Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

We bring you this latest "Hypocritical, Do As I Say, Don't Do As I Done (or are still doing) Political Moment" from the lone Princeton Graduate of the Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee Jose Huizar.  

The Public Image of a politician who passes on indulging in the Ice Bucket Challenge (while still donating $100.00) citing drought concerns, is contradicted by a report which documents increase home water usage during these same parched times.

Kudos indeed for the "Tonto Huevon's" latest dubious distinction.

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Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

Mayor Villaraigosa will deliver his "State of the City" speech at a time most folks won't watch, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.  Theme of the address? Instead of "Dream with Me" it will now be "Sacrifice with Me."


Zuma Dogg, in his public comment addresses to the City Council, has been sounding a warning about the potential of a significant water shortage in Los Angeles, aggravated by over development and seemingly ignored by the Mayor and City Council. The Dogg had a one on one conversation with DWP General Manager H. David Nahai who told Zuma that those who do not waste water will not see raises in their rates. In calling for a new awareness on water conservation Zuma declares "that wasting water will have to be almost as socially unacceptable as wearing fur, or not using Facebook."


City Attorney candidate Jack Weiss has some trouble on his hands. The La Brea Willoughby Coalition has filed a Public Records Act request with Weiss’ office after learning that he has missed over one third of all Council meetings and 1,500 votes. The document requests immediate access to inspect Weiss’ calendar, correspondences and all other documents that may explain his whereabouts during those important votes.

More trouble for Jack Weiss.  An Asian American advocacy organization has endorsed Weiss' opponent, Carmen Trutanich.  The Asian American Action Fund credits their support to Trutanich's promises for electoral reform such as instant runoff voting and ending gerrymandering that has diluted Asian American voting strength in Los Angeles in recent years. 

Debbie Lopez and the always organized web 2.0 parents of Beckford Elementary School in the San Fernando Valley are making effective use of the internet to organize themselves for effective advocacy for their children and school and fighting the shady LAUSD. Lopez Twittered the play by play from a town hall meeting in Northridge featuring controversial School Board Member Tamar Galatzan. Among the gems, "Teacher from Darby talking; crying now," and "Kelly Mattinson just gave Tamar Galatzan what for. Girlfriend is on fire."

Over at WitnessLA a report on what LAUSD Superintendent Ray Cortines wants to do to teens who engage in "sexting" that is sending porno pictures of themselves via cell phone.  Cortines wants to arrest them.  While the prospect of young people participating in this type of behaivor is disturbing Cortines' response is typical of the heavy handed zero-tolerance approach to issues school administrators are apparently now incapable of using good judgment to handle.  The right step here is to first work with the parents before turning over the kids to the LAPD. 

Westside White Guy and other nanny-poos up in arms over another LA Times advetorial stunt, this time for a Paramount Pictures film.  I have two better questions, one from Eric Longabardi who asks what WWG will do when there is no more OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET; the other is shouldn't we be more up in arms about Roderick's Pulitzer Prize claims.

Wasting Water DWP Style

drip, drip, drip

photo by Mayor Sam

The DWP wants to take over the solar industry in Los Angeles, thinking they can manage to produce an output of electricity from solar greater than the current total solar power generated in the US and yet, they can't even manage a dripping fire hydrant.

Friday I ventured by a fire hydrant near Magnolia and Lankershim Boulevards in North Hollywood that was leaking rather significantly.  So good citizen that I am I called the City's 311 line to report it and was told I would be referred to the DWP.  After a while a very pleasant DWP representative came on the line and took my report.  She then told me that another citizen had reported the very same dripping fire hydrant the day before.  Apparently a DWP crew came to look at it but could not fix it.  The representative said that the crew reported that it would take at least a week before the hydrant could be fixed.  A week? This didn't look like a complicated repair, in fact it looked very similar to what anyone who has a leaky faucet would experience.  If the DWP can't fix it, should we contact Mike Diamond's Smell Good Plumbers?

With restrictions on water usage and heavy penalties for wasting water recently imposed by the Mayor given our current water crisis, how is it the DWP has a series of leaking or cascading fire hydrants they can't repair? Besides the water waste, its a public safety issue if a hydrant is not in proper working condition.

It's time to do something about the DWP and the first thing to do is to fire E. WASTEWATER PLURIBUS himself under whose reign the DWP has slipped into a complete and total mess.

Zuma Dogg Marathon: Zuma Busts LA City Water Wasting

Zuma Dogg catches the City wasting water in Venice (warning - tad of profanity at the end but it's worth it.)

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

The Shaw Family will return to Leimert Park this Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to gather signatures for the petition to put Jamiel's Law on the ballot. Mayoral candidate Walter Moore will be there from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. passing out yard signs and bumper stickers. There's even a rumor that the old, dead Republican Mayor may be in attendance.  (Leimert Park is located at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and W. Vernon Avenue.)

The City wants you to save water but it doesn't look much effort is being made by the City itself. Zuma Dogg has great video of broken City sprinklers doing a water show in Venice.

Just in time for election day in November Councilman Bernard Parks and rap artist and actor Snoop Dogg will be honored by the West Coast Regional Hip Hop Awards on October 25th.  The awards show will be held at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles, will be hosted by actress and model Porsha Coleman, Westside Radio’s Julio G, and comic T.K Kirkland.

Santa Ana school board member Rosie Avila is challenging Orange County Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.  Avila war born in Guatemala and has served on the school board for 17 years.  Avila is a strong advocate against illegal immigration and bilingual education and decided to bring her experience as an immigrant to the issue.

Five O'Clock Funnies

A two for one Zuma Dogg video treat for you today; first off Zuma Dogg exploring water waste at City Hall followed by Joe B.'s favorite Zuma Dogg clip, Zuma Dogg Sings Journey.

The Ten Dumbest Moves of 2007

We made this list last year; so its time once again to list the Dumbest Moves of the Year. Here, in not necessarily any particular order is the top ten:

1. Home Depot's lame, half assed astro-turfing in Sunland-Tujunga.
2. Jan Perry trying to ban fast food in South Central.
3. Rocky Delgadillo and his wife's reported inability to register and insure their cars, show up on warrants and use staffers for personal errands.
4. Politicians wasting water.
5. The Tennie Pierce settlement.
6. Antonio banging Mithala.
7. Mayor Sam falling for trick by AV spinners on story of Antonio, Jr. drinking on the beach.
8. Pomona City Attorney Arnold Alavarez-Glassman sending a cease and desist letter to The Foothill Cities Blog.
9. Jamie Lynn Spears getting herself knocked up at the age of 16.
10. Dennis Zine showing up the Gay Parade in full leather attire.