This month, several folks have asked for copies of the tribute column I wrote for Chris Pischke, a year ago.  To date it remains the only submittal I have ever made to the newspapers that they did NOT print.  Go figure.  Though some of you have copies of this already, I send it along to many of you on a pensive night of October, 2007 - as it appeared that day. 

Hope it finds you well.  Pierre

October of 2006

by Pierre O'Rourke   pierrewrites@cox.net

Your handshakes were warm and sure, your smiles bright and true, and you had a barrel-chest, which at times your tummy matched.  Faithfully you would greet each Guest, "Welcome to Paradise!"  But the newspaper was wrong, there were far more than 300 folks attending your Wake.  Heck, the line never ended during our four-hour "Jamaica Farewell" to you.  And you'd have been real proud of Brother Matthew.  He held up well, shaking the hands of every single well-wisher Monday night.

It saddens me to know I will never feel your handshake again.  It sickens me to know what the last thing was that you held in your strong hand Friday night wasn't someone's hand or even a homeless kitty.  You thought you took our own life, but you took much more because you can't touch folks like you did without becoming a part of that person.

Figuring it in terms of Jimmy Buffett and his 32 albums to date; for me and you it when his 7th one, "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," was on the 8-track a lot at The Backstage Restaurant that you managed in the Civic Center.

Then with Jimmy's 19th you set sail with Pischke's Paradise as the only non-smoking restaurant and bar in Scottsdale.  Ironic the album was "Hot Water."

I always referred to your place as a type of TV's 'Cheers' done Jimmy Buffett style. I was so proud of you!  Within a couple of years of opening, Pischke's Paradise was a household name and the place to be seen, especially for a "Cheeseburger in Paradise."  Both you and Jimmy had a "Feeding Frenzy" by 1990.  Though a big loveable bear, customers would go into shock when you would approach a slow table and announce that you didn't rent space but sold food - and that it was time for them to move along.

I had my last date with my mom, Esther, at your place before her botched surgery.  You were also the first person I told after she died.  That December morning while my mother grew cold, instead of painting your Christmas windows with Santa water-skiing behind dolphins, I occupied a booth with my friend Bunny and daughter Erin Rose.  Cell phones were happily uncommon and you dropped the business phone at our table.  And we made all of those horrid arrangements such as obituary, autopsy requests, and countless phone calls that your family had to make. 

The only time you came by our booth was to make Erin a fresh Shirley Temple or carry her around to greet customers, and remind them of the time.  Time flies when having fun - soon lunch was dropped off - then later an early dinner.  I think we still hold the land record for being docked at a table in Pischke's.

Looking above the bar I spy the picture of you with Gary Puckett when he cancelled his concert tour to sing at my mom's funeral.  Though Pischke's didn't take reservations, you had a long table set for thirty-two.  When the bill arrived, and I finally silenced my guests that I was going to pay on behalf of me and Esther, Shannon handed me the empty check folder.  "This is from your Family at Pischke's."  'Course, you were already out the door.

That following June, as I sat alone with two glasses of wine, you brought your inquisitive smile to my booth.  "It's Mom's birthday," I explained at the first of a tradition.  You listened intently as I mentioned feeling silly thinking ahead as to how I would miss her homemade chocolate cakes for my birthday.

My glass drained, Pepper brought my bill.  Pointing out her mistake for charging for one glass, she pointed to my mom's untouched wine.  "Chris said he's treating your mother to her wine - but you're on your own."  Of course, you were headed out the back door before I could thank you.

That November, Erin and I went in for some ice cream for my birthday.  Even the precautious five-year old began to question the delay in dessert arriving but squealed with glee when you and some staff walked up with a huge chocolate cake with a candle aglow.  Another tradition born, compliments of Momma Pischke, her oven, and you.

I ate there nightly for about three months, attempting to fill the Mom-Void.  One night Momma Pischke approached me with some cottage cheese and some words about my eating habits.  Explaining I did not eat cottage cheese and I didn't even like the stuff, the bar grew silent as she re-slid it in front of me with a stern look.  "Take a no-thank you bite."  To this day, I gladly eat it in there and think of her.

"Fruit Cakes" was Jimmy's 21st album when we learned your mom had cancer, bad.  Bless her heart, she continued with my cakes until the end.  I sent a small flower arrangement to the Wake.  We stood by the stain-glassed wooden door as you pumped my arm with, "You about killed me with those flowers."  Then you repeated my inscription.  "Thanks for sharing your momma with me."  Suddenly you embraced me in a huge bear hug, followed just as quickly by an abrupt release.  "Now get the **** outta the doorway and go eat." 

That was the second time you ever let me hug you, or hugged me, except for a couple weeks ago in the mall.  You crossed over to Starbucks and cuddled Nubble as he pawed at you.  You said you hadn't seen me in your restaurant for awhile.  You mentioned still missing me doing your Christmas windows, which I stopped six years ago when I began to paint with words instead of a brush.  I promised to come in early the next week, and you gave me a hug.  And, I never made it in because something came up.  One of them oh so important things that was so important, I have no idea what it was - and will long regret it.

Speaking of books, you were blamed hard to thank or give gifts!  What do you give a man that has everything plus a Hawaiian shirt to go with it?  I scored getting Jimmy Buffett to personally inscribe a copy of "A Pirate Looks at Fifty."  With those lagoon eyes that could drink a person in, you said you'd look forward to having me inscribe my first novel to put next to it.  That was supposed to be late this year, damn it.  Color me self-centered for feeling that opportunity taken away.

I saw a piece of you die with each employee you had to ever let go.  You saw family in each one.  I am not sure you ever fully recovered from closing the North store.  Then when the City took unapologetic five-times longer to do that blasted parking garage - dust and noise forcing the patio closed - parking spaces depleted even more.  I decided if the City or Mayor were pregnant, they would carry the child 45 months.  While I am sure Sam and Ol' Roy hate what the heirs are doing to Wal-Mart, I'm with the City Forefathers in my distaste for Scottsdale being turned into a Wal-Mart!

Revitalization would seem to me, helping our own before we bring in new folks.

Our city's method of revitalization seems to be to forget those people and places that helped make it great - and plow them under or build atop their graves.  Look at Scottsdale High School (in pictures anyhow) - or dumping Gonzo as another example.  Wish Jimmy would do a version of, "Take Paradise & Put Up a Parking Lot."

I left my mark in Pischke's.  In gold frames above the bar I think back to when I had Celebrity Promotions and brought in Buddy Ebsen, Willie Nelson, Robert Mitchum and others.  But my favorite is when I walk through the door and see where I had surprised you with a Santa and sexy elf astride a Harley Soft Tail as we listened to "Barometer Soup."  Each year I would turn it back to Santa & elf - then back to you each January.  For two years after I stopped painting to write, you would still try to get me to….do it again.  Two weeks ago you mentioned how you still missed me doing your windows.  Damn it.

I am sniveling and I admit it.  I'm so pissed at you for what you just did.  Seeing now how you planned it with goodbye notes, parking at Messenger's for easy cremation, and that eerie script on this year's anniversary invites.  Did you really think any of us would be better off without you?  You were always there for me - where was I for you?  How did so many of us, how did I miss seeing - that you were pacing the cage?  All I ever saw was that you were one of them oysters that chose to become a pearl.

Pride can keep a person from asking for help.  So many with the skills and means have said to me, "Why didn't Chris come to me for help?  There were so many that had faith in him, they would have helped if he had just asked."  I don't have the answer - and you aren't around to ask.

Maybe ego wouldn't let you ask anyone to help.  Maybe you could only accept you being the helper and not the one needing help.  The one to set up a home for 75 cats.  The one creating Christmases for the truly poor and forgoing the office party.  Maybe . . . you figured this would be the way to at least ask on behalf of Matt and Tracy and the Pischke's Paradise you left behind.

Those last moments, after the crocodiles and reeds took all your hope away, exhausted that fantastic ability you had to go fishing with your mind - when the last step left in your action plan was to park at the mortuary figuring all someone would have to do is unload you and cremate you, did that piece of lead bring the salt mist of the ocean and warm sunlight to your face?  Did you get to feel the sand between your toes?  Did you taste salty margaritas instead of cold steel?  Did you get a peek at that beach house on the moon?  What made you decide this was your license to chill?

Maybe this was the only way, you saw, to get help for all you loved.  Now, my question is - will those with the means, those lamenting because they did not get the chance to help because you didn't ask, will they take action?  Will they hear Captain Chris's final cry for help and grab an oar before the USS Pischke's Paradise is shipwrecked upon the Waterfront shore of the canal banks?  Maybe one that has a love and expertise for the restaurant business and have proven themselves in knowing the true meaning of Service.  Mark Kramer, Les Corieri, Ron Horton, Mark Drinkwater, Mark Russell, Kyle Shivers, or Robert McGrath.  If so, I urge them to paddle fast and get fishing with their minds!

Since in some ways I feel I failed you in life operating alone, I am not sure what good I can be to you in your death.  Maybe a simple conduit.  A bridge.

Even if my writing has purged some anger, has guesstimated some answers and some potential directions . . . I am still pissed.  Still shocked, still in disbelief, and hurt.  But, I still love you, Chris.  Proud you called me your friend.  And, I deeply miss you already.

I trust Momma Pischke, my mom, and Herb will be waiting at the port at the Pearly Gates to kick your ass . . . and then with open arms they will say, "Welcome to Paradise."

Pierre O'Rourke is an Author, Writer, long time Scottsdale resident, and one of a multitude of Chris's friends.

Editors Note: Although I was never fortunate or privileged enough to know Chris, I knew of his long fight with the city and the Manross administrations "Don't give a damned" attitude toward those who were being buried under their new 24/7 mandate which will "kill" more before its over if the citizens don't put a stop to the unadulterated rape of the downtown art and retail community and the nonsense of bar after bar bringing in riff-raff that's going on in Scottsdale. I, and scores of others, put the death of Chris Pischke directly in the bloody hands of the Manross administration and their lack of caring, vision, and foresight.

If you think Chris's situation was bad, just wait until the deep pockets of the Scottsdale Area Chamber, Scottsdale HeathCare, the Manross/Dolan administration, and the Council majority continue to "weasel" a way to get rail of some sort  through downtown Scottsdale.

Have you ever felt that Code Enforcement was judging properties differently based on who they are, where they are located, or what they were told to do by Dolan and company?

We will be presenting a very revealing and disturbing look at Code Enforcement as it is today verses how it used to be along with the supposed why and who we suspect of causing things to be handled the way they are today.

Every taxpaying citizen will be shocked at what is really going on in that department.

No film at 11, just the facts as we have found them to be over the last year, only in our own opinions of course.

(Return to Top)

~An Activist by Any Other Name

One of the smartest things the Scottsdale Tribune, Motorola (now General Dynamics) and the City of Scottsdale ever did was to create the Frances Young Community Heroes Award.

Frances Young is what being a good neighbor is all about.

On the General Dynamics C4 Systems website it reads:

She epitomizes warmth, caring and concern for people of varying backgrounds.

She embraces all people and is an advocate for their quality of life.

Frances is not out for the glory and glamour of awards and ceremonies. Not by a long shot and anyone who knows the story of her activism knows full well that she has rolled up her sleeves, put on her waders and trekked through the mud alongside neighbors who have had their homes washed away and then followed that up by knocking on the doors of Congressmen, Senators, Governors, clergymen and every mayor that has served Scottsdale to make sure it never happened again.

And do not get in her way if a youngster or oldster in Scottsdale is in need. If she finds out, fix it or she will find out why and it won’t happen again.

My friend, and she is every bit of that, believes in empowering all people to help themselves, too. Education and access to opportunities to better ones life are the best ways to preserve the quality of life all of Scottsdale prizes. Frances is the first to promote using those tools for all residents.

Frances has been an "activist" for many years and Scottsdale owes a lot to her efforts that have accomplished our prized quality of life.

More importantly, Frances remains an "activist" standing firm alongside those wanting to preserve the mature neighborhoods with quality housing, accessible healthcare, broad educational opportunities, respect for the environment, and a welcoming hand and heartfelt smile for all of those who choose to live in Scottsdale.

Nancy Cantor
Co-Chair Scottsdale Coalition

(Return to Top)

~Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing…….

(Return to Top)

Mayor Manross and her quickly shrinking covey of followers seem to think that they are doing a wonderful job for the citizens of Scottsdale by receiving a "Green" Award.

How in the world do you receive a legitimate "green" award when the buildings and the grounds around them which you approve are using dark heat absorbing colors, glass walls, water consuming plants, and conform in zero manner to the "green" recommendations of any truly "green" or *LEEDs approved organization? Underground parking? BFD!!! We need it in our parking structures but this namby-pamby council will never mandate that because of the cost to the developers, knowing full well that the citizens feel that is the developers part of the development which should NOT be paid by the taxpayers. ( *LEEDs = Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design)

Not one of the newly approved buildings, public or private, or any of those currently in the process of coming up for approval provide any of the items which help make a building LEEDs qualified  "green" such as electrical solar panels to offset electrical usage, wind powered generators for the same reason, Solar heaters for heating or cooling, water collectors to irrigate landscaping and plants, gray water recyclers, and the list continues.

Neither the DRB nor the Planning Commission gives a rat’s patoot about those special "features" either apparently. Maybe it’s time the DRB and the Planning Commission DID have "regular" non-professional citizens on board to bring some sanity to the process they so jealously and zealously guard like it was their own personal city allowing zero input from caring, reasonable, and educated citizens who should be allowed solid input into THEIR city through these two misguided city entities.

The Manross/Dolan administration is getting away with environmental "Murder" and exhibits false pride with the acceptance of any such award, (should be accepted with their backs to the presenter) especially with the direction the city is headed compared to other cities that DO follow the LEEDs  "Green" line on all city improvements, private or public.

Shame, SHAME on you Mayor Manross, Ms. Dolan and the others involved in this sham and city tragedy you have intentionally perpetrated on the now suspicious residents of Scottsdale just to satisfy your favorite developers and their hire guns.

Sadly, the taxpayers will be the ones who have to clean up your filthy messes once you’re out of office.

And we will…..... leaving those horrendous costs and failures as your true but tragic and unwanted legacy.

(Return to Top)

 ~ Scottsdale Republic Right Correct???

It would appear that the Scottsdale Republic finally got something Right,  'er correct for a change. No we don't need another Transportation Commission or costly consultant to tell us what we don't want or need and we shouldn't have ever had the first one.

The Scottsdale Trolley does an excellent job and there need not be any changes, just expansion of that time-tested and proven valuable system.

Charlie Hales of HDR and of Light Rail fame, is an opportunist and the Scottsdale Area Chamber, Scottsdale HeathCare, Manross, Dolan, and the council majority were the gullible goats thinking they could sneak something through with the taxpayers picking up the tab sight unseen.

Guess what?? We Gotcha!!!

And don't try anything that stupid again because we have your number and a waiting referendum with all of your names on it!!!

(Return to Top)

This morning I read yet again the rants and ravings of Lisa Haskell claiming how the South is blighted, however she picked on a community I was involved with helping get cleaned up 4 years ago and I know it is not blighted however the Los Arcos Crossing is again being allowed to fall into blight conditions just like what took place at WaterView.

While I was taking pictures of the property I asked a gentleman who was walking back to his house from Basha’s if the property is always in this condition and he told me that it is always a disgusting mess and he does not know why the city lets it sit like this. I also wondered the same exact thing?

Are the above pictures enough to convince you that Code isn't doing their job, either by order of Dolan, Manross, or someone else in the administration who want's this area seen as a "Blighted" area for the sake of the developer?

I love how people now use this back area for doing 360's with their vehicles and I wonder why this area is not fenced off?

Oh, yeah with the Ugly Sky Flop big box in the background, ain't it a beauty???

So where is the blight that Haskell always claims as the pictures below are of the area and I drove in for 4 blocks only to see that homes are being well maintained except for one and that there is but a few code issues in the entire 4 block area behind this project?

Above is the only house in a 4 block radius that needs help as it brings down the rest of the area and it has been posted with a violation.

Nice boat for us in this blighted and run down area don't you think?

Who is really at fault for allowing the property in question to become blighted other than the city and the cash-strapped developer, yet again.

There is no reason for a subsidy and the area is not blighted and I dare any council member to go for a ride in the area around this new great development plan that we are sure you will pass as you have done so many times before as it abuts a community of low density and low heights, the same thing you folks always do to us in the South that you would never dare do up North.

Why are you allowing this site to become blighted?

Yes, I would love to hear yet again the excuses of the city when they have their hands in the cookie jar.

Tell me city leaders, do you all think that we are stupid as to not see what is going on here and what you intend to drop in our community again?

(Return to Top)

 ~ Because of Lame Council, CUP's Dead

Because of the flat-assed wussyness of the mayor and city council majority and our even less than weak city attorney, the CUP (Conditional Use Permit) system for the bar scene downtown is effectively dead.

With the Manross/Dolan administration and their puppet city attorney allowing Club "NEXT" to continue to operate in an illegal manner, they are endorsing the breaking of the CUP covenants which I might add fits right into the plans of Manross/Dolan to free up other parcels in the downtown area for still further proliferation of bar sites and more non-resident drunks and low life riff-raff.

This useless administration will try to lie, then bury an individual such as Richard Funke in BS but don't have the cajoñes to stand up to an illegal bar operator who they have every reason under the law to shut down.

Maybe it's time the citizens filed a suit against the city for failing to take action against an illegal operation which is strictly against CUP rules and city ordinances.

(Return to Top)

~ Guest Editorial by Jim Derouin

(repeated by public request)

While out of town on business for several weeks, I've noted with interest several "Letters to the Editor" from Many Manross supporters misrepresenting my position on the McDowell-Sonoran Preserve -- incorrectly stating that I campaigned against the Preserve Tax in 2004. One even commented on how "disgraceful" it is to criticize "our ever popular and successful" Mayor Manross. One would almost think that the Mayor wrote that last letter herself.

For the record, I fully support acquisition of the Preserve—all of it.

In 2004, I did appear, along with Art DeCabooter on an edition of Horizon on Channel 8, hosted by Michael Grant, dedicated to a discussion of the Preserve Tax. I argued that the full cost of the proposal was not, but needed to be, disclosed to voters for several reasons.

First, the 2004 sales tax increment was not intended to "finish" the Preserve, it was merely another increment in the process.

Second, I believe that multiple avenues, as well public financing, need to be considered to achieve completion of the Preserve—such as land use planning and zoning.

Third, I believe it is necessary to develop a city-wide consensus that creates support for the Preserve in all parts of the community.

It is easy to conclude that, because voters have supported Preserve-related measures on multiple occasions, majority support can be taken for granted. In fact, margins have decreased and in the last election, the Preserve tax extension actually failed in southern portions of the City.

These inconvenient facts make it clear that a renewed effort at building city-wide consensus on the value of the Preserve is required.

There are 19,000 acres designated for addition to the Preserve. Regardless of the efforts of many fine people, that effort is stalled. Mayor Manross has no solution for this challenge, and her failure only increases the risk daily that the population north of Frank Lloyd Wright will, one day, increase by 50,000 to 100,000 residents. That is the reality of the City's current leadership.

The fact of the matter is that Mayor Manross believes in, and has consistently led the Council majority that has voted for higher densities and more than ^$100 million in subsidies that could have been used to finance the acquisition of more Preserve land.

One can safely predict that she will come forward with yet further deals before the next election that will further limit Scottsdale's ability to replace infrastructure in older parts of the City and add to the Preserve.

While ignoring transportation needs and delaying adoption of the City's ethics code, she has been remarkably consistent in supporting greater secrecy, more density, higher buildings and bigger subsidies. Because she cannot defend this sordid record, she prefers to work through surrogates to misrepresent and criticize others who believe that Scottsdale is a single community that needs unification, creative leadership and a consensus approach to the density/infrastructure issues in all parts of the City.

When holding power is your only objective, as it is with the Mayor, then accomplishments are secondary. So I'll gladly debate the Mayor on the Preserve (on which we will agree), if she will also debate density, secrecy, height, subsidies and ethics (on which we are diametrically opposed).

Jim Derouin
Scottsdale

Mr. Derouin can be reached at jimderouin@scottsdaleactivist.com

 ~Letters to the Editor ~

I believe I was to get an answer regarding Frank Gray moving forward on the retail portion of the site for a non retail use.

Council never gave a green light for either retail or public space and Frank is saying the DRB decision is good enough to move forward on public space.

I have requested to see where in the code or City Charter he can bypass the City Council vote.

To date, still no answer. I believe I have every right to expect an answer. To date nothing but the typical city run-a-round by the powers that be in Scottsdale.

At the very least Frank Gray needs to present his proposal to City Council. When will this be on the City Council agenda?

Richard a. Funke

 ~ Cancel My Republic Subscription

I have been a subscriber to the Arizona Republic for twenty years. 

In recent years I have developed a growing dissatisfaction with the Republic’s negative positions, your support for illegal aliens and your coloring of the statistics that you present to support illegal immigrants.  Basically, you never separate the stats of the illegal immigrants from the stats of the legal immigrants.  You do not seem to understand the differences between those who are here legally and those who are here illegally. 

Those of us who oppose illegal immigration are made to appear to be racists.  And yet it is the illegal Hispanics who are the racists.  They believe that they are something special and that they do not have to submit to the triage process in the legal entry line.

You write articles on the poor and brave Mexicans who risk their lives to crash to the head of the line.  You have never written a story on the plight of those who are fleeing persecution, mutilation and death. 

Our laws and any sense of justice demand that preference be given to these people and that those simply looking for a better economic life are to go the back of the line.  Therein lays the problems for the Mexicans who are simply looking for better-paying jobs.  With ten million new refugees added to the line each year the Mexicans know that they would never qualify under the triage process.  And so they rationalize that they are better than the others and have no problem taking the jobs and housing that rightfully belong to those in the legal line. 

And you support them and their illegal actions.

Today’s edition (October 15^th Edition) was the stick that broke the camel’s back.

For the above reasons I am cancelling my subscription, effective immediately.

Sincerely,

Jack C. McVickers
Scottsdale,

(Return to Top)

Well, even though people like Buckaroo Betty and other council members along with the snidely whiplash (John Little) of the downtown group, along with all their bar mongering friends cannot get it through their heads that what they have tried to create in downtown is not hip, not fun, and definitely not Scottsdale but instead a tragic failure.

As I have stated many times before, what the city has created goes against everything they are trying to accomplish now and lack of vision, lack of molding, and lack of reasonable integration is what will be the continual downfall of the Downtown they wish to create against the wishes of residents and long time tourist and snowbirds.

With all the hoopla from the media, which is just as unintelligent as the council is in this matter along with planning and development and the city manager, what they have created is nothing more than a cesspool of drunks from the metro area and ASU students, it is not by any stretch of the imagination an "entertainment district" that has any credibility and even less desire to be in by tourists.

In the local media on October 17^th there was the front page headline that stated ‘chic retreats appeal to young and hip" and on another page the media hype of the valley had another headline under business and money saying "niche hotels spice up Scottsdale’s image" and again is the local medias attempt to claim Scottsdale as "all that".

Funny part was the dinky column by Steve Falkenhagen which had the tiny headline "City ranks low in "hip" spots". The article went on to say such things like "the nations tourists view Scottsdale as a sleepy golf Mecca for winter visitors according to a NATIONAL travel magazine and a CABLE news network and was conducted with 60,000 people. It went further to say that Scottsdale was ranked 23^rd of 25 cities NATIONWIDE for its after dark attractions beating only Dallas.

Lets recap a minute on some past issues like from anywhere you stand in downtown, you have between 75 to over 100 liquor licenses, all with no entertainment venues other than to get drunk. Further to the point is that once the sun goes down, people do not want to go downtown due to the crap headed designation that downtown has an entertainment district or that it even has real or even seemingly real entertainment. There is far more real entertainment at the casinos.

We are ranked 23^rd out of 25 for "hip" and we are better noted for being what Ozites? Come on, I wrote it down above and it is what we have been known for, for as long as I can remember.

A sleepy golf Mecca for winter visitors!

So, does our council, city idiot planners, city idiot manager, city idiot long range planning have a clue as to what we are known for NATIONALLY and if they do, which I seriously doubt, than why the hell have they decided that all of a sudden we need to have this huge change as NATIONALLY we are known for something that we should be continuing to foster and promote?

In short Ozites, the city and the media are blowing smoke SO FAR UP YOUR PATOOTS IT IS NOT FUNNY. What we have going on here is a simple case of lies and wishful thinking that "downtown" is a hip spot and it WREAKS of a conflict that is never going to work and will in all end results kill what Scottsdale has always been known for NATIONALLY!

I think this is easy to understand and I think most of our readers will surmise that not only has the city manager been wrong about her and the Wicked Witch’s plans for destroying this city and hopefully we can remove these morons from office before we do lose what we are Nationally known for.

As other cities around us go high and make themselves busier, where as a tourist would you prefer to be during your vacation based on what we are nationally known for? Do you not go on a vacation to relax, or do you go somewhere that you are already coming from?

First of all if anyone watched the last circus meeting in regards to "Devils Martini" conditional use permit, you would have heard our mayor show her complete and total ignorance as to planning and development. This stupid non intelligent person running our city made the complete asinine and ignorant remark that the project would or possibly could conflict with the surrounding community and not the future community.

I mean if that is not the perfect example of another reason as to why we need to get this dip shit out of office than Ozites are stupider than I thought. To think that when Airport Bob explained the issue of the of the already planned and some approved projects which include residential that are even closer to this problem bar, this idiot Mayor never even took those projects into consideration when she made the comment that she is basing her decision on existing residential and not even the thought of the future residential.

Then we have the issue of the flaming (A%%&^%$) (Ron) who thinks we should "continue the case" knowing full well that unless staff gets brow beat into saying they approve the plan when it comes back, he thinks it is wrong to just outright deny the application knowing full well the entire council other than the Wicked Witch and the Wizard said they would not support it if it came back, but also noted that there is little likely hood that they could ever meet the criteria. This is a courtesy to the applicant when they had a citizen’s petition there with over 100 signatures saying no.

Here is a small sample of the numerous problems with the plan presented by none other than a former planning commissioner and how bad this must look again for planning in this city.

Parking was interesting as if you have an open a roof and call it a patio; it has less of a requirement for parking and if you cover it with a roof it requires more parking than what it requires for not having a roof. Now ask yourself what the hell the roof has to do with it as it still holds the same amount of people in reality since it has no bearing on the what kind of roof you have it is how much your square footage has changed.

Then of course we had the pedestrian issue with the drunks trying to cross the road to get to their offsite parking and I never heard anyone ask for the classifications of the streets because we all know that parking offsite has to be within a certain area and it cannot cross certain types of streets. Over all though the majority of the council all agreed that it was unlikely to see it come back in any fashion that they could approve "based in the CUP guidelines" and even went into the future of what happens if it is approved since it already holds a legal but non conforming use and more residential is planned to go around the area…. even more. Looking even furthering to the future for a change, the issue of what happens to those parking spaces offsite as those buildings redevelop with a more intense use and where are people supposed to park then since we are already short on parking in downtown as it is.

So why would the majority of them look like such idiots as to listen to the flaming (A%%&^%$), the Wizard, and the Wicked Witch as to continue it as opposed to just denying it now and getting it over with?

Why do the residents have to continue to wait for resolution over the owner of a bar who already had 190 something calls for service from the police and disruption to the community it is closest to "at this time"?

Why do you think we call Ron McCullagh the Flaming (A%%&^%$)?

What we ended up with was seeing again we have a spineless council majority and this one even included Buckaroo Betty, a planner, and Sir Tony, a former planning commissioner waffling on an issue they both know can never come back with a passing grade and even stated as much.

Buckaroo Betty even seconded Airport Bobs motion to outright deny the application and then took it back and had no guts to stand her ground again.

Sir Tony also knows this thing could never pass and that it is never going to pass but yet he also voted to continue the application for an unspecified amount of time and Sir Tony earns the dunce cap along with the rest of the council other than Airport Bob.

Beanie Boy? Well I will leave you to your own conclusions as to why the accountant did not understand development.

Who knows, maybe it will just follow the life of Club "NEXT" who was denied their CUP and are still operating illegally for eternity in downtown as the three ring circus plays on and on in the Land of Oz?

It appears the Oz Repugnant is again at its best in showing how biased the editorial pages have become. This week the editor of the opinions now known to live in Fountain Hills and not even in Oz allowed a letter to be published that exceeds what anyone else is allowed to get away with and attacked non other than Nancy Cantor.

As most of us who write articles to the paper know full well that other expressions of an issue will appear in contrary we accept that as hearing the other side of the coin however this article did not even express another side of the coin so to speak but was an outright attack.

Then of course we have some of the other examples such as the Derouin issue where the article by Mr. Derouin was placed on the online section with no comment box for bloggers, it was also placed all the way at the bottom of the page as when new articles are posted, they claim the top of the page. We also have the issue that the editor has allowed attacks on council members to be posted and remain on that page for over extended amounts of time and the perfect example is the fact that Mr. Derouin’s article has already been removed while three articles blasting Airport Bob have been allowed to remain in the page for over a month.

Here is another little ditty that most readers do not even know about and is the issue that Airport Bob turned in a rebuttal to an article writer and it was never even posted by the editor and is now being claimed as a glitch but yet the editor will still not post Airport Bobs article to correct the problem.

As usual the Oz Repugnant is up to its old tricks of slight of information, editorial bias against those they do not like, editorial positioning to make readers think they are the ones who know, and that the residents agree with them, and just plain piss poor tactics to an upcoming election season where they will promote the candidates they feel is correct, which again will be the pro growth, pro spending government and their cronies.

Residents of Oz should do themselves a favor and drop the Repugnant and subscribe to a real paper for a change, the Tribune of Oz.

In the words of Mark Twain,

At least in the Oz Tribune, there is truth and some real news about Oz thanks to Brian Powell and Ari Cohn.

~The Downtown update

Well I hope I do not get in trouble for posting this letter as no one told me I could not use it or that it was in confidence and I think that readers should be aware of the people’s opinions who take the time to get involved with what the city is doing.

I myself was supposed to attend this "workshop" however health and time did not permit me to attend like I wanted to and since I know this person and their perspective of what is transpiring in downtown I am glad I never wasted my time for another fake display of public outreach.

~Morning Sickness

Well this morning I rose and opened my paper to the opinions pages to see non other than the pasty little developer patsy Lisa Haskell promoting her opinion of south Scottsdale being blighted. The bad part is that this person goes around to areas that have problems because there is no "community" commitment to fixing issues that the city is responsible to address, worse yet is her continual diatribe that the South is blighted when in fact it is not.

Her rant yet again for the developer seeking a subsidy to build a project that he paid far too much money for the land is based on the her building the fears of residents that if we do not subsidize this project like we did SkySham, the community is bound for a cataclysmic blighting when the fact is the area was again allowed to sit in this condition by the developer and the city and it does affect the surrounding community and again like with the WaterView project the area was bought by a developer and allowed to deteriorate by the city because of lack of action to control the issue by our property management ordinances.

I will make it clear again and I will make it even clearer to the council as this project moves forward that south Oz is not blighted as to some people’s unchallenged remarks that have been made.

The residential sector of the south is strong in revamping properties and there are signs of it all over the south and in almost every community area that you travel to. I have personally noted hundreds of homes that are being reinvested in because of such issues like not wanting to live in an HOA, owning a home for less than one of the new condos or "market rate" apartments which do not have a yard or the square footage of a real house.

Riding through my own community I can spot at least 15 homes that are in the process of being refurbished in one manner or another, some are total gut outs, some are expansions, some are exterior rehabs and everyone is keeping our community strong in value and community appreciation. I mean really here Ozites, if we are so blighted why is there a developer building ^$400,000 town homes across McDowell from where I live with no city subsidy? Do you really think that if we are as blighted as Haskell continues to claim, a developer would place such an expensive project there?

It has worked because community members have become involved in their community and have not been misinformed by people like Haskell who continues to work to the negative issues of a community to make them think that they can never have a nice community and that they are blighted and unless we allow our values to be set aside and allow them to build 5 story buildings with very little retail they will never survive and things will only get worse.

Haskell is not the person that true community activist’s and citizen’s are, who use the power of the city codes and press the city government to correct those problems in their communities by using code enforcement, the police department, and other city assets that are available to rebuild their communities.

Why? Because that is too much work for this conniving little weasel who preys on the retired and elderly’s fear that if they do not submit to a developer’s greed, their community will fall further into a black hole leaving them destitute living on the streets. None of this is true, in fact it’s just the opposite! She found out long ago that her diatribes were not accepted or even tolerated by the vast majority of those living in south Oz, so she went for the weakest link in the human chain; the retired, elderly and infirm.

Trust me when I tell you that communities can be cleaned up and made vibrant again without having to give up your beliefs in what is right and what is wrong for your community and it has been done in many sections of this city including the entire 1 mile square of my community from Thomas to McDowell and from Hayden to Pima where reinvestment and community pride is back and in full swing with 4 years of hard work by all in the community.

Haskell’s continual bantering that South Oz is blighted and ready to fall apart is not being taken well at all by the vast majority of people who live here and soon the residents are going to close her clueless yapping and preying on the senior citizens of our community to support her clueless cause of misinformation.

Michael Merrill
F8713@aol.com

 Made in the USA:  Spoiled brats

The other day I was reading "Newsweek" magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The same magazine that employs Michael (Qurans in the toilets at Gitmo) Isikoff.

Here I promised myself this week I would be nice and I start off in this way.

The "Newsweek" poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just isn't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.  This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents; Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord that we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, many more than once, and in many cases have died for your freedom.  There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So, why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit
corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they were going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did ... insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media.  Shut off the TV, burn "Newsweek", and use the "New York Times" for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:

''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down
unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. 

If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from our parents and grand parents, the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation''.

Author Unknown

(Return to Top)

~ Information You Can Use

Just click on the logos below to go to these websites.

Send our Brave Troops "Something from Home", Click on  Links below.

Gathering of  Eagles Website was launched 2/9/07. Click on the Logo above for more information on how they are protecting America's Memorials.

~ UPDATE!! A "Must See" for All Americans

Every American should check out all of these websites to learn more about what the American population is about to have to deal with.

This is NOT for Children.

I don't normally allow anything but Scottsdale information in the Scottsdale Activist but after receiving many emails about this and viewing it, I think that it's imperative that every adult at least look at what's offered here if for  nothing more than their own education and to have everyone stop and think about the future of our country. Click on the link below,

 www.obsessionthemovie.com

If you don't have Adobe Flash, install it from the bottom of the page that comes up after you click on the link above. You should be able to view all available links within the main page.

The website below is of great interest as seen from a Lebanese point of view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8fa9yKQeTY

The website below gives some history of Terrorist attacks:

http://patriotfiles.org/civilizationcalls.htm

This website tell you what REALLY happened:

http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened

(Return to Top)

~ Arizona Tax Revolt

~ Prop 13 Arizona

(Return to Top)

~ View Past City Council Meetings

We can now access the city council meetings by clicking on the following link:

If you have any problems, check your firewall and other safety features which could block access to the city site.

~Continuing Light Rail Information

The Scottsdale Citizens Transportation Study Committee invites you to view their website for more questions and answers at  www.norailforscottsdale.com .

================================================================

Simply click on the links below to get all the information you'll ever need concerning Light Rail.

     Goldwater Institute Report

     American Dream Coalition

    The Public Purpose

If you have any questions about light rail, send them to editor@scottsdaleactivist.com and we'll get the answers to you as soon as we can.

(Return to Top)

 

~ For Continuing Information on Photo Radar,
Click on the Logo below.

(Return to Top)

 ~Are Red-Light Cameras Fair to Drivers?

These modern-day robocops make ticketing easier and can be huge moneymakers for local governments. But critics question their accuracy and fret over privacy issues.

Click on the link below , then scroll down to read the article:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/AreRedLightCamerasFairToDrivers.aspx

(Return to Top)

The Scottsdale Activist is very pleased to announce an effort on the behalf of the residents and taxpayers of the city of Scottsdale to promote open, honest and accountable city government. The Scottsdale Legal Defense Fund (SLDF) has been created to take legal action to hold the City accountable when its actions are contrary to state law, the City Charter, City ordinances or the public interest.

The most necessary ingredient to make the SLDF work will be confidential contributions from concerned Scottsdale citizens who are willing to help their community.  By contributing, we can change the way City Hall does business and insure that our tax dollars will be spent wisely.

No funds from the SLDF will or can be used for any political purpose.

Contributions shall be kept confidential as permissible by law and can be made in any Washington Mutual Bank to account number 3114165786 for the Scottsdale Legal Defense Fund. Branch locations are listed below. Contributions are not tax deductible.

The SLDF has retained the law firm of Miller LaSota & Peters, PLC, in connection with the patently illegal action taken by the Mayor and Council appointing the most recent Scottsdale City Attorney, while ignoring the residency requirement of the Scottsdale City Charter even though the new City Attorney’s contract (according to Scottsdale Republic reporter Laurie Roberts) requires that she reside in Scottsdale.  The City Council action was based on a legal opinion which was reportedly rendered during a closed door Executive Session of the City Council by a subordinate to the then acting City Attorney, who was subsequently appointed to the City Attorney position by a vote during a public City Council meeting. The opinion has been requested as a public document under state law, but the City has not yet provided it. The SLDF will take other appropriate legal actions based on the conduct of the Mayor and Council.

Washington Mutual Bank Locations at which contributions to the SLDF can be made are:

72^nd & Shea                    7337 E. Shea Blvd #120                480-609-8524
Hayden & Chaparral     7908 E. Chaparral # C-113            480-949-0069
Horizon                            14854 N Frank Lloyd Wright         480-614-6660
Scottsdale Ranch          10155 E. Via Linda Blvd #131       480-767-2060
Kierland Village              6501 E. Greenway Pkwy #133     480-315-2905

There are many other branches throughout the Valley.