Norma Desmond

The Santa Ana River Is Ready for Its Renaissance

…"People just don't realize it's a real river," says Ray Hiemstre, associate director of programs for Orange County Coastkeeper. "We've been told it's just a flood-control channel, that the water is polluted. And what they do see from the freeway doesn't look good. But what they don't realize is that 85 percent of the river, even in Orange County, is soft-bottom and much more natural than the LA River and other urban rivers….

Ethics in OC government? C'est à rire!

"It is to laugh!"

Split Views On Enforcing OC Political Ethics
(Voice of OC, Aug 5)

     A long running argument between unofficial campaign finance watchdog Shirley Grindle and Orange County supervisors over how to enforce ethics in local politics has erupted again, with Grindle urging voters in November to reject the supervisors’ plan for the state to take on the responsibility.
. . .
     For years, Grindle has tried to convince supervisors the county needs an independent ethics commission to review complaints about wrongdoing, ranging from campaign finance law violations to abuse of power within the sprawling county bureaucracy.
     Although Grindle isn’t alone – three separate grand juries in recent years have recommended an ethics commission -- she’s been consistently rebuffed by supervisors, who dismiss the idea as costly and potentially compromised by political biases.
     But the issue took on renewed urgency in 2013 after that grand jury issued a report that alleged a “culture of corruption” in county government....

An odious schedule change in the offing for (IVC) F&M classified?

Generally popular among faculty

     Since late July, we’ve been hearing about proposed changes—namely, changes in classified working hours/schedule—allegedly being proposed by IVC’s Facilities Director, John Edwards. 

     These changes are obviously unpopular with some or all (IVC Facilities and Maintenance) classified.

     For instance, on the 28th of July, I received an email from a classified employee that requested that I read a forwarded email from an individual [I won’t identify him or her] to IVC’s Ac. Senate Prez, KS. It was dated July 25:

Kathy, … I am [X], the ___, and we have a situation that will affect the campus as a whole and I am hoping for your support…. As you probably know, the campus (and district [?] …) are trying to make a change to all classified, [namely,] go to hour long lunches. This is an inconvenience and [is unwanted] by most of the classified staff.

[With this,] John Edwards is changing our present schedule from 7:00 am - 3:30 pm ([previously,] he … changed it from 6:00 am - 2:30 pm …) to 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. [You should know] How this will affect the campus, students and you, the faculty….:

[1] The grounds people will not be able to clean the parking lots because cars will be [in the way];
[2] they will be mowing and using other loud machinery during class time, … around classrooms….;
[3] …chances of hitting someone … with rocks and other flying debris [when the weed eater is used and students are present] increases greatly.
[4] Most all of us will be working now through the hottest part of the day and longer through the heat, increasing the chances for heat stroke [and] other heat related illnesses.
[5] We will not be able to service locks, doors, A/C, heat, carpentry and plumbing needs,... because the classrooms will be occupied.

…[W]e had a power outage last night [July 24?], which affected the automated locks, HVAC units and fire/life safety systems and we jumped on it and had most of the systems going by 8, but some didn’t get back on line until after 10:30 am, because for now we [have a] 7-3:30 schedule. [Were Edwards' proposed schedule in place,] we would not have even started dealing with [these problems] until after 8 and after the student & faculty has arrived and occupied the classrooms and offices. …[W]ould you want students or yourself in a hot room with no A/C?...

Our union reps are trying to help out but we could really use the backing of [others]. The change is supposed to take effect on August 11th. So time is critical. If you can speak to your senate and colleagues we would greatly appreciate it. 

Thank you for your time, X

     I did not respond to this email, preferring to wait to see how things developed (though the Reb and I did forward the email to some union leadership).
     Meanwhile, three comments, evidently related to this matter, have appeared here on DtB:

Anonymous - 8:57 PM, July 29, 2014 

     HAS ANYBODY HEARD THE CHANGES JOHN EDWARDS IS [imposing on] THE EMPLOYEES IN F&M[?] IF YOU HAVE [TO,] GO … AROUND AND ASK 

Anonymous - 5:55 PM, July 31, 2014 

     Just heard about it today. Evidently John has issued an edict and changed many of the F&M staff starting times. Staff have to come in at 8:00 am. [You’d] better hope you don't need anything set up before then[!] Also, [he provided?] a rather strongly worded paragraph about not arriving early or staying more than 15 minutes before or after working hours. Those not obeying … Edwards would be subject to consequences. Never mind all the employees and the families he is impacting[!] Evidently the civility and mutual respect mantra does not apply to John. Hey Glenn (oops, [I mean] Davit …) wake up and do something! 

Anonymous - 10:26 AM, August 04, 2014 

     Here's a great thing John wants to do to the hardworking employees of facilities and maintenance. Change their hours to 8-5! When [will] the parking lots be cleaned? You want the groundsmen to sweat it out in the 95 degree heat at 4 in the afternoon? Do you think vendors want to arrive after 8 am to install hvac equipment? LoL  No! … The health and safety issues are too numerous to mention here. If you need late afternoon and evening coverage, fill out a resource form like the rest of us stiffs. Good luck with all of the special events and classes that begin at 7 or 8. No one will be around to help[!]

—As usual, we'd love to hear from the "other side" about all of this. Are the objections noted above all valid? What are the alleged advantages of this change that might outweigh these problems, if they are valid? Etc.
     The Facilities and Maintenance area has long been troubled by tensions between workers and management. Such difficulties predate Mr. Edwards' arrival as Director (previously, he headed A&R; he switched to heading F&M, c. 2008, taking over from the notorious Wayne Ward). But they have persisted during his tenure as well. Edwards is regarded, by some, as a part of the core group of "bullies" that seem to run IVC.
     Workers have tended to complain about autocratic management, unfair actions, arbitrary changes, violations of contract, etc.

Previous Edwards-related posts:

• Platz Ersatz, or Input Schminput - Feb 2014
• Today's "mold" meeting: just cricket sh*t - Nov 2013
• Moving beyond the band-aid; high expectations (Edwards) - May 2010
• Asking questions (John Edwards) - May 2010
• John Edwards criticized - May 2010

Whatever happened to Wayne Ward?

     Amid numerous and persistent complaints about his brutish actions and imperious management style, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, Wayne Ward, finally left IVC in 2007. I think Glenn actually gave him a plaque as he left. Typical Glenn: he supports his hires to the bitter end, no matter how lousy they turn out to be.
     So what’s become of the fella?
     I did a little looking. As it turns out, eventually, Wayne snagged (in 2011) another “director of facilities” gig. It was at what was once the worst community college in the world, namely, the former Compton Community College, which, notoriously, managed to get its ticket pulled in 2006, whereupon it became a “center” of nearby El Camino College. (Voila! All better!)
     I found the following biographical blurb about Wayne in the March 2011 edition of the “El Camino College Compton Center News” (ECC Compton Center Welcomes New Full-time Faculty and Manager):

Wayne Anthony Ward
     Manager, Facilities, Maintenance and Operations. Ward previously served as executive director of property services for MERIT Property Management Inc. in Aliso Viejo, Calif., from 2007 to 2010. From 2004 to 2007, he was the director of facilities at Irvine Valley College where he directed new construction and renovations projects, as well as managed a campus modernization project resulting in the construction of two key building initiatives contributing to improved student outcomes. From 1999-2004, Ward served the City of Anaheim as the district manager in the Public Works Department at the Anaheim Resort. Prior to that assignment, he also served the city as the manager of the Anaheim Convention Center. He earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Chapman University, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix [har har], and an associate degree in electronic technology from Rancho Santiago College in Santa Ana, Calif.

Wayne gets a plaque, March, 2007

     I looked, and Ward is no longer working at the Compton Center. Nowadays, he’s working for Amway Global. He’s “Group Leader, California Facilities Operations,” whatever that is.
     Back in the day (at IVC), he was pretty rotten, according to many who worked with and under him. We told some of those tales here in DtB. (Around me, he came off as a noisy glad-hander, a used car salesman.)
     I was amused to find various glowing letters of recommendation at one of Wayne's professional linking sites. Oh, what a fine fellow he is!
     Such a world.

It's OC all right

Orange County Judge Faces Historic Decision in Prosecutorial Misconduct Case (OC Weekly/NavelGazing) Excerpt:

     T[he] documented OCSD jail deputy corruption included destroying evidence, committing perjury, doctoring logs, unnecessarily firing weapons at inmates sitting on toilets, ignoring medical emergencies, bolstering the power of incarcerated organized crime bosses, encouraging inmate-on-inmate violence and spending work hours running private businesses, sleeping, surfing the Internet, watching TV or texting love interests.
     Yet, the panel declared in a 120-page, July 7 opinion involving the 2006 jailhouse murder of an inmate, John Derek Chamberlain, that OCSD corruption did not amount to an "outrageous government conduct" finding that would dismiss murder convictions for inmates who participated in beating Chamberlain to death and who claim deputies encouraged the crime by falsely branding the victim a child molester....

Instructor, George Brogan, Republican, running for Congress on the fringe

"The first new Republican"

     As many of you are aware, Mr. George Brogan, a close associate of IVC President Glenn Roquemore (see "contact information"), has taught Geology at Irvine Valley College for about eighteen years. Before that, he seems to have worked for private firms as a geologist.
     He is a Republican.*
     Brogan is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, 47th District. Check out his election website here: Brogan’s election website

     I want to provide readers with a sense of what they’ll find there. Here are some excerpts:

My Political Positions

[Mr. Brogan lists about 30 position statements, including these:]

• FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN; THE FIRST NEW REPUBLICAN
…
• BRING THE NATION TOGETHER, HEAL THE CURRENT POLITICAL RIFT IN THE U.S.A.
• REDUCE LARGE GOVERNMENT, MAKE IT RESPONSIVE
. . .
• STRONG ON STATES RIGHTS, STRONG ON INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
• EXTENSIVE FOREIGN EXPERIENCE, I HOLD STRONG FOREIGN POLICY POSITIONS
• STRENGTHEN OUR MILITARY, EXAMINE MILITARY BUDGETS, BE READY IF WAR COMES TO US
• SUPPORT ISRAEL FULLY AND COMPLETELY; STRIVE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
. . .
• USE PRIVATE FUNDS, NOT TAXES, TO TRAIN THE UNEMPLOYED FOR JOBS
. . .
• OPEN FEDERAL LANDS FOR OIL, GAS EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION
• OPEN OFFSHORE LANDS FOR OIL, GAS EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION
• EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT 'GLOBAL WARMING' ISSUES….

[P.S.: it occurred to me, belatedly, that it is at least odd—and likely worse—that Mr. Brogan does not believe in using taxes to train the unemployed (see above) even though he is employed at a community college, a chief mission of which is retraining the unemployed for new jobs.]

[Re “Global warming”:]

...This might be the most divisive of issues splitting the nation today. It shouldn’t be.
. . .
Let's assume global warming/climate change is a problem. … My suggestions follow:

1. Let's first cure world starvation, which kills millions of people every year, mostly children….
2. Let's first cure access to clean drinking water…. [I think he means: cure "inaccessibility" to clean drinking water.]
3. Let's first cure HIV/AIDS worldwide….
4. Let's first cure malaria worldwide, now and forever….

Now, let's assume global warming/climate change is not a problem. Go back to number 1 above, and start all over…. 

     [I.e., Mr. Brogan seems to be suggesting that we do nothing about global warming/climate change, that we address other problems (i.e., current humanitarian crises) instead. I don't know how else to interpret his list of "suggestions." I can only assume that he is inclined to deny the reality of the humanitarian (and other) crises projected by those who assert the (likely) reality of anthropogenic climate change. I.e., he's a skeptic or denier. He is unmoved by the scientific consensus that the phenomenon is very likely real.]

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
. . .
   (1) The Trans-Alaska Pipeline. GEORGE BROGAN participated for about 10 years on the design team of this project….
   (2) If a nuclear power plant is to be done, it must be done safely….

Middle Eastern Nations

   • ISRAEL: …POSITION. Renew full military and economic support to Israel.
   • SAUDI ARABIA. We appreciate a good relationship with the Saudis, even though many of their citizens are violently anti-American. 
• POSITION. Continue with our present good relationship with their government;
• Continue our military presence there….
   • SYRIA. Secretly work to oust President Assad; set up a friendly government. Since democratic governments fail to be friendly to the USA in Middle Eastern nations, go to the next-best model of having an appointed head of state who sets up a democratic parliament that the head of state controls….
   
• AFGHANISTAN. We need to work the present leader, President Karzai, out of his job and replace him with someone who is honest and strongly pro-American…. [My emphases.]

Kids Overwhelm the Border
. . .

The 47th Congressional District

     How to fix this problem? Several solutions are possible. If I were President, I would do the following: 

 (1) Declare martial law along the U.S. southern border, from the Pacific coast north of Tijuana to the Gulf of Mexico coast near Brownsville, Texas; 
 (2) activate the National Guard in sufficient numbers to back up the Border Patrol to control the entire southern Border; 
 (3) order the border fence to be designed and constructed. The border fence would extend the full length of the border, and would be the multiple-fence design that is so successful east of the border crossings at San Diego; 
 (4) deport all of the children to their countries of origin, with payment for all administrative costs and deportation taken from the U.S. funds that now go as foreign aid to each country where the children originate; 
 (5) re-evaluate the relationships between the U.S. and all of the affected Latin American countries, to stop permanently the flow of all people into the USA illegally, and improve life in each country. Effective trade agreements would be beneficial to improve their economies, although more effective control of the drug cartels is necessary; 
 (6) cancel the Executive Order issued by President Obama, and replace it with an effective law to prohibit illegal entry from each of the Latin American countries and punish the country of origin, possibly through economic means.

"Vote for Hillary" has begun ["issues" update]

Bumper sticker on a car with Kentucky plates:

"Vote for Monica Lewinski's Former Boyfriend's Wife" [END]

     Just in case you haven't noticed, Mr. Brogan is an eccentric fellow. No doubt some of this eccentricity derives from his peculiar sense of humor.
     For instance, under the heading Issues, he offers the following encomium:

Thomas Crapper
. . .
     Thomas Crapper saved the world from plagues. Pure and simple. This essay gives credit to him for the millions of lives he has saved. Reading this essay represents a long and winding road, so hold on to your belt loops. 

…Before reading this document you must first take and pass a quiz….
. . .
9. What does vulgar mean? Is unvulgar a word? Give an example of each. As an analogy sing a medley of Don Ho’s greatest hit and name that tune. Be certain to work in the concept of Milorganite.
. . .
11. What is trickle-down economics? Which part of Reaganomics relies on it? What is an economist? Why are all economists vulgar? Same question about cartographers, Sanitary Engineers, etc.
. . .
13. Who is Sheryl Crow and why is she famous? Why is it she and Lance are no longer a thing together?
. . .

Brogan in Alaska

     Introducing this tome is pretty difficult. You see, it has not only different settings to figure out, it also has a lot of places where it seems someone is commenting on a sentence just ended. Who be that? Makes the whole thing hard to follow. It is as if there were a voice in the distance coming over your shoulder, but nobody is there. Maybe the small voice is coming from the back or your mind. Better yet, maybe it’s coming from the back of my mind. Maybe it’s even coming from someone else, or involves two persons apparently talking about something. Oh little Timmy. I’m so confused! In those cases just realize this: no non-sequiturs are in this document. Anywhere. Everything relates to something else. In fact, the flow is remarkably smooth. At least to me. Now fasten your seatbelt. [Italics in original.]
. . .
Poop. Scat. S___. There. I’ve said it. None of these really do the job. Poop is a term invented so mommies can communicate with their babies; it is generally accepted and so was elevated to the five-letter word Poopy. Acceptable to society, but not to construction workers. Scat. Technical term used by biologists, zoologists, and geographers. People in urban centers don’t know the word because they don’t have coyotes leaving it on their doorsteps. Proficient scientists may declare, as their experiments blow up, “Scat happens.” Good use, bad word. Not the proper ring. Doesn’t communicate with the masses. Can’t be used. That leaves S___, hits spelled differently, completely vulgar and worthy of removal from a serious scientific analysis such as this.

     —Perhaps Brogan's point about "vulgarity" concerns the origin of the word, which is the notion of commonness. (We in the Humanities tend to teach about word meanings and histories, although we are usually careful not to equate the two.)
     In truth, Mr. Brogan isn't very clear about his intent re his ample verbiage about "vulgarity" and "poop" and the celebrated Mr. Crapper. Not to me. He seems to want to say more than that Crapper is underappreciated. But what?
     Mr. Brogan is religious, a Presbyterian Christian.
     He also seems to be a frustrated artist, yearning to get his thoughts "out there." He offers lots of curiously indirect verbiage on his website—to be admired and to inspire, no doubt. (His declaration that there are no non sequiturs in his essay seems perverse.)
     I think he should start his own blog, fill it with his humor and musings, and then see what happens. Get it out there, dude! Let the vulgar decide!

* Brogan is not the Republican candidate for this office. In the primary, Andy Whallon won the right to represent the GOP. Brogan seems to be running as a write-in candidate. His chances of victory are therefore close to nil.

Smartvoter results of June 2014 election. Evidently, Brogan, a write-in, got no percentage of votes.

Things to come

Evidently, the new and improved A400 will be landscaped with translucent trees.

Flex Week will include public appearances by two—count 'em—two Chancellors.

In the future, everyone will drive a flying car