FFFF supports causes that promote intelligent, responsible and accountable government in Fullerton and Orange County
Category: About Us
Intelligent, Responsible, and Accountable. These are the general qualities we seek in our elected representatives – plus the independence and integrity required to be effective leaders.We intend to support candidates in Fullerton who possess the willingness and ability to use their independent intelligence in weighing public matters; who will be responsible to his or her constituents; and who will insist on accountability for all the actions that he or she takes. We will actively oppose incumbents who have failed to demonstrate the qualities described above; who fail to remember that they are servants of the public; who believe that being a “team player” is more important than principle; who don’t have the courage to stand on principle when it means standing alone; who are not humble enough to admit error and are incapable of learning from their mistakes; and those who fail to treat constituents with the respect and dignity they deserve. And we will oppose candidates who through their words or actions indicate that they would not provide intelligent and responsible leadership, accountable to citizens of Fullerton. If you agree with our philosophy, you are a friend of Fullerton’s future.
The Tom Daly Experience. The closer you look, the worse it gets...
It’s looking like County Clerk Tom Daly figures he can peddle any old bullshit to a Register reporter and get away with it. And he probably figures on an easy re-election this spring. That’s the arrogance of a career politician for you.
When questioned by the Reg’s Jennifer Muir about his sports hall of fame fiasco in which he paid “consultant” and campaign contributor Brett Barbre $48,000 to “study” the notion, Daly said he paid Barbre for “ideas, not long reports.” Not quite right, Mr. Daly. See, we read your contract with Barbre even if you didn’t. He was supposed to be doing research on the feasiblity of the scheme – a scheme, by the way, that falls way outside the County Clerk’s job description. That specifically included contacting similar entities.
Hey, those guys weren't in the phone book!
And here’s the kicker: we already had a hall of fame in the County – which apparently was located in Angel’s Stadium in the 80s and subsequently mothballed. And we got an e-mail from a gent who says he was one of the founders: Pete Donovan. Mr. Donovan asserts that nobody ever contacted him or fellow founders about this idea. Here’s Donovan’s e-mail:
Subject: Orange County Sports Hall of Fame
I am a founder of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. We began in 1980 with a huge banquet at the Anaheim Convention Center. Over the years, we inducted more than 70 athletes, coaches and contributors from Walter Johnson and Mickey Flynn to Jack Youngblood and Jim Fregosi. We eventually had a museum at Anaheim Stadium that has since been replaced by Angel offices (our artifacts are in storage). Nobody contacted me or other founders (including Cal State Fullerton Sports Information Director Mel Franks and long-time OC business and political leader Buck Johns) regarding research into a Hall of Fame — that existed 30 years ago. If someone was paid nearly $50,000 to do research they did an amazingly poor job. Sincerely, Pete Donovan
Gee. Barbre had time to go to Boston to “study” the issue at Fenway Park, but not not enough time to make a couple of local calls to people who had already given it a go. Come to think of it, maybe those were exactly the people Barbre and Daly didn’t want to talk to!
Well, that pretty well sums up the incompetence and/or corruption of the whole stinking pile.
Check out the indignant posts here and here, by outraged carpetbagg’ stalker Matthew J. Cunningham as he endeavors to bag and tag Villa Park’s Tom Umberg during the 1st Supe District Special Election in 2007. Jeez, Cunningham didn’t even live in the 1st District but boy was he bent all out of shape!
Wow! What huevos! Videotaping the neighborhood, snooping on the living arrangements of the entire Umberg family, including offspring, and generally making a nuisance of himself!
And so we recognize the intrepid Jerb for his cunning and resourcefulness –a full three years before our admin decided to visit the completely suspicious Casa Sidhu #3 – Sidhu’s third “residence” in but a single month.
At least that’s what Ackerman, Inc, would no doubt be saying about our recently elected State Assemblyman Chris Norby if their opinion mattered anymore. We just said it in a cheap attempt to grab your attention to read this post.
Will they wash his mouth out with soap?
What happened was that yesterday one of our typical idiot Assemblymen proposed a resolution declaring next week “anti-cursing week” (or something of the like).
To his credit, Norby stood up and denounced the measure as a complete waste of time in a state that is fiscally and managerially bereft. Apparently fellow legislator Sam Blakeslee from SLO joined Chris in making a statement about the state of the State; and a statement about the state of the State Assembly and all those stupid “_____ Week” resolutions they just love to pass.
Dear FFFF, the wife and I just rented the movie “Lenny” with Dustin Hoffman as the comedian Lenny Bruce. I almost immediately thought of your blog.
Lenny Bruce was well-aware of the power of mindless convention – the way our society hides its flaws and resists change by a smothering blanket of linguistic propriety.
In Fullerton the governing class has managed to perpetrate all of its follies for decades through an accepted code of silence masquerading as a brainless civility that would more accurately be described as servility. There has been zero accountability as amply demonstrated in your many Redevelopment series.
Neither the Observer crowd, nor the Rotarian types, nor the Chamber of Commerce types will breath a word of criticism about City Hall – hell no, that would be rude. And anyway, docility is just so much safer and nicer and even more profitable if you’re nice to the right people.
Other local blogs cloak themselves in a mantle of self-righteousness that is just a cover for their own naked prejudices, hypocrisies, inadequacies and self-interest. You can’t spend all your time kissing the backsides of corrupt politicos and hope to accomplish anything except getting chapped lips.
Just to let you know, I appreciate the gonzo journalism approach. When you’re fed up, mad as hell, can’t take it anymore, you have to shout. You are performing a civic duty that nobody else will touch.Thanks.
“Fullerton Rudy”
Well, thanks, Rudy. And thanks for being a Friend of Fullerton!
The other day I did a post about visiting the latest Harry Sidhu address and noted that I went up to the door and knocked on it. The door was opened and I asked for Harry. The woman who answered the door said Harry wasn’t there. I asked her if she knew that Harry was carpetbagging. She said that I should speak with Harry. I told her that I sent Harry an email, but I have not heard back from him. Then I said goodbye and left.
No threats, no intimidation, no trespass. Just a constituent trying to find out if his would-be representative actually lives in the district – not an unusual desire given the fact that this is the guy’s third voting address in four weeks.
Some folks in the local blogworld think I’ve done something wrong in trying to pin down the elusive Harry Sidhu by going to this address. It seems the sanctimonious bloggers at both the Blue and the Mauve County blogs who mask their own self-interest with empty talk about “reasoned debate” have their panties in a wad. The horror! Imagine – dropping in on a carpetbagger who has already cooked up one fake address just to see if he actually lives in a second. Why you’d think I had committed a home invasion!
Wrong, kids. Since local “journalists” don’t seem to be too interested in checking up on the legitimacy of carpetbaggers and scofflaws, I’m going to do it – a citizen checking up on the doings of politicians whose ambitions seem to know no bounds and who want so desperately to be my representative.
And if Harry “moves” again I’ll go visit that address, too. And you can come along.
Instead it is about the self-interested, war-mongering hypocrites of the both Repuglican and Democratic parties who believe that starting wars is good for America, and what’s good for America is good for everybody else.
Local Libertarian Andy Favor shared this youtube clip over at the Mauve County where the fat heads like to throw around meaningless phrases like “islamo-fascism” proving that they know nothing about Fascism, and hope that nobody else does either.
Thanks, Andy.
Yes, let’s admit it: George W. Bush was right in 2000.
I just came across this interview on the “Johnson for America Blog” involving OC Sheriff candidate, former Lt. Bill Hunt. Check it out. I am principally interested in this Q & A exchange on the subject of marijuana:
Josiah Schmidt: As an experienced law enforcement official, what is your opinion on the possibility that California might legalize marijuana in the next election?
Bill Hunt: It is the job of the sheriff to support and uphold the laws of the state. As it stands now, medical marijuana is legal in this state by a vote of the people. It is not the job of the sheriff to try to circumvent the will of the people by collaborating with the federal government. If marijuana is legalized I will treat it just like any other legal activity such as the use of alcohol. Responsible alcohol consumption is not a violation of the law. However, use by minors, driving under the influence, etc., are violations of law and they are enforced.
Wow.A comprehensive, straightforward, honest answer. Liberty, state’s rights, common sense, and no bullshit about waging the counterproductive and bank-breaking War on Drugs – or any other empty chest thumping slogans. Hmm.
Well, okay. It’s just talk. But I like what I’m hearing. I like it a lot.
FFFF gets thousands of visitors from Google, each searching the web for bits of Fullerton knowledge. Usually those searches are related to local politicos, civic minutiae or nasty rumors. Visitors are led deep into our cyber lair, where they are either offended, entertained or mind-bent, depending on their disposition.
But sometimes folks come to our website after searching for some pretty strange stuff. Below we have categorized the most interesting FFFF searches of 2009.
You’re In the Right Place
These Googlers probably found what they were looking for:
The Original Tarantula Building
is linda ackerman a irvine carpetbagger or not? – This one was settled
Well Friends, here they are – the 2009 Fringie Winners. You don’t really deserve this sort of punishment inflicted on you, but…well, hell, maybe you do! The competition was spirited in many of the categories. And by spirited I mean mind-numbingly depressing. And I’m just a dog! I had to take long breaks several times during the nomination and judging to water the fire hydrants along Brea Boulevard.
It was like getting hit with a broomstick all over again...
1. In the category of Least Distinguished Journalist it really wasn’t even close. The OC Register’s Frank Mickadeit took it going away for his complete lack of journalistic integrity. In the end the judges just didn’t feel that Sharon Kennedy or Barbara Giasone even really qualified as journalists. Martin Wisckol was given credit for showing up on the blog even tho’ it was merely to defend his embarrassing whoring for Ackerman, Inc.
2. In the category of the Worst Bureaucratic SNAFU, the judges were clearly impressed by not only the scope of thePoisoned Park disaster and its ongoing potential for more o’ same, but by city staff’s ability to avoid any and all responsibility for the multi-million dollar mess. Bravo, Mr. City Manager, you’re finally catching up with your predecessor, and that’s saying a lot!
3.Worst Vote of 2009. Bankhead, Jones, and Kellerfor the win of course, with their undying support of the Redevelopment expansion. And by win, of course, I mean disastrous loss for everyone outside the Redevelopment Department.
4. In the category of Scariest Ghost of Fullerton Past, we had an eerily close call. Yet despite the frightening surprise visitation from my former broomstick-wielding mistress Jan Flory, the judges were absolutely horrified by the noxious vapor of Linda LeQuire, conjured up by Ackerman Inc. out of some fetid and accursed burial ground, to smear Chris Norby. It didn’t work, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
5. In the category ofStupidest Statement Made in Publicwe again had a tough decision. In a year when Dick Jonessaid so many idiotic things and Pam Keller claimed (with a perfectly straight face) to be a “fiscal conservative,” a dark horse nominee grabbed the brass ring. And by dark horse nominee I mean the daffy, loud-mouthed nincompoop member of “Pam’s Posse”and her crazy-funny “why Pam should be mayor” rhetorical ramble through the brambles. Go ahead and watchit. We dares ya!
6. In the Government Small Change Adds Up category the award goes to the Roscoe’s Famous Nuisance Noise Study, a wonderful example of ill-conceived bureaucratic waste on a small scale that makes us really worried about the big stuff.
7. The Most Entertaining and/or Disturbing Image of 2009. Barney Wewak for the win. Aw, c’mon, was there ever any doubt? The picture even has a dog in it. Arf!
The Friends For Fullerton's Future Have Friends Around the World...
8. Best Vote 2009. This one was pretty easy for the judges since by the time they got around to this category they had inhaled copious amounts of medicinal weed acquired from the Dick & MaryJane Jones Dispensary. Our old friendSharon Quirk-Silvagets a double victory for seeing the proverbial light on the God-awful McDonald’s relocation; and also for opposing that fraudulent Redevelopment expansion.
9. Our final category is theMost Awful Political Candidate of 2009, and it goes to none other thanChris Norby for his abortive County Clerk campaign. Rarely had the judges seen such a blatant fixation on public sector job preservation and such a mismatch of skill set to position. The campaign slogan “Preserving Your Vital Records” was so insipid and so lame I have to lift my leg on it. Again. There. Clean up in aisle #9! Well deserved Fringie, indeed!
Finally, the Judging Committee decided to award three special Fringies in 2009 in order to recognize excessively, aesthetically unattractive behavior on the part of some of our political personalities.
10. Special Fringie #1. The call by Pam Kellerfor a City-run blog – with no bloggers – was such a wonderful monument to fatuousness and political tone-deafness that as a statement and an act it really was in a class by itself. You can enjoy our original post here and listen to Keller’s statement. Well done, Pam! You excelled yourself.
11. Special Fringie #2. Well of course we had to acknowledge Linda Ackerwomanwhose scampaign in the 72nd must be considered positively evil (yes the judges said evil!) by any normal person. This creature did not qualify in the most Awful Political Candidate category since the whole operation seemed more like a jail break than a campaign. Who knows how many hundreds of simoleons per vote this cipher and her Sacramento-organized goons wasted. Oh well. It least it wasn’t our dough!
12. Special Fringie #3. The judges believed that they would have been remiss without a tip o’ the Fringed cap to Congresscritter-for-life Ed Royce, the rat who managed to swim away from the giant suction-vortex of the sinking S.S. Ackerman and happily scampered up the waiting rope ladder onto the S.S. Norby. Well done little rodent!
And so friends, that concludes the 2009 Fringie Awards. We hope you have enjoyed them as much as we have enjoyed bringing them to you. And if you didn’t, tough.
Here’s looking forward to a new year filled with wonderful material from our favorite folks in Fullerton!
what does the fullerton police department do right?
Just Plain Crazy
