinda thing that sounds good when you are running for Governor. But in the case of Measure B, it was merely about creating the need for a massive work project, to secure jobs for workers, so they would go to the polls to vote for Measure B and while they are at the polls vote for Villagrosa.

HOWEVER, there may be a need to create more solar, however there is a compelling DEMAND to replace the damn transformers across the city and the rest of the aging and over-stressed under too much density-demand DWP infrastructure.

ZUMA DOGG always hears the BIG problems first; then warns about it; then the city does nothing; then something happens; then they react after the fact. And I won't read off the laundry list from the sub-prime forclosure predictions causing a recession to the fact that LACERS was overly invested in risky investments to the whole enchilada...SO HERE IS WHAT'S NEXT:

The DWP transformers and infrastructre are shot! I am getting calls from DWP insiders who say the powers that be are aware of the problem and the city continues to ignore it. Last summer we got lucky without a major heatwave. But the city has done a whole lot of high-density construction since then, and I am told if there is one good heatwave this spring/summer...FUGGEDABOUTIT! LIGHTS OUT LOS ANGELES!

So the mayor should not have pitched solar, but transformers. Because the city is still planning on creating a density monstrosity across the city, with another $1 billion hotel/condo/retail project set to launch downtown, plus Grand Ave Debacle Project that may be built someday...AND ALL THE PLANS THE CITY HAS FOR ALL OF IT'S HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT...

But two problems relating to DWP:

1) More warnings of drought conditions, not enough water, and water rates going up again as a result of the "shortage." (Check the news.)

2) One good heatwave and we will be seeing and feeling the effects of blackouts across the city. AND THAT IS BAD FOR BUSINESS...BAD FOR RENTERS...BAD FOR OWNERS...BAD FOR THE ECONOMY.

TAKE THE SOLAR PANELS OUT OF YOUR ASS AND FIX THE F*CKING TRANSFORMERS!!! If you want to pay my good friends of the IBEW way too much money to get the job done...IF YOU ARE OVERPAYING FOR TRANSFORMER REPLACEMENT...IT WILL BE WORTH IT IN THE LONG RUN...Because the cost of a city with no power is immeasurable. (But when you are running for governor, talking about replacing aging infrastructure is not as sexy as solar panels. It's like talking about replacing Paul Moyer instead of more of Mirthala Salinas.)

CITY OF LOSER ANGELES ANNOUNCES ANOTHER $1 BILLION BOONDOGGLE: Who are you trying to kid? You can't even one floor of the Grand Ave Project completed, and it's already time to launch another billion dollar luxury project the city doesn't need and cannot sustain.

Some overseas company wants to sink it's teeth into downtown L.A. cause it's probably so easy to walk all over the city now, they are so hard up and desperate. So I guess we need another luxury hotel, luxury housing and luxury retail downtown. Villaragiosa keeps thinking you can just keep dropping skyscrapers on the economic problems downtown and all the homeless people walking around the area will hop on a Greyhound bus to New Jersey out of town.

I have to see the details of this projects because I heard it is a renovation of some other hotels, but again, I can assure with all certainty...the answer to Downtown L.A.'s problems is not that they do not have enough luxury five star hotels, luxury condo space and over-priced retail shops.

Meanwhile, people who live downtown have to leave downtown to go shopping and do chores for the real things they need day to day, because Jan Perry in her infinite wisdom (or contribution intake) forgot all about the things that actually go into creating a REAL neighborhood that creates a community.

April 04, 2009 3:48 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Antonio probably skipped that press conference announcing an arrest for the USC students because he found out they are most likely ILLEGAL. He'll be marching with them this weekend and spending thousands of our tax dollars on services for them. Its unbelievable this city is in the worst financial crisis and the assholes in city hall are doing nothing. They continue to waste millions. Thank you Zuma for going after them hard. You are getting the notice on these issues in the media. Now watch some asshole attack Zuma. The only people posting negative shit on here are council and mayor staffers. They've been told to monitor what is said.

April 04, 2009 7:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

1021 how can we get a clip of that? I would like to see Fatso sweating and begging while screaming like a girl as Zuma did his thing!

It'd be just like it is here on MS every damn day.

April 04, 2009 8:47 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

To the "geniuses" who talk about the huge scoop that the Mayor may be transferring trash fee hike fees into the general fund and "diverting it from cops," newsflash: those fees always went straight into the General Fund from the very beg. by law. As do all fees from Props too, because unless a tax is raised by a specific 2/3 vote for the purpose, on the ballot, that's how it's done. We then have to ensure that the pols do what they say with the money.

Playing on this, head of Budget Committee Bernard Parks and some allies tries from the start to do just that, divert the trash fee hikes from LAPD to STAY in general fund and use it for unrelated purposes. He made then-CFP Karen Something tell the Council it would be "illegal" to designate those fees just for more cops, that is, for what the voters were promised. This was scotched by a faction headed by Greuel and Weiss (I can't remember who was on which side), and some media commented at the time that a lingering Parks- Bratton rivalry had something to do with it.

This is an annual battle and the public needs to pay attention once Greuel and Weiss are gone. The bashers will have to hope that without them there the funds will NOT in fact be diverted. We need Greuel and Weiss around, with their commitment to LAPD, wise priorities and guts to stand up for what they believe is right.

Unfortunately many in the public and media want to hold Antonio to his promise to "put every penny of the trash fee hikes to cops on the street" or something like it, which has meant less funding to testing all DNA rape evidence kits UNTIL NOW when Weiss-Greuel-Garcetti's motion and Human Rights Watch's strong support finally got the full council to understand the issue and commit. (Some others had been aware all along, but some acted like this was news to them.)

So thanks for the "scoop" anon. and Capn. Jackoff. We're on it.

April 04, 2009 11:18 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Environmental leaders rally behind DWP executive

DWP General Manager H. David Nahai serves on the California League of Conservation Voters as a board of director. According to the CLVC website, CLVC endorsed Measure B. This appears to be a conflict of interest.

Angelenos have a right to know whether Mr. Nahai recused himself when CLVC board voted to endorse measure B or did he vote to endorse the measure. Can Mr. Nahai’s spoke person answer this question?


CLVC
http://www.ecovote.org/about/

L.A. Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-nahai2-2009apr02,0,4399045.story?track=rss

April 04, 2009 9:14 PM  

Anonymous Phil Jennerjahn said:

I just watched all the City Council meetings from last week, and I have to say..... Zuma Dogg did a really good job talking about LACERS and the City heading for bankrupt status.

April 06, 2009 12:00 PM  

Anonymous g said:

IF YOU WANT TO FIX LA JOIN "SLAP" LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THIS TOWN, THIS STATE, THIS COUNTRY. IT STARTS WITH YOU AND ME. P.S. BOKS SHOULD BE FIRED!!!

April 14, 2009 5:50 PM  

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