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Pimp hand strong in Chula
Weekend update: I am still waiting to learn about all the silent partners. Yes, Ed Brand was only the fifth most highly paid school district/county school board employee. Still is, actually. And isn't he getting his retirement pay from the first time around at the same time? Guess that wasn't taken into account. Or he would definitely have been more highly ranked. But what if he is a silent partner, in on the Sweetwater deals. Will Sweetwater be paying even more legal fees in that event? At what point may we taxpayers simply say, "Pay your own attorneys--! You have bled us dry!"?— August 29, 2014 3:24 p.m.
Pimp hand strong in Chula
Here is another angle on the 'educational' meetings followed by the TBA forum(s). Did anyone see the mention of the refurbished desktop computers to be given to a parent or a student who attended--if the student qualified for the free or reduced lunch? Yes, it might be a very nice idea, but isn't it getting a bit close to the territory of buying votes? The reason I think it is important that all of us are aware of this series of events is this: what if by default the Voice of SD ends up running any and all forums. If no one else plans anything, that could happen. Then the Voice of SD will have the opportunity to shape things--who is to say what that might really mean. Educating the public is assuming the public needs education. Could it be that this campaign to educate the public exists so that all the Silent Partners will remain untouched--there is an occasional commenter here who talks about the grass-eaters vs. the meat-eaters. The meat-eaters need to at least be exposed and questioned. If the meat-eaters are the Silent Partners, we have much cleaning up to do.— August 27, 2014 3:56 p.m.
Okay-to-good, but not great
Impromptu was very good, as I recall. I saw a documentary on Wagner in the past year--he was thoroughly horrifying and careerist, but he did write some good music.— August 26, 2014 11:31 a.m.
Pimp hand strong in Chula
As the Silent Partners are now being fleshed out, I wonder what will happen if the public actually gets to read all the supporting documents for all these real estate deals. I do not know about anyone else, but I am starting to get a clearer understanding of Humphrey Bogart's character in "The Maltese Falcon" when he says he is tired of playing the sap. I think there are many people out here who are very tired of playing the sap--we need to end the cycle of behind-the-scenes manipulators in Chula Vista. If people wish to be influential, try being influential in honest ways. Speak up for the right thing. Do the right thing. Help others. Encourage others, bring out the best in others. Do not knuckle under to liars, cheats, bullies, thieves and frauds--which is to say, help us get rid of all the Silent Partners and all the Friends of the Silent Partners. We need to build communities that show young people there are honorable ways to live. So far, our local leadership hasn't done much in that regard.— August 26, 2014 1:53 a.m.
Pimp hand strong in Chula
Thanks, but I don't think I deserve credit--credit goes to anniej, erupting and Susan Luzzano on this one. I will say this--Ed Brand's enormous arrogance and bragging about all his friends in high places may have partially been due to the knowledge of all these people and how they happen to be slicing up the pie. Would there be some sort of mutual protection involved? Now, Azano...I kept wondering just why all the corruption cases were shunted down to Chula Vista and given to a judge who at the very least could be said to lack gravitas. I am now wondering if someone didn't have something which they used to assist Bonnie D...in "shaping" how these cases went forward. And why it is that even though we have all the public records of all the SUHSD board meetings with McCann voting the Gandara/Brand way, why we have documentation of McCann fighting campaign finance reform harder than he fought anything else...why McCann miraculously was not swept away along with the others. Possibly because he was standing on the shoulders of the Lincoln Club, buoyed by all these politicos who have been working together to rob us blind.— August 25, 2014 10:15 a.m.
Pimp hand strong in Chula
Maybe that's one reason why McCann was the last man standing.— August 25, 2014 7:49 a.m.
Pimp hand strong in Chula
It is beginning to look like the net will need to be very large, indeed. Love that "asset utilization"...meaning how to utilize the districts assets in such a way that this bunch makes a profit, i.e., how to siphon off money that is supposed to be used to educate the next generation. Can we have several rounds of "All the silent partners in the sun, how we supposed to get any learning done!", (to the tune of "All the wild horses in the sun..."? Interwoven plots and schemes...supposedly upstanding public leaders plotting against children and their future. I wonder if the rats will start trying to rat each other out?— August 24, 2014 8:44 p.m.
Interview with Calvary writer-director John Michael McDonagh
Excellent interview.— August 24, 2014 11:18 a.m.
New blood for Sweetwater district?
When it comes to Cartmill, you are exactly on-target. Bertha's story is a little different. Brand kept her out of the loop; once she started to think and act for herself, including going to the DA, first Gandara, then Brand did all they could to sideline her. McCann went along with it, doing everything in his power to humiliate her, up to and including refusing her to lead the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of the board meetings. McCann at one meeting GOT UP FROM HIS CHAIR, WALKED OVER AND TURNED OFF BERTHA'S MICROPHONE. While McCann is still on the board, and is board president, it should be remembered by one and all that he was a full party in the controlling voting triumvirate of the Sweetwater board. Ricasa, Cartmill and McCann allowed every single thing that Brand/Gandara/Brand wanted. Bertha fought against that repeatedly, questioning many, many problems that the triumvirate allowed to grow. I do think it is important to remember those distinctions. Bertha has become the sacrificial lamb. She should at least get a chance to speak on her own behalf. It is somewhat interesting that with the interim board members seated at the dais, McCann's behavior has improved, along the lines of a middle school student sitting up straight if the principal is in the room. With just about as much sincerity. Of course, McCann being McCann, he still cannot help himself, and does occasionally revert to the unreflective reactions of the self-serving politician he is.— August 23, 2014 12:49 p.m.
Calvary
Saw this last night. Strong performances all around. Unfortunate that a couple in the theater collapsed in fits of giggles at completely inopportune moments.— August 23, 2014 12:31 p.m.