CM PRESS # 634

FIREWORKS, AGAIN

[Photo: Fireworks over Boston]

As you may know, Costa Mesa is now embroiled in the annual argument of whether or not to allow fireworks booths in the city.

Those in favor say it helps various sports teams and is part of Costa Mesa's tradition.

Those opposed say it's dangerous and expensive for the taxpayers of the city.

We at the CM PRESS are pretty ambivalent about the whole thing.

We've had little fireworks displays with our kids every year, and even the safe and sane kind are bright enough and interesting enough to get ooohs and aaahs from new eyes.

However, we think back to when we were growing up in New England.

There, Independence Day is a big thing (or was when I was a kid) and most towns and cities have various types of municipal fireworks displays and events.

In Boston and Cambridge, it's traditional to sit along the Charles River, listen to the Boston Pops and watch the fireworks displays.

Some of the smaller towns outside of Boston will often have a bonfire, fireworks and a carnival all wrapped up into one event. And, maybe this might be a good model for Costa Mesa. If done right, the carnival will bring in money for the local youth sports events.

By the way, at the recent City Council study session when this issue was discussed, there were many references to one fairly major problem last year in which someone caused a fire by throwing smoldering fireworks in to a trash can, which then caught on fire.

There was no mention of the responsible person's name [whisper:Steve Smith of the Daily Pilot], but this was apparently a very rare occurrence.

# # #

JUDGE ORDERS HOMESCHOOLED KIDS INTO GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

It's not about educating kids, but indoctrinating them with the government line.

# # #

WE LISTEN IN AT A STAFF MEETING AT A NEWSPAPER

[A parody. See, we didn't really listen in. This could be any one of hundreds of newspapers. No wonder fewer and fewer people are reading the foul inky things.]

Comrade Leader: "Comrades. Readers are wondering why we don't publish racial/ethnic descriptions of outstanding violent and major crime suspects. Our attempts to fool people into thinking that crime is an equal opportunity employer are failing.

"How about calling in that bootlicker; you know, the guy with no gonads who looks as though he hasn't been in the sun for 30 years. Yeah, the guy who is always kissing up. That's right, that guy with the flabby muscles, slack jaw and maggot like flesh who has a sterile mind and well, you know has no generative properties at all. You know, the eunuch looking guy.Maybe he can praise us some more and that will fool people."

Comrade Follower: "But, Comrade Leader, nobody listens to the bootlicker. People think he's a loon with Walter Mitty fantasies of importance. For our part, we used to think he had an inferiority complex (among other complexes) but then it became clear he's just inferior."

Comrade Leader: "Well, okay, forget that loser. But, look, start putting in some racial/ethnic descriptions of non-white criminals from time to time to give us cover. Don't put in too many, just enough so we can deny that we're withholding important facts."

# # #

A LITTLE BIRD TOLD US...

Although it is widely reported that Costa Mesa will lose about 5% of its sales tax revenue this year over last year because of the economy, some who watch such things now believe the actual number will be closer to 14%. Of course, this is still guessing (even though it's an informed guess) and according to the City Manager, the real numbers will be in any day now.

This information is important because it will determine just how deep the City will have to cut to balance the books.

# # #

Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 633

NEW: 3:51, 3/11/09--Robbery Harbor/Gisler--scroll down

THE NORTH WORTH SAVING

Long but interesting column on demographics, multiculturalism and the fiction of American exceptionalism.

# # #

MEMORIAL SERVICE SCHEDULED FOR DONN HALL

A public memorial and remembrance service has been planned for Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at Estancia Park, located at 1900 Adams Avenue.

The services will be held in front of the Estancia Adobe and parking will be available in the Estancia Park parking lot.

Mayor Allan Mansoor released the following statement:

"Donn Hall was truly a remarkable Costa Mesan -- a caring individual who immersed himself in the community and its development over the last 40 years. He had a very long and distinguished career in public service. Donn saw Costa Mesa’s population grow from 77,200 in the 70s to almost 114,000. He weighed in on many City business items over those years and was a tremendous champion for property rights. We are very saddened by his death. His strong leadership remains an inspiration. I would like to extend my personal condolences to his wife, Trudy, and his family. He will be greatly missed by all of us who had the pleasure to work with him."

# # #

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CITY COMMITTEES

The Costa Mesa City Council will continue to accept City Committee Interest Forms until March 20, 2009, from individuals in the community seeking to serve on the following Committees:

Child Care and Youth Services Committee

Cultural Arts Committee

Historical Preservation Committee

Application Process –Complete a "Committee Interest Form" from the City Manager’s Office or from the City’s website (under Forms/Documents) at http://www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us/.

# # #

DUI CHECKPOINT

The CMPD will be conducting a sobriety / driver license checkpoint on
Friday evening, March 13, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on
northbound Harbor Boulevard, at Gisler Avenue. The checkpoint is to educate the public
about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or without a valid driver license.
# # #

DNA FINGERS SUSPECTED KILLER OF COSTA MESA WOMAN

OCR STORY and BOOKING PHOTO

# # #

ENGINE PARTS FALL FROM PLANE

LINK

Years ago, I knew a guy who worked for a PR agency whose major contract was with a major international airline.

When I asked what he did all day, he said that his job was to try to kill news stories about engines and engine parts falling off planes or, failing that, to at least try to minimize the stories and have them buried in the back pages of newspapers. He wasn't joking.

Say, did we mention that it sure would be swell if John Wayne were replaced with a new airport on a tiny portion of Camp Pendleton where the planes would just take off and land where there are no homes?
# # #

OBAMA NOMINEE PULLS OUT AND BLASTS THE ISRAELI LOBBY

Link

# # #

BIGOTS AND HATERS SHOCKED--FLDS KIDS SCORE MUCH HIGHER IN SCHOOL THAN OTHER KIDS

One of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint (Mormons) communities is in Bountiful, B.C., Canada. There, the FLDS has it's own school.

As in the U.S., the Canadian government does educational testing to see how the students and the schools are doing.

For some time, bigots and haters have been smearing the FLDS by saying that kids in the FLDS school aren't getting a good education and that they have to be removed and put in government schools.

The truth, however, is that the FLDS kids are scoring much higher on all tests than non-FLDS kids.

For example, on Essentials of Math 10, the FLDS kids have an average score of 87.00% while non-FLDS kids in government schools in the province have an average score of only 60.24 %

LINK.

# # #

NEW ITEM: 3:51 PM, 3/11/09

ARMED ROBBERY THIS PAST SATURDAY

The Chevron gas station at 3190 Harbor Blvd. (near Gisler, same side of street as Car Max) was robbed at gunpoint at about 5:30 PM this past Saturday.

The suspect is described as a male Latino, 5'-7" tall, 160 lbs, in his mid 20's with a round face, and was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, sunglasses and a black watchcap. He may have a stubble mustache and chin hair. He escaped, possibly in a black, 1999-2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck (stock).

LINK to CMPD Press Release with photos of the robber.

If you have any tips, please call: CMPD Det. Potts at (714) 754-5363.

# # #

That's some news and opinions as we continue doing the job that local newspapers used to do.

# # #

Be sure to check back often and hit "refresh" for the latest news and views. We'll post new opinion pieces and news items during the day by putting them at the bottom of each day's edition of the CM PRESS.

CM PRESS # 632

New Story about possible City Hall Cuts filed at 8:11 PM 3/10/09--SCROLL WAY DOWN

SOME COSTA MESANS WILL SOON BE HOWLING

With absolutely no one in the audience speaking against the measures, the Planning Commission last night passed a couple of new rules that will eventually bring many people to City Council meetings to complain.

1. If your single family detached home has a straight-in garage from the sidewalk, and if you've extended your paved parking area in front of the garage to the left or right of the garage to park extra cars, you soon won't be able to park cars on those areas or you'll get a citation from code enforcement.

As passed by the Planning Commission, the new rule won't require you to remove that paved area (usually concrete); you just won't be able to park cars there.

2. If your car blocks a public sidewalk as it is parked in your too short driveway in front of your garage, you'll get a citation from code enforcement.

Both of the above measures will now go to the City Council for a first and second reading. This means they will become law within about a month unless the City Council votes them down.
# # #
ICE DETAINERS FOR FEBRUARY

The CMPD reports 33 ICE detainers for the month of February 2009. Costa Mesa just got that much safer.

In February 2008, there was only 1 ICE detainer due to the construction at the police station.

If you're on our email list, and want to see the full reports, please send us a note.
# # #
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TODAY

Council will hear a presentation by a labor attorney on the proper way to negotiate with the four City employee unions concerning opening their contracts (officially, Memorandums of Understanding or MOU). LINK

Basically, the City is in a financial mess because of the recession and needs to cut expenses.

Most of the City's expenses (about 75%) are in salaries and benefits for City employees. To make any meaningful cuts that will keep the City in the black requires that something be done about employee expenses.

Either the employees agree to open their contracts and take some pay and benefit cuts, or the City will have to lay off employees or have unpaid furloughs or maybe close down City functions for several days a month or...?
# # #
LATINO K-MART SHOOTER STILL ON THE LOOSE

The CMPD has not been able to identify and arrest the Latino male who shot a man in the K-Mart shopping center parking lot last week.

Some unconfirmed reports indicate that there may actually be two Latino suspects with guns in that immediate area around Harbor and Wilson and extending over to Wallace and perhaps further west.

If you have any tips, call the CMPD at (714) 754-5252. You can remain anonymous.
# # #
WE SURROUND THEM

Citizen revolt?
# # #
NATIONAL POLICY INSTITUTE (NPI)

Another pro-European American organization hated by anti-white bigots.LINK
# # #
DALAI LAMA LAMENTS GENOCIDE IN TIBET

China has been swamping Tibet with Chinese in order to blend away native Tibetans. LINK
# # #
IRA GUNMEN OUT AGAIN
Real IRA on the move in Ireland.







# # #
NEWSPAPER GIANT MCCLATCHY CUTTING ANOTHER 1,600 JOBS
Newspaper industry on death watch. LINK

The CM PRESS recently took a casual look at the number of employees at a local newspaper, and then at the number, size and type of ads in the newspaper (which indicates revenue). Say no more.
# # #
NEW STORY POSTED 8:11 PM 3/10/09

CUTS COMING TO CITY HALL

From comments made by councilmembers at today's City Council study session, it seems likely that one of the first things to be cut because of the economy will be employee overtime.

Last year, Costa Mesa employees took $6,611,778.90 in overtime pay alone. During that period, several employees made more than $ 60,000 each just in overtime.

Mayor Mansoor was noticably displeased to learn that the City's employee unions had failed to respond to his request for a letter indicating that they're willing to open their contracts.

The City is expecting at least an $11 millon dollar shortfall in revenues this year, but according to the City Manager, we should have the actual figures for sales tax revenue any day.

Some believe the $ 11 million dollar figure is optimistic because it is based on national figures showing retail sales tax off 5%, and is also a months-old projection.

Not only have things gotten worse since that projection, but Costa Mesa is something of a special case in that the City derives most of its income from sales tax rather than from property tax as is the case in some other cities.

It also seems likely that there may be employee layoffs in the offing.

Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 631

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TONIGHT

Hot issue is parking.

Expect a crowd of RV owners. Also, one of the items to be voted on involves cars parked in private driveways hanging over and partially or totally blocking the adjacent sidewalk.

One of the areas most impacted by this and any changes in the law is Katrina Foley's Mesa Del Mar neighborhood where many of the driveways are short and the cars long.

# # #

THE MAYOR PASSES AWAY

Former mayor Donn Hall passed away today.

He'll be sorely missed. Our sympathies go out to his family. As we've written many times, Donn was the moving force behind the idea of bringing a marina to the area below the Westside Bluffs extending all the way from the ocean up to Victoria Street.

Had Donn succeeded, Costa Mesa's Westside would today be the best side of town.

Unfortunately, Donn's plan was defeated by a single vote on the City Council back when the proposal was presented.

It really does matter who gets elected. Three votes on the City Council are all that's needed to change the direction of this city for better or for worse.

# # #

CNN--Communist News Network?

Former CNN correspondent is FMLN's candidate for president of El Salvador.

# # #
CHECK BACK LATER FOR MORE NEWS AND OPINION COLUMNS--ALWAYS HIT REFRESH FOR LATEST ITEMS. NEWEST ITEMS WILL BE AT BOTTOM OF PAGE.

CM PRESS # 630

NATION OF COWARDS ABOUT TALKING ABOUT RACE?


First, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the U.S. was a nation of cowards when it comes to discussing race.

Now, Barrack Obama has rebuked Holder by saying "I think it's fair to say that if I had been advising my attorney general, we would have used different language."

So, are people, but more specifically white people, afraid to talk about race.

Yup. Holder got it right. Not all white Americans are such cowards, but a majority surely.

I've written about this cowardice for years and I've discussed race for years also.

In fact, I don't know how anyone can really talk about human beings--why we are as we are--without discussing race or, more properly, the genes that make each of us what we are (with some input from the environment). To do so, would be as silly as talking about dogs without talking about breeds. (Breed is to dogs as race is to humans).

And, to go even further, I don't know how anyone can really talk about human beings unless one talks about life in general and then about existence in general.

In fact, anyone who wants to talk about race, had better start way up stream with talking about physics, astronomy, philosophy, religion, biology, psychology and much more.

The recipe--baking a human cake

Everything in existence--both living and so-called non-living things--has an internal recipe that makes it what it is.

In life, this internal recipe is composed of the four chemicals of DNA (abbreviated A,T,C,G) that are spread out on double helix spirals in every cell of our bodies. Along this spiral are areas called genes. This spiral is our code. This is our recipe. This is how to make a human being.

Our 25,000 or so genes are organized into clumps called chromosomes. Each human has 46 chromosomes. A male and a female human each contribute 23 of their 46 chromosomes to a new child. The internal blueprint of our genes and chromosomes is called a genotype. The result of the genotype--the way we look--is our phenotype.

What is the effect of the environment (in the broadest sense of the term--meaning, here, all internal and external influences and forces working on the recipe)?

It is like an oven. When you follow a recipe and put all the right ingredients together, you then stick the concoction in the oven to bake.

The oven doesn't change the basic recipe. What goes into the oven comes out of the oven.

However, and I'm quick to add, our metaphor breaks down here, because in the case of living things, unlike a cake, the recipe in the living things can and does change by the forces of the oven and through various other means and is seen over many generations.

In other words, some of those 25,000 genes of the human recipe get out of order or get modified. And, a tiny change at the genetic end of things often makes a world of difference as the genetic recipe spins out a human being. Anyone who has ever fired a rifle understands this. A tiny, almost imperceptible flinch at the trigger end of the rifle (even just taking a breath) can cause the round to miss the target by a mile.
-------------------
Scene: White kid on a bus with his mother.

Kid: "Mommy, that man over there is black. Why is he a different color?"

Mother: "Shhhhhh. We don't talk about such things. We don't want to insult people."

ANALYSIS: We don't want to insult people? Is being black a deformity? It's almost as though the mother thought her kid had pointed out a wart on the guy's face or a hump on his back.

If you unwind the mother's simple phrase, you'll often find a subconscious belief that whites are superior or are the human norm, and that all who differ are somehow defective. (Actually, not only are whites not the norm, they are a tiny minority on this planet. Only about 10% of all humans are white).

I've called such an attitude on the part of the mother, Noblesse Oblige Racism. And, I call whites with this attitude Great White Mothers and Great White Fathers and also Lord Jims and Lady Jims, depending on the specifics.

Essentially, these terms I've coined describe whites who are often overly polite or secretly condescending to non-whites and who are often seen as paragons of virtue, but who are often neurotic and think that because they're white and are "the norm and superior" that they must treat all non-whites with special care and overlook and excuse things that non-whites might do that would never be overlooked or excused in whites. Such people are often the loudest to say silly things such as "There is only one race, the human race."

A mother who understands a little about race, might have replied to her kid (assuming the kid is old enough to understand):

"People are different. We all have slightly different recipes and the recipes are self modifying over generations to fit into different areas of the planet.

"Black people evolved in areas that were hot and sunny. Their black skin protects them from the sun and from getting too much Vitamin D. Their other features are also adaptations.

"Scientists believe that human beings evolved from other animals in Africa and then about 30,000 to 50,000 years ago, some of the humans who had evolved, just a few, left Africa and found their way to Europe where the sun isn't as hot and where those who retained black skin couldn't produce enough Vitamin D and started being replaced by those born among them who had lighter skin which made them better suited for the new environment."
------------
Jeremiah Wright


Remember the controversy about the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, that was largely kept going by neo-con Sean Hannity?

I heard Wright's speech where he used various metaphors such as music to discuss racial differences. You can read it here.

Wright got it pretty much correct. My guess is that Obama and Holder and many others of all races, who understand what Wright was really saying, also get it.

And, what Wright was saying (but in my words now) is that there is no "superior," human race any more than there is a superior breed of dog. There are only differences; caused primarily by nature adapting humans to different environments as it does with all living things. I've been writing about this for years.
# # #

Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 629

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL ABOUT FINANCES FROM A CM PRESS READER

Dear City Council:

As I am sure you will agree, our city faces a challenge to continue operating at its current level of services due to budget restrictions.

In an attempt to address this problem I would request that a program be developed along the following guidelines;

1) A staffing level pre-positioned contingency plan reflecting 3%, 5% and 7% shortfall conditions that could be implemented by the individual department heads simultaneously.

This plan, pre-approved by Council, would require a simple council notification to staff; not extended debate and evaluation.

This would allow staff to quickly implement any necessary adjustments and would give greater control at the time it is needed.

2) The plan would also contain, at a minimum, a requirement that funds withdrawn from reserves to fund operations during the shortfall period become recorded as a budget line item in future years allowing for recovery as it may become practical.

3) Cuts in expenditures should reflect current labor costs/program ratios. For example, our costs are generally accepted to be 75% labor and 25% program, this percentage should, be reflected in the final cuts in spending.

I hope that you will consider this proposal in the planning of any future budget considerations during these troubling economic times.

Thank you for your consideration,

Name Withheld by CM PRESS

# # #

K-MART SHOPPING CENTER LATINO SHOOTER STILL ON THE LOOSE

The Latino who shot another man last week in the K-Mart Shopping Center is still on the loose.

The CMPD has no leads that we are aware of. Our guess is that the shooter frequents that area of Costa Mesa and may live in nearby apartments near Wallace and Wilson.

One point of confusion. Police are apparently not sure that the Latino who pulled a gun on a man near Wallace and Wilson is the same Latino who did the shooting at the K-Mart Center.

So, there may be two gunmen in that area.

Remember to trust your gut. If something or someone looks out of place or looks suspicious, call the CMPD at (714) 754-5252. You can remain anonymous. If you're wrong, no harm no foul.

# # #

CM PRESS CONTINUES TO RAMP UP FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS

As with many Costa Mesans, we at the CM PRESS are not pleased with the news coverage we're gtting from our so-called local newspaper that has a lefty slant and which hides important facts that may help protect all of us and our families.

Especially troubling is the way that "news" paper censors crime stories to leave out adequate descriptions of outstanding violent criminals.

We believe this can give citizens a false sense of security and may actually put them in danger if they innocently blunder into a dangerous situation.

Accordingly, we will begin including more short news items to help keep you informed and safe, and we're also going to step up our coverage of the local political scene.

# # #

EIGHT CARS HAVE WINDOWS SHOT OUT NEAR MENDOZA DRIVE IN KATRINA FOLEY'S MESA DEL MAR NEIGHBORHOOD

How many times do we have to tell you Katrina that your neighborhood is not going to improve until you thin out the Mission-Mendoza slum? LINK

# # #

Those are our opinions as we continue doing the job that newspapers used to do.

CM PRESS # 628

IN LIFE, IT HELPS TO PLAY THE ODDS TO AVOID BEING BLINDSIDED

The world is a dangerous place.

Our five senses constantly feed information to our brain to process so that we can survive.

If we are alert, reasonably well informed and modestly intelligent, our brains can play the odds.

This means we can weigh the probability of something being more likely than not to occur given all the circumstances, and based on the rough statistical knowledge and facts that have been given to our brains.

This leads us, as you probably guessed, into a discussion of increasing your odds of not being a crime victim.

Know right away that you have to guard against being lulled into a false sense of security by lefty newspapers that leave out relevant information in crime stories for PC reasons. (We'll give you some hard, cold statistics on crime below.)

For example, if you read in a story in a local newspaper that a "man was shot in the 2200 block of Harbor Blvd. by a man who then escaped," how would this help you protect yourself and your family, i.e. how would this help you increase the odds so that you or your kids wouldn't be shot?

It wouldn't. There's not enough information given. And, if a local newspaper doesn't give you information to protect yourself and your family, who needs it?

Who the hell needs a local newspaper that withholds facts that, if you knew them, might help you protect your family? Shouldn't a community newspaper serve the community?

Do you see what is missing from that crime report above that, if given, might help you protect your family?

First, most people have no idea of the location of 2200 Harbor Blvd. and won't bother to find out where it is. But, what if you were told that's the K-Mart Shopping Center at the corner of Harbor and Wilson? Now you immediately know where the crime took place.

Second, there are hundreds of men who are often in that area. Will you suspect all men? Probably not. A broad non-description--"a man"--often has the opposite effect of serving as a danger signal. This helps the shooter remain invisible and hide in plain sight.

And, by the way, the shooting actually happened at the front of the center near the Game Stop business. This is within an easy sight line from the donut store in the Center where day workers constantly congregate. Could the shooter be one of them?

No doubt the shooter, who is still on the streets, is probably joyous about the fact that the local newspaper only describes him as "a man." He now knows that his own odds of walking up to and shooting someone else--maybe you or one of your family members--are higher than if a better description had been given of him.

Below are some of the cold statistics we promised. These are from the Department of Justice and they've been compiled into a free book (shown above) that you can download here.

Remember, these are actual statistics and they're from the unbiased Department of Justice.

Crime Rates

Blacks are seven times more likely than people of other races to commit murder, and eight times more likely to commit robbery.

When blacks commit crimes of violence, they are nearly three times more likely than non-blacks to use a gun, and more than twice as likely to use a knife.

Hispanics commit violent crimes at roughly three times the white rate, and Asians commit violent crimes at about one quarter the white rate.

The single best indicator of violent crime levels in an area is the percentage of the population that is black and Hispanic.

Interracial Crime

Of the nearly 770,000 violent interracial crimes committed every year involving blacks and whites, blacks commit 85 percent and whites commit 15 percent.

Blacks commit more violent crime against whites than against blacks. Forty-five percent of their victims are white, 43 percent are black, and 10 percent are Hispanic.

When whites commit violent crime, only three percent of their victims are black.

Blacks are an estimated 39 times more likely to commit a violent crime against a white than vice versa, and 136 times more likely to commit robbery.

Blacks are 2.25 times more likely to commit officially-designated hate crimes against whites than vice versa.

Gangs

Only 10 percent of youth gang members are white.

Hispanics are 19 times more likely than whites to be members of youth gangs.

Blacks are 15 times more likely, and Asians are nine times more likely.

# # #

ANOTHER COLUMN ABOUT THE UNION PROBLEMS AT COSTA MESA CITY HALL

Barbara Venezia over at the O C Register is the latest columnist to point out the mess Cosa Mesa is in because of the employee unions in a column appearing today. LINK

If you're a regular reader of the CM PRESS you're ahead of Venezia, because you read the details here starting back in February in CM PRESS # 609,#614,#615 and #616.

Yup. There's a real problem in the budget, and the unions apparently don't want to play ball with the City Council. Hey, would you want to give up $60,000 just in overtime in a year? Would you want to actually have to contribute to your own pension? And, would you want to have to actually be polite to citizens who pay you so well? (Don't get us wrong. The City has many very good employees--perhaps the majority--but there are a few bad eggs.)

# # #

Those are our opinions as we continue to do the job that newspapers used to do.

CM PRESS # 627

[3/5/09--8:00 PM--New Story on Daily Pilot--scroll down]

DICTATOR WATCH

Obama starting to consolidate power in White House. Congress worries. LA TIMES

# # #

CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT TO HEAR PROP 8 ARGUMENTS TODAY

If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, will gay polygamy also be the law? How about heterosexual polygamy? AP

# # #

TEXAS CONTINUES TO PERSECUTE FUNDAMENTALIST MORMONS

In Texas, a man can lawfully live with more than one woman and have children with all of them so long as he doesn't call more than one of the relationships a marriage. Or, he can have serial relationships with many women and have children with all of them. See Texas Penal Code Sec. 25.01.

Fundamentalist Mormons marry one woman in a regular marriage and then marry others in what they call celestial marriages. This is part of their religion. Because they call it "marriage," they are persecuted for bigamy in Texas.

The law turns on words.

What does "marriage" really mean in law? That's what the California Supreme Court and probably then the U.S. Supreme Court will decide. And, eventually, what they decide will have far reaching effects.

# # #

SELF-GOVERNING GROUPS

The U.S. has long tried to have everyone living here conform to the same sets of laws and mores. This worked so long as the U.S. had a white Christian majority that forced its will on everyone.

Now, however, as the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, very different peoples are demanding the right to have their own laws and mores. They want self-determination and self-governance.

It will probably be Muslims who will be most vocal in demanding these rights as they push to be allowed to follow Sharia law. This is already happening in Europe and elsewhere. Other groups will also demand similar rights.

Unfortunately, it won't be a live and let live situation. Muslims will demand that others follow their ways. In England, Muslims have already forced a pizza shop to stop serving pork products (bacon, ham) on their pizzas.

We live in tumultuous times as the big wheel keeps turning and the world re-sorts itself.

# # #

[New Story 3/5/09--8:00 PM]

DAILY PILOT TRIES TO DEFEND NOT TELLING READERS WHAT VIOLENT CRIMINALS LOOK LIKE EXCEPT WHEN THEY'RE WHITE.

By the way, the Latino who shot a man at the K-Mart Shopping Center is still on the loose. He's armed and dangerous. Do not approach him. If you have a tip, call the CMPD at (714) 754-5252.

Apparently, we've been striking a nerve over at the almost Daily Pilot with our criticisms of the paper for not giving readers full racial/ethnic descriptions of dangerous and outstanding criminal suspects in our city except when they're white.

When a criminal is white, the DP doesn't seem to have any compunction about putting that fact in the story. Call it a double standard.

The CM PRESS believes that you have a right to the fullest descriptions available and especially if the criminal is violent or commits serious crimes and is still running around our streets--maybe your street. It's just common sense that this information can help you protect yourself and your family.

The Pilot's typical PC descriptions of non-white violent criminals as "a man," or "two men," and similar non-descriptions helps no one to be safe and doesn't give citizens enough information to give tips to the cops.

In a smallish city such as Costa Mesa, innocent citizens are likely to cross paths with such criminals.

Again, and just to make the point, maybe if citizens were armed with the descriptions of criminals they could avoid being victims.

Perhaps if a long time Pilot employee had been made a little more aware of statistics on crimes--even just by reading descriptions of most of our violent criminals in Costa Mesa--she might have been a little more wary of the Latino illegal alien who approached her and who then stabbed her to death in her own carport.

One guy over at the Pilot sniffs that the paper relies on the The Associated Press Stylebook for guidance about racial descriptions. We think this is nonsense.

The Associated Press? The AP? Give us a break. We've written complaint letters to that organization about its left wing bias. Some conservatives refer to the AP as AP OBAMA because of its bias.

Nevertheless, we've had various editions of the AP Stylebook (other style books as well) on our shelf for more than thirty years and they're all useful in some instances so long as you know how to use them, and have some power of discernment.

Want a clue to the lefty bias of the AP? Here's part of what appears in their Stylebook under "race." Our comments are in [].

"race Identification by race is pertinent:

---In biographical and announcement stories, particularly when they involve a feat or appointment that has not routinely been associated with members of a particular race." [In plain English: If you find a non-white getting some positive award, be sure to mention that they're non-white so readers will have a good impression of them and their racial group.]

But here's the clincher about why saying you're relying on the AP Stylebook to try to justify hiding ethnic/racial descriptions is nonsense: The AP Stylebook is actually silent about using racial descriptions in stories about outstanding violent criminal suspects. Local newspapers usually have their own policies for this.

In defense of the AP, below in bold is what appears on the AP's website for journalists. Maybe the Daily Pilot should take this to heart.

AP encourages all news organizations to fight for freedom of information.

Getting answers is the essential work of a free press in a free society. As the trend toward government secrecy trickles down to the smallest town office and police department, the need for a free press and for telling the whole story has never been stronger.

Don't worry, AP, the CM PRESS will not only fight against government secrecy, but also against lefty newspaper secrecy, and we'll continue telling the whole story.

We'll also always try to print the fullest descriptions of outstanding major and violent criminal suspects that we can obtain. This is essential to properly serve and help safeguard the public.

# # #

Those are our opinions as we continue to do the job that newspapers used to do.

CM PRESS # 626

WICKED RATTLING OF DOOR

About 9:15 P.M. last night the patio door of the CM PRESS HQ started rattling.

Just the door, and nothing more.

Maybe a breeze from the shore?

Going to the door I went in a hurry.

Opening it wide expecting a flurry.

But all was still.

Apparently many others experienced the same thing.

Here's a LINK to an article in the OC Register about the mysterious shaking of doors that had many people thinking earthquake (but it seems the only thing moving was doors and particularly patio doors), wind (not the slightest wind at the CM PRESS HQ) and then, burglar (Nope).

# # #

CHURCH EXPANSION ON HOLD

Solomonic decision may satisfy church and neighbors.

Last night, the City Council asked the church on Raleigh, that wants to expand, to get together with City staff and the neighbors to see if there is some way the church can avoid tearing down a home it purchased next to the church property on Raleigh but still expand to suit its needs by creatively rearranging various elements on the existing property.

Both staff and the church felt that this might be able to be accomplished with some minor variances on open space and perhaps removing a small portion of a building or by doing various other things physically and procedurally.

# # #

LATINO SHOOTER STILL ON THE LOOSE

As of this writing, the CMPD hasn't found the Latino who shot a man in the K-Mart parking lot on Harbor and who later aimed his gun at a man near Hamilton and Wallace.

The suspect is described by a victim as Latino, late 30's to mid 40's in age, not skinny but not fat, about 5'6" and when last seen he was wearing a grey baseball cap with no logos or lettering and a plain white short sleeved shirt. He apparently speaks English.

We'd guess that there's a high probability that the guy lives in the area of Hamilton and Wallace and probably in one of the apartments in that area.

Trust your gut. If you know anyone who looks like this, make an anonymous tip to the CMPD at (714) 754-5252. Let the cops sort it out. If you're mistaken, no big deal. But, if you're right, you may keep this guy from killing someone.

# # #

SOME IN GERMANY STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND FREEDOM

According to this article,German authorities are raiding right-wing homes in order to confiscate "music."

Say, how about burning some books you don't like and how about putting people in jail for expressing opinions?

Oh, the Germans are also doing that? Can it be that 2009 is the new 1938?

# # #

NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEES ASKING FOR DONATIONS

Employees of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer are asking for donations in order to at least keep the internet version of the newspaper up and running in case the paper is closed. LINK

# # #

HOW LONG WILL STEELE LAST?

In CM PRESS # 598 (1/31/09) we told you how the Stupid Party got even stupider and appointed Michael Steele as head of the RNC.

Did you believe us about this guy being wrong for the job? Probably not. You shouldn't doubt our instincts on these things. Now, many in the GOP are starting to realize that appointing Steele was a big mistake. His attacks on Rush Limbaugh are just the latest gaffes by this guy.

Our guess is that there's a plan taking shape to ease Steele out and to do it in such a way that he won't immediately start screaming racism.

The GOP suits will probably let him resign and say that he isn't under any pressure to do so, but that he doesn't want to be a distraction.

And, it could happen in days or weeks.

# # #

EMBARRASSING MOMENT FOR THE MAYOR AND THE POLICE CHIEF

At last night's City Council meeting, Mayor Mansoor presented the employee of the month award to reserve police officer Rene Meng.

While Mansoor was smiling and standing near Ms. Meng, and while Chief Shawkey was in the audience, Ms. Meng went to the microphone and said that she has been a police officer for 20 years and that she and seven other officers may be laid off in the near future. She then implored the Council to not lay them off.

# # #

Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 625

[3/3/09--2: 39 P.M.SOME NEW UPDATES BELOW--SCROLL DOWN]



WE SEE YOU DAILY PILOT!

The Daily Pilot always seems to have a difficult time identifying outstanding violent criminal suspects when they're not white and usually tries to defend not giving racial/ethnic descriptions in these cases with a claim that their policy is to require other identifying characteristics such as hair color, eye color, size of shoes ( I made that last one up to show how goofy the paper is).

However, the paper seems to take great glee in publishing a racial/ethnic description when a suspect is white.

Consider the latest example. In today's Pilot (Link) there's a story of a Latino man allegedly being attacked by two men in an alley.

The Pilot says it may be a hate crime. When you read "hate crime," you already have a clue as to where the Pilot is going.

Sure enough, the Pilot then describes the two alleged attackers as "two white men in their 20s." No hair colors, no eye colors, no weights, no heights, no clothing descriptions. Nothing. Just "two white men in their 20's." So, where are all the other characteristics needed before publishing a racial/ethnic description? Hmmmm?

Contrast that to how the Pilot reported on the Latino who shot a man in the K-Mart parking lot Friday night, and who then threatened another man near Hamilton and Wallace.

In this case, the Pilot didn't even publish a description of this guy running around our streets with a gun until the CM PRESS published the description that we got from the CMPD: a Latino.

And, as we reported in CM PRESS # 624, it appears that the Pilot isn't publishing reader comments on this Latino who is still out there, perhaps on the Westside, and still in possession of a gun that he doesn't mind using.

But there's more. In the same story about the alleged hate crime--"by two white men in their 20's"(same LINK as above)-- the Pilot tacks on an unrelated report of a homeless man being attacked and robbed, apparently by three different men outside a Jack in the Box on Harbor Blvd. But, in this case the Pilot gives absolutely no description of the attackers.

Could it be that the attackers at the Jack in the Box, who the Pilot doesn't describe, are something other than white? Hmmmm? Our guess is that if they were white, the Pilot would have told us that.

When the CM PRESS tried to get a description of the three suspects at the Jack in the Box from the CMPD before publication this morning, we were told that the Watch Commander doesn't know anything about it and that we should call later in the day and talk to Sgt. Greg Scott (that's Scott with two "t's" as this guy once told us), who apparently gave the information to the Daily Pilot. We'll do so and we'll publish an update.

UPDATE (As promised): 3/3/09--10:10 A.M.--According to the CMPD, the homeless man gave no description of the alleged suspects in the Jack in the Box incident other than that they were three men.

The CM PRESS is not clear how a guy can be physically attacked by three men and have his wallet taken without knowing a little about what the men looked like. After all, he did say they were men, and there is nothing to indicate that they wore masks and gloves to hide every square inch of their skin. If we learn any more we'll report it.
# # #

REPORT FROM PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSION LAST NIGHT

If comments we heard last night are any clue, the Planning Commission understands that we need to start the transformation of the Bluffs by adding more owner occupied housing units there and it wants it to happen yesterday.

We were impressed by the comments from Commission Chair Jim Righeimer who kept the conversation focused on the essential elements of what needs to be done.

Righeimer correctly pointed out that if the City is too restrictive on what it allows developers to build, that we may end up with some beautiful live work condos similar to those built in Tustin, which no one is buying.

Although the focus of the meeting was on the industrial area of the Bluffs,Vice Chair Fisler also brought up issues about replacing some of our older apartment complexes in the area with owner occupied housing units. This is something that the CM PRESS has been suggesting for years.

In fact, all of the Planning Commissioners seemed to be on target. If this keeps up, we'll have to stop calling the body the No-Planning Commission.

Staff told the Commissioners that since the Westside plans have been in effect, we've had 19 projects come forward to the Planning Department counter, but that only two of them went beyond that point: 1640 Monrovia, and 1046 W. 18th Street, but that neither of these have been built yet.

Our take on some polite comments from some Commissioners to Staff in this regard is that some may believe that Staff is setting the bar too high for developments on the Westside or in some way may be perceived by developers as too tough a gatekeeper.

[Photo is of interior of a modern loft]
# # #
[NEW UPDATES BELOW--3/3/09 2:39 P.M.]
CONGRESSMAN SAYS OLD MEDIA IS DEAD AND HE THINKS THIS IS GOOD

Colorado Congressman praises bloggers and citizen journalists. LINK

We're often approached by citizens of Costa Mesa who tell us that they go to the CM PRESS each day before reading any newspapers or other blogs. And many have told us they don't read the local rag at all.

As a result of such comments, we'll try to add more quick bursts about crime and other problems that we have here in Costa Mesa along with our longer opinion pieces.

As always, we'll give you all the facts as we know them and let you decide. This means, in part, that we won't use convoluted formulas and twisted logic to try to keep from giving you descriptions of outstanding violent criminals--who may make you their next victim. We'll call 'em as we see 'em and we won't pull our punches.

After all, if you're armed with some description--any description--of an outstanding violent criminal, and if you know his M.O., and if you know the general location of where he has committed his crimes you can be more on your guard to protect yourself and your family.

In addition, and even if you're not in danger, you might just spot the criminal on our streets and be able to call the police.

Of course, if you want to read sanitized news that has been filtered by "real journalists," who feel you can't handle the truth, and who will decide which facts you can and can't read, you know which local rag to read.
# # #
CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

The City Council meets tonight at 6:00 P.M. The hot issue is the proposed expansion of a church on Raleigh Avenue. Some neighbors say they fought an earlier expansion of the church back in 1993 and told the City Council back then that the church would more than likely be back in the future wanting to expand again. Tonight is that future.

Maybe it's time for Costa Mesa to start putting churches all in a special area of the city, as is done in some other cities.

After all, few churches these days are really neighborhood churches. Most people drive cars to get to them.
# # #
Those are our opinions, as we continue to do the job that newspapers used to do. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 624

LATINO GUNMAN STILL ON THE LOOSE IN COSTA MESA

The Latino male shooter who shot a man in the K-Mart Center parking lot Friday night may be the same criminal who confronted another man on Hamilton Street about three hours after the first shooting. In the second incident, a Latino male pulled his gun on a man, but did not shoot or demand money.

-------UPDATE--3/2/09---3:30 P.M.---------

Here's a description of the shooter purportedly from the 2nd man confronted by the suspect near Hamilton and Wallace. This from the OCR.

dirtdog2k4 wrote:
I was the victim in the second incident. I think they posted a description of the suspect in another newspaper but he was Hispanic, late 30's to mid 40's in age, not skinny but not fat, about 5'6" and he was wearing a grey baseball cap with no logos or lettering and a plain white short sleeved shirt.

This is a very bad area. Don't kid yourself. This guy is still on the loose.... I am just lucky I didn't get shot.
3/2/2009 9:47:47 AM

-------UPDATE--3/2/09----4:30 P.M.--------

As of this writing,the Daily Pilot doesn't have a single post about this shooter who is running around on our streets (Link), while the Orange County Register has 40 posts (Link).

Could it be that the Daily Pilot is trying to downplay citizen anger about this, and is thus not letting anyone get their posts into the paper? Maybe the DP will explain.

Our guess is that readers may be sending in posts about all the illegal aliens in Costa Mesa and the slums that the City lets exist that breed crime, or they may be pointing out that most of our violent street criminals in Costa Mesa do not have white faces.

If our guess is right, we understand why the DP won't publish the posts. They don't fit the lefty agenda of the paper.

Again, maybe the DP will publish an explanation why there are no posts on this important local story.

Even the usual posters who seem to post every day, on every story in the paper, have no posts in the paper about this shooting. Very odd.

# #

IMPORTANT STUDY SESSION FOR PLANNING COMMISSION ON MONDAY

The Planning Commission will consider some changes to the Mesa West Bluffs Urban Plan at its study session starting at 5:30 P.M. Monday in Conference Room 1A at City Hall. LINK

The CM PRESS believes that some of the proposed changes need a little tweaking and we'll make some suggestions to staff and the Planning Commission.

# # #

CITY CLOSE TO PAY CUTS AND/OR LAYOFFS?

Before the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 3, the Council is holding a closed session meeting with leaders of the four city employee unions. LINK

We have no inside information, but our guess is that the grim facts of our economic situation will be laid out and that within days of this meeting you'll be reading news of some significant changes which may include voluntary furloughs, salary cuts and layoffs.

# # #

Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.