« January 2008 | Main | March 2008 »
February 29, 2008
Joke?
I thought maybe it was April Fools Day when I read this E-R article: "Aggressive goose detained by police."
"A Canada goose that police said went after a dog and refused to let the canine's owner out of her Newport Drive home was taken into custody about 8:15 a.m. Sgt. Linda McKinnon said the goose seemed to have an issue with the dog. She said it also acted aggressively toward other people on the street, which is in a north Chico neighborhood off East Eaton Road. The officer somewhat regrettably placed the bird in the back seat of her patrol car until animal control officers arrived. They took the goose to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Officials and others who saw the goose said it maintained a defiant look on its face throughout the incident."
First, let me state the obvious. Police officers consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to protect us. Sgt. McKinnon deserves a medal for her heroic response.
Second, after this incident, I'm expecting Councilor Tom Nickell to demand an aggressive policy response to Canadian geese who clearly don't respect American dogs. Chief Bruce Hagarty better be prepared to submit a full report to the City Council on how to prevent future incidents.
Third, can we check whether this goose was taking anabolic steroids?
And lastly, who's going to send this headline to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno? Someone needs to send a print version to verify the authenticity of the story.
UPDATE: The original online E-R story is now headlined "Jail bird: Ferocious goose terrorizes north Chico street." Okay, this new headline is a definite Leno winner.
The updated story is now full of juicy details involving chasing, more chasing, and lots of terrorizing. My only disappointment is that this story didn't end, albeit brutally, with a police officer using a taser gun to fry the goose.
Photo credit: Ty Barbour of the Enterprise-Record.
Today's Scrabble word is roose, or to praise.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (16)
February 28, 2008
Prayer
It's not often I get to defend Assemblymember Rick Keene.
But based on my reading of this controversy brewing in the State Capitol over a fellowship group he participates in, I'm on Keene's side.
According the The Sacramento Bee:
"Ralph Drollinger, who played basketball at UCLA in the 1970s and now heads Capitol Ministries, criticized lawmakers who participate in a separate fellowship group that embraces people of all faiths without insisting that they accept Jesus Christ as Messiah."
The article continues:
"Assemblyman Rick Keene, a Chico Republican who sponsors the fellowship group criticized by Drollinger, said simply that "we feel that we're doing what God wants us to do – and I'm sure he does, too." Keene, a Protestant, said the fellowship group also meets in the Capitol and is committed to "gathering together around Jesus Christ" to pray and study Scripture. "I don't have any critical thoughts of him," Keene said of Drollinger, who angered some legislators several years ago by calling Catholicism a "false religion" and by saying that it is sinful for a woman lawmaker to be away from her children four days a week while in Sacramento."
Drollinger needs to chill out. Let lawmakers like Keene practice their faith and interact with people of other faiths the way they feel comfortable without judging them.
Drollinger's public view towards female lawmakers, let alone any working woman, is already demeaning.
I don't think Keene, or any lawmaker for that matter, should feel any need to prove their commitment to their faith to a guy like Drollinger whose views about women and Catholicism are clearly offensive.
Today's Scrabble word is istle, a stong fiber.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2008
Andy's Club
Councilor Larry Wahl won't be pleased to hear this news, but I hear local citizens are organizing to form a Butte County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
During his State of the City address earlier this year, Wahl referred to the ACLU as "Andy's club" in referencing Mayor Andy Holcombe in Wahl's disparaging remarks about the ACLU's position against the Disorderly Events ordinance.
I think Wahl is so forward-thinking that I'm going to suggest that organizers form a Butte County Chapter of Andy's Club. Andy's Club sounds way cooler than ACLU.
With a Butte County Chapter of Andy's Club, you won't need to travel to Ogden, UT to enjoy Andy's Club.
Today's Scrabble word is muggins, or a card game.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (2)
February 26, 2008
This Week
This E-R headline cracked me up: "General Plan promises to be unifying topic this week."
Why? Well, for starters, the operative words are "this week."
That's great the Board of Supervisors are meeting jointly with various City Councils, but meeting together is not the same as unifying.
And while they may be unifying this week, I don't expect them to be unified in the future.
In fact, I would argue that the entire process of developing a General Plan is about balancing and sometimes choosing competing values and interests over each other. That's hardly unifying.
Tough choices will have to be made about growth - urban boundaries, revenue sharing allocations, appropriate development density targets, and essentially where the County should steer development.
When those choices are made, it's not going to unify people. Those decisions are going to make some people satisfied and others very upset. Such is the nature of these tough land-use decisions.
There's even a debate right now brewing over whether the Butte County General Plan should include a "Water Element."
The current General Plan has 11 elements, including Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Seismic Safety, Safety, Noise, Scenic Highways, Recreation, Agriculture.
Given the importance of water issues in our County, it seems to make sense to have a section in the General Plan exclusively dealing with water issues.
But at the very least, if the meetings this week aspire to be unifying, then perhaps meeting organizers might consider playing this song at the beginning of these meetings to set the tone:
Peace, Unity, Love. And having fun.
That should be the new tag line for the "Butte County General Plan 2030."
More people might attend these General Plan meetings if they knew the goal was peace, unity, love, and having fun.
Speaking of peace, unity and love, the next General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting for the City of Chico is on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the City Council Chamber Building, Conference Room 1.
Today's Scrabble word is braws, or fine clothes.
Posted by dan_nt at 09:03 PM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2008
Security
When the Kirkwood, MO incident at a City Council meeting occurred, killing five people, I couldn’t help but think of my own years serving on the Chico City Council.
While sitting during Council meetings, did I ever think: “What would I do if an angry or disturbed person suddenly started shooting at a Council meeting?”
Quite frankly, the answer is yes.
The thought came across my mind several times, but not because I felt any direct threat or fear.
When you’re in the public eye, you interact with a lot of different people, including some whose behavior occasionally appears erratic or regularly angry.
I came across several people on a regular basis who at times made me pause, at the very least, because their personality types made me think they could snap one of these days at a Council meeting.
I couldn’t imagine what the surviving elected officials in Kirkwood, MO have to deal with now.
But the incident has at least provoked the Police Chief and Chico City Council to consider reasonable, improved security measures during meetings.
I'm not in favor of spending significant public safety resources on City Council or public meetings security, but I certainly think it's worth the time to go over emergency preparedness with Councilors and staff.
Today's Scrabble word is delt, or shoulder muscle.
Posted by dan_nt at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2008
Huckaboom
Mike Huckabee continues to articulate his message while hoping for a "miracle". John McCain might be irritated that Huckabee is still in the race, but if he's smart he'd pick Huckabee as his Vice-Presidential candidate.
At least Huckabee has a sense of humor:
By the way, can President George W. Bush's approval rating go any lower than 19%?
Today's Scrabble word is vestal, or chaste.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2008
Developer Fees
The Chico Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to raise development impact fees on new residential construction, but tabled any decision on implementing a fee on new commercial and industrial construction until next month.
The Board of Trustees obliged with the request by the Building Industry Association and Chamber of Commerce for 30 days to review the proposed fee.
CUSD staff believe charging developer fees on new commercial and industrial construction is appropriate, especially since almost every other school district already charges this fee.
Critics of the proposed fee argue that just because a other school districts charge this fee, it doesn't mean CUSD should starting charging the fee too. But proponents contend that commercial and industrial growth, like residential, has an impact and demand on school operations and services.
If the new developer fee passes, I guess Wal-Mart Supercenter advocates can make the case that a new Wal-Mart will mean more revenue for schools.
At the very least, the lengthy Wal-Mart environmental review and planning process has meant more revenue for the E-R's advertising budget.
Today's Scrabble word is ilex, or a holly.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2008
Open Seat
When Supervisor Curt Josiassen changed his vote on the proposed M&T gravel mine, several local political observers assumed his changing vote signaled his firm intention to run for re-election.
Josiassen’s original vote in favor of the gravel mine seemed to run counter to the preferences of many citizens living in his district.
Did he change his vote to try to make amends, or did he just see the writing on the wall once his colleague Bill Connelly provided the critical third vote opposing the gravel mine last month?
Since that unpopular vote, there was growing speculation about more possible challengers to Josiassen in his reelection bid.
But now that Josiassen has announced that he won’t be seeking re-election, it’s not clear why Josiassen ended up voting to deny the gravel mine permit after he initially favored it.
I doubt he was hoping to run on a John Kerry-like platform of “I voted for the M&T Ranch before I was against it.”
But with Josiassen not seeking re-election, the floodgates have already opened for new candidates seeking the expected open seat.
With no incumbent running, the 4th District Butte County supervisor race is now starting to look like this Dixie Chicks song:
Former Paradise Mayor Steven Lambert and political newcomer Mark Jensen have indicated their intentions to file campaign paperwork.
And recently John Bryne, chair of the Butte County Republican Party, announced his intention to move to the district to run.
I’ve had positive interactions with Byrne when he was trying to develop property in north Chico. Interestingly, Byrne’s announcement has already elicited mixed reactions and head scratching from local Republicans for reasons only local GOP insiders can fully explain.
Local Republican leaders and insiders - do they even like each other? I think I like them personally more than they like each other.
I wouldn’t be surprised if more candidates step into the race. Potential candidates from Gridley, Biggs, and perhaps a few more from the Chico-area may step in.
There will be a lot of insider jockeying for support. There's actually not a lot of time between now and the June primary to organize a serious campaign so you can imagine potential candidates are scrambling to line up endorsements and build a campaign team.
Maybe we’ll see Assemblymembers Rick Keene and Doug LaMalfa backing different candidates in their ongoing proxy battles which seem to be surfacing in every open seat lately from State Assembly, to Congress, and perhaps eventually with the 4th District Butte County supervisor's seat.
Now that Josiassen has announced his intention, he'll have plenty of time to say his goodbyes:
Today’s Scrabble word is herl, a feathered fishing lure.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 21, 2008
Xerox
Here's some change you should not Xerox.
Hillary Clinton's campaign is just grasping at straws trying to make this plagiarism accusation against Barack Obama.
She's not going to win Texas and Ohio by trying to paint Obama's campaign as simply grounded in borrowed words.
Unlike Obama's campaign, which has almost been flawless, Clinton's campaign proves once again that its messaging is way off target.
Today's Scrabble word is knar, a bump on a tree.
Posted by dan_nt at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)
Greendance
New name. Same great events. That seems to be the pitch for The Greendance Film Festival.
This is the film festival formerly known as Ch·Eco Film Fest. Kind of like the artist formerly known as Prince.
Hosted by Chico State and the Chico Sustainability Group, The Greendance Film Festival will be held from Feb. 28 to March 2.
Once again, an incredible group of volunteers have planned an informative, entertaining line-up of events and films.
At the very least, university and community leaders on the forefront of the local environmental movement are making it easier to be green.
Community members like Kim Weir, Michele Lott, Elizabeth Devereaux, Kristin Cooper Carter, Karen Goodwin, and too many others to list are leading the way.
Today's Scrabble word is dom, a title given to certain monks.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2008
Lift Ban
I'm dedicating this old Britney Spears video to the E-R's David Little.
The E-R got mentioned in USA Today's article "Media not helping Britney's public collapse."
While most media outlets continue to cover Spears, the E-R was noted for taking the opposite approach. The article published:
"Then there's the Chico Enterprise-Record. The 32,000-circulation daily in Chico, Calif., declared a month-long moratorium on Spears stories on Jan. 20 and is considering extending the ban for another month. Nobody has complained, the paper continues to publish, life goes on — just without Britney Spears news. But maybe the reason Chico readers didn't complain is that it doesn't matter — there are countless other places to find Spears news these days."
But life doesn't go on. While some might think the E-R has taken a principled stand for journalistic integrity, I'm going to start complaining about this unfair and dare I say unpatriotic ban.
In fact, I've already created an online petition and hope you'll join the hundreds, if not thousands, of E-R readers who believe Britney Spears matters enough to warrant at least as much coverage as the Butte County Board of Supervisors.
Please join the "Chico E-R Lift Ban on Britney Spears Coverage!" online petition now.
Tell the E-R's editors we want Britney back. We don't care about the weather or mosquito abatement.
Today's Scrabble word is posy, or bouquet.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (10)
February 19, 2008
Lunar Eclipse
Above is a video from last year's lunar eclipse. If the weather clears up tomorrow night, we'll see the total lunar eclipse starting at 7:01 pm and ending at 7:51 pm.
With primary voters making their choices in Wisconsin and Hawaii tonight, we'll see who is the earth and who is the moon in this competitive Democratic race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
I predict Obama will be the one casting a shadow on Clinton's moon tomorrow.
Sort of like the shadow all school board members are feeling about the painful fiscal cuts they must make this year.
By the way, if the weather doesn't clear up for the lunar eclipse and you end up having to stay inside, crank up this song and belt your heart out:
Today's Scrabble word is cud, a portion of the food to be chewed again.
Posted by dan_nt at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2008
Tour de Ed
The first annual Tour de Ed will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Proceeds will go to the Chico Cyclist Care Fund to help Chico Velo's Ed McLaughlin.
You can register online here. The ride begins at 10 am from the Chico City Hall Parking Lot.
You can also keep up with Ed's progress on the Chico Velo site. His partner, Suzanne, is very kind to share updates with everyone interested in Ed's progress.
Also, the following week at 4 pm on Wednesday, Feb, 27 at 4:00PM the new Steve Harrison Memorial Bike Path will officially be dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Steve Harrison Memorial Bike Path runs from 20th Street to Honey Run Road. According to Rodney Cox of Chico Velo:
"Steve Harrison was one of the biggest advocates for this bike path, and always pushed to have this path installed. And if you haven't been on it yet, it is a GREAT path!! The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place on the 20th Street side of the bike path - go straight down 20th until you get to the path, and the party will be there. Looking forward to seeing you all!"
Today's Scrabble word is eyre, or journey.
Posted by dan_nt at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2008
Jeff Morris
Trinity County Supervisor Jeff Morris has stepped up to run in the Democratic primary in June. If he wins the primary, he'll challenge Wally Herger in the 2nd Congressional District general election.
According to his press release:
“A 4th-generation Trinity County resident, Morris brings to the table both an understanding of the area’s traditional pioneer values and a slate of forward-thinking strategies to deal with today’s economic challenges. Morris comes from a family whose history of public service and private enterprise experience in Northern California goes back more than half a century. Morris Hardware was a fixture in Trinity County and the north state for decades and many members of the Morris family have served in elected positions within Trinity County. Supervisor Morris and his wife Judy are active citizens of Trinity County along with both having successful business careers.”
In 2006, AJ Sekhon beat Bill Falzett in the Democratic primary to serve as the sacrificial lamb in losing to Herger 33% to 64% in the general election. Sekhon didn’t run much of campaign with very limited resources.
I’m not sure if Sekhon, Falzett, or other Democrats plan to run in the primary, but Morris may offer a better alternative than past candidates as a seasoned local elected official with a business background and long-time family ties to the region.
An experienced local elected official like Morris might capitalize on general disenchantment with President George W. Bush’s policies and Herger’s near rubber-stamp of Bush to offer a credible challenge.
As his press release notes:
”Supervisor Morris has been a driving force behind the financial turnaround of Trinity County. When he took office in January of 2005, the county was on the edge of bankruptcy, its only hospital was failing, and it lacked the information-technology infrastructure necessary to attract new business. Today, Trinity’s hospital is back on its feet after creation of a new independent hospital district, the county’s bond rating has been upgraded from junk to investment status, and it is one of four counties that are on a fast track for the expansion of broadband Internet, which will allow Trinity’s citizens and businesses to more fully participate and compete in an interconnected world. Supervisor Morris believes he can bring this same type of forward movement to the counties of the 2nd Congressional District."
Herger is seeking his 12th term having already served for 22 years by the end of this year. Maybe Herger has his eyes set on Congressman John Dingell's longevity records.
While he sits on powerful House committees due to his longevity, even the E-R – known to consistently back Herger – wrote this less-than enthusiastic statement two years ago:
"As Herger seeks an 11th two-year term, we're concerned he has lost the drive to innovate....Lately he's a follower in Congress, not a leader."
Morris is already reaching out to key potential allies.
The key test for Morris is to build a strong grassroots support base and raise significant campaign cash to demonstrate to people that he is more serious than past candidates.
Today's Scrabble word is thuja, an evergreen tree or shrub.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (5)
February 16, 2008
Kind Acts
According to a Washington Post blog, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:
"...noted that the Democratic presidential primary has boiled down to two candidates: "A New York senator who was born in Illinois, and an Illinois senator who was apparently born in a manger."
Obama may not have been born in a manger, but he lent me his jacket. Apparently, he's also done many other kind acts like saving his dessert for you.
Just hilarious.
Today's Scrabble word is ague, or fever.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2008
Dude
Last year the City of Chico passed a law banning "coasting devices" from City Plaza after complaints about skateboarding.
Here's a video showing how not to handle law breakers. Yes, the kid was in violation for skateboarding in that particular public space and he doesn't know how to properly address an officer.
But Officer Salvatore Rivieri, who was suspended from his Baltimore job with pay, was clearly overreacting.
He's so excessive with his tough love approach that I was waiting for him to tell these kids to start doing 100 push-ups, followed by jumping jacks.
In the video, Officer Rivieri also says: "If you call me dude one more time. ... Are you from the county or something?"
Funny he should make this statement because this is exactly what I always tell Supervisors Maureen Kirk and Jane Dolan whenever I see them. Are you from the County or something? And stop calling me dude. My name is Dan.
Too bad Officer Rivieri didn't have a Disorderly Events ordinance to enforce too. He might have yelled at everyone else in the surrounding area.
I'm done typing for the day. It's time to go back to work at the ranch. Dude.
Today's Scrabble word is sprent, or sprinkled over.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2008
Chef's Event
The third annual California Nut Festival is approaching on Feb 21-24.
The four-day festival is full of wonderful highlight activities, including The Chef's Event on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 11am and 4pm at Sierra Nevada Brewery’s Big Room.
There's no shortage of good eating opportunities in the region with an emerging Slow Food movement, top notch local caterers, and plentiful supply of fresh ingredients.
The Chef's Event features Deborah Madison, the founding chef of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco.
Casey Elston writes:
"Deborah Madison will bring a plateful of accomplishments to Chico. She worked for Alice Waters at the world famous Chez Panisse in Berkeley before opening her own restaurant, Greens, in San Francisco. Greens became one of the most acclaimed vegetarian restaurants ever. Madison ultimately gave up the life of a restaurateur to write a number of award-winning cookbooks about vegetarian dishes of all sorts, including scores of recipes that include locally grown nuts as a primary ingredient. Madison is familiar with Northern California, having been raised in Davis. She recently interrupted her hectic schedule to discuss her career and philosophy, and even provided a sneak preview about the nutty piece-de-resistance that will be on the menu for the Big Room’s lucky attendees."
You can secure online tickets here.
Today's Scrabble word is croton, a tropical plant.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2008
Highway Mess
Last last year we experienced toilet paper hazards creating havoc on a highway.
As the E-R reports, now we're dealing with plastic water bottles.
"According to the California Highway Patrol, a truck has lost "numerous water bottles" on Highway 149, just east of the Highway 99 interchange. The plastic water bottles have at least temporarily closed 149, and the CHP is contacting Cal-Trans for help with the clean up."
What's going on? I'm starting to connect the dots.
I think radical environmental activists are trying to send a message to everyone - reduce your driving, use one toilet paper square per sitting, and don't buy plastic water bottles.
It's a brilliant tactical move. The only fact that would make these stories better is if the trucks transporting these goods were owned by Wal-Mart.
Today's Scrabble word is fatuity, or foolishness.
Posted by dan_nt at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2008
john.he.is
will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas created a popular viral video promoting Barack Obama.
Now some creative types have spoofed the video with a critique of John McCain.
I find this spoof hilarious.
Below is the original video for Obama:
Today's Scrabble word is grotty, or wretched.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 11, 2008
Come Home
Given concerted efforts to rid Chico of its party image, I don't expect this classic song sung by Loretta Lynn and Jeannie Riley will be featured in CEPCO's latest campaign to entice Chico State alumni to "Come Home to Chico."
I applaud CEPCO's efforts to "Retain Talent in Chico, Recruit Talent back to Chico."
Many alumni would love to return to Chico if they can balance professional work and quality personal life. Some of Chico's best companies were founded by Chico State alumni who returned or never left town.
The "Come Home to Chico" campaign attempts to "capitalize on the affinity that Chico State Alumni have for the campus and to provide jobs, opportunities to return to Chico for visits, investment and business start-up opportunities."
You can learn more about "Come Home to Chico" efforts here.
Today's Scrabble word is garrote, or strangle.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2008
Pitchman
Arnold Schwarzenegger's endorsement helped deliver a California win for John McCain last Tuesday.
Clearly his years of service as a hired international pitchman helped him "sell" McCain to voters.
Too bad his wife, Maria Shriver, couldn't persuade enough California voters for her endorsed candidate Barack Obama.
After watching these videos, I prefer the meditative Schwarzenegger over the maniacal Schwarzenegger.
Today's Scrabble word is dobby, or a fool.
Posted by dan_nt at 10:16 PM | Comments (1)
February 09, 2008
Caucus
Yes I've joined the chorus of millions.
Today I'm in Seattle spending my day volunteering for Barack Obama's campaign for this afternoon's Washington State caucus. The Obama headquarters in Seattle was abuzz with activity.
I'm looking forward to observing how the caucus system works. In theory, I'm not a big fan given that you have to physically show up to vote during a specific period of time and make your vote public in front of strangers.
For example, if you work on Saturday afternoon, then you don't get to participate in the caucus. Pretty lame.
Yesterday afternoon Obama spoke to 18,000+ supporters in Seattle's Key Arena yesterday, along with several thousand more listening outside.
I happened to stand in the right place at the right time as Obama walked by me, shook my hand and several others, before making his way to deliver his speech. All I can say is: great smile, firm grip, and he's walking like a candidate who's moving ahead, not behind.
Hillary Clinton spoke the day before and drew 5,000+ supporters. John McCain held a public event in downtown Seattle hotel last night and attracted 400 people. These small numbers reflect the lack of enthusiasm many Republicans feel about McCain.
I thought about attending the McCain event so I could just yell "we will not surrender to terror," but instead I surrendered to a hungry appetite and had dinner with friends.
The most impressive aspect of Obama's campaign is that it's inspiring a new generation of voters to get involved. While his supporters cut across demographic categories, he's clearly the candidate drawing new, young voters to the polls.
I've heard Obama in Boston in 2004 for the Democratic National Convention, in San Diego for the California Democratic Party Convention, and in Oakland and San Francisco for rallies. It's been interesting to hear his speeches evolve over time.
I hope to see him speak in person again in January 2009 if he becomes President.
But for now, I get to witness this caucus system in action today:
Today's Scrabble word is bonny, or pretty.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (3)
February 08, 2008
Super Delegates
Not surprisingly, John McCain will be the Republican nominee for President.
Mitt Romney "suspending" his campaign wast just a matter of time.
Now we're left with Mike Huckabee to continue trying to position himself as the best Vice-Presidential candidate to appease some conservative and evangelical voters who have significant misgivings about McCain.
I'd love, however, to keep seeing Ron Paul nag McCain on Iraq, who apparently is fine with keeping American troops in Iraq for 100 years.
As for the Democrats, the battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is forcing many people to learn more about the intricacies of the delegate selection and voting process.
There's a good chance that neither Clinton or Obama win enough pledged delegates through the various primaries and caucuses, which means these super delegates become increasingly important.
Who are these super delegates? They're mainly party insiders - big wig current and former elected officials, along with activists who are elected by other party officials to become members of the Democratic National Committee.
Chico is home to one such Democratic super delegate - Bob Mulholland, who is no stranger to politics in town and in the state.
According to one super delegate tracking list, it appears Mulholland has not pledged his support to any candidate.
Mulholland is likely receiving many calls from Clinton and Obama supporters trying to persuade him to support a candidate.
The super delegate situation is interesting. Most of them are party insiders who, in past elections, don't feel any desire or need to pledge support to any candidate because they want to pledge their vote to the clear-cut nominee leading up to the convention.
This year, however, super delegates like Mulholland might be placed in a very powerful but complicated situation if voters don't settle the Democratic nomination before the August convention.
Super delegates are not beholden to vote for any candidate. They may consider how their state or region voted to inform them of their decision, but ultimately its a personal decision based on whatever factors they deem important.
For example, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer has not endorsed any candidate. All Senators are super delegates.
Does Boxer support Clinton because Clinton won the popular vote in California, or Obama since he won San Francisco and Marin counties where her political base is strongest? Does Boxer go with Clinton because of her long-time personal ties with her, or with Obama because his progressive brand of politics more closely mirrors Boxer's?
Today's Scrabble word is mayhap, or perhaps.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2008
Yes, I Will!
North Valley Community Foundation announced earlier this week that its assets reached $5.5 million.
Redding's private foundation, The McConnell Foundation, has an asset base roughly $425 million built on Farmers Insurance Group money.
Butte County doesn't have a major private foundation like The McConnell Foundation, but it's great to see NVCF starting to reach a critical mass of assets as a community foundation.
Community foundations save people time and money from starting their own private foundations or managing donor funds.
For anyone interested in leaving a legacy for the region, I can think of no better resource for estate or planned giving than NVCF.
Today's Scrabble word is dubitable, or uncertain.
Posted by dan_nt at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)
February 06, 2008
Voter Figures
While I was interested in the election outcomes, I was even more interested in seeing the voter turnout in each primary.
You can’t compare apples to apples since California Democrats allows independents to vote in its primary, whereas the short-sighted California Republican Party only allows registered Republicans to vote in its primary.
The Butte County Elections Division has not released preliminary figures on the number of independents who voted in the Democratic primary, but 21,888 Butte County people voted in the Democratic primary.
That’s 628 more people voting in the Democratic primary based on 21,260 Butte County voters casting ballots in the Republican primary.
What does this mean? Well, Butte County has a history of voting for Republican Presidential candidates.
However, it’s expected that turnout for Democratic candidates will be huge in 2008 and the primary voter turnout in Butte County is a good sign for local Democrats.
In fact, here are the registered voter figures in November 2006:
DEM 39,984 (34.57%)
REP 47,570 (41.13%)
AI 3,120 (2.70%)
GRN 2,188 (1.89%)
LIB 874 (0.76%)
PF 490 (0.42%)
DTS 20,563 (17.78%)
MISC 870 (0.75%)
TOTAL 115,659 (100.00%)
Now compare those November 2006 figures with the registered voter figures for February 2008:
DEM 41,522 (34.75%)
REP 47,562 (39.81%)
AI 3,480 (2.91%)
GRN 2,027 (1.70%)
LIB 1,192 (1.00%)
PF 500 (0.42%)
DTS 22,249 (18.62%)
MISC 946 (0.79%)
TOTAL 119,478 (100.00%)
There are 1,538 more Democratic voters registered in Butte County now than in 2006, while there are 8 less Republican registered voters. In other words, the Republican Party has lost ground even in Butte County.
Keep in mind, however, that independents, or Decline to State (DTS) voters are large chunk of voters and their numbers have increased by 8.2% since November 2006. I suspect a high percentage of these DTS voters are conservative-leaning but for whatever reason don't feel strongly about the Republican Party.
The figures are worst in the City of Chico for the local Republican Party. There are now 17,447 (38.29%) registered Democrats in Chico, compared to 15,207 registered Republicans (33.37%).
Some people think, well, Chico has always been a “very liberal” town.
However, the registered voter margin between Democrats and Republicans has never been very wide, but it’s certainly widening over the last several election cycles.
For example, in November 2002 there were only 302 more registered Democrats than Republicans in the City of Chico, compared to the current 2,240 margin.
I'll say it again because it's worth repeating: voter turnout and registration will be the key drivers impacting the local elections in 2008.
Today's Scrabble word is orad, or toward the mouth.
Posted by dan_nt at 06:10 AM | Comments (1)
Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday primary day turned out to be super for Dave Burkland, who was appointed permanent City Manager by the Chico City Council.
I’m pleased to see the City Council make this move. I called on hiring Burkland in August 2007 when I wrote:
”At first, when I thought about the possibility of Burkland assuming the City Manager position on a permanent basis, my reaction was that he’s risen too rapidly without accumulating enough management and budget responsibility experience. My initial feeling was that he’s capable but not ready now. But my feelings have changed lately. In fact, I’d go so far as saying that if Burkland wants the City Manager job permanently, the City Council should offer the job to him."
As for my Super Tuesday primary election predictions, I didn’t do so badly.
First, I predicted that Barack Obama would beat Hillary Clinton in Butte County, but I made no prediction about whether Obama could beat Clinton statewide.
Keep in mind that Clinton had a huge 20+ point lead statewide over a month ago, yet I was feeling strong momentum towards Obama.
With 135 of 152 (89%) Butte County precincts reported, Obama ended up losing to Clinton 41.49% to 45.22%, compared to 38.70% to 53.40% statewide (53.2% precincts reported). While Obama didn’t beat Clinton in Butte County as I predicted, he certainly did better in our region than statewide.
I also predicted that Mitt Romney would lose less badly to John McCain in Butte County than statewide. And sure enough McCain only beat Romney 38.23% to 32.65% in Butte County (89% precincts reported), compared to 53.40% to 38.70% statewide (53.2% precincts reported).
I did, however, predict that the Giants would beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Okay, I didn’t.
Today's Scrabble word is glair, to coat with egg white.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 05, 2008
Short Meeting
Tonight's Chico City Council meeting is light on substantive hearings that might drag on into the wee hours. In fact, I predict the meeting might even end before 7:30 pm.
The City Council will vote to replace Kathy Barrett's vacant Arts Commission seat since she was appointed to the Planning Commission.
And they'll likely vote to support Councilor Scott Gruendl's request to have the City's Finance Committee tackle the Chamber of Commerce's budget deficit recommendations, which basically means the Chamber can take an even more formal role in advising the Council on how to whack the budget.
Furthermore, the City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, will likely give final approval to sell 1.03 acres of land near the airport to local company Blackline Manufacturing/MTECH.
According to the company website: "MTECH, Inc., the home of Blackline Manufacturing screenprint products, is the premier manufacturer of quality plastic fabricated equipment for screenprint clean-room applications."
Today's Scrabble word is ensky, to raise to the skies.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:01 AM | Comments (3)
Vote Today
If enough Californians vote for Barack Obama today, we might see Maria Shriver and her husband Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stumping for their preferred candidates in the November general election.
I'd like to see an Obama vs. McCain general election just to see a Shriver vs. Schwarzenegger stump smackdown. Of course, I'd prefer to see a Obama vs. Romney campaign because Romney would lose badly.
But McCain represents the strongest Republican candidacy, especially if he chooses Mike Huckabee as his Vice Presidential running mate.
If Obama ends up winning the Democratic nomination, he should select either Senator John Kerry or Senator Jim Webb as his running mate to counter-balance a McCain-led Republican ticket.
If Clinton wins, it would be ridiculous for her to pick anyone else but Obama as her running mate. Obama will continue to excite young people and independents even if he's just a Vice-Presidential candidate.
Here is Schwarzenegger doing his best pitch for McCain, along with Rudy Giuliani doing an exceptional job fighting terrorism in times of peril while standing and smiling next to the podium.
In other words, Giuliani is trying hard to curry favor with McCain so he can be a Vice-Presidential nominee.
Today's Scrabble word is hae, or to have.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 04, 2008
Predictions
The good news is that the E-R sports writers were not alone around the country in making the wrong Super Bowl prediction.
Who could anticipate an amazing quarterback scramble and catch like the one above that was the play of the game? It was an amazing play in one of the best games ever.
"Enterprise-Record sports writers take their cracks at picking the score for today's game:Dave Davies: I have to work today, but I'm going to try and cut out to a Super Bowl party and catch as much of the game as I can. Some people are picking the Giants. Not me.
Prediction: Patriots 37-20
Patrick Kinmartin: Everyone knows the Patriots can win a rematch with the Giants, but what about in a rematch with the Red Coats? Onward to Yorktown! Prediction:Prediction: Patriots 34-24
Travis Souders: I really want the Giants to win this game. A Plaxico Burress touchdown or two would probably make me spill Heineken. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that teams don't go 18-0 only to finish up with a dud. Sadly or not, no beer gets spilled.
Prediction: Patriots 34-18
Leland Gordon: I don't have a tie to either team and thus don't really care, but I'm no fool. New England will finish the job. The Pats are mega-professionals and ultimate pros don't stop until it's perfect. For me, all I want are cold brews, good food and an exciting game.Prediction: Patriots 38-27
As for my political predictions, I think Obama beats Clinton in Butte County. I have no idea if Obama will win California but I hope he does given that months ago Clinton had a 20+ point lead.
McCain will beat Romney in Butte County, but it will be a closer spread than the statewide margin of victory for McCain.
I'm going to eat my predictions like the E-R sports writers if the vote tallies prove me wrong.
Today's Scrabble word is op, a style of abstract art.
Posted by dan_nt at 10:41 PM | Comments (2)
February 03, 2008
Obama Songs
It's Super Bowl Sunday today and two days later it's Super Tuesday for the Presidential election.
Barrack Obama has inspired many songs - some of them less super than others. Which is your favorite among these three?
While Obama supporters promote their preferred candidate through song, Hillary Clinton just quit the band.
Today's Scrabble word is corf, a wagon used in a mine.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (2)
February 02, 2008
Doug Ose
Yesterday former Congressman Doug Ose announced his candidacy to replace John Doolittle to represent the 4th Congressional District, which includes Oroville.
Television enthusiasts may remember Ose starring as himself in a Gilmore Girls television episode called Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days, which I guarantee will not be his campaign slogan referencing his past public service.
Right now Ose's main rival in the Republican primary is likely Rico Oller. Both candidates will run as "strong conservatives" given the demographics of Republican primary voters.
Interestingly, Assemblymember Rick Keene supports Oller, while Assemblymember Doug LaMalfa has endorsed Ose.
Already the campaign to replace Keene in the 3rd Assembly District is serving as a proxy battle between political camps associated with Keene and Assemblymember Doug LaMalfa.
The primary battle will definitely split Republicans, although it appears Ose has an early upper hand on campaign cash and endorsements.
Ose has $472,902 cash on hand, which is significantly more than Oller and another candidate Eric Egland.
Here is the Sacramento Bee article on the race so far.
The good news for Republicans is that John Doolittle isn't running again to defend his seat, but Democrat Charlie Brown will still be a strong contender in the general election given his fundraising strength and national backing.
Today's Scrabble word is jus, or legal right.
Posted by dan_nt at 06:22 PM | Comments (5)
February 01, 2008
Campaign Videos
This video is John McCain's sharp dissection of Mitt Romney. Romney flip flops so much on key Republican issues that he could be CEO of In-N-Out Burger.
Who will win among Butte County voters? It's hard to know. I think Obama will receive more votes than Clinton in Butte County, but perhaps Romney might beat McCain in the region.
Despite Romney's flip flops, he tends to be more conservative than McCain, which makes him more aligned with most Butte County Republicans.
And there's a significant Latter Day Saints population in the area that might turn out for Romney in high numbers.
The statewide results will be interesting, but more interesting to me will be to see how each candidate fares in Chico and Butte County at large - and whether Democratic turnout will continue to skyrocket even in a Republican-leaning County like Butte.
While McCain takes pot shots at Romney, Romney continues to focus on his business and management experience - and directs his pot shots at Clinton:
Today's Scrabble word is congito, a philosophical principle.
Posted by dan_nt at 12:00 AM | Comments (1)