Cut and Paste Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Friday

"The bright beacon of corruption on Hope Street"

A day after Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, manipulated Council procedural rules to pass an emergency motion to raise utility rates, the Department of Water and Power Commission voted to give their concurrence to the scheme, errrr, plan to move Los Angeles along toward its goal of becoming the "Green Energy Beacon to the World", Proceeds from this are surely to benefit the likes of S. David Freeman, Ari Swiller, IBEW, paid for by the families and businesses of LA.

As usual Mayor Parkervillar's Deputy Chief of Staff for Spin Matt Szabo, is good for some example of double-speak.

Villaraigosa promised in the 2005 election campaign that he would reach a 20% renewable goal at the DWP wiithin five years. Szabo said Villaraigosa is not giving up on that goal and will work with council members to achieve it.

Reading between the lines, Mayor Parkervillar is not giving up on his Green Energy Scheme to line the pockets of his political friends with this tax hike on Angelinos.

Thus, the multi part political tragedy that was the "Great DWP Standoff at 200 Spring Street", ends its limited engagement, until the next installment of rate increases.

OTHER NEWS:

** While the likes of Boss D'Acry's IBEW reap increases to their monetary bottom line, the City of Los Angeles "Coalition of Unions", have release a plan outlining ways to prevent future layoffs in the city workforce. That enlisted this response, from once again, Deputy Chief of Staff for Spin Matt Szabo.

"The mayor's always open to constructive solutions from labor," said Villaraigosa Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Szabo. "But he also must operate within the realm of reality."

The "man of labor" once again speaks from his heart......

** AEG's strongman, whoops, President Tim LIEweke is teaming with Casey Wasserman, in proposing a NFL stadium on the site of the LA Convention Center's West Hall. No doubt if their plan moves forward, that some sort of corporate welfare, paid for by city residents and businesses, will be a part of the proposal.

Wonder what Frank Sheftel's friend, former Councilman Joel Wach's opinion of this newest stadium scheme, would be?

** What is up with all the "trolley billboards" downtown? Los Angeles Garment and Citizen Newspaper Editor Jerry Sullivan, has the details in his latest "Dat, Dat, Dish Column".

** Downtown visitors beware, the California Democratic Convention makes its subsidize appearance at the Convention Center, for the first time in recent memory. No word if former 43rd District Assemblyman Dario "Duhio" Frommer will be given any time to address the pandering masses, with his conspiracy theory regarding our "close ties" to EDH Associates.

** In the words of Parque Esqueleto, "Gosh durn it!!" I Parke Skelton, the image crafter of the progressive, populist hero from City Terrace, Mayor Tony Villar, made # 51 on the Capital Weekly's most influential political players in California politics list.

** ......... and lastly, how does the "Westside White Guy" describes the Neon Tommy profile of former Daily News Editor, turned citizen advocate Ron Kaye? Read for yourself.

The story captures Kaye as a 68-year-old white ex-newspaperman from the far west end of the Valley who wants to create a "new revolution" that goes beyond the early-2000s secession campaign he stage-managed as managing editor of the Daily News. His fellow travelers are still mostly angry white guys from the Valley, and though he hasn't gotten so much political traction, Aron notes Kaye has been deft at attracting media attention.

...... and Roderick is some supposed Pulitzer Award winning ex. scribe for the former "fishwrap of record" which has become, now merely the "West LA dog trainer of record".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Friday Evening Wrap Up and Thoughts on Journalistic Malpractice and other News

Los Angeles Times Media Columnist James Rainey

"Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street"

"ACORN with local political supporters"

This happens when you replace "fact-driven reporting" with "outcome-based, agenda journalism", but then agenda journalism is "par for the course" at the "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street" these days.

It started with this "agenda missive" on Andrew Breitbart's biggovernment.com video expose of ACORN, via the keyboard of Los Angeles Times Media Columnist James Rainey, as noted by veteran LA Times observer "Patterico" at Patterico's Pontifications.

The following passage below was cause to take notice, in the eyes of Patterico, whether Rainey was stating fact or "had likely been suckered and would end up with egg on his face".

[V]isits to other ACORN offices have gone almost entirely unmentioned. Lavelle Stewart, a fair-housing coordinator in the group’s Los Angeles office, told me this week that she tried to get the “prostitute,” who claimed she had been beaten by her pimp, to go to a women’s center.

“The fact she was not taking the help I offered her made me think something was not right,” Stewart said. “It raised a red flag.”

Then yesterday, Andrew Breitbart's biggoverment.com "dropped this load of crow into Rainey's lap for his consumption", in form of the latest ACORN video, featuring none other than..........., Levelle Steward. Thus, Patterico's keen instints on all things LA Times, expose the "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street's" insular agenda for all to deconstruct.

But while Rainey mulls whether to add some BBQ to his crow, where is the outrage on this breach of journalistic ethics? Where are the former Times scribes "Westside White Guy", LA Observed blogger Kevin Roderick and "Westside White Guy 2", LA Observed contributor Bill Boyarski, in calling for an in-house investigation?

One should note that Rainey, was the lead newsroom agitator in outing former Opinion Editor Andres Martinez's relationship with ex. girlfriend Kelly Mullens. This initiating what became known as "Grazergate". as reported on "Deadline Hollywood".

I understand it was the Times' own media reporter, Jim Rainey, who just recently got wind of the editor-flack romance and first raised the red flag about it internally this week. My sources say Rainey began asking people who worked for Martinez about his personal life before approaching the editor directly. Martinez became livid and hurriedly called a staff meeting. But because of the LA Times' troubled relationship with its parent Tribune Co., Rainey is accustomed to threading the ethical needle on difficult stories involving his newspaper. (Though I've taken issue here and here with his coverage, or lack of it, of some related stories.) It's no secret there has been tension and resentment between the LA Times newsroom and the paper's editorial/opinion pages.

"WWG" and "WWG2" went into "cyber overdrive" in reporting this egregious assault on the "sacred style book of journalistic ethics". Boyarsky had this missive which he called for "an investigation of the tainted Times" and guess which reporter he wanted to lead the in-house "quest for journalistic justice"?

A beefed up team of top reporters should join media reporter Jim Rainey in examining past Current sections and editorials to see whether they have been influenced by publicist Allen Mayer and his associate, Kelly Mullens, who has been dating Martinez.

But in hindsight, maybe Roderick and Boyarski, both ex. LA Times scribes, were part of the "inside, outside cabal" of current and ex. Times reporters, who's efforts to purge Martinez, were driven by an ideological urge to blend news with opinion, as Martinez opined.

I think the desire to blend opinion with news is the far bigger breach, but I’m guessing the Henry Weinsteins and Tim Ruttens of the world will continue to conjure up the magical words “Staples Center” to wail against any innovation at the paper, and confusing the hundreds of thousands of readers of the LAT who don’t read LA Observed – sorry, Kevin -­ into believing that Grazergate somehow implied an improper blending of the newspaper’s business side and editorial judgment, which it patently did not.

So maybe this is why there are no "Raineygate" posts, with in-house gossip, currently at LA Observed? Who would Boyarsky find among the shrinking ranks of "objective reporters" to investigate this latest breach of journalistic ethics? Or maybe in the eyes of ex.Times scribes like Roderick and Boyarsky, their cohort in "outcome based, agenda journalism" was simply following the dictates of what passes for journalism at the "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street".

In closing, Boyarsky, who also served a stint on the City of Los Angeles Ethics Commission, may have a good reason for remaining silent in regards to "Raineygate". Maybe it has to do with his own past comments on ACORN. Then there was this "appearance" at a "Project ACORN" event.

The Project Acorn event was at the headquarters of Local 721 of the Service Employees Union. It hadn�t started so I walked around the Virgil Avenue neighborhood, a few miles west of downtown. It�s a neighborhood of apartments, probably affordable for working families (if they double up) but they will be out of range if building ever resumes. At the union hall, I ran into Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, and interviewed him on the closed Martin Luther King Jr. hospital for a story I plan to do for LA Observed on his race with Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks. Then I introduced both Mama Hill and a short video about her and about how she faced foreclosure.

Thus, don't hold your breathe, in waiting for the latest on "Raineygate" from LA Observed but we did find this piece of "outcome-based, agenda blogging" from the "WWG".

* Andrew Breitbart doesn't want to talk about his business deal to carry Reuters news and links. Soundbitten
* The L.A. Times corrects some of an Op-Ed regarding the liberal group ACORN, but not all. Patterico

OTHER NEWS:

** Is the private sector version of IBEW's "Boss D'Arcy", getting close to snaping?

The head of L.A. Live challenged City Attorney Carmen Trutanich on Thursday to either file criminal charges over the Michael Jackson memorial service or apologize for hinting the company may have broken the law.

"Prove it or drop it," AEG President Tim Leiweke said during an interview. "We can't resolve this until he declares we have done nothing wrong or apologizes — I'll take either.

** Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa picks a former top official of the Chicago Housing Authority, Douglas Guthrie to become the new general manager of the city’s Housing Department. One want to bet that Guthrie has some past business with ACORN in Chicago?

** This appointment to the LACERS pension board came and went.

The newest appointee to a Los Angeles pension board has withdrawn her nomination after a city councilman voiced concern about her refusal to name her legal clients, city officials said today.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had named attorney Angela Reddock to the Fire and Police Pensions system, an agency whose board members have come under scrutiny in recent months regarding the potential for conflicts of interest.

Although council members were scheduled to vote to confirm Reddock today, Councilman Bernard C. Parks raised questions after reading correspondence between Reddock and the city Ethics Commission, which is charged with identifying potential conflicts of interest for new city commissioners. Reddock told the commission in an e-mail that she did not plan to name any client that had paid her more than $10,000, citing attorney-client privilege.

** This is for "Parque Esqueleto".

Former CD 14 City Councilman Nick Pacheco, has been named "temporarily City Administrator" in the City of Montebello.

Many in the audience gasped as long-time Montebello City Administrator Richard Torres announced the $15,000-a-month salary of his temporary replacement, Nick Pacheco. The city council action to appoint Pacheco was among several made in a closed session meeting on Monday.

Enjoy "CD 14 East" before the latest shake up in Montebello.

Your thoughts.......

LA Weekly: AEG to Kick in Money for the Non-Permitted Jackson Memorial

"AEG's Tim Lieweke and a couple of civic friends"

The LA Weekly is reporting this afternoon that AEG will pay an undisclosed amount of money to offset public cost for the non-permitted AEG/Michael Jackson Memorial.

By Tibby Rothman and Dennis Romero

Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owner of Staples Center and the organizer behind the controversial Michael Jackson memorial there in July, will pay to defray at least some of the city's costs to police, direct traffic and clean-up during and after the event.
​

Councilman Dennis Zine on Monday said he had breakfast with company CEO Tim Leiweke and that the executive pledged to help end the controversy by contributing some money to cover the city's costs.

The July 7 memorial has been the source of much ire: On Friday the city released a report indicating that it spent nearly $3.2 million to deal with the crowds that came to witness the memorial or just to be near it. The memorial was produced as a television special and was carried on channels throughout the world. A subsequent concert film based on Jackson's rehearsals for his AEG-promoted This Is It concert residency in London has grossed $200 million, with 10 percent of that going to AEG.

As Romero reported in his Friday post "City Spends $3.2 Million To Market The $200-Mil, Michael Jackson Blockbuster 'This Is It'" and follow up this morning. The city through someones unauthorized actions, payed out money to subsidize the making of AEG's flick of Michael Jackson's last moment on a stage in his life.

For Councilman Dennis Zine and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, here is hoping that both of these public servants do not get "weak in the knees and continue in their quest to see that the city is fully refunded for the unauthorized costs of the AEG/ Michael Jackson Memorial.

Nuch takes on LA's Biggest Coporate Welfare Fraud

" Corporate Welfare Junkies deserve their Just Medicine"

Simply, "Bravo and Straight Ahead!!", in regards to Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich efforts to recover the costs of city services provided for the non-permitted event that was the Michael Jackson Memorial, produced by the Anshultz Entertainment Group (AEG).

AEG's President Tim Leiweke was last seen early in the day, disgracing the fishwrap that doubles for the "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street", aka LA Times.

Nuch is a bully!!, Nuch is a bully!!. was the pathetic talking points that Leiweke repeated over and over again for anyone that cared to print or record his "pleading points of spin".

But unlike the previous office holder of the top attorney office for the City of Los Angeles, there is an "backbone of principle" that now occupies LA's City Attorney office.

When lesser mortal beings would have bowed to the alter of AEG, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich had this response to AEG's Leiweke's charges of being a "bully".

“If going after your money is being a bully, then I’m a bully; I have no problem doing that,” Trutanich said. “We wasted a lot of dough on the Michael Jackson memorial. We wasted a lot of money. Now if any of you think that we didn’t, I’ll take your donation after my speech.”

Trutanich comments are refreshing after years of special interests running wild on Spring Street. It was not long ago that the likes of Leiweke, would not have even been heard from.

But now with an City Attorney, who may be rough on the edges, but committed to cleaning up Spring Street, the attacks from the likes of Leiweke, may be the opening shots from the special interests who do not like the spotlight on their dubious dealings at City Hall.

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for the Stakeholders of Los Angeles

"COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR"

We have dialog in CD-14!!

The traveling roadshow of community engagement that is Councilman Jose Huizar's "Huevos with Huizzy Dialog Tour" kicked off in Eagle Rock.

And unlike his previous incarnation where the audience was subjected to a 80 minute filibuster, the Councilman engage his "selected stakeholders" in a "Q & A" on community issues.

Of course one has to be "invited" to attend these "Huevos with Huizzy" chat sessions.

You can also guess who was the first to slap himself on the back for his "Huevos with Huizzy" chat series ??

From Jose's Blog (Disclaimer, no comments are allow at Jose's Blog. Any attempt by any constituent to comment at Jose's Blog will be met with swift response from LAPD and General Services Police).

Last Friday we kicked off our community stakeholders and leaders meeting in the Northeast at the 20th Century Women’s Club with an amazing morning of discussion. Joined by several of the Northeast non-profits (Southwest Society ??), community leaders (who contribute to my campaign) and stakeholders (that support me) I was happy to share information on what I have been doing in the City Council (short amount of time for that topic) and throughout the area. Some of the issues covered:

Wonder if anyone brought up the subject of constituent services ??

Other News:

** The "Save Los Angeles Project" (SLAP) makes a return engagement to Glassell Park.

The Saving LA Project -- one year old on Bastille Day -- will hold its monthly meeting this Saturday, July 18, at 1 p.m. at the Glassell Park Community Center, 3750 N. Verdugo Road, next to Glassell Park.

** Meanwhile Ron has the latest on the Greuel vs. Trutanich which is the sequel to Rocky vs. Laura regarding oversight authority.

** AEG's Tim Leiweke enter the "Lion's Den" that is KFI's "John and Ken Show" during the 3:00 PM hour on Wednesday. He stated that AEG "donated the Staples Center and administrated time to the Jackson Family, he did not know where city officials got their estimated numbers on crowds and continue his verbal spat with Councilman Dennis Zine. Link here to the KFI Podcast Page to listen to the Leiweke, John and Ken chat session.

** Measure R, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's $40,000,000,000 scheme to dough out contracts to improve the transportation infrastructure is still in the "+" territory when it comes to public opinion.

** Parke Skelton's client Judy Chu was sworn-in as "Congresswoman Judy Chu" by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was Eric in the shadows clapping ??

** The July edition of Eagle Rock based Boulevard Sentinel is now up online. Props to Sentinel proprietor Tom Topping for adding daily news briefs from Northeast LA, to his web site.

** This story is disturbing, it comes from the 90042.com blog

The bicycle phenomenon known as Midnight Ridazz had a near tragedy as they rode down Avenue 52 this past Friday night. Around midnight (hence the name), as hundreds of cyclists were making their way from Griffith Park, through Highland Park, and on their way over to Lincoln Heights during the Neverland-themed ride, the group was attacked as they descended down Avenue 52 just before the Pasadena Freeway at Bomer Drive.

When the rolling mass of cyclists with blinking lights, bells, horns, and amplified music trailers went rolling by a house party on 52, the occupants there started yelling, “Fuck you white boys!” (despite the diverse crowd of men and women of every skin color) As the blocks-long group of bikes continued to pass, the group of men in the yard started throwing beer bottles, pots, and anything they could find at the cyclists. (As of this post, there was still bits of broken Corona bottles and white ceramic shards in the Avenue there.) Then they came at them with shovels and started knocking people off bikes and successfully manage to steal one bike from a local cyclist as he was dodging a swinging shovel.

As the cyclists tried to defend themselves and rescue the fallen cyclists from the street, someone from the house pulled out a 22 from his pocket and shot a male cyclist in the back. The shooter then fled, and the other assailants ran back into the house and turned off the lights to hide. Highland Park’s LA Fire Department #12 was on the scene within five minuets. Unfortunately, LAPD officers from Hollenbeck Division didn’t arrive until 15 minutes later. Several suspects were apprehended.

In this case, the cyclist was extremely lucky, it was a small caliber bullet that missed his spine by less than an inch, and who’s impact was partly shielded by the bag he was wearing on his back. The wound proved not to be too serious, the bullet got lodged in his back muscles. (See, more benefits of cycling: strong back muscles!)

Your thoughts and great weekend to all..........

Morning Briefs and Outtakes with Multiple Choice Exam on this Week's Events

"Overlord Leiweke of AEG"

In the spirit of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's "Partnership for Better Education" efforts with financial support from those "corporate welfare junkies" at AEG. We present this multiple choice quiz on what AEG did not do, errrrrrrrr, center's the world's attention on an vast "City of Angels" that embrace one last time, the "King of Pop".

Question # 1: AEG's Tim Leiweke is...............

A. Visionary creator behind the LA Live Complex.

B. Front man for the whims of Phillip Anschutz.

C. Bagman for AEG at City Hall.

D. Councilman Dennis Zine's worst nightmare.

E. All of the above.

Question # 2: Mayor Villaraigosa's Spokesperson Matt Zsabo taught us..............

A. Begging on the behalf of your city is cool.

B. My boss is going to kick my rear when Lu and him get home from Africa.

C. KFI's "John and Ken" have their own little boy to play with.

D. Spinning on behalf of your boss can win you awards.

E. All off the above.

Question # 3: Which event does not require city permits ??

A. Firework displays at our local parks.

B. A funeral for the "King of Pop" attended by thousands at Staples Center.

C. Corporate picnic at a local park.

D. Laker parade after winning NBA Championship.

E. Too hard to make a choice.

Question # 4: What was the cost to the City of Los Angeles Taxpayers for the Michael Jackson Memorial Services ??

A. 0-$1,000,000 dollars.

B. "This letter bought out by the AEG Group"

C. This letter was twittered by Matt Szabo before his text was fact check.

D. $3.9 million and counting as stated by Councilman Dennis Zine this afternoon on KFI's John and Ken Show.

E. Bound to be higher.

Question # 5: When given $50,000 to spend on food for LA's First Responders, one would select.......

A. The most one can get for $50,000.

B. Shop out of county for lower sale taxes.

C. Find some exotic location.

D. Practice common sense with the tax payers money.

E. Wrightwood Jenson's Market is the best, damn the taxpayers.

Question # 6: The political winners in the Michael Jackson Memorial/AEG controversy are........

A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.

B. City Councilman Dennis Zine.

C. City Controller Wendy Greuel.

D. All of the above.

Question # 7: Who authorize the use of city resources for a private funeral ??

A. Acting Mayor Jan Perry

B. Decline to state.

C. Decline to state.

D. AEG NEED NO STINKIN PERMITS TO PROFIT ON A DEAD SUPERSTAR!!

E. Refer to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's past contributions from AEG.

Question # 8: Who will Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa "terminate" for this PR fiasco ??

A. MATT

B. MATT

C. MATT

D. MATT

E. All of the above.

Question # 9: The political losers in the Michael Jackson Memorial/ AEG controversy are....

A. Acting Mayor/ Councilwomen Jan Perry.

B. Lets blame it on the guy who bought the food in Wrightwood.

C. The lame duck Mayor who is on vacation in Africa.

D. City Hall recipients of AEG money.

E. The guy who bought the food will take the fall.

Question # 10: The following will pay the tab for public services used at the Michael Jackson Memorial.....

A. This letter is reserved for the weak-knee public official who seeks the middle-ground.

B. City of Los Angeles, after a contributions to the Summer Night Lights Program by AEG.

C. The Jackson Family.

D. AEG, if they want to avoid a boycott of LA LIVE!!

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Jackson Memorial continues

"AEG's Tim Leiweke, NBA Commish David Stern and local politicos"

An axiom of life is "if one wants something, then you must pay the price".

With that theme in mind, lets use the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and Los Angeles City Hall as an example.

AEG wanted to built a "destination attraction" to stimulate the development of new revenue streams, radiating from the area around the Staples Center, at the best possible price.

The politicos at City Hall wanted a new tourist draw in an area vacated on most evenings after events at the Staple Center, to bring in new tax revenues.

And what did each party get in their respective quests ?? Lets consider the numbers......

For AEG, it was $270 million in subsidies from city tax payers for their $2.5 billion "LA Live Project".

For Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other members of the city ruling class, their cut included the following.

AEG and its executives have given hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to local politicians and their political projects, including $100,000 to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Partnership for Better Schools and $100,000 to the Mayor's Committee for Government Excellence and Accountability, state and city election records show.

AEG also has contributed to at least 11 of the 15 current members of the City Council, as well as City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo and Controller Laura Chick.

So one must wonder if Councilman Dennis Zine was one of the four councilpeople who did not get any AEG cash, considering the comments directed in his direction by AEG's Tim Leiweke ??

And who gets it in the rear after viewing these numbers ?? Can you say the Taxpayers ??

Comments from bloggers, writers and pundits.

LA Times Steve Lopez

Are there a few opportunists out there, you ask?

More than a few.

A lot of scrappy vendors trying to sell a piece of the man, the media hordes cashing in on the celebrity culture it helps manufacture, the cops collecting overtime, the international telecast selling merchandise to benefit the estate, the owner of Staples Center working a marketing angle or two.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tried his best to get in on the action as well, asking Jackson fans worldwide to help defray the high price of the city's massive preparation for crowds that never showed.

"Donations will help the city of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves," said the mayor in an appropriately strange announcement on a strange day even by L.A. standards, and he added that donations would be tax deductible.

LA Biz Observed's Mark Lacter

The city should pay, of course. Sure, there's outrage over the costs of policing and other services, and yes, we are in the grips of the Great Recession that has L.A. running a half-billion dollar deficit. But in the life of a city stuff happens, whether it's the Jackson spectacle or the Lakers parade. Just be glad the thing came off with minimum fuss. Local officials have a fiduciary responsibility to deal with these one-time, extraordinary events, just as a company would deal with unexpected crises that cost money.

From the LA Times "Glove off on cost of Michael Jackson's services"

There were those who argued that the Jackson memorial might have brought more money into the local economy than it cost.

Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., said his group estimated that the memorial brought about $4 million to local businesses in the form of food sales, parking, miscellaneous shopping and hotel stays.

"We're a center of celebrity," he said.

"You have to be able to deal with it. You have to look at the positives and the negatives. Yes, you have some expenses, but if you handle the whole thing in a smooth fashion, which they did, you get a real positive."

Carol Schatz, president and chief executive of the Central City Assn., said the memorial was actually a mixed bag, economically.

"All the downtown hotels were close to being full as a result of the service," she said. "However, it did not spill over to the restaurants, especially on the day of the service, because so many businesses fearing these enormous multitudes had their employees stay home.

"Still, she said the memorial was "worth its weight in gold" for the attention it brought to "the new downtown that we've created in the last 10 years.

"Taking that argument a step further, Joel Kotkin, presidential fellow at Chapman University in Orange, said that Jackson's death and memorial helped "brand" the city and would have lasting economic value.

Other news:

LA Weekly "Harder Than It Looks": Villaraigosa's "Model" Schools Bite Back"

This excerpt on a "Dropout Summit"

The dropout summit is, by itself, a great educational experience for students who are missing several hours of class, says dropout czar Duardo — the kind of claim made continually over the years by bureaucrats in a district where high school kids watch lots of films, go on field trips, and still can’t multiply fractions.

Finally, the session breaks up into small “think tanks,” where students have a chance, alongside teachers and parents, to voice their ideas for solving the dropout crisis.

One of their main proposals, Duardo says later, is that the kids want to sleep in. “One of the things they said is that [classes start] too early. They’re not awake. If you look at the research on brain development, that’s not their functional time.”

Good to know — another fact for the district and Villaraigosa to address in their strangely parallel, Rube Goldberg–esque attempts to sift through priorities. “Kids are saying we shouldn’t start school until 10 o’clock,” Duardo offers. “I think it’s definitely something the district could look into — possibly make it an option. Give them more flexibility.”

Over flexibility leds to breaks or breakups, the last possible hope for LAUSD.

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

"TROLL FOR DOUGH A-THON, Day Two", Even "Welfare Recipients" will donate

This is the "Great Ole United States" and thus you can "contribute" to the political discourse through the spoken word, printed prose, or through the protected act of giving, even those on the "corporate welfare rolls" can give, witness "LA LIVE".

On Day Two of the "TROLL FOR DOUGH A-THON", Mayor Villaraigosa last night attended a fundraiser host by "Anshultz Entertainment Group" bigwig Tim Leiweke,

Excerpts from David Zahniser's report on the L.A. Now Blog at the "OLD GREY HAG ON SPRING STREET".

The fundraiser at L.A. Live was (corrected to current
tense) co-hosted by Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz
Entertainment Group, according to an invitation filed with the city’s Ethics
Commission. Three years ago, Villaraigosa supported AEG’s plan for
building L.A. with roughly $270 million in city subsidies(ie. corporate
welfareism that former Councilman Joel Wachs fought against for the
AEG's Staples Center and won).

Since Villaraigosa took office, AEG has given $485,000 in contributions to
various mayoral initiatives, from a telephone tax measure on February’s ballot
to Villaraigosa’s ill-fated effort to gain control of the Los Angeles Unified
School District.

Yet there’s another interesting name on the invitation: lawyer and lobbyist
Tim McOsker. A resident of San Pedro, McOsker spent four years as chief of staff
to former Mayor James Hahn -- the man Villaraigosa defeated in 2005.

Since City Hall is all about forgiveness (Villar will only forgive
for money??), he’s now a co-host of a Villaraigosa campaign event -–
and someone with clients ranging from AT&T to real estate developer Bob
Bisno, the man behind a proposal for 1,950 new homes on an undeveloped stretch
of San Pedro.

So for McOsker, one must "kiss the ring", in this case anty up the cash to open the door for his client.

Later as the "TROLL FOR DOUGH A-THON" continues, what did those wedding vows and smooch really cost???

Preview of Day 3 of the "TROLL FOR DOUGH A-THON" from the San Fran. Chronicle