Neighborhood associations run amok

So, I live in Southside Park neighborhood. I like the area a lot... and since I've lived here, I've kept in the loop with the neighborhood association (SPNA). I even volunteered for the board of SPNA one year. I'm going to vent a bit here about my experiences with this organization. I suppose someone from SPNA may somehow come across this blog post & have issue with it. So be it. I've voiced these concerns there to some chagrin, and am merely reiterating them in more detail here.

I'll start by describing a bit about how SPNA runs. There is a Yahoo Group where open online/e-mail discussion occurs. There is also a monthly meeting. There is a board of (about four) who meet in addition to that. My issue with the SPNA is that there are a few (one in particular) person who devote significant time and energy on getting involved with any issue in the area and representing a position to the City or media on behalf of SPNA. The problem is... repeatedly, the communication to the City or media "on behalf of SPNA" seems to be greater than the communication to the actual residents in the neighborhood. The other fact to note... the individual lives in "co-housing", which is a commune style set of homes in the middle of a city block - very different from the way most of us live. So, "SPNA" is somewhat of a farce... one or a few people driving their own agendas. My neighbor who's lived in the area longer wholeheartedly agrees, and stopped involvement because of this.

Here are just a few examples of issues I've had conflict with SPNA on:

Online Voting
I have voiced concern over the renegade representation... requesting that SPNA use Yahoo Groups voting/poll feature as a requirement before representing the neighborhood. This was met with resistance, and the board members stated that only meetings & the board truly represent the neighborhood. *laugh* Hardly... just because someone is in the extraordinary circumstance that they have time to meet in-person every month doesn't mean you get to speak for the all the busy property owners in the neighborhood.

Broadway Bridge
The "co-housing" is on 5th St, a one way street heading north from Broadway into downtown. For a long time, people around Sacramento have suggested that a Broadway bridge would help develop the riverfront and improve the blight along west Broadway next to our neighborhood. When this issue was being considered, I read in the paper that SPNA was against a Broadway Bridge. WHAT? No discussion or poll had been done. This was another case of co-housing NIMBY's along 5th St serving themselves rather than the whole neighborhood and speaking on our behalf.

Green Waste Bins
The same co-housing folks don't have "claw" leaf pickup, and they don't really have trees or leaves to rake. The same individuals contacted City Utilities and drove a change to move our neighborhood to green waste bins. Many residents have been outraged by the change, since bins don't make sense in the city. Read more about my thoughts on that here.

Other stuff
I am a proponent of freedom to develop the area. SPNA seems to support the dozens of approvals and bureaucracy, such as Historic Preservation Committee, that any person must navigate before changing anything on their house - let alone building a new house on an empty lot! Hell, last year there was a decrepit rotting building causing blight on S St, and the SPNA renegades actually tried to fight the City and save the building! Another time, a convenience store across from Old Ironsides had changed ownership and the new owner was removing these ugly tiles from the side of the building. The SPNA individual proudly announced on the Yahoo Group that they had reported the incident to the City, as permission wasn't granted to remove the tiles! The clubhouse in Southside Park is used for SPNA meetings and when the Sacramento Police Department wanted to use the clubhouse certain evenings for peer counseling... the SPNA folks raised a territorial raucous of concern. It's not theirs.

Although I've agreed with SPNA on some issues, there have been and will be other conflicts. If I live here long enough and get irked enough, I may take things into my own hands. I could walk the streets of the neighborhood with fliers for a new organization... say "Southside Park Representation Committee" which would actually poll/vote on these issues to let the City know how we really feel. Or I suppose I could just make it a one man club of myself, and it would be nearly as viable as SPNA in terms of representing the neighborhood.

Spoiled brats

I was thinking about the concept of parenting... probably since I'll have to face that role soon. My thought is: parenting is analogous to any relationship in society where one person/group (the guardian) is responsible for another person/group (the subjects).

• Parent-Child:
  The parent is responsible for the behavior of the child and for providing for its basic needs.
• Supervisor-Employee:
  The supervisor is responsible for the employee's work, setting expectations and fairly compensating them for performance.
  
• Government-Citizen:
  The government is responsible for protecting it's citizens from threat of foreign invasion and enforcing equal law among citizens.

In each case, the guardian must determine a set of rules to apply towards their subjects. Applying these rules will involve reward or discipline of the subjects based on their behavior. So, what happens in any one of these relationships when the guardian is inconsistent in applying the rules? What happens when the guardian is influenced by whining, swaying on the rules and principles? In each case, the subject would become a spoiled brat... someone who's been taught 'the squeaky wheel gets the oil', and that the guardian doesn't uphold a consistent set of principles (such as rewarding work with payment, or supporting property rights). Most private companies will not survive if they operate this way, so spoiled brats don't thrive there. However, you will see lots of whiney spoiled brat employees in public sector or government protected union jobs. You also will find spoiled brats in a nation where the government has decided to provide "free" services for citizens. You see this today in every protest against the government cutting socialist services. You see it amongst the public health care supporters. The "Nanny State" is a bad parent, and raising a nation of whiney spoiled brats. It's time for government to get back to it's proper role and stand for consistent rules and principles... like any good parent or supervisor.

My 20 Point Political Manifesto

1. A person owns their own life and property.
2. To initiate force upon another is immoral.
   
3. Force is denying another a choice for their own life or property, whether by aggression or fraud.
4. A right is something you have naturally, not something given to you.
5. Equality means equal rights, not equal property.
6. A free market drives competition and innovation, benefitting all.
7. Government intrusion in trade creates market distortions, deadweight loss, and black markets.
8. A literal monopoly can only permanently exist when supported by government.
9. The end does not justify the means.
10. Collectivism is immoral; a form of theft by looting another's property.
11. Collectivism and freedom cannot coexist.
12. Collectivism is supported by blame and jealousy.
13. Government's moral purpose is to protect individual liberty with common justice and defense.
    
14. Any government activity beyond protection of liberty is an immoral initiation of force.
15. Democracy is "mob rule", which is why the USA's founders created a Constitutional Republic to protect individual liberty.
16. The US Constitution's intent was to limit the federal government, reserving powers to the state or the people.
    
17. The US Government has ignored the intent of the Constitution, growing into tyrannical socialism and corporatism.
18. The US Government's immoral actions have hurt freedom and distorted the markets in areas like education and health care.
19. An immoral government will never limit it's own power, unless driven to by it's people.
    
20. A people will never have a moral government unless they uphold the principle of liberty themselves.
    

Will Blog For Free Stuff

I read this in the news today. I just wanted to announce to any companies out there... send me some freebies. I'll be your product whore in the name of free speech. (I prefer shiny new techno-gadgets please). If I could be the first blogger to be fined $11,000 for blogging...I think that's a good one to go down for in the name of civil disobedience.

Don't Be A Pussy

Brandie & I had a beautiful weekend in Carmel celebrating our 1-year anniversary. Friday we put our name in for lunch at Dametra Cafe. Another couple ("Lara", photo right) put their name in after us. Without going into detail.. they knew we were ahead of them, but when a table cleared she asked the waitress "Can we have this table?" as she started to sit down. I said "Actually, I'll take this table" and the waitress checked our names. As they passed I said "Yeah, you could see we were before you.". They were led back to a jammed corner table, and the waitress gave me soup on the house.

We've all faced those situations where some stranger cuts in line, steals your parking spot, or otherwise violates what you consider to be social etiquette. In each circumstance, we are faced with a choice:

1. Defend civility
   or
   
2. Be a pussy

I firmly believe that unless there is risk of physical harm, it is one's moral imperative to confront/reciprocate against douchebaggery. I'll admit... I've erred on the side of danger in the past. I confronted some guys I thought were dumping a car in my neighborhood one night (later to find out they lived around the corner). My actions will definitely err on the side of caution now that I'll have a child. Still, in 95% of cases, I believe there is no excuse for playing the pussy card, whether it be "creating a scene", "embarrassing your friends", or "being outnumbered". Deep down inside a douchebag KNOWS they are being a douchebag and will withdraw in discomfort as you stand up to them for what's right. Other than getting your ass beat by a cracked-out gangbanger... there is no excuse for avoiding your responsibility to demand civility from those around you. To do otherwise is cowardice, plain and simple - and I shame anyone who fails to do so.

Here are some simple guidelines I recommend one follows when combating douchebaggery:

• Don't jump to conclusions. There ARE cases when it's more about brainlessness than cheating. E.g. that moron who humps the Starbucks barista stand immediately after ordering... ignoring the people standing around waiting before him. Then he grabs your drink and gets his stupidness all over it! Don't get me wrong - this is still being a douchebag. It's just slightly less of a douchebag than someone who steals your drink.... so don't yell quite as loud.
  
• An eye for an eye. Don't ever key someone's car because they stole your parking spot. That's an arm and leg for an eye. Once a dude arrogantly stole my parking spot in Arden Fair Mall. I returned the favor by filling a cup with a sticky-sugar concoction and dumping it over his car. His cleaning effort was roughly equivalent to my effort put out by the entire ordeal.
  
• Shame & embarrassment are your friends. If someone cuts in line, chances are you are not the only one who noticed. However, you may be the only non-pussy in line. If you confront the person, everyone else will send you psychic high-fives. Perhaps you may even inspire others to not be pussies.
  
• Google Karma. If at all possible, get photos and full names of douchebags when you encounter them. Post them on your Facebook/blog. You never know... someone they know might see it, or find them on a Google name search!

A few more examples...

One of Brandie's friends had a birthday party at BJ's in Folsom last year. The place was packed and some party of 6 lied saying they were our reservation of 10 for "Mike". There was no mistake... only one reservation existed for "Mike". I could not believe everyone in our party just wanted to let it go. It bothered me so much I asked where they were sitting, went over to their table and chided them for stealing our reservation. They sat there mostly speechless.

Another time... on a pub crawl, we stopped for eats at Brew It Up (in the bar section mind you). Some guy came over and asked one of my friends to 'keep it down". He wasn't being overly loud. I told the guy to "fuck off", then yelled at him after he went back to his table "Fuck off" and flipped him off. Okay, not my wittiest moment... but I think he got the point.

Douchebags aren't just encountered at restuarants, finding parking spots, or waiting in line. I once had a boss at work who was playing favorites. I confronted him, asking for equal promotion. After getting the run-around, I opened an HR case on him requesting civil service procedures be followed with objective criteria for promotions. After they tested us, I got the promotion... and have perceived a higher level of respect since (that boss is long gone).

The list could go on....

Don't be a pussy. Don't be that person that retaliates inward with resentment, only later to think "Yeah, I should have said THAT." You must defend the principles of civility. To do anything less is to not respect yourself. First, have your own principles. Second, stand up for them. We all have the responsibility to make this world a better place. Don't let in the drivers who fail to signal. Tell people who talk too loud on their cell phones to be quiet. Follow people who don't pick up their dog poop home, and shit on their front porch. I guarantee you will feel your angst transform into self-respect.

Why public health care is stupid.

I just don't think people understand this health care issue. Radical reform is being pushed so hard so fast by the left, that no one has even had time to educate the public on the facts. I watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" a few years ago, and I have to admit I found it a compelling case for socialized health care. He painted a picture of greedy private health care providers robbing dying Americans VS. a social program serving the "public good". Only recently when health care reform has taken the spotlight have I taken the time to research & examine this issue. Apparently, "Sicko" was an extremely biased and rosy picture of socialized health care... showing the Cuban hospital rooms for the 'elite', instead of the actual barbaric care most people get.

I'd sum up the arguments of public health care advocates as:

• Greedy insurance/pharma companies rip off Americans
• Health care is a "right"
• Countries with socialized health care have better care than us

All of the above are false. The real results of a public plan will be:

• Health care quality will decrease
• Our tax burden will increase
• Private providers will be put out of business by taxpayer-supported govt. competition

I will attempt to explain why below...



GOVERNMENT SPENDING
Everyone supporting reform points out that health care inflation has risen four times the rate of other services in the past few decades. Why? Let's look at a few facts:

• Health care costs are rising in both US and Canada, so we can't blame the free-market for this inflation.
• Our government spends the most per-capita on health care of any country in the world *
• Medical procedures not covered by third-parties (e.g. lasik, plastic surgery) have not suffered this inflation *
• Of those "greedy" insurers that rake in obscene profits, the ones that do Medicare/Medicaid reap the most profit? *
• Even Obama & his experts have admitted that Medicare/Medicaid spending are primarily responsible for health care inflation *
  

See how you feel about Medicare & Medicaid after watching this? These programs should be drastically cut back, if not replaced with private health saving accounts. The goal of state politicians is to pull federal money into the state... they are not concerned with accountability. A public plan only worsens the existing problems.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION
Spending is only part of the puzzle. Is it any wonder that big insurance & big pharma are reinvesting their profits as the largest lobbying force in Washington? The health industry is the most heavily regulated. Bills and regulations are crafted by these companies under a guise of protecting patients, yet they squash competition and consumer choice with things like Patient Bill of Rights. What are ways consumer choice & competition could drop health care costs?

• What if you could find a good doctor & sign a non-liability form with them.... so, he/she wouldn't have to purchase expensive liability insurance which is passed onto you? Not allowed!
• What if nurse practitioners could setup clinics for basic care, where you could go for cheap treatment of basic problems? Not allowed!
• What if there were less controls on the types of arrangements you could enter with health providers, and less restrictions on who could practice medicine? Not allowed!
• The costs of health regulation outweigh their benefits by two to one, meaning that the total burden of health regulation in the United States, as of 2002, was $169.1 billion annually, or an average of $1,500 per family
• reference for above
  

We all know that government operated entities do a lousy job. Does anyone really think that something this complicated or this complicated can work?

LITIGATION COSTS
Tort reform would make a great blog post, but a few facts related to health care:

• Litigation costs are 10 times higher in the US. E.g. maternity suits are common and juries are very sympathetic to dead babies, regardless of fault. *
  
• Since 1975, medical malpractice costs have risen four times as fast as general price inflation and twice as fast as medical price inflation. *
  

HEALTH CARE AS A RIGHT
For those who think public health care will provide quality... don't watch Sicko, just ask a real Canadian. Profit & competition breeds innovation. Bureaucracy & regulation just breed deadweight loss. The populist mob reads the headlines & want a sirloin steak at McDonald's prices. I guess they don't care if they have to take other people's money or reduce doctors pay to get that.... they just don't understand the consequences. What if we didn't have innovation in health care in recent past? We'd still be bleeding out with leeches. Any American has better health care provided by $5 spent at aisle #4 of Rite-Aid than King Henry VIII had! So is health care a right, or a responsibility? Does every American deserve the best medical advancements and technology available? Then there will be no more advancements.

A public plan WILL compete with private, and ultimately hurt them and their quality. What would happen if the public plan led to a public monopoly? Now, your life choices become a burden on society & the state. Let's outlaw smoking, drinking, french fries, require motorcycle helmets. Oops, guess we're already part-way there. Say we had a 100% effective cure for cancer... except it cost $500,000 per person. In a public health care system, who would get that & who would decide who gets it? What if it cost $100... or what if it cost $100 million? I'd rather have a bureaucrat I CHOOSE, rather than one assigned to me which I have no choice but to pay.

10 Most Annoying Radio Hits of My Life

I'm sure there were some really stupid songs before I was born... even as I was a tot growing up (e.g. "Barracuda" by Heart). However, these are the songs that scarred me & made my brain shrink. I couldn't escape them on the radio/MTV during their hay day.

I still hate them... yet for some masochistic reason I listen to them and laugh whenever they come on (especially if Brandie is in the car... then I proclaim "it's my favorite song of all time" & sing along). These songs are either digustingly cheerful, or moronically simple lyrically/melodically. I still wonder why they were played so often... was it a conspiracy of some kind, or does the general populace really have standards so low? We may never know. Here's the list:

1. I'll Be There For You (Theme from Friends),The Rembrandts
2. New Low, Middle Class Rut
3. Womanizer, Britney Spears
4. I Go Blind, Hootie and the Blowfish
5. Spaceman, The Killers
6. I Can't Dance, Genesis
7. Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley (My opinion must be shared... hence the "rickroll")
8. Dancing on the Ceiling, Lionel Richie
9. Remedy, Jason Mraz
10. Too Legit, MC Hammer

Oh... of course there are more than ten, and I'm sure there will be many more to come in my life.