THE SECRET MEETINGS OF THE MDUSD; A BUTTERCUP STORY OF HUGE PROPORTIONS, HIGH IN CALORIES BUT NO FAT!

 

It is the MDUSD story that won’t die a natural death. I posted last week asking whether the Contra Costa Times was out to get the MDUSD through repeated stories taking obscure angles and pushing them as evidence of wrongdoings. You can read that HERE. 

Included was the famous “secret meetings” at the Buttercup Grill, or what is now referred to as “ButtercupGate.”

A few days ago Gary Eberhart ventured into the lion’s den with an online chat session on the CCT home ground that included two of the Times’ reporters (who for some reason are super nice on the blog, only to get testy later) and Peter Scheer, of the First Amendment Coalition – funny that he should show up since no one seems to acknowledge inviting him.  Aside from a handful of regulars, there were few people interested enough in ButtercupGate to actually participate. You can read the transcript HERE if you “yawn” missed it.

Following that session the CCT printed an editorial that continued their subscription driven frenzy to make something of this. 

Editorial: Mt. Diablo Unified should stop back-room deals and secrecy (<-- click to read)

But the question is simply this: If there was NO illegal activity involved in the poll, the meetings and the election vote, as there appears to not have been, then why is the Times’ pursuing this?

Eberhart and Strange posted on their blog in clear language the reasoning and actions that took place, including the poll taken and the fact that they were not legally obligated to disclose that poll. The Times’ disagrees, and yet at best the result is not legal action against the MDUSD; but rather accusation and inflammation of an issue that at this point should be put to rest.

“This is just news making and yellow journalism by the CCTimes. Subscribership is falling - must do something to help bottom line - forget integrity,” writes Paul Strange.

Was Measure C a good deal?  Anyone following the thing knew from the get go that it would come at a high price, and anyone claiming not to know that must not be reading the CCTimes that had no shortage of articles on the topic (see my last post for those links.) The point was that the previous Parcel Tax could not pass since it required the 2/3 vote to do so, despite getting about 60% support. And in their need for something to happen, the board chose the Bond which would require only 55%, something that the “poll” suggested stood a good chance. It was a viable option to do something in the face of ongoing cuts. What other choice was really there?

While the CCT argues that a different option would have resulted in a lower end cost, that option was based on home valuation the difference between a higher upfront cost compared to a higher end cost, something that most homeowners would recognize as a sucker choice given the negative fluctuation in the home values at this time. Is that what you want to base your funding option on?  I know that my property tax bill just plummeted with a recent revision is assessed value. That is no option at all. (I stand corrected in my explanation.) Worse, it clouds the efforts that got one option on the ballot and that, as the famous line goes, is “as good as it gets.” At least for now.

So why are they STILL beating this dead horse? One hardly believes the CC Times to be the bastion of fair and articulate reporting in this near death experience that they, and most newspapers, are experiencing. And simply put, given a declining readership, the last thing you want to do is bore the hell out of the few that are still there, in the name of uncovering the truth.  Time would be better spent focusing on why the state cannot balance a budget, something that is not only affecting our economic recovery, but continuing to shaft us in the nether parts. Or, if illegal activity was found, get some legal action initiated and then write about it. But no…

While we're on the topic of transparency about Measure C, we were appalled that Superintendent Steven Lawrence has been holding private meetings at his home with officials from Chevron. from the Times’ editorial, Click to read.

I am appalled also. The bottom line was and remains – if there was no illegal activity, regardless whether you wish that the trustees had acted differently, then move on and stop loitering in place.

Do I think that the board are a bunch of innocents? No. Do they want to achieve something through the path of least resistance? Yes. Could they have done things differently? Absolutely. Chief on that list is the deplorable lack of communication that had taken place since the last elections which, hopefully, has changed given the recent postings on their blog and an effort to represent themselves in the face of attack.

It is still a mess. Funding, education, the politics of education and the people who have nothing better to do than to stir it up in the name of a potential story. Who suffers? Everyone.

The MDUSD needs a lot of help. Steven Lawrence stepped in at a volatile time. Cuts have decimated the function of the district. And Measure C is not the only answer. At least it is a step that despite the naysayers did result in an election win, despite the best efforts of the Times’ and the various tax associations who wanted it stopped. 

The board, once again, seems splintered as yet another election approaches. Two seats will be up for filling; Paul Strange and Linda Mayo, the latter having already decided to run again. It is time that the board unifies, as their name suggests. It is time that this school district stops allowing their internal exhaustion to offer others like the Times’ the opportunity to create doubt and confusion. And who is lurking in the shadows waiting for the right moment for an election run?

And frankly, at the end of the day, I am already so tired of this topic that I do not even want to post it on my blog. But for the fact that it keeps coming up again and again as those bastions of truth and justice regurgitate the stories so that the skinny looking daily might appear to have some girth.  I cancelled my subscription awhile ago but the paper keeps getting delivered each day despite calls to stop. I guess the content operates the same way. Beat them to death if they do not roll over.

If the MDUSD blog is to be believed, you can ask your questions and they will be answered there, in a public forum where it can be looked up easily, where the board members do not have to be accused of secrecy, conspiracy, lies and – worse, not answering a question they continually answer on every blog they attend.  So go there and read the answers, post your questions and make up your own mind. They also have their phone numbers and email posted. http://mdusd.blogspot.com/

And if they do not live up to their new position of answering their critics and putting the doubters to rest, I will be there asking why not?  It is not a free ride. It is a terrible time and the prospects for the future remain bleak. Under the two potential candidates for Governor I see little in the way of change to how business has been done.

So much for ButtercupGate! Can we move on now?

MisterWriter

N.Y. JUDGE VALIDATES THE LEGALITY OF BUTT UGLY SAGGY PANTS

It didn’t need a lawsuit for me to tell you that in America the right to be stupid, butt ugly (it’s a pun) or wearing butt ugly saggy pants is another protection afforded you by The Constitution. Nonetheless, in New York a judge affirmed that right when one Julio Martinez was brought forth and charged with disorderly conduct and the judge dismissed it. 

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/crack_is_back_TBpsdZXuiM1zK9tQIAkmdM

Legal though it may be, it is one stupid, ugly fashion trend, like so many of them out there now . Everyone who knows me knows that I think this is stupidity at its best.

Stupid is when you see one of these fashion Mafioso types having to scrunch the front of their pants with one hand just to be able to walk. And don’t forget the penguin waddle they all have; a group of young men all so encumbered, walking in unison and resembling a nature documentary without the cute penguins themselves.

Not only do they have to waddle like Geisha, but given the higher propensity for crime in this age bracket, make capture by the police likely given their inability to run. Maybe that explains why prisons are so overcrowded. Has anyone done a saggy pants survey of inmates?

And, as the article suggests the fashion is reflective of the clothing in prison where belts are not allowed, although I had heard the prison reference to oversized duds that sag helping those inmates looking for a date to find one quite accessibly. Sorry, that was a gross image. Another variation is that slaves were dressed in baggy clothes making escape more difficult.

 

I am also reminded that a pair of these parachute pants are not cheap. Like the pre-torn pants that used to sell for $40 or more, fashion, even butt ugly fashion, comes at a steep price, surprising if you consider an absolute lack of design talent needed for the occupation. Splash on some bug killing fragrance and some tacky over-plated jewelry and you are just one of the crowd.

New York Senator Eric Adams of Brooklyn launched a campaign to get men who sag to stop. Erecting six billboards through Brooklyn, the campaign has had its share of critics, many who believe it targets African Americans unfairly. Even President Barack Obama believes any legislation to be a waste of time although he disapproves of the practice as he told MTV News. “Brothers should pull up their pants. You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What's wrong with that? Come on. There are some issues that we face, that you don't have to pass a law, but that doesn't mean folks can't have some sense and some respect for other people and, you know, some people might not want to see your underwear -- I'm one of them."

Or, as the Dallas Observer noted:

“Let's put it this way: If your subculture is so disenfranchised that you have to glorify prison—glorify it to the point that you voluntarily wear a quasi-prison uniform—your world is clearly difficult and complex. If baggy jeans are your badge of honor, you don't have much hope, now do you? The hip-hop tradition is not just fashion, it's a grab for some kind of pride in a situation that doesn't offer much hope for obtaining pride in the way enfranchised people do.”

Then again, this is the generation that considers the tee-shirt, especially marred by some inane message of questionable decency, as appropriate formal wear to many functions.

Meantime, back in 2007, Louisiana had something to say one the topic, passing legislation in one city that banned saggy pants.  “June 12, 2007 05:04 PM CDT, Monday night, Delcambre's town council voted to outlaw sagging pants that expose underwear.  Men and women found in violation could be fined up to $500, or be sentenced to up to 6 months in jail. Neighbors on both sides of the issue packed the small trailer the town is still using as a meeting hall after Hurricane Rita.  Some residents worried the problem was being labeled as a problem only in the black community.  Council members said the law will be enforced for all races and genders.  The law goes into effect when the mayor signs the ordinance - which could be sometime this month. Delcambre's new law goes beyond state indecency laws, which ban exposed private parts."

Fox News’ Lis on the Law noted that “Until senators could learn to keep their pants on they should not be telling us how to wear ours.” 

What do you think?

MisterWriter

I DON’T GET IT? HOW CAN THIS BE LEGAL?

Back in 2007, you may recall I covered the wedding of Contra Costa’s County Clerk Steve Weir to John Hemms which, aside from the usual pro/con gay marriage people, drew the attention of the Westboro Baptist Church who came to protest with their hateful signs.

This group has gained notoriety by protesting the funerals of dead soldiers with the same message; God hates them. Read about one father’s experience HERE.

There are so many words to describe this level of fervor that goes right along with those people who would shoot doctors at clinics performing abortions, videotaping their animal cruelty or any of the other “I am protected under the Constitution…” groups. And I guess that is a by product of freedom – and certainly a companion argument to absolute power corrupting absolutely.

So when I read that a Nebraska town had to settle with the Westboro Baptist Church to the tune of $17,000 after one of their own was barred from protesting a soldier’s funeral because they had no permit, resulting in an arrest when they ignored it, and somehow managed to convince a judge that requiring a permit to protest within city limits was unconstitutional, I found myself shaking my head as I do at many stories these days.

Now that is crazy!  Check out some of the news stories on this group and ask yourself at what point some freedoms should end, or some legislation should begin. You can see their Web Page HERE to really appreciate their brand of “faith.”

You know, I want to go through red lights and frankly they impede my right of free passage, but it is a law. Why are there no laws controlling groups like this – certainly there are no shortage of lawyers. It would be a grand career maker for someone. These fringe groups thrive on abusing the protections afforded us as a whole; however it is my opinion that this is the way we have allowed the country to be, accommodating everyone regardless whether they deserve to be accommodated.

Meanwhile, someone explain to me why it seems that this country keeps getting stranger and stranger as we all stand there proclaiming the rights of hate and oppression under the protection of the First Amendment?  - MisterWriter

 

SEX, LIES AND MEASURE C – IS THE TIMES OUT TO GET THE MDUSD?

I had to throw the “Sex” part in there to get you all riled up – sorry. I lied!

Now let’s talk about Measure C and the war that appears to be going on with the ongoing barrage of stories from the Contra Costa Times that has, in quite direct terms, portrayed the MDUSD trustees as deceitful manipulators of the poor innocent public and prompting action from the MDUSD blog, under a posting by Gary Eberhart, fighting back.  “To say that what the Times has written about the District going solar is factually inaccurate would be a gross understatement.,” Eberhart writes on the MDUSD blog (http://mdusd.blogspot.com/2010/07/mdusd-solar.html). “I wanted to start a dialog with our community on the subject. I will try to address a few of the facts here initially, but I really want to address real questions and concerns from the community rather than me sitting at a computer spewing about things that may be of no interest,” he continues.

Has the CCTimes  gone into attack mode? Certainly their reports have had a sting since they came out to oppose Measure C, back several months when it was first put on the ballot, and since that time has had multiple writers like Theresa Harrington, Matt Krupnick and Daniel Borenstein pointing out what they call the “exorbitant price tag,” or indulging opinion pieces from other anti-C groups like the Pleasant Hill Taxpayers Association’s Jack Weir who out rightly accused the district of lying claiming “In an act of public deception…”  that the MDUSD did not tell voters the “actual terms and cost of the bond measure…” despite a plethora of CCTimes articles clearly identifying the price tag by the time the bond is fully paid off which, contrary to claims, was hardly a secret given the numerous discussions, charts and articles written on the subject. On the other hand, as the Times’ Daniel Borenstein wrote, “There is no legal requirement for the district to crunch that number…” regardless whether he believes it should be “crunched.”

Now don’t mistake this to be an endorsement of district conduct; they have certainly had a lot to go after recently, but what I keep reading from the Times are recycled angles from stories already written that have been turned to focus the angle from a new point of view and make… a brand new story when there is no brand new story to be had. The vote has been cast. Like it or not.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_15607142

Mt. Diablo trustees approved bond for ballot without knowing which projects were needed

By Theresa Harrington
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 07/26/2010 03:58:22 PM PDT

Mt. Diablo trustees did not know what facilities improvement projects were needed when they voted March 9 to place a $348 million bond measure on the ballot, recently obtained correspondence between school administrators and an assistant superintendent shows.

…which is nothing more than their rush to get it on the ballot by the deadline as opposed to doing nothing….big conspiracy!  Or  another Theresa Harrington story…

Mt. Diablo school district refuses to release voter poll results

By Theresa Harrington
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 07/26/2010 02:53:39 PM PDT

 

…which goes on to add that “While the district met the letter of the law by acknowledging the Times’ request for the voter poll…” So where is the story?  The Times openly opposed Measure C because it would ultimately cost five times its initial value, but then it was no secret that the bond would stand the better chance of passage, especially given the failure of the previous parcel tax to achieve the needed 2/3rd majority.  In both that situation and that of Measure C the voter turnout was in support of both, the latter being 69%, hardly the ….

Opposition mounts to Mt. Diablo schools bond measure

By Theresa Harrington
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 05/24/2010 04:13:53 PM PDT

Opposition is mounting to a $348 million bond measure for Mt. Diablo schools, with critics charging that district officials kept the public in the dark about financing that would cost taxpayers about $1.8 billion.

The total cost would be more than five times the amount borrowed, or $1 billion more than the bonds would have cost with another financing option that trustees had.

… prediction of a grand opposition that had been printed back at the end of May. And the other option that became multiple stories about secret surveys and shifty planning was to have the bond based on ….

That option would have cost property owners $120 per $100,000 assessed value annually through 2031 when the first bond will be paid off, then $60 per $100,000 through 2046.

… which would be great in an economy where assessed home values were rising; rather than the steady decline we have seen in the county. I know that I already feel like my home is subject to the whims of the (overpaid) Sacramento politicians who despite their high fat salaries are still unable to make a budget that works for California rather than stealing from the cities. And are they in a rush?  The Governator even stated he may well pass this on to the next fool in office.

So would we have been better with a fluctuating amount? 

The Times then focused on the fact that a poll taken by the district through EMC Research led them to believe that the way they went was the way they should have gone; that with the greatest chance of success. 

However, an EMC presentation delivered to trustees before they voted to put the bond on the ballot did not mention two cost options or provide data regarding voter preferences on one over another.
More complete EMC polling data obtained by the Times also did not show information regarding two options, but the entire poll was not released.

And yet the district was not accused of violating disclosure requirements because….it had not violated any. So what’s the story? Is the story that the Times did not like the bond measure? Certainly they relied heavily on Jack Weir’s editorial and loads of quotes from Kris Hunt of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, also against the measure. But as far as a series of stories it seemed more that the Times wanted to continue the MDUSD beatings rather than shape up to deal with the fact that the voters spoke out at a 69% win.

Chevron gave $10,000 to Mt. Diablo schools' bond campaign

By Matt Krupnick
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 07/23/2010 04:11:54 PM PDT

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15588286

Although the donations were apparently legal, they still raise questions about the district's close ties to its vendors, said Peter Scheer, an attorney and executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit open-government group.

So the donations were legal? Then what is the story aside from the insinuation and accusation?

Of course it is not just the Times’ that is stirring the pot. These days everyone is a liar, everyone is corrupt and just about every outfit is out to get you. That seems to be the song of the times (no pun intended) and a scary one at that.

And in the process, it seems that pitting board member against board member through quotes of one not knowing, or not recalling, or taking enough quotes to offer a perception of stupidity or illegality, as was made of trustee Sherry Whitmarsh who despite her best efforts, and she does make huge efforts, to steer clear of the minefields, keeps having them thrown at her. The worst thing she does is actually answer questions in the face of the recent board silence, one acknowledged by Gary Eberhart and now hopefully changing with a resurgence of their MDUSD Blog.

So where’s the story? I’ll tell you where. The story is about keeping the public riled up so they are desperate to read the story – whatever the story. Remember that old commercial? “Where’s the beef?” Gotta sell newspapers?

What’s your opinion? In the days ahead perhaps I will invite the players above to respond… On the Record! Or maybe I will just rehash this post in a different way and claim that it is brand spanking new again!

MisterWriter

PS: You can click the colored links to read the source material. [UPDATE 7/28/10: Read the Times’ transcript of the Live Chat with Gary Eberhart HERE. The same questions being asked over and over by the same few people. While I have no problem with questioning, it seems that the accusations of illegality should be dropped if nothing illegal was done. Whether something – like the poll about the bond – could have been handled differently is a given. It certainly is not the basis for a bunch of stories and accusatory comments.  Hopefully as a result of the chat, the board members will make full use of their blog site to have a central place for Q & Q rather than chasing bits over the blog world.]]

Verizon To Kill Unlimited Data Plan This Month?

I wonder how many people will threaten lawsuits having been sold on the purchase of an unlimited data plan. I play for unlimited use but I surely do not wish to be at the mercy of a company that will change that option while still locking me into a long term contract. Or will it be that they have to entertain the contract term prior to changing the plan? Any lawyers care to input?

MisterWriter
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

QUESTIONS WORTH ANSWERING – THE WEEK IN INQUIRY

Waiting for the other shoe to drop. That is how I feel our weekly life has become. The sun shines one day and you have to ask “At what price?”  Simplicity seems to be lost in the confusion of what we call daily life. And I have to tell you that I miss the daily life that used to be some twenty odd years ago; as much as I did not think so, it was a simpler time and things were a lot clearer than now. Why is that?

On the Record, I have sent out a bunch of queries on a range of topics from the BART Press Release, to the Mehserle support rally in the Creek today. I have asked why the MDUSD Board Members are not actively using their blog; something that was very useful in the last crisis and yet totally ignored now (as am I in some of my emails to certain board members whom I suspect believe me to no longer effectual in reaching an audience – a bit of a gamble I would say given my ownership of a newspaper.)

And the question is “Why?”  Why did BART release a whole set of new policies that seem only to regulate what the police do, and not include the unruly of the riders that are equally to blame for the issues at hand? Is it just BART being racially PC? Don’t offend those riders wielding cell phone cameras catching the cops grabbing the wrong enforcement tool? God knows that’s a wish for many of them.  Then there is the Mehserle support rally, and honestly, I do not believe this cop shot a black guy on a BART station in plain view of everyone on purpose.  Really?  Racially motivated crimes never happen in the spotlight; they are the cowardly back alley crimes that we usually hear of but lack first hand imagery of. And I do believe that those exist, although in this case I think cop training and a set of very sad reasons led for the wrong device to be used. And for that, regardless of his sentence, Mehserle will pay for the rest of his life, as will his family who must live with the public shame of Oscar Grant’s death. And Oscar Grant lost his life – a tragedy whenever that happens, regardless the reasons.   But then, let us not pretend Grant was totally innocent either. Afraid of his third strike for drugs, reportedly, he resisted.  The shame is that Oscar Grant, American, father, had to be in that position to worry about his third strike. And that is a failing of society that is lenient and evasive when it comes to issues of race and raising children. You see, black or white, Oscar Grant also made a choice. Mehserle made a choice. The victims are the riders of BART who choose nothing more than a desire to reach point B from point A. And so I asked BART board president James Fong whether the changes are reflective of the racial hotbed or true in intent. I’ll let you know when I get the results.

The MDUSD Board of Education are once again front and center. Why the silence? Sure, board members Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh do appear on select blogs to answer questions, and yet the district is silent in their accountability for some recent headlines, especially the new superintendents hiring of a principal who, having passed screenings, was found online to have exposed the identification of many past students online, while also having a DUI and resisting arrest; hardly quality principal material.

I asked the board why their blog is not used to update the stakeholders who deserve to have answers. No comments needed. Just information. There is a deplorable lack of information right now. In their defense, I know these people are decent folk, parents, stakeholders themselves, beaten up at every turn over the last year. They need a break and I would love to give them one; but their duties require them to step up and respond. It does NOT have to be a discussion; just a public statement in a central forum.  I’ll let you know what I learn. 

For the record I have been criticized for supporting them. I know them to be decent people. I also know that there is NOT ONE person out there who could stand the scrutiny in the current environment. My support is not blind. I am not swayed by friendship. Theirs is a position of duty and I do expect that they are held to it. That said, I have been ignored by a few – no names, sorry. It may well be assumed by those who choose to ignore me that I yield no power. I yield no power because I want nothing in the way of power; the reason I run for no political office. I am, however, not powerless. The blog aside, I also have a newspaper at my disposal. I had hoped that one of the benefits of this duality was that it was clear that I am not a person of deceit. Likewise, I do not suffer fools gladly.  I’ll let you know what I hear, as I hear it. I do ask, though, that you approach things proactively; there is no room for blatant negativity. Not anymore. Not unless you want the worst case scenario.

I miss the simple life. The older I get the further away it seems to get. And yet, go lie on a grassy lawn at night, a clear night, and look up at the blanket of stars. You are insignificant in that majesty, regardless your beliefs. You are complicating life beneath that simplicity. That moment we get to live and breathe, before we are relegated to somebody’s family archives – make it count.

What more is there?

 

MisterWriter

WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY?

I was brought up warned by my parents to avoid discussions about politics and religion. Having been quite clear about politics for some time, I thought I would post a piece about religion, thanks to the inspiration provided by the Catholic Church this week.

Straight out of the Catholic News Service comes what can only be called a really bizarre public relations move. In the release announcing a revised version of the Catholic Norms, about to be released, the church that can only be considered highly controversial over recent years, has categorized the concept of women as priests on the same level as that of sexually deviant priests abusing minors. Which begs the question: What would Jesus have to say about this institutional giant that seems to have lost its way under its own weight in recent years?

From the Web site: “In 2008, the doctrinal congregation formally decreed that a woman who attempts to be ordained a Catholic priest and the person attempting to ordain her are automatically excommunicated. In 1994, Pope John Paul said the church's ban on women priests is definitive and not open to debate among Catholics.”  http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1002827.htm

What would Jesus say? Well Jesus in the biblical writings says nothing about women as priests, ordains none Himself, refers to no Catholic Church or the papal position. “You are the 'Rock,' and on this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:13-20  From this the entire Catholic Church argues its existence with Peter as the first pope and the cornerstone of the faith, a rather large leap (of faith) given the implied intentions of the “how” and the “who” shall direct this faith.

Then again, for years the church position was to defend the priests accused of sordid acts with children in their care, arguing absolute control over the absolute religion that they protected.

Despite a history of controversy about its popes, including one reference to a female pope dismissed as fiction, which is less obscure since the opening of the Vatican archives in the 19th century, there remains much that can be questioned about the absolute nature of anything connected with the church.

“During one particularly grim period from 882 to 1046, there were 37 popes, some of whom served only a few weeks. Leo V (903), for instance, had been pope for only a month before being imprisoned and tortured by one Christophorus, who then enthroned himself. Both men were killed in 904 on the orders of Pope Sergius III (904-911). Sergius later had a son by his teenaged mistress Marozia who became Pope John XI (931-935). In 914, according to one chronicler, Marozia's mother Theodora installed her lover on the papal throne as John X (914-928). (Theodora and Marozia effectively controlled the papacy through their menfolk and may be the source of the Pope Joan legend.) John XII (955-963), who ascended to the papacy at 19, was accused, perhaps falsely, of sleeping with his father's mistress, committing incest with his niece, and castrating a deacon.”   From http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/432/was-there-once-a-female-pope

The point I am making is that there is a fundamental difference between the faith of those Catholics who believe in the doctrine as opposed to the machinery by which that doctrine is regulated. While I won’t bash the faith and firmly believe that everyone has a right to their beliefs – faith is a subjective experience, a fact that virtually all religions seem to have forgotten – I will question the business of faith, Catholic as well as others, that proclaim God’s love while retaining the vast wealth that empowered the church leadership for so many centuries.  As a boy it was commonplace to see the local parish priest driving a Mercedes; certainly a far cry from the poverty of Jesus.

Likewise the business of church policy is unquestionable, as a Catholic and immovable as church policy.  Case in point; if a man was married to a non-Catholic in a non-Catholic ceremony, it is considered a non-event and any subsequent children considered bastards. If the man married in a civil ceremony presided over by a county clerk, the marriage is considered valid. The former could then marry a Catholic woman in a Catholic church and that would be valid while any children from that first marriage would remain bastards. The latter could not marry a Catholic woman in a Catholic church because the church recognizes the legality of the civil marriage. It’s no wonder that Henry VIII split from the church after resorting to his novel methods of divorce. Nonetheless he merely cloned the Catholic faith in the Church of England.

Some interesting reading on the subject of female roles within the Catholic faith can be seen at http://www.womenpriests.org/classic/schneide.asp

And an interesting portrait of Faith from Pope Benedict at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18629187/site/newsweek/page/2/38166486

What would Jesus say? I guess that depends upon your self reflection or your total acceptance of the church to which you belong. Alternatively you might enjoy Pat Condell, a well known atheist who has, for years, posted short four-minute YouTube videos that are blunt in their denouncement of the whole institution of religion and mock the absurdity of the practice itself. His latest one is titled “The Pope needs a miracle.”  You can watch those at http://www.youtube.com/user/patcondell#g/u.

I am curious, though, to see how women worldwide, especially Catholic women respond to both the limitation and their place on the same list as the church pedophiles and what the ramifications will be for the church itself. I hope many will post their thoughts here.

MisterWriter

TAKE A FRONT SEAT TO SPACE

I always wanted to be an astronaut. So whenever I find video footage that can give me the chance to sit in the front seat and do something that I will never get to do in my life, I always enjoy it.

With crime and riots and budget woes in the news, I bring you the peace of space with a series of videos that show the space shuttle from inside and out. In the near future this will be archival footage along with rides on the Concorde as a “I remember when…” moment.

And the third video is the docking sequence from the classic movie “2001: A Space Odyssey". Have we come even close? Make it full screen for the best effect.

Enjoy.

 

MisterWriter

Barefoot Bandit Caught: Bahamas Police Arrest Colton Harris-Moore

"He never hurt anyone. Free Colton." This is the stupidity that we love to show. 60,000 Facebook fans all rooting for him to succeed. Sure, break into people's homes and steal their stuff. It's fun! But because he has never hurt anyone (yet) we are expected to be kind, lenient, generous. Why not just give him your Mercedes and your house in the Bahamas, people? Why is this guy considered a hero to so many? This isn't Zorro or Robin Hood; it's a thief who has a huge ego and is proud of it. One poster called him "a misguided petty teenager thief..." to which I have to say..."You are insane!" He stole an airplane and a boat! Petty, misguided teenager should be locked up. But hey...this is America - he will no doubt get on Oprah, and soon will have his own reality television show called... The Barefoot Bandit. Teen girls will be wanting to have sex with him and have his baby and the city in which he lives will honor him with his own day. And one day...with a little luck, he will get that career in politics where he can finally legalize his habit.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

IT’S TIME TO PICK ON OAKLAND

With Oakland in the news following the BART officer verdict I thought it would be appropriate to pick on Oakland for two stories that were in the news.

The first story revolves a man who got tasered and deserved far more than that after throwing his daughter, a toddler, into traffic in Oakland after violently shaking her, resulting in her getting run over. Fortunately (other than the moron of a father she has) she survived with some burns and scrapes. You can read that story HERE.

The second story involves a thief – a very stupid thief. As you know I like stupid thieves because they entertain and generally get caught. This one decided to steal shoes. Left shoes only…  You can read that story HERE.

I doubt there will be riots over either of these two stories, even though the latter occurred during the rioting in Oakland and since riots serve to accomplish several end results; civil disobedience and obtaining new electronics, I suspect that these stories will soon fade away, even though they are ON THE RECORD.

MisterWriter

FREE HEALTH CLINIC FOR THOSE WITH NO INSURANCE

Our friend Edi Birsan reminds us that The Rotary Clubs of the Claycord area sponsor and support a FREE Health  Care Clinic on Thursday nights for people who do NOT  have any medical insurance.

The system is very simple: Call 925 429-6409 between 1PM and 3PM on THURSDAYS for an appointment THAT night.  Then show up. The clinic is mobile and is set up from 5PM to 9PM at Cambridge Elementary School, 1135 Lacey Lane, (Off of Monument by the Wendy's). The Clinic is fully staffed with medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, translators if needed.

It is for everyone without medical insurance and you do not need to be a Concord Resident for care.

MisterWriter adds: This is NOT a point of pride. In the current environment there are far too many families without health insurance. Take advantage of programs like these without concern about pride. Finding medical issues early often means the ability to live a normal life. Finding things late means suffering for your family.

I urge anyone without coverage to take advantage of these services. And thanks to Edi Birsan, candidate for Concord City Council and Rotarian for reminding us about this service.

Edi Birsan adds: “As the rest of the nation continues to spin itself around the aftermath of  issues relating to a national health care policy, here in Concord there is an independent effort to transcend the argument and live up to the motto of Service Above Self that has inspired the Rotary Clubs for decades.  We all know people who have lost their health care coverage either through loss of jobs or the malaise of the current economic down-heaval. Into that gap the Rotary Clubs of the Claycord area sponsor and support a FREE Health  Care Clinic on Thursday nights for people who do NOT  have any medical insurance.  Here you will find a set of doctors that can attend to your pressing health/medical issues and provide screening as well as  urgent care for Free.”

Birsan added: “By the way I was at the clinic on last Thursday and it was quite the cross section of the community. It is a sad thing that we have a lot of grandparents who are not old enough for Medicare and yet have no insurance for a host of reasons. This is at least one place where the community can come together to act like a community. I am proud to be part of this effort.”

MisterWriter

Why Don’t Dentists Post their Prices?

 

 

On July 5, a reader asked OTR the following question:

“I have asked this question locally, I have asked the media, I have asked 1-800-dentist. To date the only response has been, "At the present time we do not post prices. I will send your inquiry to the appropriate department."  My question is, why do dentists not list prices? I can find out everything I could possibly want to know about a dentist except their prices. It is hard to make a decision about a dentist if you don't know what they charge. It is almost as if everyone is afraid of the dental "establishment".
Thanks,
Scooter"

I submitted the question to local dentist Robert Waldman, DDS (he also writes a column for The Concordian each month which you should read.)  Dr. Waldman responded:

July 6, 2010

Dear Scooter,

It has been a while since I checked the American Dental Association and California Dental Association's specific rules on advertising fee's publicly.  All I know is they are very strict and I believe their reasons are to protect the public.  Many dentist's participate in Insurance Contracts which also restrict the publication of those contracted fee's. As a general practitioner I get a lot of phone calls -  including possibly yours  - requesting fee information over the phone.  I am very uncomfortable quoting fees over the phone because I feel I am being asked for a diagnosis over the phone. I may be quoting fees that do not represent the individual needs of a patient. The caller my think they need a crown when all they need is a filling. Therefore they were given an incorrect quote for the care needed. I give 2nd opinions very often and at that time once a diagnosis has been made then I am very comfortable quoting fees.

My best advise to you is to choose a dentist not only based on the cost of care but the quality of care.
I hope this answers your question.

I hope this helps :)

Dr. Robert Waldman

Robert Waldman, DDS
3042 Clayton Road
Concord, CA 94519
Phone: 925-682-6940
roberthwaldmandds@sbcglobal.net

MisterWriter adds: The same logic applies to medical doctors. You can always ask for a range of costs for a particular item such as a base office visit fee, but if you are fee based and get the wrong information you may not pursue treatment as a result.  The second point is that most people in the medical field are interested in helping treat you, not charge you. A such sliding fee scales, alternative payment options and cash discounts may be available. You will never know until you ask.

By being up front with your dentist or doctor, especially where costs are concerned, you will have more options including making the choice to defer a treatment which many professionals will tell you is an option depending on the severity.

My thanks to Dr. Waldman for answering this question ON THE RECORD. If you have a question or would like to be included in the list of professionals that I can email relevant questions to, please email me at andre@misterwriter.com.

FINANCE CALIFORNIA WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE

California Democrats endorse Prop 19 in the hope that by legalizing Marijuana as a taxable product legally sold that it will provide some much needed revenue for the state while curbing the illegal drug trade. Is it reasonable? I have asked for several opinions and while we wait for a response, thought I would share with you a little revised Shakespeare on the subject. I rewrote a part of Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. Enjoy and be sure to inhale deeply.

To Pot, or not to Pot, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous and illegal distribution,
and to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die—to sleep,
No more; and by a sleep to say we end by taking hence the Government share,
the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation bridled with taxation,
rife in simplicity and fraught with design to supplicate finance for the State;
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there's the rub:
Wherein the Pot supplied may well accrue to a lower
price despite the higher yield wherein the rub becomes naught but a mild irritant;
That makes calamity of so much political wrangling and contradiction.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of a failed free-market source of weed, deprive thy neighbor's trade of which there is no gain,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th'unworthy taxes, that
through thy smugglers officiary stare,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
nor partisan politicking find thy right in fueling a civil drug trade,
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action and per chance,
of profiting, respect and purpose.

MisterWriter

A NEW FOCUS: MAKING SENSE OUT OF SENSELESSNESS

Good day. I have started the preliminary design changes of this blog that will change it from an OPINION based site to one that has a more tangible focus, using material that has been submitted to me, responses to mail and email that I have sent out, and of course, your own input whether you agree or disagree.

Here is the process: I have sent out letters and emails to a variety of people and I will print both the original communication as well as the responses on this site. In short, I have gone from opinion to actualities, quotes, data, and other relevant material that will hopefully turn this site into something beyond just my rants.

I invite you to submit content. I invite you to submit articles. I invite you to submit questions that you want answered that I will direct to the relevant people. This could be local events or questions about what the President of the United States plans to do about he Gulf Oil Spill.

This is no longer just a site where I rant about things – you have heard my rants a billion times; know my thoughts on various issues and anything more would be a repeat. Besides which the archives are in place and you can easily retrieve it if you want it.

I am not competing with local news blogs like Claycord.com. I am not merely repeating what has been written in my newspaper “The Concordian.”  And my opinion, while with a place, is no longer the focus – it is the opinion and thoughts of other that will make this an interesting blog.

And so I hope you bear with our new growing pains. This is a collaborative effort, a blog that draws on your input as well. Please register for a name – I do so dislike the “Anonymous” label. even while I acknowledge the need for an anonymous seed that will generate a deeper study.

And do spread the word… “On the Record” is just that – things said that are published, no matter whether positive or negative. There are loads of people with questions who want answers. Send those questions to me at andre@misterwriter.com and I will do my best to filter out the ones that are worthy to be printed and and answer sought from those in the know.

And from here on out, if you do talk to me, please remember that it is On the Record!

MisterWriter