A Day Late & A Dollar Short

The Tribune finally got around to writing a piece on the Watson Montgomery Harza and New Orleans Inspector General Report a while back. And a few regular lurking Sewer Crazies came on this blog and had a cow or two. Now, Piper Riley has written an opinion piece posted on Cal Coast News at http://calcoastnews.com/2010/03looking-for-transparency-in-los-osos/ .

One interesting issue Piper mentions is the incident in Los Osos wherein “MWH local offices were broken into and all of the Los Osos records were stolen. Allegedly they were held in one sole location, the project manager’s laptop, which happened to be the only thing stolen. Around the same time, two integrally involved, government official’s hard drives were wiped clean” . . . “and MWH are also currently heading the heavily flawed, Morro Bay/Cayucos project. The project manager of the 2005, failed, MWH Los Osos Wastewater Project (whose lap top was ‘stolen’) is now the head of the Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Project, the recent contract of which was questionable procured.” And so forth. Or as The Church Lady Would Say, “Well isn’t THAT convenient, hmmmm???”

And so, since I know that the regular lurking Sewer Crazies will have a cow with what Piper’s written and start chewing on each other’s ankles, I’ll best remind them now; Mind your manners, Children, or Momma will dump you.

New Rule

Since it’s clear that government employees don’t listen to Mother Calhoun’s Sage Advice for the Clueless when it comes to generalized canoodling inappropriately & other high crimes and dumb misdemeanors, I think we need a new generalized Rule for Firing People: Walking While Stupid.

I speak, this time, of Dean Smith, former superintendent of San Miguel Joint Union School District who, according to the March 27 Tribune, was investigated by the district and put on administrative leave in February and then resigned in March. According to documents, Mr. Smith formed a “friendship” with a student when she was in 7th grade and he was the principal of the school she attended, and after she turned 18 apparently that “friendship” became something more and they are now “dating” said Mr. Smith’s son. Also, Mr. Smith, after 33 years of marriage, was served a petition for legal separation from his wife -- last week. Which means he was “friending” this young woman while still married. And in its investigation, the school district also found (surprise!) that Mr. Smith had been Googling various inappropriate websites on district computers during work hours, and such like complaints.

Mr. Smith denies or ‘splains some of these charges and states that the district’s “personal disapproval of my associations with another adult, whom I happen to meet while she was minor, goes beyond legitimate district concerns about employee performance.”

See what I mean? I’m sure Mr. Smith is right. Private, of-hours behavior with an “adult” likely IS beyond legitimate district concerns, unless he and his “adult” associates are robbing banks. Which is why we need a New Rule: In addition to the endless list of reasons public employees can be fired, we need to add a new one – Walking While Stupid.

I mean, a Superintendent who moons after and “friends” a young student because his wife doesn’t understand him? Walking While Stupid. If he’s sad and lonely, he needs to get a dog, get a hobby, get a divorce and get out more – with people of the adult persuasion.

But here’s the kicker (and I do sympathize with Mr. Smith because I, too, am a quasi-Luddite,) but even I know that ANYTHING you do on a computer at work can be tracked. ANYTHYING. So if you’re tempted to Google “pictures of Playboy model Sara Jean Underwood in seductive poses” during your lunch hour – GO HOME and do it.

See? Walking while Stupid, you’re fired, Go away, Thank You.

Best Book Title

The Tribune reports that Karl Rove was in town and that 400 people coughed up serious money to attend a GOP dinner and maybe get a photo-op with him at $2,500 a pop. While outside the event, one protester held a sign that read, “I have a dream,” above an illustration of Rove being arrested.”

In addition to raising funds for the GOP, Rove was hustling his new book, which I think deserves an award for Best Ironic Book Title Of The Year: “Courage and Consequence, My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.”

Consequence? To date, Rove has never met a consequence he hasn’t been able to skate away from, with a little help from his well-connected friends.

Wildflower Alert

Saturday, I spoke with a couple who had driven up from Santa Barbara via the Carrizo Plains and said the wildflower display was spectacular. Also spoke to someone else who said the green-type grass is growing quickly as well, so if you want to catch the display, best do it ASAP. And pray a heat wave doesn’t suddenly hit and blast all the flowers to heck. So, time to play hooky. The Carrizo Plains visitor center has picnic benches, so pack a yummy lunch and head east.