Bobcat goes for a walk in Glendale and ................

...... and the "Old Gray hag on Spring Street" calls this BREAKING NEWS! BTW Glendale PD, sure you have enough taxpayer's resources to monitor a little bob kitty?

"The Old Gray Hag on Spring Street" (LA Times) remains on "Bobcat Watch".

** SUNDAY UPDATE: The LA Times has yet another "BREAKING NEWS" alert of a Bobcat sighting on a Burbank Golf Course. No word on the number of Burbank PD that responded to this latest feline encounter. 

Your thoughts (and laughs)....................

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Beutner Jumps In; Maeve Phones It In

There's Maeve!

The new AOLHuffPo (big step down from Time Warner, eh?) reports that Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner has resigned to run for his boss' seat in 2013.

The LA Times gets it wrong again, this time under wunder-kind reporter Maeve Reston, counting up real and imagined Mayoral candidates while forgetting to mention actual candidate Kevin James, despite having raised $500K in campaign pledges and hosting a top rated radio program six times a week.  Maeve can't claim she didn't know, she covered his announcement.

It's really sad to see the Times reporters continue to just phone it in.

Mid-Day Briefs on the "non-CD 14" Los Angeles Political Scene for Thursday

Blessed bloggin lunch time to all as we near the last week of the "Reign of Cardinal Roger Mahony".

The "Old Gray Hag on Spring Street" would love your thoughts on the soon to be ex. Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

And while the Times ask you to opine on Cardinal Mahony's legacy, here are some questions pertaining to his leadership of the Los Angeles Archdiocese for your commenting pleasure.

* Should have or will Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley indict Mahony for his role in Catholic Priest Sex Abuse Scandal?
* Will KABC Talk Radio Host Doug McIntyre regale listeners with a special "Cardinal Roger Corleone Mahony" segment as the Papal rep retires?
* Why did Cardinal Mahony take a hard line regarding unionization of cemetery workers?
* Was Cardinal Mahony's pro-active stance for immigration reform a protective front regarding the sex abuse scandal?
* Will Mayor Antonio Villar receive Communion and Confession rites for the Cardinal before his retirement?

More non CD 14 political news after the bloggin leap  
Read more »

Mid-Day Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Thursday

"The Old Gray Hag on Spring Street"

Count me as one of the remaining few east of the Los Angeles River, who's daily ritual begins with a morning walk to the corner store to purchase my kitty box liner of choice, the ever-thinning "Old Gray Hag", errrr, Los Angeles Times.

Seeking to maintain a "journalistic balance" of old print news, counter by new media with bloggin up to date content, I scan through the vertical columns of newsprint to find the Old Gray Hag's take on Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti "flip-flop antics" yesterday at City Hall. The same waffling that Ron Kaye gave the "TSA treatment to" yesterday in feeling out the details.

Needless to say that my search ended with a middle-finger length of four paragraphs on Page AA4 of the LA Extra section. (The middle-finger is what many thousands of ex. readers have shone the Old Gray Hag in recent years, but I digress) But my ever-shortening scan through today's edition did yield a front page missive on the supposed voting exploits of the Tea Party supporters of Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol, (Does anybody remember the voting exploits of ACORN?) who made it to the finals of "Dancing with the Stars". In addition, a LA Times-USC Poll reports that new California Governor Bitter Jerry, may find Californians none too receptive in wanting to raise taxes. Thus, my morning education on current events is complete as the Johnny Cat pours over the newsprint.

Now back to the internet ...............

Read more »

WTF? Pink Pig Lands on LA Times

Update: Part of a Verizon commercial shoot.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

Well maybe they didn't mean it.  The LA Weekly reports that the Los Angeles City Council is "dangling" the idea of a DWP rate increase in order to get a hold of $73 million in DWP surplus funds the City desperately needs.  In the meantime the Moody's bond rating service - AKA "jerks" according to Councilman Richard Alarcon - has once again downgraded the city's credit score and maintains a bleak outlook for LA's financial future.

Now we know who wears the pants in the Jerry Brown household and at the California Chamber of Commerce - Mrs. Jerry Brown AKA Anne Gust who made her fortune working for a company that encourages young women to become further anorexic to fit into smaller clothes at higher prices.  The Chamber had aired commercials reminding voters of Brown's record of opposing Proposition 13 among other things and Gust had a Brown cow.  Calls were made to some of the members of the Chamber and pressure applied leading to the ad being quickly dropped.

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has secured a court injunction to fight drugs and gang violence in Skid Row. Now this is the kind of thing we expect our City Attorney to do instead of fighting pot shops and silly billboards.

Phil Jennerjahn contacted us to show us a mock-up of the donation envelope for his recall campaign.  You may remember Phil's strategy for getting the mountain of signatures required for the recall, as he explained to Kevin James on this radio show, is to get a critical mass of potheads to campaign for the measure, so many that members of the SEIU will join Phil's parade.  And now that Antonio Villaraigosa's latest missteps in the whole DWP mess may have given Phil a little possible mojo, here comes Captain Ego AKA Walter Moore to tie his Red Ryder wagon to Phil's star just like he did with the Shaw family.  Watch out Phil that Walter - who made fun of your mercilessly during the Mayoral campaign - doesn't throw you under the bus as he did with the Shaws.

Now here are some folks doing the right thing to effect leadership change in Los Angeles.  Rather than goofy recalls which are good talkradio fodder the folks at Griffith Park Wayist are actually seeking individuals to groom and support to run against Councilman Tom LaBonge who apparently has pissed off folks from North Hollywood to Los Feliz.

The parent company of the OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET may be close to coming out of bankruptcy.  The New York Times reports that Tribune Media is near a deal with creditors.

The country is changing.  A good old-fashioned American Sears auto center is being replaced by a European style public mass transit station.

What happens when you're a political wunderkind who can't even beat Lloyd Levine in a primary? You move to another state and run for office there while tapping into old connections to get the endorsement of a former Vice President.  That's what Andrei Cherney, former Clinton speechwriter and abortive Bob Hertzberg protege is up to these days.

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Eve of "El Grito"

"Not everyone is happy with Summer Night Lights"

We start off our morning with this public plea.

FROM: Community Artist, Apprentices, and Master Artist/SNL 2009

RE: Summer Night Lights (SNL) Contract

DATE: September 2, 2009

To Whom May It Concern,

We the artists of the SNL Gang Reduction Program demand immediate payment for our services. Many of us turned down other work to be a part of this important effort. The SNL programs success is majorly due to the arts component that is present at all 16 parks. We all depend on this - this is our work, we have committed ourselves not only to our craft but to our community to provide the services they all deserve. Likewise we deserve to be treated as professionals in our field of expertise. The Arts community is one of the most effected groups from the current economic downturn and continue to be disregarded by this neglect on the part of the City of Los Angeles.

The experience working hands on with the community has been remarkable. Many of us artist have gone through various lengths and have over exceeded in order to sustain the art, music and dance workshops for Summer Night Lights. For example, asking our colleagues, friends and organizations to donate materials, paying directly from our pockets, swiping our credit cards, borrowed money for equipment and materials. Although we have been partially reimbersed for materials, we have not been paid for our time and professional experience. There has been a significant amount of preparation, time, planning and effort to make SNL a success. Our efforts have over exceeded our expectations and requirements.The latest press release sent out on August 24th regarding White House Conference on Gang Violence and Crime Control states the following: “U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder praised Mayor’s SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS program as an innovative approach to reducing gang violence.” This press release illustrates the success of the program however on the other hand we are outraged that we have been left in the shadows; we have been left to fend and find innovative methods to implement and succeed on our own without proper compensation. We have not been paid for our services or materials and equipment.

The contract clearly states that the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mayors office will provide modest budgets for materials and equipment, we were told by, Michelle Berne, DCA of a budget cut from our original proposal for equipment and materials, soon after we received 25% of our materials budget three weeks into the program. SNL is now in the last week and we have not received not a single payment for our services.We need answers today, via email, letter and a follow up phone call. Thank you for your time and effort in bridging our communities thru the arts.

Sincerely,

SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS 2009 MASTER ARTIST, COMMUNITY WORKERS, AND APPRENTICES

Maybe these contract workers/ artists should realize that it was more important to bailout Father Boyle's Homeboy Industry with $200,000 in T-shirt sales and pay $6,000 to the 16 "Summer Night Advocates" to spin the virtues of the program within their respective hoods.

OTHER NEWS:

** The Daily News City Hall Beat Writer Rick Orlov, highlights Antonio's comadre Maria Elena Durazo, Jim Alger's buddy Mitch Englander and the re energize Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in his Monday's "Tipoff Column".

** Former City Controller Candidate and DWP Commission President Nick Patsaouras has come out in support of Tamar Galatzan for the vacant CD 2 Council Seat. He joined with Galatzan in a presser to push for an "DWP citizen advocate".

** The "Old Gray Westside Hag On Spring Street" opines on the dire fiscal days ahead at City Hall. The opening sentence gets to the point.

City Controller Wendy Greuel reported last month that Los Angeles, if it stays on its present course of spending and anticipated revenue, will run out of money next May.

But the question here is whether Greuel and her former City Council colleagues will have the fortitude to tell the likes of IBEW, SEIU and AFSCME, that their early retirement scheme will need more concessions??

** Kudos to LA's and Drudge cohort Andrew Breitbart on the roll out of his latest "bloggin endeavor", "Big Government". Maybe Breitbart will find some time to investigate some of the sub contractors getting gang money in this city. Wonder if ACORN can help in facilitating the creation of a brothel, with a large choice of "Telebimbos" for a certain Spring Street Politico??

** Racism is alive and well in the collectivist cranium of one "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street" Columnist Tim "KIM IL" Rutten, the "Dear Leader of objectively bias Westside Journalism". Paraphrasing Samuel Johnson, "Racism is the last refuge of an mainstream, collectivist columnist with West LAist Liberal tendencies".

** This is dedicated to the Jack Weiss Groupie/ Nuch hater. Patrick R. McDonald questions whether the City Attorney is screwing over some homeless guy in Northridge. The scary part is the name of the "real estate expert" Comment away hater!!, ......... and don't forget to keep tabs on the busted pipes.

Your thoughts.....................

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on Election Day

This is the "day of reckoning" for the political aspirations of the "ME chista".

"ME chista" is the present day incarnation of the former "Mechista", Tony Villar of UCLA, and Antonio Ramon Villar of birth.

"ME chista" craves the material trappings that come with ceaseless self-promotion and the selling of one self to the likes of Keith Brackpool, Ron Burkle, and any Special Interest with cash or booty.

"ME chista" is not above using, abusing, and discarding those who can further his political and personal desires, wants, needs, and make overs ( the Antonio Villaraigosa incarnation) when needed. See Mirthala, Kevin Roderick, Venice Room ??, CD 14, Martin Ludlow, Corina Raigosa, Miguel Contreras, Dad, Mom, and 80 FAKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES!!, with help from Parke Skelton.

........and in today's election will the likes of Jack Weiss and Judy Chu be the latest to be used in a critical test of the political, persuasive ways of "ME chista" ??

**Governor "Kennedy Republican" whimpers into his political sunset.

"OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET" has the depressing details on the "Kennedy Republican's" last day campaigning for the "Ones".

**LA City Council OK's Job Cuts and Unpaid Leave.

But Garcetti had these comments for Chief "Bull Bratton".

Garcetti, a Navy Reserve officer who returned from a training mission to help address the police hiring issue, also took a not-too-subtle swipe at Police Chief William J. Bratton, who last week threatened to pull officers out of Councilman Bill Rosendahl's district after his budget committee vote to freeze police hiring.

"There is no room or space for that . . . in this city," Garcetti said. "No mayor, no council member, no chief, nobody, has a monopoly on fiscal prudence." Link here for the full story.

What will turnout be today ??

0-5% ??

5-10% ??

10-20% ??

or higher ??

Will Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi maintain her Speakership ??

Some thoughts from the lone Conservative at the "OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET".

Ron Kaye has his thoughts and picks for today's election.

........and we close with this historic editorial comment from the "OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET.

Los Angeles city attorney: Carmen Trutanich. He's a lawyer with solid prosecutorial and defense experience and would bring some needed new perspective to the city attorney's office. Opponent Jack Weiss is running a progressively negative campaign that underscores his unfitness for the post.

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!!