VICA's Useless Mission

It's not a surprise that the Valley Industry and Commerce Association is opposing Proposition 98 though the measure has a very free market mission in preventing local government from taking private property to give to developers. VICA's leadership is rife with developers and other business interests who really are more in favor of a cozy relationship with government than the free market.

In terms of advancing the true business needs of the Valley, it's quite a useless organization. VICA has been around for nearly 60 years and during that time the Valley has degenerated from a vibrant, growing community to a near third world nation. Contrast it's fortunes with that of other nearby regions such as Santa Clarita or Orange County and you'll see how the lack of leadership and vision has really hurt the Valley.

And of course VICA is run by Brendan Huffman, husband of LAUSD School Board member Tamar Galatzan. Brendan, a big time supporter of the Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga is said to have never met a developer he didn't like.

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Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

Zuma Dogg reports that the LA City Council was bamboozled by an Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes authored law that would remove much of the Council's control over planning decisions. Speculation is that Fuentes was inspired to write the law at the behest of his mentors, City Clowncilmen Richard Alarcon and Tony Cardenas in order to facilitate development at the controversial site of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. I would imagine if the Clowncil spent less time on public proclamations for Mickey Mouse and cheerleaders and passing nonsense resolutions against the war they'd have more bandwidth to recognize shadiness right under their noses.

The Daily News endorses Assembly Candidate Stuart Waldman and State Senate Candidate Fran Pavley in this morning's paper.

Mayor Villaraigosa gets behind the wheel in the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade Monday. One blogger forgave the mayor's "ineffectiveness" in handling the City's finances.

KNX reports that City Controller Laura Chick says the city is doing a horrible job in promoting it's tourist attractions. Chick is pushing for the city to have multi-lingual greeters at LAX, neighborhood tours and more publicizing of the various festivals held around the City.

Los Angeles World Airports is working to grow service at it's LA/Palmdale Regional Airport but its finding tough going. Currently United Airlines has two daily flights to San Francisco. The City hopes to expand the number of flights by encouraging the use of more fuel efficient turbo prop airlines, yet some passengers are leary of the planes and prefer jets. At the same time airlines are reluctant to expand into Palmdale until there's more demand; yet demand is driven by availability.

LAist repots that the state's ban on talking on your cell phone while driving finally goes into effect on July 1st. However a loophole in the law technically allows you to still send text messages while driving.

Zev Yaroslavsky has put the wheels in motion for the County to meet the State Supreme Court declared date of June 16 to allow gays to marry and get marriage licenses. To facilitate the crush, the County will open up a special branch license office in WeHo. In the meantime, the Court's ruling will mean a cash bonanza for political consultants on both sides of a coming ballot measure seeking to overturn the Court's decision on the November ballot - donations are pouring in from all over to the yes and no campaigns.

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Bedtime Music

The Pussycat Dolls - Wait a Minute (video shot in the NoHo Station of the Metro Red Line)

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FLASH: Daily News Endorses Waldman, Pavley

Though he has to sit first through a verbal spanking from the MOLDY GREENSHEET OF RECORD, 40th Assembly District Candidate Stuart Waldman garners the endorsement of the Daily News, a significant victory for the former Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg and current seat holder Lloyd Levine.

Though the News is disgusted by the spat between Waldman and chief opponent Bob Blumenfield over Blumenfield's questionable campaign financing, they gave the nod to Waldman based on his past experience and their hope once in office he'll put all this behind him. The paper also stated that fellow candidates Laurette Healey and Dan McCrory "just aren't viable candidates."

In a related story, the Daily News endorsed Levine's opponent for the Democratic nomination for the 23rd State Senate District, Fran Pavley. The News compared Levine to Blumenfield saying the Assemblyman's "tenure has been more about serving himself than the Valley."

Voters in both races go to the polls June 3rd.

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Nannies at McDonald's

Another victory for the nanny state as the California State Senate passes SB 1420 requiring fast food restaurants to post nutritional information for all items on their menus.

Though studies show that posting this information could cut down on obesity and I'm all for the restaurants providing this information (many do already on a voluntary basis) once again I have to ask do we need government to take care of us?

Oh - and by the way this bill isn't from the usual nanny source of course but Senator Alex Padilla.

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Mayor Sam's Holiday Hotsheet

DWP Chief Operating Officer Raman Raj - who earns $247,000 annually - apparently worked as a consultant for at least three firms with business before joining the utility. The disclosures has raised the ire of several City Council Members as to the "revolving door" of City employees who go back and forth between jobs in the private sector with firms that do business with the City and positions with the City that often decide where contracts go to their former or future employers.

David Markland busts the County Supervisor campaign of Bernard Parks. It appears that the Parks campaign may have lifted the template from Barack Obama's campaign website for it's own.

"Pundit" Sherry "Shirley" Bebitch Jeffe has declared the LA County Supervisor's race between Bernie Parks and Mark Ridley Thomas as "the most important one" on the June ballot. Wow! All the other races might as well just be forgotten.

The City gave mega-raises to municipal employees but there wasn't the money there to afford it. Walter Moore takes Mayor Villaraigosa to task for claiming "I didn't know that!"

A monster 7.7 or greater earthquake is due any day now on the San Andreas Fault. The Discovery Channel details a scenario for such a disaster that could be as much as decades or as little as months away.

Another sex tape is about to hit the market; this time it's Britney Spears. The tape allegedly features Spears fully nude in action with ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib while she wears a pink wig throughout. The paparazzi who owns the tape plans to put it up for sale to the highest bidder.

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Bedtime Music

In honor of Memorial Day, saluting all those who have served and given their lives, Jump 5 with God Bless The USA.

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Bedtime Music

Snoop Dogg - Gin and Juice

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Dick Martin Dead at 86

Dan Rowan & Dick Martin


Dick Martin, the befuddled, stumbling, and hilarious component of the "Rowan & Martin" comedy team has passed at the age of 86.

He is best known for his work on the "Laugh-In" TV series, which he co-hosted with Dan Rowan. The show, considered groundbreaking back in the day, ran on NBC from 1968 to 1973 and helped to launch the careers of Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin, Jo Anne Worley, Tiny Tim, and Ruth Buzzi.

The show was a non-stop barrage of one-liners, pop culture humor, bikinis, weird camera angles, and even featured guest appearances by Richard Nixon and John Wayne.


At the time, there was nothing else like it on television.

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The 70s at 7

It's 1975 and you need to buy a car. What are you going do??

Dudes... go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal. He will stand upon his head, till his ears are turning red. Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal...

And don't forget his dog, Spot.

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Moms Making a Difference

The fabulous ladies over at MomsRising.org would like to remind you that the Women's Campaign Forum (WCF) has launched the second annual She Should Run campaign.

She Should Run is a comprehensive effort to gather nominations of women leaders who should run for public office. WCF is committed to ensuring these women get essential encouragement they need and to providing them connections to key public life decision making tools and campaign resources.

From MomsRising.org:

Do you know a woman who should run for office? Research shows women are much more likely to run if someone asks them to. Tell a woman she should run for office, share her story, and send her on her way toward becoming the influential public office holder she was always meant to be.

Hey, Abby Diamond -- would you run for office ... pretty please?! I kinda like the way "Mayor Diamond" sounds. :)

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Bedtime Music

If You Can Dream by the Disney Princess

Featuring vocals by:

Susan Stevens Logan as Cinderella
Christie Houser as Princess Aurora
Jodi Benson as Princess Ariel
Paige O'Hara as Belle
Judy Kuhn as Pocahontas
Lea Salonga as Princess Jasmine and Mulan

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