Zuma Dogg Blog

Go to http://ZumaDogg.com for Active Blog w Daily Blog Posts (Aka: LADailyBlog.com)

2011-12-31T02:35:00.000-08:00

This blog is getting some views, based on Google searches, but it is inactive. Go to http://www.ZumaDogg.com. (ZumaDogg.com) It's updated throughout the day...and night.

Zuma Dogg - "Best of 2011 (Pt 1)" [Aka: "Worst of L.A. City Hall"]

2011-12-20T20:24:00.001-08:00

@ZumaDogg Tweets:

2011: FBI PROBES LA HOUSING: ZD's Late 2010 Posts That Brought About: http://t.co/e5B3y9vq, http://t.co/rawk8qpy, http://t.co/BDpwZUHX about a minute ago
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;If you can not see this chirbit, listen to it here http://chirb.it/ObF28O&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
2011 VIDEO: ZD Busts LA CITY @VENICEBEACH After FED VICTORY: Pt 1) http://t.co/GdqfU0oI, Pt 2) http://t.co/HaGSk15Q 10 minutes ago
2011 VIDEO: Zuma Dogg BLASTS LAPD at Police Commission meeting on TV, for selective enforcement @VeniceBeach. http://t.co/bWasGyph 15 minutes ago
2011: ZumaCAM angle of ZD Public Comment on LAHD/REAP, as NOW investigated by FBI: http://t.co/AjY6odpU (Jan 2010/FBI investigations, NOW!) 17 minutes ago
2011 VIDEO: Zuma Dogg BLASTS L.A. City Councilman Alacron on 30+ Indictments of District Attorney. SMOKER!: http://t.co/TrfJHZZA 20 minutes ago
2011: Public Comment (Jan): Quality & Productivity Czar, ZD, calls for FEDERAL OVERSIGHT of Villaraigosa FEDERAL MONEY! http://t.co/yMKq2Urx 25 minutes ago
HERE'S A SONG BY ZD YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD: "Take Back The City, Take Back City Hall":
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;If you can not see this chirbit, listen to it here http://chirb.it/GFJamk&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
GOOD VIDEO on OBAMA'S ECONOMIC POLICY (BAD VIDEO, if you are Obama): Wall Street Insider Speaks Out - http://t.co/TKmv145Q 32 minutes ago
GOOD BLOG POST: @LADragnet post on L.A. Shitty Attorney Carmen "The Clown" Trutanich. This one, his BULLY side. http://t.co/Nkexbo8i 42 minutes ago
If I'd guess, based on searches linking to my blog, I'd say John Shallman, DWP/Taylor Yard, Villar Pension Commissioners (Wetherly)=FEDS! about an hour ago
2011: The first year ZD calls FBI, directly, to give info provided by city insiders (employees), directing them to my news blog. THEY READ? about an hour ago
2011: Zuma Dogg calls FBI for first time, after having enough free speech violations during council meetings, to tell them a few things. about an hour ago
2011: After ZD said SINCE DAY ONE, "City Hall is a FEDERAL money laundering factory, in cahoots w phony non-profits, Council said it in Dec! about an hour ago
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;If you can not see this chirbit, listen to it here http://chirb.it/zhOL14&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
2011: After appearances during televised council appearances, radio calls & blogging, ZD's claims of RACKETEERING validated by FBI probes! about an hour ago
2011: ALL ABOUT FEB! Garcetti banned me: I WENT STRAIGHT TO OBAMA/HOLDER/FBI w 5 yr summary of PENSION & HOUSING FRAUD! Seeing effects, now! about an hour ago
2011 RECAP: Ask Villaraigosa: Feb was ZD's most BRUTAL blogging, ever: Garcetti banned me=I went on LAHD/REAP & PENSION FRENZY for a MONTH! about an hour ago
REMEMBER: They say, "laughter is the best medicine," and 1000s of people SWEAR, Zuma Dogg is the funniest person they've ever seen. Thanks! about an hour ago
42.15: How come ALL focus on boardwalk crowding is over people in spaces; when STORES (EAST) take up 1/3 sidewalk w street signage/displays? about an hour ago
I wonder if the FBI is investigating DWP for overcharging customers? about 2 hours ago
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;If you can not see this chirbit, listen to it here http://chirb.it/Hv1ycA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
Hope McFarlane didn't invest pension$. Should NOT be invested in this risky, speculative, unnecessary project, -ZD on Grand Ave '07. It was! about 2 hours ago
MY BEST COMEDY WRITING: LONG before it was OFFICIALLY "DEAD IN THE DIRT" here's ZD's analysis of Grand Ave Project: http://t.co/I4i6nxmQ about 3 hours ago
BEFORE LACERS (pension) admitted they lost -20% of fund (SEVERAL BILLIONS), ZD was WARNING PUBLIC/COUNCIL, money invested in phony projects. about 3 hours ago
ONLY ONE ON RECORD: NO ONE in L.A. HISTORY raised MORE AWARENESS on Federal money washing via nonprofits (as council now admits) than Zuma! about 3 hours ago
HOW COME LAST mayoral race, Zuma Dogg was ONLY CANDIDATE calling attention to SERIOUS ISSUE of Villaraigosa COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS? NOW=FBI about 3 hours ago
Wonder why L.A.activists & neighborhood council ALLOWED "Special Event Fee" waivers for BIG BIZ. (MONEY for community.) ZD put STOP to THAT! about 3 hours ago
Wonder why The People of L.A. (front line activists/Neighborhood Councilmembers) ALLOWED Council to ban cameras at meeting. ZD CHANGED THAT! about 3 hours ago
"Smart Growth" is "Dumb Growth." Infrastructure can't support. City won't be able to afford to operate. You are not belt tightening." ZD/'07 about 3 hours ago
"Subprime will cause a housing bubble burst, that will cause a recession, next year, likes that we have never seen." -ZD May '07 to Council. about 3 hours ago
Every once and a while, a song comes along..."Stay Away," by Charles Bradley. From new Nirvana cover LP, "Newermind." Sounds like 70's soul! about 3 hours ago
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;If you can not see this chirbit, listen to it here http://chirb.it/3BOLrk&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
ZD's "Dicken's Trip." Was up at 4am, rollin' around, having memories of my life back to AGE TWO. 1st night of Hanukka? Was Dickens Jewish? about 4 hours ago
"Please continue to HOLD, for PROMPT assistance." What ZD heard on hold calling store. A violation of Deming's 14 Pts. EMPTY EXHORTATION! about 4 hours ago
Business & people EVACUATING L.A. (population reducing)=LAST THING L.A. needs is MEGA-HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENT. ALL about union jobs for Eric. about 4 hours ago
HOLLYWOOD MEGA-DEVELOPMENT: "Density," is "Density." ZD says nothing, "Elegant" about density. Tell it to traffic, crime & bursting pipes. about 4 hours ago
RT @Bill_Rosendahl: Wishing my constituents a happy and prosperous 2012! [Why, are you resigning in 2012? Otherwise, no chance.] about 5 hours ago

12/20/11: FYI - I never update this blog. Just posted Year End/Best of, for the record. Go to ZumaDogg.com.

BLOG UPDATE: Go to http://ZumaDogg.com for all content and links

2007-10-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

For some reason this little side blog of mine ends up at the top of the Google blog search for "Zuma-Dogg", but I haven't been updating this one.

ZumaDogg.com - Official Zuma Dogg Website
LACityNews.com - Zuma's News & Politics Site

Anything you need can be linked to from those two sites.

ZUMA DOGG SAYS VILLARAIGOSA'S "SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FEE" IS A BUNCH OF SOLID WASTE! (First Trash Collection Fees, Now Solid Waste Collection Fees!)

2007-06-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY: ROCKARD J. DELGADILLO, CITY ATTORNEY

REPORT NO. R07-0183 (MAY 24 2007)

DRAFT ORDINANCE: An ordinance amending Section 6641 of Article 6.1, "Solid Waste Collection, Recycling and Disposal Fee," to set the Single-Family Dwelling and Multiple-Family Dwelling charges beginning July 1, 2007.

THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

(1) Single-Family Dwellng. $22.00 per month or any fraction of a month for each single family dwelling unit, effective July 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007; $26.00 per month effective September 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009; and $28.00 per month effective July 1, 2009, until further amended by the City Council.Sec. 2. Subdivision (2) of Subsection (a) of Section 6641 of Article 6.1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is amended to read:

(2) Multiple-Family Dwellng. $14.52 per month or any fraction of a month for each dwelling unit within a multiple-family dwelling from which refuse is collected by the City, effective July 1,2007, through December 31,2007; $17.16 per month effective September 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009; and $1848 per month effective July 1, 2009, until further amended by the City CounciL. No charge shall be imposed on any multiple-family dwelling where the City does not collect refuse. M:\Government Counsel\Ordinances\LAMC 66.41-REFUSE COLLECTION FEE INCREASE ORD-O? AMENDMENT.doc

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com
www.zumatimes.com

Los Angeles Wants To "Accommodate Employees Who May Not Have Bank Accounts" (Like Undocumented Workers)

2007-06-13T20:38:00.001-07:00

Hillary Clinton Campaign Co-Chair/Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council voted today to see if they can implementing an electronic payment card process, as an alternative to direct deposit or payroll checks -- in order to accommodate employees who may not have bank accounts. City employees who do not have bank accounts are unable to participate in direct deposit. As a result,
these employees have difficulties in cashing checks and pay fees to cash payroll
checks. [And it's up to the City to create and operate a separate department to accomodate to their needs! Hey, you know what? My butt hurts from sitting on the benches at City Hall waiting for public comment. But you don't see me aksing you to buy me any Preparation H?]

ITEM NO. (23)
06-1699

City employees are not required to show indentification when applying for a job. But with "direct deposit" (requiring a bank account) or payroll check (requiring identification to cash), the process prevents the city from hiring undocumented workers, including those who are residing in the country illegally.

Fiscal Impact Statement: The Controller and Personnel Department report that if all City employees were to utilize direct deposit, the City would realize an annual savings of approximately $56,000. However, the creation of Payroll Card option would create a third administrative function to the City’s payroll system. Any savings would be offset with the annual salary of an additional Accountant needed to administer the new function. [SO THIS WON'T EVEN SAVE THE CITY MONEY. SO THE ONLY GOAL THEN, IS TO ALLOW THE CITY TO HIRE AND PAY ANYONE ON THIS PLANET, "UNDER THE TABLE".

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
zumadogg@gmail.com
Click here to read more about ZUMA TIMES

Los Angeles City's NEW Eminent Domain Policy Looks Like They Can Pretty Much Do Whatever The Hell They Want. [It looks like comedy!]

2007-06-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL VOTES 12:0 ON "EMINENT DOMAIN" PROGRAM

A new State Eminent Domain law went into effect this year, requiring the City to lay out it's ED plans for the future, before you can start claiming. Here's the plan from today's agenda, item 12. A lot of the City ED has expired and the CRA will have to pass some amendment in each of these areas. But here's one area with the most extensive ED plan: [Read my comments in bracks and comment.]

THE PROGRAM TO ACQUIRE REAL PROPERTY BY EMINENT DOMAIN OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

ADELANTE EASTSIDE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Except as specifically exempted in the Redevelopment Plan, the Agency may acquire, but is not required to acquire, any real property located in the Project area by eminent domain or any other means authorized by law.

It is in the public interest and is necessary, in order to eliminate the conditions requiring redevelopment, [in order to gentrify] and in order to execute the Redevelopment Plan, for the power of eminent domain to be employed by the Agency to acquire real property in the Project Area, subject to the limitations set forth in the Redevelopment Plan. The Agency shall make every reasonable effort to acquire real property by negotiation. [Reasonable, like here's a crappy deal. Don't want it? Sorry, taking it anyway.]

Prior to acquiring real property by eminent domain, the Agency shall seek the review and recommendation of the PAC. [Seek the review and recommendation? First of all, PAC doesn't have to deliver a recommendation, the Agency just has to "seek" it. Secondly, if there is a report, who cares? it doesn't say they have to "follow" the recommendation.]

The Agency is authorized to acquire structures without acquiring the land upon which these structures are located. [If they just need some open space, they can take your home, but not pay you for the property.] The Agency is also authorized to acquire any other interest in property less than a fee. [Plus, anything else related. LESS THAN A FEE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN...SOUNDS LIKE "WITHOUT" PAYING.]

Exemptions and Limitations:

The Agency shall not acquire by eminent domain any real property on which any person legally resides and which is legally and exclusively being used for residential purposes. [Get ready for the inspections. Better have at least one legal resident living in homes with illegals, otherwise they can take the home. Also, better not be having those illegals living in your garage -- or too many people living in a home, in general; and if you are renting, it's commercial, y'all!!! These are some of the "read between the lines" I am reading. Any merit?]

The Agency shall not exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire any parcel of real property within the Project Area for which proceedings in eminent domain have not commenced within twelve (12) years after the adoption of the Redevelopment Plan on March 30, 1999, by Ordinance No. 172,514, ending the period within which eminent domain may be used on March 30, 2011. This time limitation may be extended only by amendment of the Redevelopment Plan. [Great. So they'll extend it!?!?! Who's going to stop them?]

The Agency is not authorized by law to acquire real property owned by public bodies which do not consent to such acquisition. Without the consent of an owner, the Agency shall not acquire any real property on which an existing building is to be continued on its present site and in its present form and use unless such building requires structural alteration, improvement, modernization or rehabilitation, or the site or lot on which the building is situated requires modification in size, shape or use, or it is necessary to impose upon such property any of the standards, restrictions and controls of the Redevelopment Plan and the owner fails or refuses to agree to participate in the Redevelopment Plan by executing a participation agreement.

[OK, that's the most scary part!!! Basically looks to ZD, like they are saying, all they have to do is start walking around the neighborhood and start saying, "You need some structural alteration...you need some improvement modernization...you need some rehabilitation...you require some site modification...you can't use it for that anymore...and if you "refuse" (how about can't afford) to agree "particpate" by executing an agreement. [Sounds like that means, "or if you don't agree to go along, we can take it, anyway."]

I DON'T KNOW...MAYBE I'M READING TOO MUCH INTO THINGS, BUT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE THE CITY'S "EMINENT DOMAIN" PLAN FOR EAST ADELANTE LOOKS LIKE IT SAYS, "We can trip you up, just about any way we feel like it, and if not, we can just take it anyway."

post an comment here, and it will email it to me, or contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
www.ZumaTimes.com
Back to Mayor Sam

LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA "BORROWS AND CUTS" ON CITY'S RESERVE FUND

2007-06-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

Man, does this guy have cajones! Looks like part-time Hillary Clinton Campaign Co-Chair, part-time Los Angeles (and LAUSD school reform "debate opener", but not reformer) Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants to pay off the credit card with a loan from the savings account "reserve fund". (Isn't the reserve fund, an emergency reserve? I mean it's called a "reserve" fund. Not an "advance" fund?)

Then, he gonna weasle out of deals by cancelling any expenditures and encumbrances that exceed what was originally appropriated or available receipts.

So for example, if expenditures were increased because costs increased, well now the mayor can pull the plug on the deal. [So watch for the rug to be pulled out from under you, and of course for the services to be cancelled.]

Plus, any other year-end cancellations needed to balance the budget. [ZD calls it, "Slash and Dash". [Insert OJ joke here.] I'm not really smart enough to read behind these lines...comments please?

ITEM NO. (11)
06-0600-S77
BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT relative to authorization for year-end borrowing.
Recommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:

1. AUTHORIZE the Controller to borrow from the Reserve Fund to balance departmental
expenditures when expenditures exceed budget authority.

2. AUTHORIZE the Controller and City Administrative Officer (CAO) to work with departments to cancel encumbrances where expenditures and encumbrances exceed either appropriation authority or available receipts.

3. AUTHORIZE the Controller to report to the Mayor and Council on any year-end borrowing or encumbrance cancellations needed to balance the budget in the Preliminary Financial Report.

Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by the Controller. Neither the CAO nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report. [EXCUSE ME!!! YOU ARE "BORROWING" FROM THE CHERISHED RESERVE FUND , ARE CANCELLING ENCUMBERANCES WITH NO FISCAL IMPACTS SUBMITTED OR ANALYIZED!?!? If this were an LAUSDeming high school accounting project, I'm afraid you would have to finish the Fiscal Impact Statements in "summer school", my man.

www.ZumaTimes.com
contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Crybaby Loser Whines To CM Bill Rosendahl Over Alleged Zuma Dogg "Reward and Promotion"

2007-06-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

ANYWAY, HOW HILARIOUS THAT SOME CRYBABY LOSER BLEW THEIR TOP OVER LITTLE OL' BIG ZD AND HAD TO TRY AND BULLY ROSENDAHL! (Trust me, he was laughing with me about it!) And by the way, Crybaby Loser: Although there are a few insiders who hate ZD (GOOD, THEY SHOULD)...I think he scores a HELL of a lot more points with "real" people/voters for this. Haters should spend a day walking with ZD throughout the City and you would be having the mayor selling T shirts with him at Venice Beach on Sunday. Thanks Bill for just being real with it, dough!

From: Crybaby Loser
To: Bill Rosendahl
Date: Thursday May 24, 2007
Subject: Very Disappointed

Councilman Rosendahl,

I am very disappointed to see you dressed like a clown and mugging for the camera on the Mayor Sam blog with that self-promoting joker Zuma Dog (sic). I voted for you and you are my elected official. [And how does this affect Bill's performance in the district? The picture was even taken BEFORE a quorum, while Bill was waiting for other CMs to arrive.] You represent me. [And I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down.] Is this how little respect you have for the office? Or for your consituents?

I watch Channel 35 regularly and this banshee disrupts the process on a regular basis. [So do the shady politicans, at the price of hundereds of millions. Sorry to disrupt over it, crybaby loser!] So what do you do? You reward him and help promote him. [Otherway around, loser. Who do you think more people know in this City? Who do you think people like more? ZD, or a CM?] What were you thinking? Well, it will make a nice campaign mailer for your opponent in the next election. [I'm gonna run for his spot when he leaves, dummy! So either way, you lose Carl Miller!]

NICE TRY MAYOR SAM SPINNER. YOU REALLY THINK ANYONE THINKS YOU ARE A REGULAR PUEBLO?

Meanwhile...I NEVER should have helped his image and allow him to jump on my bandwagon. People are gonna think I approve of him, now. (He may be an alright guy, and all...but he is one of fifteen unanymous steamroll votes.) So, just because it's relevant to the story, I'll let Bill benefit from the ZD phenomenon, by running the photo again. HEY LOSER...SEE THIS!!! THE MAYOR TOOK ONE WITH ME, TOO AT MILLION TREES LA (I never bothered to take it off my cell phone) -- AND VILLARAIGOSA POSED WITH ME IN FRONT OF A VIDEO CARAVAN AT CITY HALL. GO SEND HIM AN EMAIL, TOO. (But of course you won't, cause you don't bite the hand that feeds, you desparate crybaby loser who is inferior emotionally and legislatively.

Back to Mayor Sam's Blog
contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com

Antonio Villaraigosa Story Updates

2007-06-11T18:07:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is in the news after his press conference regarding his divorce. And as Hillary Clinton's newly appointed Campaign Co-Chair, I'm sure a lot of people are hearing about him for the first time.

Check this blog for links to all the "INSIDE CITY HALL COVERAGE" on the BIGGEST issues challenging Villaraigosa, as he tries to show something tangible to show voters in the '09 election. The election he HAS to win, so he can then run for Governor; shortly thereafter.

And for more exciting "Inside LA City Hall" coverage, visit Zuma Dogg Blog, Mayor Sam's Sister City Blog (They HATE this one at City Hall!

contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com

ZUMA DOGG LINKS TO RECENT STORIES (The Shady Report)

2007-06-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Zuma' CLINTON Campaign Articles on Google, ZD DEMING Articles on Google

Click here for EVERY ZD Public Comment at City Hall this past year. [type "zuma" in keyword box, or just type in "shady".]

Since everyone is so busy talking about Paris Hilton -- and since the LAzy Times is hell bent on being the INTERNATIONAL TIMES, instead of LA TIMES (Hey Dummies...isn't anything newsworthy of front page, above the fold coverage in this city? All you do is talk about the problems and things happening everywhere else in the world. What about the same shiznit happening right under your own upturned noses. The LA TIMES is nothing more than a diversionary tactic, sent out to the masses, by the political steamroll machine, to sidetrack y'all from the realest, dough.

I'm afraid I have to step in and declare an emergency ordinance:

Whereas, first of all, F*CK your coverage of Paris Hilton;

Whereas, WE GOT A COMPLETE LOCAL MEDIA BLACKOUT JUST AS THE CITY HAS PUT THE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR ON THE SHADIEST OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT POLICY. (See: Jan Perry. See also: Despicable. Superfluously arrogant. Grandeur in the "Emperors New Clothes" sense; and she has none);

Whereas, there are so many other issues almost as important as Paris Hilton (yes, she is a celebrity, and society treats people differently, so therefore, occasionally so do the police -- if she wasn't famous, they probably could've put her under house arrest in the first place. And at some point, the Sheriff has to cut his losses (all the extra effort because she IS a HUGE celebrity (not even just a regular celebrity), cause they got a few other criminals to deal with. Al Sharpton, stay the f*ck where you are and don't turn yourself into a complete clown over this. THIS will be the challenge that turns you into a parody of yourself. But I simply don't want Paris Hilton to give "fraud, waste and abuse" a free pass for the next month. So Al, stay home, my man! Ed Reyes can speak on your behalf.

Whereas, these are the biggest issues I have come across from my ZAP headquarters (secret internet location), here are all the links to all the stories from the past couple weeks that I have posted on my new "archive" blog Zuma Dogg Blog (Story Archives)

AND UNTIL ALL OF Y'ALL STOP TALKING ABOUT PARIS HILTON AND THE MAYOR'S FAMILY LIFE (Two of the city's least problems, I'm going to expand the length of my posts and not use the read more. Maybe after this, I'll post my 5500 word article on CRA/AEG's Master Boondoggle Plan for "LA LIVE" (See link below). Or maybe now would be a good time to post "Interpreting Deming's 14 Points" in case anyone missed it. (See link below)

Join ZAP, Downtown "Convention Center" Game Plan is "Do or Die" Roll of the Dice

LA LIVE $2 billion (plus) CRA/AEG Pet Project: Ritz Carlton Condos and Hollywood Convention Center, USA, Intl., Villaraigosa's ALHAMBRA Smog Parade

More Convention Center, USA, Intl: Eli Broad's Risky Grand Ave Project Puts City "On The Hook" for 99 years., More on Broad/Related/CRA/County/City Council's Grand Ave Project: Not TOO Complicated!

ZD Street Video: On The Future of LA/Density/Infrastructure, Someone Posts Ultimate Tribute to Zuma Dogg

Big Picture Behind "Manhattanization" of LA: It's FEDERAL!, CM Rosendahl Threatened to hold this picture with ZD against him, come re-elections

ZD Radio Call & Original Music PODCAST PLAYER (Streaming), LA City's "Dumb" Smart Growth (Based on LA WEEKLY article

Only thing standing in way of Smart Growth is the law and the people, Neighborhood Council concerns

Building and Saftey Bamboozle over Methane Policy: IT'S DANGEROUS, Living Wage back as hilarious motion "To END Poverty"

ZD "State of the City" Speech, ZD & Courts Agree Mayor's LAUSD Plan is a LOSER

WANTED: Leadership Inside City Hall Council Chambers, Mayor, YOU BIG DUMMY, We Told You AB 1381 Was Just Wrong!

LAUSD CONFLICT: SEMILLA Charter School Business Structure, LAUSD School Board Addresses ZD's concern of Charter School Conflicts of Interest

SCAG DELCARES SMOG FEDERAL EMERGENCY, Mayor Comes Out of Denial on LA's "Two Class System"

Antonio Goes "Gangsta" on Zev's Azz During PUBLIC MTA Meeting (LOL!), Clinton Co-Chair Puppets

Good Villaraigosa YouTube Video (Good if you like him to look bad!), Water Supply Threatens Ed Reyes' LA River Density Housing Project

CRA "Eminent Domain" Ordinance Being Drafted. (No Worries, Mate!), Why we need to "force" affordable housing in free market society

YouTube Comedy Classic: Mayor Villagrosa, Potential Metro Water Shutdown shows potential problem with LA's Skyscraper City Plans

ZD Update Thread, BIG PICTURE Story on LA City Hall

ZD's "Shady Report" (06/10/07) But their corrupt actions will live on...., DWP 6.2% Increase cause of YOUR High Density

Glassell Pk NC -- CITIZEN'S ALERT, Y'ALL!!!, PUBLIC INPUT from Zuma's ZAP inbox

DONE has to send representative to straighten out GPNC Board of Losers, Glassell Update

ZD messing with people at American Idol Auditions at Rose Bowl (season 3),

DESERT BLOG THREADS [If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat your meat? Don't kick your feet. You can't watch these, till you read EVERYTHING ELSE ABOVE! (Until you clean your plate.)

ZD sings like Steve Perry on "Don't Stop Believing", ZD on "Viral Video" Chart: #7 ZD/Gene Simmons Mask

ZD LIVE Call In TV show (Comedy/Music)

AND HERE'S A VIDEO TO THE MAYOR FROM FORMER SUPPORTERS

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Welcome to ZAP -- Zuma's Activist Program

2007-06-10T22:22:00.001-07:00

Thank you for finding ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program) on the internet. Check back here for the all the latest ZD link updates to the fraud, waste and abuse that drains your city's coffers and puts your money in the hands of corrupt elected officials and their "In-Cahoots Crew".

Contact Zuma Dogg:
email: ZumaDogg@gmail.com
phone: (310) 928-7544

Click To Play

Mayor Sam's Blog -- Inside LA City Hall
LA Neighborhood Council Blog
Zuma Dogg Blog (Fan-based/less political)
LA City Council Video Archives (Type "zuma" in keyword for all streaming Public Comments at LA City Hall
ZD's myspace page
ZD on YouTube
/1/-/1/MORE ZD Videos
Zuma's Podcast Site (Radio Calls & Original Music

NOW: BOOK A "ZAP" CONFERENCE CALL FOR YOUR BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION OR COMMUNITY GROUP.
Topics include: The things happening behind your back, what you can do about it and a rundown of how Deming's 14 points can help you better organize and operate do more, for less. (Innovation and efficiency. Something the competition (the City) knows nothing about!

Contact ZAP: (310) 928-7544 or zumadogg@gmail.com.

HELP SUPPORT ZAP WITH A DONATION ON PAYPAL WITH YOUR ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD

Downtown Los Angeles Presents: Eli' Broad, Related Co., CRA, City Council and County's GRAND AVENUE PROJECT (Planning Details and Project Review)

2007-06-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

More on Zuma Dogg and ZAP

You may have heard of the nearly $2 Billion Downtown CRA mixed use project called, LA LIVE. (A Ritz Carlton Condo/Hotel, Marriott Hotel, PF Changs, Movie Theaters, Specialty Retail and open space. [If you are a rich billionaire visiting from Asia, you will love investing in this area! If you are a business or organization planning a convention near the convention center, well you better try Vegas, this will price the city right out of the ballpark!]

Plus a few other minor issues I am concerned about: Like the fact that there is no wat the City can be serious about thinking they can build another Universal City Walk Type project near Staples Center. They might be able to get some of it approved and built, but this is "pie-in-the-sky" fantasy land talk.

So just when you think there isn't enough demand for more five start hotels, luxury condos (instead of a range of affordable, middle and upper level residential housing for workers in the area), you forgot to factor in the fact that there is another OVER $2 billion five star hotel, luxury condo, specialy retail, restaurant and open space project to compete with the minimal demand. It's called...drumroll please...because it really deserves a prodigious, magestic, regal, fantastic, tribute of an introduction...

ELI BROAD & CORPORATE WELFARE FUNDSUCKERS INC'S...GRAND AVENUE PROJECT!!!

THE SAVIOR OF THE CITY, REGION AND WORLD!!! We are just lucky to have it. (Or at least have the approval to start spending the money!) Wikipedia on Grand Ave Project

I'm sure you will be reading much more about the overall details of the project (specifics of what it includes, business plan, comments from experts and community leaders, and the whole enchilada. Because how could you not? It's the biggest, most interspicably intertwined project in City, State or US History. Because you have the CRA, City Council, County -- AND, a private developer, Related Co. (working with CALPER, the pension money people who fund MacFarlane, who work with Related) ALL coming together for this one massive project, that has part of the details, sort of worked out...and they'll figure out the rest as they go along. (A $2 billion dollar starting point of a "wink and a handshake" to allow everyone to start spending and making the money!)

The city can barely agree on filling a pothole, but this “most complicated project ever” requires the CRA, County, City Council and Related Co. (the developer) to all agree.

They already had to go back and add over $100 million for construction due to rising construction costs (and those are only going to continue to rise, in part due to cement shortages due to massive construction around the globe).

OH MY GOODNESS...IT SAYS, “The critical goal of this Project from it’s inception has been to create the civic park for all Angelinos to enjoy. You mean to tell me creating of a park we already have is THE critical goal? Man, nice priorities. I guess skid row is less important than creating a park. This critically needed park is described as festivals, concerts, markets, but most importantly and most critically, “passive recreation.”

It will provide an “oasis” for residents, workers and tourists. How about an AD HOC committee addressing, “The critical need to create an oasis for passive recreation.”

“The reinvention of a much underutilized and inaccessible open space is one of the most significant community benefits that will result from the project.” (If you want to do that, you don’t have to spend $2 billion and give away the farm, I mean city. Meanwhile, if that’s one of the most significant benefits, I am not impressed.)

Shade, dining and entertainment are also noted benefits. (Shade, I’ll say…see EIR report. And if there is ONE thing this city is lacking, it’s dining and entertainment. I’m not at all concerned about the demand for this project!)

The way projects work in the city is always a "wedge in", then a "bait and switch". PUBLIC parking INCLUDING HOTEL parking was cut from 1113 to 745-755 to make way for more retail and condo space. Residential parking, however, was increased from 650 to 755!

The plan is proud to describe the amenities as BOTIQUE RESTARAUNTS AND SPECIALY SHOPS. That ain’t public benefit, y’all…

Second and third phases will be implemented as market conditions warrant. YIKES! What if they don’t. NOW WE’RE STUCK WITH A GIANT VERSION OF THE CHILDRENS MUSEUM BUT WAY WORSE!

The Dec 06 start date was pushed back nearly a year to Oct 07, already and is subject to further extention. GOOD! That should allow plenty of time for construction costs to continue skyrocketing.

Part of the problem why the date was pushed back already is over the slight problem that the project is so complicated, they already can't agree on things/hammer out phase one details (see page 12); and they need more time to get the entitlements. (I’m building a new football stadium for Councilmember Parks, I just have to work out those details, too.)

Regarding the County office building that may, or may not, have to be demolished and rebuilt itself (so they are waiting to see what happens there, even though they are going ahead with the park) -- status went from “not been specifically addressed” to “County may exercise option and notify related. (Notify them that they are screwed, and need to demolish and rebuild, I guess.)

I hope LACER pension money isn’t being invested into this project, because MacFarlane works with Related Co (the project developers) elsewhere in the city.
And if actually HAD any pension money to invest, I would put in a stipulation that none of it may be invested in this risky, speculative, un-necessary project, with only detail for one (of three phases) worked out, and no guarantee that the project has enough funding to even be completed. (And all kinds of loopholes that allow developers to "filp" the project to new operators, once any part (office, housing, retail) is completed -- AND allows developers to scale back on the number of affordable housing units required.

Why pension money is risky investment: The City is tied in to the success or failure of this project with the private developers (Related) for the term of the 99 year lease. If construction costs over-run, the City gets hit, if we can’t find someone to build the five star Mandarin Hotel (and there is concern that we may not find someone willing to build more luxury hotel accommodations in the area, the city takes a hit. (See Bonneventure) If retail revenues and occupancy rates do not generate to the levels promised, the city takes a hit (because what we gave was based on what we expected to take in).

What if the project never even gets completed? With only phase one agreed to, and even that has not been executed, who’s to say people can’t drop out, default, or what if City money doesn’t come through?

ALSO, look how Related was selected as the developer by the Grand Authority (summary, page 3) Wonder what interests those selected to sit on the board (who selected the NY based company) had.

I also see in the summary that the project was approved for Related to be the developer, then substituted Related, with a spin-off company (GALA, Grand Ave LA) as developer, which is Related; plus CIUP (the CALPER pension people). [OH NO...CALPER IS THE PENSION FUND PEOPLE WHO INVEST IN MACFARLANE. PENSION FUND ALERT, Y'ALL!!! PENSION FUND ALERT!!! It says, “This was essentially the formal approval of the initial team selected. (Really, well what “un-essentials” were left out. (The City and ZD seem to differ on what is essential, and what isn’t.)

The "speculated" project cost already went up from $1.8 billion to $2.5, they haven't even started yet, and construction ain’t getting any cheaper.

The City is supposed to run municipal services for the City and help keep it ticking. Not use City funds (general and possibly pension) to invest in a forced, private project with no real benefit to the community, decided by a select few.

They say affordable housing is part of it, but the money they are using was allocated for this anyway. So we aren’t getting any extra affordable housing – we’re just letting them develop it.

It says, “permit change in net revenue sharing formula IF PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT ARE NOT DEVELOPED.

Developer can transfer it’s interests hotel, condos, office, retail to another operator once completed and enter into a direct ground lease with the new operator. The highest price speculate and “flip” in human history.

Funding plans include “potential” parking revenues -- and CRA Bunker Hill tax increment funds TO THE EXTENT AVAILABLE. (And if no parking revenue, since it is only “potential” and if the tax funds are not EXTENSIVE enough, then what…Is Eli Broad gonna panhandle for the money like everyone else in the area?)

ALERT ALERT: If developer does not receive CRA tax increment money for the agreed upon affordable housing (like, if they don’t have it) – they may reduce the amount of affordable housing units. Watch them not have it, and then we don't get the affordable part -- only the un-affordable part…(Price is Right ‘loser’ deflated sound effect…Whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp…whoooooooomp.)

During the term of the ground lease, they cannot convert the affordable housing to condos. But after the lease expires, kick out all the affordable residents and convert em to billion dollar condos. (Man does someone hope they have to break the lease, cause them it won’t be the term no more, y’all and they can get started with the luxury condo conversions.)

The affordable housing covenant only remains in effect for a minimum of 45 years for owners and 55 years for renters, so that means you can forget the covenant as soon as the minimum is up.

I bet people in the rest of the city won’t be too happy about the early notification and first opportunity to apply if you are a “local” worker. Plus 30% of workers are required to be local. If I lived in the valley and wanted work on the project, I would move into the area for preferential hiring. Therefore, taking residents and workers out of the other areas, and hurting their economy.

Anyway, sounds like a rock-solid plan and puts the most valuable land in the City to the best possible use, for actual community benefit, it looks like to me. If Downtown is having the types of problems that causes skid row to continue to thrive...I think this is the perfect solution!

Neighborhood Council Blog

The Big Picture Game Plan for Downtown Los Angeles Development

2007-06-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

The Big Picture Game Plan for Downtown Los Angeles Development
How the City is going to try and buy its’ way to the head of the convention business line/Corner the convention market by any means necessary!

by Zuma Dogg
Zuma's "ZAP" Blog

I guess if you raise enough money, or promise to raise enough money (and can convince the politicians you have a shot at doing so) you can just about build anything in this city, at any cost. (And I mean socially and economically, not the final price tag to developers and un-willing residents who end up paying for it, one way, or the other. (See tax hikes, fees, and skyrocketing property owner costs to help pay for what is ahead in the CRA/LA “Billion Dollar Plus” development club. (I’m not even gonna consider anything going on in this town with less than a billion dollar starting price. And all these projected costs are starting prices, because not only are the pueblos expenses skyrocketing, so are construction costs. And with all the planning, financing and construction delays; by the time you actually get the steamrollers rolling, and the developers start piling the cement 50 stories high anywhere they can get away with it, zoning and EIR restrictions, or not (and you think traffic is bad now), the cost has already jumped by at least a couple hundred million dollars; and the developer usually ends up running to the city for some kind of financial bail-out, claiming the project cannot carry on, otherwise.

This means either tax breaks/subsidies, or flat out money out of the CRA or other fund, that would have gone to something else.

And when you review the business deals these developers cut with the city, you gotta watch for these “sunset clauses”. A typical “small print, sunset clause, bamboozle could include a promise for a certain amount of “affordable housing”. Then put in a sunset clause stating if CRA doesn’t come up with enough “increment money”, then they can cut back on the amount of affordable housing, accordingly.

And of course all the revenue streams the CRA plans on using to raise this money, are new and completely speculative based on things like “expected parking revenues after completion of phase one.” Well, what if those cars don’t start flying into those parking lots as quickly as they expect. And what if phase one gets delayed. Then the CRA can come back and claim, “Well, Gee…we didn’t raise the affordable housing money we promised the developer.” And then all the city gets are the million dollar plus units (and I mean plus) -- but not any of the affordable housing. YOU DON’T THINK THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME? JUST ASK JAN PERRY, MAYBE SHE CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU, SHE’S SO SMART AND LOOKING OUT FOR HER DISTRICT’S BEST INTEREST!

Plus, when it comes to giving developers CRA money to build affordable housing, remember, that money was already earmarked for affordable housing anyway. So, all we are doing is letting the billion dollar developers and their international financial backers profit on the building of the affordable housing, as well as the high-end, five star, luxury stuff!

Sorry, every other local developers in town, and to all their families…No business in town for you! MegaCorp, International (A conglomerate of billionaire developers, their corporate backers and international financial institutions can handle that element, too. (The rich get richer, and everyone else goes out of business and has to leave the state, or take up accommodations somewhere on the sidewalk.) Hey, if Home Depots can put all the local supply companies out of business, why not apply this concept to the entire development process, as well. (Man, I’m starting to think if you want any construction or supply business in this town, you gotta have your kids on council, or pay for the politicians election and buy ‘em into office, so they can pave the way (for you to pave), or something.

So now that we know a little about HOW what is about to get done, is about to get done – let’s review the “master plan” for downtown Los Angeles, Cahootsifornia:

My friend Al Ries (International/Fortune 500 consultant and co-author of “Marketing Warfare” and author of “Focus”) says a product (in this cast the city) must have a narrow, specialized focus that allows the consumer to associate you with a specific benefit. (Be known for something.) Starbucks pulled this off by focusing on “coffee”. Domino’s with “delivery”. (They actually created the whole Domino’s concept from the bottom up. In other words, “OK, we’re gonna be the guys who deliver it in 30 minutes, or less. And built the facilities and zoned the delivery areas accordingly.)

Applying this concept to municipalities, Vegas has gambling; Detroit/cars; Texas/oil; Ft. Lauderdale/Spring Break, whatever…

So what is LA known for? (Besides being the open-armed embracer for all who wanna be a part of this fun)…Entertainment.

But, I guess the mere production isn’t good enough anymore. (Cause the city waived all the tax revenues to prevent runaway productions. And, Hollywood can show a loss on “Star Wars”, “Spiderman” or “Pirates” through creative accounting, if they want to. Poor fellas. They can just barely scrape by.)

So instead of gambling, or auto manufacturing, we are focusing on buying our way to the top of the convention city business, focusing on providing “world-class”, “state of the art”, “nice as f*ck” theater and broadcast facilities, so the whole world can fly here for their music award shows, and House of Blues cable broadcasts, and movie screenings and premiers with all the techno-structure to accommodate a TRUE international press corp and broadcasters to beam the even all over the world.

Of course, we are already getting that business anyway. So looks like the Hollywood area, currently attracting these gigs/business are about to become the CD in an iPod world. (Maybe we can house the homeless in all those empty unused venues that are about to become the LA Forum of the Hollywood ET/Access Hollywood world.)

And how do you blow away the rest of the world, and wipe everything else off the map? (At least in the California race for convention business that we consistently lose big to San Fran, San Diego and Orange County. Cause you ain’t never gonna beat Vegas till you get gambling inside that Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, Hilton and Mandarin Hotels coming to Downtown LA. Skid Row isn’t as good a tourist attraction as Danny Gans, free alcohol and blackjack tables, apparently.)

So let’s take a look at one of the two billion dollar bookend projects the city has online to give LA that steroid injection it needs to become the international tourist and convention magnet it must become; or else we really will become that third world city the critics are warning us about. (And in this global war, the city is gonna have to focus all resources and funding toward this “Hail Mary” attempt if there is any hope of pulling it off.)

So let’s see what one, of these two mixed-use, luxury condo, five star hotel, specialty/boutique shop, fancy restaurant upscale billion dollar wife babysitter projects has in store, with the only the community’s best interest in mind:

[A MASSIVE, PRODIGIOUS, BULWARK OF AN ARTICLE, QUITE FITTING TO ADDRESS THE ALLEDGED SCALE OF THESE PROJECTS. AND SINCE LA TIMES IS HELL BENT ON BEING KNOWN AS THE “INTERNATIONAL NEWS SPECIALISTS”, here’s a little Sunday Times style reading, for yo azz! Except this is on the realest, dough.]

ZUMA DOGG LEGISLATIVE REVIEW: CRA/LA’s LA LIVE PROJECT
($2 Billion Starting Price)

THE FOLLOWING IS A COMPILATION OF INFORMATION ON THIS DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES REVITAILIZATION FANTASY PROJECT (ONE OF MANY PROMISED “CORNERSTONES”) THAT WILL MAKE THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE LOOK GOOD FOR PEOPLE FLYING IN FROM OVERSEAS, BUT WON’T DO MUCH FOR THE RESIDENTS OF LOS ANGELES EXCEPT SUCK THE SOUL AND MONEY OUT OF THE CITY

Vegas, looks good: But at what expense. The place is like a Hollywood set. Everything looks good from the front, as you are walking down the strip. But the machine that built that shiny new skyline (and keeps it ticking) seems to have robbed the soul out of the community (average paying casino jobs with impossible hours) and turned Veags into the meth capital of the universe.

You got the crack heads walking the streets of the communities behind the casinos, as the wealthy international jet set crowd buys up all the luxury skyscrapers that gentrified the community.

LA doesn’t have gambling, but they still need a shiny new skyline for all the international billionaires to devour, or else we’ll sink even further as we continue to sit fifth on the totem pole behind lesser cities; San Fran, San Diego, Orange County and Vegas when it comes to the convention booking business.

If you look at the online brochures for these mulit-billion dollar CRA development projects, they all look just fantastic. Looks like a lot of fun time for tourists on a Saturday night. Only problem, these projects will rob the soul out of the community by sucking every available city cent, out of every nook and cranny of the city funds – and will wipe away all the locally owned and operated businesses in the area. (Like a giant Home Depot of restaurants, shops and entertainment.) No more local flare. No more of that "diverse culture" that city's like LA brag about. Just pre-fabricated, planned mixed-use mega-center tourist attractions. (And we all know how tired tourist-based living gets.)

The little everyday amenities that are available, will fold, and you will be forced to not only commute for work, but for grocery shopping and everything else. (Except high end boutique specialty items, or a five star tea part at the Ritz Carlton.)

If the billionaire developers and their mega-international banking partners realize their dreams and fantasies, Downtown Los Angeles is about to try and “buy” its’ way into the international convention business, attempting to wipe everything else off the map. It hasn’t worked before. But this time, I think they will continue to throw enough money at the problem to at least get the stuff built. [At what expense to investors and the community remains to be seen. But it will look great, and be a fantastic addition to all the investor's corporate portfolio.]

Stuff like the Ritz-Carlton Condos, fancy restaurants, special event theaters, upscale shops. Everything a CEOs wife could want to keep her busy while her billionaire hubby gives a keynote at the convention. All the employees/attendees…well I guess they can sleep down the street with everyone else on Skid Row who can’t afford the five star convention accommodations.

Bottom line: The fix is in, and a few people, with the most money have spoken. They can say the number one priority is to fix the schools, reduce crime, manage traffic congestion, build more affordable housing, clean up skid row and create more high paying jobs…but that’s all bullsh*t.

The number one priority of the City of Los Angeles, as revealed by Villaraigosa and the despicable Jan Perry is to turn downtown LA into an upscale convention region, flanked by two competing luxury hotel, condo, restaurant, shopping, entertainment and theater projects; Grand Ave and LA Live, to create the Vegas like atmosphere to help pull in some business for that big white elephant convention center sitting near the Staples Center (that was supposed to solve the problem).

And remeber, Janice Hahn also wants to build another convention center near LAX. So I sure hope businesses start having A LOT MORE conventions, instead of less, as travel and convention costs continue to rise, and electronic communication make them easier to cut back on.) Because now all these billions and billions being invested into a Downtown convention area will have to compete with a more convenient and more economically feasible Janice Hahn LAX Convention Center.

And LA is banking on all these downtown tourists and conventions to have huge convention budgets. Because everything is five star, therefore you will be booking your employees at the Ritz, JW Marriott or Mandarin Hotel. (Or one of the other cheap ass hotels like Bonaventure or Westin.) Not building any affordable hotels, like they aren’t building any affordable housing, so they have just priced themselves out of the convention business.

Here’s more on LA LIVE, the answer to all your problems, with a starting price of over $2 billion. [ZD legislative review in brackets.]

LA LIVE: In September, 2005, the Mayor attended the ground breaking ceremony for Phase 1, scheduled for completion in 2007. [Oh good, I see we’re right on track! Look at the delays, and they haven’t even started.]

L.A. LIVE will also be the region's most in-demand and busiest hospitality location [Oh! I guess the facts and statistics are in!?!?], featuring 260,480 square feet of conference center and ballroom facilities [good we should put the homeless there, since it will sit empty most of the time]; eight world-class restaurants [GOOD, cause we’re turning into a third-world country], including the ESPN Zone [Oh, I almost thought it said EDUCation Zone], Flemings Prime Steakhouse [no transfats please, that would be bad for the City] and Wine Bar, Katsuya, The Farm of Beverly Hills, Yard House, Rosa Mexicana and dining concepts developed by Wolfgang Puck [actual diversity, if you can afford Wolfgang], Celestino Drago and others [things no one said they wanted or needed];

a 100,000-square-foot special events deck [for your shady special event fee waivers]; the famous Lucky Strike Lanes bowling center [I think bowling alleys downtown named after cigarettes are gonna get the mayor re-elected]; the celebrity-owned Conga Room [I was against it until I heard it was “celebrity owned”…I’m sure they’ll feed homeless children that won’t have affordable housing now]; and the one-of-a-kind Grammy Museum saluting the history of music and the genre's best known awards show. [And we all know there is nothing more needed in this city right now than a museum paying tribute to awards shows. Meanwhile, how about finishing the Children’s Museum, first?]

All of the aforementioned facilities will be centered around NOKIA Plaza LA Live, a 40,000-square-foot outdoor event space. [Maybe Zev can put all the skid row homeless there, instead of those mountain campgrounds the NIMBYS are fighting. HEY…I bet Kaiser could get away with illegal dumping there, cause it’s private space!]

Office of the Mayor
City of Los Angeles
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2006

MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA SUPPORTS PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE CONSTRUCTION OF CONVENTION CENTER HEADQUARTERS HOTEL, LINCHPIN OF LA Live! Downtown Project [How do you insure these ensurences? Hopefully these promises are more credible than campaign promises.]

(Los Angeles) – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today joined Tim J. Leiweke, President and CEO of AEG as he announced AEG and KB Home will partner to finance the development of the Convention Center Headquarters Hotel, the linchpin LA Live! downtown project. The Mayor strongly supports the partnership which will accelerate building the Convention Center Headquarters Hotel.

“This partnership will ensure [at least promises, if not delivers] that LA Live and the hotel not only come to fruition [or at least fantasy] but will make Los Angeles the entertainment capital of the West Coast,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. [Is that all it takes? One hotel!]

“Furthermore, [don’t say ‘furthermore’ you haven’t really said anything yet] the Convention Center Headquarters Hotel is absolutely necessary if Los Angeles wants to have a convention center that is able to compete with other convention centers in the region.” [If the nation’s second biggest City isn’t even competitive with the region…save your time and money, now. This isn’t the answer. (No casinos!) Everyone visits and moves to LA because they like LA: So you want to completely change into being just like everywhere else. ZONE AWAY, A-HOLES!]

The AEG and KB Home partnership will ensure [at least hope] that the four-star hotel will become a reality for downtown Los Angeles. [But that reality may not include enough demand or occupancy.]

LA Live! A multi-use development, is critical to the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles [developers’ bank accounts] and fulfills the Mayor’s vision to make downtown one of the most recognized and attractive areas not only in the City but in the country as well. [Designed in his own image! And by the way, this doesn’t fulfill it. That happens when it is completed and operational.]

When [If] completed, it will serve to attract more than 10 million visitors [How? I don’t see] which in turn will infuse $9 billion into the economy and create more than 25,000 jobs. [That’ll be the day that Jesus walks into the CRA office to apply for some of the mandatory affordable housing that those sunset clauses have a way of setting on.]

The project covers six city blocks in the South Park neighborhood and will be the signature of the neighborhood. Restaurants, nightclubs, sports bars, [instead of the types of amenities people will still have to go to Silverlake or Pasedena to get] high density housing, [yeah, The Ritz Carlton Condo; that’s what they are calling “housing’] a 7,100 seat state-of-the art theater, radio and television broadcast facilities [glad we are building those. Maybe they can build some practical housing and needed community amenities]; offices and the Convention Headquarters Hotel are all components of this new entertainment district. [And “entertaining” is the big crisis the city is facing! I heard Bratton say just the other day, “We can’t entertain our way out of this.” I tend to disagree. And I happen to know from inside sources, entertaining are also big issues at LAUSD and all the social services. And the middle class being pushed out of town in the other parts of town...they demand more entertaining, too!]

The hotel [Ritz Carlton and Five Star Marriott, nothing most tourists or business conventions will be able to afford] will have 1,100 rooms as well as meeting, ballroom and amenity space of approximately 185,000 square feet. [To go along with all the convention space, already not being used, because it's too expensive to get downtown from the airport -- and too much traffic -- and, well...skid-you-know-what' in addition to the new convention center Janice Hahn wants to build near the airport. I hope people that go to conventions start having a lot of babies!]

Mayor Villaraigosa broke ground on LA Live! on September 15, 2005

The Convention Center Headquarters Hotel will feature spectacular rooms that will provide views to the Westside and downtown skyline. [Overlooking all the problems these projects not only won’t solve, but add to.]

2. AEG/LA Live Specific Plan Amendments (City Planning Commission)
LA Live

AEG is developing a downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment destination, a 4-million square foot development adjoining The STAPLES Center and The Los Angeles Convention Center. [And you are telling us, instead of trying to keep it secret? Remember what happened last time you used the words, "AEG" and "STAPLES Center" regarding development? The Valley still haven't cooled down from that. And this will remind them again!]

The multi-faceted entertainment destination will feature an exciting mix of entertainment venues, restaurants, retail commercial and residential spaces, television and radio broadcast studios and concert spaces. [Can families who parents have to work downtown, but can't find housing within eighty miles crash in the radio studios when they aren't being used? Or maybe Clear Channel can build some affordable housing in the area?]

Highlights of the district will include a 40,000-square foot outdoor plaza, a ESPN broadcast and restaurant facility, Regal Theatres and Club NOKIA at L.A. Live. [And not ONE thing of public benefit.]

NOKIA Theatre at L.A. Live

NOKIA Theatre at L.A. Live will be a premier mid-sized music/theatre venue featuring state-of-the-art acoustics and seating for 7,000. [Sounds perfect for a James Taylor perfomance at a David Geffen benefit. Or some other wine and cheese event.]

NOKIA Theatre at L.A. Live will look to host the Latin GRAMMY® Awards and ESPY Awards, as well as numerous other productions from VH1, MTV, and BET. [In that case, they are only taking business from other nearby venues? So how does that help revitalize? Sounds like it will only cannibalize? Hey, Garcetti...make them cut you in as Council President, since it will be tanking your own districts' investment.]

It is also available for corporate shareholder meetings, product launches, and seminars. [Good the shareholders can discuss how the project they are having the meeting in is weakening the local economy and their revenues will be going down, unless they are targeting the poor, or rich international tourists.]

Club NOKIA at L.A. Live

In an effort to bring the best in live music and entertainment to Los Angeles, NOKIA and AEG are joining forces to create Los Angeles' most renowned club for live music and cultural events. [Why is the city making this much of an effort to entertain? Why not this much effort to educate?]

The stand-alone club, which will accommodate up to 2,400 patrons, will feature up and coming music acts, bands, and cultural shows.

The club may also be used to host private parties and corporate events.
[Sounds like this whole project is the “home depot” of regional entertainment. It’ll put everyone else out of business, then you’ll only have one big, sanitized “Promonade/Citywalk-style” tourist infused entertainment scene. And we all know that gets tired after about one month.]

NOKIA Plaza (Welcome to Nokiatown, CA)

Situated in the heart of the nation's entertainment capital, NOKIA Plaza provides a 40,000-square foot open-air plaza that will serve as the central meeting place for Los Angeles' Sports and Entertainment District. [And there’s no more important goal the City should be focused on, toward the goal of uplifting the community, and society at large as Sports and Entertainment. I think the City should be doing MORE in this area, instead of leaving it to the private sector/No CRA involvement.]

The Plaza will serve as one of the district's key anchors, providing a broadcast venue featuring giant LED screens as well as a red carpet site for special events. [IF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WERE A RESTAURANT, IT WOULD SERVE NOTHING BUT DESSERT!]

The NOKIA Theatre venues are part of the "NOKIA Unwired" marketing platform, which brings live music to fans in both the NOKIA Theater venues and on TV through "NOKIA Presents Hard Rock Live" on MTV. [How about something that brings education to students of LAUSD, not the crap they play on MTV! And F*CK NOKIA! I'm already sick to my stomach from seeing the word, "Nokia". Why don't you just put up a big billboard at LAX: "Welcome to Latham/AEG/Broad's Las Nokia-Disney/Universal, California!"]

Hotel and Condominiums

A 54-story, 1000-room convention "headquarters" hotel that will combine the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton brands and 216 luxury condominiums - The Residences at The Ritz Carlton [How about building something people planning conventions can afford. I thought you wanted convention business? Five star hotels are for rich individuals. Maybe the CEOs will stay there. How about everyone else? Gotta build those, too, renaissance planners!]

The project, considered the largest development in Los Angeles' history, will be host to an exciting mix of venues and facilities. [At the same time all the middle-income folks are fleeing the area, to be replaced by new low income immigrants. Plus wealthy international immigrant land investors/speculators/developers.]

"On behalf of AEG and all of our partners, we are here today to break ground for the largest and most important development in the history of Downtown Los Angeles [if you say so, although Eli Broad would beg to differ, I’m sure] , LA Live," said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO, AEG. "This project is real, this project is happening and this project is important. LA Live will give Los Angeles the ability to attract the best and most important events for our city." [Keep trying to convince yourself. Call Stuart Smalley, maybe he can read you an affirmation, himself.]

"Most importantly, our company's investment of nearly $1 billion coupled with an additional $3.5 billion commitment from the other private investors in LA Live and the surrounding downtown residential district has brought this city a fully privatized, fully financed and fully entitled development. A $4.2 billion development that does not require any public subsidy" Leiweke added. [Are you willing to put that in writing?]

Gladstone's 4 Fish, Junior's Deli Boys, Il Moro, Katsuya, and New Zealand Natural will provide a variety of established dining opportunities for LA Live visitors. Agreements with P.F. Chang's and French 75 are in the final stages of negotiations. [Besides the few times a year J Lo or Santana shows up at The Conga Room for all the VIPs to attend, anything your average city resident can take their family to without taking out another mortgage?]

Upper floors will house luxury suites to accommodate visiting sports teams, headline performers, and upscale guests. The hotel will also include up to 111 fully serviced luxury condominium units on the top floors offering 24-hour valet and concierge staff, food and room services, and other amenities. The 1.1 million sq. ft. hotel will be developed by Wolff-Apollo and designed by Gensler. [Looks like they’ve solved the NBA housing crisis! And now Elton John has a new place to rave about next time he’s in town! And I’m sure the rest of the voting public couldn’t be happier about that!]

The hotel is expected to significantly boost efforts to attract key conferences, exhibitions, conventions and corporate meetings to the convention center, strengthening the entire Los Angeles region's tourism and new business opportunities. [You expected everyone to move into all those lofts and businesses everyone is already moving out of, cause you haven’t put this much effort into the actual solutions, that don’t included luxury accommodations for Shaq when he flies into town to beat the Lakers.] City general funds will not be used to finance the hotel's development. [I HOPE NOT!!! Thanks for bragging about not using City money to build a Paris Hilton Hotel. City funds will not be used to build any affordable housing. Why don’t you mention that, too!]

At the groundbreaking, Leiweke announced several new, major l.a. live business partners: [Lots of business partners, not too many community and social improvement partners.]

ESPN will create a regional headquarters and sports entertainment venue in a unique 120,000 sq. ft. broadcast studio that will be the home for a number of live and taped programs. Included in this building will be the ESPN Zone - a multi-level restaurant, sports bar, and game area. An approximately 10,000 sq. ft. radio broadcast center is also planned for live radio in an adjacent building.

Regal Entertainment Group will develop a 90,000 sq. ft. cinema complex with 3,700 seats and featuring digital sound, stadium seating, and state-of-the-art projection systems. This flagship theater will serve as a new venue for movie premieres and special screenings. [So long Hollywood, moving the “premier and screenings” over here. Again, this won’t generate more business to the area. Just move it away from other areas. But I’m glad Leo Decaprio’s quality of life is about to improve. I can think of no better use of this prime real estate than for occasional “premiers and specials”. Can LAUSD use the space to teach kids in between those important special occasions?]

The GRAMMY® Museum will be housed in a 28,000 sq. ft. space designed for a permanent display of music genres and the science of recorded music as well as new interactive presentations recognizing past and president GRAMMY® winning artists. [How about an actual cultural arts center where kids actually learn how to play an instrument, not just look at statues of Beyonce’.]

"Sports and entertainment often converge in the diverse city of Los Angeles and establishing a major presence there is a very positive step in the long-term growth of our company," [but not the long-term growth of our kids or community] said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks. [I don’t know who has their hooks in deeper in this town, Disney or Universal? Mickey Mouse is actually the real mayor of LA] “Originating more programming and extending our brand with an ESPN Zone will create a stronger ESPN. [TOP, TOP, TIPPY TOP City priority and philanthropic benefit to the community!] Given the success of our past collaborations with AEG [and how the valley wanted to secede from LA] and the scope and promise of LA Live, we are eager to expand our L.A.-based operations." [And I’m glad the city can help facilitate your eagerness for expansion!]

"Diversity is the lifeblood of our vibrant city. The Conga Room is proud to partner with LA Live to showcase its unique brand of Latin American culture and music," said Jimmy Smits, co-owner, The Conga Room. [Yeah, a Latin American bar, real diverse. Not enough Latino culture. That’s the diversity missing in this town! And by being a specific culture, it’s not diverse, idiots! Call it what it is…Jimmy Smits is a famous actor: Let him open the bar. And to all the bar owners about to go out of business. Go into acting.]

"Hilton is pleased that we have been selected to manage this new hotel, particularly since it is located in our corporate back yard. [Glad we could make life easier for you!]

"Great cities attract great conventions and visitors. [Yeah, that’s why we’ve losing out] This Hilton hotel and LA Live will establish Downtown Los Angeles as a world class destination. [I thought the Omni/Bonaventure/Westin/Staples/Convention Center/Etc was supposed to do that? I say you do that through building a great “real” city.] Our team is absolutely committed to bringing this hotel to life and transforming Los Angeles into one of the most attractive destinations for conventions in the nation, [that’s the same kind of optimistic speech the Captain of the Titanic said about the Titanic just before it sank]" said Lew Wolff, Chairman and CEO, Wolff Urban Management, which is co-developing the Los Angeles Convention Center Headquarters Hotel.

• Numerous high-end fine dining, casual and ethnic restaurants as well as nightclubs, coffee shops, and bistros which will provide a rich mixture of high quality food and settings, providing visitors with a true "Taste of L.A.;" [Is that the taste of LA? I guess Canter’s, Pinks, Roscoes, Baja Fresh, Big Daddy’s Venice, all the city’s authentic Mexican restaurants…you’re not high-end and fine…you’re not true. You think a billionaire developers wife wants to eat at any place the rest of the world can afford?]

• 4,000 residential apartments and loft condominiums within three blocks of the sports and entertainment district are under construction or in the planning stages. [How close is it to grocery stores, repair shops, cleaners, schools, gyms, after school programs, social services, neighborhood council meetings?]
"Today Los Angeles is reaffirming its position as the entertainment capital of the world. LA Live will bring a vibrant sports and entertainment district to Downtown Los Angeles with exciting new places for families to dine and watch a movie, concert or game. [But nothing to do, and no where to feed your kids on a budget.] The entire City of Los Angeles will benefit from the thousands of jobs it will create and billions of dollars it will pump into our local economy," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. ["Entire city will benefit?" OK Mayor, now I’m gonna sue your ass for fraudulent claims.]

"The LA Live sports and entertainment district is a boom for our local economy and the world-class facility will continue downtown's unprecedented revitalization efforts," said State Senator Gil Cedillo, who represents the area where the project will be developed. [So that’s how you know this is a bad deal.]

LA LIVE restaurants, theaters, landscaped courtyard, and media headquarters are certain to continue our efforts to reinvigorate our city center and make it an even more attractive destination for tourists and local families alike. Additionally, the project brings a wealth of quality job opportunities and profound economic development to the South Park neighborhood, surrounding areas, and the city as a whole," said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents the 9th Council District where the project will be located. [Quality job opportunities, like construction worker or waiter once it is open. Notice how Jan's paragraph was the most pompous, grand, politi-speak in this whole massive post? Take your nose out of the air Jan, you have nothing to be arrogant about?]

"There is no more defining influence on the future of Downtown L.A. than the LA Llive development by AEG," said Mark Liberman, president & CEO of LA INC. The Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It presents LA with the promise of a wholly new and exciting visitor destination in the center of the second largest city in the country. Our industry is eager to work closely with AEG, its partners and the City to make the vision presented today a reality. There's no hiding the fact that what we've seen today can be a convention sales organization's dream come true." [What about the constituents’ of Los Angeles’ dreams come true? I guess one man’s dream, is the rest of our nightmare.]

MACFARLANE: While San Francisco-based MacFarlane invests money for the California Public Employees' Retirement System and other big clients. [In speculative, partially planned billion dollar city projects, that assumes enough risk to trigger all the warning flags to investors. Mainly, cost over-runs and inefficiency that will plague profitability. Either that, or they will have to come running to the city for a bail-out.]

"Downtown has been the redheaded stepchild with braces compared to the Westside," Wise said. [And I think now is the perfect time for the city to attempt to have Downtown swim upstream, against public will.]

"This is really a quantum leap forward in terms of credibility about downtown's revitalization," he added. [The “quantum leap” is the announcement with is only a leap “forward” in terms of credibility…it doesn’t restore it.]

Owners of downtown's Bonaventure Hotel tried to stop AEG's hotel plans in court, arguing that AEG will have an unfair competitive advantage because it will receive financial assistance from the city. The suit was later dropped. [Not because it isn’t unfair. But because they City gave in to Bonaventure “tick for tack” demands.]

The deal approved by the City Council calls for AEG to receive a rebate of at least $246 million in the hotel bed taxes it is expected to generate during the first 25 years of operation. In addition, the project is being given a $5-million grant from the city redevelopment agency and a rebate of $4 million in building permit fees.

Those concessions from the city were essential to getting the hotel started, Leiweke said. [I thought the big deal about this was it was completely funded by private money and how it is so successful that they don’t need any help?]

San Francisco-based MacFarlane, which invests in urban real estate developments, will provide as much as $400 million in financing, said Chief Executive Victor MacFarlane. The company also may invest in the $2-billion Grand Avenue retail, residential and office project set to begin construction north of Staples on Bunker Hill later this year. [And Antonio may run for re-election.]

"We'll probably invest in the two largest bookends downtown," he said. [And two riskiest, bookends, waiting to become a price over-run nightmare as construction costs soar, and delays allow prices to continue to skyrocket. And these increases are not factored in. So, all of these figures are just minimum starting prices, like an opening bid on ebay.]

Also helping fund construction of the hotel are the expected sales of the condominiums, which are priced at $1.5 million to $6 million. [Oh no, all those shabby, affordable $1.5 units will bring down the value of the $6 million dollar units. Can’t we raise the prices on the lower priced units to help keep property values up. I mean, really!]

Buyers have already made deposits on nearly half of the units, Leiweke said. [Where are these people coming from? Must be flying them in from somewhere else?]

"He has made a huge investment in this community in infrastructure, in entertainment and in sports, and those three drive our economy," said L.A. developer Steve Soboroff, a former adviser to ex-Mayor Richard Riordan, who worked with Anschutz on the Staples Center and other projects. [Sports and entertainment drive our economy? That’s a problem then, if you ask me? No wonder our community is in trouble if that’s what drives it. You forgot to throw in junk food and porno.]

Hotel tax rebates fuel anger:

The 54-story hotel will put the city's downtown convention center in the running for business that now goes elsewhere, said Jack Kyser, chief economist at the development corporation.

But the up-to-$290 million in hotel tax rebates that the Los Angeles City Council approved for the property last year drew the ire of many Angelenos.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:14W43-z9P_gJ:www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D156811+la+live+cra&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us&client=firefox-a

RE: LA LIVE (from website link above)

Q: What market forces are driving such development activity downtown?

CM Jan Perry: There is a perception of enthusiasm for this market. [That’s quite a bit of of land dedication (including public) and money (including public and pension) going toward a mere “perception of enthusiasm”. (Sounds like a Larry David spin-off show.)]

Jan Perry: It should be a catalytic project for activating the surrounding streets [you mean congest them with gridlock traffic (see Century City), improving and enhancing the appeal of the convention center worldwide. It should increase our convention business enormously. It’s a critical project that we must get built. [I didn’t “Convention Business” showed up as any of the solutions in all those Ad Hoc Reports on crime, homelessness, traffic and other citywide problems we are trying to solve through prudent city planning. All of these billion dollar projects, built under the guise of “improving and enhancing” (instead of actually solving) …

Q: Jan, your council office has been incredibly successful in advancing the renaissance of downtown, but what have you not been as able to do re development?

CM Perry (YUK!): The biggest loss has been our inability to develop long-term and permanent housing for people who are homeless. For example, tying together the high level of development activity on the Figueroa corridor, using that tax increment within the boundaries of the area to create a lot of new construction. I’m not talking about transitional hosing. I’m talking about long-term housing to give people some stability in their lives. [Yeah, and I don’t see how any of this addresses any of that?]

Q: Two last questions. What is reasonable time-line for building out L.A. Live?

CM YUK: Well, I think you can use the first Staples Center project as a benchmark for how long it takes AEG to do construction. I believe that project was done in two years or less. [Yeah, Jan, but that was just one building, although a big one. This is like the Universal City Walk, plus housing and hotels? Why are you using apples for an oranges timeline? And that was then…skyrocketing cost will continue to cause these projects to become expensive bridges, burning behind you. Hope it doesn’t catch you, and shut down the projects. After all, look at the Los Angeles Children’s Museum. Couldn’t even get that done without City Council having to approve an emergency “loan”.]

Q: In the next mayoral campaign, what should the candidates be addressing?

YUK: Economic development—bringing projects online that will create a larger market for jobs at all levels and making sure we keep pace with this emerging market for housing. We also must look at the city’s infrastructure, what needs to be done and how to pay for it. [I agree, we should do that, no these (Grand/Live).]
City requirements dictate that AEG include a 20% affordable housing component in the project. To meet that, AEG has given $8 million to the YWCA [How will the other religions feel about giving the money to another religious organization. After all, it is a “Christian” Association] to develop a new campus for their Job Corps facilities and 200 two-bedroom apartments for very low-income program participants. The seven-story, $43 million structure will rise on the block bounded by 12th, Pico, Figueroa and Flower. An additional $2 million CRA grant helped acquire the land. [City money for private project, y’all!?!? I wanna sit on there whenever I want!]

RE: GRAND In April, 2006, the Mayor unveiled Phase 1 of this $2 billion project, which began construction in 2006 and ends in 2010.

Contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com

PAPARAZZI CATCHES ZUMA DOGG WALKING DOWN STREET -- AKS ME ABOUT PARIS HILTON -- AND TRIGGERS A RANT ON PROBLEMS IN LOS ANGELES

2007-06-10T22:11:00.001-07:00

I was walking down the street yesterday, and a paparazzi guy (who I actually know from Venice Beach) caught me. He aksed me what I thought of Paris Hilton, and it triggered a whole rant about problems in Los Angeles. It was 9am, and I don't know how I got so worked up.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

The Picture Says It All, Y'all...Thanks to Bill Rosendogg For This Rare Photo Opportunity

2007-06-10T22:08:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Central City East blogger and Downtown community activist Don "Garzilla" Garza (ZD's "public comment" cousin) for snapping this constituent moment with CD 11 CM Bill "Rosendogg" Rosendahl. And of course thanks to Bill who wasn't scared to be a human being for a second. (Check out the two non-leaders in the background.)

BUILDING AND SAFETY BAMBOOZLE THE PUBLIC OVER SHADY METHANE GAS MITIGATION POLICY

2007-06-10T22:07:00.001-07:00

IT NEVER F-ING ENDS WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND THEIR CONTINUAL ATTEMPT TO STONE WALL THE PUBLIC WHEN IT COMES TO NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC INPUT ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUSES.

Maybe because EIRs can be the "Achillie's Heel" on many of their hairbrained, ill-concieved, threat-to-public saftey projects that they try and steamroll past the pueblos.

SORRY, BUT...YOU LOSE CARL MILLER ON THIS ONE: SO Y'ALL BETTER STEP UP AND RECTIFY THE SITUATION BEFORE YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST HAZARDOUS AND LEGAL MESS THE CITY HAS EVER SEEN.

To: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Fr: Zuma Dogg (ZAP)
Re: City of Los Angeles Methane Mitigation Policy (see also: fraudulant, lack of)
Dt: May 23, 2007

Dear Mayor Antonio Viagraosa,

It has come to my attention there is reason to be concerned that there is fraud going on regarding the City's Methane Gas Mitigation systems; and Building and Saftey appears to be bamboozling the public regarding the entire three-year process.

Back in 2004, the City created a "Task Force" regarding methane gas mitigation, as a result of Playa Vista development plans. But, the mitigation measures was a CITYWIDE code, so I'm dragging Villagrossa into it, with me and Bill Rosendahl (who is the Playa Vista CM).

So yesterday was the first meeting since the 2004 kickoff (it's mid-2007), and ZD's cell phone rang this morning from a constituent who has been following this process, and they weren't too happy after attending yesterday's public meeting. Here's why:

Bascially, the City had to come up with a methane mitigation code and methane mitigation system. The people (NC, Homeowner's Associationss, public input) were suposed to be part of the entire planning process from the start.

Well, as in many cases regarding Los "Chinatown" Angeles -- Building and Saftey took it upon themselves to come up with the enitre system WITHOUT public input, then finally presented a report to the community last night. (The public was given an opportunity to comment on the plan...on little "tweaks" here and there.)

ONLY ONE PROBLEM, Y'ALL...THE PUBLIC WAS SUPPOSED TO WEIGH IN AND BE A PART OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS...NOT JUST COMMENT ON A BUNCH OF DIVERSIONARY, BULLSH*T -- AFTER THE FACT!!!

SO NOW Y'ALL PISSED OFF THE WRONG PERSON...CAUSE THEY TRACKED DOWN ZD'S CELL PHONE NUMBER, AND TALKED MY EAR OFF ABOUT THE BIGGER ISSUE:

ZD has been told, "there is fraud going on here." Inspector General Zuma Dogg would like to see the PROOF that these "methane mitigation systems" have been implimented. AND I HOPE NOT (even though they are supposed to be installed) -- BECAUSE IG ZD WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME PROOF (FIRST) THAT THESE SYSTEMS ACTUALLY WORK, IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I am told that will be a VERY long wait for THAT proof, cause it doesn't exist. So if proof DOES exist that these mitigation systems work and that the mitigation measures have been put in place -- please email it to zumadogg@Gmail.com. (ZD says proof that they DON'T work will be WAY MORE EASIER TO FIND.)

Now, to get real with it dough, not only is it hard for ZD to find proof that anything has been done at all...someone emailed ZD saying they have proof that things are being done to the CONTRARY!

They have a bunch of un-qualified people who are came up with shallow, cheap, easy
measures with no type of proof any of this will work, who have turned this project into an entire cottage industry.

Building and Safety obviously is trying to DODGE and COVER-UP -- then use the tactic of "non-communication" to stonewall. (It's like sending a message in a bottle into a big black hole.)

WELL F*CK THAT NOISE!!! AND ONCE AGAIN...Y'ALL PISSED OFF THE WRONG ACTIVIST, AFTER TOO LONG A FIGHT...AND NOW THEY CALLED THEIR FRIEND AND TRACKED DOWN BIG ZD'S CELL PHONE AND TALKED MY EAR OFF...AND IT HIT BIG ON THE BAT-RADAR. WAAAAAAY MORE TO COME.

VILLAGROSSA, BUILDING AND SAFETY, BILL ROSENDAHL, LOS AMSETERDAM CITY COUNCIL -- RE-START THE WHOLE PROCESS NOW...SAVE YOURSELF THE TIME AND MONEY OF DOING IT ANYWAY AT THE DEMAND OF A JUDGE -- AND DON'T PUT THE CITY AT RISK. Cause all this does is remind everyone about the Staple's Center. Don't trun this into another HUGE City embarassment...FIX IT NOW! (It's already been put "on the record" at today's council meeting.)

LIVING WAGE IS BACK AS AD HOC COMMITTEE TO "END" POVERTY (LOL!)

2007-06-10T22:06:00.001-07:00

COMEDY MONOLOUGE
"Motion to END Poverty"
by CM Richard Alarcon
Los Angeles City Council

I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council creates an Ad Hoc Commttee on Ending Poverty in Los Angeles, which will convene for 18 months, at which time it will present a report on its progress. [GOOD...SO MAKE SURE TO DO NOTHING FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE RESULTS.]

I FURTHER MOVE that said Committee will be tasked with working with local agencies, businesses and non-profit groups aimed at ending poverty as well as coordinating with the State Assembly Select Committee to Develop a Master Plan to End Poverty in California [GOOD, EVERYONE CAN BE CUT IN ON THE DEAL THROUGH THE NON-PROFITS]:

* Commssion a report that gives a over-arching look at the resources in the city that are used to combat poverty;

Ensure effciency in city programs aimed at ending poverty; [HOW ABOUT ENSURING EFFICIENCY IN ALL CITY PROGRAMS...THEN YOU MIGHT MAKE AN IMPACT!]

Determine best practices both locally and nationally; [HOW ABOUT LESS CORPORATE WELFARE, SHADY DEALS AND FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE -- AND MORE ETHCIS!]

Bring groups together to share resources;

Create a Poverty Task Force to bring together experts and stakeholders to draft a comprehensive, practical strategy to end Poverty in Los Angeles, taking into account available resources and priority of issues. [LOL!]

ITEM NO. (43)
07-1116
RULES AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT relative to the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Ending Poverty in Los Angeles.
Recommendations for Council action, pursuant to Motion (Alarcón - Garcetti):

1. CREATE an Ad Hoc Committee on Ending Poverty in Los Angeles, which will convene for 18 months, at which time it will present a report on its progress.

2. TASK said Committee to work with local agencies, businesses and non-profit groups aimed at ending poverty as well as coordinating with the State Assembly Select Committee to Develop a Master Plan to End Poverty in California to:

a. Commission a report that gives an over-arching look at the resources in the City that are used to combat poverty. [OH GOOD...CALL CONNIE RICE, I'M SURE SHE'LL BE GLAD TO WRITE THE REPORT FOR ANOTHER $500,000 plus!!!]

b. Ensure efficiency in City programs aimed at ending poverty. [YOU CAN NEVER "END" POVERTY. PERHAPS YOU CAN REDUCE IT...BUT NOT WITH CURRENT L.A. CITY POLICY.]

c. Determine best practices both locally and nationally. [START WITH YOUR OWN ETHICS.]

d. Bring groups together to share resources. [BESIDES POLITICIANS AND THEIR NON-PROFIT PARTNERS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS.]

e. Create a Poverty Task Force to bring together experts and stakeholders to draft a
comprehensive, practical strategy to end poverty in Los Angeles, taking into account
available resources and priority issues. [LOL! HOW ABOUT NO MORE CORPORATE WELFARE AND BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO GIVE TAX BREAKS TO THE RICHES DEVELOPERS AND CORPORATIONS WHILE YOU TAX THE MIDDLE AND LOWER CLASS OUT OF THE CITY AND INTO POVERTY.]

f. YOU BIG DUMMIES!!! You want to "end" poverty? (Even though you mean "reduce".)
You have the power to "reduce" poverty EVERY day with your legislation and by taking a more ethical approach to your postion as elected official.

CLICK "READ MORE" FOR THE RATIONALE

No matter your income or area of residence, poverty is an issue that affects all residents of Los Angeles.

Often people don't realize that they are just one, two or three paychecks away from poverty; one catastrophic illness, one family emergency, one job loss away from not being able to pay the bils. While a small portion of our city is finding incredible success and wealth, the safety net for most people is tearing apart.

There are an estimated 810,000 people living in povert in the City of Los Angeles, meaning there is a poverty rate of over 21 %, based on the Federal Povert Level.

Additionally, 1 in every 3 single-parent families is poor by FPL standards. The numbers get even worse when you consider actual cost of living.

According to the Self-Suffciency Calculator, 3 out of 10 families do not make enough to provide for basic needs. And the problem is not going away. According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), the number of families in the middle class is declining while the number of "working poor" families is increasing in the City of LA.

In light of these daunting statistics, Los Angeles has made several steps to address these issues, including creating the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, creating the Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness, supporting the proposal for the "10 Year Plan to End Homelessness in Los Angclcs," and enacting a Living Wage Ordinance for all its employees. Additionally, there are thousands of non-profit, faith-based, business and
government groups whose mission it is to reduce local poverty, though they do not all coordinate, share resources or best practices.

Even one person living in povert is detrimental to the social and economic well-being of California. Los Angeles must take an active role in taking on this challenging issue.

To fully combat the issue of povert in Los Angeles, we need an approach that is fully inclusive and deals with the problem in a holistic sense. The approach should consider the best, practical solutions and involve those who are most involved in the fight on poverty. Issues covered should include improving educational attainment, creating good-paying jobs, increasing health insurance coverage, reducing hunger, fighting gang violence and lessening the affordable housing crisis.

THE STORY OF ACADEMIA SEMILLAS DEL PUEBLO: INTRODUCTION

2007-06-10T20:54:00.001-07:00

Many of you have heard about the LAUSD Charter school "Academia Semilla Del Pueblo".

ACADEMIA SEMILLAS DEL PUEBLO: In Care of MARCOS AGUILAR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90032-1942: IRS Subsection 501(c)(3) - A religious, educational, charitable, scientific or literary organization. Exempt Since 12-2001 Form 990 Amount $2,104,241

Previously, the school has been surrounded in controversy over it's separatist cultural agenda, and it's low API test scores. The math scores are the lowest in the State. So until now, the story about Semilla has been whether the school should have it's Charter re-newed by LAUSD, or not.

Well as of March '07, it was first denied -- then after a promise that the school promised (with sugar on top) that they would raise test scores, they were given approval for not only another five years of LAUSD "gravy train" money; but will be allowed to accept 600 students (up from an initial approval of 200, for which they got $2,000,000).

So with 600 students, not only can they rake in a lot more LAUSD AND State Education money (cause they are paid per head), now the school has to look for a bigger building; which also means they will probably need more rent money from LAUSD and the State.

I heard the school is already looking for a new location, to build a big, new school -- somewhere on the Eastside. Exact location is still trying to be negotiated. Rumor had it that they had $13 million to work with, but they are having a tough time striking a deal. Word is, they tried to get some Park space in Rose Hill, El Sereno (and possibly elsewhere), but nothing has panned out as of yet.

[GREAT...so let's give them more money, for more kids, when they can't even get 200 right?!?! What if in five years the scores are still the same? Do they give the money back? Do the kids have to repeat the grades?]

Semilla does not own the school, itself: They rent it from a separate company called TZICATL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: In Care of Name MARCOS AGUILAR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90032-1942. They are listed as an IRS Subsection 501(c)(3) - A religious, educational, charitable, scientific or literary organization.
Classification Community, Neighborhood Development, Improvement (General).

In June 2002, TZICATL CDC acquired a blighted commercial structure to be rehabilitiated and utilized as the site for a non-profit charter school.

The real estate tax was $193 and zero cents. The land cost $503,152; the building cost $300,000; and the loan fee was $5,000; for a total of 811,152.

And oh yeah...RAZA DEVELOPMENT FUND, INC. provided $808,000 (7% interest rate) on 06/06/02 (maturity date: 06/05/07), with repayment terms of $25,000/yr for '02-'03; $30,000/yr for '04-'07. It was secured by a first deed of trust on a home on Huntington Drive to purchase and renovate the building.

The list of officers, directors and trustees included; Marcos Aguilar, Chairman; Antonia Viteri, Secretary; Minnie Ferguson, Treasurer and Norm Apostal, Abel Aguilar, Erica Friedman, and Irene Vasquez, Directors.

To facilitate the purchase of TZICATL's first development, Boardmember Erica Friedman advanced $25,000 toward an open escrow in June 2002, that was repaid in October 2002.

When the IRS asked RAZA, INC., "Is the organization related through common membership, governing bodies, trustees, officers, etc to any other non-exempt organization; the answer is "Yes, National Council of La Raza (exempt)".

RAZA claims exemption BECAUSE they support NC of La Raza -- and RAZA put up $808,000 for the building, that was renovated and used for the school.

RAZA Development Corp. borrowed $185,000 on the property on Aguilar's Huntington Dr. South last year.

The property was purchased in 2001 for $800,000. It was an ALL CASH purchase from a William Vasquez. Mr. Vasquez only owned this property for 6 MONTHS, AND HE ONLY PAID $250,000 for it!!!

Vasquez made a tidy profit of $550,000 IN A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.
CLICK READ MORE FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE...
COST PER STUDENT: There sure seems like a whole lot of money being spent for 200 kids.

In 2004, you had teachers making $58,355 (plus $4,814 in benefits);

In 2003, Marcos was making $90,295 (plus $9,409 contributions) AS SECRETARY! Minnie Ferguson $91,427/$7,543. Isidro Nunez (business manager) was paid $68,000/$7000. Total Education Solutions (Special Ed services) was paid $54,874, too.

HEY LAUSD: Was Marcos taking a salary as Board Member AND Principal? I don't see the salary as principal? It doesn't show up on my batcomputer if he took under $50,000 as principal. (Which would be shady, cause the teachers make more.)

Here are some issues:

Bet no one on the board complains about the principal...you have a board member, who is also the principal, who also owns the building (that was basically donated to him by Raza). The building sure did skyrocket in value in one-year's time. (They must have an AWESOME real estate appraiser!)

LAUSD provides money to pay the rent for the school, and the school pays itself, since it owns the building, and Marcos gets to set the amount of annual rent he pays himself. (Nice!)

The list of Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School donors and supporters, besides taxpayers include:

National Council of La Raza Charter School Development Initiative
Raza Development Fund, Inc.
Glendale Nissan/Infinity, Inc.
California State University, Los Angeles
Pasadena City College - MeCHA
The Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture

So you have Marcos Aguilar who is principal, board member (along with his wife) AND owns the separate company that builds and owns the school, so Marcos gets to decide how much rent money he's gonna charge himself, then pay himself with LAUSD and State money. (Niiiiiiiice!) And when you run a Charter school, if your test scores are not high enough you can lose the right to use the land your school sits on. Well, luckily, Semilla doesn't own the school or the land, so they can't lose lose it. (Even though the principal/board member actually owns it.)

But let's just say for arguments sake, you want to yank your kid out of LAUSD and pop him/her into a Charter school, that is supposed to produce higher levels of student achievement: But you hear Semilla has rock bottom test scores. So you figure, "Gee, I'll complain to the school board and have him replaced." Except he and his wife and cronies ARE the school board. So forget that!

You gotta go one level higher now, and talk to the landlord, and tell them to kick this under-performing school out of the building, and replace it with a more responsible Charter operator.

SLIGHT PROBLEM: Remember, Aguilar and his wife/compainion (not sure if they are legally married) ARE the landlord/building/land owners. (So you're not gonna have much luck there, either.)

It's called a conflict of interest, and could very well be in violation of LAUSD/State Charter rules.

And now, they have been approved for another five years. But this is bascially the "preface" of the story, because it is a deep one and a wide one. I am told there are a lot of familiar names associated with the Semilla/Tzicatl posse.

Some have warned ZD that there is a lot of shady impropriaties involved with the back and forth selling of the building; the escrow appraisals (big jumps in value), there was a whole lot of improvement money spent on the school -- what are the improvements; they are looking for land to build a big, new school, but no one has reported that they are looking for a new school.

Of course not, they want to get all the state and city construction budget and build it themselves. [Can't argue with that? Who WOULDN'T want to? I want to!]

And I am told, by the time the entire story unravels (which it is pretty close to doing), a few local and state politicians may be working on the construction site themselves, cause they'll be out of elected life. (But as of now, I'm still waiting to see the paperwork.)

However, you may have heard that Doug McIntyre of 790-KABC sent reporter Sandy Wells to the school to investigate the school. Well there must have been something they didn't want him to find out -- or maybe he DID find out...because, FIRST someone tried to run him over with a car (which means he was willing to risk killing him, cause Wells had to jump out of the way); then his audio was stolen.

And that's when some folks figured this story was about more than counting on a system of twenty, learning languages like Mandarin, and a whole lot of Azteck singing and dancing. (More than a mere culture clash.) So that's when Semilla was looked into a little bit further, and all this stuff about the building, who supports/donates to them, associations with local/state politicians, and the whole enchilada fell into ZD's lap.

So this is a good stopping point, for the starting point. Just a little appetizer to familiarize everyone with the school besides the cultural aspect. And I would like to add, whether I agree with the culture or philosophy of the school isn't an issue I was covering until now. This is important because Villaraigosa has control of LAUSD school board, at the same time Eli Broad is funding a Charter School movement in Los Angeles. So that's a lot of City and State Education money that will be given out over the next several years. And although I support the concept of Charter schools to help raise student achievement...there are some serious concerns over fraud, waste and abuse of the funds.

Cool Website that compares Semilla with other schools in the area and district.

MORE TO COME...

VILLARAIGOSA vs YAROSLAVSKY: MTA GRUDGE MATCH

2007-06-10T20:15:00.001-07:00

Based on the story from LATimes.com

SUMMARY: MTA approves fare hike that wasn't as much as they wanted, but I (allegedly) prevent MTA from having to cut service or borrow money for new buses. And Zev Yaroslavsky hands Antonio his ass in a heated (public) verbal debate. [Best showdown since ZD vs Garshady!]

The first fare increase takes effect July 1. The increases — which apply to both bus and rail service — will be jacked from $52 to $75 by July 1, 2009. The popular day pass will double from $3 to $6 over the same period. [At the same time the City blew the Living Wage Increase to help pay for this...LOL! What's next...an Ad Hoc committee on "reducing the mininimum wage"? How about adding a fee to remove bulky items off the street. Oh yeah, you did.]

The decision by the MTA's Board of Directors marks a stinging defeat [you mean "another" stinging defeat] for Mayor Antonio Villagrosa, who had tried to broker a compromise that would have raised most fares only 5% a year.

The board soundly rejected the mayor's proposal [as everyone always does], saying it would leave the agency with a deep operating deficit and would delay future rail projects. [But Antonio doesn't care...he'll be long gone, somewhere.]

The majority also agreed, that the mayor's plan was unworkable because it would not raise enough revenue -- and called for more borrowing to buy buses. The mayor's proposal was rejected on an 8-5 vote. [That's how the City always does things: Raise some revenue, but not enough to get the job done, then "borrow" the rest. (And when they City says, "borrow", they mean add a new fee.)]

Instead, Supervisor Gloria Molina proposed the alternative that won approval. [Of course, she hasn't blown all her political capital and burnt every bridge in this City.]

Villaraigosa was hoping to bring the board together on a compromise that would soften the blow for riders. Instead, he drew strong criticism from Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who called the mayor's stance disingenuous.

During a heated exchange, Yaroslavsky said Villaraigosa had indicated that he would support a fare increase in a closed session last summer after the MTA board agreed to a new contract with bus drivers and mechanics. [In other words, Tony if we give the union more money, you gotta raise the bus fare to pay for it, bro. Capishe? (Tony never capiches...only says he does, then burns you later.)]

A visibly angry Villaraigosa shot back, accusing Yaroslavsky of mischaracterizing private conversations and then lashing out at the supervisor for sitting in his office while the mayor was in Sacramento on Wednesday trying to get more transportation funding. [The mayor did 500 sit ups, too! And I'm glad Zev was sitting in his office. You should try it some time, Tony. You could have sat in an office, instead of flying to Asia, and everywhere else under the sun.]

Villaraigosa then said Yaroslavsky didn't have the courage to propose his own fare increases, calling him a "sheep who walks in wolf's clothing." [The time to bring that up was BEFORE the agreement, Antonio!?!? And calling someone a "sheep who walks in wolf's clothing." That's like Kermit the Frog making fun of Shrek for being green...YOU BIG DUMMY!!! IT'S A WOLF WHO WALKS IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT...PEOPLE SAY IT TO YOU ALL DAY LONG.]

Hillary Clinton Campaign Co-Chair Fabian Nunez & Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa YouTube PRESS CONFERENCE

2007-06-10T20:14:00.001-07:00

HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR FABIAN "NUCKLEHEAD" NUNEZ DECLARES YOU NEED THE HISPANIC VOTE TO WIN: "ASK ANGELIDES...AND IF YOU WANNA ADVANCE AN AGENDA FOR AMERICA YOU GOTTA INCLUDE THESE (LATINO) THINGS IN IT." - Nunez

COMPLETE CLIP TRANSCRIPT: "This is the most important gathering of Latinos across the country, in my own opinion, since the civil rights movement of the late 1960's. And what comes out of this conference, the positions that people take on issues with respect to housing; with respect to jobs; with respect to health care...all these things are going to be very, very critical...the environment...to the political agendas of those who want to "rub shoulders" with the Latinos in this country.

And in California, in particular, I can tell you, ask Phil Angeledis and he'll tell you; if he has the Latino vote, he'll win. Ask Governor Schwarzenegger and he'll tell you; if he gets 30% of the Latino vote, he thinks he can win the election. So the political power of "our" community has grown exponentially. [I didn't know he was elected to the Assembly to represent a "certain" community!?!]

It's time for use to not only look at the politics, but look at vehicles within...we can say, these are cohesive platform points that are important to Latinos...and if you want to advance an agenda for America, you gotta include these things in it.

And the beautiful thing about it is; there's no difference between the Latino agenda and the working class agenda for people in this country. So I think this is gonna set a very important precedent for the future, for not only the political movement of this country, but the particular platforms of the particular parties. So I'm excited for it." - California State Assembly President/Clinton Co-Chair, Fabian Nunez

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa YouTube PRESS CONFERENCE

2007-06-10T20:13:00.002-07:00

I came across an interesting quote from one of those wacky, "extreme" political activists -- who's always trying to divide the City. Pretty funny take. Whoever said it must sure hate L.A.

QUOTE: "First of all, as you know, Los Angeles is the "gridlock" capital of the United States of America. It's also the capital City of dirty air and smog. It's the quinnisential "City of Sprawl" -- which means most of our housing is in the outer-core and the jobs are in the inner-core. A City that has relied...over-relied on the single passenger automobile to the detriment of a built out public transportation system." -Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

[See clip below for Antonio's brilliant "Business and Tourism" PR quote from above. You're supposed to be PROMOTING the City, not TURNING THE WORLD OFF TO IT!]

AFTER MEETING WITH BILL CLINTON IN NYC, VILLARAIGOSA SLAMS CURRENT WASHINGTON LEADERSHIP (PERHAPS BUSH) -- DURING SPEECH FOR NEW "GREEN UP IT'S ACT" INITIATIVE.

ABOVE CLIP INCLUDES:

* "We have an LA River Master Plan, 52 miles of river creating an "emerald necklace" around that river. We have made a $100 million investment and when we are done and when we're over investing [that's over, investing...not over-investing] in this initiative, we'll have spent some $7 BILLION dollars." - MAV [Ooops, I DO think you meant "over-investing".]

* "Instead of building out, we're gonna build up . Transit villages along transportation corridors to grow ridership for our public transportation." -MAV

[Yeah, then we'll switch to the metric system, everyone will recycle all their beer and soda cans, quit smoking, end poverty, donate 10% of all income to charity, spend time doing more community outreach...HELL NAW...Damn it City of Los Angeles...It's a HUGE mistake to make actual plans when the formula factors having to transform society as a whole. (Get them out of their cars.) IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. TOO LARGE, GEOGRAPHICALLY. Besides, every home comes with two parking spaces.

* PENSION FUNDS INTO RISKY SPECULATIVE FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES: "We are going to be giving away 50,000 energy efficient refrigerators to low income families. [Who's paying for them?] We even have an initiative, the only one in the world, to transform bio-solids into energy. The need to "green" California, invest in the environment. And to the critics who say, "When you go green, you inherently undermine the economy and lose jobs...There is a whole new industry that comes with going green. The technology we use for alternative fuels; for energy efficient appliances; for all of the very important initiatives that we are doing here in Los Angeles and the State of California...those are the technologies that we can export around the world. Because every City around the world is grappling with the issue of "global climate change"." - MAV

[Oh really...can I see those statistics -- on every City who is "grappling" and the fact that we are, indeed, factually going through "global climate change"? Cause you are talking about investing people's pensions into your speculation.]

* "We are looking at our pension funds and identifying ways to invest our pension funds into green economy; citing green businesses in parts of the City that has been left behind; where manufacturing has left and there's a great opportunity to provide good jobs. Jobs that pay a decent "living wage"; jobs that are part of the green economy." - MAV

[ZD: I'm all for that, EXCEPT the part about taking "our" pension funds and investing them in your speculative, alternative, energy business. Cause from a "marketing strategy" analysis...again, you are not going to get society as a whole to switch to alternative energy sources enough to make a meaningful impact. For example, hybrid cars are gonna stay a novelty for quite some time. Develop these technologies and try to implement them, yes! But do it with someone's private money...but not pension funds...WAAAAAAAAAAAY to speculative and risky. Meanwhile, I think educating the general public to things they can do, personally, everyday (empower them with the knowledge) to do more to "pitch in" everyday on a practical level, cause not everyone is gonna by a hybrid or install solar panels and stop driving.]

DAILY NEWS HEADLINE: WATER WELLS THREATENED -- DWP WANTS ACTION AS CHEMICALS CREEP INTO RESERVOIR

2007-06-10T20:13:00.001-07:00

Kerry Kavanaugh scores a HUGE Sunday front page story in ZD's book with her story on how Los Angeles has big problems if they think they can "Manhattanize" Los Angeles with unlimited, new high-density housing projects -- because as u can see, an unlimited water supply is NOT a given.

Maybe Clinton's Villaraigosa needs to take some of that pension money he wants to invest into speculative alternative engery technology and invest it into making "synthetic water" for all high-density, "building UP" projects.)

ZD's High Density Housing Water Supply Alert 1
ZD's High Density Housing Water Supply Alert 2

Water wells threatened -- DWP wants action as chemicals creep into reservoir
BY KERRY CAVANAUGH, Staff Writer
LA Daily News
05/26/2007

More than four years after being warned that a creeping chemical plume was threatening Los Angeles' water supply, the DWP has shut down at least one drinking-water well because of contamination of the San Fernando Valley aquifer.

The North Hollywood well closure means that, for the first time, Los Angeles will be unable to draw its full allotment of groundwater, forcing it to import water at a cost of $7.3 million.

But more troubling than the cost, Department of Water and Power officials say, is the possibility that the contamination will spread and ruin Los Angeles' only local water supply - the gigantic San Fernando Valley underground reservoir that can serve residents in an emergency.

TA DA, *******! READ IT AND WEEP CITY HALL...WE NEED THE WATER!
Daily News WATER SUPPLY ALERT

Zuma Dogg and Daily News...like Snoop and Dre! ZD hears the 411 from the pueblos, and blasts it on a predictive, speculative basis -- then people without A.D.D. (like Daily News reporters) back it up with "the realest, dough!"

So, thank goodness for perfect timing with this vindicating story: Cause last week, in response to Ed Reyes and the City of Los Angeles' LA River (aka: Condorodo River, because of the high density housing projects that they don't really mention when address the project publicly), I was asking how they are going to provide water to all these housing projects when the water supply is not a constant? And it kinda feels like you are going into "Art Bell conspiracy territory" when you speculate on environmental concerns.

Contact Zuma Dogg, ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program): ZumaDogg@gmail.com

COUNCIL'S EMINENT DOMAIN REFERED TO COMMITTEE FOR DRAFT AND MAGIC BULLET TRAINS

2007-06-10T20:11:00.001-07:00

***** BONUS STORY: LA WEEKLY DAVID ZAHNISTER STORY ON WAY MORE DENSITY READY TO STEAMROLL THE CITY. (Grass Beware) Click Here
BONUS THREAD: NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL DISENFRANCHISEMENT OVER "NO QUORUM" LAST NIGHT

PROGRAM TO ACQUIRE REAL PROPERTY BY EMINENT DOMAIN (File Number 07-1417)
Initiated by: Your Shady Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

I checked the lacity website today to research this file number a little more, and it was removed from the website. So I contacted the City Clerk's office and the item has been referred back to the Housing and Economic Committee. So it's not a vote on Friday, looks like they are drafting the ordinance in Committee; then hopefully, it will have to be sent back to be amended; then put before Council; then have to be continued; then sent back to committee for revision/amendments; then put before a vote of Council -- we can only hope.

Otherwise, look for a magic bullet train from San Francisco to San Diego; or LA to Las Vegas, coming to the home or business in YOUR CRA area, soon. Cause the rich real estate investors who are moving out of Los Angeles and into Las Vegas need a fast and easy way to commute back to LA for their business meetings and to visit the properties they own in LA.

But not everyone is a rich property developer who moved to Vegas (I'm told Asian's especially love leaving LA and moving to LV.) So to all the everyday, average types and flat out low income earners, who can now travel to Vegas more conventionally: Now you can hop the train to Vegas after work on Friday, lose all your money and return to LA with even more financial problems before bedtime. So sounds like it's a win-win for everybody!

READ MORE COMMENTARY AND INFO ON THIS PROJECT INCLUDING DAILY NEWS STORY

AND, I heard the San Diego Association of Government (SD SCAG) feels the SF to SD bullet train doesn't go far enough, and they want it to extend right into Mexico. So you can travel back and forth from Mexico to anywhere else in California on the train. (I think that's a good idea, because no immediate concerns national safety comes to mind.)

The SF to SD magic bullet train still has to be put to a vote of the people. The Vegas train people are saying can be built in 2-3 years once they press the start button, cause they will have crews in Vegas and L.A. working simultaneously.

When concerns of Eminent Domain taking people's home for the magic train, that will get you to SF or SD much faster (if that's a priority for you) was brought up to FLY LA project presenters, we were told, "It's not the kind of train that is going to run through neighborhoods. But industry, yes. So we will have to claim eminent domain in business areas. It is not our goal to take your homes."

Great, so you won't lose your home, you'll only lose your job, or business. And of course some homes would have to go as well, too. Just not the "goal".

So I hope they hurry up and draft that Eminent Domain ordinance and vote it in...Because I do not feel this is a good time for the City and State to be focusing on basics. The City is in pretty good shape. I think the time is now to spend billions and billions and billions and billions on multiple magic bullet train projects for the rich to turn the whole region into a daily suburban commute. We can call it Los Vegas, North Mexico. (And forget SCAG, we need a new one from SF to SD, and LA to LV.) That's gonna be the new region for daily commute of rich business people and degenerate gamblers. Better use that Eminent Domain and build some casinos here in LA, so people don't abandon the City entirely. Oh yeah, you're trying. Thanks! Herb Wesson for Mayor. He never met a casino vote he didn't like. (Check the record y'all!)

ZUMA DOGG FOR MAYOR OF LOS VEGAS, NORTH MEXICO! The first thing I'll do is speed up the Eminent Domain process so we can start clearing out the homes and businesses so we can start building all these competing rail projects that have to fight for the rail space, and there is plenty of money to fund all of these projects at the same time. CONSTRUCTION INTERESTS...START YOUR EQUIPMENT ENGINES!!!

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com
DAILY NEWS STORY ON IMAGINARY TRAIN

YouTube COMEDY CLASSIC: Antonio Villaraigosa Gets "A Little Heated" And Goes "Zuma Dogg" On Zev at MTA Meeting

2007-06-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

YouTube: Click here for ZD camcorder shot of radio call on AM 1150. Mr. K aks ZD about homeless and gets waaaaaaay too personal with ZD on his own lack of affordable housing. (Only MY audio, but you'll figure it out.

HILLARY CLINTON APPOINTS LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA CO-CHAIR
From Clinton For President Blogspot

TO EVERYONE READING AROUND THE NATION WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA HERE IS A POPULAR LA CITY HALL "INSIDERS" BLOG Mayor Sam's Sister City Blog

ANTONIO GOES GANSTA ON ZEV AND RIPS A NEW ONE!!! (FIVE STAR!)

[Antonio...You GO, Girl! PEOPLE...stick with it...ABSOULTELY HILARIOUS...LOVE IT TONY! You're a clean-shave version of ZD!]

AP - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's political courtship of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa landed her an early, influential endorsement this week that highlights the intense competition among presidential candidates for support within the growing Hispanic population.

Candidates in both major parties are reaching out to Hispanic voters with an intensity that speaks to the importance of the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority group in the 2008 campaign.

Immigration reform is a touchstone issue for many Hispanics, particularly in cities like Los Angeles, which has strong cultural and economic ties to Mexico. California has as many as 3 million illegal immigrants, the most of any state.

Villaraigosa's support for Clinton rested in part on their agreement on the need for a federal law that would include a pathway to citizenship for many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country, among other provisions.

The senator earlier hired Villaraigosa political adviser (and blog spin doctor to combat anti-Villaraigosa political activist Zuma Dogg) Michael Trujillo to run her California campaign and named state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a close friend of the mayor and another prominent Hispanic politician, a national co-chair of her campaign.

***** She also appointed Villaraigosa a national co-chair. *****

Villaraigosa's endorsement "is proof that the Clinton campaign's focus and strategy to win the Latino vote continues to grow stronger," the statement said.
Zuma Dogg Blog Stories of Past Week, Zuma Dogg "Public Comment" on City TV 35 [search "zuma dogg"]

***** BONUS STORY: LA WEEKLY DAVID ZAHNISTER STORY ON WAY MORE DENSITY READY TO STEAMROLL THE CITY. (Grass Beware) Click Here

Potential Shutdown of METRO WATER Pumping Plant & ZUMA DOGG -- WEEK IN REVIEW

2007-06-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

(Originally posted on Mayor Sam's Blog on 5/31/07)

From: Office of the General Manager
Sent: Thu 5/31/2007 10:43 AM
Subject: Potential Shutdown of Banks Pumping Plant

MWD: METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Date: May 31, 2007
To: All Metropolitan Employees
From: Jeffrey Kightlinger, General Manager
Subject: Potential Shutdown of Banks Pumping Plant

Metropolitan has learned that because of recent take and entrainment of delta smelt at the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant, the state Department of Water Resources is considering temporarily shutting down the State Water Project pumps. DWR is expected to announce a decision regarding a potential pump shutdown within the next 24 hours.

We will be actively working with DWR and the other State Water Contractors on contingency plans to meet local water demands. We will keep you posted as events unfold.

More at ITOLDYOURASS.com

__________________________________________________________

EVERY ZUMA DOGG PUBLIC COMMENT ON EVERY AGENDA ITEM FROM CITY TV 35: Click here -- keyword search "zuma dogg"

ZUMA DOGG HITS THE MOVIE SCREEN IN LOS ANGELES: If you saw the camera crew in chambers this week covering "ZD at City Hall" (and Venice Beach), it will be part of pixelodeonfest.com at American Film Institute in Downtown Los Angeles next weekend.

Of course, being a "Special Event" it will be free and open to the public, unlike CM Parks BET Awards "Special Event" that I guarantee is not open to the public. Stop by and see Big ZD, really Big -- on the movie screen. And I am glad to be able to be a part of a City event, in Downtown Los Angeles as a way of giving back a little something to our community. And, if you do come Downtown for the movie...just ignore the aggressive skid row panhandlers who may encroach you. Downtown is vital, otherwise. It just needs some more high end development projects.

THESE TOP STORIES ON THE LINKS BELOW:
* CM Staffers infiltrate Neighborhood Councils/Corrupt System/Glassell Park
* Villaraigosa has so much free time, he can campaign for Clinton as Co-Chair
* Zahnister's LA Weekly article on "Density"
* Jack Weiss Re-call is HUGE
* EMINENT DOMAIN ordinance being drafted
* YouTube Video: Villar goes "ZD" on Zev at MTA meeting
* Kevin James on KRLA AM 870 9p-11p (Plus, Mr. K on 1150 AM 3p-7p)
* DWP ALERT: Water Wells Threatened, at least one well shut down
* LA RIVER is just a bad excuse for high density housing (Condorodo River)
* Southwest Muesum/Griffith Park/Elephant Hill/Hazard Park concerns
* Semilla Del Pueblo: It's about the real estate and grant money bamboozle
* Allegations of fraud over City's Methane Mitigation Policy

Zuma's NATIONAL Clinton/Villaraigosa/Nunez Blog Stories
Zuma's Mayor Sam Stories
ZD YouTube search
Zuma's Blogspot
ZD's Neighborhood Council Blog

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

THE ZUMA DOGG UPDATE: Sunday June 10, 2007

2007-06-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

* THANKS TO CURBED LA: for featuring a link to my comments on the LA WEEKLY story -- on their story about the LA WEEKLY story. Glad "Dumb Growth" is getting this kind of spotlight. CURBED LA coverage of LA WEEKLY'S story on Density.

* PROGRAMMING NOTE: Tonight, former KABC host KEVIN JAMES (now on KRLA - AM 870) moves into the 10pm hour, too. So tune in from 9p-11p, weeknights. No one hits up the mayor harder, and Zuma Dogg will be calling in during the 10pm to deliver "The Shady Report". [Zuma Dogg on Kevin James? Could be the mayor's least favorite phone conversation of all time.]

* LA TIMES EVALUATE MAYOR VILLAGROSSA: Not gonna call 'em LAzy Times, for this one. He's toast. I feel vindicated. See the article [with my comedy comments in brackets] here.

* MORE ZD TAKE ON LA WEEKLY ARTICLE ON MAYOR & GARCETTI'S "DUMB GROWTH": Neighborhood Council.blogspot.com

* GOOD ZD COMMENT (UNLESS YOU'RE THE MAYOR) HIGHLIGHTING ANTONIO'S "Public Comment" about Zev at the MTA meeting. (Tony, don't you know you are supposed to address the commission as a whole, and not make disruptive or abusive comments to individual commission members? Go see Dion for the 411, or should I say, "311".Metrorider Blog

* STORY ABOUT ACADEMIA SEMILLA/CHARTER REFORM AND CONCERN OF "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" IN VILLARAIGOSA & NUNEZ'S DISTRICT ON "Clinton For President" Blog

* LA WEEKLY ARTICLE ON (DUMB) SMART GROWTH MAKES ZD HEAD EXPLODE AND NEW ZD SONG "GOODBYE MAYOR VILLAGAROSA" [TURN VOLUME DOWN]

It ain't just the Z-Files, y'all...

Oh my goodness: Did you see the prodigious, bulwark of research, paper and ink know as David Zahnister's LA WEEKLY article(s) on the City of Los Angeles' (dumb) "Smart Growth?"
LA Weekly Article Story on the City's DUMB "Smart Growth"

* THIS GUY BRADLEY FROM GLASSELL PARK: Yikes! He and his little friends sure did piss off my Bat Computer. It's gonna take me a while to go through it all, but I'm sure by the end of the day, there will be enough information posted in this spot to make his "happy hour" pretty unhappy. And my reality camera crew wants to show up for the next meeting, too. Good Citywatch Article on Bradley's Glassell Park Debacle

* THANKS TO JANICE HAHN: for telling ZD he should call the 912 Review Commission over concern of CM staffers sitting on the 912 Review Commission. (Janice, can you do me a favor, honey, cause I'm so busy, and since you are a Councilmember...can you call them for me. Thanks! I'll let you by me lunch at ZD's favorite restaurant, "Lucky's Deli in Chinatown. $2-$3 dollars and it's too much for me to finish!)

* ZD WEEK IN REVIEW THREAD: Week in Review including Zuma Dogg coming to AFI festival movie screen next weekend, Downtown

* WATCH THIS SPACE TODAY FOR NEW STORIES AND UPDATES: [Actually will post new updates on top.]

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

The BIG Picture: Why Los Angeles City Hall Wants to Take Your House And Build a Skyscraper

2007-06-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

WHY THE CITY LOS ANGELES WANTS TO TAKE YOUR HOME AND BUILD A SKYSCRAPER
It's Not Their Fault -- Washington, DC Is Making Them Gentrify To Compete In The Global Economy And The Plan Includes Mexico

by Zuma Dogg

HAS ZUMA DOGG "FLIPPED" ON CITY PLANNING?
THE BIG PICTURE BEHIND L.A.'S SKYSCRAPER SKYLINE DREAMS.

Click here and type "zuma" in keyword search box for ALL ZD Public Comments from City Hall as seen on TV 35. Or "zuma density" for comments on this topic.

After reading the LA Weekly article and combining that with a conversation I just had with the "liberal" version of Zuma Dogg. (Find a Venice Beach type, like ZD, who represents Hahn/Garcetti to a T.)

So as he was talking about what needs to happen in regards to the development future of this City; and it basically sounded exactly what the Garcetti and City Planners were preaching in the LA Weekly.

So here's what I realized: We are in a period of transition. We are at the end of the old, as they are just starting the new. But they haven't even started yet…government officials are still conceiving.

The Manhattanization of Los Angeles has a lot to do with what has happened in China.

They have taken the manufacturing industry away from the U.S. and have used the profits to steamroll the place into the skyscraper filled, George Jetson city, the City of Los Angeles hopes it can be.

They are actually ahead of us in this area, to the point that they have over-developed and polluted themselves, nearly to death.

They are going green now, the way the mayor wants to, not because they want to, but because they have to. (The effect of an "all you can eat buffet" among greedy powers that be. "Just do it now, make the money, suffer consequences later. We'll worry about the problem when it gets here.")

[CLICK READ MORE...A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIKE ME WILL HATE ME AND VICA VERSA. SIMPLY, ON THE REALSEST, DOUGH!]

So the mayor knows he has to make this speculative environmental technology -- present environmental technology to prepare for wall to wall skyscrapers in this city that will create such bad traffic, the smog will be unbearable, and we will have to find energy alternatives.

[AND, Villaraigosa feels that LA could use a little "high quality" industry to export abroad. LA can be the "green machine" technology providers to the world. And we need that! BUT I STILL SAY DON'T INVEST PENSION MONEY TO DO IT!]

So the bullet train needs to be built from San Diego to San Fran – Subway to the Sea needs to get rolling; and all the light rail needs to be built and buses added to prepare for the masses.

Cause here's the problem. LA is liberal and doesn't want to do this.(Gentrify/Steamroll the current "single home and a car" in favor of wall to wall skyscrapers. But the politicians HAVE to!)

China has already become the skyscraper capital, surpassing us.

So U.S. has to team up with Mexico to create one region so as to be able to compete in this global economy.

I've said it before a million times before. But after the LA Weekly article and a conversation last nigh, it kinda all clicked and I see the BIG picture.

China has shifted the manufacturing to their region, and used the money to create the ultimate density city.

And if we don't make something to compete, they will become more dominant.

But we are at a disadvantage. The City wasn't planned for this type of development, as a matter of fact it put measures in place to protect against this "Elegant Density/Smart Growth."

But the superpowers have figured it all out, and we have to do this, or we will lose in the global "survival of the fittest" challenge.

UNFORTUNATELY...WE are stuck in the transition period for the rest of OUR lives.

The period where the party is over, we have to build the density first, and try to keep up with the infrastructure later.

And we have all these homes and buildings in the way, and everything is so spread out.

But in thirty years, it MAY begin to improve.

CAUSE HERE'S THE PROBLEM Y'ALL...

You are building all of this based on magic bullet trains and a lot of things that requires bond money and a vote of the people.

You have planned all of this based on building subway to sea, magic bullet train, more buses, more police, schools...all these things that require a vote of the people.

What if they say "no" to the FLY LA SF to SD bullet train in '09?

What if subway to the sea doesn't get funded?

THEN WHAT? I know, I know...eventually it will get bad enough that even the toilet cleaners will vote "yes" on the bonds to pay for the bullet trains. (And in the LA Weekly article they admit, that it is gonna have the traffic gridlock is going to have to get so bad, that people will be begging to vote to spend billions for Jetsonville.

We need the region to allow the uber-elite to hop on the train in Vegas in the morning, do business in LA, then bullet train it back to Vegas.

Bottom line: It's gonna get done, one way, or the other. China has done it, and now we either, "do or die". This isn't about Antonio's decision.

The gentrification of LA, and the impending privatization of the education system, and the merging with Mexico, through immigration and policy == is paving the way for us to have a shot in the survival of the fittest global challenge.

So yeah, all the culture, heritage and ecology is going to be wiped away. I guess you can say we saw were part of the good old days.

Only problem is, we are stuck in the transitional moment of time where it is darkest before the light.

Get ready for the Darth Vader helmet operation on the entire SCAG region of Los Vegas, North Mexico. It's our only hope.

See. ZD knows what time it is. Why didn't you just tell me, instead of trying to hide it.

It's the deception I don't like. If you just said, "Sorry kiddies, have you seen China? Have you seen Asia? At one time an AMC Pacer was the coolest thing in the world. I would understand.

It’s over. U.S. and Mexican powers that be have decided the continent must unite and merge in order to survive in this global economy. Canada will be next to complete the North American trifecta . Then let the buffalo roam, as they will from Mexico, through Kansas, to Canada! And the trucks will roll from the ports down this corridor, delivering imported items to Best Buys and Wal-marts like a newspaper truck, driving through the neighborhood, making deliveries.)

Funny, while we are discussing building borders against the enemy on our own continent...the guys overseas blew past us, and took the lead.

So, the U.S. and Mexico governments have it figured out. LA, will be built and designed to be the international region for two purposes:

a) Provide the George Jetson, luxury, sky-scraper mega-metropolis city that people overseas, with all the money, seem to enjoy. (Vegas has steamrolled and made over the city with a skyscraper skyline, with way more to come. So we have to even compete with that, from a national level. But NV and CA want to build a bullet train, to help unite the region, and compete/accommodate globally, too.)

It will cost billions and billions and billions of tax-payers dollars to build all the infrastructure (bullet trains, light rail more busses) to do this. And there is a long period of time when the trapeze artist will be "mid-air" between trapeze bars.
(The time between when all the density causes COMPLETE traffic gridlock, and the point where we finally have the infrastructure completed.) AND, the plan IS to let it get so bad, first. So the demand (and willingness of taxpayers to fund it) will be there.

b) Get Southern California in shape to overhaul the infrastructure, so we can more efficiently execute our role in the US economy. THE PORT INDUSTRY. 40% of all US goods come through the ports and roll down the 710. So that is a FEDERAL and STATE priority. (To make the movement of goods process more efficient and more environmentally safe, cause pollution is a huge problem that will be getting worse.)

And since we need to build all these skyscrapers and bullet trains and subways, we are going to have to ease up the immigration policies to allow the cheap labor we get from Mexico to build all this stuff and service all of it.

So, in Southern California, look for the trend to be having the U.S. loosen up the borders, through policy like drivers licenses for illegals, and amnesty because the decision has been made. We need their labor to build the infrastructure, then service it, cause we need all the help we can get -- cause we have a lot of catching up to do to be on par with our international compadres. Asia/China want us to improve our infrastructure so we can accommodate them, cause they have a lot of money and like to have accommodations in their U.S. Annex. And we need to catch up, so they don't crush us, economically.

Although guys like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity and all their callers (and a big hunk of US society, in general) would never, ever, ever, ever, go along with the idea of OPENING up the borders...THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN CALLS FOR. IT'S NORTH AMERICA vs. ASIA/CHIA/INDIA...NOT U.S. vs. Mexico vs. Canada. So it looks like we will be reluctantly teaming up with our low wage, non English speaking neighbors.

Cause yes, the "Leave it to Beaver" days are over. And our enemy's enemy is
our friend. And in the global economic arena, the enemy/competition is overseas.

So all the Archie Bunkers are gonna have to live with all those Univision watching, La Opinion reading, La Raza 97.9 listening, Spanish-only speaking Mexicans, who aren't here because they love the John and Ken show, and wanna have dinner with people from the local homeowners association. They are here because Mexico sucks, from an economic standpoint. And they come here, because of the economic opportunity.

It kinda used to irritate me when I am standing in a 7-11 in Los Angeles, and everyone in the store is speaking Spanish, and it's on the Westside. But, obviously there is a demand for what they are doing. I know people say, if they weren't here, it would mean more jobs for legal residents. And of course they are taking a percentage away.

BUT HERE'S THE DEAL: For the game plan the Federal government has in mind, it includes taking advantage of the cheap labor, which is willing to live here, under
low-income, sucky circumstances. They aren't buying property in Beverly Hills. They aren't scamming anyone in big real estate deals.

When Cedillo has Schwarzenegger approve driver licenses for illegals, it isn't to drive to a Paris Hilton party on the red carpet. It's to simply be able to drive to their low-paying, hard labor, or boring as hell, manual labor job. (And to those who are able to rise above that, and jump into something better. Fine, they obviously created the demand to go from dishwasher to waiter. Or phone operator, to salesperson.)

See, right now, the powers that be are scared to tell opponents the master plan, because people don't like change, they like to maintain not only the status quo, but like to maintain heritage, and that's the way it's always been around here.

Except things change. And not changing, is change itself anyway. So the transition is gonna suck. We are stuck at the worst part. The mess left over from neglect. And the clean up and rebuilding process, which includes the plan of getting worse, before better, because the demand will be here, before the supply of Jestons infrastructure. AND THE DAY, SOMETIME SOON, WHEN ALL THE ILLEGALS ARE ISSUED DRIVERS LICENSES...YOU WILL HAVE INSTANT TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK SHUT DOWN THE NEXT DAY. And that is part of the plan, cause then -- you will be BEGGING to be taxed to death to pay for it.

Will eggs have to be broken...yes? Will there be time for all the "Zuma Dogg's" out there (public activists) to provide all the public input to consider all of this? (No!) Will your house be crushed by a skyscraper being dumped on top of your land? (Yes.) Are we about to wipe away the entire cultural and historic heritage and smooth it all over with cement? (Yes!)

That's just the way it is. It's a much bigger picture than what goes on at the NC meeting, City Council meeting, SCAG meeting or Governor meeting. Poor Antonio and Council. I just sat here for the past year trying to get them to enforce vacancy rates and laws that were put in place to prevent this exact scenario. But at the end of the day, it is futile to resist. You can't stop a wave, only ride it. Otherwise it crashes on your head.

So embrace this cultural era: And next time you are on the bus, or standing at the crosswalk, look at that illegal worker who you used to resent for being here illegally and say, "Welcome to the Estados of Unidos, mi amigo! Man, doesn't it suck that you had to come here, only to work so hard, for so little, only to have to send it all back to Mexico (since they have no welfare system), and you have to live in crowded garages. But you, and I, my friend are screwed, cause we let the global economy race pass us by, while we were resting on out laurels. So let's unite to prevent from being overtaken and held economic hostage from China, Asia and India.

Meanwhile, in thirty or forty years, when it's all done...Cal-Vegas, New Mexico will be a great city if you are super-rich, or super-poor. Everyone in between (the middle) will be gone. We are heading to a two-class, divided system, just like in Mexico. But every system has to have a top, middle and bottom. If you cut our the middle, it breaks. Ask any two class system. So let's make sure the City sticks to the concept of these mixed use "elegant villages" without the corruption and make sure you maintain the balance of top, middle and bottom. You won't. Cause greed always wins out. Cause things are evaluated at the balance sheet level, so that's the ball people are keeping their eye on.

NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, Y'ALL!!! ON THE REALEST, DOUGH!

Steamrollers...Start Your Engines!

LA Weekly "Density" article on the City's Plan for LA

MORE TO COME...

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com
Click here for more on Zuma Dogg
Mayor Sam's Blog: LA City Political Insider Blog
Springsteen's 1978 Take

LA's SKYSCRAPER PLAN: The Only Thing Standing In The Way is Charter Law and Voice of The People

2007-06-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

CITY PLANNING CONFLICT: City Charter vs "Elegant Smart Growth"
The Only Thing Standing In The Way of City Hall's Skyscraper Gentrification Fantasy Is Charter Law Regarding Vacancy, Zoning, EIR, Public Input and Vote of The People To Pay For It

by Zuma Dogg

SUMMARY: (Regarding The City's "MEGA-DENSITY/GRIDLOCK" Plan as outlined in LA WEEKLY) It ain't a done deal yet. I say the City will HAVE to; repeal the vacancy law; change/repeal zoning laws; and overturn EIR requirement, etc. Plus, overturn the Brown Act and cancel public comment.

Otherwise, Villaraigosa, Garcetti, City Council, Planning, Schwarzenegger and The White House will have a big, half-ass mess on they hands. And the part that WON'T happen is the George Jetson transportation part, leaving us stuck without the proposed solution this game plan is based. LA Times Article on SF-SD Magic Bullet Train

And besides traffic gridlock, admittedly, you can't hire enough police; teachers; high value workers, now. We have trash/bulky item removal; waste dump problems, now.

We don't have social services for the amount of homeless people we have, now.

There are already stories about problems with the water SUPPLY, now. (How are you gonna supply all the water to Skyscraper City? They don't make dehydrated water!??!)

And to top it all off: The City plans "analytically" instead of "holistically" (See Deming) which means no one is looking out for the big picture. You can look at vacancy, zoning and EIR on a project to project basis; but you forget to see if there is another similar project about to break ground, nearby. Or trying to get multiple bullet trains "off the ground" at the same time. (Even if they do vote for one, are they gonna vote for two? Plus, "Subway to the Sea"...AND the affordable housing bonds, and the other transportation taxes.

I'm starting to think you are trying to drive the middle class out of the city, leaving only the super-rich who can afford it -- and the super-poor, who don't get taxed.

IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN YOU MULTIPLY IT TIMES 40. (The stories of their proposed skyline.)

Bottom line, y'all so stupid. I think your "Smart Growth" looks pretty dumb. See you on the imaginary "Train In Vain".
[CLICK READ MORE FOR THE STRATEGY]

Antonio Villaraigosa, (and his enemy's enemy) Eric "Garshady" Garcetti and The City of Los Angeles calls it "Elegant Density" or "Smart Growth". Zuma Dogg calls it wall to wall 40 story skyscrapers with not nearly enough infrastructure (by you own admission).

Now that you have seen the LA WEEKLY article which reveals the City's decision that a single family home has no place in future plans.

As a matter of fact, the only plan is to pass a new CRA "Eminent Domain" Ordinance (currently being drafted) that will make it easier for them to claim your blighted shack and replace it with a 40 story skyscraper. (See Housing and Economic Committee)

And in response to Zuma Dogg's claims that all this high density construction (along the new LA River, Elephant Hill, Dirt Burnell, Century City, Venice Beach Boardwalk and any other nook and cranny they can cram one of these things into -- without the proper infrastructure is "Planning For Disaster" See ZD LA Weekly Article -- Here's the general take from Villar, Garshady and Planning Dept.:

It's going to have to get worse before it gets better. The problem (gridlock traffic shutting down the city) is the soulution (yes, that IS a quote), because the plan is to let traffic get so bad, it will cause everyone to jump out of their Mercedes, Lexuses and SUVs and start taking the bus with Zuma Dogg and much worse.

But that's going to be o.k., because the State and City are going to build fantastic new transportation systems, like a magic bullet train from San Francisco to San Diego (and San Diego Assn of Governments want to run it all the way to Tijuana!)

Plus, can't forget about the "Subway to the Sea", Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's big pet project; in addition to the Alhambra Corridor (service road) to help ease Alhambra's traffic congestion at LA City's expense, even though Alhambra doesn't want it because it will run a toxic traffic parade through the neighborhood and several nearby schools.)

AND, all the additional light rail and added bus service they will be adding, even though they are cutting service.

So a little give and take here: You give them your house/apartment. They take it. Then purposefully cause traffic gridlock so you will hop on the transportation they haven't built yet. And they admit there will be quite a gap between the solution (traffic gridlock) and the cure (magic bullet trains).

So first on the agenda: The magic bullet train from San Francisco and San Diego. (Cause a lot of people causing traffic gridlock are driving to San Fran or San Diego!?!?) But that will cost who knows how many billions? And if they have to add new taxes like trash collection "fees" for cops they should be hiring anyway; or an additional new tax to remove bulky items that they should be removing anyway; or another attempt to make the middle class pay for affordable housing ("Son of Loser Prop H/Prep H) even though they should be building it with developers anyway --

THEY SURE AS HELL AIN'T PAYING FOR NO STATEWIDE MAGIC BULLET TRAINS OUT OF THE "GENERAL FUND". AND WITH THE GEORGE BUSH WAR IN IRAQ, WE SURE AS HELL AIN'T PAYING FOR IT OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE "GENERAL FUND" -- SO THAT MEANS IT WILL BE COMING OUT OF YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT'S "GENERAL FUND".

So like "Grand Funk Railroad", look for Sacramento's "Grand Fund Railroad" (Billions in bond) to be coming to your town, to help you vote it down. In other words, the bond initiative to pay for the SF-SD express is coming to the '08 ballot.

Only problem, is it's only the first pitch. And as you know, most batters don't swing at the first pitch. See, the condos are just going up now...so people still think the traffic problems are gonna magically solve themselves. Or at least go as far to say, it STILL isn't bad enough gridlock, yet. So we are going to have to wait for all the dumb "Smart Growth" to fester and spread throughout the city, until you are begging The White House to approve the NAFTA superhighway, so you can drive it up to Canada. Cause that's gonna be the only place for you.

THEN, even the rich upper class and low income toilet cleaners will be begging to help pay for it, along with the eternally screwed endangered species, the middle-class.

So we are heading to a two-class system, like China and Mexico. And Dr. Phil has a question: "How's that working for 'ya?"

So don't count your chickens (skyscrapers) before they are hatched (money approved by voters).

AND HERE'S THE OTHER CONFLICT THE CITY WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME IN ORDER TO TRULY GET THE JOB DONE...(The job of giving the City of Los Angeles a "China/Las Vegas" skyline make-over:

There are a few pesky obstacles in the way: The City Charter (city laws) and public interest (voice of the people). Things like vacancy rates, zoning and Environmental Impact Reports (EIR) can shut down, slow down, or compromise the plan.

Perfect example of how the City gets tripped up in the law: Venice Beach. They wanted to gentrify the Zuma Doggs off the beach and make way for the luxury condos, and you don't want no Venice Beach "artists" all over the place when you are trying to make the place like Marina Del Rey. Only thing, the plan to get all the bums off the beach didn't work. Cause the law was in the way; so all the City did was throw a wrench in the system; it diminished the culture and community, but didn't achieve the goal. Cause the first amendment will ALWAYS prevent them from making the clean sweep they need. (Another LA City Hall "lose-lose" situation.)

So they will be pretending like they are moving ahead with this plan to push out the middle class to build luxury accommodations for the rich, or affordable accommodations for the poor -- but nothing for the middle; however, the vote of the people and Charter law may present some interference.

SUMMARY: It ain't a done deal yet. I say the City will HAVE to repeal the vacancy law, change zoning laws Citywide overturn the requirement for an EIR. Plus, overturn the Brown Act and cancel public comment. Otherwise, Villaraigosa, Garcetti, City Council, Planning, Scwarzenegger and The White House will have a big, half-ass mess on they hands. And the part that WON'T happen is the George Jetson transportation part.

And besides the traffic, you can't hire enough police and teachers, now. We have trash removal and waste dump problems, now. We don't have social services for the amount of homeless people we have, now. There are already stories about problems with the water SUPPLY, now. (How are you gonna supply all the water to Skyscraper City? They don't make dehydrated water!??!)

IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN YOU MULTIPLY IT TIMES 40. (The stories of their proposed skyline.)

And to top it all off: The City plans "analytically" instead of "holistically" which means no one is looking out for the big picture. You can look at vacancy, zoning and EIR on a project to project basis; but you forget to see if there is another similar project about to break ground, nearby. Or trying to get multiple bullet trains "off the ground" at the same time. (Even if they do vote for one, are they gonna vote for two? Plus, "Subway to the Sea"...AND the affordable housing bonds, and the other transportation taxes. I'm starting to think you are trying to drive the middle class out of the city, leaving only the super-rich who can afford it -- and the super-poor, who don't get taxed.

Bottom line, y'all so stupid. I think your "Smart Growth" looks pretty dumb.

See you on the imaginary "Train In Vain".

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

LAUSD School Board Address Charter School "Conflict of Interest" As Mentioned by Zuma Dogg

2007-06-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

NON-RELATED BONUS LINK: ZD/MAYOR SAM FEATURED IN SANTA CLARITA BLOG FOR EMINENT DOMAIN ACTIVISM

Thanks to the ZAPPER who noticed at the this week's LAUSD Board meeting, the issue of conflict of interest concerning Charter Schools was address. And I am told it sounded a lot like they were addressing concerns raised in the recent "conflict of interest" story posted on this blog concerning recently re-approved LAUSD Charter School Academia Semilla Del Pueblo.

Semilla wasn't specifically named, they stuck to discussing Charter schools, in general, which was the point of highlighting this concern, since the path to Charter expansion was just fast-tracked when Villaraigosa took control of LAUSD school board (with four of seven members supporting the mayor), and Eli Broad donation over $6 million to Charter schools, promising this is just the start.

That is why the potential "conflict of interest" in the way Semilla's school administration; school board; building ownership ;and rent agreement is structured has become newsworthy: Because it provides a template of potential "conflict of interests" for all Charter school business structuring in the future.

At issue was whether Charter schools are "public employees" required to fill out a "Form 700" (conflict of economic interest statement) as required by state.

It appears as though an argument can be made that Charter schools should indeed be required to fill out the form.

CLICK READ MORE FOR MORE ON "FORM 700"

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT SEMILLA CHARTER CONFLICT OF INTEREST CONCERNS BASED ON FINANCIAL REPORTS

1. What is the "Form 700" SEI Requirement?

The law seeks to help those making financial decisions on behalf of their agencies be aware of conflicts, so that they can avoid inappropriate personal gain.

2. Who is affected by this requirement?

Any official, employee, or consultant holding a position which involves them in influencing financial decisions on behalf of their agency may be subject to the SEI Form 700 filing requirement.

Examples of positions statewide which are required to file a Form 700 include: elected officials, commissioners, judges, attorneys, directors, financial managers, contracts monitors, project specialists, et cetera.

At LAUSD, board members, superintendents, principals, directors, deputies, coordinators, buyers, attorneys and other decision-makers are among the positions required to file.

3. N/A

4. Are employees in other school districts affected by this? [I would consider a Charter "other school district" if not considered "district".]

Yes. State law (Gov. Code 87300) requires every state and local government agency to adopt a Conflict of Interest Code. While different school districts may be at varying levels of compliance with this state law, every school district must comply or face sanctions and penalties. {That's it!!! If every local state and government has to file, they gotta file -- whether a Charter employees are considered public, or not!]

AND THANKS TO LAUSD FOR LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE OF "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" REGARDING THE BUSINESS STRUCTURE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

THE SHADY REPORT (June 10, 2007) by Zuma Dogg

2007-06-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Huh...huh...huh...Where do I begin?

RECENT SHADINESS/ZD MAYOR SAM STORIES:

- GlASSell Park NC Bully Antics Shine Spotlight On Much Bigger Problems.

- Pueblos To Address BONC on Tuesday Over City Hall Staffers Sitting on 912 Review Commission.

- LA Weekly Alert: Density Plans Include Traffic Gridlock As The Solution?

- ALERT: City Plans Include Dropping Skyscraper On Your House And MORE Cheap Labor (See China/Global Economy/Two Class System).

- CITY PLANNING CONFLICT: City Charter (vacancy, zoning, EIR, public interest) vs Wall to Wall 40 Story Skyscrapers (See Garcetti's "Smart and Elegant Density")

- Charter School Expansion as Villar Takes LAUSD Board and Broad Donates Millions.

- LAUSD Board Discusses "Semilla-like" Conflicts And "Form 700".

- Claims That City's "Methane Gas Mitigation" System And Process Is Fraudulent.

- Concern Over DWP 5-year, $1 Billion "Reliability" Upgrade Program.

- How Will You Provide Water To Skyscraper City When City Water Supply Is At Risk?

- Villaraigosa Goes "Zuma Dogg" on His Supervisor Zev Yarslavsky at Public Meeting!

- Villaraigosa Has City Problems "Handled", And Now Has Time For Clinton Campaign.

- Housing & Economic Committee Drafting "CRA Eminent Domain" Steamroll Ordinance (See LA Weekly Story).

- Billions For Bullet Trains For Wealthy To Traverse State Scheduled For '09 Vote.

- Jack Weiss Recall Has Citywide Implications...Man, Do People Hate This Guy.

- LAUSD Superintendent David L. Brewer Quotes W. Edwards Deming.

- Mayor Cuts Citywide Budget Except For His Travel and Posse Expense.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THESE STORIES OF FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE. (Anyone have a DVD copy of Chinatown?)
NEW!!! SHADY REPORT ARCHIVES: ONE CLICK FOR ALL THE FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE (The "Laura Chick "Click".

Zuma's Blog, Neighborhood Council Blog, ZD on YouTube, Videos NOT on YouTube (plus some duplicates, scroll through), Podcast Site: Original Music and Radio Calls., LA Weekly Article on City's (DUMB) "Smart Growth" and (HORRENDOUS) "Elegant DENSITY"

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)

DWP WANTS 6.2% RATE INCREASE BY '09 DUE TO EVAPORATING WATER SUPPLY

2007-06-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

FROM BOARD OF WATER AND POWER COMMISSION MEETING:

Regarding: Sierra snow pack. There is a proposal (they'll get it) for a 3.1% rate increase in '08 and and additional 3.1% hike in '09 -- due to failure of the Sierra snow pack only being at 50% capacity!

That's an overall 6.2% increase, as proposed at Board of Water and Power Commissioners meeting.

The rate proposal goes to NC for a 120 day review; then goes up for a vote by full Los Angeles City Council. (Aka: The Fraud Factory! Thanks, Kevin)

Jack Weiss' high density commercial development has contributed to this water rate increase proposal, because DWP cannot accommodate all these added showers, sinks, toilets, etc.

So DWP has to create these mitigation hikes. The units that are going to go up (hundreds of thousands of units) in LA's "Dumb Density" plan will cause DWP to continue to jack up the water rates as mitigating circumstances in the future as conditions worsen.

In other words, y'all are building all these skyscrapers, beyond DWP capacity. (See Daily News story on DWP water supply shut-down, concern of chemicals in drinking supply, and now Sierra shortage.)

So although Citywide development has contributed to this long term predicament (until the Villaraigosa's speculative alternative energy technologies invents some "dehydrated water", y'all), Jack Weissass is the only one getting re-called, and he is the biggest creator of traffic congestion with his mixed-use, high denisty commercial development, that f*ck up the area so bad, the Westside pueblos were just looking for a reason to re-call his ass.

So send a message to the rest of those environmental hating, congestion-creating fraud, waste and abusers of Los Angelesdam City Council:

Click here for RecallJackWeiss.com. And to the other fourteen shadinants: Why not actually attend one of those Sierra Club meetings, besides election endorsement day, and have them explain to you the concept of finite resources. (See also; Milton Friedman, "Supply and Demand", Zuma Dogg, "I Told Yo Azz")

CITIZEN'S ALERT: GLASSELL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL "CAHOOTSISM" EXPOSES CONCERNS OF CITYWIDE PLANNING "RACKETEERING"

2007-06-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

***** UPDATE: 06/06/07 (6:10pm) *****

PUBLIC NOTICE: Cancel the babysitter, cancel your plans -- and make new ones for next week...Councilmemebr Jose Huizar wanted Mayor Sam readers to know that the CD 14 Hillside Development "Community Forum" moved has been moved from this Friday until Monday. And remeber, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the story below -- and is just some last minute scheduling conflict.

A LOT OF ACTIVITY BEING UPDATED THIS EVENING AT ZD's Neighborhood Council Blog
Contact: Zuma Dogg at ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program) -- zumadogg@gmail.com
Zuma Dogg Blog for more info
City of Los Angeles Official Website

***** UPDATE *****
ZUMAKIPEDIA: PAULA Y. BAGASAO/BAGASO/BAGASSO of Bill Clinton's Administration and Glassell Park Neighborhood Council BAGASAO/BAGASO/BAGASSO BIO

NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL RACKETEERING COMPLAINT: A select group of city developers, City Council staff members and activist developer coalition members -- also sit on various area Neighborhood Councils throughout Los Angeles toward the goal of fast tracking various project approvals before their own Neighborhood Council Boards, City Planning Committee and full Los Angeles City Council. Many of these projects require zoning variances, raise EIR concerns and include warnings and complaints from community members during public hearings; only to be approved anyway by these shady NCs which allows for a smooth approval by their City Councilmembers before Planning and full City Council.

THE CAST: Mark Semotiuk (Metro LA Development, LLC, Founder/President PROH-LA), CM Ed Reyes (Planning Chair), Edel Vera (Works with Bradley at E.B.E. Development), *Paula Bagasao (Glassell Park NC Boardmember, MetroLA, PROH-LA, and other positions within the city), *Tony Butka (NC member, Paula’s husband, and member of other groups, too), CM Jose Huizar (Planning Committee Member), Jessica Mclean (Huizar Eagle Rock Planning Deputy, Eagle Rock NC Boardmember, and 912 Review Commissioner), *Brian Fitzburgh (rolls with Paula, Mark, Bradley on NC and organizations) *”Bradley” (Silverlake NC, other NC?, MetroLA, PROH-LA, E.B.E. Developers), Godwin Iwunze (City Developer), CM Eric Garcetti (Council President, Various Committee Member, CM of shady NC district), Mr. Tharp, MetroLA designer/architect Teo Berndt (I'M A BIG FAN OF YOUR WORK!), Glassell Park/Silverlake,/Echo Park/Elysian Neighborhood Council ("Cahootsville Region").

Many of these cast members* are developers with planning connections they cultivated through their negotiations on their private City projects -- also are a part of, and run activist development coalitions like PROH-LA. And some members participate in Councils outside their living area, and/or participate on more than one Neighborhood Council.

[CLICK READ MORE Y'ALL!!!]

If you really want to know who is running the show, y'all should check out the Metro LA Development, LLC website. Mark Semotiuk founder and President works with PROH-LA as President of that group, too. So he's the developer (Metro LA) with his own activist hillside development coalition (PROH-LA).

DESCRIPTION OF PROH-LA FROM HIS BIO: Mark is also the President of Protecting the Rights of Owners in Hillsides – Los Angeles (PROH-LA) a group that creates an educational and informational framework to provide necessary zoning and planning information to individuals who are disenfranchised by factors such as: race, distance from civic infrastructure, educational background and language."

[In other words, help those who are discriminated against, help you develop the hillside with expensive homes. PROH-LA is PROH-LA, LLC, registered in the State of California -- NOT A NON-PROFIT!]

Mark Semotiuk founded PROH-LA, a developer coalition with heads Bradley, Paula Bagasao and Brian Fitzburgh.

Mark, in his twenties, attends USC Master Real Estate Program, and attended UCLA as undergrad. From USC website:

Mark Semotiuk – MRED (Full Time)
During the summer of 2003, Mark was an analyst for Goldman Sachs’ Private Wealth Management division where he assisted in the management of $12 billion in assets. At the completion of this experience, Mark established his own company, Metropolitan Los Angeles Developments in 2004. Since then, Mark has successfully completed the redevelopment of a home in Echo Park, and is currently developing a 4 unit condominium in Silver Lake. Mark is also the President of Protecting the Rights of Owners in Hillsides – Los Angeles. (PROH-LA) a group that creates an educational and informational framework to provide necessary zoning and planning information to individuals who are disenfranchised by factors such as: race, distance from civic infrastructure, educational background and language.

[HA! WHEN YOU HEAR "PROTECT", DON'T YOU THINK "AGAINST DEVELOPMENT"? THESE GUYS FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO DEVELOP! LOL!]

So Mark has Metro LA Development Metro LA Development, LLC Web Site and PROH-LA coalition (see website link on Metro LA site link).

FROM METRO LA DEVELOPMENT, LLC WEBSITE:
Advocacy
.....................................................................................
We at Metropolitan Los Angeles Developments feel that it is important to build communities from grassroots in addition to brick and mortar. As such, we are actively involved in community activities to make the living environment in Los Angeles the best that it can be... after all, that is our job as developers!

[In ZD talk, that means we rally the troops to organize, show up at these meetings, and vote to build on the hillside, no matter what. That will make the City better. Because they made that decision.]

Mark's project designer/architect is someone who I have become a big, big fan of after visiting his site, and can see why Mark uses him: Teo Berndt of TAYO Design. An international sensation! Teo Berndt's TAYO Design website: Teo, you are FANTASTIC!!!

Here's a partial (local) list of Teo's international smörgåsbord of developments. See website for international projects in Argentina, Brazil and elsewhere. (Ski caps off, my man. People, check his website. This guy is knockin' it out of the park as a designer!)

Projects

• Quail Drive Residence, Mount Washington, California
• 4-Unit condominium in Echo Park, California
• Multiple residence project in Montecito, California
• Anthony House – a front entrance and patio remodel in Los Angeles, California
• Soto House – single family residence in Sun Valley, California
• Eagle Rock House, Los Angeles, California – front & façade remodeling
• Large area deck – entertainment space on the rear of a residence in Los Angeles, California
• Kodak Street House, Los Angeles – redesign of front and side exteriors
• Eagle Rock residence, kitchen and dining area interior space planning and design
• Anthony House, Los Angeles, California – fire place and living room re-design

HERE'S A QUOTE FROM BABY, STUDENT DEVELOPER MARK SEMOTIUK: "Teo Berndt, the designer behind TDS, provided a concept for the project that integrated my suggestions with his creative ideas; it allowed for future building homeowners to enjoy the "California Experience."

"The TDS team helped me present the project to neighbors, neighborhood councils, and the Zoning Administrator. In the end, their dedication went a long way towards wining approval.

"A few months ago, I had never built anything. Now, we are weeks away from beginning construction on my first major project. I can say with confidence: If you are looking for an architect that can turn your vision into reality with dedication and creativity - then you are looking for TDS." - Mark Semotiuk (Oct. '05)

In 2006, Teo Berndt and a panel of local architects- Richard Barron, Teo Berndt, and Tom Yang-discussing modern architecture styles were invited to attend and show designs in the homes on the 2006 Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour.

(Source: 2006 Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour...a panel of local architects- Richard Barron, Teo Berndt, and Tom Yang-discussing modern architecture styles, Historic Preservation and...www.tera90041.org/moreHT-06.htm)

Interestingly, Teo’s name was removed from the story on the link, aftert he fact. (Those pesky search engines grab the first post for their listings.) Some of you may know TERA’s President, Mr. Tharp. His wife, Carol Baker Tharp, formerly of “developer pal” USC, was recently appointed Head of DONE (Department of Neighborhood Empowerment) by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Villaraigosa may have known Tharp from the days he helped author “After Sprawl” for USC, himself. (“After Sprawl” was the precursor “master plan” to his “Smart Growth”/”Dumb Density” disaster-waiting-to-happen, that you may have read about in this week’s LA Weekly).

Here's what Teo thinks about Los Angeles hills and hillside development:

Tayo Design Studio, LLC is based in Los Angeles, California but its principals have been involved with projects in Europe and South America as well as the United States. This international experience informs the clean, functional approach that underlies Tayo Design's aesthetics.

Those familiar with designing and building in the vibrant megalopolis that is the city of Los Angeles know all too well the minute specific requirements associated with these projects. The more so for hillside development - and hilly lots are among the few empty building spaces still available.

Tayo Design Studio has experience with these issues and brings to the table not only progressive ideas but also expertise with local requirements, taking every inch of advantage in the choreography of mechanics, process and poetry which defines architecture.

Zuma Dogg calls it trying to overtake the NC system with people who also run activist organizations as developers, in hopes of developing the only nook and cranny left in this town, the open hillsides. Just ask Jason Lyon, Silverlake NC Chair. Silverlake NC is listed on the Metro LA website, and Mark and his PROH-LA/MetroLA/NC Members (from other areas) occasionally stop by Silverlake NC for a guest appearance during hearings.

V. Old Business:

1/ 1017 North Waterloo Street- Proposal of 4 Unit Condominium Development
1. The owner and developer Mark Semotiuk, owner’s agent Bradley [MR. NEIGBORHOOD COUNCILS BIG SHOT] and the owner’s designer Teo Berndt presented the progression of the design recommendations of the UD&PAC meeting of March 9, 2005. The developers are seeking variances for:

[SEE HEARING LEGALESE POSTED AT BOTTOM OF THIS STORY...MUCHO PROBLEMAS!]

The Committee responded by stating that this interpretation based on the site terrain seemed to be not congruent with the standard code interpretation. Finally the UD&PAC determined this project is under the discretion of the GEPENC, not the SLNC, therefore the UD&PAC will not proceed with vote on the proposal. There was a motion to inform GEPENC of the SLNC/ UD&PAC findings, it was seconded, and the motion was passed will all in favor. [Open the roll, steamroll the roll, tabulate the profits.]

HERE'S ONE BLOGGER'S DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE NC SITUATION IN BRADLEY’S REGION: "PROH-LA wants open development on the hillsides in LA. Bradley and Paula are on PROH-LA and Mark is President. About 14 places have already been approved. Members of PROH-LA are tied into the NC boards, have contracted projects with the City, and are spokespeople and contact people as those board members, including non-profits. All just another way to control what a select few want for our community."

Bradley has connections with the Planning Dept, so he calls himself an “Expediter”. American heritage explains an “expeditor” as one who is responsible to “execute quickly and efficiently:

ex•pe•dite
1. To speed up the progress of; accelerate.
2. To execute quickly and efficiently: was trusted to expedite the directives of the board.
3. To issue officially; dispatch.

He ran for Glassell Park instead of where he really lives -- because that’s where the hillsides and “expedition” jobs are: Mt Washington, Glassell Park, Elephant Hill.

And his partner, Edel Vera, is an architect as part of "Bradley's" EBE development company.

So you have Mark Semotiuk (Metro LA Development, LLC, Founder/President PROH-LA) who works in cahoots with "Bradley" (of E.B.E.) on city projects. (Edel Vera, who works with Bradley is probably the "B." in E.B.E.), Paula Bagasao (a very busy bee), her husband Tony Butka (tony@tonypaula.com), Brian Fitzburgh and their design wiz Teo Berndt using the NC systems mentioned above to approve projects, including ones that need zoning variances; EIR concerns; and include community complaints and warnings on-the-record.

And this "cahootsism" racket demonstrates how and why so few people participate in the community process. For example, in the minutes of a Silverlake NC meeting, Jason Lyon called the item, where it was announced that Bradley says no one showed up at last nights hearing regarding a hillside development, so the project was approved, variances, concerns and all.

So of course there is no meaningful outreach going on in the community. And I'd say it looks like attempts to actually prevent as much community participation is more likely the case.

Today, I went to the Glassell Park website to see what time the meeting was tonight. And although they had the date listed (which I already knew), they didn't list the time. So I clicked the "calendar" link, figuring it would have that info. Well, the entire calendar month of June was blank. So, I called the phone number listed on the website, and got a fax machine, all day long. (Nice outreach!) BLOGGER COMMENT:
ZD - add one more to the "Nice Outreach" pile for Cahootsville NC:

The ad they had in the Lummis Day program, they list the wrong meeting day, so if you showed up, no one would be there. A stakeholder would have missed it.

NICE OUTREACH!
June 05, 2007 12:16 PM

A Zuma Dogg ZAP source describes the on-goings in Cahootsville (Silverlake, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Echo Park/Elysian NC) like this, "You are correct when saying he uses one name on almost everything. What he DOES NOT use is one address for everything: He's got a business address AND a residence address and he uses whatever address fits the situation at hand.

Bradley and his partner, Edel Vera, lived and ran their business (EBE Associates) out of the Andrita Street address for a number of years. Edel is an architect while Bradley is an "expediter" for developers. Read: "pay me to push your MWGPSP (Mt. Washington Glassell Park Specific Plan) -negligent plans through the city planning department because I woo the clerical staff with sweet talk & candy. FYI: Andrita Street is located within AREA 1 according to the GPNC map.

Bradley & Edel purchased a lot on which they built a McMansion in the 2200 block of Maricopa Drive in Glassell Park. Maricopa Drive is located within AREA 4 according to the GPNC map. Bradley must have expedited his own plans through the city planning department because he violated the MWGPSP at every turn: Sideyard? None. Setback from the street? None. Floor area ratio? Questionable as to whether he stayed within the 49% limit stated in the MWGPSP.

Bradley used the Andrita Street address to run as AREA #1 REP (read: residential representative) on the GPNC board when in fact he had already MOVED to his new residence in AREA #4. (Although still in Glassell Park) He should have run as a BUSINESS REP (an at-large position) but didn't because he had already lined up enough of his PROH-LA buddies and new-found friends from VICTORY OUTREACH to fill those positions and form his "diversity coalition".

When residents from every part of Glassell Park protested Bradley's candidacy (and subsequent victory) as AREA #1 REP, DONE said it didn't matter because Bradley was "self-affirming" the address of his residence. Bull. As one person posted on the LA Curbed website, I too self-affirm that I live in Bel Air even though my ZIP Code is 90065 but that doesn't make it so.

Paula Bagasao, the woman in the video was elected as an "Education Rep." She lives in a loft downtown is one of the founders of PROH-LA because she has a lot on Vista Superba she wants to develop. As to "Education," she has nothing to do with education at any of the schools in Glassell Park.

The previous Eduation rep was an active parent at the Washington Irving Middle School. She also has three developmentally disabled children. She resigned after GPNC Board member Maggie Darrett(repping Area 2) said she "did nothing" at a board meeting. She is also a member of Bradley's cabal.

Brian Fitzburgh is a developer/architect/realtor who lives in Silverlake and is also an active member of PROH-LA.

The PROH_LA board members are also trying to change the Land Use & Planning Committee to an "Economic Development Committee," which not only sounds Stalinist, but also violates the GPNC's by-laws.

Art Camarillo is a Bradley crony who is "paid" GPNC staff. How can he be “paid”?

They are looking to spend another $5k + $350 a month for a "web developer" named Santiago Garfunkel from Lineal Media.

Something stinks in Glassell Park and it ain't necessarily the LA River. It's wafting from their Neighborhood Clowncil."

[MAJOR DISENFRANCISEMENT, Y'ALL!!!]

At June 04, 2007 2:07 PM, Anonymous said...

[Glassell Park NC president]BRADLEY, in sending the following public notice + added his OWN agenda/description to the DONE FLYER of LAND USE ADVOCACY FORUM
...then adds "Forwarded at the request of DONE at end of message".

Bradley inserts..

"Community Stakeholders:

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) has an upcoming Empowerment Academy focusing on "Effective Land Use Advocacy" for Board Members and Stakeholders alike to discuss matters involving advocacy for Economic Development, Job Creation, and practical land use quasi-judicial matters that may/may not be addressed by Neighborhood Councils in the East and Northeast Areas of Los Angeles."

* * *
....Emphasis on Economic Development, Job Creation, quasi judicial ??????
in a Land Use forum???

.... A contact here is Brian Fitzburgh Interim Chair, of illegally formed Economic Development Committee

Note: Bradley, Paula Bagasao, and Brian Fitzburgh are Founders and heads of PROH-LA, a developer's coalition."

This smacks of skewed misrepesentation.

DONE's original flyer should be included, attached as in "forwarded"

Mike Gealer

Here is public notice as sent by Bradley:
---------- Forwarded Message ----------

Community Stakeholders:

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) has an upcoming
Empowerment Academy focusing on "Effective Land Use Advocacy" for Board Members and Stakeholders alike to discuss matters involving advocacy for Economic Development, Job Creation, and practical land use quasi-judicial matters that may/may not be addressed by Neighborhood Councils in the East
and Northeast Areas of Los Angeles. The following Academy Workshop dates are as follows:

June 12, 2007
Lincoln Heights Regional Office
3516 No. Broadway
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Effective Land Use Advocacy
Learn how to:
1. Identify community land use issues.
2. Explore land use issues & appeals by city commissions.
3. Achieve understanding of how the planning department operates.

To register for your attendance, please call Valerie Steffens. Please Note: Please RSVP at least 3 days before the class. You may also contact the GPNC DONE Project Coordinator, Rose Ibanez at Rose.Ibanez@lacity.org or via phone at (213)473-6464. Also, feel free to contact the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council Economic Development Committee Interim Chair, Brian Fitzburgh at
Fitzburgh@.net or the GPNC Office at (323) XXX-XXXX if you have any further questions, comments, or remarks.

Thank you,

Bradley,
GPNC Chairperson
(We apologize in advance if this is being sent truncated, in duplicate, or with fragmented sentences. Forwarded at the request of DONE) [WOW Bradley, you are so thoughtful And if there is anything wrong, DONE made you do it!]

TIDBITS: 2001 Antonio After Sprawl report as assemblyman for USC. CB Tharp from USC. Mark goes to USC Master Real Estate Developer School...a lot of USC connections in LA's development community.

Delores Conway is the director of the Casden Real Estate Economics Forecast. Alma Cibrian and Mark Semotiuk are master of real estate development candidates at the University of Southern California.

Epstein Turner & Song Los Angeles California Defense Litigation: Mark Semotiuk can be contacted through his Los Angeles law firm of InFocus Corporation.

BLOGGER COMMENTS: At June 04, 2007 10:50 AM, Anonymous said...
Bradley has a long history of grievances filed against him.

At one point, Human Relations had to come in to mediate. Nothing ever happened because the mediator, Patricia Villasenor, is a personal friend of Bradley's. So, that mediation resulted in nothing happening.

Both Bradley and Bagasao had grievances filed in the previous election for violating election rules.

Bradley and Bagasao have a long history of disenfranchising people who disagree with them.

At June 04, 2007 10:56 AM, Anonymous said...
More on the Clowncil Board

GPNC Treasurer George O Smith is not only with Victory Outreach, but also with Illig Construction.

Board Alternate Tony Butka is the husband of Bagasao.

Bradley is a hired hand. They know him in the city clerks office.
Paula and Bradley have contracts and contacts with the City in multiple areas.

ARROYO SECO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
Planning Projects Report
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[LOOK FOR BRADLEY/EBE & GODWIN IWUNZE]

08/18/2005 DIR-2005-5721-SPP MT. WASHINGTON 14 4765 E CLELAND AVE 90065 PROJECT PERMIT FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE IN MT. WASHINGTON-GLASSELL PARK SPP-SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT PERMIT COMPLIANCE GODWIN IWUNZE CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION

07/12/2005 ENV-2005-4564-EAF MT. WASHINGTON 1 1611 N KILLARNEY AVE 90065 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING. EAF-ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT BRADLEY/EBE ASSOCIATES INC.

PROJECT PERMIT
COMPLIANCE BRADLEY/EBE ASSOCIATES INC.
1617 N KILLARNEY AVE 08/16/2004 ZA-2004-4721-ZAA MT. WASHINGTON 14 711 N LARK CT 90065 TO PERMIT AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE IN THE FRONT YARD (DECK RAILING OVER GARAGE) ZAA-AREA, HEIGHT, YARD, AND BUILDLING LINE ADJMNTS 20% (SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS) NONE PROVIDED 711 N LARK CT 01/19/2006 DIR-2006-404-SPP MT. WASHINGTON 14 315 W MAVIS DR 90065 CONSTRUCT SFD SPP-SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT PERMIT ORDINANCE BRADLEY

11/21/2005 DIR-2005-8430-SPP MT. WASHINGTON 14 428 N MUSEUM DR 90065 PROPOSED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE SPP-SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT PERMIT COMPLIANCE BRADLEY/EBE

06/13/2005 ENV-2005-3819-EAF MT. WASHINGTON 14 402 E RUSTIC DR 90065 NEW SINGLE-FAMILY
DWELLING. EAF-ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT BRADLEY/EBE
ASSOCIATES, INC.

09/28/2005 DIR-2005-6879-SPP MT. WASHINGTON 1 3860 N WEST POINT DR 90065 CONSTRUCT SFD SPP-SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT PERMIT COMPLIANCE BRADLEY / EBE

FINDINGS:
Building seven unique architectural homes on a piece of land that is currently unstable.

It has not asked for any variances from either City or Specific Plan.

Will stabilize the hill making the houses above it much safer.

The height limit for the houses is 35 feet.

As for the dirt removal, 2778 cubic feet is a small amount for seven houses.

It has been designed to fit into all regulations.

The project requires major landscaping including 20ft+ trees separating the homes, complete green coverage of the retaining walls with trees and shrubbery and will use native plants.

The discussion was primarily about the geological issues regarding the existing wall on the property.

It is not stable and has caused problems for several houses on the street above this land.

If the wall is not fixed, it will continue to cause stability problems.

The current developer, Godwin Iwinze, bought the property in it's present condition.

He cannot do anything with the property in terms of fixing the wall until he has a building permit so any delays to the permit will delay the up-shoring of the hill.

If he is not granted the permit, he will have to abandon the project and the land and not fix the hill.

The previous owner is liable for the wall's damage to the houses above it and any legal remedies would be directed toward the one who originally caused the damage.

Two acceptable solutions, in terms of hill stabilization and geological safety, came forth.

One was to remove the existing wall and build a new one.

The other was to leave the existing wall and stabilize it with soldier beams and footings.

Both solutions would have worked equally well according to the licensed experts.

On the other hand, most of the city departments as well as the soils and structural engineers looking at the question, agreed that removing the existing wall, while not providing a better or safer solution than building a new wall.

It was for those reasons that the choice was made to bolster the existing wall.

In approving the planning application, filed by applicant/owner Godwin Iwunze and his representative, Neil Smith, the Department noted that the proposed project may create or contribute to runoff water exceeding the capacity of storm water drainage systems
And may result in substantial soil erosion or loss of topsoil. Nevertheless, the Department recommended that a Mitigated Negative Declaration be adopted for the project.

Zuma's Official Blog
contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

____________________________________________________________________
(Start of Hearing legalese)

a. Reduction of required lot area for 4 dwelling units from 8,000 min. to 7,500 min.
b. Reduction of side yard setbacks from 6’-0” to 3’-0”
c. Reduction of passageway min. allowed clearance by 6”
2. Findings were presented from the Great Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC) meeting of April 12, 2005
The Owner’s agent stated that they presented the following proposal to the GEPENC:
• To remove a fichus tree on the property,
• Plant bamboo 6’-0” tall at the perimeter adjacent to the neighboring property
• Fenestration of the North exterior elevation towards neighbors was somewhat provided and ‘frosted’ glass was specified for privacy.
• One extra guest parking spot was provided in addition to the number required by code,
• The developer stated that there is no reason for historic overlay district based on photographic survey of the surrounding properties and a need for ownership in the neighborhood.
The EPNC responded with the following:
• Does not support the change in FAR to accommodate the variance.
• Desire for the existing structure at the property to remain.
• The proposed development does not reflect Craftsman Style of Echo Park vernacular.
• Desire to create ownership does not ‘out weigh’ apartment rental.
• L.A. Housing Department to compensate the current renters by making the 4th unit available to the current tenant.
• The 4th unit to be designed as a “Low Income” unit.
• Parking shown is ‘not enough’.

At the UD&PAC following discussion committee member Wes Joe stated that the letter he presented to the GEPENC was representing the opinion of the SLIA (Silver Lake Improvement Association), not SLNC/ UD&PAC.

The discussion centered on the design of the linear wall plus the height limit of the proposed building. It was also noted that the project was submitted 4 to 5 months ago therefore it should adhere to the August 11, 2004 SL-EP-EV Community Plan Update Design Guidelines.

The Designer Teo Berndt responded by highlighting in the drawings on display the ‘breaking-up’ of wall planes to create walls lengths no greater than 35’. The fact that the building is retained at a singular height is due to code compliance as presented to the designer from the Planning Dept. The designer explained how the height limit is based on the five feet from the perimeter of the building at the lowest point.

* MORE LEGALESE TO SHOW THE CAHOOTISM:

GLASSELL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL GENERAL BOARD MEETING
AGENDA Monday, January 9, 2006 [READ THIS AND SEE IF YOU WOULD APPROVE THIS?]

b. Draft a brief letter requesting the City Attorney and the Department of Building and Safety to amend the municipal code to allow community input in the issuance of demolition permits – AND until then to request notice of permits that the Department has issued in the CNC reports the Department of Planning transmits already. viii. Advise the Zoning Administrator that the GPNC does not support variances requested by the projects on 3620 & 3645 N. Kinney St. (see attachment D &E) d. Karl Fenske – That the GPNC advise State Assembly Members and Senators that we support AB 583 and their efforts for public financing of state elections through a letter to each of the representatives (more info available at http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_583&sess=CUR&house=B&site=sen )
ATTACHMENT E January 5, 2006 GLASSELL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL P.O. Box 65191 Los Angeles, California 90065 Re: Case No.: ZA-2005-4746-ZAD-SPP Address: 3645 N. Kinney Street Contact: Godwin Iwunze Dear G.P.N.C. Board, The Glassell Park Neighborhood Council’s Land Use and Planning Committee discussed and reviewed the aforementioned case at the November 2, 2005 meeting. The applicant, Mr. Godwin Iwunze, and his representative, Harden Carter, were present as well as approximately 12 residents. Note: Concern over the width of the roadway and emergency access was expressed by a number of the residents. It is an often-expressed concern in our community. Issues that were also voiced by the neighbors: Concern over hillside instability, roadway congestion during hours of construction, and water run-off and drainage. After further discussion at our January 4, 2006 meeting, the Committee voted to recommend the following. That the Mt. Washington/Glassell Park Specific Plan as well as the Hillside Ordinance be strictly adhered to in this case. It’s considered a public safety issue to provide adequate roadway width for emergency vehicle access particularly as vehicle population increases. We also recommend that all guidelines and setbacks, as stated in the Specific Plan, be observed. Therefore, the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council’s Land Use and Planning Committee moves to recommend to our Board to not support the aforementioned case N0. ZA-2005-4746-ZPP-SPP.

VOTE: Unanimous h) Demolition Permits Karl: We had previously issued a letter and received a response back from Building & Safety that the municipal code does not allow it. So we are asking to change the municipal code so we know what permits Glassell Park NC 1-9-06 Page 9 of 10 have been issued. Helene: Silver Lake NC has taken the lead on this so that NCs can be advised of demolition permits. Betsy: Is this a multi-signature letter from all NCs or from us. Helene: Just from us. VOTE: 8 unanimous in favor i) 3620 &3645 Kinney St Property MOTION by the Land Use Committee recommending that the GPNC oppose the variances requested by Godwin Iwunze Case ZA 2005-4746-ZAD-SPP for the Kinney St Properties (attachment D & E) VOTE: 8 unanimous in favor HELENE PRESIDING 11. PUBLIC FINANCING OF STATE ELECTIONS Karl: This document AB 583 is in process, it is not complete; it would allow public funding of state offices and create a fund for that. It is still in committee. Helene: So we have time to amend this in the future. Karl: Right so I am saying we support it thus far. Jim: I am not opposed to that, but there needs to be less loop holes to spend money on the side. Karl: I did not investigate it on your end, but it was introduced by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg so it’s coming from a good place. Alisa: So should we table it? Karl: It would take fundraising out of private hands. MOTION by Alisa to table SECOND by Jim VOTE: Unanimous

(END OF HEARING LEGALESE)

NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL DISENFRANCHISEMENT/ARE CONDOS APPROVED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING SOLD FOR $15 MILLION?

2007-06-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Will use this thread to post updates throughout the day. A lot of info flying in. I'm busier than Global-Knowledge opposition research. I'm very intrigued by Glassell Park NC's Paula Bagasao/Bagaso/Bagasso. A former Bill Clinton appointee as Head of IT. YIKES! She took that knowledge and opened "Global-Knowledge". (Sounds like a guerilla warfare, international opposition research network -- alot like ZD! No wonder I'm intrigued.)
_____________________________________________________________
***** UPDATE 6:00PM *****

* WAY MORE CITYWIDE PROBLEMS WITH NC SYSTEM CORRUPTION: LINCOLN HTS; CEDILLO vs The Pueblos
***** UPDATE *****

* CAROL BAKER THARP RESPONDS TO ZUMA DOGG ABOUT GLASSELL PARK NC BAMBOOZLE. (Carol, I was calling about the racketeering, not the filming of the racketeering.)

AND...

* GLASSELL PARK STAKEHOLDER TELLS THE STORY OF "KING BRADLEY THE GREAT"!
Carol Baker Tharp Speaks
Stakeholder Blasts "Sir Bradley"
_____________________________________________________________
***** UPDATE *****
CM SPEAKS TO ZD ABOUT COUNCIL REQUEST FOR MORE LAPD APPEARANCES BEFORE COUNCIL:
CLICK HERE FOR THE RE-CAP
_____________________________________________________________

***** UPDATE *****
ED REYES' LINCOLN HEIGHTS: Oh no...The SHADY LH Neighborhood Council story, posted last night, cause some new folks in the area to contact the ZAP Bat Phone this moring to pile on some of the REALSEST going on in the "Threat to Public Safety" Councilmember's district. I think what Lincoln Heights needs is an new restuarant and alcohol bar, with 150 video games, inside -- open to minors. And I think the best way to keep those video games busy, is to set the bar/video arcade AS CLOSE TO SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE...AS A MATTER OF FACT HOW ABOUT PLACING IT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SCHOOL (and very, very close to other schools, as well) and make sure the school door's practically flow right into the bar enterance. And don't mix business with pleasue ED! And don't spend City funds on condoms. That's not allowed on your expense report, even if you are using them for people you are doing City business with. AND STOP HAVING THE SAME GUY FROM SAN DIEGO DO ALL OF YOUR "Business Improvement District" (BID) reports at $50,000 a pop. All he's doing is handing in the same pre-printed form. [MORE ON REYES' LINCOLN HTS THIS AFTERNOON. THE PUEBLOS ARE PISSED...AND THEY DISCOVERED ZD ON MAYOR SAM...(You lose, Carl Miller.)
________________________________________________________________

NOTE FROM ZUMA DOGG: Although the pueblos are coming down hard on Bradley, Paula and the Glassell Park/Silverlake/Eagle Rock "In Cahoots Crew", for their rancid mix of Jan Perry/Jack Weiss behavior -- the story is really about loopholes. They are only a talented bunch, of organized folks, with no ethics who are using the system as allowed. This is about DONE/BONC/CITYCOUNCIL/VILLARAIGOSA deciding whether they want to close up those loopholes. So touche Glassell Cahoots Crew...we're obviously not rolling over on this one, and it is only your pomposity that unraveled all this...but let's rember the goal: REFORM!
_________________________________________________________________

LINK UPDATES:
PAULA BAGASAO ZUMAKIPEDIA
GLASSELL PARK & SURROUNDING AREAS: CORRUPTION OF THE NC SYSTEM
Lincoln Heights NC Political Payback for opposing Cedillo's AIDS Memorial Wall in Public Park
NEW: PUBLIC INPUT BLOG -- See Zuma's Excess of material not blogged here. And memos from others, too long to post.
NEW: Join ZAP Blog
More on LA's International PIXELODEON Film Fest Featuring L.A.'s own Zuma Dogg & YOUR Los Angeles City Council
Zuma Dogg Blog Impact (7 day report)
__________________________________________________________________

Shady, fraudulent condos going up in MARINA DEL REY (Maxell & Lincoln area) ALLEGED SCHEME EXPOSED BY PROJECT WORKER!

How do I know? A construction worker birdie in the area told me. (Gotta love MTA!) Look how shady fraud, waste and abuse presents itself, everywhere I turn. No wonder I'm also so cranky.

And yes, it is these workers who told me condos were going up along Venice Boardwalk/Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves were going in. (They were right!)

It is these crews that told ZD those small Venice condos were $1.5 million each. They were right! And now...

THE ENTIRE F*ING CITY HAS A PROBLEM IF THIS IS TRUE...CAUSE THIS WITNESS TESTIFIES THAT THIS CONDO-TRIFECT WAS APPROVED AS LOW-INCOME APARTMENT RENTALS (to cheap out on the materials like copper pipes, cause they got state and city entitlement money) -- BUT THEY ARE ALREADY SIGN, SEALED AND DELIVERED AS LUXURY CONDOS AS HIGH AS $15,000 A MONTH -- THAT'S ONLY AFFORDABLE TO RICH PEOPLE FLYING IN FROM ASIA TO BUY THE PROPERTY!!! It's called a "flip, y'all"...and it's an international housing scheme using city and state money and cahootsing it up with the mayor and city council...ON THE MUTHERPHUGHING REALEST...And again...this way too freindly over-talker HAD to let me know way too much about himself, until he said, he's in "construction" (as a worker) -- and I told him I am intersted in that topic, and the rest is about to be history:

HEY CM ROSENDAHL, MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA & LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL: You gotta love the pueblos. You might beat us, but you didn't fool us. Where does the racketeering end? If you can't beat 'em, ZAP 'em!

Hey Bradley, Paula, Mark and the Cahootsville Crew...here's another community activist opposition research group you can join:

ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
Contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com
(310) 928-7544

CLICK READ MORE FOR THE ACCOUNT OF THIS MARINA DEL REY CONSTRUCTION WORKER:

MTA bus ride highlights: (Marina Del Rey Development - see also Playa Vista)

HIS WORDS: Phase 2 "Water Terrace" Swinerton $250 Million Budget.

Built as apartments with plumbing building codes less restrictive than condos.

Built with intentions to sell in 3 years to new owners.

Only 1 low income housing unit, an efficiency at $1600 per month.

Top Floor Penthouse $15,000 per month. (Shown to Shaq before completed.)

Built on old salvage yard or garbage dump property. (Methane/toxic hazard?)

Building permits were granted with low income housing promised but not intended.

Owners of General Contractor Swinerton was awarded a bonus for finishing on schedule. (He thinks it was $1 Million?)

Swinerton loss the contract for Phase 3 due to complications on Phase 2 and possible use of funds from Phase 3 on phase 2 and/or other issues! (In other words, spent Phase 3 money during phase 2, and ran out.)

Phase 3 Webb Corp.: $150 Million Budget

DONE SENDS REP TO GLASSELL PARK NC MEETING TO CLARIFY BROWN ACT TO BOARDMEMBERS (BLOGGER'S VICTORY!)

2007-06-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

***** UPDATE 06/07/07 9:00pm *****
PUBLIC HEARING: ANOTHER APPEAL AGAINST A BRADLEY/E.B.E. ZONING VARIANCE PROJECT (THEY ALL SEEM TO BE, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE -- AND THEY ALL SEEM TO END IN COMMUNITY APPEAL; ONLY TO BE APPROVED ANYWAY, CAUSE THE CITY IS WORKING IN CAHOOTS WITH HIM.)
Invitiation to join Bradley/E.B.E. for a little PUBLIC COMMENT, AND LET PLANNING KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ANOTHER ZONING VARIANCE APPROVAL FOR BRADLEY WHEN THE COMMUNITY SAYS, "NO"!
_________________________________________________________________________

Here's one worthy of a new thread. DONE responds to the blogger outrage over Bradley's B.S. regarding filming at the GP NC meeting. DONE sends a representative over to "ZAP" his ass and give him a good talking to. NEXT TIME JUST LISTEN, BITCH!

SHE TOLD YOUR DUMB ASS, "SIR 'BRADLEY' WHAT'S YOUR NAME", YOU POMPUS, ARROGANT LIAR!!! YOU ARE EITHER A COMPLETELY IGNORANT IDIOT -- OR A LYING SUNOFABEATCH FOR SAYING THE CITY ATTORNEY TOLD YOU SHE COULDN'T FILM. SAY WHAT AGAIN! DAMN IT, I SAID, SAY WHAT AGAIN!!! YOUR NON-SENSE DIDN'T FOOL ANYONE EXCEPT BILL CLINTON Internet and Technology APPOINTEE (and Billion Dollar International Pharmaceutical Project Spokesperson), Paula Bagasao/Bagasso/Bagaso -- and their NC Steamroll Cahootsville Crew.

Here are the links to all the detailed updates (and there are a lot of them) regarding Citywide NC disenfranchisement (to say the least), including the big Glassell Park NC Bamboozle.

Lincoln Heights NC Political Payback for opposing Cedillo's AIDS Memorial Wall in Public Park
NEW: Join ZAP Blog
PAULA BAGASAO ZUMAKIPEDIA
GLASSELL PARK & SURROUNDING AREAS: CORRUPTION OF THE NC SYSTEM
NEW: PUBLIC INPUT BLOG -- See Zuma's Excess of material not blogged here. And memos from others, too long to post.
More on LA's International PIXELODEON Film Fest Featuring L.A.'s own Zuma Dogg & YOUR Los Angeles City Council
Zuma Dogg Blog Impact (7 day report)

And thanks to "Mr. K" for letting me talk about it on the air today, and for letting me mention mayor sam's blog a whole bunch of times. Kevin James, tonight 9p-11p on KRLA AM 870.

Introducing LA LIVE: The $2 Billion Plus Ritz-Carlton Condos and International Entertainment & Convention Center Game Plan To Revive Downtown

2007-06-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

JUST EXPANDED THE COVERAGE AND ANALYSIS OF CRA/LA's LA LIVE PROJECT. (A lot more than posted on this thead. I've tried so hard to write a good comedy script, all these years. All I had to do was review this project. Read ZD's MEGA article on this MEGA boondoggle.)]
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Grand Avenue, LA "Condorodo" River...and now, LA LIVE. They should call it LA DEAD...cause all these CRA community anvils are gonna bankrupt the City.

Not to say that I am against more of these billion dollar downtown boondoggle projects by the CRA (Community Robbing A-holes)...but I hope an earthquake destroys this entire project two seconds after the ribbon cutting ceremony! (Except, then the CRA would just be happy -- because then -- they could build it all over again, and make the money all over again!)

WATCH THIS HILARIOUS JERK-OFF VIDEO OF THIS JERK-OFF PROJECT
[Watch this blog and LA LIVE PROJECT BLOG for much more on this pompous, ego-driven, billion dollar white elephant waiting to happen. Just what we need...more five star hotels, botique shops, restaurants and entertainment along "Tumbleweed Connection". I know, I know...build it and they will come. FIRST, YOU BRAG IN LA WEEKLY THAT YOU PLAN ON BUILDING SO MUCH HIGH DENSITY HOUSING THAT TRAFFIC WILL COME TO A GRIDLOCK HAULT. THEN, YOU PLAN ON PEOPLE FLOCKING TO THE AREA TO GO TO PF CHANG'S? Riiiiiiiiight! I think the City should be sticking to basics; prove to the constituents that they can tie their shoelaces (accomplish something). How come the only people that do not see the problem with this are the ones making the money off the development?

AND NOW, IF YOU LIKE TRAGIC FAIRYTALES, HERE'S ONE:

L.A. LIVE Welcomes New Cornerstone [how many cornerstones can downtown have] of Emerging [Speculative] Vibrant Downtown District With Hotel and Residences [and Skid Row Homeless] Groundbreaking Today; Major Financial Investors in Hotel and District Also Announce [GOOD! Cause if there is ONE thing downtown LA needs, is new two five star hotels!

June 1, 2007

Governor Schwarzenegger, Mayor Villaraigosa and Business Leaders Join AEG to Break Ground on The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE, The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Hotel at L.A. LIVE [Sorry folk, between this and Grand Ave project, won't be much space left for real affordable housing, except on the sidewalks.]

LOS ANGELES, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- AEG, developers of L.A. LIVE, the world-class sports, entertainment and residential district being built in downtown Los Angeles [they used world-class and downtown in the same phrase...LOL!], will break ground today on a 1,001-room hotel/224-room residence tower that will serve as the project's anchor [yeah, cause it's gonna sink the area], at a ceremony led by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. [Battle of the choppers.]

Also on hand to mark the start of construction of the 54-story, Class A high-rise [in class "Skid Row" territory] will be (was, I guess) Los Angeles City Council Members [insert kiss ass photo opportunists CMs here]; and Speaker of the California State Assembly (fringe, extreme political activist) Fabien Nunez.

The hotel/condominium tower, which will total 2 million square feet on 2.5 acres of land, will contain The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE, the JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton hotel. Scheduled for completion in early 2010, it will be the final building to commence construction on the extremely active, 27-acre L.A. LIVE site, which is adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center.

If you like "tragic fairytales"...here's the Press Release that's more hilarious than a Seinfeld script, and more tragic than a steamroller gentrifying the community.

LA LIVE PROJECT BLOG

Oh no...Not Grand Ave Project (Plus LA LIVE $2 Billion Plus "Mixed-Use" Luxury Project)

2007-06-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

JUST EXPANDED THE COVERAGE AND ANALYSIS OF CRA/LA's LA LIVE PROJECT. (A lot more than posted on Saturday's earlier thead. I've tried so hard to write a good comedy script, all these years. All I had to do was review this project. Read ZD's MEGA article on this MEGA boondoggle.)]
__________________________________________________________________

You've heard me mention "analytical vs holistic". For example, I just got done talking about the LA LIVE project. So when the city was considering the zoning, infrastructure, EIR, city time and money, and all the other impacts that are evaluated and weighed in on at public hearings -- I BET THEY FORGOT TO FACTOR IN THE GRAND AVENUE PROJECT IMPACT!!! I KNOW THEY DID, CAUSE I READ THE MINUTES AND BUSINESS PLAN FOR GRAND AVENUE PROJECT. AND IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF LA LIVE!

So just when you think there isn't enough demand for more five star hotels, luxury condos (instead of a range of affordable, middle and upper level residential housing for workers in the area; and your everyday amenities), you forgot to factor in the fact that there is another OVER $2 billion five star hotel, luxury condo, specialy retail, restaurant and open space project to compete with the minimal demand. It's called...drumroll please...because it really deserves a prodigious, magestic, regal, fantastic, tribute of an introduction...

ELI BROAD & CORPORATE WELFARE FUNDSUCKERS INC'S...GRAND AVENUE PROJECT!!!

THE SAVIOR OF THE CITY, REGION AND WORLD!!! We are just lucky to have it. (Or at least have the approval to start spending the money!) Wikipedia on Grand Ave Project

I'm sure you will be reading much more about the overall details of the project; specifics of what it includes, business plan, comments from experts and community leaders, and the whole enchilada. Because how could you not? It's the biggest, most inextricably intertwined project in City, State and US History. Never before have you had the CRA/LA, City Council, County -- AND, a private developer, Related Co. (working with CALPER, the pension money people who fund MacFarlane, who work with Related) ALL coming together for this one massive project, that has part of the details, sort of worked out...and they'll figure out the rest as they go along. (A $2 billion dollar starting point of a "wink and a handshake" to allow everyone to start spending and making the money!)

The city can barely agree on filling a pothole, but this “most complicated project ever” requires the CRA, County, City Council and Related Co. (the developer) to all agree.

They already had to go back and add over $100 million for construction due to rising construction costs (and those are only going to continue to rise, in part due to cement shortages due to massive construction around the globe).

OH MY GOODNESS...IT SAYS, “The critical goal of this Project from it’s inception has been to create the civic park for all Angelinos to enjoy. You mean to tell me creating of a park we already have is THE critical goal? Man, nice priorities. I guess skid row is less important than creating a park. This critically needed park is described as festivals, concerts, markets, but most importantly and most critically, “passive recreation.”

It will provide an “oasis” for residents, workers and tourists. How about an AD HOC committee addressing, “The critical need to create an oasis for passive recreation.”

“The reinvention of a much underutilized and inaccessible open space is one of the most significant community benefits that will result from the project.” (If you want to do that, you don’t have to spend $2 billion and give away the farm, I mean city. Meanwhile, if that’s one of the most significant benefits, I am not impressed.)
COMEDY RELIEF: ZD Legislative Review of of Grand Ave's "Joint Powers Authority" (Bamboozle and Associates) actual board memo.

AND FINALLY, AND I AM NOT TRYING TO BE A SMART ASS: I am BEGGING everyone involved in the planning and execution of this project (CRA, County, City Hall, Related Co) to please review this practical, easy to under stand explanation of Dr. W. Edwards Deming's "Methods for Management of Quality and Productivity" (Quality Management), based on his 14 Point check list. Laugh all you want haters, but it is ALL about getting different departments to work "together" in the most efficient manner in all phases of product design and construction. It's innovative, common-sense thinking that won't be anything new to anyone, but it's a nice reminder, and Deming did a great job of collaborating and articulating everything under one "umbrella". So check it out...you'll need it CRA/Council/County/City Hall and Related. Much Love!
Interpreting Deming's 14 Points (Demings/Robbins/Pittman/Internationally acclaimed "synopsis" of Deming's 14 Points

Applying Deming's 14 Points to City of Los Angeles including Video Seminar (Scroll down and scan stories)

And to the haters who try and minimize Deming, and the the intellects who already know about him, and want to read more about ZD's mentorDeming Google Search of historic global impact of his 14 point philosophy

GLASSELL PARK UPDATE & “PROOF OF FRAUD” CLAIMS AGAINST GPNC BOARDMEMBER

2007-06-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

THERE'S SUCH A FLOOD OF NEW INFO POURING IN, I HAVE TO POST SOME OF IT OFF SITE. HERE'S SOME COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE PROOF OF FRAUD AT GPNC, PLUS OTHER GPNC COMMENTS NOT POSTED ON ANY OTHER BLOG. EVEN MORE GPNC INFO & COMMENTS (GOOD STUFF!)

FROM ZUMA'S ZAP INBOX:

ZAPPER: ZD, What is the entire Glassell Park NC group doing with a Highland Park phone number -- belonging to someone who doesn't appear to have any link to GPNC, at all? Maybe it's nothing, but maybe it's something...

ZD: Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. It never is.

...And this thoughtful and insightful dialouge from the NortheastLA Yahoo Group regarding "Conflict of Interests" and what the City is and isn't willing to do about all this NC scandal triggered by Bradley and his Glassell Park (and regional) NC in Cahoots crew. (And that cahootsism includes the Planning Department, and that means Councilmembers!)

Zuma, Kind of interesting that the the new Bradley/Victory Outreach-controlled GPNC has eliminated all funding for projects other then "outreach," while reneging on funding for the Cypress/Glassell Park walkabout (which I understand was very successful) and not bothering to show up to any of the local community events for which outreach sponsorship had already been provided.

PROOF POSITIVE THAT GLASSELL PARK NC DOES PLENTY OF OUTREACH
[SO DON'T BLAME THEM, FOR BLAMING YOU FOR NOT SHOWING UP!]

Zuma,

More unrest from the pueblos in Cahootsville.

This whole string is fascinating. [ZD: I AGREE!]

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Rob Schraff
Sent: Jun 10, 2007 11:18 AM
To: NortheastLA@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [NortheastLA] Re: Bradley's Victory Outreach Conflict - Proof

CLICK READ MORE FOR THE INFORMATIVE TRANSCRIPT. AND YOU MAY WANT TO SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM AND READ YOUR WAY UP TO CATCH THE REPLIES IN THE ORDER THEY WERE POSTED.

Mary -

Cases are different. Times change. I AM hopeful that Bradley's spectacularly poor bahavior does cause change.

Remember, tomorrow night, Carol Baker Tharp will be meeting people at the Glassell Park Community Center. [With convientent 5pm starting time. Tell your boss you have to take off work around 3:30pm to get there in time.]

Rob

From: "Mo"
Reply-To: NortheastLA@yahoogroups.com
To: NortheastLA@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [NortheastLA] Re: Bradley's Victory Outreach Conflict - Proof
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2007 18:10:48 -0000

Rob, City Ethics WILL NOT investigate. Call them directly and talk
with them, as I have a number of times. The laws may technically
apply (and even that's arguable), but without financial disclosure,
they will NOT investigate or enforce. I have been told that by the
city attorney's office, the city Ethics Commission, the Fair Political
Practices Commission, the state attorney general and the county
attorney's office. DONE has no enforcement power. So even if the
laws DO apply, if no one will investigate them or enforce them, what
possible difference does it make? I'd love to see some city agency
undertake an investigation...but it ain't gonna happen until someone
files a successful lawsuit forcing the issue. And given the structure
of the NCs, that would be difficult because the NC approvals ARE
"advisory" only. We have neighborhood council members who use their
positions for their own financial gain, and the only ones who seem to
give a darn are those few of us who have witnessed it and tried to do
something about it. I am hoping that Bradley's blatant violation of
the Brown Act will cause enough embarrassment to the city that it
starts to do something...but I'm not holding my breath.

Mo

In NortheastLA@yahoogroups.com, "Rob Schraff" wrote:

Mo -

Here's the catch, from Bradley's point of view -

"WHEREAS, if neighborhood councils are exempted from adopting and
promulgating a conflict of interest code, they nevertheless will be
bound by the substantive provisions of the Political Reform Act
requiring disclosure and recusal in specified situations involving
conflict of interests"

So, in a nutshell, NC reps don't have to reveal conflicts, but are
still not allowed to act on them. Bradley is clearly in violation of
the Political Reform Act, as well as the Brown Act. (It would also be
interesting to know how many meetings and telephone conversations the
board has had in private in violation of the Brown Act.) The county
D.A., could definitely get involved. Of course there's also the
California Fair Political Practices Commisssion -
http://www.fppc.ca.gov/

I suppose if the sign actually goes up, Bradley could even face a
civil suit for damages.

Here's another interesting point - the exemption is specifically
allowed only until - "The entity obtains authority to engage in
regulatory, quasiregulatory, permit, licensing or planning authority
or functions;"

I would say the support of the Victory Outreach sign assumes "quasi-regulatory" "planning authority" functions. I'm sure the city attorney would argue otherwise in regard to the NC's "advisory"status, but it seems the word "quasi" makes this difficult when an official, elected, city body under the charter takes a stand onplanning issues.

There is a process for addressing this through the Ethics Commission,
but maybe instead city needs to reconsider the conflict exemption,
lobbied for by DONE, and a problem in a number of local NCs?

- Rob

From: "Mo"
Subject: [NortheastLA] Re: Bradley's Victory Outreach Conflict - Proof
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:08:37 -0000

Well, Rob, I wish it would do some good to go to the City Attorney or
County Attorney or DONE -- BUT IT WON'T. As I pointed out in my May
30th posting, there is NO enforcement of the Conflict of Interest or
Ethics laws when it comes to Neighborhood Councils.

I've been raising that issue ever since I found about it last fall.

Because of issues involving a conflict of interest issue and unethical
behavior on the part of Jim Perry, an Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council
board member, I filed complaints with the City Ethics Commission and
the City Attorney. Much to my surprised dismay, I was told that the
city ethics and conflict of interest laws DO NOT apply to Neighborhood
Council board members and no city agency will investigate or enforce
those laws with respect to Neighborhood Councils. NC board members
are required by law to take the conflict of interest and ethics
training...but they will NOT be held accountable if they violate the
laws. Next I tried state enforcement agencies, hoping I could get
someone there to investigate. I was told the same thing --- no
enforcement because Neighborhood Council members are exempt and do not
complete the state financial disclosure forms.

On the DONE website, there is a link for Reference Library, which
drops down a list of more links. Choose "Laws that Govern Us". That
will give you a list of documents available. From that list, choose
the one titled: "Ordinance 176477 - Form 700 -- Conflict of Interest
Disclosure: Exempts Neighborhood Councils from adopting a conflict of
interest code and filing Form 700 financial disclosure statements."
The link to this document is:

http://www.lacityneighborhoods.com/documents/Ordinance%20176477%20eff%2003-28-2005.pdf

The Mayor himself applied for and received an exemption from the
state's Fair Political Practices Commission for oversight by that
agency of Neighborhood Councils.

So who oversees the ethics and honesty of the Neighborhood Councils?
The boards themselves! Yep - you got it! The boards are free to add
ethics and conflict of interest language to their bylaws, and then
police themselves. Huh. Wonder how likely it is that any board will
actually step up and do the right thing? From what I've witnessed --
not too likely.

So is anyone beginning to understand why this issue has had me upset
for lo these many months? Particularly now, when NCs are pushing for
more power and more money?

Mo Oxford

--- In NortheastLA@yahoogroups.com, "Rob Schraff" wrote:

Attached is a pdf doc for city planning Case ZA-2007-824.

In this perjury statement Bradley signs that he is verifying that this
is the map that he has drawn of the radius (500') from the Victory
Outreach sign, within which occupants are to be notified of CU Permit
hearing.

His signature is on a statement verifying that the list of occupants
and their addresses within the 500' radius of project is correct.

Specific Proof that Bradley was (is?) working for Victory Outreach,
and has a clear conflict. I must say its time to stop messing around
with DONE re: this particular scum, and go straight to the city
attorney or County D.A.

Might also be worthwhile to check if he has a real-estate,
contractor's or Section 7 financial services sales licence....

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

The "Manhattanization" of Los Angeles: The Federal Government Needs Us To Do This To Compete In The Global Economy

2007-06-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

WHY THE CITY LOS ANGELES WANTS TO TAKE YOUR HOME AND BUILD A SKYSCRAPER
It's Not Their Fault -- Washington, DC Is Making Them Gentrify To Compete In The Global Economy And The Plan Includes Mexico

by Zuma Dogg

HAS ZUMA DOGG "FLIPPED" ON CITY PLANNING?
THE BIG PICTURE BEHIND L.A.'S SKYSCRAPER SKYLINE DREAMS.

Click here and type "zuma" in keyword search box for ALL ZD Public Comments from City Hall as seen on TV 35. Or "zuma density" for comments on this topic.

After reading the LA Weekly article and combining that with a conversation I just had with the "liberal" version of Zuma Dogg. (Find a Venice Beach type, like ZD, who represents Hahn/Garcetti to a T.)

So as he was talking about what needs to happen in regards to the development future of this City; and it basically sounded exactly what the Garcetti and City Planners were preaching in the LA Weekly.

So here's what I realized: We are in a period of transition. We are at the end of the old, as they are just starting the new. But they haven't even started yet…government officials are still conceiving.

The Manhattanization of Los Angeles has a lot to do with what has happened in China.

They have taken the manufacturing industry away from the U.S. and have used the profits to steamroll the place into the skyscraper filled, George Jetson city, the City of Los Angeles hopes it can be.

They are actually ahead of us in this area, to the point that they have over-developed and polluted themselves, nearly to death.

They are going green now, the way the mayor wants to, not because they want to, but because they have to. (The effect of an "all you can eat buffet" among greedy powers that be. "Just do it now, make the money, suffer consequences later. We'll worry about the problem when it gets here.")

[CLICK READ MORE...A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIKE ME WILL HATE ME AND VICA VERSA. SIMPLY, ON THE REALSEST, DOUGH!]

So the mayor knows he has to make this speculative environmental technology -- present environmental technology to prepare for wall to wall skyscrapers in this city that will create such bad traffic, the smog will be unbearable, and we will have to find energy alternatives.

[AND, Villaraigosa feels that LA could use a little "high quality" industry to export abroad. LA can be the "green machine" technology providers to the world. And we need that! BUT I STILL SAY DON'T INVEST PENSION MONEY TO DO IT!]

So the bullet train needs to be built from San Diego to San Fran – Subway to the Sea needs to get rolling; and all the light rail needs to be built and buses added to prepare for the masses.

Cause here's the problem. LA is liberal and doesn't want to do this. (Gentrify/Steamroll the current "single home and a car" in favor of wall to wall skyscrapers. But the politicians HAVE to!)

China has already become the skyscraper capital, surpassing us.

So U.S. has to team up with Mexico to create one region so as to be able to compete in this global economy.

I've said it before a million times before. But after the LA Weekly article and a conversation last nigh, it kinda all clicked and I see the BIG picture.

China has shifted the manufacturing to their region, and used the money to create the ultimate density city.

And if we don't make something to compete, they will become more dominant.

But we are at a disadvantage. The City wasn't planned for this type of development, as a matter of fact it put measures in place to protect against this "Elegant Density/Smart Growth."

But the superpowers have figured it all out, and we have to do this, or we will lose in the global "survival of the fittest" challenge.

UNFORTUNATELY...WE are stuck in the transition period for the rest of OUR lives.

The period where the party is over, we have to build the density first, and try to keep up with the infrastructure later.

And we have all these homes and buildings in the way, and everything is so spread out.

But in thirty years, it MAY begin to improve.

CAUSE HERE'S THE PROBLEM Y'ALL...

You are building all of this based on magic bullet trains and a lot of things that requires bond money and a vote of the people.

You have planned all of this based on building subway to sea, magic bullet train, more buses, more police, schools...all these things that require a vote of the people.

What if they say "no" to the FLY LA SF to SD bullet train in '09?

What if subway to the sea doesn't get funded?

THEN WHAT? I know, I know...eventually it will get bad enough that even the toilet cleaners will vote "yes" on the bonds to pay for the bullet trains. (And in the LA Weekly article they admit, that it is gonna have the traffic gridlock is going to have to get so bad, that people will be begging to vote to spend billions for Jetsonville.

We need the region to allow the uber-elite to hop on the train in Vegas in the morning, do business in LA, then bullet train it back to Vegas.

Bottom line: It's gonna get done, one way, or the other. China has done it, and now we either, "do or die". This isn't about Antonio's decision.

The gentrification of LA, and the impending privatization of the education system, and the merging with Mexico, through immigration and policy == is paving the way for us to have a shot in the survival of the fittest global challenge.

So yeah, all the culture, heritage and ecology is going to be wiped away. I guess you can say we saw were part of the good old days.

Only problem is, we are stuck in the transitional moment of time where it is darkest before the light.

Get ready for the Darth Vader helmet operation on the entire SCAG region of Los Vegas, North Mexico. It's our only hope.

See. ZD knows what time it is. Why didn't you just tell me, instead of trying to hide it.

It's the deception I don't like. If you just said, "Sorry kiddies, have you seen China? Have you seen Asia? At one time an AMC Pacer was the coolest thing in the world. I would understand.

It’s over. U.S. and Mexican powers that be have decided the continent must unite and merge in order to survive in this global economy. Canada will be next to complete the North American trifecta . Then let the buffalo roam, as they will from Mexico, through Kansas, to Canada! And the trucks will roll from the ports down this corridor, delivering imported items to Best Buys and Wal-marts like a newspaper truck, driving through the neighborhood, making deliveries.)

Funny, while we are discussing building borders against the enemy on our own continent...the guys overseas blew past us, and took the lead.

So, the U.S. and Mexico governments have it figured out. LA, will be built and designed to be the international region for two purposes:

a) Provide the George Jetson, luxury, sky-scraper mega-metropolis city that people overseas, with all the money, seem to enjoy. (Vegas has steamrolled and made over the city with a skyscraper skyline, with way more to come. So we have to even compete with that, from a national level. But NV and CA want to build a bullet train, to help unite the region, and compete/accommodate globally, too.)

It will cost billions and billions and billions of tax-payers dollars to build all the infrastructure (bullet trains, light rail more busses) to do this. And there is a long period of time when the trapeze artist will be "mid-air" between trapeze bars.
(The time between when all the density causes COMPLETE traffic
gridlock, and the point where we finally have the infrastructure completed.) AND, the plan IS to let it get so bad, first. So the demand (and willingness of taxpayers to fund it) will be there.

b) Get Southern California in shape to overhaul the infrastructure, so we can more efficiently execute our role in the US economy. THE PORT INDUSTRY. 40% of all US goods come through the ports and roll down the 710. So that is a FEDERAL and STATE priority. (To make the movement of goods process more efficient and more environmentally safe, cause pollution is a huge problem that will be getting worse.)

And since we need to build all these skyscrapers and bullet trains and subways, we are going to have to ease up the immigration policies to allow the cheap labor we get from Mexico to build all this stuff and service all of it.

So, in Southern California, look for the trend to be having the U.S. loosen up the borders, through policy like drivers licenses for illegals, and amnesty because the decision has been made. We need their labor to build the infrastructure, then service it, cause we need all the help we can get -- cause we have a lot of catching up to do to be on par with our international compadres. Asia/China want us to improve our infrastructure so we can accommodate them, cause they have a lot of money and like to have accommodations in their U.S. Annex. And we need to catch up, so they don't crush us, economically.

Although guys like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity and all their callers (and a big hunk of US society, in general) would never, ever, ever, ever, go along with the idea of OPENING up the borders...THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN CALLS FOR. IT'S NORTH AMERICA vs. ASIA/CHIA/INDIA...NOT U.S. vs. Mexico vs. Canada. So it looks like we will be reluctantly teaming up with our low wage, non English speaking neighbors.

Cause yes, the "Leave it to Beaver" days are over. And our enemy's enemy is
our friend. And in the global economic arena, the enemy/competition is overseas.

So all the Archie Bunkers are gonna have to live with all those Univision watching, La Opinion reading, La Raza 97.9 listening, Spanish-only speaking Mexicans, who aren't here because they love the John and Ken show, and wanna have dinner with people from the local homeowners association. They are here because Mexico sucks, from an economic standpoint. And they come here, because of the economic opportunity.

It kinda used to irritate me when I am standing in a 7-11 in Los Angeles, and everyone in the store is speaking Spanish, and it's on the Westside. But, obviously there is a demand for what they are doing. I know people say, if they weren't here, it would mean more jobs for legal residents. And of course they are taking a percentage away.

BUT HERE'S THE DEAL: For the game plan the Federal government has in mind, it includes taking advantage of the cheap labor, which is willing to live here, under
low-income, sucky circumstances. They aren't buying property in Beverly Hills. They aren't scamming anyone in big real estate deals.

When Cedillo has Schwarzenegger approve driver licenses for illegals, it isn't to drive to a Paris Hilton party on the red carpet. It's to simply be able to drive to their low-paying, hard labor, or boring as hell, manual labor job. (And to those who are able to rise above that, and jump into something better. Fine, they obviously created the demand to go from dishwasher to waiter. Or phone operator, to salesperson.)

See, right now, the powers that be are scared to tell opponents the master plan, because people don't like change, they like to maintain not only the status quo, but like to maintain heritage, and that's the way it's always been around here.

Except things change. And not changing, is change itself anyway. So the transition is gonna suck. We are stuck at the worst part. The mess left over from neglect. And the clean up and rebuilding process, which includes the plan of getting worse, before better, because the demand will be here, before the supply of Jestons infrastructure. AND THE DAY, SOMETIME SOON, WHEN ALL THE ILLEGALS ARE ISSUED DRIVERS LICENSES...YOU WILL HAVE INSTANT TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK SHUT DOWN THE NEXT DAY. And that is part of the plan, cause then -- you will be BEGGING to be taxed to death to pay for it.

Will eggs have to be broken...yes? Will there be time for all the "Zuma Dogg's" out there (public activists) to provide all the public input to consider all of this? (No!) Will your house be crushed by a skyscraper being dumped on top of your land? (Yes.) Are we about to wipe away the entire cultural and historic heritage and smooth it all over with cement? (Yes!)

That's just the way it is. It's a much bigger picture than what goes on at the NC meeting, City Council meeting, SCAG meeting or Governor meeting. Poor Antonio and Council. I just sat here for the past year trying to get them to enforce vacancy rates and laws that were put in place to prevent this exact scenario. But at the end of the day, it is futile to resist. You can't stop a wave, only ride it. Otherwise it crashes on your head.

So embrace this cultural era: And next time you are on the bus, or standing at the crosswalk, look at that illegal worker who you used to resent for being here illegally and say, "Welcome to the Estados of Unidos, mi amigo! Man, doesn't it suck that you had to come here, only to work so hard, for so little, only to have to send it all back to Mexico (since they have no welfare system), and you have to live in crowded garages. But you, and I, my friend are screwed, cause we let the global economy race pass us by, while we were resting on out laurels. So let's unite to prevent from being overtaken and held economic hostage from China, Asia and India.

Meanwhile, in thirty or forty years, when it's all done...Cal-Vegas, New Mexico will be a great city if you are super-rich, or super-poor. Everyone in between (the middle) will be gone. We are heading to a two-class, divided system, just like in Mexico. But every system has to have a top, middle and bottom. If you cut our the middle, it breaks. Ask any two class system. So let's make sure the City sticks to the concept of these mixed use "elegant villages" without the corruption and make sure you maintain the balance of top, middle and bottom. You won't. Cause greed always wins out. Cause things are evaluated at the balance sheet level, so that's the ball people are keeping their eye on.

NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, Y'ALL!!! ON THE REALEST, DOUGH!

Steamrollers...Start Your Engines!

LA Weekly "Density" article on the City's Plan for LA

MORE TO COME...

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com
Click here for more on Zuma Dogg
Mayor Sam's Blog: LA City Political Insider Blog
Springsteen's 1978 Take

HEY LA TIMES (and all print mediums) -- INNOVATE OR DIE: Don't blame editorial departments, entirely, for declining circulation

2007-06-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

INNOVATE OR DIE
Don't blame editorial departments, entirely, for declining circulation
by Zuma Dogg

To: LA Times, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, all print meduims
Fr: Zuma Dogg
Re: Declining cirulation and Innovation
Dt: June 2, 2007

Before I put on the the ski cap, glasses and started talking like my Doggfather, Snoop Dogg, I studied under the tutelidge of Dr. W. Edwards Deming.

He's the international "quality and productivity" consultant who taught the Japanese how to put "quality" into the manufacturing process. Look how they became known for THE international standard of quality and efficency with companies like Honda, Toyota, Sony and all the products with better reputations than their U.S. counteparts.

(And I know most of you know who he is because all the universities and business consultants teach his principals.)

Part of quality, is INNOVATION:

Once the vacumme tube was king. Then came the transistor.

Eight tracks ruled the world. Till CD, which ruled until iPod. And internet downloads have meant the end of Tower and other record stores.

11:13am...that's basically a good new paragraph for any new "Deming-based" article update. You said it well!

So you cannot begrude the print medium for losing out to the net.

The point is not to ride the old medium into the ground. Sony music did not say, "We are in the vinyl record business." They said, "We are in the 'recorded music' business." And they started to print vinyl records AND CDs, during the transition. And now, only CD.

So Deming says, "Know what business you are in, then committ to continous innovation of product and service."

So OF COURSE a newspaper is becoming the CD of the iPod world.

The Times, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal all have one thing in common. NAME BRAND RECOGNITION. And that's about it.

But that's a lot. Cause at the end of the day, we still have not seen a music superstar emerge off the iTunes store/internet downloads or YouTube (AS MUCH AS ZD WISHES OTHERWISE!) People still need that "distribution" and "promotional" pipeline to the public. And at the end of the day, they like that "seal of approval" (filtering) that name brand companies bring.

If ZD picks a group, who cares...if MTV picks it, people care. People like Siskle and Ebert thumbs up. They like to know Paramount thought it was a great movie idea and they backed it.

The marketplace is too overcrowded, and people look to American Idol competitons and record company releases to help narrow down the decison making process, the same way some people wait till the playoffs to start watching basketball; or until only two candidates to start following the elections, or until MTV plays the video.

So the Times has that going for them, but yeah...they are going to have to figure out a way to make money off the net. I doubt the web ads can pay for the print production side - and the editiorial staff.

So I think what you will see is, more cuts -- that should be coming from the production side, first.

Then the paper circulation will cut way back, it will be sold for it's online asset...it will be cut back to an all online publication (they way BMG/Warner Music went to all CD, and will soon be all internet.)

The vaccume tube industry couldn't rally to build a better vacuume tube to prevent the transistor from taking over.

And newspapers can't keep the internet from taking over.

So although the editorial of the Times is now, at this point funnier than The Onion, but even if it were the best, most Zuma Dogg-freindly content ever, you can't stop the net.

The Times (who I am using as an example for ALL print mediums) needs to:

a) if all this stuff is already available on the net by the time it comes out, you are going to have to use those pages to provide what the internet cannot: [And I'm sure as hell not gonna tell you for free here. HOWEVER, the point is, if you want to extend the life of your product, I DO feel you can make it worthwhile to pick up a newspaper. You just can't keep printing the same column-based articles people can see everywhere else. One GREAT example of what the Times is doing to innovate...They are going BIG with the Spanish paper they are operating. Dr. Deming gives that concept a "Heeeeeeel Yeaaaaaaaah!" (But he would never probably say "hell yeah".)

Let's face it: If anyone needs a newspaper, it's someone who doesn't have access to the internet. And I know everyone is gonna use this as an opportunity to jump on me -- but yeah, some of the low-income areas, with lots of people who only speak spanish, don't have as much access to the internet, as people higher up the income ladder do. (My CD 14 homies will back me up that it's not as easy to find a wi-fi internet cafe as it is in other higher-income areas.)

They should call it, Tiempo Los Angeles (It's already a mostly spanish title anyway.) And make it look EXACTLY like the LA Times.

That's how they make use of their "name brand".

On the English side, you can extend the life of the print medium -- but you have to do something different (innovative) and that doesn't mean deciding whether to do "more or less reporting on Iraq." Or "pro, or anti-the current mayor."

b) Regarding the website side of things: Remember, you are in the information delivery business. The website can and should be an extention/innovation of the print newspaper, but remember you are not in the text delivery business. (Reporting a historical local or world issue in a text format/typing up a news story.)

You are in the information delivery business. And with unlimited bandwith and space (no limitations) -- and the added technology the internet allows you to integrate. It's a joke that these brand name newspaper sites are still trying to limit themselves to what they are already doing in print, because they are not really trying to innovate and lead the way in internet delivery of information...they are just trying to cover their asses on the net, just enough, hoping not to hurt the newspaper side, too much.

And that doesn't work. The record industry just got done learning this lesson. They fought the internet and sales on the net. So they tried and stop it, and ban it, and enforce it.

Meanwhile, you can't fight fate (innovation/progress) - and the internet stole the retail from the brick and mortor stores selling hard copies (CDs). It all moved to the net anyway, with iPod -- and now all the record companies just used up all their time and energy trying to play catch up.

SUMMARY: Can't criticize the print medium for the transition to the net. However, now you must innovate the print side, with some niche, alternative content itself -- and the internet side needs to become MUCH more innovative and lead the way, not play catch-up.

They can't just sit there and print internet versions of the print stories.

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
zumadogg@gmail.com
Click here for more on Zuma Dogg
Mayor Sam's Blog: LA City Political Insider Blog

LA WEEKLY on LA's DUMB "Smart Growth" & NEW SONG ABOUT VILLARAIGOSA

2007-06-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

LA WEEKLY ARTICLE ON (DUMB) SMART GROWTH MAKES ZD HEAD EXPLODE
AND NEW ZD SONG "GOODBYE MAYOR VILLAGAROSA"

It ain't just a "Z File", y'all...

Oh my goodness: Did you see the prodigious, bulwark of research, paper and ink know as David Zahnister's LA WEEKLY article(s) on the City of Los Angeles' (dumb) "Smart Growth?"

I walked into City Hall about a year ago, unaware of any of these housing, density and traffic issues. And after sitting around, waiting to give public comment on the sale of incense and t-shirts at Venice Beach, I started to understand that the housing issue -- the city's obsessive compulsion with construction in violation of Charter restriction, put in place to protect out society from gentrifying, community wreckers like Villaraigosa and "Density Dean" Eric "Garshady" Garcetti, is causing way more problems than it is solving. (Go to click here and type "zuma dogg density" in the keyword search and all my public comments from TV 35 will appear. (You can stream the video instantly.)

And now, this LA WEEKLY article will really unfold the entire blue print and faulty premise that the City's entire "Smart Growth" plan is based upon.

You will actually read quotes from City planners who make the argument that, "We have to get the traffic SO bad, that people will be outraged and start taking public transportation. And that FIRST they need the density and people to create the gridlock -- THEN the transportation like subway to the sea will be built. So, yes, there will be a period (like the rest of OUR lives) where there will be a slight "gap" (chicken before the egg, syndrome.)

AGAIN...YOU ARE NOT ELECTED TO CHANGE SOCIETY AND BASE ALL OF THIS OFF THE SPECULATION THAT PEOPLE MAY INDEED GET SO FED UP THEY WILL TAKE THE SUBWAY TO THE SEA. ONLY PROBLEM...THERE IS NO GUARANTEE ALL THIS ALLEGED TRANSPORTATION WILL EVER BE COMPLETED. AND IF IT IS, LA IS STILL TOO GEOGRAPHICALLY WIDE, TO ACTUALLY ALLOW PEOPLE TO STOP DRIVING. (Subway doesn't go from Van Nuys to Venice.)

Why doesn't the City create a new accounting system based on the metric system, then hope everyone switches over to it. Hybrid cars, solar panels, the bus, no trans fats, less xbox, more walking, less consumption...these are all great things...but they will never be more than alternative niches. If you think you can twist people's arm into eating their broccoli and taking the bus...you are certain people will drive down the 10 freeway in gridlock traffic, then keep driving, till they are out of the state. And we will be left with everyone who is willing to take the bus. And if you take the bus, as I do, you don't see many people carrying brief cases.

THANK YOU LA WEEKLY FOR VERFIYING EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL THEM. THEY PRETEND LIKE "I'M" THE BAD GUY FOR RAINING ON THEIR SHADY RACKET OF A PARADE. NOW MAYBE THAT ZAHNISTER SAID IT IN LA WEEKLY IT WILL BE GOOD ENOUGH. IF NOT, AKS JACK WEISS WHAT HAPPENS. GARSHADY...YOU'RE NEXT! YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE RE-ELECTED AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT...HA! You should leave the comedy to ZD. LA WEEKLY _ A DENSER LA (Cause the corrupt politicians are dense.
LA WEEKLY - (Dumb) Smart Growth
LA WEEKLY - Peddling Dumb Growth (It's a Racket)
LA WEEKLY - Those HYPOCRITICAL, SHADY PLANNERS DON'T PRACTICE WHAT THEY GENTRIFY

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

AMERICAN IDOL AUDITIONS w/Ryan Seacrest (Rose Bowl) - Plus Zuma Dogg Sings Bee Gees!

2007-05-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

AMERICAN IDOL AUDITIONS AT THE ROSE BOWL WITH ZUMA DOGG AND RYAN SEACREST

ZUMA DOGG SINGS LIKE THE BEE GEES/BARRY GIBB

ZUMA DOGG VIDEO SEARCH ENGINE

"ZUMA DOGG Videos on YouTube"
Official Blog: www.zumadogg.blogspot.com
Podcasts, Radio Calls and Original Music
Click this link to visit ZumaDogg's myspace page. REAL Political Activism humor. Borat meets Daily Show. "Zuma Dogg Fights City Hall"

AMERICAN IDOL ALERT -- Zuma Dogg Sings: JOURNEY'S "Don't Stop Believing" (just like Steve Perry)

2007-05-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Should ZUMA DOGG be the next Ameican Idol? Here he is with a very excellently hilarious version of the Journey classic!

"ZUMA DOGG Videos on YouTube"
Official Blog: www.zumadogg.blogspot.com
Click this link to visit ZumaDogg's myspace page. REAL Political Activism humor. Borat meets Daily Show. "Zuma Dogg Fights City Hall"

LIVE hip hop comedy call in tv show from LA: THE ZUMA DOGG SHOW

2007-05-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

It gets "G'd Up" when Zuma Dogg takes calls LIVE on the air in Los Angeles, CA on public access TV. All the homies call in to represent and battle and Zuma Dogg shows why HE should be the next American Idol. Plus, Eminem dis-rap. Hilarious!

"ZUMA DOGG Videos on YouTube"
Official Blog: www.zumadogg.blogspot.com
Click this link to visit ZumaDogg's myspace page. REAL Political Activism humor. Borat meets Daily Show. "Zuma Dogg Fights City Hall"