How cool is that, huh? You call a local TV station, tell them that the big bad wolf is encroaching on your poor little private golf course, and BAM, they fly down to do the story. I wonder how they pitched it,… “Residents of small beach town fighting against Rich Los Angeles Developer.” The lesson here is, if you know what you’re doing and have enough money, you got a pretty good shot at swaying the media. Here’s a video account of the issue.
On September 30th, 2003, one of the partner/owners of Pacific Golf Club, a private golf course in San Clemente, CA, filed for a Chapter 11 reorganization. The club was sold the following October to the current owner, Golf Investments LLC. The new company created a plan which includes replacing the 27-hole Gary Player Signature Golf course with a brand new 18-hole Gary Player Signature Golf Course. The resultant unused portion of golf course would be rezoned for residential development. Typically when land is developed for commercial purposes, a city will require a contribution from the development company in addition to the normal fees and permits. In this case, Golf Investment LLC committed to donating 12 million dollars to help with a much needed sports park which the city had been unable to fund. The membership of the club was surveyed a short time later to discern their level of support for the new plan. The response was 96% in favor. With that level of support in mind, Golf Investment LLC promised to remain operational, even at substantial monthly losses, during the public process.
After three years of working with city staffers, the project finally came before the city planning commission, who recommended approval. In December of 2006, a small group of Pacific Golf Club members set out to discredit Pacific’s owner and gain support for an opposition movement. As confirmed by several members at the club who were approached, their motive was simply to keep Pacific at 27-holes. This is where the true fun begins.
Far removed from the actor who pretended to be so tough, the firemen who responded and risked their lives to help you are tough. They risked their lives for you. Why? Okay, so it’s their job to fight fires. Thinking for a moment about how you approach your job, how far are you willing to go? Is there any time during the course of a day that you would lay down your life so that another may live?
If I were just a hair more vain, my flippant and insensitive last post would’ve been deleted. What I assumed would be another isolated Malibu event evolved into one the worst fire 
incidents in California recorded history. My family and I were fortunate, other than breathing in a little ash and smoke, we were otherwise unaffected by the blaze. Last night (Tues. Oct. 23rd), I could see an orange glow on the hilltop in Camp Pendleton from my driveway. When my wife drove me up the street two blocks, we witnessed, along with concerned neighbors, the whipping and rasping of unbridled peaks of fire.
People are wearing protective breathing masks. Schools are being closed. Athletic events are being canceled. The main artery from L.A. to San Diego has been closed. Trains are stopped. People are constantly watching updates in fear to learn whether or not their houses are safe or if they need to evacuate. I apologize for my vapid past and will strive to improve myself and my posts.
Every six to ten years, Malibu is set ablaze. In 1835, Richard Henry Dana was sailing north from San Pedro to Santa Barbara and noted a “vast blaze along the coast of Jose Tapia’s Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit”. The cupola things here worth noting are that A) Fires are a fact of life in this region. and B) We’re not as evolved as we think we are. When you consider that any of us who have lived in Southern California for any length of time are frighteningly aware of the situation, and yet, we continue to exacerbate the problem by rebuilding. I have a question for those who argue that the pros outweigh the cons in regard to rebuilding in Malibu. What!!, you got a head full of rocks? What makes you think that this time will be different?
The Bush Administration has at most committed crimes against it’s citizenry and the world, and at least been less then honest about it’s activities and motivations. Are we afraid to do anything about it? There are several well known websites/blogs that make accusations against this administration. There are several news programs that have proven in some cases that all is not well. What holds the rest of us back? Is party dedication more important human life? If the party holds self-preservation as it’s number one priority, isn’t that missing the point. What’s your description of a “Career Politician?” Are “Career Politician’s” good for the country?
What do you think?
Today is Monday. Welcome to life.
Welcome to Dave’s blog. Today was a regular work day.