The Friday saloon

First, some business: I am going to take an actual vacation until August 26th. Rogue will not be updated, but feel free to browse the archives and special topic pages. My intention is to go completely without the Internet, but I will try to check the spam filter once a day. I need to recharge.

The Chapter 11 filing of Rural/Metro is a sad bookend of Arizona. Before it was a 21-state emergency services company, it was the Rural Fire Department of little Scottsdale. Lou Witzeman founded it in 1948 and for many years served as the chief of Scottsdale's privately owned fire agency. For years, conservatives burnished RFD (and later RMFD) as an example of what privatization could achieve. But in reality, Scottsdale benefited from mostly new constructions (except for the worrisome common attics downtown). Whenever a big fire erupted, RFD invariably needed Phoenix Fire's assistance, lacking manpower, apparatus and (some critics said) enough training. In 2005, Scottsdale established a city fire department — a year after Witzeman passed away. Bought by the private equity outfit Warburg Pincus in a leveraged buyout, the fate of Rural/Metro sounds like the common outcome of vulture capitalism.

Meanwhile, James Simmons died at age 88. Although a member of the Phoenix 40, he was never among the biggest of the big dogs. Still, he is a reminder of an era when the city was the home base to significant companies and chief executives who were also civic stewards. Simmons was head of United Bank, whose headquarters was located in a tower at Central and Lexington within a block of two other financial institution headquarters. Now all gone. Only the buildings are left. Quoted in the obit: Bill Shover, Gene Pulliam's community affairs vizier, one of the last of the old guard left.

Another topic is the Phoenix City Council elections. The candidates seem underwhelming, most promising trash collection and public safety, supporting "neighborhoods" (whatever the hell that means) or blathering about what a "great city" Phoenix is. Vision? Practical sense of the city's serious problems? Austin Head at least promises to expand light rail (We Built It, You Bastards). To be fair, I am a prisoner of the very limited AzCentral bios. Phoenicians need to pay close attention: The Kooks have long wanted to get control of the city government. If they do so, it will be a disaster. Council is already tilting into paralysis. Voters need to stop this.

Salud! And see you in two weeks.

Comments

[Paul Benjamin]

One awful moment in Rural Metro history was a few years before they lost the Scottsdale contract. The Jack in the Box at Thunderbird and Scottsdale is in Phoenix while a Scottsdale fire station sits directly across the road on the Scottsdale side. The Jack in the Box pretty much burned to the ground one day while the Rural Metro folks sat and watched.

[cal Lash]

Bill Shover was the Man. Need to make something happen or not happen, call Bill.Police Chief Lawrence Wetzel and Bill were tight. And wasn't Bill the guy that gave up Editor Duke Tully for falsely wearing an U S Air force flight suit?

Phxsunfan, Left U a note back on Solar. U all have a good week end. C U late in August Jon. Hope U can relax.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Since Mr. Talton is "on vacation", readers should note that the following is my personal opinion; the opinion of the blog owner may differ substantially.

* * *

The Arizona Republic editorial board can't seem to put two and two together, even when their own newspaper provides all the necessary clues.

In an editorial last Sunday, "Cavazos' Exit Leaves A Mess", they bemoan the fact that Cavazos' $78,000 raise wasn't enough to "lock in this talented manager for years to come".

It never occurred to them that Cavazos' last minute raise was a personal negotiating ploy, despite noting in the same editorial that "around that same time" the Director of the Maricopa County healthcare system had "recently announced her plan to retire" while arranging a raise of $125,000 for what is now her last year on the job.

Cavazos' raise increased his base salary -- a figure used as a starting point in negotiations with the city of Santa Ana, where he now receives the $315,000 base salary he ended with in Phoenix, along with some $200,000 in annual benefits (which he didn't get in Phoenix), all for managing a city one-fourth the size of Phoenix.

http://www.azcentral.com/opinions/articles/20130802david-cavazos-leaves-wake-prog.html

But there's more. The same issue of the Arizona Republic contains a news article noting that Cavazos will receive from Phoenix annual "full pension payouts in the six-figure range". It notes that Cavazos' annual pension will be determined by a formula which is heavily influenced by the "final three-year average" of his total compensation and that this average will be "significantly higher" because of his raise last year.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130802phoenix-cavazos-pension-city-manager.html

Cavazos' average will be further boosted by "deferred compensation, fringe and travel allowances" and the cash value of his accumulated unused sick-leave and vacation time, per Frank Fairbanks, his predecessor, whose three year average was inflated by these means to $1.3 million despite an annual base salary of $236,998; through these means, Fairbanks "spiked his annual pension from the City of Phoenix Employees' Retirement Plan to $246,813 a year - the largest pension among all six public-pension systems in Arizona. That pension amount is roughly $47,000 more than the pension provided to every living former U.S. president".

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/arizona-pensions-funds-phoenix.html

Though the article weasels out of giving an estimate (or even a firm range) of Cavazos' likely annual "retirement" pay from Phoenix, which, despite being only 53 years old and a career desk jockey, he will receive in addition to his roughly $511,000 annual compensation package from Santa Ana, it's clear from the Fairbanks case that Cavazos' negotiated raise in Phoenix, in combination with his decision to quit and take the same position in Santa Ana, will increase his total annual compensation from the two cities by roughly half a million dollars over what he was making as the City Manager of Phoenix.

What is the mystery here, folks? Cavazos will make more than half a million dollars a year from his Santa Ana compensation package, and rake in more than $300,000 a year cash from his Phoenix "retirement" pension. That's more than $800,000 a year in total compensation, not including any income from his private investments or from other sources.

This in a city which is poor by California standards (per capita income in Santa Ana is roughly $17,000 a year). Cavazos is by any reasonable definition a fat-cat. Fat-cats, whether on the public or private payroll, are not uncommonly motivated by greed.

Note that hiring a city manager is a process which begins well ahead of time. Looking for a city manager includes contacting candidates. Santa Ana officially began looking for a city manager in January of this year, when the old city manager (base salary: $265,000) was fired. Cavazos's raise was approved in November 2012. So, it might just be a coincidence that Cavazos negotiated a last minute raise before "retiring".

However, Santa Ana's city manager troubles began much earlier; rumors that the Santa Ana city council wanted the old manager out began at least as early as last November (the same month Cavazos' raise was voted on), and dissatisfaction with their old manager's performance likely began before the rumors hit the streets. It may be that feelers were quietly and unofficially extended to leading candidates; and Cavazos was being lauded regionally for having brought Phoenix back from the brink, a problem that now faces Santa Ana.

http://www.voiceofoc.org/oc_central/santa_ana/article_12a6754e-509f-11e2-b723-001a4bcf887a.html

Whether or not Cavazos knew he was being wooed by Santa Ana before securing his raise, that raise, far from "locking him in", may well have facilitated a cynical personal bailout by increasing what he could ask for from Santa Ana as well as what he would get from his Phoenix pension.

As for Cavazos' supposedly marvelous performance as Phoenix's city manager during a time of crisis, the Arizona Republic notes that the city went from a $227 million deficit in November 2010 to a $44 million contingency fund surplus today.

The Republic editorial cites Cavazos' "negotiated salary give-backs from public employee unions" and his "committee of financial experts" that found savings "often in ingenious nooks and crannies", as well as ways the city could earn revenue. Only belatedly and in passing does the editorial mention that the city manager's efforts were "bolstered" by the emergency food tax, without mentioning that the food tax has raised close to $150 million since it was enacted by the Mayor and City Council.

The devil is in the details. How much did Cavazos' savings in "nooks and crannies" contribute, by comparison with food tax revenue? Besides the additional revenue from the food tax, how much of the gap was filled by the post-recession recovery in the level of Phoenix's general retail tax revenues, as consumers and businesses began spending again and their spending was taxed?

How much of the "negotiated salary give-backs" from civil servants were subsequently offset by "performance raises" and other "contractual" pay increases; and how much easier was it to negotiate "give-backs" from unions who knew, or were informed by Cavazos' office during negotiations, that a substantial portion if not all of the "give-backs" would be returned by other means in short order?

The Arizona Republic doesn't say. Perhaps the state's sole newspaper of record could have made a stronger case. But it didn't.

Whether in the public or private sector, fat-cat executives do commonly possess several undisputed talents.

One is the ability to negotiate inflated salaries by suggesting the need for "competitive" pay that keeps them loyal (even though, like sharks, they have an insatiable hunger and no sense of obligation except to themselves). Frequently, they cherry-pick the data to misrepresent instances of unusually high salary compensation as the norm.

Another is the ability to take credit for the accomplishments of others (peers, underlings) and for economic factors beyond their control, using a well-oiled personal public-relations machine that keeps their "accomplishments" prominently in the focus of opinion-makers and others of influence.

Last but not least is the ability to arrange "golden parachute" retirement packages, whether or not while planning ahead to the next employment conquest (where, paradoxically, a large "retirement package" from the previous employer signals worthiness to the new employer).

[bearsense]

Have a nice vacation Jon (tho you probably won't see this)!

[Emil Pulsifer]

While I'm waiting for my comment about the Cavazos fiasco to be rescued from the spam trap, let me comment on James Simmons. I don't usually read bankers' obituaries, but the fact that the Business section of the Arizona Republic printed a full quarter-page piqued my interest.

The historical details were, in fact, interesting. But what really made me like Simmons was that, as Chairman of United Bank he attended a "midnight opening" (talk about service hours!) in which the state's first ATM was unveiled, in 1973 -- in his pajamas and robe!

While charming as an obituary, I did find myself wondering about certain connecting biographical details that were omitted. They are, in fact, the connecting details that are usually omitted in biographical sketches of the wealthy and successful.

First, he earned an MBA from Harvard. That's great, but what background circumstances allowed this?

Armed only with this degree, he apparently landed a job as a bank examiner for the Federal Reserve System. Connections?

From there, he became CEO of a Texas bank at age 26; subsequently moving to Commercial Bank & Trust in Midland, Texas, where, as CEO, he palled around with George H.W. Bush and family, meeting twice a week for barbecues and swimming.

My point isn't to denigrate Simmons' accomplishments. I'm sure he was more than competent to get to where he got, and stay at the top. But talent without opportunity doesn't equate to success.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Let me comment on James Simmons. I don't usually read bankers' obituaries, but the fact that the Business section of the Arizona Republic printed a full quarter-page piqued my interest.

The historical details were, in fact, interesting. But what really made me like Simmons was that, as Chairman of United Bank he attended a "midnight opening" (talk about service hours!) in which the state's first ATM was unveiled, in 1973 -- in his pajamas and robe!

While charming as an obituary, I did find myself wondering about certain connecting biographical details that were omitted. They are, in fact, the connecting details that are usually omitted in biographical sketches of the wealthy and successful.

First, he earned an MBA from Harvard. That's great, but what background circumstances allowed this?

Armed only with this degree, he apparently landed a job as a bank examiner for the Federal Reserve System. Connections?

From there, he became CEO of a Texas bank at age 26; subsequently moving to Commercial Bank & Trust in Midland, Texas, where, as CEO, he palled around with George H.W. Bush and family, meeting twice a week for barbecues and swimming.

My point isn't to denigrate Simmons' accomplishments. I'm sure he was more than competent to get to where he got, and stay at the top. But talent without opportunity doesn't equate to success. I believe that this point ought to be emphasized more often. There is a tradition of "rugged individualism" in this country that, under close inspection, often dissolves into myth.

[eclecticdog]

Emil, that pay package is making me sick. How? Why? What for? The hustles run by the high flalutins would make drug lords and royals blush.

[Emil Pulsifer]

From the "knock me down with a feather" file:

Robert Robb writes: "Public transportation is one of the services a metro area as large as Phoenix should provide. People shouldn’t have to have a car to get around. Low-income workers should be able to count on public transportation to get to work."

Incredible. Robb's solution? Make bus service a government function, rather than contracting it out to private companies!

True, he does justify this by arguing that it will make transit strikes illegal. But hey!

http://www.azcentral.com/opinions/articles/20130729arizona-grading-schools-pitiful-robb.html

[Emil Pulsifer]

Note that in the same column, Robb comes as close as he ever has to admitting that Arizona is a low-wage, low-education labor-force state. In the course of apologizing for Arizona schools' low academic performance ratings, he writes:

"Arizona students score around the average of students in other states in the same socioeconomic groupings on national tests. Arizona, however, has a larger percentage of students in lower-scoring socioeconomic groups, so our education challenge is steeper."

[Rogue Columnist]

Great stuff. The blog is in good hands. Now I am going analog.

[Petro]

Interesting stuff from Robb, Emil. To my ears, it elevates his thinking above your average "pro-business" conservative... but as you point out, of course he needs a little "special sauce" ("it will make transit strikes illegal") to get some cover for his con creds.

Interesting times we live in. I wonder what other "off the reservation" kind of prescriptions we're going to hear from ostensible "conservatives" as the stakes go up?

[Petro]

Jon, I look forward to a lyrical report from analog-land. It can't be too wonky or geeky - indeed, it must be a "new style" to justify this amusing life-structuring tweak.

Yes, I am taking the piss. ;)

[cal Lash]

For us dummy's. WTF is is analog land?
Lyrical, Jon's going to write ballads?

When Robb came to town he was a hundred dollar word intellectual. He has survived financially being conservative. Maybe he has got to a point financially where he can be, god forbid a "liberal"

james Simmons: no reason to kick a dead horse.

Theory has it that the Comanches were peaceful folks until they got horses from the Spaniards.

Hint: Cavazos is smarter than the whole Arizona Republic Editorial Board and the entire City council. So much for the intellect of elected officials and the civil slaves at Gannett.

[cal Lash]

After the secret fan club coffee I will wander off to the Mexican border to hang out with an old buddy of Edward Abbey.
He tells me we should be able to sight some wild turkeys among the cougars and drug smugglers.
Cal and his phantom dog Spot on the back roads in their Honda Fit.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Petro and Cal, you make some interesting points.

I've seen a lot of growth from Robb in the course of his columns over the last year or so. He vigorously supported the governor's Medicaid expansion on both fiscal and general grounds, actually admitting explicitly at one point that healthcare is a legitimate function of government, at least where the less well off are concerned. The characterization of such functions as legitimate expressions of the general welfare is something that a doctrinaire libertarian would steer clear of.

That said, he still largely subscribes to "free market" solutions and conservative economics, and probably always will.

I have also detected an independent streak in Robb. He even ridiculed the Goldwater Institute for its hair-trigger lawsuits (in connection with the Gilbert community center, if memory serves me correctly). He's said more than once that he's becoming "too old and grumpy to be a columnist" (that's a paraphrase from memory, not a quote) which, in context, I interpreted as an assertion of the right to deviate from the expected line on occasion, else he'll quit and move on to other pastures.

[Petro]

This belongs more properly in the previous thread, but this is the Saloon so I'll just slide it in here.

Research in Auckland, New Zealand – the largest urban area in the country and a city built for the age of the motor car – shows that solar panels fitted to the average suburban home can produce enough power for that household, extra to charge an electric vehicle, and still generate enough watts to export a surplus to the grid.

Interesting - I imagine "enough watts" would reflect the probability of greater parsimony in the usage of these watts (you're not going to want to use your flat-screen as "background art" while you're baking a turkey and blow-drying your hair.) And there's certainly nothing wrong with that...

Solar Suburbia to Power Modern Cities

[Petro]

Feds Put Out Call To Have JP Morgan Employees Arrested

Part of me wants to celebrate this, I guess. Another part of me has become so cynical about how the "elites" interact that this just looks sacrificial, or even maybe some kind of a power grab.

[LyonintheSun]

Austin Head's use of the slogan, "I ♥ Head" was brilliant. This young man has earned my vote by supporting expansion of the light rail and using his limited funds to build name ID with a sense of humor.

[morecleanair]

Was Bill Shover responsible for putting up crime scene tape on Duke's office door . . . labelling it as the "tomb of the unknown soldier"? Funny stuff! Bill was quite an ambassador for the Arizona Republic well before Gannett and the suits came on the scene.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Petro, thanks for your "man bites dog" link to TruthDig re solar power and suburbia.

[AzReb, R. Perez]

I hope you all are making it a point to watch the cat fight occurring in Prescott over the fire up there.

Prescott is a bastion of right wing, tea party nuts.

Now that they have been hit personally by misfortune, the battle over "the gub'mint should help us versus the gub'mint shouldn't help us" is very entertaining.

Go to the Prescott Courier website and read the comments to the articles. Good stuff.

At happy hour last Friday among a handful of tea party folks, all I had to do was say "hey, how about them Feds turning down aid for Yarnell." Then I sat back and enjoyed my beer as the battle raged.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Heh heh heh...

Any of them show up in their government subsidized electric golf carts?

[cal Lash]

Back from Mexico.

Phxsunfan: You might find this person interesting.

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1990/paz-bio.html

Particularly: The Labyrinth of Solitude.

This guy describes the Patron mindset of Mexico. Perhaps this explains why many Mexicans do not turn out to vote.

[cal Lash]

Spam trap got me.

[headless hucy]

If the spam trap gets you all of the time, finish your post with something like this:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:D

[cal Lash]

Back from Mexico.

Phxsunfan the following might interest U.
About the Patron of Mexico and perhaps it might help explain Mexican voter turn out.

The Labyrinth of Solitude,

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1990/paz-bio.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:D

[cal Lash]

I tried it headless and my Mexico note still got trapped.

Something else: Was Whitey a CIA hit man
high on LSD?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/13/the-defense-that-sank-whitey-bulger.html

[cal Lash]

Back from Mexico:
Phxsunfan u might find this interesting.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1990/paz-bio.html

The Labyrinth of Solitude, about the Patron rule and might explain why Mexican voter turn out is impacted.

[cal Lash]

Back from Mexico: Saw thousands of Hummingbirds, wild turkeys, Cardinals, and Lesser Finches among many other birds.
Fit flew well and averaged 36MPG.

Chapo said he should move up in the Forbes rankings this year.

The best Tacos are on 3rd street and of course its one of the few places on the planet you can get fresh GREEN corn tamales.

[AzReb, R. Perez]

Cal, back already?

We have a Mexican bat that stays with us in the summer. You probably passed him on your way north. He's heading back south for the winter. His name is Vlad.

It makes me sad that spam is so vilified in the computer world. Nothing better than a fried Spam sandwich in the real world.

[Petro]

Great Bulger link, cal.

[cal Lash]

Big Bucks
http://otherwords.org/the-border-industrial-complex/
but not for the working stiff.

[cal Lash]

Snowden: Via Laura Poitras
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/laura-poitras-snowden.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&gwh=F609993FC075D696B2AA3BF43CB950D7&ref=magazine&pagewanted=all
How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His Secrets

[headless]

I hate to seem like a person who sees conspiracies everywhere, but I think that it may be possible that the Obama people set this whole Snowden thing up as an exercise in political jiu-jitsu to get conservatives to back off on their eager embrace of totalitarianism by making it possible to 'blame' the Obama administration for a situation caused in the Bush administration (via the sardonically named 'Patriot Act'.

It's sardonic because conservatives can't make the little leap to full blown irony.

Re the 'spam trap': The only time I had any trouble with it was when I was trying to post a link to the 'Schreiner's Sausage' website when I was waxing nostalgic one time about 1950's Phoenix.

Any time that I've had trouble with a spam filter was when I wrote my comment in word and attempted to paste it without writing any content original to the comment I was trying to post.

But, if YOUR comments get caught in the filter, all I can say is: "Ah feel yor pain!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:-}

[morecleanair]

Belated comment on the Yarnell settlements: I'm thinking that we have yet to see the lawsuits alleging that fire bosses were remiss in putting those hotshots in harm's way. Has anyone heard rumblings?

[AzReb, R. Perez]

mca,

It looks like the meteorologist who should have been on duty was not. Thus no one to read the weather pattern which was headed their way and shifted the winds 180 degrees.

It looks like the mandatory lookout was poorly positioned and unable to see the weather due to hills/mountains.

A couple of initial incident reports came out stating the above and were quickly hidden away.

Mother Nature and human error make for a very bad mix.

I'm sure the plan is to bury the info until the next Kardashian incident recaptures the public's attention.

[cal Lash]

Camus and the middle east
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/114030/camus-algerian-chronicles-new-english-translation
My hero is back

[cal Lash]

Schreiner's Sausage'
And they have Cajun Boudin sausage

[cal Lash]

My hero Camus is back:
Goggle this in the Republic:
What Camus Understood About the Middle East.

[cal Lash]

If they let Manning go tomorrow, I would bet within a year he would commit suicide. His sentence should be time served and 10 years of counseling and the military should pay for it?

[Emil Pulsifer]

Cal, very interesting link you provided on Camus and the Middle East:

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/114030/camus-algerian-chronicles-new-english-translation

I had no idea that Camus was as humane and intelligent as this -- at least at this later point in his writings (q.v. his political development and consequent falling out with Sartre). The actual quotes (e.g., from his letter to Kessous) are most impressive as both a writer and a thinker.

Of course, despite the many deep truths observed, to call French colonialists "indigenous" is quite absurd. (It is unclear from the article whether Camus actually applied such a term or if the commentator is applying it to Camus' position.)

That said, the term "indigenous" is actually quite weak as an argument for political self-determination (there are much better arguments). For example, if the "indigenous" are those whose ancestors came from the land rather than from some other land, then there are no indigenous inhabitants of North America since Homo sapiens migrated into the Americas from the Old World via formerly existing land bridges (e.g., Bering) or perhaps in some cases via boat.

Unlike the commentator, I also think that Camus' (or the commentator's) observations about indigenes have little direct relevance to the Middle East. Muhammad's Koranic revelations did not occur until 610 A.D. when he was 40 years old. The religion's historians, scriptures, and major sources begin in the seventh century A.D., and of course Judaism was much, much older; and even Christianity had been around for centuries and began, after all, in the Middle East.

So, militant Islam involved the displacement of these (and other traditional) religions of the region, and the expulsion of Christians or Jews today cannot in any sense be regarded as a return to "indigenous" forms.

That said, both Christians and Jews continued to maintain pre-existing communities and churches in North Africa (including Algeria) and the Middle East, however subject to prejudice and second-class citizenship, as well as in some cases periodic pogroms. So, the contemporary trend of complete intolerance shown by certain ultra-conservative modern sects (e.g., Wahhabi, which began with an 18th Century Saudi theologian named al-Wahhab, who was a modern fundamentalist).

The comparisons of modern Islamic extremists to the intolerance and absolutism of Soviet (particularly Stalinist) dogmatism and methodology is apt. Stalin's obsession with eliminating Trotskyites in the ranks of Spanish civil war partisans (as opposed to the Francoist enemy) is well documented. Similarly, Sunni extremists sometimes seem to hate Shiite muslims more than non-Muslims.

That said, they are sometimes willing to undertake the most surprising alliances because in order to get rid of the common enemy (the central government or an occupying force) they must ally with hated other sects and non-muslims. The reckoning may come later if the fanatics are sufficiently well organized and armed to overthrow a weak post-revolutionary popular front government, whether immediately or (as in parts of Eastern Europe) in steps.

[Emil Pulsifer]

The spam trap got my reply to Cal re Camus and the Middle East.

[headless]

Wasn't Snowden the kid who got cut in half by an airplane propeller in Catch-22?

There's a great metaphor there somewhere, but it would take Colbert's writing staff to see it, 'cause I don't.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Sorry, evidently I missed this truncation when replying to Cal:

"So, the contemporary trend of complete intolerance shown by certain ultra-conservative modern sects (e.g., Wahhabi, which began with an 18th Century Saudi theologian named al-Wahhab, who was a modern fundamentalist)" is definitely a recent development.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Posting this here is a bit self-indulgent, but someone I know thought it would appeal to critics of the Arizona Republic. This is an email I sent to the Republic regarding certain recent format changes. Some of the individual objections are trivial but the broader issues may be of interest:

Dear Ms. Van Tassel and associated editors/management.

First, I don't understand why this newspaper section's layout, title, content, and even typeface is constantly being changed every six months or so. It's as if there is, somewhere on the Arizona Republic premises, a Dilbert-ian "pointy-headed boss" who can only justify his existence by ordering arbitrary cosmetic changes and pretending that they will somehow lead to improved revenues. It used to be called Leisure, then Life & Leisure, then Arizona Living, and some other things as well, I think; and now Best Life. Why "best"? Best compared to what? Why does management hold the readership in such contempt? Is this the result of some idiotic focus group or other overpaid consultant's research, or just the brilliance of some individual manager?

The newspaper already made the mistake of getting rid of the best original content of the section, when it got rid of the catty but amusing local "celebrity news" writer (the female one, not the bald guy), replacing her column with some hopelessly sincere syndicated pabulum from USA Today. I don't give one diddly-damn about tittle-tattle involving the latest "celebrity" of the week; the only thing that turned the topic from drivel to entertainment was the blistering wit of the local writer.

Now you've gotten rid of the Scrabble-grams puzzle. How am I supposed to get some challenging anagrams in my daily paper when all that is left is the way-too-easy Word Jumble? The gentle, humane humor of Mutts is gone, yet Luann and Stone Soup remain to waste space and precious microseconds of time as my eyeballs skip over them in search of something comical on the comics page.

Finally, you justify all of this by saying that stuffing everything onto fewer pages gives more space for the veiled restaurant, retail, and tourism ads ("Things To Do") which you run. In fact, this is just another way for the newspaper to save precious pennies on ink and paper while saving space for revenue generating content: precisely the opposite of giving the readers what they want. Somebody should tell management that preventing readers from commenting (via Facebook tie-ins -- another revenue generating idea), firing journalists and other staff, replacing more original content with generic syndicated pieces, and making the newspaper progressively thinner while maintaining ad content, is not going to maintain readership, much less expand it. As for their lame digital subscription model recently unveiled, somebody should tell them that The Arizona Republic is not The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal, where original, high-quality content marketed to businessmen and movers and shakers might convince some that paying for access is worthwhile; and that if they expect the money to come rolling in now they're going to be waiting a long time with empty hands.

END

[AzReb, R. Perez]

Emil,

Thank you for your post on religion. It is great advertising for a line of T-shirts I will be promoting.

So far I have three basic subjects:

CHRISTIANITY -KILLING IN THE NAME OF GOD FOR OVER 2000 YEARS.

ISLAM - KILLING IN THE NAME OF GOD FOR OVER 1400 YEARS.

JUDIASM - DYING IN THE NAME OF GOD FOR OVER 3000 YEARS.

I'll be marketing the t-shirts to the eBay crowd so the t-shirts will cost only $1. However, shipping will be $35.

[Petro]

Haha, Emil, remind me to never get on your bad side. Funny though - although I haven't read a physical paper in years - I used to get exercised every time they went through their periodic "result of some idiotic focus group or other overpaid consultant's research, or just the brilliance of some individual manager."

the catty but amusing local "celebrity news" writer (the female one, not the bald guy)... I don't give one diddly-damn about tittle-tattle involving the latest "celebrity" of the week; the only thing that turned the topic from drivel to entertainment was the blistering wit of the local writer.

You are of course referring to the redoubtable humorist Suzanne Lambert. I, too, read her for her wit, not caring a whit about the content. I remember when she was pregnant she made reference to "the Lambryo." Great writer, great wit.

[cal Lash]

H20
http://www.azcentral.com/news/arizona/articles/20130815water-fears-rise-lake-powell-drops.html
Deny, deny. What part of Drought do they not understand.

[100 Octane]

Re: Water..
Even Forbes is covering this story..

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mindylubber/2013/08/16/lessons-from-a-drying-river/

They generally stay away from any story that isn't pro-growth or pro-business.

[headless]

The biggest enemy of print newspapers is that it is a rare occurrence to have the time to read one.

[cal Lash]

Emil, U know Sam?
"Sam Pulsifer is an Everyman suburban Nomad, a literary misadventurer who is insightful and doomed as he is heartbreakingly hilarious."
Per Hedidi Julavits.

Headless, I read newspapers as I love the feel and smell.

[cal Lash]

Petro is it true that the Beatles destroyed communism?

[Petro]

You've got to free your mind instead, cal.

[Petro]

cal, I ran across this interesting article about Camus on the French/Algerian "situation."

What Camus Understood About the Middle East

[cal Lash]

Petro, Thanks butlook up, I posted it twice a few days ago. And Emil responded to it.
Last night PBS did a special on how the Beatles destroyed the old soviet union.

[Petro]

Oops. I'll see if I can find that bit about the Beatles (and here I thought it was American Blue Jeans that done it.)

[cal Lash]

A tight pair of Levis can win wars/
Petro, Speaking of War, here is something more suitable to your critical thinking.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/08/16/the-human-terrain-system-sought-to-transform-the-army-from-within.html
When the Eggheads went to War

[cal Lash]

Bored? The CIA likes you bored and listening to your I-tunes.
A couple of links to remind you that the CIA runs the world.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/129497281/Lawrence-Victor-Harrison-Testimony-in-DEA-agent-Enrique-Camarena-Case-Ties-Contras-and-Drugs
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=6941
Further reading should be Gary Webbs, Series Dark Alliance for the San Jose Mercury newspaper or John Kerrys investigation into the same matter. Webb got ruined for his work and Kerry didn’t get elected probably because the CIA Swiftboated him.

[cal Lash]

I posted the above as a result of the Mexican governments release of Caro Quintero.
http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Mexican-court-orders-release-of-drug-lord-Rafael-Caro-Quintero_Friday-August-09-2013.
Quintero imprisoned for killing DEA Agent Carmarena was recently released from a Mexican “Hilton Prison” . Sources place the CIA present while Carmarena was being tortured for his knowledge of the corruption within the Mexican government.
And of course the CIA has nothing to do with the current problem in Egypt.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Petro, thanks for providing her name (Suzanne Lambert). I'd been wracking my brains trying to remember -- Googling didn't bring up any of her columns (probably not online). For awhile, they ran her stuff every day. Then they started alternating her with the bald guy (grrr...). I actually almost wrote to suggest they keep her and stop trying to reinvent the wheel, but somehow never got around to it. The next thing I know, they're running (cold shivers) USA Today celebrity news.

Lambert's old columns aren't the only thing that don't seem to appear on AZCentral. Even in news stories, the Webmoron there doesn't bother posting any of the sidebar stuff, so I have to clip it out if I want it. For example, two days ago the Republic had a story about the Governor's salary and compared it to other governors as well as other state officials. There was a sidebar listing all of the major state officials' salary, ranked in descending order of magnitude, with Brewer near the bottom (even lower was the state attorney general and the state treasurer). Quite an eye opener, but that information isn't in the online version. The same is true of graphic information accompanying stories on border security and immigration statistics, etc., etc. -- you name it.

So much for private enterprise providing incentives for competence, professional or otherwise.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Cal, I'm no relation to the fictional Sam Pulsifer. I understand there was a Benedict Pulsifer who lived in Massachusetts at the time of the Salem witch trials.

http://family.drumhop.com/getperson.php?personID=I6863&tree=1

I am in possession of a quaint letter penned to him by a contemporary living in Providence at the time, which is surely curious:

Brother:—

My honour’d Antient ffriende, due Respects and earnest Wishes to Him whom we serve for yr eternall Power. I am just come upon That which you ought to knowe, concern’g the Matter of the Laste Extremitie and what to doe regard’g yt. I am not dispos’d to followe you in go’g Away on acct. of my Yeares, for Prouidence hath not ye Sharpeness of ye Bay in hunt’g oute uncommon Things and bringinge to Tryall. I am ty’d up in Shippes and Goodes, and cou’d not doe as you did, besides the Whiche my ffarme at Patuxet hath under it What you Knowe, that wou’d not waite for my com’g Backe as an Other.

But I am not unreadie for harde ffortunes, as I haue tolde you, and haue longe work’d upon ye Way of get’g Backe after ye Laste. I laste Night strucke on ye Wordes that bringe up YOGGE-SOTHOTHE, and sawe for ye firste Time that fface spoke of by Ibn Schacabao in ye ——. And IT said, that ye III Psalme in ye Liber-Damnatus holdes ye Clauicle. With Sunne in V House, Saturne in Trine, drawe ye Pentagram of Fire, and saye ye ninth Uerse thrice. This Uerse repeate eache Roodemas and Hallow’s Eue; and ye Thing will breede in ye Outside Spheres.

And of ye Seede of Olde shal One be borne who shal looke Backe, tho’ know’g not what he seekes.

Yett will this availe Nothing if there be no Heir, and if the Saltes, or the Way to make the Saltes, bee not Readie for his Hande; and here I will owne, I have not taken needed Stepps nor founde Much. Ye Process is plaguy harde to come neare; and it uses up such a Store of Specimens, I am harde putte to it to get Enough, notwithstand’g the Sailors I have from ye Indies. Ye People aboute are become curious, but I can stande them off. Ye Gentry are worse than the Populace, be’g more Circumstantiall in their Accts. and more believ’d in what they tell. That Parson and Mr. Merritt have talk’d some, I am fearfull, but no Thing soe far is Dangerous. Ye Chymical substances are easie of get’g, there be’g II. goode Chymists in Towne, Dr. Bowen and Sam: Carew. I am foll’g oute what Borellus saith, and haue Helpe in Abdool Al-Hazred his VII. Booke. Whatever I gette, you shal haue. And in ye meane while, do not neglect to make use of ye Wordes I haue here giuen. I haue them Righte, but if you Desire to see HIM, imploy the Writings on ye Piece of —— that I am putt’g in this Packet. Saye ye Uerses every Roodmas and Hallow’s Eue; and if yr Line runn out not, one shall bee in yeares to come that shal looke backe and use what Saltes or Stuff for Saltes you shal leaue him. Job XIV. XIV.

I rejoice you are again at Salem, and hope I may see you not longe hence. I have a goode Stallion, and am think’g of get’g a Coach, there be’g one (Mr. Merritt’s) in Prouidence already, tho’ ye Roades are bad. If you are dispos’d to Travel, doe not pass me bye. From Boston take ye Post Rd. thro’ Dedham, Wrentham, and Attleborough, goode Taverns be’g at all these Townes. Stop at Mr. Bolcom’s in Wrentham, where ye Beddes are finer than Mr. Hatch’s, but eate at ye other House for their Cooke is better. Turne into Prou. by Patucket ffalls, and ye Rd. past Mr. Sayles’s Tavern. My House opp. Mr. Epenetus Olney’s Tavern off ye Towne Street, Ist on ye N. side of Olney’s Court. Distance from Boston Stone abt. XLIV Miles.

Sir, I am yr olde and true ffriend and Servt. in Almousin-Metraton.

Josephus C.

Strange old birds, to be sure...

[Petro]

That was an awesome read, Emil! I want to stop by Mr. Epenetus Oley's Tavern off ye Towne Street.

cal, I imagine you were referring to How The Beatles Rocked The Kremlin. I'm watching it now, and it's good fun.

I imagine the target demographic of contemporaneous Beatles fans have a somewhat outsized sense of how the rock from the West crashed their empire, but the boomer hippies in this empire have similarly charming, nostalgia-fueled memories of '60's culture's effects on war, civil rights, etc.

Beatles fans are heartwarming wherever you find them, so it's fun watching this.

[cal Lash]

A prized letter indeed, must be worth a fortune. Call Antique Road Show.

I presume the letter is written is some type of English but then I never could translate Shakespeare and do not watch English TV as I cannot understand those blokes.

[Suzanne]

“And of ye Seede of Olde shal One be borne who shal looke Backe, tho’ know’g not what he seekes.”
The natives of Utah have an accent that, to my ear, reminds me of this letter. In Utah, slow is the cadence with a slight drawl and an ig sound for the ing. So it’s, the know-ig or get-ig or be-ig. In this case, Josephus just writes g.
I love the reference to the “Roodmas” or Beltane (spring equinox), and “Hollow’s Eue”. These are old pagan holidays.

Your letter is very interesting Emil.

[cal Lash]

I could not understand that writing. maybe u all could provide a simple translation.

[eclecticdog]

My honour’d Antient ffriende, due Respects and earnest Wishes to Him whom we serve for yr eternall Power.

Love it. Thanks Emil. I think I'll begin all my posts on Rogue with that (or at least e-mails to cal!). And:

Ye Chymical substances are easie of get’g,...

So it has always been in 'Merica.

[Emil Pulsifer]

Chuckle...

[Emil Pulsifer]

I thought it was interesting that, for a while at least, some colonial land in the United States was communally owned; but it didn't take long for a reversion to full-private ownership, and when it did, pre-existing wealth was apparently the criterion for determining the divvy:

"The home was situated on the intersection of East Street and Hovey Lane. Across from his lot lay what had been the home of John Winthrop Jr.; son of the founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Ownership of this property entitled Benedict to the right of pasturage in the domain beyond the "common fence", but the felling of timber or cultivation of the common land was prohibited.

"In the mid 1600's these lands were held by all householders in common. This system was a vestigial relic of the ancient system of land holding in England and Germany and was naturally reverted to in the necessities of primitive colonial life. By 1664, the idea of permanent individual ownership had gained enough acceptance that the town voted that Plum Island, Hogg Island and Castle Neck be divided among those who had rights of commonage, based upon the amount of personal and property tax paid by each individual determined by lot. This right belonged to 203 individuals including Benedict."

Of course, even the ownership of the "common land", as originally arranged, was a highly privileged affair, reserved for the householders and not the indentured servants or other poor. Apparently, it was only (or primarily) after generations of indentured servants had finished their labor contracts and moved on that wealthier farmers began looking to import slaves for farm and other labor.

http://books.google.com/books?id=mY5jHIX1dqsC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79#v=onepage&q&f=false

[Emil Pulsifer]

P.S. The two paragraphs quoted in the comment above come from the genealogical link, not the Google Books link.

http://family.drumhop.com/getperson.php?personID=I6863&tree=1

[AzReb, R. Perez]

It's almost happy hour. Is the saloon still open?

Why is it politically incorrect to admit that Islamic countries NEED iron fisted dictators to keep things in check?

"Arab Spring" should stand for what happens when the lid of control is taken off Islamic societies. What springs forth is chaos, killing, destruction, indiscriminate slaughter of opposing sects.

Just saying.........................

[cal Lash]

I think the "Big Dog" shut down the site for a while until the postings got away from the fact the CIA has screwed up almost every time in 70 years making the world a "safer place?" I am sure they were glad to see AZ rebel telling us how bad them Islamic folks are conspiring to save the planet for Mohamed. The rebel considers anyone dangerous that would curtail alcohol and weed. I would join U Reb but them folks U drink with are to close to the Tea Party. Between the Feds and the militarization of police departments America has became a hostile and scary place to be. U cant even grow vegetables inside your own home without a swat team kicking down your doors and if you point a spoon at them they just swat your ass with big bullets.

[cal Lash]

Speaking of Big Dog:
the following site has been shut down.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/19/david-miranda-schedule7-danger-reporter

Scary

[homeless]

The rebel considers anyone dangerous that would curtail alcohol and weed.
Good instincts but hash production in Hezbollah controlled areas distribute very fine quality fresh hash to the Levant and Cairo.
Alcohol is HAGA MUMNUA for Koranic followers, not so much for hash. It is enjoyed outside of the presence of Americans because "They're so weird about it."

[cal Lash]

"The bambo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists"

[eclecticdog]

My honour’d Antient ffriendes, due Respects and earnest Wishes to Him whom we serve for yr eternall Power:

The politics of disposability at

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/americas_descent_into_madness_20130819//

A coworker of mine had a handicapped child go missing in his neighborhood. Phoenix PD and the FBI showed up at everyone's door and insisted they be allowed to do a sweep thru their homes for said child. They got a little testy when he said he was not comfortable with that.

[cal Lash]

PBS Has Mohamed
and Friday James Baldwin, Go tell it on the Mountain.
If u dont know Baldwin i recommend it.

[headless]

How did George Zimmerman transform from a man with martial arts training and an arrest record for physically attacking a cop and also beating up his own girlfriend into a 200 lb marshmallow?

[AzReb, R. Perez]

Zimmerman will get his. Like OJ, he escaped thanks to a stacked jury. Life will hand out justice in short order.

[cal Lash]

REB, Very sexist remark "Stacked Jury"

[cal Lash]

justice is being a short order cook?

[Petro]

headless: Jail food and angst.

[cal Lash]

Patriotism: Can U be a patriot, can you be a patriotic tea party member and logically support the NSA, the CIA and Homeland security? I think Patriots Paul Revere and George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson would be outraged at what we see today with the current assault on Americans under a democratic elected Democrat president. As a 73 year old conservative republican I am outraged at America.
Poor dumb Bradley Manning gets 3o plus years? We want to prosecute Assange and Greenwald and we illegally detain David Miranda. How about giving them a Nobel peace Prize and a free pass to live where ever they desire. More likely we will continue to chill America whistle blowers and that not working we will just drone their ass. Were I 30 I would find another country to live in. Whata u think?

[cal Lash]

Daniel Ellsberg for President and Ralph Nader as VP

[Homeless]

Arizona state voter suppression lawsuit filed in Federal District Court of Kansas(AKA Arizona East) yesterday. Effort to avoid 9th Circuit Court of Appeals review and forum shop for district court friendly judge.

A proposal to also have the Arizona legislative sessions be conducted in Topeka instead of Phoenix next on the agenda?

Kansas, Arizona and Oklahoma the crazy Southwestern US.

[AzReb, R. Perez]

"Stacked jury"

What'd you expect from a trial in Hooterville , FL ??

[eclecticdog]

I'm glad Manning only got 30 (might be out in 10, but I doubt that). Heard this morning that he wants to live as a woman now. The pissing his pants and tantrum he threw when getting his orders for Iraq should have clued the US Army he was troubled. Yet another important news story becomes farce.

I'm with you cal (and Albert Einstein), I should have moved overseas when I had the chance.

[Suzanne]

cal, I am certain that any place I would want to live (because I only know one language) also uses the same tactics as the U.S..

[cal Lash]

"Proper channels for whistle blowers are a sham" by Dana Milbank.

[headless]

"Whata u think?" Lash

I think you should get out of the Republican party. You don't belong there.

It's as anomalous as a Jewish SS officer or a Black Kleegle.

[cal Lash]

U mean Kleagle?
maybe if there is one good republican god might save the party?

[cal Lash]

U got to wonder what Jerry is smoking nowadays?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/22/jerry-brown-prisons-private_n_3799519.html
Or maybe he quit.

[cal Lash]

Obama the liberal" Ha

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/23/undocumented-immigrants-prison_n_3792187.html

Those that have the gold rule, sucker.

[eclecticdog]

Gov. Brown must be smoking the same stuff as Pres. Obama. They both have toked and know its harmless, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Don't expect any last minute pardons or policy changes when they leave office -- they are party men and will do what it takes to out kook the Kooks to keep their party in power. Besides, the speaking fees are very lucrative.

[cal Lash]

more folks for the corporate prisons.
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/23/the_rights_obsession_with_black_crime/
go Obama

[eclecticdog]

Also from Salon, this interview of Camille Paglia:

http://www.salon.com/2013/08/21/camille_paglia_it_remains_baffling_how_anyone_would_think_that_hillary_clinton_is_our_party%e2%80%99s_best_chance/

Haven't really read anything by her that I can remember, but maybe I should.

[azreb]

I question the timing of someone announcing they want to spend the rest of their life as a girl named Chelsea right after they are sentenced to 35 years in a men's prison.

Where did this guy get his top secret clearance ...Costco?

Either way. He's still a hero. Or heroine.

[cal Lash]

Read Paglia a long time ago. she got in trouble with the feminists over evolutionary rape.

[morecleanair]

The Morrison Commission recently published an update on their epic 2001 strategic piece: "5 Shoes Waiting to Drop". Believe Jon had some involvement. They chose to 'splain why Arizona had not made progress on educating and integrating Latino students. Makes good reading but also makes me sad to recall how much damage our dumshit legislature continues to inflict.

[cal Lash]

Camila Paglia, if U havent google her U might want to take a look.
I agree with her on Michel Foucault and I think Sartre was a real bore and Camus pegged him right as a bad commie.
Paglia has said that she is willing to have her entire career judged on the basis of her composition of what she considers to be "probably the most important sentence that she has ever written": "God is man's greatest idea."
and Snowden
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/23/edward-snowden-daniel-sheehan_n_3806135.html
is not a coward.

[Petro]

Reb, I guess it's just that Manning's gender dysphoria has hit the MSM (maybe green-lighted as a lame attempt to smear, I guess,) but anyone who has been following this hapless private's story closely is well aware of Chelsea. The timing is not coming from Manning (who has not been reticent about his transgender longings,) it's the timing of the general exposure of his predilections that is notable.

I will note, ruefully, that if this is a smear attempt, then it is yet another demonstration of ham-handed cluelessness... given the positive halo that gay culture has had in the zeitgeist, of late.