Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich

 

 

A look Back…

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dennis Kucinich is the eldest of seven children.  His family struggled financially, moving often and by the time Kucinich was 17, he had lived in 21 different places.  Some of his early jobs included being a hospital orderly, newspaper copy boy, teacher, consultant, television analyst and author.  He  graduated with a Bachelor of Arts & Masters in Speech Communications and quickly moved into politics.  By the age of 23 he was elected to Cleveland’s City Council and by 31 he held the office of Mayor.  Kucinich was met with scrutiny and disappointment when Cleveland’s banks demanded he sell the city’s 70 year-old municipally-owned electric system to a private competitor (banks were interlocked with the private utility CEI and had a financial interest).  The banks used this  as a precondition of extending credit to the city government.  After refusing to sell, the banks took the unprecedented step of refusing to roll over the city’s debt, pushing it into default.  Putting principle above politics cost him a  re-election bid and temporarily derailed his political career.  But Kucinich perservered.  Today, Cleveland Public Power is an asset to the city that has saved customers $195,148,520 over what they would have paid to CEI.  Kucinich has since served as Ohio State Senator is serving his seventh term in Congress.  He has received many honors  as a champion of clean air, clean water and an unspoiled earth. and has been an official U.S. delegate to the United Nations on Climate Change .  

Elected to Congress in 1996, Dennis Kucinich has been a tireless advocate for worker rights, civil rights and human rights.  Kucinich has authored legislation to create a national health care system, preserve Social Security, lower the costs of drugs, provide economic development through infrastructure improvements, abolish the death penalty, provide prekindergarten to 3 thru 5 year olds, create a Department of Peace, regulate genetically engineered foods, repeal the USA PATRIOT Act and provide tax relief to working class families.  He is the chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a member of the Education and Labor Committee.  

ST:  One word. Healthcare.  

DK:  Fifty million Americans have no health insurance.  Another fifty million are under insured.  It’s long past time we realized the fundamental purpose of forming a nation which was to provide for the general welfare of the people.  The United States must do what every other industrialized nation has done—guarantee health as a basic right to a democratic society.  I’m co-author of a bill (HR676) with Congressman John Conyers that would provide a universal, single parent, not-for-profit health care system and everyone would be covered.  It’s time to do it.

ST:  How can citizens get active?

DK:  The bill Mr. Conyers and I worked on had 91 members supporting it.  If you are for  our bill (HR676) contact your Congress person because they need to hear from the people.  Citizens should be able to communicate with Congress members about their health care needs.  This is a fundamental need in a democratic society.

ST:  When President Obama was in L.A. for the town meeting, the topics on most minds were finances and unemployment.

DK:  Certainly the President, with the Stimulus Package, is trying to move in the right direction.  But we need more.  A real effort must be made to rebuild America and the government has an obligation to restore the American dream by helping people save their homes, creating jobs, providing healthcare for all, protecting peoples investments, retirement security and making certain that our children have a decent education.  These are the fundamental purposes of nationhood.  Massive amounts of mo-ney are being spent to prop up the economy.  Unfortunately certain interest groups are gaining in this crisis, and greed is threatening to capsize our government.  We need to close ranks as Americans—all for one and one for all,  in a spirit of solidarity for the purposes of helping America through this grim economic period. 

ST:  Do you see a turn on the horizon?

DK:  It will turn around, but it can’t unless we bring runaway financial machines, who recklessly spent investors money, demanded hundreds of billions of dollars from the taxpayers without any accountability and insist arrogantly they have the first call on taxpayer resources, under control.  We need to hold these institutions to accountability and oversight—that is very important.  We need to look at those who have been entrusted with levels of power in the economy, how they function, where they failed.  We must be ready with broad reforms.  We cannot do this ever again.  The future of this country is being squandered by un-enlightened individuals and institutions who have focused only on their own self interests, and in doing so have been greedily rejecting the American public’s interests.  

ST:  What are your thoughts on AIG?

DK:  I voted against the first two TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) bills.  I didn’t think that the government had any business rescuing private sector businesses that rely on markets and investors.  That’s something the government should not have gotten involved in.  But now we are involved and have an obligation to see how that money is spent.   It’s not simply that AIG gave bonuses to employees involved in the disastrous economic policies that forced a new measurement on the condition of our economy; worse is that when they received bail- out funds they sent those funds to some of the same people who were TARP recipients and to other countries.  The reason for the bailout was to revive the American economy.  No one said this was a global bailout, yet it is turning into that.  American taxpayers are not a bottomless source of money for interest groups.  Many questions remain unanswered about who is getting money, why are they getting money and how does this benefit the economy.  America has made a transition from industrial capitalism to finance capitalism to crony capitalism.  People are taking care of their friends and Americans are getting hurt to the tune of not ‘B’ for billions, but ‘T’ for trillions of dollars.  As Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee, I’m determined to bring to light institutions on Wall Street and those in government who have not lived up to their responsibilities.  Name names, bring forth information and show the American people where their money is really going.  Let the people decide if their government is acting in their interests or not.

State News: April

Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties say that assessors are going to pull in the lowest numbers in property tax collections in more than 10 years—bad news for their cash-poor local governments. In the past, revenue from property taxes provided a steady source of income for cities. Assessors say that the reduction in auto sales, a high rate of foreclosures and low real- estate sales will devastate the tax rolls.

To help reduce their debt, California counties have imposed work furloughs and pay cuts, postponed city repairs and reduced public services.  In Los Angeles County, assessor Rick Auerbach estimates a 1% reduction in the county’s $1.1 trillion property-tax base and estimates that the losses will be even greater in coming months.

The recent ban placed on medical marijuana dispensary closures by L.A.’s U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien has everyone wondering why O’Brien ordered prosecutors to back off, then abruptly changed his mind and sent a confidential memo to prosecutors lifting the ban.  O’Brien’s decision to temporarily halt prosecutions was made just days after Attorney General Eric Holder stated at a Washington, D.C. press conference that medical marijuana prosecutions would not be a priority for President Obama’s Justice Department. A Justice Department official stated that the attorney general did not direct O’Brien or any other U.S. attorney to alter policies regarding the prosecution of such cases.

State Controller John Chiang has announced that California has resumed tax refunds.  Since adopting a new budget, payments for income-tax refunds and grants for college students, needy families, the elderly, the blind and the disabled—frozen when California ran out of cash in February—are generally back on track. 

Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration has rolled out a new ethics policy. A review of senior advisors’ economic statements is set to root out conflicts of interest.  Statements for officials’ travel expenses will be posted on the Web.  Recently, a state Cabinet official resigned amid speculation regarding her outside income and the free use of government expense accounts by her top aide and other appointees of the governor.  New ethics rules apply to all senior staff members.

It looks like a San Diego zoo worker is responsible for skin infections at the zoo.  A baby elephant being hand-raised by zoo keepers because its mother couldn’t care for it was infected along with 20  human caretakers. This is the first case of methicillin-resistant ataphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a zoo elephant and the first recorded transmission of the bug from zoo animal to human being, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The infection has proven resistant to antibiotics.   

The state’s interagency Climate Action Team has issued the first of 40 reports outlining what Californians must do to deal with floods, erosion and other disastrous effects of rising sea levels.  Computer models suggest that hundreds of thousands of people and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure are at risk if ocean levels rise 55 inches by the end of the century.  This change will affect coastal development in areas targeted for a rise in sea levels, halt federally subsidized insurance for property likely to be affected and require that all coastal structures be built to adapt to the change.

The state department of education estimates that it will lay off about  26,500 teachers, plus 15,000 bus drivers, janitors, secretaries and administrators.

Rotting and damaged warships off San Francisco Bay are not going to cause environmental contamination, according to federal scientists. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted that levels of PCBs, toxic metals and other compounds were generally no higher around the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet of ships than anywhere else in the bay area waters.  Because of the findings, the agency said that it won’t recommend specific cleanup in any areas near the fleet of 70 ships that will remain in the bay, ready for action in case of war.  

The owner of an Orange County car dealership that accounts for about five percent of all Lamborghinis sold worldwide has  pleaded guilty to a  felony charge involving  wire fraud.  The man, 45-year-old Viken Keuylian  from Laguna Beach, could get the maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.   A report from Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Stolper stated that Keuylian defrauded Volkswagen Credit Inc. out of nearly $12 million.  Keuylian owned Lamborghini of Orange County in Santa Ana and Lamborghini of Calabasas, now closed.  Volkswagen Credit loaned the money to Keuylian to purchase the cars on his lots, and he was to repay the loan when he sold the vehicles.  He managed to get around paying by telling Volkswagen Credit that cars he had sold were on the lots.  He used the money to pay debts, including some connected with a vineyard and a Beverly Hills Lotus car dealership. 

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Inglewood Police Department as the incidence of officer-involved shootings of unarmed suspects increases.  This is the second look by the Justice Department focusing on community protests last year when Inglewood officers shot and killed four people— three of whom were unarmed—in a four-month period.  The Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review started investigating at the request of the city, which found that Inglewood police officers resorted to physical or deadly force in many of their arrests.

Vo Duong Tran, a former FBI agent, made plans to rob an Orange County  ”stash house” that he thought was filled with $500,000 in drug money.  The now-disgraced agent came all the way from New Orleans hoping to get rich but instead was convicted in a Santa Ana federal court on charges related to the botched home-invasion robbery.  Tran, 41, conspired with a supposed accomplice (actually an undercover FBI agent) to commit the robbery. He had hoped to create a crew of criminal associates to commit violent crimes. 

The father of teenager Brandon McInerney, who is accused of gunning down a gay classmate, was found dead in the living room of his home.  The death of 45-year-old Bill McInerney is being blamed on an accidental head injury. Brandon McInerney is being tried as an adult for the death of classmate Lawrence “Larry” King.  The two boys (both 15 years old) had been fighting for days before the attack, and it is alleged that King had a romantic interest in McInerney.  The hearing was postponed with news of  the elder McInerney’s death. 

Ed Boks, manager of Los Angeles’ Department of Animal Services, has said that the department is returning to  giving low-income residents vouchers for free spaying and neutering of their pets. Boks had suspended the program two weeks earlier, but animal-welfare advocates protested. So did members of the Los Angeles City Council. “It’s time for Mr. Boks to find another place to work,” Councilman Dennis Zine said. “It’s been a continuing saga of him and his mismanagement.”

MEGAN FOX

In Hollywood, there are brats, there are bitches, and there are sons of bitches—and then there’s Megan Fox, who is none of the above.

 Look for her name in The Smoking Gun, an online clearinghouse for celebrity mug shots, and you’ll find nothing.  Do a Google search for “Megan Fox” and “scandal,” and you won’t find one verifiable tale of drunkenness, drug abuse, public crotch-flashing, or cruelty toward people of lesser fame and status.

Fox, who will turn 23 on May 16, has been working in Hollywood since winning a small role in the Olsen Twins movie Holiday in the Sun (2001).   Since then, she’s appeared in hit films such as 2007’s Transformers and the Lindsay Lohan vehicle Confessions of  a Teenage Drama Queen (2004), not to mention TV series such as Hope & Faith, starring Kelly Ripa and Faith Ford.  Outside of her onscreen performances, she’s gained the most fame for her beauty—glowing skin, slim but curvy figure, and flowing black hair—that gives off an aura of sex, like steam rising from a hot tub.  She’s also attracted attention for her longtime relationship with former Beverly Hills 90210 star Brian Austin Green, who’s more than 13 years older than Fox.  In other words, she’s gotten public notice just because she’s stayed with the same guy for months and months.

Not that Fox is all shy and old-fashioned.  She simply got a lot of wild partying out of her system early.  As a kid in Rockwood, Tennessee, and St. Petersburg, Florida, she displayed a rebellious streak that sometimes disturbed her mother.  “I’ve done drugs,” she’s admitted. Then added, “That’s how I know I don’t like them.”  When she was 18 she loved to go out to strip clubs like The Body Shop. “I don’t do that anymore,” she said a couple of years later.  

By the time she was 21, she was confessing to Maxim magazine, “I never go out. I don’t like drunk, sweaty people whose only goal is to have sex. I stay home and play computer backgammon. Every once in a while I go to Color Me Mine to do pottery. I’m not wholesome, but I’m trying to behave.” 

Fox has even downplayed the traffic-stopping looks that have helped to make her famous.  At the Golden Globe awards in January, Fox disagreed with an interviewer who praised her beauty: “No, no. I’m a doppelganger for Alan Alda.”

Fox does have vices, of course.  She’s a sloppy housekeeper. “I’m horrible to live with. I don’t clean,” she’s told FHM magazine. “My clothes end up wherever I take them off. I forget to flush the toilet. Friends will tell me, ‘Megan, you totally pinched a loaf in my toilet and didn’t flush.’”

Then there’s her sex drive.  “I have the libido of a 15-year-old boy,” she’s said.  But that’s a part of her life that she doesn’t live out where the world can see.   When Fox is in public her clothes stay on.  (They may be tight and clingy, but they stay on.) 

“We will all laugh at gilded butterflies,” says a tattoo on Fox’s back.  Fox, a Hollywood golden girl blessed with beauty and fame, may be gilded—but she’s also grounded.

Hollywood’s Biggest Brats 

What’s up in Hollywood these days?  With your average Joes losing their home, struggling to pay the light bill, desperately seeking a job to support their families, or having all they worked for go up in smoke thanks to some creep running a Ponzi scheme, you would think that rich and famous Hollywood-sters would be thanking their lucky stars for the privileged lives they lead.  BUT OH, NO!  Day after day, night after night, the circus continues with antics from the bad, the spoiled and the just plain stupid.  As these brats go on making headlines, we hope  that they’ll either get some professional help—or just friggin’ grow up.

 

Diddy’s Done Lost His Mind

What the hell is Diddy doing, giving up his Miami crib to Rihanna and her abuser, Chris Brown?  Yeah, Sean John, we heard your statement to Ellen DeGeneres about letting them have space to work things out.  Ellen kicked your ass.  You sounded like a moron.  You have daughters of your own.  Would you like one of them to “work things out” with a guy who had beaten her unconscious?  Come on, Diddy.  We thought you were cool.  Now it seems that you’ve moved from being a great entertainer and our ultra-favorite millionaire entrepreneur to taking your shot at domestic-violence psychologist.  Dude, what were you thinking?  You seemed like the kind of guy who would protect a woman against that kind of violence.  Now you’ve started a bed and breakfast for abusers and the battered to “work out their problems”?  WHOA!  If you are the stand-up guy we thought you were, you wouldn’t even consider putting Chris Brown and Rihanna in the same house to work things out.  Brown needs to be behind bars and Rihanna needs to see that her victimization will continue until she stands up to this ear-biting bitch.  And you, Diddy, need to go back to making music and selling clothes and vodka.  Your secret, true feelings about domestic violence are staring us in the face.

When Bad Gets Boring

We’re just plain tired of Lindsay Lohan.  Why, Lindsay? Why can’t you get back on track and stay out of the lenses of the prying paparazzi—not to mention prosecutors?  Please go back to the days when you were a fabulous and talented actress, making headlines for your accomplishments rather than your bad-girl behavior.  Drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, DUI tickets, car chases at high speed on city streets, bad boyfriends, a strange girlfriend—if you were 18, we could say that you were young and dumb; but at 25, and in the spotlight since you were 8, you should know the “praise em’ to heaven, then drag em’ to hell” Hollywood cycle.  If you’re tired of the Tinseltown rat race, take a break and move to the mountains of Wyoming and vedge for a while.  Get some rest, read a few good books, contemplate your future and ready yourself for your next evolution.  Few actresses on the big screen have your talent.  Why throw yourself in front of a bus and destroy your career while you are “finding yourself”?

Rage-a-holic

Seal, Seal, Seal. You’re spitting fire and doing everything but fistfighting with photographers outside restaurants and clothing stores. Meanwhile, your smiling and good-natured wife, Heidi Klum, looks on like a deer in the headlights.  Seal, you’re married to one of the world’s most beautiful women—who, by the way, is a walking, talking money and baby-making machine.  She can’t stop gushing over how fabulous you are and how happy she is.  So give the bad behavior a rest, Seal!  Sit back and enjoy the ride.  You are one lucky guy.  Look, we understand that you don’t like to be followed and flashed by every photographer around.  We wouldn’t like it, either. But a wave and a smile take only a second and assure us that you know how to handle whatever goes down.  Your actions also show us whether our Heidi is in good hands with a good man who can take charge of a situation or the prisoner of an irascible hulk who can’t control his temper.  It’s your choice, Seal.  Make the right one.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Alex Baldwin, Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Sean Penn, Bill O’Reilly:  We know it’s difficult to be nice all the time—but at least try, OK?  All those nasty images of you guys grabbing, hitting and slam-blasting people who get in your way… put them in the past and move forward.  At least Christian Bale apologized for his rant and rave at a crew member on the Terminator: Salvation set.  After a tirade peppered with “F— you” and “F— you more” and “I’m going to kick your f—— ass,” Bale came up for a breath and took responsibility, calling his behavior “inexcusable.”  That’s what we like—a man who is man enough to take the heat without melting under the pressure and come out looking like a guy who made a mistake instead of an ass who uses his clout to push others around. 

Dead in the Bong Water

Michael Phelps—you did good in the water bringing home all that gold.  Now maybe it’s time for a crash course on dry land about how to separate good friends from wannabes and users.  You might be young, but you’re going to start aging fast and accumulating gray hairs on that smooth, chisled chest of yours if your stupid mistakes and bad judgment calls lead to losing millions on endorsement deals .  We aren’t saying you have to give up the right to bong or guzzle, but you do have a house, condo or apartment, don’t you?  Dude, party there and invite friends you trust! Or if you must party down with the plebeians, have security men sweep visitors for cameras and confiscate cell phones.  High-rolling A-listers do it all the time. You can’t afford mistakes that interfere with your income.  We suggest that you hold tight to your “Golden Boy” rep and not acquire a new one: “The guy who won a jillion Olympic medals and then blew it.”

Bunny’s Billionaire Helper

 

Rarely heard from and almost never seen, there is a silent supporter in Los Angeles’ animal welfare world.  He lives a quiet life, drives an 8-year old dog-friendly PT Cruiser and does his own grocery shopping, and while this hero manages to stay out of the public eye his generous contributions speak for him.  His name is Dr. Gary Michelson.

One of “Forbes 400” richest Americans, Dr. Michelson built his fortune inventing spinal surgical devices. Now retired, he devotes his wealth to benefit causes aligned with his philanthropic passions, including founding two charitable organizations—one focusing on human genetic research and the other dedicated to helping homeless companion animals.  

Pets have always been a positive force in Dr. Michelson’s life, providing great comfort through difficult times, and in return he is committed to ending the needless euthanasia that is the current de facto animal control policy in the United States and beyond.  

True to his entrepreneurial roots, Dr. Michelson’s Los Angeles-based Found Animals Foundation (www.foundanimals.org) is taking a different approach to animal welfare.  In true innovative fashion, Dr. Michelson decided to treat animal issues the same way he would a business problem and brought in a professional staff (led by Stanford MBA Aimee Gilbreath) to tackle what he calls “an experiment in social entrepreneurship”.  This insightful team is bringing new thinking and business principals to bear on everything from spay/neuter to adoptions.  For example, a recent live streaming “kitty cam” garnered nearly 800,000 individual viewers in a matter of only two weeks, which helped to nearly triple weekly adoption numbers at the shelter where it was hosted. —-

In October of 2008 Found Animals announced The Michelson Prize in Reproductive Biology, which is representative of Michelson’s visionary thinking.  The program offers $25 million to any group that can develop a non-surgical sterilant for cats and dogs, helping to overcome the costs and challenges of the current surgical spay/neuter standard.  Found Animals also offers a companion grant program to provide funding (up to $50 million) to help researchers pursue other promising non-surgical sterilization procedures.  The program was featured in USA Today and spoofed on Saturday Night Live within a week of its launch.  Over forty applications for grant funding are currently being processed.

The Found Animals staff works hard to promote new ideas.  Among them are ways to use social psychology to encourage the adoption of shelter pets, and brainstorming how to harness some portion of the $43 billion Americans spend on their pets each year.  The organization plans to use L.A. as a test market and will expand nationally, possibly world wide, according to their success.  

Michelson is a firm believer in the ability—and responsibility—of government to work for the benefit of furry constituents.  An eternal student, he’s made a point to research good policy and is convinced that doing right by animals actually saves taxpayer dollars over time.  Found Animals researches best practices and makes information available to local officials on everything from subsidized spay/neutering to dog licensing as a revenue source.

Meanwhile, Michelson is content to remain in the background and go about his very un-billionaire like daily routine.  He shares his home with three dogs, two happy and outgoing pit bulls (one of whom weighs in at over 100 pounds) and a graceful and reserved whippet.  Seeing them now you would never guess that they were rescued from confinement in a tiny chicken coop or picked up off the street after being abused and left for dead.  The dogs don’t know that Michelson is a hero to animals worldwide, they just know that he’s a sucker for puppy dog eyes—and that he never runs out of treats.

By Shane & Sia Barbi

Judge Jeanine Pirro on Rihanna & Chris Brown

Prosecuting murder, rape and domestic violence cases with a 100% conviction rate, Judge Jeanine Pirro is an advocate for victims of domestic violence and works tirelessly to change how courts deal with these issues. I spoke with Judge Pirro about the Rihanna/Chris Brown case and she offered information about victims and abusers.

ST:  Attorneys differ on whether a defendant can be prosecuted for domestic violence if the victim won’t testify.  What’s the truth? 

JP:  Prosecutors and DAs across the nation are emailing me saying, “Are these people from another planet?  We do it all the time.”  District Attorneys can and do prosecute domestic violence cases without the victim if they corraborate circumstantial evidence.  I prosecuted a case where a woman was beaten with a hammer and left for dead.  She didn’t die, refused to testify for the prosecution and testified for the defendant.  We convicted him for attempted murder. 

ST:  Why are some people shifting the blame to Rihanna for instigating the assault and getting Chris Brown in trouble?

JP:  Make no mistake, we are confronting the social acceptance of men beating women and all the trappings that go with it, from blaming the victim, coercing the victim, intimidation to quiet the victim and family pressure to drop charges.  What we have recognized is that if you force a woman to testify and hold her in contempt  for doing so you, are re-victimizing her and putting the burden on her.  This is not Rihanna vs. Chris Brown.  This is the people of the state standing up and saying, “You will not victimize a human being.”  A report from the Boston Health Commission says 50% of the kids are blaming her.  This is a throwback to the 70s when it wasn’t a crime to beat your wife.  It was only a crime if you killed her.     

ST:  After Nicole Simpson’s murder, wasn’t it clear that domestic violence would be taken seriously and prosecuted?

JP:  In a circumstantial case you bring in all corroborating evidence.  In Rihanna’s case  they have her medical records, and if the prosecution did its homework they got a release of her medical records and can introduce evidence without her testimony or without her claiming the information is privileged.  In the search warrant prosecutors got the phone calls to Rihanna’s assistant where Chris Brown states, “She didn’t tell them that it was me?”—that’s an admission; they have her blood in his car; evidence of extensive injuries on her body; bite marks on her ear and marks on her throat where he held her throat between his biceps and forearm—all offensive wounds.  Blood was on her dress; he left the scene of the crime and ran away from his Lamborghini.  There is the neighbor who called 911, with a crying Rihanna saying that he did it.

ST:  Was Brown trying to do brutal harm? 

JP:  Provocation does not justify an assault.  The tell-tale is; “I’m going to kill you” and he chokes her to the point of unconsciousness.  The choking statute says he choked her at a time when her life is was in imminent danger.  Chris Brown was not defending  himself.  Her injuries speak of a brutal and savage beating.  His intent was articulated by his words,” And now I’m going to kill you.”

ST:  Why are females accusing Rihanna?

JP:  This is in my book, To Punish and Protect. It’s about separating themselves from the possibility of being a victim.  What they are saying is it can’t happen to them because she was attacked for a reason.  It’s easier to understand and justify because the thought that someone could kill, rape and assault you for no reason is too frightening.  

ST:  What are the signs to look out for? 

JP:  I’d bet my house this isn’t the first time Brown has hit Rihanna.  Domestic Violence is not about anger, it’s about power and control.  Predictable behavior for abusers is throwing something at the wall, maybe putting his fist through the wall; cursing you out; he will push or shove you, and then he will hit you.  Violence increases in intensity, severity and frequency.  Two questions to Rihanna without blaming her would be: Why do you think you deserve this and why do you think he won’t do this again?

 

The first line of defense is knowledge.  Judge Pirro offers clues to look for that may imply that you are in possible danger:

1.  If a man is extremely controlling and wants to know where you are constantly.

2.  Calls and text messages continually to make sure that you are available to him. 

3.  He is jealous, isolates you, doesn’t want you with friends and family. 

 

These are all predictable behaviors of men who turn to physical violence to control their women.

Learn more about issues that affect  your life.  As a constant presence in the courtroom and on television, Judge Pirro brings her considerable life experience and no-nonsense yet compassionate voice to daily viewers.  Tune in and watch the series “Judge Jeanine Pirro” airing nationwide on The CW Network, Mon. thru Fri. at 3:00 p.m.  “Judge Jeanine Pirro” is produced by Telepictures Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

 

By Suzanne Takowsky

Local News: April

Actor/comedian Dane Cook’s half brother was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly stealing millions from the funny man.  Darryl McCauley was charged with eight counts of larceny over $250 and forgery and larceny by continuous scheme.  Prosecutors said that McCauley had forged a $3 million check written from Cook’s account to himself.  Reports say that McCauley  pulled off the allegedly scheme even while Cook was paying him $12,500 a month to be his personal business manager.  McCauley continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Get ready users of Southern California Edison Company because depending on who is calculating your monthly electric bill, if you are a residential customer, you will likely see an increase due to a recent rate hike approved by utility regulators.  California Public Utilities Commission president, Michael Peevey said the rate hike would add $2 to the average monthly residential bill of $85 within Edison’s service area covering Central and much of Southern California, but not the city of Los Angeles.  Consumer groups say rate raises could possibly double the estimate given by Edison and the PUC in 2009.  Homes using a lot of energy will pay even more than that. 

The decision allows Edison to raise rates by less than 2% a year in 2010 and 2011, but the amount could be affected by changes in the price of natural gas used to run power plants or electricity bought from other generators.  The increase is less than what Edison sought, but more than an administrative law judge recommended.

Edison reports that 65% of its 4.3 million residential customers will see little or no change in their monthly charges because they participate in special programs for low-income families or consume little power.  Business charges also will increase, but neither the PUC nor Edison offered any estimates.  Edison will start collecting the new rates April 2009.

Actor T.R. Knight was involved in a three-car accident in Hollywood.  He was going eastbound on Hollywood Boulevard and the other car was going westbound when they collided. Knight was not injured but a man and a woman were taken to the hospital by ambulance.  Police investigated who was at fault, but no citations were given.

President Obama called his visit to Los Angeles a wrap, but not before he made a talk show television appearance hoping to boost his ratings by  popping in to the “The Tonight Show” hosted by Jay Leno.  He dished with Leno and the millions watching about his life in the White House.   Topics included everything from the desperate search for a family dog to pickup basketball games under the watchful eyes of Secret Service agents.

“I don’t get the hard fouls I used to,” Obama said.  Obama’s visit to the nation’s most populous state served as a nice ‘thank you’ for the sizable amount of votes he picked up here on election day in November.

Almost a month after controversy erupted over Corona del Mar High School’s reported cancellation and then all of a sudden rescheduling of a theatrical production of “Rent,” the American Civil Liberties Union sued school officials for fostering a “sexist” and “homophobic” atmosphere.  Although the complaint cites the show’s brief cancellation as an example, much of it focused on the aftermath of a Facebook video posted in January in which three Corona del Mar football players threatened to rape and kill a female classmate and also used slurs to describe homosexuals.  The video was posted on the online profile of a fourth student, who threatened the young woman at school said reports.  The video has been removed, but ACLU officials cite little that the school did to punish the boys or for that matter protect the young woman, even after her parents expressed dire concerns over her safety.  ”School and district officials, through their action and inaction, have not only failed to take steps to address this hostile environment, but they have contributed to it and given sanction to it,” stated the 36-page complaint filed in Orange County Superior Court.  ”These allegations are very serious and the district will utilize its best efforts to ascertain the truth of these matters, as well as to be sure there are procedures to promptly resolve discrimination and harassment disputes.” stated district Supertindent Jeffrey Hubbard. 

A Riverside County jury returned a verdict of death for Raymond Lee Oyler for starting the 2006 Esperanza fire in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains that killed five firefighters, destroyed 34 homes and charred more than 41,000 acres.  The decision camedown after barely a day of deliberation.  Firefighters and the families of the victims were thrilled with the verdict saying that it offered a measure of justice for a henious crime that would affect their lives forever.  “For the last 2 1/2 years, life has been unbearable,” stated Gloria Ayala, the mother of Daniel Hoover-Najera, one of the firefighters who was killed in the blaze.  ”Danny is no longer down the hallway, no longer a conversation away.  This loss is almost too much, but now justice will be served.”  She had a message for Oyler.  ”I harbor no anger, only hope that you understand the depth of pain you caused us and your family,” Ayala said, as she stood with the families of other victims outside the courthouse.  ”More importantly, I forgive you for the act that took my son’s life.”  Judge W. Charles Morgan will sentenced Oyler to death or life in prison without parole at a hearing on June 5, 2009.  Oyler (38) was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder, 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device.  Prosecutors said the Beaumont mechanic had set fires throughout the San Gorgonio Pass in the summer of 2006 leading to the Esperanza fire.

Octomom & Angels In Waiting: The Update

 

On March 9, 2009, Nadya Suleman and Angels in Waiting USA (AIW) agreed to work together.  Both parties signed the Declaration of Principles, developed to protect Nadya’s babies and other children.  Nadya also agreed to the principle of transparency.

Nadya has violated a number of those principles. 

In one of the Declaration’s principles, I stated that the best interests of Nadya’s children—who are, after all, high-risk, premature babies—should, at all times, be the paramount consideration with respect to all decisions made concerning their health, safety and welfare. 

Nadya announced to the public and the media when the first babies were coming home. As a result, a foreseeable frenzy of media and onlookers came to her home.  At one point, Linda West-Conforti—a registered nurse and founder of AIW—tried to rescue one of the babies in the garage and remove the infant after paparazzi swarmed the car. A loud noise that sounded like a gunshot went off.  Instead of being permitted to rescue the infant and being thanked for putting herself in peril, West-Conforti was told to “get out of the shot.”

    Not only did this chaotic situation endanger the babies outside the home, but Nadya and her attorney also permitted a dangerous, unhealthy environment inside.  Nadya let the news media set up dirty camera and light equipment, electrical cords and audio equipment inside the very small nursery.  The babies’ nurse had sanitized the room for the babies, but the reporters, producers, cameramen, audio personnel and others changed the nursery immediately and for the worse. 

    The loud noises and shouting increased the babies’ risk of harm, both emotionally and physically. So did the decision to have on-air talent hold and feed the babies. Nadya’s other children were permitted to touch the new babies without sanitizing their hands. Many of the numerous other people allowed into the nursery had not sanitized themselves, either. When one infant regurgitated some milk and needed suctioning, a nurse was temporarily blocked from assisting the infant to prevent the taping from being interrupted.

    Jeff Czech, Nadya’s attorney, made the situation worse.  He entered the house like a raging bull—screaming, pointing and waving his finger about one inch from the face of AIW’s nanny and myself.  He yelled obscenities at the nanny, stating “get the f— out of here, you are fired.”  He then hit his hand hard against the nursery’s outer wall.  This violent  atmosphere and loud noise had a negative impact on the babies, who had just come from a quiet hospital. 

    The violence and threats of violence deeply troubled the AIW personnel.  One of the AIW representatives was crying.  As for myself, I told Jeff not to touch me. Linda told him that she would “deck him” if he did.

    Nadya is responsible for the dangerous environment, which she permitted and even encouraged by allowing the media inside.  She appeared to treat the babies as props.  Nadya handed them off to the nurse to care for them, while she slept all night.

    The nurses were concerned about (among other things) Nadya’s minimal involvement or even apparent disinterest in the babies unless cameras were rolling.  For example, AIW spent 102 hours in the Suleman home. Out of this time, Nadya spent only eight hours in the nursery. Much of the time, she was out shopping. When she returned, she often did not stop to see the babies or inquire about how they were doing.  AIW personnel encouraged her to feed, hold, change and bathe the babies herself, but she rarely did.  One baby went for days without being bathed.  Finally, the nurse did it when Nadya continued to give excuses as to why she could not.

    Nadya did not provide security for the babies. After March 17, two intruders entered the property.  Even though Linda and I asked for security measures, Nadya never provided appropriate security for the babies, nannies and nurses.  In addition, AIW had a major concern about the nannies that Nadya had obtained to care for the babies.

    Finally, I asked Jeff to arrange for a meeting among AIW, Nadya, Jeff, myself and Dr. Phil McGraw to address our concerns about the babies.  Jeff never agreed to such a meeting.  Instead, he kept insisting that AIW agree to a non-disclosure clause and non- transparency.  He also insisted that I was not permitted to speak to Nadya about our concerns or about anything else.

    On Sunday morning, March 22, I sent an e-mail to Dr. Phil, stating that under the circumstances we could not continue working with Nadya.  On Sunday afternoon, Jeff sent an e-mail terminating AIW.

    The law requires AIW to file a complaint with Child Protective Services if AIW personnel believe that babies or children are endangered. AIW did so, and Nadya knew about the complaint.  We believe that the complaint may have been the reason why she and her attorney terminated AIW.

    We are now concerned about the children’s future.  Nadya has decided to have Kaiser Permanente care for her babies.  In other words, she has apparently made a conscious decision to put the burden of her babies’ care on the taxpayers.  (Jeff has conceded publicly that Kaiser nurses will most likely have to bill Medi-Cal.) 

    No doubt Jeff and Nadya will stop Kaiser’s nurses and doctors from speaking publicly about the care that Nadya gives her babies or fails to give them.  The public will learn only Nadya’s side and will not get all of the facts.

    What are Nadya and Jeff trying to hide and why?

    Our concern is the babies.  If the past week is a predictor of the future, we are not optimistic.

    We wish the best for Nadya and her babies, but we can now only pray that Nadya’s poor choices will not result in irreparable harm to her children.

Good News About The Ecomomy, Honest, I’m Not Kidding!

 

 

By Paul Adams

I’ve been looking for some good news, lately. The eternal optimist that I am, I always try to find the silver lining. And I think I found some.

It’s not all bad news, after all. Take a look at Netflix. Their stock is on steroids. Netflix is sending us a clear message: good times or bad, people will still watch a movie cocooned in the comfort of their home. That should come as great news to anyone associated with the movie industry.  You are at the right place, at the right time.   And if you are thinking of investing in a movie with A-list actors, Hollywood is wide open for business. 

There is a nursing shortage. Baby boomers are starting to feel their first aches and pains and the extra TLC they so desperately require is not there. They will soon be needing medications, lots of them. So if you’re thinking about nursing or getting involved in companies that cater to an aging population… opportunities abound. 

There is the worry that GM may go underwater. Where’s the silver lining there?  Well, what about re-tooling plants to produce water-powered and electric-powered vehicles?  Sure, we will still need oil for our plastics industry and muscle cars (for those of us who can fuel our cars at any price). But reduce the size of the clamor over oil and you reduce regional conflicts. What a novel idea. That’s a silver lining to a geopolitical hot potato.

It gets better.  In some parts of the country banks are selling foreclosed homes at rock-bottom prices. That strategy may require a five to ten year hold until the next prosperity cycle kicks-in, an eternity for some. but think about it. If we are not buying our own real estate, foreigners are. Chinese investors known for their discriminating good tastes and patience are arriving in droves to grab a piece of America.  In contrast to our own myopic, gotta-have-it-now, flip-it-or-dump-it mentality, they maintain that all good things come to those who wait.  Perhaps, they hold more tenaciously to the neo-confucian  belief that Bulls get, Bears get, and Pigs get slaughtered (except, perhaps, in the Year of the Pig). 

Still more good news.  The Obama administration finally stepped in to stop the hemorrhaging on main street with the aptly named “Making Home Affordable” initiative.  Essentially, it provides home owners (who can prove financial hardship) a reprieve by lowering the interest rate, and in some cases, even the principal amount of their loan. Homes with property values of over $729,750 do not qualify. The program lasts until 2012, and applies only to loans made prior to Jan. 1, 2009. That means that 4 million homeowners who would have otherwise faced foreclosure can now keep their homes.  The program detoxifies the toxic loans in the system and theoretically creates a bottom for the housing market. You can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. It won’t be long before the foreclosure pandemic will be stemmed, and it’s business as usual. And so, we must ask ourselves: is it pure coincidence that the Chinese are investing in America? 

What about investments, you ask? Some people prefer trading the market index instead of individual stocks. If you prefer trading market indeces,  just remember: the market responds to news. Are you expecting more good news over the interim or more bad news? Carefully assess your tolerance for risk with any investment.

If you have been looking for diversification and movies, the stock market, or real estate is not exactly your cup of tea, there is always FOREX, a $3 trillion currency market that trades 24/7 with unlimited market access, no restrictions on short selling, low capital requirements, and no commissions. Not without its risks, but it beats the slot machines hands down.  Automated and semi-automated trading programs, also known as Expert Advisers, allow you to trade like the banks. Find the right trading program and you could turn your PC into a virtual gold mine.

Speaking of gold, the prudent have always held gold in reserve as a hedge against the prospects of war, inflation, or a market downturn. Silver coins are also recommended for the very same reason.  Gold  may hit $2,000, as some pundits expect, but even if it doesn’t, it’s great insurance. An ounce of silver will run you roughly the price of three double cappuccinos. As precious as gold, is food. In uncertain times, a year’s supply of food will let you sleep more peacefully at night. The good news is that these commodities are still plentiful, and once you have your house in order and fear is replaced with calm you can devote your energies to more creative pursuits.  

A final piece of extraordinarily good news. One principle still remains. Immutable, irrevocable, and timeless, by all accounts, it holds perhaps the best promise for a moral and economic recovery. It’s the benefactor principle. Habitually contributing to a good cause by stepping outside of one’s comfort zone to serve those in need may seem like an exercise in futility to some. It is this very principle which creates opportunities, which in turn transmute to  prosperity, and that is a silver lining indeed.

Local News: April

Deputy Police Chief Kenneth O. Garner Passing Tribute

More than 3,000 people attended the South L.A. funeral of Deputy Police Chief Kenneth O. Garner who served the LAPD for more than three decades.  Garner, the second-highest-ranking black officer in the department, passed away at his Pasadena home.  The tribute was held at the Crenshaw Christian Center where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Senator Rod Wright spoke.

 

National Mass Transit Costs Surge

As gas prices soared, so did the use of mass transit. Passenger levels during 2008 hit peaks not seen since 1957, up 4% from 2007. 2008 turned out to be a very good year for Southern California transit agencies who have reported increased revenues from the more than 10.7 billion riders in 2008.  Also on the rise, Orange County Transportation Authority buses and Metrolink commuter trains set records too.

 

FBI Looking For Clues In Vehicle Firebombing 

A vehicle owned by a UCLA neuroscientist was firebombed by an anti-animal research group for using primates in his study of psychiatric disorders.  The incident took place outside the man’s home and no injuries were reported, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.  This was the latest in a series of firebombing and other aggressive acts aimed at university researchers who use animals in medical studies.  Other police reports show that firebombs were left on doorsteps and in homes, vehicles were vandalized, and threatening phone calls and e-mails were received.

 

A Second Term for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Antonio Villaraigosa won his second term as Mayor with strong support on the Eastside and in Wilmington. The San Fernando Valley, however, showed less confidence in another term for the Mayor and delivered a ‘No’ vote.  Final numbers had Villaraigosa winning with 55.6% of the vote though a mere 15% of registered voters actually voted. 

 

Non-Beverly Hills Residents & BHUSD

Months of heated debate over non-Beverly Hills residents attending the city’s schools under special permits is over, as trustees gave the issue a thumbs up.  The district receives $6,114 in state funding per year for each student enrolled, although BHUSD is fast becoming one of California’s few districts that rely on local property taxes rather than aid based on student attendance.  If that happens the financial incentive to enroll non-residents will diminish. 

 

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Gets A New Tower 

The L.A. Planning Commission approved plans for the construction of a 200,000 square-foot expansion tower at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center that will include 100 new patient beds and 700 parking spaces.  Additional plans were approved for rezoning a vacant property next to the L.A. Public Library in Westwood for a city park.

 

John Mirisch & Willie Brien Win City Council Seats

John Mirisch, a film distributor who, in the past, ruffled the city’s political feathers with his ‘Blog Beverly Hills, won a narrow victory for a seat on the Beverly Hills City Council.  Mirisch walked away with 2,272 votes (14.11%) defeating veteran Councilwoman Linda Briskman.  At the top of Mirisch’s priority list is the quality of the city’s schools and the over-scaled development occurring in Beverly Hills that has diminished the small-town charisma the makes the city a stand out.  Willie Brien, Chief of Staff at Cedars-Sinai and grandson of the late Earl Warren (former California governor and chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court) also walked away with a City Council seat. Brien took in 18.49% of the votes. Prior to this election he served on the school board as park commissioner.  Current Councilman Barry Brucker was re-elected with 19.38% of the votes.

 

Free Pet Spaying & Neutering: A No Go 

Almost six months after L.A. city stated that pets had to be spayed or neutered, a voucher system providing the free service to low-income owners has been eliminated.  Also eliminated was the distribution of $30 coupons for sterilization procedures.  State budget cuts were behind the decision, said department General Manager Ed Boks. The end of the voucher program will save the state $150,000 in spending.  Supporters of animal welfare were not happy over the abrupt decision. The spay-neuter law was passed last year to help lower and eventually eliminate euthanasia rates at animal shelters.

 

L.A. Prepares For A Water Shortage

Serious warnings that L.A. will probably face a water shortage this summer have come to light.  LADWP will raise its rates and have approved severe penalties for residents who don’t cut their water use by 15%.  This does not apply to low-income residents whose rates will remain the same, but owners of larger homes and lots can expect a hike of  $11 a month on their bill.  Rate increases will take effect on June 1, 2009 and will remain in effect year-round.

 

Beverly Hills Library Gets High Scores

Congrats to the Beverly Hills Public Library which ranked in the top 12 of 1,116 libraries in California by the Library Journal and was listed in the top three percent of 7,000 libraries nationwide. The Beverly Hills Public Library was one of the noted 256 libraries to earn a ranking of three to five stars. Rankings included circulation, visits, total program attendance and public internet terminal use.

 

President Obama Checks In At The Beverly Hilton Hotel

New to the Presidential Suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, President Barrack Obama checked in while visiting Los Angeles as part of his tour through Southern California, including a pit stop at The Tonight Show. The luxury digs have also hosted former Presidents Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy. The Presidential Suite covers 1,870 square feet and includes a master bedroom and living room, 42-inch plasma televisions, a 13-inch LCD screen in the spa bathroom, a patio, fireplace, library area and amazing views of the Beverly Hills Business Triangle and Wilshire Boulevard. 

 

Beverly Hills Elections

The new Beverly Hills City Council and City Treasurer took the oath of office recently in a community installation ceremony.  The community ceremony and reception was held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn.  Council member Nancy Krasne was sworn in as Mayor; Councilmember Jimmy Delshad became Vice Mayor and current Vice Mayor Barry Brucker was sworn in for his second term of office.  Eliot Finkel also took on his second, four-year term as City Treasurer.

 

A New Outdoor Sculpture

Beverly Hills was first in line to pick an outdoor sculpture by acclaimed New York artist Roxy Paine.  The City’s Public Art Fund picked up the $ 342,800 tab for the sculpture.  Additional fees of $10,000-$15,000 are estimated for transportation, installation, future   maintenance, lighting and ongoing display of the art piece. The stainless steel boulder measuring 7 feet tall by 15 feet wide offers reference to a rock carried by a glacier hundreds of miles away from its original geographic location.  Paine’s work is exhibited around the world, is on permanent display in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and will be installed in Beverly Gardens Park in Beverly Hills this summer. 

 

Dante Nicholson Pleads Guilty To Hospital/Homeless Scam

Dante Nicholson, 51, of Palmdale, pleaded guilty to offering money used for illegal kickbacks to recruiters who would take homeless patients from skid row to the hospital, where they would receive services that were not necessary.  Nicholson, former senior vice president of City of Angels Medical Center, is the third person convicted in the scheme to defraud Medicare and Medi-Cal.  If Nicholson is convicted the charges carry a maximum of 10 years in federal prison.

Beverly Hills Unified School District ARTS & EDUCATION

The California Department of Education has proclaimed March 2009 “Arts Education Month”. The Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education recognizes that learning and participating in arts education (dance, music, theatre and visual arts) is an important part of the core curriculum for K-12 students.  Recent events offered included:

• The continuation of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy Residency.

• Beverly Hills High School Performing Arts Department presented the musical “Ragtime”.  Following the success of “How to Succeed in Business” and “Les Miserables”, director Herb Hall tackled another award-winning musical with the help of Josh Butchart, Producer; Joel Pressman, Musical Director/Conductor; Richard Farmer, Orchestra Director and Janet Roston, Choreography; and Annie Terry, Technical Director.  ”Ragtime” is based on the E.L. Doctorow novel of the same name and explores the ethnic, political and social struggles of the early 20th century.  The cast of Performing Arts students included several graduating seniors in their final BHHS performances. 

• The K-8 BHUSD Art Exhibit “Celebrating Creativity” was held at the Beverly Hills Municipal Gallery.  During the reception Beverly Hills City Council, Beverly Hills Unified School District School Board Members, BHUSD District Administration, School Site Administration, teachers, students, and parents helped celebrate all of the amazing art created by the four schools’ K-8 students.  Vice Mayor Barry Brucker (former Mayor) stated, “The City works collaboratively with the Beverly Hills Unified School District on many different levels.  The City of Beverly Hills is pleased to continue supporting the arts in the Beverly Hills Unified School District and we are delighted that this exhibition is here to showcase the artwork of the many talented students that attend our schools.”

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