Now I just tried the same thing with Google+ and I have no clue if I added anyone or not.  I guess I will know in a day or two.

Google+ is adding something like 600,000 new accounts a day so it seemed like a good idea.  They say once you’ve tried Google+ you will never want to go back to Facebook.

Anyway, if anyone is already a member, I would appreciate an add so I can see why it is so much better than Facebook.

I am going to start iePolitics.com over from scratch. There are a few reasons for that.

First, we’ve gotten a bit wimpy lately and I don’t like it.  It’s time to get back to business in California’s most corrupt county.

Second, the blog is getting slower and slower.  It’s time for a new format and to get away from some of the dead weight.

Third, a new year is a good time for a new beginning.  It’s time to push some things behind me and start anew with a fresh and sassy attitude.

I expect 2012 to be an exciting year.  We may see some major convictions or some major acquittals. We will likely see raids and/or arrests in connection with the city of Victorville, ARMC, and the “airport,” if you can call a $200,000,000 landing strip with no airplanes an “airport.”

With redistricting and voters in a bad mood we may see a unheavel in Congress, the White House, the Board of Supervisors and the California Legislature, or we may see a return of the status quo.  For the first time in years,  no one can predict with reasonable certainty what next June and November will bring, which will make for some exciting elections.

Will the Tea Party really make a difference in this state and region this time around?  No one knows but it makes for great speculation.

I, for one, feel good about the upcoming year and the blog needs to reflect that.

I am wondering if anyone else gets voicemails entitled “urgent” or “warning.”  I keep getting them but haven’t been able to access them.  I don’t know if I should be concerned or not.

Anyway, it is highly unlikely you will ever find me live on Skype, but for those who don’t have my phone number, you can leave a message there.

I added a link today so you can actually get to the story.  Despite the lack of hyperlinks, my story once again was selected for the front page so we received a lot of hits despite the county’s attempt to the contrary.

The story below does not include my usual begging.  I am saving that for this post.  Honestly, the only way I am able to keep the blog going these days is through the income provided by the Examiner articles, which is minimal.  However, the article below is a bit different.  It is actually an entry into a contest conducted by Examiner.  The winner (Christine) would receive $50,000 and the writer (me) would receive $10,000.  They claim the odds are 1 in a 100 to win a monetary prize (runner ups receive $10,000 and $1,000 respectively) so I decided to try.  If we make it to the semi-finals, expect begging like there is no tomorrow (the winner is determined by readers’ votes).

Christine says she is very lucky so I hope some rubs off on this project.  If nothing else, even the runner up articles are printed nationwide and that would be more exposure to the situation at Devore.

Now, for what most of you really want, yes, I do have a lot of “political” articles planned.  That whole thing with SEBA and Devereaux really rubbed me the wrong way and it’s time to start writing about the corruption on the Fifth Floor again, but this time around it will be in the form of Examiner articles.  Stay tuned.  I promise more of what you really want just as soon as I can secure regular internet access.

I do not have enough internet access to read the whole thing so I would really appreciate hearing opinions from those of you that can stand to read 21 pages of legal writing.  From what I did read, I believe this is an important order.

]]> http://iepolitics.net/2011/12/04/iepolitics-blog-content-2/feed/ 2 http://iepolitics.net/2011/11/30/iepolitics-prime-minister-and-more/ http://iepolitics.net/2011/11/30/iepolitics-prime-minister-and-more/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:15:46 +0000 Administrator http://iepolitics.com/?p=11209 We have been working on Bill’s blog for the past few days.  There are several changes.  The most fun of all is the addition of Prime Minister’s Questions.  Check it out.  Congress looks so boring in comparison.  Prime Minister

Our goal has always been to average 4 comments per story and we have been exceeding that goal for some time.  We are getting closer to 6 comments per story.  We appreciate your continued support especially in light of the fact I have had so little ability to keep the blog updated for quite a while now.  I’m trying to make things change.

Thank you once again.

I have the cheapest phone available at the time, which was about $20.  That phone is quickly dying and I am going to have to replace it.  Straight Talk has now added a couple of higher-end phones including one that is Android-powered.  I am sorta looking at this one:  http://www.shopstraighttalk.com/bpdirect/straighttalk/PhoneDetails.do?action=view&productVariantExtensionId=114205Although I would like a nice phone again, I will not spend the money unless I can use it to get wi-fi at home because, under those circumstances, it will pay for itself in a month.  I have heard that can be done with some phones.  Can anyone tell me if that is the case with this or any of the phones at Straight Talk?  If so, what else would I need to hook it up to my laptop

Any information would be appreciated.

My feeling is this will bring Mark more readers and give us some consistency in getting the paper linked on a regular basis.

For example, in the past two days I have met both a retired lawyer and a retired cop.  The cop was quick to point out he did not work for SBSD.  I wonder why he thought that would matter to me? 

Of course, as of yesterday SBSD is off my radar for a day or two and the FBI is in the bullseye.  If Jim or anyone else tries to tell you that the Feds are here to clean things up, it is a big lie . . . a very big lie.  They are here to assist Mike Ramos convict who Mike Ramos wants convicted whether they are guilty or not.  Anyone who expects to see the corruption at SBSD investigated, you’re out of luck as is the case for most of those thinking any of the rest of the corruption in this county will ever be cleaned up.  And FBI agents have no more integrity than the worst SBSD deputy.

Yes, I still expect we will see indictments with the city of Victorville, maybe SBIA, maybe ARMC, and probably Colonies—whatever Mikey wants.   And for the record, there is a Federal Grand Jury convened, again despite what anyone else tries to tell you.

Speaking of Ramos, I hope to have an article posted tomorrow at Examiner.com that will surprise many and I expect to be called a “sellout.”  I don’t care because I call a spade, a spade, whether I like someone or not, based on their actions and not my personal feelings.  Ramos is doing a couple of good things in the world of animal cruelty and I applaud him for that.  I will provide more details tomorrow.

Then yesterday I made a truly innocent visit to a city animal shelter only to have the city manager (well known to all my readers) come completely unglued because I didn’t identify myself as a “reporter.”  I wasn’t there to do anything but visit the animals.  So what do they have to hide I wonder?

Beside internet access issues, I have had the worst cold I have experienced in at least five years.  I have been miserable.  I think I am on Day 10 now, and really not feeling much better.  I finally broke down and went to ARMC.  I was given incredibly quick service and was impressed (well not quite as impressed when I found out they had me listed as an employee).  But James, the PA who saw me, was very professional as was all the staff.  I also had the chance to visit with some old coworkers for a few minutes.

And one last thing.  I need to have my truck smogged.  I took it one place and felt like they were scam artists so I didn’t have it done.  Anyone know of an honest smog shop here in the Victor Valley?

I am asking again to click on my Examiner articles if you are not doing so.  Here are links to the last few:

http://www.examiner.com/animal-welfare-in-palm-springs/national-protest-against-kill-pounds-to-target-local-shelter

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-los-angeles/county-supervisors-fight-whistleblower-lawsuit-to-the-tune-of-nearly-800-000

http://www.examiner.com/government-in-palm-springs/attitudes-of-elected-officials-make-the-difference-with-animal-control-issues

Things will hopefully slow down a bit mid-November and I will have a better internet connection.  Please continue to send tips and information for posts.

Also, does anyone have an update on the autopsy on the gentleman from Lake Arrowhead?  How about the Rutherford recall?  Opponents for Brad?  Where Lewis is running?

FYI, I am planning a complete revamp of the blog for the new year.  I plan to move everything from iepolitics.com to iepolitics.net and then start the new year off with a completely different theme and change a few of the ways I do things for all new iepolitics.com entries, including trying to be more consistent with style, correct grammar, and quality.  First I have to find a template I like.  I will keep you posted.

Dear Admin,

Would like your help in mounting a campaign to save the Statistical Abstract from being abolished.  Robert Samuelson wrote about it in the Washington Post – linked to by RealClearPolitics.com.

I believe the Abstract is an invaluable tool for many in the public to be able to track important changes in our nation.  Is is cost-cutting, or convenience to make it harder or impossible to keep track of these facts and figures?

Very Respectfully,

I thought one of you was toying with me.  I mean I expect emails about saving baby seals, puppies, and tortoises.  But the Statistical Abstract?   Since I assumed a statistical abstract is not warm and furry, why would I care?  Well my curiosity got the best of me.  Here is the link:  Statistical Abstract.  I shall let all of you decide if this is worth saving.

Second, a friend has started a new venture.  Here is her new website:  www.5starRatedBusiness.com.

I do know a reporter has gotten wind of the story.  Whether he decides to run with it before then is anyone’s guess.  I have not heard from him directly.

So, be sure to check here on Monday.  Most San Bernardino County residents will be happy . . . unless of course they reside on the Fifth Floor.

It’s hard to tell when I will have internet access but I am trying.  We still have a big announcement coming, but nothing ever happens as quickly as you want it. 

Anyway, thank you everyone.

I will tell you this.  I am going to post as much as I can tonight on some of the stories I have been promising.  I plan to set some of them for future dates.  I do not expect to be able to update the blog for another week.  I also will not be available by phone, text, Facebook or email during that period.

I cannot say when things will be back to normal.  I am trying to figure out how to get some Examiner stories posted as I learned of some new ways to get paid through that resource but I’m not sure how to make that happen.  We will see.

For now, I appreciate all the clicks on the Examiner articles.  I still would appreciate if you would subscribe to them.  No one has.  It doesn’t cost a thing but two minutes of your time and it gets me paid more.

Anyway, I will be back.  I just don’t know when.

I sat down about five feet away with my back to them.  Their voices also sounded familiar but their identities still didn’t register.  Then I realized who they were.  They were retired Sheriff’s brass.  I worked for several of them during the Abernathie sex scandal in Victorville.

All I can say guys is that you should be careful who you talk about while in public.  Ya never know when there is an errant blogger nearby.

So, for those who still want to try, click on the article.  If you can, subscribe to the feed.  You only have to do that twice, once for the Los Angeles articles and once for the Palm Springs articles and then from there you will never have to do it again.

If you are on Facebook and will “like” and/or “share” that would be great.  And finally, if you have the patience, click on an advertiser.

I will try to have a little more patience myself as I try to make this happen.

Thank you to those who helped me figure out how to get my photos off of Flickr.  It worked.  Above is the last snake I caught from a better time in my life.

Also, thank you to those who sent donations.  I told you NO but you guys don’t listen!!  It’s appreciated.  However, my resolve stands as far as making this blog self-sufficient and moving it off shore.  I may have an Examiner article up tonight or the first one may go up tomorrow night.  I will provide all the instructions then.

As someone said, the Examiner does not pay well.  But because of the base of readers we have here, it is very doable.  It will take approximately 10,000 clicks a day to equal my take-home county salary.  I don’t expect to get there in a month, but I do have a reasonable goal in mind that will give me an idea of whether or not this is going to work.

I’m very serious about the blog because I’m finding it harder and harder to get quality internet time and therefore harder and harder to keep the blog updated.  I will take it a day at a time and go from there.

Again, thank you everyone.

I appreciate all the responses and I am going to try to get a post out before the end of the night (my night that is).

Some months ago, after a ton of encouragement from others, I added the PayPal button so that at least the hosting fees could get paid.  I try to get posts up from Starbucks, McDonald’s, Denny’s, the library, or wherever I can find an internet connection, whenever I can make it into the big city.  I have tried several things to get the internet at home but I seem to live in a dead zone as nothing works (same goes for my cell phone and radio).

I have never been comfortable with the PayPal button, but especially now with everyone having to cut to make ends meet.  I am also really sick of certain hackers getting into my email and the blog because they would rather try to find out my sources to punish them rather than punish the real bad guys.  Like I said to begin with, I have made a decision.

Either this blog is going to get the support it needs to keep running or I am going to take it down effective August 23, 2011.  However, I DO NOT want financial support from any of you.

The articles I write for Examiner.com earn money per click.  Every time someone clicks on one, I earn something.  Examiner is starting a new compensation program where payment is not based solely on clicks, but also on subscribers, ad clicks, postings on social media, the quality of the articles, the regularity with which I post, the media I add to articles, etc.

I don’t exactly hide the face I hate writing Examiner articles.  It reminds me of high school English class all over.  I have gotten very used to being able to write informally on the blog, using a ton and a half of poetic license, and making grammatical errors, sometimes on purpose.  I really don’t like formal writing.

That being said, it is the formal writing that will earn the money to keep this blog alive, keep Naomi fed, and keep me with an internet connection of sorts.  So, for those of you who say you don’t want the blog shut down, I need your help.  It will cost you nothing but five minutes of your time each day.  I need you to read the Examiner articles, click “like,” subscribe to my feed (you will get one email each time I write an article), leave a comment on the article on the Examiner site (for those of you with your own website I believe you can leave a link to them), and click on an advertiser or two.

For my part, I am going to try to get my only surviving camera out of hock and start adding photos to my articles, add more links to them, and take off the gloves when I write.  So far Examiner has not come down on me for not being PC and I’m going to push the limit.  I have asked to be added to a number of legislator’s press release lists so that I have something to write about each day but will fill in the rest of the days with county corruption stories.  Last time I checked I believe the Examiner site gets about 20 million hits a month.  It is the largest news distribution site in the world I believe.  We want to be sure our elected officials become infamous beyond the San Bernardino County border.

I also have a couple of other sites I may be writing for so I can write about something other than politics.  I will keep you posted.  I will also provide all necessary links and instructions as soon as I post my next Examiner article.

And finally, if anyone has any great leads on controversial stories that relate to politics that would be appropriate for the Palm Springs or Los Angeles editions of the Examiner, please send them my way.

I guess we will all know come August 23 if iePolitics really has support or not.  I think that is important rather than waste my time and yours.

So enjoy Independence Day.  Remember those who fought for our freedom and those who founded this great country so that we could have the freedom to blog and say what we want about our elected and appointed leaders.

Well, most of the time we can.  Yesterday, the cops showed up at the house of one of the people who has been critical of the Devore Shelter because Devore employees felt “threatened.”  Wow, do I have a lot of sympathy for them—they same people who threaten citizens all of the time.  I will have a whole series on Devore and what the BOS is doing to punish those who are trying to clean up the place.  But it will likely have to wait until next week.

I really need to get the blog moved off shore.  I have looked at a number of companies and I have no idea which one to go with.  If anyone has experience with a reputable off-shore host, I would really appreciate a recommendation.  I need a host where I will not have issues with WordPress or Joomla.

I’m also in the process of developing some other sites.  I do not like the web builder sites that come with hosting as they seem to be simplistic in their designs with little in the way of features.  I also seem incapable of taking the time to teach myself PHP.  So, I would also some recommendations for site-building software that has a significant degree of sophistication to the look of the final results without my having to learn a new programming language.

Now for a few specific tips:

To the person who sent me the information some time ago on Megan Mitzelfelt, it hasn’t been forgotten. I’m just waiting for it to be closer to the election.

To those sending me information on the County Recorder (?), I really need more information.  From what I gather there are accusations that certain substandard lenders are paying off county staffers to have defective documents recorded?  Is that correct?  I’m really not clear and need more information.

To those sending me information regarding any aspect of the city of Upland, I am more than happy to print any original information you send. Upland is really Jim’s bailiwick and I’m not interested in posting newspaper articles he has already posted.  My interest and Jim’s interest in Upland vary greatly.  Mostly, I’m interested in how the investigation relates to Greg Devereaux and Gary Ovitt.  My cop friends say both are being scrutinized but I am not clear for what.  However, again, any original writings are welcome.

Bill Postmus

How many of you remember the interview George Watson conducted with Bill Postmus a few years ago?  It was while Bill was still Assessor.  George posted the audio of the interview to the Sun site.

I was in Gallop, New Mexico that day working on a site for some missionaries when I received a call from Paul Bosacki asking if I had listened to the interview, which I had not.  A high-speed internet connection was very hard to find in Gallop. George called me a little later to tell me about it as well.

I eventually was able to listen.  Remember, I did not know Bill at the time.  So I was surprised to say the least when he mentioned my old blog crittercollectibles.com.  Yes, he was just a bit upset with me because I had written about issues at the Assessor’s Office before mainstream media had written about them.  As a matter of fact, I was eventually suspended for writing about those issues because, to put it in Dean Arabatzis’ words, “You are creating a hostile work environment for county administrators.”

Of course, now three years later, the Sun, Press Enterprise, Los Angeles Times, the California Attorney General and the San Bernardino County District Attorney have all written about those same issues; however, I remain the bad guy and remain suspended.

So a few weeks ago when Bill asked me to create a blog for him, and knowing one of the traits we share is impatience, I decided to use crittercollectibles to host his blog so that he would have Google ranking right away rather than waiting.  It wasn’t until after I told him I would do it, that I realized the irony.  And how time changes things.

So, we are just getting it going, but take a look:  www.BillPostmus.net.

Sometimes things that are written are just not true and other times the truth hurts a lot.   Whether it is the truth or not, most want to defend their good names.  Some go so far as to fight fire with fire.

And fighting fire with fire is what this blog entry is all about.  I have had others fight me by starting their own blogs to discredit me.  What most don’t realize is the amount time it takes to make a blog successful and just how much work really goes into a blog.  Those other blogs have all died out.

A few weeks ago Jim wrote an entry on his blog that I have to admit made me cringe.  I suspected it would not go unanswered, and deservedly so.  However, I didn’t think the recipient of his accusations would go as far as they have.  But I guess that entry was the Proverbial “straw” as they have now created their own blog to expose Jim and his past.  The blog is called www.iecrookwatch.com.

I have to admit I have heard rumors about the new blog for weeks now, but I have absolutely nothing to do with it.  My understanding is that it is very ell financed by many of  Jim’s enemies.  I also want to stress that although Jim will make accusations to the contrary, Bill also has absolutely nothing to do with it.

The new blog is brutal, but Jim has also been brutal to those he has pounded on at inlandpolitics.com.  Turnabout is fair play?  I guess that is for the readers to decide.

If you happen to be an attorney writing the article, we would be glad to put up the link to your practice on our sidebar or you can remain totally anonymous.

Also, I get calls almost every day from employees looking for good workers comp or employment law attorneys.  My own attorneys seemed overwhelmed and unable to take on new cases.  If you are a workers comp or an employment law attorney, AND YOUR PRACTICE IS OUTSIDE OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, but you are willing to take cases against San Bernardino County, we would love to have your website information for our sidebar.  The advertising is free and you can’t get any cheaper than that!!

I’m sorry, although I know there are some good employment law attorneys in this county, we get too many horror stories about the attorneys being in bed with the county and too chummy with the judges.  I won’t add links for San Bernardino County employment law or workers comp attorneys unless you come highly recommended by a county employee who has used your services.