Above is the supposed contact list for the DRB and Planning Commission. If these links fail to work, blame the board members for participating in the super-secret government run my Manross and Dolan.

If you have any questions concerning any planned projects, don't hesitate to contact the ones above who make the decisions.

The recent citizen-based community effort to gather signatures for a referendum to challenge the high-density zoning granted by the relentlessly pro-developer City Council majority of Manross, Lane, Drake, Ecton and McCullagh was just certified to be on the September ballot. From north to south, Scottsdale citizens said "NO" to the irresponsible stance by everyone on our current City Council (except for Bob Littlefield and Tony Nelssen) who "roll over" and support every oversized, ill-conceived real estate project that comes before them. Time and again, neighborhoods and citizens have been rebuffed, ignored and insulted by our current City Council majority.

Height And Density (HAD) was formed as a citizen based group to speak out for better downtown planning and demand that the City Council place the citizen’s, neighbor’s and neighborhood’s interests first when they are asked to approve these oversized development projects. For far too long developers and their parasitic and influential "storm troop" of zoning lawyers and political cronies has had control of the pro-developer Council majority in Scottsdale. This has left us, who love the unique character of Scottsdale, with oversized, bland, mostly vacant eyesores that create unwanted traffic and impose water, sewer, police and fire protection costs on the residents of our community with no commensurate return.

The Hanover referendum process brought the community together. People throughout Scottsdale rolled up their sleeves and went out in the community to gather support for an opportunity to put the issue on the ballot. Sadly, we were met at the libraries and other public venues with hired thugs and goons who were paid to obstruct our efforts, intimidate our citizens and threaten our supporters.

The Arizona Republic, Scottsdale Tribune, Scottsdale Activist and other media played an important role, shining the light on this reprehensible and illegal behavior. Citizens who read about this abuse of justice were outraged and decided to join our effort. Meanwhile, our pro-development Mayor and council majority not only did nothing to speak out against this behavior but continue to try to influence the Scottsdale Police Department and City Prosecutor to downplay the violations of law committed by the developer’s cronies. Even worse, it turns out that these same political cronies are also involved in the re-election campaigns of many of the five pro-developer Council members.

Citizens have now said "NO" to the bad judgment by the pro-developer Council majority and "NO" to obstructing the citizens’ right to petition, but the effort has just begun. Scottsdale has an election in September and we need to make changes to the kind of people who gain the public trust and mantle of responsibility. The Hanover project was just the "poster child" for the bad planning and the bad process, which dominates our current city government. In the coming months, Height And Density (HAD) will be asking Scottsdale citizens for their support for a moderately dense, livable downtown with adjoining neighborhoods that welcome investment and revitalization which is in touch with our long time, community shared vision.

 ~Eric Kenney of Hanover Files Suit

As outlined in the Scottsdale Tribune article in Saturdays paper (click on link below), Eric Kenney of Hanover fame (who apparently couldn’t care less about the feelings of the citizens of Scottsdale which he apparently has as much said so) is therefore filing a lawsuit to find the signed petitions in some, just any way, in violation of the law, even the most remote and oblique rules most probably through Attorney Tom Irvine, who is a close, long time friend and usual legal eagle for "Hired Gun" Susan Bitter-Smith and Technical Solutions.

Kenney claims that "I’ve been working on this for 18 months", "I’ve spent a lot of time on this, we had some 40 people working on this and everything has stopped". You’re damned right it has and for good reason!! There wasn’t any open, public comment allowed at any time during that 18 month period when the "real" public could attend the meetings at a reasonable hour and day!!

Why weren’t the citizens and activists involved in the 18 months he claims he and his staff were working on the project instead of hiring a company who would apparently give Hanover only the answers they wanted to hear as well as probably guarantee the 4 necessary votes on the council; end of story?

It would seem that if Eric Kenney and Hanover really cared about the city and its residents as he says he does instead of the almighty dollar and how much he could skin the city for, he would have at least tried to contact those who he should have known, and his hired guns absolutely know, would buck his project.

If Kenney really cares, he'll allow the successful referendum go to a public vote instead of acting like a spoiled child and crying for his attorney to save his candy butt because he didn't handle the project correctly by contacting the citizens who care about their city.

We say "should have known" because his hired guns, Technical Solutions and John Berry knew full well that there would be strong objections by a number of groups but felt that they could circumvent the entire process by tying down the 4 council votes necessary because form all indications, the planning commission and DRB have already been "indoctrinated" as to what Hanover wants, and just "slip it through". I guess they thought that "Whatever the developer wants, the Developer gets". Wrong!!!

What they didn’t expect was the extremely successful community based Referendum supported by every activist organization, north and south, who live, work and play in Scottsdale. Hanover and their hired guns didn’t expect it because in the past, hired guns have been able to successfully "Buy Off" the signature gatherers or send out the "ugly goons" in mass to keep people from signing any petition.

Well, it didn’t work this time nor will it work in the foreseeable future. We found out how to work the system and will do it as necessary to stop the gross over population of designated residential areas, encroachment into historically single family, single/two story residential areas, and the proliferation of off-handed zoning and density changes without proper controls being maintained and the laws being held solidly in place.

The Ritz-Carlton and their proposed development on 105 acres in Paradise Valley just found out the hard way, using the same "hired guns" we’re told, has put them in the position of being on the defensive because they didn’t go to those residents that would object and try to work with them before spending big bucks on "hired guns".

We might be wrong but it seems that every project in Scottsdale and now in Paradise Valley where these "Hired Guns" have been involved have run into brick walls of late due to fierce resident objections and lack of information being tendered in the beginning instead of just at the end after big dollars have been spent and votes promised on what seems to be the very erroneous advise from these supposed all knowledgeable, hurdle-jumping "Hired Guns".

Do your own homework, know who your foes could be and deal with them FIRST to save yourself big up front money and false promises from "Hired Guns" which will no longer be valid in most cases.

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The article in the Scottsdale Tribune says it all: City dumps on developer because of lack of financing. (Click on link below)

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/113629

The city should have never agreed to participate in this Main Street Plaza project in the first place just as it shouldn’t agree to participate in any project where the completion and financing of the project are not contractually bonded and guaranteed from the beginning.

Now we’ll have a half finished project which will probably foster multiple law suits against the city and the developer for the failure to complete what they promised.

So much for an in-touch planning commission, DRB, city staff and city council……..

We have heard a lot of good things about the contemplated content of the Scottsdale Museum of the West but the exterior is a total turn-off for most. It doesn’t look like any barn boards I have ever seen, worked with or replaced in my many decades of saving or restoring such beautifully built and utilitarian buildings.

What happened to reality and real authentic building designs with the theme of the "West’s Most Western Town" in mind and in the design? We don’t need "contemporary" designs. We are surrounded by them which make them boring, mundane and an eyesore to many. Contemporary designs are easy to put together and cheap to construct as well as get torn down after a few years for not being utilitarian in design.

This design is far from the best design that could be offered in this modern day when nostalgia and thoughts of yesteryear and history are very evident where people really care about celebrating their heritage and the history of their towns and cities. A museum which celebrates another age should look similar to the era it is trying to represent and be unique to match that special space in time for the city in which it’s built.

Come on guys, the content of the Museum seems to be a very good thing, but that exterior just doesn’t cut it in any way shape or form. Just because it’s good to excellent on the inside doesn’t mean we have to allow a massive compromise on the exterior.

Did they cross the line? In some minds, absolutely; in others, not so much but were in poor taste.

Did they have the intended effect? Sure they did; to quote a newspaper and a political pundit "Any press is good press, especially when it’s election time". Anytime you can make a headline or and editorial page, you’ve had free advertising which is a good thing.

So did they get the desired effect? Probably more for Manross than those who paid to have them printed but it also pointed out how fragile the Manross campaign really is. As was written in the Activist last week, scheduling a State of the City address at Sunset when you are also running for office sends a clear message that you are at the end of your tenure. Manross inadvertently and subconsciously did more damage to herself and her campaign than the silly "T" shirts or funny glasses could have ever done.

Another pervasive thought we’ve received from many: Did the Manross campaign print those "T" Shirts themselves to try to gather sympathy for a faltering and failing candidate? That’s very possible after watching the Manross campaigns over the years.

Wasn’t Larry Manross seen holding some of those "T" shirts himself at the State of the City speech?? Hmmmmmm

We suffer in the winter with roadways which are congested because they are too narrow, and in the summer because the roadways are under constant construction to widen bike lanes and pedestrian walkways which will only be used in the winter or when temperatures are under 100^o which is November through maybe April.

Construction would be fine if it was to improve traffic flow and reduce pollution in the process.

That cannot be said for the huge debacle taking place on Indian School Road through November, barring any "Weather Events" which could extend the time even more.

We’re told it’s coming from the 2000 Transportation Bond monies.

Gee, we thought that money was supposed to be used to repair and upgrade the current road, curb, gutter and sidewalk problems which existed at the time of the bond election in 2000. It’s been 8 years and the sidewalks, curbs and gutters in front of our homes are continuing to deteriorate because the streets are so cracked and falling apart that the rain water seeps under the gutters, curbs and sidewalks causing them to collapse with normal use.

So while the streets, curbs, sidewalks and gutters continue to deteriorate, we get roundabouts, traffic calming, street furniture and neighborhood entry islands costing millions in taxpayer dollars and adding to the pollution and congestion problems.

In addition, when asked the installation, maintenance and repair costs of any of these individual items, Transportation Director Mary O’Connor states that "there is no way to directly determine the exact cost of any of these items".

Gee that’s funny. As I remember, every single hourly city employee must fill out an hourly work schedule itemizing every job they worked on by job or ID number and/or PO authorization number which would give the city this information in finite detail.

Could it be that O’Connor and the city don’t want to divulge that information for fear the residents will revolt in mass protest to the ridiculous spending on non-essential items which are causing more strife and tempers than anything else the city has done to date except hire Jan Dolan?

This is still another in a long line of staff debacles orchestrated by Jan Dolan with the help of Mary O’Connor and the blanket approval of the Manross Administration.

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 ~ Private Property Rights??

When a person purchases a plot or piece of land, they are buying all of the appurtenances, as well as the zoning and other ordinances, codes and laws which are in place at the time of the purchase. It makes little difference if it’s in the downtown area, residential area, Agriculture or ranch property, or commercial area.

They ARE NOT purchasing the right to change those items at will or without the expressed permission of their neighbors, ALL of their neighbors who are abiding by the laws, etc.

Certain candidates for council and mayor seem to be of the opinion that simply because you purchased a piece of property, you have the singular right to have those appurtenances, zoning and other ordinances, codes and laws changed at will WITHOUT the approval of your neighbors, ALL of your neighbors who are abiding by the current laws, etc. and bought their specific properties precisely BECAUSE of those specific controls.

Maybe those candidates need to look at it from a different and more realistic perspective:

Just for giggles, let’s say I purchase 3 contiguous lots directly adjacent to your personal 8,000 sf R1-7 zoned property on which you have a lovely home you have just upgraded with beautiful amenities, views, space and reasonable privacy from adjacent property owners and they in turn enjoy the same accoutrements, in which you plan to live for the rest of your life.

As the new property owner, I decide simply because I own the 3 adjoining properties which I just purchased, I have the right to have them rezoned so I can put in 4 story residential apartments to a height of 45 or 50 feet not giving one single damn about who might be able to look down into your backyard watching your wife or daughters sunbathe by your pool, or congest your quiet, residential street. How would you as the owner of the residential property next to this monstrosity feel?

Welcome to Scottsdale where zoning can be changed by the casting of a city council vote preceded by an out-of-touch planning commission vote while the entire neighborhood has opined in direct and very vocal opposition.

Before we elect anyone to the new council, we need to make doubly sure that they understand that WE WILL NOT ALLOW this type of chicanery to continue in our city and those candidates will sign a pledge accordingly.

If they are not willing to sign such a pledge, they have no right to represent the fine citizens of Scottsdale Arizona.

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Robert Leger’s editorial "Equestrians should do part" is a joke at best. Leger doesn’t have a clue as to the costs for private business people or rural property owners to accomplish the results the city, county and state seem to be requiring. Of course we can’t totally blame Mr. Leger, He’s a flatlander from Springfield Missouri where dust problems are non-existent compared to the deserts of Arizona.

Here are the current rules concerning dust: (Click links below to read)

Fugitive dust test method

Rule 310.01

Let’s look at this problem(?) from a realistic and economic point of view.

The real problem here is lack of education and fairness by those who don’t understand the desert or things having to do with animal husbandry, rural businesses, etc. Those passing the federal rules and regulations have ZERO clues as to what they are doing to help kill a thriving desert area or desert community. The problem is exacerbated by the feds knowing full well they cannot dictate these rules to the states, etc, because of the guarantees of State Autonomy under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, so they then offer the state, county and cities money as an incentive to validate the rules by having them impose them on an unsuspecting public.

The Scottsdale City Council fell under the spell of M-O-N-E-Y when they passed the dust ordinance as did the county and state (This council does that on a regular basis anymore doesn’t it?). Scottsdale would receive a paltry 2 million dollars to accept and enter the rules into their set of rules. The costs to just keep the dirt roads currently violating the dust ordinance would exceed a million dollars the first year and doesn’t even include the cost to do enforcement. The collective costs to private property owners would be 5 to 10 times that amount. So is it really fair to collect 2 million dollars one time, then straddle the rural property owners and related businesses with these very costly new rules and costing the city a minimum of a million dollars a year just to maintain the violating roadways?

What about enforcement? Everyone agrees that it’s totally impossible and very costly with less that 10% compliance available at best under the best conditions because dust disappears as it falls back to earth. Then of course we have the Indian Communities to which these rules mean nothing. If you have a doubt, drive down Pima Road when they are working those dirt fields and try to see anything through the dust while looking through blurred vision as you drive through it.

Mr. Leger. If you would like to have a REAL discussion and REALLY learn something about the desert and dust control and why it’s a stupid idea in rural areas and for anything other than vacant city lots or construction areas, give us a call. We’ll work you into our busy schedule.

George Knowlton
Editor, 480-326-2475

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~ Gloating Over Vote A Bad Idea

It would appear that the "Residences at the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley" group is gloating over their supposed win at the Paradise Valley Town Council meeting the other evening.

They might be wise to temper their enthusiasm because there will be a Referendum Petition drive to invalidate the Councils vote which could invalidate the Town Council and Planning commission votes forcing the developer to start all over again with a design which fits the requirements of the city without exception just as what is happening in Scottsdale on the Hanover Project. Those running the referendum only need a scant 314 certified and validated signatures to stop everything cold which will be a lead pipe cinch to accumulate in plenty of time to stop the project cold.

It seems that the same groups of hired project coordinators worked with the PV developer that is working with the losing developers in Scottsdale. They aren’t and will no longer do well in Scottsdale either until they decide to follow the rules and laws of the city.

In these days of city or town councils taking it upon themselves to change the rules at will based upon the demands of the developers, the residents are learning very fast how to put a stop to the shenanigans and give the cities and towns back to the voters who have to pay the bills.

Developers need to understand that the residents are fed up with being pushed around and will no longer allow it to happen. There can be wonderful, very profitable developments built that fit very nicely into the current zoning and height restrictions in both cities. So developers, lower your profit expectations, get realistic, and build something that will be self-sustaining for the city in which they’re built, or very simply move on. There are less greedy developers out there who can follow the rules, build world class projects, and still make good money while doing it.

Scottsdale and Paradise Valley are very special cities with world class amenities and names which are world renowned and require very special projects which can and will be built to current city requirements, one way or the other.

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 ~Letters to the Editor  

I am sending three emails regarding an issue I have had with the City and a huge 30 foot high dirt pile that blows right into our offices which are just south of the pile ( at 73^rd and Butherus).

Two emails were from what looks like a director of inspection services. My first email went to the mayor and council. Then Hankins of code enforcement said he would get me an answer by Wednesday. Today I sent another email asking where the update was.  Then I get two emails from the Director of Inspection Services who appears as though he cannot write simple sentences, nor explain why we have to deal with blowing dust but passed the buck off to the county.  

Is it normal to have this type of response from a high level city official? What are the education requirements and why would he respond in such a manner?

I've read a few of your weekly issues and seem to remember the Noriega name.

I'm at a loss for words for the unprofessional ignorant response I received. And to add insult to the issue, I know full well and good his department under his leadership approved the pile and manner in which it is affecting surrounding businesses. 

They control the permits, why not cease and desist until compliance is achieved and why are they sooo friendly to this developer?

Does Mr. NORIEGA know them personally?

Did Noriega ever work for this or other companies now contracted by the city under Noriega's control?

Thank you for listening,

Ted Olinger
Scottsdale

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

Mr. Noriega,

The City inspects the site for compliance to the approved plans and permits, correct?

The City approved the manner in which this pile of dirt is affecting the businesses to the south, yet we had no notification or recourse. Yet as a favor to the contractor, you allow them to impact our daily lives and local air quality, just so they don't have to incur hauling dirt off and on to the site. Apparently going out of your way to help the developer outweighs local businesses and existing employees concerns.

The track-out as you refer to is not the issue, yet there was no mention of a cease and desist until they come into compliance, and you seem to have passed the buck off to the county as if this is their issue.

I'm disappointed in your poorly written response, but I obviously had higher expectations from the City then those that you expressed.

Ted

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

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Noriega, Ralph" <RNORIEGA@SCOTTSDALEAZ.GOV>
To: "Hankins, Malcolm" <MAHankins@ScottsdaleAz.Gov>; "Keagy, Raun" <RKeagy@Scottsdaleaz.Gov>; tedolinger
Cc: "Gray, Frank" <FGray@ScottsdaleAz.Gov>; "Little, John C." <jlittle@scottsdaleaz.gov>; "Littlefield, Robert" <rlittlefield@scottsdaleaz.gov>; "Kalber, Bill" <BKALBER@SCOTTSDALEAZ.GOV>; "Ellison, David L" <DEllison@Scottsdaleaz.gov>

Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 3:50:59 PM

Subject: update

Update:

Whiting-Turner is in compliance with all dust control per Maricopa Air
Quality at Scottsdale Quarter. Attached are copies of the past 3 visits
from Maricopa County Air Quality Inspector Heloise Cook. She has
informed WT that inspector reports are sufficient documentation due to
the fact there is not a notice regarding stockpile. ( meaning its in
compliance & inspector has no comments) Although the stock pile is in
compliance the one report does show the violation from the track out,
since then WT has corrected this issue and is now in compliance.

Whiting-Turner understands the sensitivity of this stockpile with
regards to public concern. Whiting-Turner is actively pursuing proper
control measures to insure dirt stockpile is crusted and in compliance
with all standards.

Mr.Olinger the city of Scottsdale understands your concerns and take's
them very seriously. We will continue to monitor this site along with
Maricopa Air Quality inspector to ensure that WT remains in compliance
through out the project.

Ralph Noriega
Inspection Services Director
Office (480)312-5769
Cell-(602-206-0977

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

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Noriega, Ralph" <RNORIEGA@SCOTTSDALEAZ.GOV>
To: tedolinger
Cc: "Hankins, Malcolm" <MAHankins@ScottsdaleAz.Gov>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 9:34:31 AM
Subject: Stockpile

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Funny how things go when you are out of town in this city and you miss the Queen Mothers drivel often referred to as the State of the City speech by her eminence.

On Wednesday of last week I headed out of town around noon to attend the annual Arizona Association of School Business Officials held in Laughlin, Nevada, and the last thing I was thinking about was the Mayors speech where she lies to the public and tells them everything is rosy in the Land of Oz.

One of the largest problems is that people actually believe this stuff. They seem to gleefully overlook the fact that the Waterfront is an irrigation ditch. Day by day I think some Ozites have lost all perspective or a reasonable intelligence level. Irrigation. Desert. Waterfront?

On Friday, while I was in between classes, I got a call from none other than Robert Leger asking me about the T-Shirt issue. I had to explain to him that I had no clue what he was talking about as I was in Nevada and damn near fell out of my chair laughing when he told me what had transpired during the Queen Mothers speech.

The next comment from Leger was "was I involved in the scandal" in which I had to explain to him again that I was not even in the State at the time of the incident only to be told that I could have planned this before I left.

I mean honestly here folks, if I were as low leveled as that do you not think that I would have skipped the convention to be there? Do you not think that if I were involved in this issue that I would have tried to deny it?

Personally I found it absolutely hilarious and I still do, and I still have no clue who was behind it, but there are some people who want to tell me which I told them I don’t want to know who it was so don’t tell me.

It was funny to note today that Roberts "opinion" of the issue brought out some of the Manross huggers who have been bombarding the blogs section recently (all Larry I believe). They now claim that it was Jim Lane behind the T-Shirt scandal, in the usual Larry style that tries to smear any person who challenges the Queen Mothers Throne and with no proof.

Now, I know deep down that to think it was Lane is preposterous.

The next suggestion, again with no proof provided, is that it was an activist that someone had pictures of, which no-one has seen nor have they been published anywhere.

Of course since I decided to rebut their psycho-babble, it then became me who was responsible for this dastardly deed. That was actually comical.

Maybe it is because I am now known as "The Brutal Critic" as labeled by my friend from Fountain Hills, who has lived here a couple of years now and thinks he has a grasp on the issues of Oz, in all his audacity, Robert Leger.

Lets take a second and review why I have such a disdain for Mr. Leger and maybe we should not consider the fact he has never lived in Oz a day in his life.

Or maybe it is because he lives in Fountain Hills, a town also noted primarily for the Low Density, Low Heights, and residents who recently fought their city council to keep a developer from obtaining city subsidies to build a retail center, and that was too close to the community’s boundaries and was too dense for the land, as well as the increased demands it would put on transportation and traffic.

Maybe it is the fact that Robert has been sticking his yapper into other cities development battles like Paradise Valley, another place he has never lived and keeps working to tell residents that they have to learn to accept these changes.

Now if you ask Robert where he moved here from just a few short years ago, or had read his columns from his last newspaper, you have to wonder how his tone changed since he moved here from the boonies, he will tell you that it’s okay, he "visited Oz" for years, so he is an expert in the way people in this State and the area feel about such issues (and he is mostly wrong, but pissing people off is what sells papers).

Now some would say that this rant was written in anger because I was called the "brutal critic," but the fact is I thought is was great because it proves that the truth in this city is "brutal" for too many to swallow.

I guess the truth is a lost in this city even when you provide the raw facts of the straight from the city’s own documentation?

Or, maybe it is because I am not politically correct and have a way of strongly speaking my mind which is always based on fact, not fantasy or fiction.

I am sure that Robert is wonderful person, personally, and I know he has a sense of humor even if he won’t admit it, I just have problems with his opinions on many issues and on occasion the tourist even gets one right.

Love Ya, Robert! And thanks for the new title; it is one that I will enjoy.

Okay Ozites, just because I am taking breaks from writing every week or so does not mean that I am not still watching our city in action, and there are some mysterious actions going on with the Planning Department.

By courtesy of Mayoral Candidate John Washington I was forwarded a copy of the planning department’s initial review of 9-DR-2008 which was very interesting.

I have been able to find a link on the case file for you to view the 7 pages of findings (click below).

9-DR-2008 1st Review Comment Letter

Of note were the comments of the architecture being "generic," so you know this will fly by the DRB, the Planning Commission, and a majority of the council as it is just their style of doing things.

The letter addressed many of the issues we have been talking about between ourselves, and when they are listening, with the city.

The letter also pointed out some very major issues that need to be corrected by the developer to conform to the zoning codes, and does not mean that the city should be allowing all the "amended development standards" they always approve.

So, for once Ozites, lets make sure we report how the process falls apart from here on in, and results in another neighborhood that may have no choice, but to collect signatures to stop a bad project from being shoved down our throats.

Let’s see if the Planning Department sticks to their guns without Dolan around and requires all the things they noted as wrong with the project be corrected with no funny business being played since we all now what the issues are.

Lets see if for once the DRB and the Planning Commission, the other appointed "residents" of this city, stick to their guns on what staff says is wrong and not corrected to the codes we have, with no amendments or if they go off on their merry way to approve it over staff directions as they seem to think that they are the ones we are paying for this advice.

Lets watch how the council majority will fall all over themselves to approve the plans no matter the issue of if the project is actually a benefit and enhancement to the mature communities it will impact along with our infrastructure woes, and if it fits the character of the area with striking architecture.

One of the reasons I wrote this article is because Nancy sent me an e-mail the other day telling how bad her week was going and since I can say she is the first person who ever admitted to getting knocked out by a 16 lb. frozen turkey and then rear ended in her sons car with her grandchildren I really figured as a team player that she deserved a break this week from trying to write Oz.

Kick back Nancy and take a rest, I got you covered this week.

Okay Ozites, this one should make you laugh as I had to question a card I got from the city wanting to change a residential community along Indian School Road to a business classification. The application itself was noted as missing a slew of information.

It also made me wonder again about the planning department as the card never should have been sent out and the application should have been rejected right of the bat since the applicant only owned one parcel out of the whole corridor of homes he wanted to reclassify.

It should make you wonder why we expended taxpayer money for the mailing of these cards and the cost to print them and getting a community riled up.

I sent an e-mail to our acting city manager and was quiet pleased with his timely response to the issue, and his response made me start to wonder about how it got this far.

According to staff....In a nutshell... this is an individual that got "caught" by code enforcement using a house for a business.  He decided that instead of finding another place he would seek a GP amendment for the entire block and apply for rezoning.  Yes, his application is VERY incomplete and he actually does not own or control the other properties.  As a result of our initial comments, it is our understanding he is withdrawing his application.  We will confirm shortly and let you know definitively.  In simple words, this does not appear to be going anywhere.

So again I would have to ask why the city would expend this money for something like this that strikes fear in communities of the South, or damn near anywhere.

I guess we may never know why it ever even got this far and how much the Planning Department spent on this fiasco let alone the ripple it sent through a community. If the application was very incomplete, how did we get here to this point?

Michael Merrill
The Brutal Critic
F8713@aol.com

The eleventh edition of Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines "insanity" as: "such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civic responsibility."

Insanity would explain why Americans turn to the government to fix problems caused by the government, thus making the problems worse. It would also explain why Democrats say they care about the little people and then enact socioeconomic policies that hurt the little people. And it would explain why Republicans say they care about national security and then embrace a foreign policy that endangers national security.

The only people who aren’t insane are libertarians (aka classical liberals), but they are considered insane by everyone else.

Examples of insanity could fill a book. Below are some:

- Our government caused the mortgage bubble. Now the government is going to make matters worse with a "cure" that will fuel inflation, continue to devalue the dollar, drive up the cost of loans, and hurt the little people.

Note: Since the United States has a representative form of government, and since elected representatives do the bidding of those who elected them, the word "voters" is synonymous with the word "government." Thus, it was really voters who caused the mortgage bubble. And since voters are insane, it was really the insane who caused the mortgage bubble.

- Sixty-six years ago, the government (the insane) destroyed a consumer market in healthcare and medical insurance, thus precipitating today’s healthcare mess. Now the insane want the government to have complete control over their healthcare and make going to the doctor the same as going to the Post Office.

- In the nineteenth century, the government established a monopoly over K-12 education in order to achieve universal education. It has failed miserably to achieve that goal. However, instead of ending the monopoly with education vouchers and tax credits, the insane keep giving the monopoly more money.

- College tuition has skyrocketed because the government has devalued a high school degree and has flooded colleges with student loans and subsidies, thus eliminating the need for colleges to cut costs and innovate. Now Barack Obama and his insane groupies want to flood colleges with more money in order to reduce the cost of a college education.

- Government subsidies, welfare and entitlements have increased dependency, out-of-wedlock births, single-parent families, dropouts, learning difficulties, crime, and other social pathologies. Yet the insane want to distribute more government largess to those being hurt by government largess.

- Last example: A sane person, President Dwight Eisenhower, warned about the military-industrial complex. Today, due to a lot of insane Republicans and some insane Democrats, the nation has over 700 military bases around the world, creating resentment among the local populations and incurring unsustainable costs.

Sanity rarely happens, but when it does, the insane end it. Take free trade. The evidence is compelling that free trade agreements are essential for job growth, GDP growth, and a better standard of living. Yet the insane want to cancel free trade agreements and adopt protectionist measures.

Perhaps Americans aren’t insane. Perhaps they are merely misinformed by the "See Spot run" media of the left and right. Perhaps they are illiterate in economics. Perhaps they are operating out of short-term self-interest. Or perhaps they have been brainwashed in government K-12 schools and leftist universities to embrace statism.

In any event, don’t listen to me. The crazy state of American politics has driven me so insane that I’ve become a libertarian.

An author and columnist, Mr. Cantoni can be reached at  ccan2@aol.com.

A Nan Nesvig for City Council staffer called us and asked that we announced a "Meet & Greet" with wine tasting for supporters of Nan at the new and very enjoyable (and affordable) "Temptations" Café on Friday, April 18^th, 6 to 10 p.m. located at 8322 E. McDowell Road which is on the north side of McDowell west of the ARCO station and Granite Reef, near the Senior Center.

nnesvig4scc@aol.com

Do you really know how to send OR forward e-mails?

50% of us do, 50% DO NOT.

Do you ever wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it?

Every time you forward an e-mail, there is information left over from the people who got the message before you -- their e-mail addresses and names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list builds and builds and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus and his or her computer can send that virus to every E-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them, or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and that person will make five cents for each hit.

How do you stop it? There are several easy steps:
 
1. When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all.

2. Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, DO NOT use the "To" or "Cc" fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the "BCC" (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your "BCC," option click on "To" and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose "BCC." It's that easy. When you send to "BCC" your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "To" field of the ones who receive it.

3. Remove any "FW" in the subject line. You can re-name the subject or even fix spelling.

4. ALWAYS hit your "Forward" button from the actual e-mail you are reading, not from the one who sent it to you!! Ever get e-mails where you have to open ten pages first to read the one page with the wanted information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish to be viewed, it eliminates extra e-mails people have to wade through.
The best thing to do is copy and paste!!!!

5. Have you ever gotten an e-mail that is a petition? It states a position, asks you to add your name and address and then requests that you forward it to ten or 15 people or your entire address book. As it is forwarded on and on it can collect thousands of names and e-mail addresses.
 
FACT: That petition is worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and e-mail addresses on it. If you want to support the intent of the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the most effective source. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than does a laundry list of names and e-mail address on a petition.
 
And think about this -- Who is supposed to actually send the petition in after the names are collected? And don't believe the ones that say that the e-mail is being traced. It just ain't so!

6. One of the emails I hate is the one that says something like, "Send this e-mail to ten people and you'll see something cute run across your screen," or sometimes they just tease you by saying something really good will happen soon. IT AIN'T GONNA!!!!! Trust me, some of the same ones went around ten years ago!

I don't let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed (could be why I haven't won the lottery?)

7. Before you forward an Amber Alert or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that have been circling the net for YEARS!

 
Is it real or not? Almost everything that is questionable can easily be checked out at www.Snopes.com.  Take that moment. If it's not real, don't pass it on.
 
Please, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses!

~ 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

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~ Arizona Tax Revolt

~ Prop 13 Arizona