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July 12, 2011· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Fair description

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

I’m sorry so many posts have been about me lately (indeed, I was mentioned in the Signal today!) but I spotted this description of me from the folks at RightonSCV.com today and just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to comment:

Anyone who knows Master Blogger Jeffrey knows full well that he is a far left wing ideolog <sic> who lives in a high density building complex on the wrong side of town, has few responsibilities, a low paying job, no children, rides around SCV on a bicycle, and believes many more of our tax $$’s should be spent to sacrifice auto traffic lanes for more bike lanes. Nevermind that he once darned killed himself riding his bike into a telephone pole.

It’s all pretty accurate, save for the part about riding my bike into a telephone pole. For the record, I don’t really know what happened when I crashed while riding to my low paying job with few responsibilities, though I’m pretty sure that during the 45 minutes that I was blacked out, I was transported into a bizarre & wonderful future SCV where I faced a critical, life-defining choice.

Aside from that, yes, I do encourage alternate transportation modes and better land use in the SCV. In fact, I had a brainstorm last night while walking around town with my dog and wife and being suspicious of every Prius that drove near me.

You see, the City has got me thinking about Lyons Avenue and zoning with their Lyons Avenue Corridor plan that will be discussed on July 21 in Old Orchard. As Mike said in a comment recently, this is one part of town that could probably benefit from a little density increase. I’m wary because I live here, but it got me thinking: we need more park & public space here too.

And it just so happens we have some really great open space right there in literally the no-man’s land between Newhall and Valencia. It’s enjoyed once a year by hundreds or thousands of people, it’s grassy, cool, and quite large. I’m talking about the green space that divides Orchard Village Road:

Take a step with me into far left ideolog <sic> land for a moment and imagine a modest white picket fence with gates surrounding all or part of both green spaces above. Picture a couple of un-signaled crosswalks on the east and west sides of Orchard Village that would raise awareness of pedestrians in the area. And envision families relaxing in between the streets, on the median there, enjoying a cool summer evening breeze or tossing a frisbee with their kids. Next, picture the businesses that might sprout up in the decimated Ralphs shopping center to service those people.

In other words, picture what we enjoy there every year on the 4th of July. Only year round.

This is a beautiful space that’s we’re already paying to keep up (sprinklers every night, mowing the lawn every week), but we can’t really use it. I know this is radical, left-wing thinking, but I can’t help it. It’s who I am. It would seem to me this would be a very cheap and effective way to increase park/open space land in the Newhall area.

Comments (46)

  1. ToddJuly 12, 2011 at 10:15 am
    Hate to point out the obvious, but do you wanna have your kids playing under the high tension power lines? Ye Olde Hometown of Burbank has a similar dilemma, and created exercise areas, geared toward adults. Not really an area you want kids getting their growth stunted under, but us adults are fine in limited doses. Anyone else hear that buzzing???? Now, hop on-board the Todd Train (non-stop service to Via Princessa!) and get those power lines undergrounded!
  2. LindaJuly 12, 2011 at 10:18 am
    It’s all jealousy, Jeff. The fact that someone has no children doesn’t mean they are without responsibilities. You have a wife and a dog, you work, go to school, make mortgage payments and blog daily here, all the while keeping your good humor. Ignore the grumpy old guy who resents your youth and child-free status. But about the Orchard Village median — I can’t imagine wanting to hang out there between four lanes of traffic zooming by. Looking at the google map of Newhall, it seems to me there are quite of number of parks. In addition to Old Orchard Park, Newhall Park, and Hart Park, there is one called Emmaus Park on Railroad Ave. and another called Creekview. The area short on parks is the “So Ly” area where it’s all houses and not many sidewalks.
  3. MikeJuly 12, 2011 at 10:28 am
    It’s neither here nor there, but I think Emmaus Park is a park-in-google-maps-label-only (PIGMLO). Just a vacant lot. (or am I mistaken?)
  4. Timothy Myers SR.July 12, 2011 at 3:04 pm
    When I was 34 I had five children. Just sayin’!
  5. KLBJuly 12, 2011 at 10:59 am
    I love it! We could have our own little concerts in the park on the weekends. And definitely cocktail and food service. Maybe restrict the cocktail and food service to just the weekends. The lack of potties might be an issue, but I’m sure the local businesses wouldn’t mind if we use theirs. Ohhhhh, the super skinny part of the median can be turned into a giant Slip N Slide and award prizes for those who can slide closest to Lyons without actually going into the street. I drive by this piece of open space a lot and it never occurred to me just how underutilized it was. Jeff, you’re a genius!
  6. JeffJuly 12, 2011 at 11:01 am
    Ha! Are you being sarcastic?
  7. KLBJuly 12, 2011 at 11:03 am
    Yeah, but I figured you were, too.
  8. FredJuly 12, 2011 at 12:36 pm
    As I understand it, at least from what I can confirm online and within my own dictionaries, “ideolog” is an acceptable alternative spelling to “ideologue.” It may not be common usage, but it doesn’t warrant a <sic>.
  9. MikeJuly 12, 2011 at 12:49 pm
    In English? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideolog http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ideolog
  10. Mr PerezJuly 12, 2011 at 1:48 pm
    Way to go Super Dev!
  11. MikeJuly 12, 2011 at 7:35 pm
    Nothing?
  12. NateJuly 12, 2011 at 10:46 pm
    Yeah Bill Shakespeare made up words… why can’t Bill Reynolds and Sarah Palin! #POW
  13. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 4:44 am
    Baited Breath
  14. TaTonkaJuly 12, 2011 at 3:12 pm
    I wonder who would be the first to blame the city when 2 teens are racing down old orchard lose control and plow into a family enjoying throwing a ball? I am sure it would not be anyone on this site.
  15. CCJuly 12, 2011 at 7:28 pm
    Another commute corridor bites the dust.
  16. akgrannis1202July 12, 2011 at 8:28 pm
    How wonderful that you post this on the very same night I discover that my father writes for RightonSCV, by his own bragging. No, he was not the author of the aforementioned post I’m always a fan of utilizing open spaces and see no reason not to mob the OV medians as is. It’s small but definitely pretty and underutilized. That little Christmas tree center that pops up to the north of that area might appreciate a little added visibility from the attention too.
  17. PetzJuly 13, 2011 at 5:35 am
    Maybe Lori Rivas can make some PBJs with organic jellies that do not contain chemicals, additives, or pesticides and make a picnic out there in the median. Voices inside her head ?Petz thinks Child Protective Services should make a visit to her home. Why does anyone feel the need to tell others what to feed their children?
  18. PetzJuly 13, 2011 at 5:38 am
    Here is Rivas article. http://www.the-signal.com/section/33/article/47811/
  19. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 6:05 am
    “tell others what to feed their children?” Where do you get that?
  20. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 7:25 am
    Hmmmm???? Someone has a comprehension problem “And if your child is in school, and hopped up on sugar and sludgy fats and excitotoxic chemicals, do you expect your child to perform academically? One thought, though: Choose organic jelly, since most jelly flavors — berries, grapes and stone fruit — are members of the dirty dozen, a list of produce that retains a high level of pesticides, even after washing. Feed your kids the basic, raw ingredients upon which their physical, emotional and intellectual growth depends. Your child’s life, literally, depends upon it”.
  21. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 7:34 am
    John, I think the reading comprehension problem is yours. Read the whole piece. She’s contrasting the benefits of packing your child’s lunch versus the food served by schools.
  22. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 7:39 am
    LOLOLOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG Is she not telling you what to feed YOUR children. CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  23. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 7:42 am
    This is where mike responds with….. No you just are not reading it right. She is just well just ahh just well ahh???????? Oh nevermind you are not intelligent enough to get her message. Shooting dead fish in a barrel.
  24. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 9:41 am
    Perhaps you need a lesson in pronouns?
  25. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 10:03 am
    LOL!!! Classic mike response. I am smart you’re not. It’s OK mike, everyone with half a brain can see right through your answers and diversions. The others? Have a home right here.
  26. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 10:25 am
    The piece criticizing what *they* are feed your kids, not what *you* feed your kids. …as for “Feed your kids the basic, raw ingredients upon which their physical, emotional and intellectual growth depends.” …sounds like some vague encouragement to me. Is there something offensive about this?
  27. Mr PerezJuly 14, 2011 at 4:39 pm
    I believe she was recommending/suggesting that you feed your children better food. The reality is while we cannot mandate what adults do with their bodies, you can mandate what goes on with children. You may look at it as Freedom of Choice issue but a child does not have the ability to make that decision yet. You as the parent are charged to do what is right and if you cannot do such, maybe you need a verbal kick in the azz before someone physically does it. Instead of making this the normal partisan issue which is so prevalent in Cali/SCV, why not listen to her advice and if it doesn’t apply just ignore it.
  28. yourwebguruJuly 13, 2011 at 7:54 am
    So, let me get this straight: It’s okay for Petz to tell us which light bulbs we should use, but Lori Rivas can’t make healthy meal suggestions. Yes, suggestions! Perhaps you would like to reread the part of her article where she says “One thought, though:” which would (from a comprehension point of view) infer that she is making suggestions rather than trying to shove (SHUDDER!) healthy food down your kids’ throats!
  29. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 8:07 am
    Which would infer? “Feed your kids the basic, raw ingredients upon which their physical, emotional and intellectual growth depends. Your child’s life, literally, depends upon it”. Did she say ” I suggest you feed your” Like Chris Christie said “Don’t qusestion me about how to be a parent to my kids” My kids both graduated from college and both make well over 6 figures. They ate sugar and all the things that Lori suggests is bad. They learned the right things What has come of this country? You want good suggestions? Teach your kids a work ethic. Teach them to not rely on others or government. Teach them that they are in control of their future. Lead by example. Do that and you will not have near as many problems with your kids.
  30. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 10:22 am
    There are countless factors that go into how someone turns out, the genes of the parents contributing more than any other single factor. Compared to genetics, or stable and responsible upbringing in general, nutrition matters quite a bit less. That’s doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter, because it does – particularly for lifelong habits, and it certainly doesn’t mean that the inverse is true. You seem like a smart enough guy, despite being the only atheist I know with a snake-handler’s suspicion of science. I’m sure your ex-wife is a bright person too, and as you clearly raised them them well. That doesn’t mean that every input was positive. Plucking a single bit of your approach to rebut a mountain of evidence to the contrary, without any evidence to show how that element contributed positively to your daughters’ development and/or success is fallacious. I make at least a dozen mistakes every day with my kids, and often I know better. Small things usually, and on the whole, I think I’m doing a good job. But on many a hurried morning, I’ve sent them with $2.75 in their pocket for school lunch. Ish happens. But I can acknowledge these three things without hesitation: a) when I make their lunch, I’m doing better by them than when they buy a cafeteria lunch; b) when I pack them lunch, there’s always room for improvement; c) school lunches ought to be less processed, fresher and more nutritious. As for c), that’s very difficult to pull off at $2.75 per without raising prices and subsidies, but even at $2.75, it’s generally more expensive than packing lunch at home. In other words, the ideal is clear. There’s nothing wrong with striving for it, and there certainly isn’t anything wrong in clarifying it, nor with asking our schools to move in the right direction.
  31. LindaJuly 13, 2011 at 10:23 am
    All right, I guess we all know what we need to do now…. Let’s see, first we should move to Las Vegas, buy a house and watch it sink in value to half of what we paid for it. Then we need to drink, smoke, gamble, eat sugar and ignore all spelling, punctuation, and grammar conventions! Now we and our kids are automatically guaranteed to make six figures (including decimals)! Thanks, John!
  32. VenturanJuly 13, 2011 at 10:37 am
    You forgot one thing: slinging mortgages using Federally-backed paper to “cockroach clients.” Get yours. Screw everyone else.
  33. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 10:54 am
    LOL Back to job ridicule. Stay Classy!!
  34. JeffJuly 13, 2011 at 10:56 am
    Using your own words (“cockroach clients”) and your own code of ethics (exploitation as a virtue) equals job ridicule? You really know how to play victim well for such a powerful, successful, intelligent man.
  35. VenturanJuly 13, 2011 at 10:56 am
    So one can bring up success in the context of the amount of money made, but the specifics of how that money is made are off limits? Anyone else following?
  36. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 11:00 am
    I heard you can’t made six figures whilst running a blog. Is that true?
  37. VenturanJuly 13, 2011 at 12:43 pm
    Banner ads don’t pay what they used to! #trufax
  38. LindaJuly 13, 2011 at 3:10 pm
    Yeah, I’ve been studying the rules, and the math part is the hardest. How is it that JR has two grown daughters earning “six figures” when according to his facebook post he is only 27 years old? I guess this is the kind of math Pulte uses to sell people loans.
  39. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 5:23 pm
    You really don’t sell loans. This year I also had my 19th, 67th, 49th and 32 birthday. I always give myself 4 a year. It is always fun to see the same fool wish you happy birthday 4 times a year. (hope that didn’t strike a nerve)
  40. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 5:30 pm
    Oh and Linda this may come as a complete shock to you. Strike that! I KNOW it will come as a complete shock to you but (just between me and you) My middle name is not ALI like my facebook page says. I made that up too. (shhhh)
  41. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 10:48 am
    Funny, I always found making 6 figures really easy. Since 1989 I have made less than 6 figures 4 years (first 4 I was in vegas) Making money is not hard. All you need the desire to do so. Sure, I play less golf, pickleball and poker. Long hard work weeks (most 6 days). But with any kind of luck. I could be done and retired by 55. Now you can’t achieve that running blogs or playing trivia games at chuy’s. I will just have to wait for all that fun. Right now I am working to make my retirement at 55-60? I still won’t need Social Security. I will never blame the government for my financial problems. The amount of equity I have lost in my homes could have bought 3 valencia fairways townhomes.
  42. MikeJuly 13, 2011 at 10:56 am
    I know it’s the JR style to cut close to the bone, but trivia at Chuy’s? That’s ice cold. If you’re ever in town on a Wednesday, come on by. #FVSC #FTW
  43. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 5:34 pm
    I must have said something wrong?? How are you doing Linda? How is the husbands job? Kids OK? You have a great day I crack myself up
  44. LindaJuly 13, 2011 at 6:13 pm
    My middle name is not ALI like my facebook page says. I made that up too. I think that was the point I was trying to make, John. (We do need a sarcasm font here.) When you make stuff up all the time, people tend not to take what you have to say too seriously about anything. But you do crack us up too, so keep the parental and financial advice coming!
  45. TaTonkaJuly 13, 2011 at 11:18 am
    LOL!! 1 other thing. I just finished a deal for a buddy of mine in MacDonald Ranch (Henderson). On Dragon Ridge Golf Course, 5700 sq feet, pool, spa, movie theatre. Originally sold for 1.9 million in 2004. He just bought at auction for 365,000. He put a bed and a big screen and uses it for his weekend hotel room. (he lives in La Jolla) His line is ” I have the biggest F’n Suite in all of Vegas”. His Plan? Use it 10-15 weekends a year and flip it in 5-10 years for over a million. That is how you do it. Now I am on the hunt for one of my own. Sort of a dollar cost averaging for all my properties.
  46. CCJuly 13, 2011 at 8:23 pm
    So desperate to matter.

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