CM PRESS # 686

VAN TRAN STARTED HIS EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE FOR A RUN AGAINST LORETTA SANCHEZ TODAY

You will recall that Mayor Mansoor wants Van Tran's seat in the Assembly since Van Tran is leaving it.

You will also note that we got it right when we earlier had written that Van Tran would try for Sanchez's seat rather than for a seat in the state senate as some had thought. Just not enough of a promotion between the assembly and the senate.

The Van Tran vs. Sanchez and Mansoor vs. ? races are all intertwined with ethnic demographics and will turn on these demographics rather than on party affiliation, although almost everyone will deny it.

VAN TRAN vs. SANCHEZ
Van Tran should get a solid Vietnamese, Korean and White vote, that, in the case of the Vietnamese and Koreans, will include many Democrat Vietnamese and Koreans who will cross party lines to vote for Republican Tran.

White Democrats will stick with Sanchez as will Hispanic Democrats. Sanchez needs to get just about every Hispanic vote in the district to win. This means she will have to appeal to Hispanic Republicans--even though there aren't that many of them. This might be a problem for her because many Hispanics who are Republicans are fully assimilated into a mostly lumpen American electorate and will vote party over ethnicity.

Watch as Van Tran trots out some Hispanics who say they will support him, and Sanchez trots out some Vietnamese who say they will support her. Ho hum. It's all show folks, the numbers of these cross-ethnic voters in this district will be small.

Who will win? Check the demographics of the district based on what we wrote above and add 'em up. There's your winner. Don't put much weight on party affiliation in this race.

MANSOOR vs. ?
Mansoor doesn't seem to have much of a cachet outside of Costa Mesa. And, even in Costa Mesa--which should be his power base--many are upset with his votes to raise fees on citizens. But maybe this will blow over.

In addition, as we've written before, we believe that Van Tran will support a Vietnamese candidate to take his Assembly seat over Mansoor. Early on, he may get his arm twisted by some GOP Bigs who may want Mansoor, but Tran will probably successfully argue that a Vietnamese clone of Van Tran is more likely to win the seat--based on demographics and the fact that Tran has already proven that a Vietnamese candidate can win in the district. If this happens, Tran has the ability to dry up Mansoor's donations and support among the GOP Bigs, since if it seems to the GOP Bigs that Van Tran can win a seat in Congress, they'll give him their money and support and they'll also back his choice for his old Assembly seat.

Who will win? Too early to tell and too many variables at this time.

That's how we see things developing as of today.

ICE STATS FOR APRIL
April 2009
39 ICE Detainers were issued at the Costa Mesa jail--10 were for felonies.

April 2008
32 ICE Detainers were issued at the Costa Mesa jail--13 were for felonies.

Source: CMPD

Ever wonder why the almost daily Daily Pilot doesn't publish these stats? They have the same sources as the CM PRESS.
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EASIER TO COMMENT ON ARTICLES IN THE CM PRESS
The CM PRESS has made it easier to comment on articles. Think we got something right? Let us know. Think we got it wrong or we need to correct something? Let us know.
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TAXMAN MANSOOR--THE TAX AND SPEND MAYOR

Remember the Robin Williams' movie Popeye? The movie opens with Popeye arriving in a rowboat at Sweethaven.

As soon as Popeye climbs up on the pier he's met by The Taxman who starts making up taxes on the fly. A tax for rowing a boat. A tax for climbing on the pier. A tax for this and a tax for that. The Taxman just keeps writing down new taxes and fees in every scene.

At last night's City Council meeting, it seemed as though Mayor Mansoor was playing the part of The Taxman.

When Mansoor was first thinking of running for the City Council, he came to some of us who were meeting regularly to discuss improving the Westside. His pitch was a good one. We got the impression that he was a smaller government, lower crime, no new taxes regular kind of guy and a straight-shooter who wanted a nicer Costa Mesa. And, he lived on the Westside.

Now, it's almost eight years later and Mansoor is near the end of his second and final term in office. Things have changed with Mansoor. He no longer lives on the Westside and doesn't seem very interested in fixing things there and he seems to love new taxes and fees put on the backs of the peons.

Oh, he still talks about lower taxes--from Washington. The problem is that his big talk about Washington doesn't seem to translate into what he can and should do right here in Costa Mesa--cut taxes and fees and cut costs. He spends like a drunken sailor or a Katrina Foley, which is even worse. "Frugal," is not a word this guy seems to understand when it comes to spending our money.

At last night's City Council meeting, Mansoor joined with liberal Katrina Foley and Gary Monahan to put more fees on the backs of Costa Mesa citizens so citizens can keep serving city employees.

You read that right. The motto of citizens of Costa Mesa seems to be: OUR PURPOSE IN LIVING IN COSTA MESA IS TO SERVE CITY EMPLOYEES AND PAY THEM SO WELL THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN OUR CRIME RIDDEN CITY. (More on crime in the next article below this one--hang on to your hats!)

Want some specifics?

Last night's spending spree by Mansoor, Foley and Monahan involved the Costa Mesa Fire Department.

You see, in order to keep paying at least three firefighters more than $60,000 each, in overtime, in addition to their already extremely generous salaries, seven firefighters more than $50,000 in overtime and twenty-seven firefighters more than $40,000 in overtime, and the rest of the firefighters various other amounts, we now have to charge citizens (in addition to the taxes we already pay for fire department services) a laundry list of other fees.

Wouldn't you like a job where you can get $60,000 a year just in overtime?

Here's a few of the fees you'll now pay, my fellow Sweethaveners:

Get in an auto accident with no Injuries Fee: $80.00 for each quarter hour the fire department is there.

Auto accident with Injuries Fee: $ 170.00 for each half hour the fire department is there.

Plus, there are various and sundry ambulance fees. There's a whole list of them.

Don't take our word on this. Here's a link to the agenda, where you can see all these absurd fees for yourself. You can also see a video of the meeting HERE. (We just checked and the video is ready to view.)

WHAT ABOUT THE APARTMENT INSPECTION FEES? HMMMM?

Funny thing,though,when it came to the fees that the fire department wants to charge apartment owners, Taxman Mansoor started backing away from taxes. Wonder why? Well, could it be that the biggest apartment owner in Costa Mesa is former Ambassador to Spain and billionaire George Argyros who is also big in the GOP?

You see, Taxman Mansoor has political aspirations. He wants to run for the State Assembly (where he can put more taxes and fees on us from a state level) and he's going to need the support of the bigs in the GOP if he hopes to win a seat in Sacramento.

Yup. All you little citizens--you lowly peons--will have to pay if you need an ambulance or the fire department. Those things were approved by Taxman Mansoor, Foley and Monahan last night. But, if you own apartments, well, Taxman Mansoor and the others didn't approve those fees last night. Nope. These were the only fees they didn't approve. You see, they, ahem, harumph, want more information on these fees and asked that this be brought back before the Council in July.

Don't get us wrong. The CM PRESS is also opposed to the fees on apartment owners and we spoke against them also, but the transparent political maneuvering over these fees from the dais was so apparent that it was laughable.

And what about Foley? What's her motivation for taxing us peons? She was supported in the last election by the Firefighter and Police Unions. Oh, and she also revealed from the dais that she got a call before the meeting last night from the Apartment Owners Association about the fees that she was to vote on at the meeting.

The true representatives of the ordinary citizens of Costa Mesa last night were Mayor Pro Tem Leece and Councilmember Bever. They both voted against all the new fees. Mansoor should have been voting with them, but as indicated above, he didn't. Taxman Mansoor appears to have gone over to the darkside, as one citizen told us after the meeting.

Maybe some apathetic citizens who aren't paying attention to the big spenders on the Council will wake up after they get into an auto accident or have a heart attack and need an ambulance and after they start get dunning calls from the Fire Department's collection agency demanding that they pay fees for something they thought their taxes were already paying for as basic services.

And, speaking of that, while a guy from the collection agency being hired by the Fire Department was there last night and sat with the Fire Chief, no one asked how much of a cut the collection agency will get out of the fees citizens must pay.

All of the above fees are coming into effect because the Council refuses to make the necessary cuts to get our expenses in line with our income in this city.

Approximately 73 cents of every dollar the city receives, goes to pay salaries, overtime and benefits for City employees.

Maybe it's time, as suggested by a representative of the Apartment Owners Association, who spoke to the Council last night, for the City to farm out our fire services (and maybe also our police services) as do many other cities. Might save us money.

Think we're too hard on Mansoor? We don't. We expected more from him than this nonsense, and he's let us all down.
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COSTA MESA'S VIOLENT CRIME JUMPED A WHOPPING 35.7 PERCENT IN 2008

According to the OC REGISTER, violent crime in Costa Mesa jumped a whopping 35.7 percent in 2008.

Thanks City Council.

Why do we blame the City Council for this jump in violent crime?

It's because the Council refuses to remove the habitats for criminals--the slums--that will continue to breed gangs and crime as long as they exist.

What the Council should do:

1. Have the CMPD give them a scatter map showing the location of a) violent crimes, and b) location of known perps and gangs.

2. With that information (which will show maybe four hot areas in our city) the Council can work to thin out these hot areas, i.e. the hot areas are the functionally obsolete slum apartments.

Remove some of the buildings and you remove some of the criminals.

Look folks, such a giant jump in our violent crime rate shows the City Council isn't doing its job.

We need to make some changes. We need people on the Council who know how to manage and who put the citizens' interests first. We don't need more political hacks.
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FOLEY AGAIN BLATHERS ABOUT SOMETHING SHE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT

Also at last night's meeting, the CM PRESS told the Council that more than 75% of our police officers (and perhaps a similar percentage of firefighters) don't live in our city--which means that the money we pay them doesn't circulate in our city and that we're also not getting the best service since it's just common sense that city employees who live where they work are more concerned for public safety and the state of the city when their own families are in harm's way.

After we made our comment, Foley, as she often does when we are unable to respond, said that we couldn't know how many cops live in Costa Mesa because information about their addresses is not public information.

Actually, we got the statistics from City Hall and they were based on zip codes of where cops live with no names or actual addresses. So, Foley, get your facts straight before you try this crap with us again. You just look stupid.

We also suggested that Foley get the same statistics we have. All she has to do is ask the City Manager to have a zip code report run on fire and police personnel sans names and other personal information. It's just a simple computer operation.

By the way, the City of Boston, Mass. requires that all city employees--every single one of them--live in the city. If any are found to not live in Boston, they're fired.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 685

NOW IT'S COLIN POWELL TELLING THE GOP WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT
More nutso talk from a know nothing who says we want to pay more taxes.

Here's what we at the CM PRESS think the majority of the American people want.

A government that serves them and spends their tax money in ways that benefits them. It's no more complicated than that. No phony wars. No absurd foreign aid. Spend our money right here to benefit citizens.

And, while it's not complicated, here are just a few more details that we think the GOP should be pushing.

Health Care--The present system is a joke. Citizens shouldn't have to worry about getting sick because they don't have health insurance. We need a better system, and our tax money should fund this instead of going to fund foreign leaders in distant lands.

Re-industrialization--We need to start making things again. We need to remove many of the rules that are killing off start-up manufacturing businesses and we need to encourage new industrial businesses.

Less intrusive government--Good government should be like a good waiter in a restaurant: out of site and part of the furniture until you need him and then he's there to refill your glass.

Secure our borders--We do not need illegal aliens to do work in this country. We have plenty of citizens who are out of work and who could use jobs and despite the myths to the contrary, many believe all work is noble and will do stoop labor to earn money.
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NICE ARTICLE IN THE DAILY MAIL ABOUT THE MICHAEL SAVAGE MATTER
Scroll down and see the people who are allowed to stay in the UK while a guy who does nothing but talk, give his opinions and who doesn't advocate violence is banned.
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STICK A FEATHER ON HIS OR HER HEAD AND THEY'RE INDIANS?
American Indians fighting to survive as a distinct people are told they must allow non-Indians into their tribes. Indians figure their genes have something to do with being Indians and they know the only way to rebuild who and what they are is to increase their genes in the Indian gene pool and reduce the genes of others (but you won't see it being reported this way)in that gene pool. Genes-R-Us.
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WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE SUPREME COURT CHURCH TELLS DAILY PILOT
Here's the DP story.

A little clarification is needed. The U.S. Supreme Court takes most cases via certiorari. This means the court decides which cases it will hear. It takes the votes of four supreme court justices to have a case brought before the Supreme Court. The justices look for cases with important constitutional issues that need to be resolved. If four justices can't be convinced that it's an important constitutional case, the case won't be heard. The vast majority of cases that people want the Supreme Court to rule on are not heard by the Supreme Court and this means the lower court's decision stands.
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RADIO TALKER MICHAEL SAVAGE BANNED FROM ENGLAND
Freedom takes another hit.

An update to Pastor Martin Niemoller's famous take on remaining silent when tyrants rule:

First they came for those questioning the Holocaust and I didn't speak up because I wasn't questioning the Holocaust.

Then they came for those saying that homosexuality is wrong and I didn't speak up because I wasn't saying that.

Then they came for those saying our borders should be protected against illegal aliens and I didn't speak up because I wasn't saying that.

Then they came for the fundamentalist Mormon polygamists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a fundamentalist Mormon polygamist.

Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Here's the original:

"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up."

Pastor Martin Niemöller
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SPOOKY UNIVERSE
Easy to read Wall Street Journal article on quantum physics.
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT
Agenda.
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Thanks for reading the CM PRESS.

CM PRESS # 684

BEFORE WE BRANCHED OFF
Reconstruction of what first Europeans may have looked like.

Here's what we've written before about the first Europeans (Issue # 683 and other columns).

Scientists now believe that a tiny mutation in gene slc24a5, located on the long leg of chromosome 15 at position 21.1, started in the few people who left Africa and headed into Europe about 20,000--50,000 years ago was a major factor in making their skin white and thus allowing a greater production of Vitamin D, which in turn prevented rickets.This mutation became the norm in Europe 5,300 to 12,000 years ago.

This gene has primary alleles that differ in only one nucleotide, changing the 111th amino acid from alanine to threonine.In other words, a mistake in copying happened (that's what a mutation is) that replaced the A with a T in this gene slc24a5 located on the long leg of chromosome 15 at position 21.1 and the result was white people.

Usually, such mutations are swallowed back up in the original population and disappear.In this case, however, the white skin gave a survival advantage and it spread in Europe since those with it didn't get rickets and thus lived longer to breed more like themselves while those without the mutation eventually died off.In White European descended peoples, the threonine form is found in from 98.7% to 100% of the population while in Africans, East Asians and American Indians from 93% to 100% of the populations have the alanine form.

When you change one gene, other things often change that may or may not have any survival benefit, but which remain because of their link to the first change. Soon, there may be a whole cascade of changes as genes do not operate in a vacuum. Over time, and if isolation is involved, one type diverges more and more from the old norm as it adapts to different conditions.

In addition to white skin, many other characteristics developed. Some were random mutations that stuck, and others were, as is white skin, adaptations for the new climate. For example, thin, longer noses with smaller nostrils are an advantage in cold weather because they heat the air breathed in before it goes to the lungs.
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REMEMBER HOW WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO HELP DEVELOPING NATIONS SO WE'LL ALL PROSPER AND WE'LL ALL GET ALONG?
That's not the way nature works.
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RUST BELT EMPTIES--SYMPTOM OF SICK WORLD VIEW
We need to re-industrialize the US and actually start making things again.
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DIMWITS IN STUPID PARTY STILL DON'T GET IT
The reason people are fleeing the GOP is because of the Bush family and their neocon pals with their stupid policies.

George I was stupid and had stupid policies. George II was even worse and is responsible for killing about 5,000 young Americans in a war in Iraq that wasn't needed.

Now, Iraq is destabilized--since we killed the only guy who was keeping it stable, Saddam Hussein--and will become an Islamic Republic once the US leaves.

Then, there's the Bush torture. And, don't forget the years of the stupidest, most transparent propaganda trying to justify all the stupidity.

There is some hope for the Stupid Party, however, because Obama is starting to make some of the same mistakes but with Afghanistan.

Here's what the dimwits in the Stupid Party are now doing.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 683

DON'T LET COSTA MESA BECOME A NEW EL MONTE
Story from the LA TIMES today.
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LARGE HADRON COLLIDER MOSTLY FIXED
Start up is scheduled for September.
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EUGENICS AGAIN?
Possible misuse of DNA data bases.

The last time this was tried in the US, the government wrongly used its power to forcefully sterilize people it believed shouldn't have children.

Now, a new ethical dilemma is coming. The more we learn about genes, the more we realize that they code us for more than just our physical characteristics. Our much vaunted free will, is not as free as many want to believe.

BACKGROUND: There's a lot of confusion about genes. Many people think they are actual things themselves. They are not.

Gene is the name we give to a sequence of DNA letters (A,T,C,G) that occupy a specific location on a chromosome and determine a particular characteristic in an organism. So genes are locations more than things. Mutations occur when the DNA letter sequence is changed. Humans have 20,000 to 30,000 genes (the actual number is still to be determined) made up of billions of the chemicals A,T,C,G all in different sequences spread out on 46 chromosomes. Other living things have different numbers of genes and chromosomes.

Here's an example of such a mutation that gave those carrying it a survival advantage in Europe over others:

Scientists now believe that a tiny mutation in gene slc24a5, located on the long leg of chromosome 15 at position 21.1, started in the few people who left Africa and headed into Europe about 20,000--50,000 years ago was a major factor in making their skin white and thus allowing a greater production of Vitamin D, which in turn prevented rickets.

This mutation became the norm in Europe 5,300 to 12,000 years ago. This gene has primary alleles that differ in only one nucleotide, changing the 111th amino acid from alanine to threonine.
In other words, a mistake in copying happened (that's what a mutation is) that replaced the A with a T in this gene slc24a5 located on the long leg of chromosome 15 at position 21.1 and the result was white people. Usually, such mutations are swallowed back up in the original population and disappear.

In this case, however, the white skin gave a survival advantage and it spread in Europe since those with it didn't get rickets and thus lived longer to breed more like themselves while those without the mutation eventually died off.

In White European descended peoples, the threonine form is found in from 98.7% to 100% of the population while in Africans, East Asians and American Indians from 93% to 100% of the populations have the alanine form.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 682

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FOUND LIABLE FOR INSULTING CHRISTIANS
Disregard the word "guilty" in the OC REGISTER article. This was a civil suit, not a criminal one, so "guilty" isn't appropriate. Must be that editing in India.
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CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT COMES TO COSTA MESA
AMVETS Post 18 Orange County, the American Civil War Society and the City of Costa Mesa will be putting on a Civil War battle re-enactment at Fairview Park on Saturday, May 9, from 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 10, from 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. Admission to the event is free. Public parking will be provided at Estancia High School, 2323 Placentia Avenue, next to Fairview Park.

For further information, please contact Jeffrey Sharp with AmVets Department of California, at (714) 614-1269.
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COPS SAY MAN LA'S 'LARGEST EVER' SERIAL KILLER, AP
All of John F. Thomas' victims were white women.
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BOSTON RADIO HOST SUSPENDED FOR COMMENTS ON MEXICANS
Says Mexico is exporting women with mustaches to US
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LA TIMES SAYS THOUSANDS WILL RALLY FOR AMNESTY TODAY
Will Mexican Flu be passed around?
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MAY 5, CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Go and watch the Council spend our money like drunken sailors while complaining about the feds spending money like drunken sailors. They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.
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BLACK NY GOVERNOR FIRES WHITE, HIRES BLACK, WHITE SUES
Secret settlement pays white $300K in racial discrimination suit.
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WAS IT A BLUFF? NY TIMES MAY CLOSE BOSTON GLOBE TODAY
If it was a bluff, NY TIMES may hurt itself with investors.
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CM PRESS # 681

WOMAN GETS RAPED, ROBBED AND HAS HER BABY THREATENED
She didn't avoid black attacker because she "didn't want to seem racist."
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WHAT CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE ALMOST DAILY DAILY PILOT?
As we've written many times before, we hope the Daily Pilot stays afloat. We really like having a newspaper here that links Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. It's a halo effect that CM needs.

Maybe the folks at the Pilot really will have something good when they unveil the changes they've been trumpeting. We hope so.

What we're mostly seeing in the paper these days--to judge from the Internet version--are very slow moving and often boring stories, puff pieces about restaurants that look to us to be little more than unpaid (unpaid to the newspaper, that is) ads written by publicists, and an occasional grade school level column about all things Latino.

Speaking of publicists. I used to know a guy who did that on the side in a big city. He'd charge restaurants a small amount--$50 to $ 100 bucks--for every time he got their names mentioned in a newspaper.

Then, he'd call up his pal who wrote a regular about town column for the major newspaper and give him some short blurb about how so and so was seen at_________(fill in the name of the restaurant) so that it sounded newsworthy or he'd give his pal a blurb about something that was overheard (often a joke) at__________(again, fill in the name of the restaurant).

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CURIOUS ABOUT WHY THE WORLD IS SO WORRIED ABOUT THE MEXICAN FLU?

Go forth and multiply is the basic program of all living things. Failure to do so leads to extinction.

Influenza viruses have their genetic code in RNA rather than DNA (the code is in DNA for humans, by contrast). When DNA mutates, it has ways to correct the mistakes (which is what a mutation is), but RNA does not have a way to correct the mistakes.

This means that the flu virus mutates at a very fast rate as principles of natural selection and survival of the fittest work themselves out within the viruses.

The flu viruses use the hosts' DNA to replicate themselves. As they replicate and spread, they continue mutating in order to survive. Some survive,and make more of themselves, many die off. The ones that survive are, by definition, the fittest.

We are seeing evolution at quick-time happening in the bodies of the infected.

This particular flu, which is incorrectly being called the Swine Flu, apparently is carrying bits of genetic code from swine, birds and humans. BTW, there are also dog and horse and other types of flu, but at present we have no indication that this flu is infecting them. The CM PRESS is calling this new flu the Mexican Flu (as are some European nations) because of its apparent point of origin and main area of infection.

The fear is that the Mexican Flu will mutate to a very deadly strain that we can't kill.

You might say that this isn't a very smart survival strategy for the flu since if it kills a host, the flu virus inside the host also dies.

However, remember that this flu can live within swine, birds and humans. And of these three, the only real enemy it has--apart from the immune systems of swine and birds--are humans, who can, in addition to their own immune systems, invent ways to kill the virus. Thus, if the virus can kill off all human beings, it wins. This is because it still has other animals in which to live. It doesn't need human beings in order to survive.

Survival of the fittest isn't about individuals (whether we're talking about a virus or a human being) but about the code the individuals carry that make those individuals part of a particular group of living things. Nature plays the percentages.

Are viruses living things?
It depends on the definition of life that is used. They can't reproduce on their own without a host, so at least one definition would say they're not alive. However, they have found a way to reproduce by using a host, so other, and perhaps more accurate, definitions say they are living things.
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MISS CALIFORNIA TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE
Refuses to be browbeaten by gays. Maybe she understands the basic program of all living things as written in the article above.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 680

RIGHT WING COLLEGE GROUP HAS LEFTIES IN A TIZZY
Lefties don't want the righties to have free speech rights.
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CM SCHOOLS AND THE MEXICAN FLU (That's what it should really be called, and we will refer to it as such from now on.)
We got an eyewitness report yesterday of two kids feeling sick in one classroom at CMHS. The kids were taken to the nurse's office and didn't return to the classroom, but staff went to the classroom and used antiseptic wipes to wipe down and sanitize everything the kids might have touched.
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HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION SAYS VOTE NO ON ALL PROPS
They're saying the same thing as the CM PRESS. The scumbag politicians are reaching for our wallets again so they can spend like drunken sailors.
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QUAKERS HANDING OUT ANTI-WAR LEAFLETS AT CMHS
We got a leaflet from a Quaker standing by Costa Mesa High School this morning warning kids to be careful before they enlist in the military.

We think the advice in the leaflet is good and should be read by all who are thinking of enlisting.
Here's a link to the Quakers' website.
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FALSE PANIC OR IS THIS THE FLU THAT WILL WIPE OUT HALF OF MANKIND?
Video report.
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GROUPS DEMAND OUSTER OF CRAZY BIG SISTER
George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Mother Teresa all terrorists.
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FIRST FLU DEATH IN US--MEXICAN BOY IN HOUSTON
Child travelled to Houston from Mexico.
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RESULTS OF SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT
The Costa Mesa Police conducted a sobriety checkpoint on April 28, 2009, at Wilson Street west of Pomona Avenue.

During the hours of operation, 658 vehicles drove through the checkpoint and 258 drivers were screened. Police conducted 10 DUI investigations resulting in no DUI arrests. In addition, 4 drivers were cited for driving without driver licenses, 3 drivers were cited for not having a CDL in their possession. A total of 3 other traffic citations were issued for miscellaneous vehicle code violations and 2 vehicles were impounded.

Police will conduct another checkpoint on May 15, 2009.
Source: CMPD
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 679

CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT NEW FLU ABOUND
It's not really swine flu but a combination of swine, avian and human flu elements.

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SPECIAL CM PRESS ELECTION GUIDE
The election is May 19, 2009

PROP 1A--VOTE NO
PROP 1B--VOTE NO
PROP 1C--VOTE NO
PROP 1D--VOTE NO
PROP 1E--VOTE NO
PROP 1F--VOTE NO

That's right. VOTE NO on every proposition on May 19. Don't believe the phony wording about "the children," it's BS. Don't we already pay enough in taxes in Taxifornia?Remember, you can't just stay home and not vote or the other side will win.

YOU MUST VOTE, AND YOU MUST VOTE NO ON EVERY PROPOSITION TO REIN IN GOVERNMENT AND KEEP OUR TAXES LOW.

STOP THE POLITICAL HACKS FROM STEALING MORE MONEY FROM US!
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 678

CALIFORNIA COUNTIES CUTTING HEALTH CARE TO ILLEGALS
So saith the LA TIMES. Orange County next?
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EU TELLS EUROPEANS NOT TO TRAVEL TO US OR MEXICO
World worries: Is this the start of the feared pandemic that many have predicted?
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IS BIG SISTER RISKING AMERICAN LIVES?

It appears to us that Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano is doing little to stop the immigration of swine flu from Mexico to the U.S.

In fact, she seems as slow to move now as government officials were with Hurricane Katrina.

Instead of substantive action as we're seeing in other nations, we're seeing what looks to us to be a government PR campaign of happy face coordinated memos going out to the media that seem calculated to keep people in the dark.

We watched Geraldo Rivera's segment on swine flu last night and it was little more than an attempt to tell everyone that the government is much better prepared than in the past to handle such outbreaks.

As we watched, we kept saying to ourself: "Okay, that's great, so when is the better prepared government going to actually do something?" No real answer came from the TV.

All we heard was the present version of duck and cover when a nuke is about to be dropped on your town.

This odd swine/avian/human flu may just fizzle out, but the way it has jumped species is troubling since it has apparently mutated to be more general than specific.

That is, as living things evolve, they generally do so to fill particular narrow niches where they can make a living. This means that they fit into one niche nicely, but don't do so well in other niches.

If this present flu really can exist in swine, birds and humans (And what else?) the ability to wipe it out is lessened and the opportunity for it to mutate even more is increased.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

CM PRESS # 677

MEXICAN MARINES GUARDING PUBLIC AREAS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM CONGREGATING AND SPREADING SWINE FLU
Mexico is the common denominator in the present swine flu scare world wide.
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POL CALLS FOR CLOSING OF MEXICAN BORDER OVER SWINE FLU
As the disease expands, more will follow. Let's hope it's done soon enough.
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ALMOST DAILY DAILY PILOT SAYS ABOUT 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THEIR PARTY THIS PAST WEEK
Why no photos? Let's see the 100.
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BIG SISTER ENDANGERING AMERICAN LIVES
Janet Napolitano refuses to test people coming to U.S. from Mexico for swine flu.
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PEOPLE DYING OF SWINE FLU IN MEXICO IN DROVES, NOT SO IN US. WHY?
Is it possible that the indigenous peoples of Europe in the European diaspora in the U.S. have an immunity, related to the Black Plague 700 years ago and a mutation, as many have with HIV? Time will tell.
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WORLDWIDE COMMON SOURCE OF SWINE FLU APPEARS TO BE MEXICO
Drudge constantly updating progress of disease around the planet. Is this the start of the feared pandemic or will it fizzle out? No one knows. The last great flu pandemic in 1918 spread all over the planet (even before modern transportation) and killed as many as 100 million people.
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CM PRESS # 676

CLOSE THE MEXICAN BORDER TO PREVENT PANDEMIC IN US
Sixty-eight dead so far in Mexico. Strange flu is spreading.
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(MAKING THE) RENT

Friday

The play I'm doing is over about eleven. Twenty minutes later, some of the other actors and I are out of make-up and costumes and walking up to Max's Kansas City.

"Hey, man, you know Jack Smith?" says one of the other actors to me. "He's probably in the back room."

"Nah, I don't think I know him. Who is he?"

"Jack's famous, man. He does a lot of Andy's [Warhol] camera work and he's the guy who did Flaming Creatures. Great flick, man. Really cool. Fellini says he got some of his ideas from Jack. Come on, I'll introduce you."

We go into the back room which is crowded with New York's Avant-garde and walk over to a booth in a dark corner occupied by a skinny guy with military short hair and an earring.

"Hey Jack, this guy's an uptown actor (a compliment) you should meet."

So, after talking for a while, and after drinking a few beers, and to make a long story short, Jack asks if I want to be in his play about Atlantis. "See man," says Jack, "the real star of the play is Jane Mansfield's bra."

"Yeah, well I'm stretched pretty thin right now, but maybe I can read the script."

"Okay come on down to my loft Saturday morning and we'll go over it."

Saturday


I'm standing outside an old decrepit brick four story factory building in a grubby deserted (except for the winos) area just off the Bowery; which years later is to become trendy and will be renamed SOHO. The door is locked and there's no door bell.

As you no doubt realize, there is but one sane thing to do. I do it. I step into the street, look up at the top of the building and shout at the top of my lungs, "Hey Jack, open the damn door will you."

Soon, Jack's head pops out from a fourth floor window. He recognizes me--can't be too careful in New York, the place is thick with method actors--and he tosses down a key attached to a foot long chunk of 2x4 with a bit of chain. "Come up to three," he yells.

I open the door and immediately get in the falling apart freight elevator and creak and jerk up to the third floor expecting the thing to crash to the bottom at any moment.

At three, I sling up the wood gate on the front and immediately enter the loft--no doors here. Anyone on the elevator can simply walk right into your loft.

The loft is one long room that used to be full of machines of some type or other in its earlier life. I imagine rows and rows of sewing machines with women with bobbed hair and bustles. Now, it's full of an odd assortment of Jack's junk. Literally.

The ceiling is cut away--with a chain saw from the looks of the jagged edges and beams sticking out--about half way to the back of the loft. Up above, on the fourth floor, is Jack. He shimmies down a rope. "Thanks for comin', man, he says. See those marijuana plants over there? They're going to be the palm trees in Atlantis."

So, to once again make this story even shorter, I ask to see the script and Jack pulls out a wrinkled and dirty piece of white typing paper from his back pocket that has typing on both sides and with plenty of strikeouts and margin notes.

"Where's the rest of the script?" I ask.

"That's it. You have it all."

"Geez, how long is the play, five minutes?" I ask.

"Last time we put it on it went for 48 hours,"says Jack.

"I'll give it some thought," I say, as I wonder how in the hell you improvise from a single sheet of paper for 48 hours. Jack apparently senses rejection.

"Hey, I'm having a showing of some of my films here next Tuesday to raise the rent, you wanna come?"

"I don't have any dough," I say.

"That's okay, come anyway and you can maybe help me with the projector.

"Yeah, maybe. We're dark on Tuesday. I'll see if I can make it."

Tuesday

With nothing better to do than entertain the cockroaches in my seventh floor walk-up, I decide to go to Jack's place. I walk from the 20's down to Jack's loft. It's dark when I arrive. This time, the door's open and there's a hand written sign on the freight elevator saying that everyone should go up to four and then take the ladder to the roof. I go to four.

Over in the corner is a black metal fire escape type ladder bolted to the wall and leading to a trapdoor that opens on the roof. I climb up the ladder. To my surprise the roof is packed with people. Many are dressed in expensive looking suits. Not exactly the Bohemians and drunks I was expecting; but there are some of those also.

I run into Jack and ask who all these people are and he says just people who like his work. That one over there is an ambassador, this one is a guy running for senator, that guy's with the governor, buncha people from the coast, people from the mayor's office.

Jack's donation basket is quickly filling up with big bills. I figure he's made his rent for another month and then some, and there are still more big bucks people arriving through the trap door. I suddenly realize that I must be the only person in New York who didn't know that Jack is a big deal.

I hang around a while, help a little with the projector which keeps screwing up, and then, because it's getting late, I head back to my own place. I have my own rent to meet. That means, in my case, getting up early and working in an office.

What? You think all actors work in restaurants? Don't worry, I've done that in spades. In fact, I worked as a dishwasher and bus boy in a restaurant in Boston when I was 13 and then later I worked for a while as a waiter in Ocean City, Maryland. I don't much like restaurant work. Not that I'm crazy about office work. But for me, at least, it was the lesser of the evils.

That's how a couple of us in the biz made our rent. Others have other stories and other ways. You may have heard about a few of them and maybe you've even seen a play about the subject. Well, it's possible.
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Thanks for reading the CM PRESS.