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Friday, May 26, 2006

Are Those Domain Names In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Glad To See Me?

Mother Calhoun is getting downright discouraged. She thought that through the years, people were actually paying attention to her Sage Advice For The Clueless. But clearly, nobody’s listening because there are people out there still Walking While Stupid.

I refer, of course, to the May 24th Bay News story, “Taxpayer’s Watch Decries Internet Skullduggery,” wherein we learn that back on Nov 29, 2005, CSD Interim Counsel John McClendon bought up several web addresses for $2.99 each. The web addresses he bought were variations on all things taxpayerswatch-ish, such as www.Taxpayerswatch.org and www.Taxpayerswatch.com and so forth. McClendon, no doubt with his tongue thoroughly set in his cheek, is quoted in the story as saying that he did his shopping “on his own time and paid the fees. He said he has nothing against the local Taxpayers Watch, but makes it a practice to pick up web addresses that may benefit future clients. He said there are Taxpayers Watch organizations in several communities. ‘I was depressed that night,’ he explained, ‘I went shopping and I’m Scottish. I’m cheap. I love a bargain.’”

So, what’s the problem here? People buy domain names all the time. No big deal, right? Well, to continue the Bay News story, “[McClendon] said he ‘parked’ the addresses to send people to the CSD site [instead]. He also indicated he was sorry that the CSD was being rapped’ for his actions.” In other words, when people typed in the domain names he owned, thinking they were going to the Taxpayerswatch site, they would be bounced over the official CSD site instead. Very funny?

Gee, you think?

Naturally, Joyce Albright, chairwoman for the local Taxpayers Watch group, jumped to the conclusion that this was all the responsibility of the CSD. Said she, “It’s just proof again of the methods of the current board. It’s duplicitous, underhanded and sneaky. I’m shocked at the low quality people they employ.” Which caused many people familiar with the published product and actions of Taxpayers Watch to roll their eyes and mutter, “Pots & Kettles, Pots & Kettles.”

Then, after being shocked – shocked – Joyce was quoted as saying that “As a result, the web address for Taxpayers Watch has been changed to: dissolvethelocalcad.org. Even though she was irked, Albright said the change did not cost them any money or cause them to do extra work. ‘I like the new one better,’ she said. ‘It says it all.’”

So, no harm, no foul? Really? Well, listen up everyone. Mother Calhoun will – once again – spell it out for you:

1. When you know a group of people have declared themselves to be your sworn enemy, hell-bent on destroying you utterly, and they have already proven to you that they have a shaky grasp on the difference between “fact” and Madison Avenue’s distorted version of Phony Phacts, and have no ethical compunction against employing such duplicitous, underhanded and sneaky tactics in all they do and say, you do not give them swords.

2. Perception IS reality. Public servants, working on the taxpayer’s dime, have a special duty to be like Casesar’s Wife: Not only do they have to be above suspicion, they must appear to be above suspicion.

3. Private citizens are free to lie, distort, play dirty tricks on one another and engage in other assorted japery. Public servants are not. I know. Unfair double standard. Tough. Deal with it.

On a happier note, the Bay News story did reveal, ta-DA- “According to documentation provided by McClendon, the Taxpayers Watch’s current Web site address – which he [McClendon] characterized as the ‘I’m still mad’ Web site – is owned by Michael Drake, the former CSD public information officer who was fired after the recall election.”

Mikeee’s baaaack!

Yep, the same Mike who was quoted using the word “we” as in “WE’VE been waiting THIRTY YEARS for this sewer plant,” & etc. when, in truth, he’d only arrived in town a few months before. And, I’m not sure the word “fired” is exactly accurate. “Fired” almost always has negative connotations – i.e. that the person in question is incompetent or had been discovered engaging in some sort of skullduggery. Mike’s contract as Public Information Officer was specifically tied to the Tri-W sewer project. No project, no contract. No contract, no Mike. So, unless something was uncovered during the new CSD’s Board during closed session discussions, it may be fairer to say Mike’s contract was terminated rather than he was “fired.”

Of course, during his tenure, there were many complaints that Mike had crossed the line between Public Information and political advocacy during the recall campaign. But here he is again, working with Joyce Albright and [recalled board member] Gordon Hensley and other supporters, members and associates of Taxpayers Watch. Ah, the old gang, back together again! What could be better?

The only question left is this: Who’s writing the Phacts that appear on Mr. Drake’s Taxpayer’s Watch website?

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Churadog says:

"1. When you know a group of people have declared themselves to be your sworn enemy, hell-bent on destroying you utterly, and they have already proven to you that they have a shaky grasp on the difference between “fact” and Madison Avenue’s distorted version of Phony Phacts, and have no ethical compunction against employing such duplicitous, underhanded and sneaky tactics in all they do and say, you do not give them swords."

The pot calling the kettle black:<) from the master of "Phony Phacts"!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous to Anonymous...what "phoney phacts" has Ann spouted? If you can disprove her blogs, I'd be more impressed with your comments...Show me your facts!

Mike Green said...

Here is my problem, I usualy vote against the Trivs picks on principal, they pick Judy Vick for 2nd district, then today Joyce writes a vitreol laced piece of tripe against Vick.
Why? because she "seems" to be supported by some members of the CSD board.

Looks like I'm going to have to go with the "Triv" on this one.

Ouch, I just bit my tounge.

Anonymous said...

"McClendon, no doubt with his tongue thoroughly set in his cheek, is quoted in the story as saying that he did his shopping “on his own time and paid the fees. He said he has nothing against the local Taxpayers Watch, but makes it a practice to pick up web addresses that may benefit future clients. "

Yeah, right. The CSD is a current client, not a future one. As district counsel, the ethics and his practices here are not transparent. This reflects poorly on him, and the board if they condone it.

Had Seitz done something like this during the recall, Ann's (and current board members) and whole lot of other folk's condemnation would have been heard around the world. Probably would have been calls for firing him.

Hey, maybe McClendon should start picking up on the cheap any possible web-sites for future elections or challenges, maybe he should pick up web-sites to hold in reserve for tax votes.

How about this web-site? DumpMcClendon.com, I bet it could be picked up pretty cheap right now.

With two sides dancing with Drake & McClendon, is it any wonder the town is in the toilet.

Anonymous said...

"Private citizens are free to lie, distort, play dirty tricks on one another and engage in other assorted japery. Public servants are not. I know. Unfair double standard. Tough. Deal with it."

Public servants can and do distort. The CSD is exhibit #1, it's an equal opportunity distortion agency. Distort to get in, and distort to stay there.

'Distort for the common good' should be the motto, much more catchy than whatever is on there. Maybe McClendon should just have put a link to Ann's column.

Shark Inlet said...

Ann,

Here's a good question that should help us resolve whether there is something we ought to be concerned here.

Has Jon McClendon bought other domain names (note: he bought this one in late November 2005, most likely Nov 28) on his own dime where his clients would have possibly perceived a benefit from his actions?

I'm imagining two possible answers.

Maybe he does this quite often and for many of his clients.

Maybe, however, he just happened to do this one time for just this client.

Now that you've had the opportunity to digest the two possible cases, can we really absolve McClendon of doing something unethical here? Under which hypothetical above would he have done no wrong?

Even if he didn't charge the CSD for the costs or for his time to buy the domains (which we'll never know ... invoices are never that specific about what was done with the time) don't you think this reflects poorly on the new board?

To me, the fact that Drake "owns" the TW website domain seems nowhere near as underhanded as the fact that McClendon "owns" the domains that were bought up right before TW would have bought them.

When Drake took his actions, he was most definitely not on the CSD payroll in any way. As you say, a private citizen is allowed to do such things. However, when McClendon bought the TW domains, he was essentially a public servant and likely violating your principals, Ann.

Yet, you seem more outraged at Drake and TW than at McClendon? Why, McClendon is the guy who broke your rules...

Ron said...

ol' Mike Drake's back, huh? Why?

"Who’s writing the Phacts that appear on Mr. Drake’s Taxpayer’s Watch website?"

I'll give you three guesses. What you call "Phacts," I call "compelling language."

They're whining about not getting their TaxpayerWatch domain names? They stole my name! As the founding and only member of the citizen's group known as SewerWatch, I find that mildly flattering.

In Ann's previous post, she said:

"... a dedicated band of Sewergeeks have turned the Comment section into something akin to the old country store, with folks gathered around the internet’s version of the pot-bellied stove to yak and natter."

That is great imagery. Where's my spittoon and widdlin' wood?

Thanks for the "Contrast" link, Ann. (spit - ting!)

*PG-13 said...

Fascinating......

While reading today's blog-bait something triggered some ancient neural synoptics. Ya know how sometimes ya just can't get a tune out of your head? Least I humm aloud alone all day, please join Joni and me in a sing along: The Circle Game.

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town
And they tell him,
Take your time, it won't be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game


Something about the painted ponies going up and down and round and round just seems so ..... appropriate.

At least today's skullduggery made me laugh. (Plus extra points for using a really cool word!) You didn't laugh? Not even a chuckle or a little smirk? Come on, get a life. $2.99 plus a small parking fee to tilt the TW advertising machine into a ditch? This is a moment of comic relief in a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare. Or a dirty ploy worthy of Tricky Dick. (giggle)

OK, yeah, it was stupid. And Brilliant. The brilliant part was preemptively claiming the URL addresses. Truth be told, TaxpayersWatch.com and .org are excellent investments. I wish I had thought of it. And if TW prefers dissolvethelocsd.org instead? I'm happy they're happy.

The stupid part was redirecting traffic to the CSD website. Not the redirection itself but doing this as an agent of the CSD. Not the smartest move certainly. Better somebody NOT sitting on the CSD make this play. And the high road would have been to display a redirect page clearly stating the address is being redirected to the Los Osos CSD website. But there aren't many high roads through Los Osos any more.

Truth is the brilliance outshines the stupid. This is how the internet works - messy but legal. Just as pounding millions of dollars into the ground just hours before a recall election to determine whether to do exactly that; or calling for disolution of the new CSD before the votes are even counted; or running a write-in campaign begging for maximal abusive penalties and fines to be levied against the citizens of Los Osos in retribution for recalling the old board; are all ethically questionable but still legal.

John McClendon> ‘I was depressed that night, I went shopping and I’m Scottish. I’m cheap. I love a bargain.’

Sounds like great therapy to me. And a great bargain. (Did I say I'm Scot too?)

> He also indicated he was sorry that the CSD was being rapped’ for his actions.

Gee, am I mistaken or is this the first apology given for any of the very many questionable actions relative to this sewer fiasco?

Joyce Albright > “It’s just proof again of the methods of the current board. It’s duplicitous, underhanded and sneaky. I’m shocked at the low quality people they employ.”

(sigh)

Followed by the disclosure that Michael Drake, the old CSD Public (mis)Information Officer, is still in cahoots if not working for TW. The Horse sh** just keeps getting deeper and deeper and deeper while ....

.... the painted ponies go up and down as we go round and round and round.

All parties please note:
SaveTheDream.com & .org are already taken but SaveTheDream.biz is still available.

MoveTheSewer.com, .org, .net, .biz and .info are all still available. Use however you will.

Sewerville.com, .org, .net, .biz and .info are also all still available. I propose somebody buy these URL's and make them available to the community. Someday these will be priceless.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

John McClendon is sorry for his actions?

Changing a website takes minutes. If the CSD displays a redirect page clearly stating the address is being redirected to the Los Osos CSD website, then I will believe his apology. Otherwise just more hollow words.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Poster said:

“Anonymous to Anonymous...what "phoney phacts" has Ann spouted? If you can disprove her blogs, I'd be more impressed with your comments...Show me your facts!”

Churadog said

“…and they have already proven to you that they have a shaky grasp on the difference between “fact” and Madison Avenue’s distorted version of Phony Phacts,…”

To the anonymous friend, why is,

“they have already proven to you”,

a FACT?

Is this not an example of a “Madison Avenue’s distorted version of Phony Phacts” ?

Pot and kettle! Goose and gander!

Anonymous said...

Two words provided courtesy of the blog today.

Adj. 1. duplicitous - marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another; "she was a deceitful scheming little thing"- Israel Zangwill; "a double-dealing double agent"; "a double-faced infernal traitor and schemer"- W.M.Thackeray
Synonyms: double-dealing, double-tongued, two-faced, Janus-faced, double-faced, ambidextrous, deceitful

Noun 1. skullduggery - verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way
Synonyms: hanky panky, hocus-pocus, jiggery-pokery, skulduggery, slickness, trickery

Source: Webster On-line Dictionary

William Makepeace Thackeray would have loved Los Osos.

*PG-13 said...

Sewertoons> Changing a website takes minutes. If the CSD displays a redirect page clearly stating the address is being redirected to the Los Osos CSD website, then I will believe his apology. Otherwise just more hollow words.

Noted. And I agree. Although changing a direct redirect to a page with published content and auto redirect requires a little more set-up, a few more dollars and takes more than a few minutes. Still, all of that should have been done. And should still be done.

*PG-13 said...

Publicworks > Two words provided courtesy of the blog today. .....

Who knew that a sewer could be so edifying? We've got such a great start, let's not stop. How many of the following words can you fit into one long run-on sentence?

Value Words: double-dealing, double-tongued, two-faced, Janus-faced, double-faced, ambidextrous, deceitful, hanky panky, hocus-pocus, jiggery-pokery, skulduggery, slickness, trickery.

Scoring: (# of Value Words) / (# of Total Words)
Highest score wins.

Extra Credit: One point for each value word found on any Los Osos Sewer-related website.

Shark Inlet said...

Well,

If McClendon did this as a private citizen (as is his contention) he has no obligation to make any changes at all ... especially if he is no longer getting paid by the LOCSD at all.

I agree that such a change could or should be made and the fact that McClendon didn't make the change immediately after the issue was brought to has attention is ... um ... troubling.

Essentially this is not a big deal to me at all. I don't really care who owns what website.

The thing that is most troubling to me is that McClendon thinks this sort of action is okay and that the CSD hired a person with such a clear willingness to play underhanded, even if legal. Perhaps that is part of the job description of a lawyer, but I rather doubt that Jon Seitz would have taken such an action ... even if asked to do so for a fee.

*PG-13 said...

Sorry, no points for underhanded, legal and lawyer used in the same sentence. You're just getting warmed up, right?

*PG-13 said...

Hate to hog this blog but .....
I just noticed: The scenic image of Lago de Oro on the homepage over at TaxPayersWatch.er, no, make that dissolvethelocsd.org website has been changed. It's much more scenic now. Apparently Ann's blog attracts more readers than is apparent.

Hi!
And Welcome!
Sorry about the fun we had last week with Vista del Sewer. Really we are. We just couldn't help ourelves. And we often go off topic like that. That's what happen's down here at the old country store when we gather 'round the pot-bellied stove and yak, natter, spit and whiddle.

As a content manager myself I appreciate when on-line content changes quickly when it isn't working. Your new graphics look a lot better. Its still an ugly barren hole - no getting around that. The chainlink fence is a little distracting though. You could probably fix that in Photoshop. Or maybe you don't want to fix it. Geeesh, I don't know.

Anyway, kudos to your webmanager, s/he's on top of her/his game.

Anonymous said...

Who cares? The LOCSD is acruing fines of $10,000 a day since Oct 1, 2005. The LOCSD is upside down, will never be able to pay its bills, and will never be able to build any kind of sewer. Each property owner is already responsible for $63,000 and we have nothing but a mud hole. This is not because of taxpayers watch! The existing LOCSD and their supporters brought this on, and everybody knows it! How can anyone defend this stupidity?

Anonymous said...

Who is writing the "Phacts" on www.dissolvethelocsd.org? How about Judges, The RWQCB, the LOCSD, the Bay News, and the Tribune? By the way, has anyone heard anything of "fact" concerning the investigation going on at Cal-Trans of the four Cal-Trans employees that sit on the LOCSD board?

Mike Green said...

Well, aside from the last poster everyone seems to te having a good time around the ol barrel today.
I specialy liked PG's song, reminded me of another that is even more on topic concidering the internet misbehaving going on.
Here we go,
a1 an a2:

They say, "these geeks come a dime a dozen."
I'm lookin' for the guy who's supplin' the dimes.
Its gonna be real hard times for all of these
grit eatin',
scum suckin',
boot lickin',
drop kickin',
gut grindin',
nail bitin',
glue sniffin',
scab pickin',
butt scratchin',
egg hatchin',
sleezy,
smelly,
pepper bellied,
dirty, lousy, rotten, stinkin', freaks.
Nothing but a pencil neck geek.

Fred Blasey.

LOL

Anonymous said...

Michael Drake is way stupid. I talked to him on the phone once right before the recall. He told me he was "sorry about the trees" and that he would be attending the candlelight vigil that night. Right. Didn't see him once, and I was looking. He's not only stupid but he's a liar. The CSD let him go but he won't give it up. He should just move to Iowa and call it good...now which group is keeping the wastewater project from moving forward?

Anonymous said...

Well, McClendon fights a battle 21st century style. Get used to it. Sure wish I could say the same about President Bush.

Anonymous said...

Belated greetings to PG 13. Your commentary is intellegent and disarming.
Lago LeGros?? I know, I know, its a bit late for these...

"Truth is the brilliance outshines the stupid. This is how the internet works - messy but legal. Just as pounding millions of dollars into the ground just hours before a recall election to determine whether to do exactly that; or calling for disolution of the new CSD before the votes are even counted; or running a write-in campaign begging for maximal abusive penalties and fines to be levied against the citizens of Los Osos in retribution for recalling the old board; are all ethically questionable but still legal."

Legal, as in they aren't up on charges for it yet, Legal? The TRI W Boondoggle reeks, absolutely gags one with the stench of colusion. If we start talking ethical actions, we end up talking about Karma again. Albright, Hemsley & the carpetbagger Drake, now there is a Tantric trio...
& Yes, Pandora Nash-Karner knows how to manage a web site. TW is so so fortunate to have her support...she's got connections ya know ;).
Is Boondoggle.org, com, etc, still for sale?

Shark Inlet said...

To our anonymous friend a bit above ... who claims that we're each on the hook for $63k. Um ... I think you may have meant $6300. If our CSD of 5000 homes were already on the hook for $63k each, the CSD is already some $315M in debt. If you're going to complain about the stupidity of the CSD, maybe you should double check your calculations :)

Churadogs said...

PG-13 sez"That's what happen's down here at the old country store when we gather 'round the pot-bellied stove and yak, natter, spit and whiddle."

Uh, I think the term is "whittle" as in using a pen knife to shave little pieces off a random piece of smalish-length, medium-soft "whittlin' wood" until you end up with a pile of wood shavings. In short, while yer yakkin' and chawin'you're reducing an unusable stick into a pile of unusable wood shavings. Sorta like what we sewergeeks do here.

One of the Annonymouses sez:"Michael Drake is way stupid. I talked to him on the phone once right before the recall. He told me he was "sorry about the trees" and that he would be attending the candlelight vigil that night. Right. Didn't see him once, and I was looking."

Actually, I did see him at a (the?) candlelight vigil. Went over to introduce myself and yak a spell. Didn't whittle, though.

PG-13 sez:"Noted. And I agree. Although changing a direct redirect to a page with published content and auto redirect requires a little more set-up, a few more dollars and takes more than a few minutes. Still, all of that should have been done. And should still be done."

I agree.

Inlet sez"Yet, you seem more outraged at Drake and TW than at McClendon? Why, McClendon is the guy who broke your rules... "

You misread and misunderstood what I wrote. (As usual?) McClendon's the one who got Mother Calhoun's walking while stupid smack upside the head.

Spectator sez:"Are you sure you did not mean "Clueless advice for the Sage"? Of course, the sage would not head your advice. But the LOCSD board has listened to you. That is why "there are people out there still Walking While Stupid."

The LOCSD board has listened to me? Bwa=hahahahahahah. That explains why the old board went ahead and cut the trees down and started pounding $$$ into the ground weeks before the recall when I begged them not to go there, not to do that. I even emailed Mike Drake, as "information officer," to ask if he could stop the folly. He's a PR kinda guy and HAD TO HAVE KNOWN a PR Nightmare in the making when he saw one. Did he listen? Nooooo. Did the old board listen to me when I was asking questions in my various Sewerville columns through the years, questions that HAD THEY BEEN ANSWERED might very well have avoided this train wreck? Nooooooo, not a bit of it. Clearly, they were much too "sage" to listen to Mother Calhoun.

Inlet sez:"To our anonymous friend a bit above ... who claims that we're each on the hook for $63k. Um ... I think you may have meant $6300. If our CSD of 5000 homes were already on the hook for $63k each, the CSD is already some $315M in debt. If you're going to complain about the stupidity of the CSD, maybe you should double check your calculations :)"

This is an example of Phony Phacts. In letters to the editor, on a certain website, etc. I keep seeing these amazing numbers. As near as I can tell, they're either plain wrong, or made up, or are unhatched chickens (just because you've been sued for X billions of $$ doesn't mean squat until the trial's over, the appeals are over and an actual judgment -- which could be X billions or Diddly Squat or X billions your suerer OWES YOU to replay your legal costs, etc. -- is rendered) or wishful thinking or . . something. What's a puzzle to me, is there'll be a LAFCO hearing June 15, and so far as I know, the Judge-ordered "certified, official type" audit of the CSD books hasn't taken place yet. How can you have a LAFCO hearing on the financial status of the CSD without that?

Shark Inlet said...

No Ann, I did not misunderstand what you wrote ... yes you did take McClendon to task but the fact that you chose to follow up by pointing out Drake did something similar completely dulled your criticism. It is almost as if you said to yourself "shoot, my side screwed up so I need to come up with something comparable so I can say that TW is no better than my side."

As to Spectator's point, you either misunderstood (which is unlikely) or are trying to deflect his suggestion that you have influence with many of those who support and have influence with the current LOCSD board.

Have you seen that $63k figure elsewhere? I haven't. I certainly see ... um ... questionable "facts" reported far too often by both sides. From your side, claims that we won't lose the SRF, we won't get fined and that the out of town plan is ready to go and will cost half of what TriW will. (Yes, Ron, I know you claim it will be cheaper, but you've consistently ignored my calculations that show it will cost more in $/month even if the total bill for the collection system plus WWTF is only $70M, the cost that Lisa told us was the best we could do for just a collection system.)

I know how LAFCO can reach a decision about the viability of the CSD if the CSD hasn't done the audit yet... They can see evidence that the CSD is out of control and is unwilling to follow even the direct orders of a judge ... they can see that dissolution or receivership until the November election would be the only reasonable ways to protect the citizens of this district from our duly elected board. It is absoltely amazing that the board hasn't taken this audit more seriously.

Anonymous said...

Why would any board listen to a journalist? Listen to the Trib., uggh, listen to the Bay News, uggh, listen to a columnist, uggh.

A journalist who has little, if any, knowledge of the law. Good at asking a lot of pertinent questions, yes. If the exposure of the district including litigation, fines (ongoing), and contracts is $50 or $60 million, then it is NOT a phoney number to suggest we could be on the hook for it.

Certainly don't see the CSD disclosing to anyone the financial exposure anywhere, so I'm surprised Ann would take exception to TW provided figures that can be debated.

Would Ann have a problem if Lisa opened every meeting stating that since the previous month another $300,000+ in fines is accruing due to on-going violations?? Would Ann have a problem if Lisa opened every meeting stating that since her board stopped the site specific project, homeowners (many who supported her position) were issued CDOs, along with potential untold emotional and financial cost?? Would Ann have a problem if Lisa opened every meeting and disclosed how much the attornies have been paid?

Ron said...

pg13 said about dissolvelocsd.org:

Anyway, kudos to your webmanager, s/he's on top of her/his game.

I disagree. Most of the graphics on that site are over 1/2 meg a piece. Give me a break! I don't know about you city folk, but us country bumpkins that actually do sit around pot belly stoves and yak and natter, are stuck with dial-up modems because we can't get cable or DSL, so, I've never seen that site in its entirety. I don't wait for the graphics to load.

Memo to dissolvelocsd.org webmanager: Photoshop --> Image --> Image Size --> 72 dpi (please).

But I was able to read the following text from that site:

DissolveLOSCD.org is utilized because TaxpayersWatch.org, TaxpayersWatch dot com, and TaxpayersWatch dot net were previously registered on November 29, 2005, by John McClendon, P.O. Box 99800, Emeryville, CA 94662, Phone 510-595-2002, in an apparent attempt to prevent TaxpayersWatch from using its own name for its web site.

That is freaking hilarious.

I was also able to read this from their "history" page:

However, in 1998, the voters of Los Osos elected to break with the county and form their own Community Services District. An assessment of $17.9 million was overwhelmingly approved to provide funding for a site...

Let's see... the election was in 1998, the assessment vote where the CSD/Solution Group gravely misled their community (again!) was in 2001 -- ummm... skippin' a couple of years there, guys -- a couple of little inconvenient truths known as 1999 and 2000.

Ron said:
"Where's my spittoon and widdlin' wood?"

whit·tle
v. whit·tled, whit·tling, whit·tles
v. tr.

1.
a. To cut small bits or pare shavings from (a piece of wood).
b. To fashion or shape in this way: whittle a toy boat.

2. To reduce or eliminate gradually, as if by whittling with a knife: whittled down the debt by making small payments.

Of course, what I meant was, "... whittlin' wood?"

(spit - ting! Bingo.)

*PG-13 said...

Dogpatch > Is Boondoggle.org, com, etc, still for sale?

Sadly no. But Boondoggle.biz, .org, .info & .net are still available. And of course, lots of boondoggle derivaties are still in play such as:
+ UglyBoondoggle.*,
+ WastefulBoondoggle.*,
+ InsaneBoondoggle.*
and the always appropriate
+ GiantBoondoggle.* and
+ HugeBoondoggle.*

I'm surprised. Apparently boondoggles are not nearly so common outside of Los Osos. Go figure.

Mike Green > grit eatin', scum suckin', boot lickin', drop kickin', gut grindin', nail bitin', glue sniffin', scab pickin', butt scratchin', egg hatchin', sleezy, smelly, pepper bellied, dirty, lousy, rotten, stinkin', freaks. Nothing but a pencil neck geek.
> Fred Blasey.


For lack of other entries Mike (& Fred) win the Dispicable Skullduggery Contest. They colored outside the lines but, silly bloggers, as with everything else sewer related the game rules were mere guidelines. Laws, rules and ethics be damned. The judge(s) awarded bonus points for "Scab pickin'". Late entries will be counted. Good luck.

>> Anyway, kudos to your webmanager, s/he's on top of her/his game.

Ron > I disagree. Most of the graphics on that site are over 1/2 meg a piece. Give me a break! ...
Memo to dissolvelocsd.org webmanager: Photoshop / Image / Image Size / 72 dpi (please).


Ron is correct. I concede all things web-publishing related to Ron. Hey, he's a professional web geek. I appreciate the value pro's bring to any situation. Per my previous posts I think we need more sewer pro's and fewer well-meaning but slightly skewed amateurs in our sewer decision making process.

Ron > "Where's my spittoon and widdlin' wood?"
*PG-13>> ... yak, natter, spit and whiddle.
Churadogs > Uh, I think the term is "whittle" as in using a pen knife to shave little pieces off a random piece of smalish-length, medium-soft "whittlin' wood" until you end up with a pile of wood shavings. In short, while yer yakkin' and chawin'you're reducing an unusable stick into a pile of unusable wood shavings. Sorta like what we sewergeeks do here.

Oh my goooood! Thanks Ann, I thought we were doin' somthin' else ;-) Or maybe its just the accent?

Peace ....

Churadogs said...

PG-13 sez"Ron > "Where's my spittoon and widdlin' wood?"
*PG-13>> ... yak, natter, spit and whiddle.
Churadogs > Uh, I think the term is "whittle" as in using a pen knife to shave little pieces off a random piece of smalish-length, medium-soft "whittlin' wood" until you end up with a pile of wood shavings. In short, while yer yakkin' and chawin'you're reducing an unusable stick into a pile of unusable wood shavings. Sorta like what we sewergeeks do here.

Oh my goooood! Thanks Ann, I thought we were doin' somthin' else ;-) Or maybe its just the accent?"

I've always heard "widdle" used in the context of a puppy peeing, as in "He widdled on the carpet."

But then, maybe that's your point? We're chompin' and jawin' and . . . widdlin' Hey, works for me!

Anonymous said...

to Whittle away at something or somebody:
to methodically weaken something or somebody.
Whittling away at an opponent can be an effective way to win a fight, if you can keep it up. It can also be a miserable way of losing one too...
Lotsa Whittling away goin on here in Osos...

Mike Green said...

Doggie,
Yes, but what we are realy doing here is whittleing away time.
It's a usefull occupation if its done wisely, in order to reflect and in so doing to change either your level of conviction or your mind.
But thats just my opinion.

PG, thanks for the award?

Anonymous said...

We're whittling away at this Boondoggle. They're whittling away at our CSD. Years of bad public policy realised whittles away at our town.
Some of the best wood carvers are whittlers. Ever see one of those carved wooden chains? That's whittling. Or you can turn a stick into a pile of little shavings onto the floor. That's whittling too.

*PG-13 said...

Note, this is a very late post updating recent changes in the TaxpayersWatch.com and TaxpayersWatch.org domain names: These URL's no longer mirror or redirect to the Los Osos CSD website. Sometime yesterday afternoon or last night these URL's were redirected to other sites not related to Los Osos or the sewer. The .com extension goes to the website of Carney & Delany, LLP, a business transactions and employment law firm located in Riverside. And the .org extension goes to the website of TaxpayersWatch of Kerr County, a non-profit non-partisan public service organization in Texas dedicated to providing information about, and facilitating public discussion and monitoring of, Kerr County government.

Both domain names are still registered to McClendon. The TW name seems a good fit for the Kerr County non-profit. Not sure what they were using before but this must be a nice development for them. Not sure how TaxpayersWatch relates to the law firm but ya gotta appreciate the 'Courtesy Pays' logo on their homepage. And its gotta be one of the more informal LLP firms you're ever gonna read about. It's not at all clear what they're getting out of it - other than perhaps a good inside joke - and I'm betting this is a temporary assignment.

I'm sure there's some good story here.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully Kerr County has a sewer.

Mike Green said...

Butt scratchin
Scab picken!


Number one truth about reality!

Never believe anything you read on a computer.