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(Video above: Mercury's "farewell" weekly astrology roundup. He temporarily retired 1 1/2 years ago to complete work on personal and literary projects. However, as an Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News tradition, he looks ahead to the new year around The Occupied Zone.)

A visionary in more ways than one, Michael Mercury had a lot to say about the Ranch and its "ambiance" as well as future when he did a "community reading" recently.

"I really don’t know anything about Rancho Santa Fe," Mercury said. "I made sure not to look it up on the Internet so I could let intuition guide me. But, I feel I really tapped into the community."

Accepting the challenge to read the community, Mercury used 1 p.m. June 7, 1922 as the community’s birth date. That is the moment groundbreaking occurred for the new community of Rancho Santa Fe, according to Elise Esprit of Ah-Ha, based on Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society documents.

Mercury, who also goes by Clint Cochran, mystic, is a yoga instructor and former restaurant owner, A Sacramento resident who has developed a wide and enthusiastic following among astrology enthusiasts. For many years, he hosted America’s only radio astrology call-in show at KDVS-FM, the UC Davis station.

Mercury is further known around the state Capitol for his weekly astrology forecasts on KXTV-Channel 10, Sacramento’s ABC affiliate. He continues his radio astrology experience with "Spirit Speaks" that can be accessed at his Web site www.michaelmercury.com and is a member of the Conscious Media Network.

And now...The Mercury Report on Rancho Santa Fe, now and in the years to come... 

FIRST OF ALL let me state up-front, what I am going to try to do here actually what I am going to do here not just try, but what I am going to do is read the chart of Rancho Santa Fe as if it were a person and see how I can relate to the community at large what’s going to happen to the community in this coming year.

OK, so, Libra rising is the ascendant of Rancho Santa Fe, so the personality of Rancho Santa Fe is considered to be Libra-like and what does that mean, it means that relationships are very important. What is also interesting about this chart is that Saturn, the planet Saturn which deals with limits, limitations, authority, structure, is sitting right on the ascendant.

This is a very powerful position, so it kind of indicates that people who live in this community relationships are very important, however also finding balance within this community is extremely important as well.

There is a tendency within this community to maybe be a little bit one-sided in its presentation in the way it represents itself. If it’s extremely affluent maybe it is in its best interest as a community to make sure that those who are in need within this community are also being taken care of, not that it isn’t being done but that there seems to be a lack of variety, or dexterity of many, many social levels in this community due to there’s a need, an interest in doing this but it’s kind of like there is a contradiction in this community as well.

It’s kind of like it wants to expand, but it wants to contract. It wants to follow the rules, but it also wants to make rules. It doesn’t want to live by rules but somehow it wants to get around and somehow have its cake and eat it too by being unique being unusual and yet being structured. There seems to be this quality about this community.

The moon is in Scorpio in the second house of property, money and resources. There’s a strong emotional tie to the property, money and resources. People really love their homes. People come to this community to find their soul in their home, to make their home more than their castle but to represent who they are. There is a sense of secrecy, a sense of privacy in this community. People tend to be very private.

People don’t want other people necessarily unless they are invited to know about themselves. They want to keep themselves private. This is a community on the one hand wants to welcome the outsiders but at the same time want to be very private.

Mars in the third house, this is the natal chart I’m talking about, I’m just giving you a glow then I will talk about maybe what’s coming up in the next year. Mars in Sagittarius makes it a more philosophical open intellectual curiosity in terms of the community at large. It can have a very vocal voice in terms of what it represents and what it believes in and what it thinks should be done. It tends to be more open-minded, not necessarily liberal or conservative but certainly having an open mind from either camp.

Uranus in the sixth house really speaks to the idea of electronics of advancements. Uranus in Pisces in the sixth house of this chart of Rancho Santa Fe indicates that, again, innovative technology is a part of this community, but at the same time there is this kind of hometown kind of feel so that it wants the advances of the future but it wants the feel of the past. It wants to have a sense of community like in the old school but at the same time it wants to take advantage of all the high tech gadgets and technology that helps make life so much more pleasant.

Now, when it comes to relationships, we have Chyron, the south node in the seventh house of relationships, partnerships, marriage, all this kind of thing. One has to kind of be aware relationships, partnerships, things of this sort, it kind of makes the community a little bit, oh what’s the word, maybe a little bit apart from other communities, yet it wants to be a part of other communities, but at the same time it doesn’t want to be a part of the other communities.... (more)

Rosalie Cushman: Predicting The Past - Reflections of 2011...

I couldn’t help but laugh at Dan Weisman’s latest posting about his “occupation” of the Crosby Estate.  Then, of course, I cried.  Several times this past year I’ve recalled a statement made by one of my Boston University professor’s claiming, “You will turn out to be much like your parents; more than you can even believe now”.  I thought he was nuts!  This was in the early 70’s, on the heels of Kent State, demonstrations against the Viet Nam War, post-MLK  and Robert Kennedy assassinations and all that upheaval that signified some pretty dramatic shifts in American Society.

Or so we thought. 

Being a political junkie, with occasional episodes of recovery at best, I’ve been following many events and discussions throughout the year, much of which has focused either on the economy and/or the Republican primary process, along with changes in the world at large.  I have sustained shock and disbelief often, followed by lurching uncontrollably between disgust, shame, excitement, and boredom.   At one point, I actually heard Howard Fineman of Huffington Post say we boomers are “greedy and selfish”, even owning the description like a grownup for himself, not proudly, mind you, just maturely.  This was in the context of the early days of the Occupy Wall Street movement which, of course, has morphed into a new phase.

Fineman’s depiction and acknowledgement of ‘our boomer generation’ behavior, of course, is accurate in many ways, though not all.  I liked his honesty but also chafed at the mirror he held up to some of what we have certainly done to ourselves as a society.  I like it in part because of the exposure of the whole ‘victim-perpetrator- theme being played out in America today.  He suggests it will only serve us when we own up to our own role in it; own up to our own participation in choosing one or the other to identify with.  It is what grown-ups need to be about, after all; ownership and accountability.  The 1% and the 99%, each, have much to learn from the other, not the least of which is to look the other squarely in the face while taking responsibility for their own participation.  This naturally includes my own game-playing as well.   No one is off the hook; no one exempt.

When I think back to the early stirrings of the Arab Spring, I am reminded of parallels within all societies that undergo upheaval and change.  Sometimes that change is consequent to economic conditions.  Sometimes that change is due to political repression.  Sometimes it is due to rapid industrialization/modernization, and sometimes it is due to wild disparity between classes of people.  In today’s globalization, there is something new operating that adds enormous benefit but incredible tension to the mix as well: technology.  Yes, it’s been discussed re the power of Twitter, Facebook, rapid internet communications and cell/video phones that can expose events differently from how change was represented in the past.

I’ve heard NYT columnist Tom Friedman discuss his recent examination of where we are as a nation, the crossroads we find ourselves in, in his recent book, “That Used to Be Us”.  Our dilemma is not hopeless, he says.  However, reasonable solutions are time-sensitive and all the desire in the world to ignore or minimize the crossroads we huddle in right now while national and global events accelerate past us ensures failure, albeit at a snail’s pace.   Yes, we can fail slowly, and may be doing just that, while others race by us.

Remarkably, I’ve met and known two emigrants; one Czech, who survived WWII and the Holocaust; the other a Chinese-Korean who survived the Korean War as a child.  In each case, their fierce determination to adapt has been startling.  It sounds like such an obvious conclusion to draw yet we’d be well advised to pay closer attention to not just why others have come to America but how and what they’ve done to change themselves as part of the process of adaptation.  Often, their changes have been subtle but equally often, profound.

Yes, they survived.  Yes, they learned strategies on overcoming starvation, poverty and displacement.  But hidden in their very survival is their astonishing adaptation to new circumstances, a new set of events including people, language, cultures and economies.  What’s more, each man can be an example as an individual to the group as a whole.  For it is where we find America – indeed, the world – in currently.   Context is everything.  These two men know this even without articulating it.  They know it in their heart and in their gut.  Context requires innovation and new thought on many levels. 

America has yet to fully understand our new context internally, let alone, globally, or at least many Americans have yet to do that.  Friedman understands that all too well.  Fineman and many others do too.  The passing of Steve Jobs even, has cast a light on this very fact also, though more obliquely.   At the end of the day/year we cannot ‘tweak’ our way out of this contextual paradigm shift by modifying old ideas just enough to avoid risk.  The risk for us is in not taking greater risk itself.  Not for the mere sake of it, but for the necessity of thinking differently because our context has changed.... (more)

MY DAY (OCCUPYING) AT THE CROSBY ESTATE -- REDEFINING WEALTH, HEALTH AND MINTY MELTS...

Yes, well, it's a fabulous day around Rancho Santa Fe. However, having no money, food and gasoline, to name a few of life's pleasures, it was necessary to do a little foraging in the immediate neighborhood of La Hacienda. Sorry.

YUM

YUM

DOUBLE YUM...

OMG! Will you look at that? The back gate to Crosby Estate, somehow ajar.

 You know what this means.

--------    TIME TO OCCUPY AT CREEPY ESTATE.

                                  EXCELSIOR!!! ------------------

ENTERING THE MAGICAL KINGDOM OF CREEPY ESTATE CLUBHOUSE...WHERE IS HARRY POTTER WHEN YOU NEED HIM? FRODO BAGGINS?

FIVE...

Time to get back to business. Looks like dinner in the dumpster for us tonight, dears. Perhaps Devorah Rose will come!... (more)

Style Matters with Penelope Voisen: THE THANKSGIVING TABLE TOASTING AMERICA'S RICHNESS...

Ah, Thanksgiving – the holiday that toasts America’s richness and bounty as no other.

When we think of the loving labor that goes into preparing dinner for relatives and friends, it can anything but a holiday.  The Thanksgiving table allows us to keep the day special, beautiful, and relaxing without being stuck in the kitchen.

Whether you’re having a San Diego style get-together, celebrating somewhere in the country, or somewhere in between, holiday decorating should be consistent with your personal style and the look of your home.

The focal point for any dining room is the table.  How well you dress your dining table can transform your dining room from day to night, or season to season.

Starting ahead of time will help keep things organized in preparing your table for the Thanksgiving gathering.  One of the biggest pleasures of entertaining for me is dressing the table.  I love to spend time experimenting in setting what I think will be the perfect tablescape – from the dishes to the centerpiece to the candles, even the background music.

Staging the table sets the tone for a special meal.  When you lead guests into the dining room, you want them to see a beautiful, inviting place that you, the hostess, created to make them feel special.

 Today, tableware, linen, flatware, serving dishes, plates and glassware come in many intriguing colors, shapes, styles, and materials.  The choices are virtually endless when choosing a scheme for your Thanksgiving table.  Presenting your favorite collection in a creative, imaginative way, makes the difference between a so-so meal or an unforgettably elegant and charming one.

Linens, in any table setting style, define the look of the dining table.  For a formal, traditional table, using white or off-white, usually works best.

Heirloom, or fine china, sterling silver flatware, and fine crystal are expected at a formal table.  Other elegant touches to build on might include oversized, textured chargers in a metallic finish.  Mixing sterling and other classic touches add a luxurious  element to a formal table.

Decorative place cards are often used to give a warm welcome to guests.  It’s fun to mix modern touches in a formal setting.  A soft, fresh floral arrangement in a modern clear bowl or vase, or a more earthy arrangement using greenery and fruit can contrast a classic formal setting.

There are hard set rules to break about table setting style, so it’s always challenging and fun to pare down a formal adaptation as to not risk being too stuffy.

One of my favorite lines of fine china is Haviland.  Haviland has been manufacturing French porcelain china at its factory in Limoges, France since 1853.  I spoke with their National Sales Manager, Maureen Ferrel, to find out what the latest trend is at Haviland.

“Fashion for the table, Laque de Chine is getting a lot of attention right now,” she said.   “This is Haviland largest and most successful launch ever.  Laque de Chine is available in a dozen dreamy colors with gold and platinum trim, and be a stand alone pattern, or used as complimentary pieces to an existing collection.”

In a more casual, rustic setting, centerpieces and other table decorations should celebrate nature.  The simplest arrangements using pumpkins, gourds, apples and nuts, along with fresh floral and greenery work well.  Baskets, pottery,  or terracotta containers  work best for their textures and country feel.  Theses special touches make us feel thankful when we sit down to the Thanksgiving table.

A rustic Thanksgiving table demands earthenware, stoneware, and ceramics as opposed to china.  Wood accented flatware is wonderful when pared with these dishes, however silver seems to always go with everything, as silver adds a little sparkle to any table.

Other elements for the dining room should be lots of soft lighting, votive candles, and even a crackling fire in the fireplace, would blend to create a gracious, relaxed, elegant setting to enjoy your Thanksgiving feast.

Eating and drinking should be reveled in and make most of the celebrating feeling thankful.   May your Thanksgiving table, whether formal or rustic, be simply stunning, and the day enjoyed by family, friends, fabulous food – and plenty of football!

Operation Invade Wall Street - A Message to the People

Operation Invade Wall Street - A Message to the People

TRANSCRIPT:

________________

Citizens of the World,

We are Anonymous.

For too long, the crimes of Wall Street bankers, CEOs, and a corrupt political system have created economic injustices that has gone unchallenged. A new civil rights movement has begun.

Today, the brave citizens of New York are standing up to these atrocities, a voice of reason in an ever-failing society. Over the past few days, thousands of people have chosen to take a stand against these injustices. The 1% has abused the freedom they have been given. We are taking to the streets to show the wealthy elite that we, the 99%, are no longer going to grease the gears of this abhorrent system.

The lifeblood of the country is the working class, without it our people and our economy will crumble. Those who sustain present-day colonialism are the enablers of modern-day fascism. Our government has granted hefty tax exemptions to the rich at the cost of our social services. We as taxpayers have served as the multi-billion dollar credit line to the companies and banks that continue to systematically abuse us.

We are here to say that we do matter. We will not be manipulated, threatened, or toyed with by the wealthy. No longer can you acquire profit and political power to our detriment. 

These few people are running the world, and they are running it into the ground.

Political power cannot be traded or bought; it must be earned and agreed upon by the governed. This is our chance to show them that the people will not allow this to continue.  

We are forced out of our homes. We are denied medical care. We suffer from poverty and pollution. We work long hours just to stay afloat, while the 1% reap benefits we can only imagine. Our sworn enemy is the corrupted corporation. --We are the 99%.

You have complained that something needs to be done. You now have an opportunity to make a difference.

Join the protests. Organize your own. Watch online. Be a part of the movement.

This is our movement. This is your moment.

Together, make history. 

Vox Populi, Vox Anon.

The Voice of The People is the Voice of Anonymous.

The voice of the weak that are unable to speak. The voice of those strong who are enslaved.

We are your voice. We are the 99%.

We do not forgive corruption. We do not forget mistreatment.

Wall Street, Expect us.

TARGET: nyse.com 10 October 3:30 PM EST

Curious Case of the 2010 San Diego County Crop Report: Where Have All the Cucumbers Gone?

(Cucumbers grew around Otay Mesa in 1981 per this photo, but an Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News investigation into the 2010 San Diego County Crop Report that declared the county to be in the top five statewide for cucumber production. San Diego ag officials said the county featured 266 acres, 5,847 tons of cukes worth $3.4 million. Huh? You see any cucumbers growing anywhere?)

Once again, the San Diego County Crop Report out this summer was a source of amazement and sometimes amusement. We're talking cukes, not nukes here; the big lie about CUCUMBERS. More in a moment...

Even as farm acreage continues to sink in the county, and the economy tanks, crop values rose slightly, up around $104,000 over 2009 to $1.65 million in 2010. However, county farmers lost 4,578 acres of production to housing leaving 302,713 acres under cultivation.

First the official tale of the take. County ag officials reported:

The value of Nursery and Cut Flower crops continued to rise in San Diego County in 2010. The number one crop, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs increased in value 14.69% to $418,841,523. The number two crop, Indoor Flowering & Foliage Plants, increased in value by 0.56% to $292,500,000.  Overall acreage for nurseries and cut flowers increased slightly by 0.05%. The total value for all nursery products (including cut flowers and foliage) was well above the one billion dollar mark for a grand total of $1,107,558,336.

For the complete report visit the pdf file attached to this story...

Some other fun facts, courtesy of your county ag dept.:

San Diego County’s varied topography creates a wide fluctuation of microclimates resulting in nearly 30 different types of vegetation communities. This diversity allows for San Diego to grow over 200 different agricultural commodities - from strawberries along the coast, apples in the mountain areas, to palm trees in the desert.

San Diego County has the 5th* highest urban population among counties in the United States, and the 17th* largest agricultural economy. (*updated)

Agriculture in San Diego County covers 302,713 acres and is a key contributor to San Diego County’s economy, along with defense, manufacturing, tourism and biotechnology.  

San Diego County has 6,687 farms, more than any other county in the United States.  68% of San Diego County farms are 1-9 acres.  Nearly 27% of farms in San Diego County are operated by women. 

The high cost of water and land make farming in San Diego County expensive and encourages growers to raise products with a high dollar value per acre.  San Diego produces the highest dollar value per acre of any county in California!

The median size farm is just 4 acres and yet our county’s farmers rank number one in both California and the nation in the production value of nursery, floriculture and avocados.  

But then it gets more than a little murky. County officials made the following statement:

Statewide, San Diego County is in the top five counties for cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, boysenberries, strawberries, grapefruit, Valencia oranges, tangelos and tangerines, honey, and eggs.

Look closely at that last statement for it says the county is in the top five in the state for CUCUMBERS. CUCUMBERS???

Where have all the cucumbers gone?

This is cucumber harvest season in San Diego County where the county Department of Agriculture's picture of a robust crop worth $3.4 million and grown on 266 harvested acres poses a riddle of sorts.

Where the heck are those cucumbers?
"The agriculture commissioner is mandated to prepare the crop report," said Delores Brandon, former county Agriculture Department spokeswoman who once coordinated the annual crop report. "However, farmers are not mandated to produce the information. We use the various databases within our department and send questionnaires. Then we merge and purge."

"They send out questionnaires to farmers," said Alan Usrey, Escondido Farmers Market assistant manager. "But how accurate the stuff they get is the question."

"There are quite a few cucumber growers," Brandon said when asked about the crop, adding county officials had to rely on a voluntary reporting system. She referred other questions to Kurt Floren, former deputy director of the county Agriculture Department who said the report was accurate.... (more)

San Diego Sheriff's crime report for 9/9/2011 - 9/15/2011: 33 local crimes found...

http://www.crimemapping.com/map/region/northcountysandiego

Follow the link above to view the entire mapping tool...... (more)

It seems like somebody always is DISCOVERING CHINO FARM. Enjoy!

                                                      (Tom Chino with Trey Foshee at the Nojo)

The Vegetable Shop at The Chino Family Farm

Featuring: Multiple varieties of most produce: Tomatoes, squash, squash blossoms, beans, shell beans, dried beans, melons, cucumbers, sprouts, greens and lettuces, celery root, carrots, turnips, parsnips, salsafy, radishes, brussels sprouts, okra, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, peppers, herbs, strawberries, strawberry figs, Concord grapes.

Location: 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe (off Via de la Valle, S6)

Open year round:
Fall/Winter: Tuesday-Saturday 10-4; Sunday 10-1
Spring/Summer: Tuesday-Saturday 10-5; Sunday 10-1
Closed Mondays.

Recorded farmstand information: (858) 756-3184

(For more from Laura Magnarelli follow the non-bouncing link...)

If you've ever ordered a dish with produce off of an upscale menu that touts fresh locally grown products chances are good that some of it came from Chino Farm. Most San Diegans have no idea that some of the best, and understandably expensive, produce comes from our own backyard. I have seen their name pop up in menu descriptions often enough to feel like I already know the farm. So recently when I heard that they had a farm stand open to the public, I knew I had to visit them.

It's great to go to a restaurant and eat delicious local, well cared produce, but when the general public has access to the same product gourmet can really come into the home. Just up the road on the edge of Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe, the Chino farm sits on some pretty pricey real estate. That aside, it's a great way to introduce the kids to a functioning farm and increase their interaction with their food. As soon as we pulled in my son spotted the building off to the left and began demanding to “go into the farm house”.... (more)

VISTA CONGRESSMAN DARRELL ISSA’S DOUBLE STANDARD MARCHES ON...

Issa Watch is a project of the Courage Campaign's online organizing network of more than 700,000 supporters in California and across the country. The Issa Watch project includes the blog Issa Exposed, and organizing both on and offline. Issa Watch tracks Darrell Issa's public record as well as the ongoing investigations and hearings he's involved with as chairman of the House Oversight Committee. Lead contributors include Lucas O'Connor, Haley Potiker and Abraham White. To contact Issa Watch, please email  IssaExposed@couragecampaign.org.

Darrell Issa continues this week to apply a wildly different standard of disclosure to himself as compared to the Obama Administration. Issa's request for a wide-ranging document release from the Department of Homeland Security concerned alleged politicizing of FOIA requests didn't devlier what he was looking for, so he's now refocusing and expanding the request. As the Hill reports, Issa is asking for copies of e-mails between key White House officials. He is also seeking a series of interviews with top-level staff at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of his probe into the Obama administration’s transparency.

Last week, Issa requested that 180 agencies send him records showing how fast they respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. He also asked the agencies to explain why some FOIA requests are delayed more than others.

Using the issue as cover, Issa recently called for in-depth tracking of all people and organizations that submit Freedom of Information Act requests. Ostensibly intended by Issa as a way to avoid politicizing the process, it would provide a shocking amount of tracking information to the federal government, and is part of a broader trend by Issa to chill dissent and citizen oversight.

 In lodging a complaint over Homeland Security's responsiveness, Issa wrote:, Issa wrote:

"This directive is inconsistent with your pledge to identify and produce documents expeditiously, and it raises questions about the Department's commitment to the President's effort to create an 'unprecedented level of openness in government."

The tone and content of this objection is particularly odd, however, given that Issa himself has consistently rejected such calls for openness out of his own office. He has declined to publicly post the letter he sent to industry groups and conservative think tanks soliciting agenda items for the Oversight Committee. He has resisted releasing the responses he's gotten from the letter, agreeing only to release them in mid-February with spin added by his office and leaving CREW to seek the letters on their own. Odd that, if Issa is sincerely concerned about transparency as a way to address concerns of politicizing government, he would be so deeply opposed to being open about his own dealings.... (more)

Life of John:                               E-books

 Editor's Note: John Hermann is a 42-year-old Rancho Santa Fe resident who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He uses a ventilator 24/7. View John's complete blog profile or contact him at johnrsf@pacbell.net.

Life of John: My observations, experiences, musings, and opinions about disability,life,and other matters.

"There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval."--George Santayana (1863-1952)

I browse through the catalog of e-books on Amazon.com, find a book I want and download it to my kindle reader on my PC. In a matter of seconds, the book is on my computer and ready to be read.

It is so convenient, and for a person with a disability, like me, it makes reading a lot easier. I don't have to ask someone to get a book out of the bookshelf for me, and since I can no longer turn the pages of a book, the click of the mouse, or in my case a hands-free mouse, is all it takes to turn pages. If not for e-books, I would have to listen to audio books or have someone read to me. Listening to audio books can be enjoyable, but it is not the same as reading the written word on a page.

Though e-books are a great benefit to me and many others, I still miss the old-fashioned book. I remember going to the book store, perusing the stacks and buying a pile of books. The alluring smell of new books filled the store. I recall the crack of the spine of a new book as I opened it for the first time, and the sound of pages flipping as I moved through the book. The sight of various books filling a bookshelf was always a pleasant sight and much preferable to a shelf of knick-knacks.

I enjoyed going into used bookstores and looking for low-priced treasures and coming out with  a bag full of books. The dusty smell of old books reminded me of neglected relics of the past. Or going to the library and roaming through the stacks and being overwhelmed with so many choices of books to check out. There were so many ways to interact with books.... (more)

The heck with planking, we're talking BATMANNING around town this week...

... (more)

Rancho Santa Fe hotel tax revenues rise in 2010-11; overall San Diego County Transient Occupancy(Hotel) Tax revenue rises...

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue collected from Rancho Santa Fe rose from $514,730.79 to $591,131.42 

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue for the County of San Diego increased both countywide and locally from fiscal year 2009-10 to fiscal year 2010-11.

The countys overall TOT collection revenue increased from $2,423,811.31 in 2009-10 to $2,448,836.43 for 2010-11. The tax money collected in Fallbrook rose from $256,328.20 to $282,087.11 while the revenue from Bonsall lodging facilities grew from $25,880.00 to $26,798.85.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is collected from occupants of hotels, motels, bed and breakfast venues, mobile home parks, private campgrounds, and other structures occupied or intended for occupancy by non-residents for lodging or sleeping purposes. A timeshare unit used by an ownership partner is not subject to the TOT, although if that unit is rented to the general public it is subject to the tax for that period. Campgrounds at the eight county parks with such facilities are exempt, as are lodging facilities on Indian reservations or other areas where the County of San Diego has no taxation power.

A Federal or State of California officer or employee on official business is exempt from the tax, as is any foreign government officer or employee exempt under Federal law or international treaty. The tax is not collected if the rent is four dollars a day or less or if the lodger receives a free room where the only consideration received is publicity for the lodging site. If the unit is occupied or rented for more than 30 consecutive days, it is not subject to the TOT.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is currently eight percent of the lodging unit rate. Payment to the county is on a quarterly basis; the facility operator must submit the payment by the last day of the month following the end of the calendar quarter (if the facility ceases operation the payment must be made within 30 days after the operator ceases doing business).

Although the Transient Occupancy Tax is only collected from lodging facilities in the unincorporated portion of the county, the revenue is used for the countys Community Enhancement funding which may be given to organizations in incorporated cities as well as in unincorporated communities. Community Enhancement funds are intended to promote tourism, including visitors from other parts of the county, and are allocated as part of the countys annual budget process.

The 2010-11 totals changed Fallbrooks rank among unincorporated communities from fourth to third, as revenue from Borrego Springs fell from $296,616.81 to $261,431.49. TOT revenue collected from Rancho Santa Fe rose from $514,730.79 to $591,131.42 while revenue collected from facilities in unincorporated Escondido dropped from $334,696.61 to $294,776.23. Julian has ranked fifth in both of the past two years, collecting $174,923.77 in 2009-10 and $191,395.21 in 2010-11. Bonsall ranked twelfth among the 22 communities in both years, behind Ramona and ahead of Pauma.

Countywide first-quarter TOT revenue increased from $642,450.92 from July 2009 through September 2009 to $647,410.93 during the corresponding 2010 period. Fallbrook saw a first-quarter growth from $74,150.91 to $76,737.55 while Bonsalls first-quarter collections dropped from $8,387.00 to $7,195.00. Fallbrooks first-quarter revenue ranked third in the county both in 2009 and 2010 while Bonsall had the twelfth-highest figure for both years.

The countys second-quarter revenue, covering the October through December period, declined from $538,624.02 in 2009 to $511,275.69 in 2010. Fallbrooks second-quarter collections grew from $61,092.33 to $66,002.76 while Bonsalls revenue gained from $4,608.00 to $4,801,48. The second-quarter decline was attributable to decreased revenue in the northeast part of the county; although Julians collections increased from $54,449.41 to $60,875.43, revenue declined in Borrego Springs from $97,206.54 to $43,413.21, in Warner Springs from $24,294.61 to $18,560.67, and in Pauma from $6,438.49 to $5,471.56.... (more)

F'in advisor Steve Sexton, legalite Mike Walters, and Kerman Beriker from the Inn at RSF

 (San Diego Entertainer Magazine goes all puffy at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Enjoy!)

Each month San Diego Entertainer Magazine presents entertainment and lifestyle segments on E&L TV. The show airs the first Sunday of the month at 5pm on Channel 6 (CW).

Past shows have included segments with financial expert Steve Sexton, local artists like The Riders, and local businesses from the Coronado Boathouse to Vasseur Day Spa. In this month’s show, you’ll be treated to find even more great San Diego stories.

The show is hosted at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. This location is a true San Diego staple for visitors and locals alike. It’s a hot spot for celebrities and has played host to past presidents and Hollywood royalty. It’s tucked in the hills in North County San Diego and overlooks rolling hills and riding trails, giving guests a taste of the country just a few miles from downtown. Hear from Kerman Beriker, the managing director at the Inn about what makes the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe so special.

... (more)

9/11/01 in 9/11/11 at Del Dios, Calif.

Sept. 11, 2001: Local ironworker Paul Pursley spent 10 weeks at "Ground Zero" following attack.

"Ironworkers worked every day," Pursley said. "We went on 12-hour shifts starting at 6 (a.m.) or 7 (a.m.) The more iron we cut up, the more firemen we could find. But we only found parts; a hand, a leg, a torso, never a complete body. We found parts from 650 people. You thought you would find somebody alive at first, but we never did...

"...I never cut so much steel in my entire life. I hope I never have to again."

 Ground Zero.

That's where Escondido ironworker Paul Pursley found himself in September  2001 on a first-ever visit to New York City.

For the next 10 weeks, in a city reeling with shock, Pursley helped cut away the massive wreckage of the World Trade Center, allowing relief workers to recover some of the 2,992 people killed on Sept. 11.

Pursley flew home on Dec. 6. Later,  sitting in the stilliness of a former girlfriend's San Marcos kitchen, he told of the horror of body parts, the sad daily trek through crowds of people anxiously searching for missing loved ones, the kindness of Salvation Army workers and of being able to touch President Bush.

"You never found a whole piece, whole people," said Pursley, who worked as part of an ironworkers' union contingent attached to a Yonkers, N.Y., wreckage excavation crew. Twenty men worked the day shift and 20 worked the night shift, he said.

"The first few weeks there was nothing really stationary to walk on," Pursley said. "There was so much energy in the pile that stuff would get catapulted 200 to 300 feet in the air. We were cutting through 50-ton pieces of iron. Stuff was all over the place. But the more iron you could cut, the faster firemen could get part of somebody out.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life," Pursley said. "The ground was so hot I went through three pairs of boots in the 2-1/2 months I was there."... (more)

Perry’s Previews 2011 Disney D23 Expo Review: “Perrific!” Attractions

(FOR MORE -- MUCH, MUCH MORE -- FROM THE INIMITABLE CARMEL VALLEY SIXTH GRADER...VISIT THE REAL DEAL AT http://www.perryspreviews.com/.)

                         Perry Chen at Disney D23 main entrance (photo by Zhu Shen)

2011 Disney D23 Expo Unveils New Attractions

By Perry S. Chen

How would you celebrate the 25^th anniversary of one of the most creative studios in the world? Well, at the Disney D23 expo, we celebrated the awesome anniversary of Pixar with delicious cupcakes, about 4000 of them!  Each cupcake looked like a ball with a red star and a blue stripe, and it was very soft with a sweet and slightly tangy frosting. Everybody got one and my mom and I really enjoyed them!

                                    Perry Chen enjoying Pixar 25th anniversary cupcake (photo by Zhu Shen)

It was very fun at the D23 fan expo this year! During my second visit to the Disney Fan Expo, My mom and I got to see a full 3D film, find out about upcoming films, and attend interesting panels. This expo was quite a blast!

                                                      Perry Chen at press check-in (photo by Zhu Shen)

On the first day, we drove off from a friend’s house that we had been staying with for a film camp in Burbank, where I learned how to make live action films with a few friends. I even made a live action short which I co-directed, did the screenwriting for, and starred in, called “Life of a Businessman.”

                                                            Perry Chen having fun at D23 (photo by Zhu Shen)

We arrived at the Anaheim Convention Center, picked up our press badges, and went to see the main event of the Convention, Building Worlds: Inside the Walt Disney Studios. There we got some super sneak peeks at future films coming out in 2012 and 2013, such as Brave, a Pixar film about the adventures of a warrior princess in Scotland, Monsters University, a prequel to Monsters Inc, and many more interesting upcoming films. Four thousand people attended the packed event, and the screen showed pop quizzes and interesting facts about Disney, so I didn’t get bored.... (more)

Rancho Santa Fe donor money significantly influences San Diego mayor race, records reveal...

It might be conventional wisdom in San Diego that La Jolla has an outsized influence in city politics. However, Rancho Santa Fe, not even in the city of San Diego, has just as much influence, maybe more, due to campaign contributions.

Donors from La Jolla's 92037 zip code gave almost $82,000 to the four major 2012 mayoral candidates in the campaign's first month, according to campaign finance data. That's almost double the money coming from any other zip code.

Three of the four candidates, City Councilman Carl DeMaio, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Congressman Bob Filner, raised more money from La Jolla than anywhere else. La Jolla was second to Rancho Santa Fe's 92067 zip code for Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher.

A closer look at the individual candidates' disclosures shows that their bases of support aren't surprising, either.

DeMaio pulled in money from Rancho Bernando's 92128 zip code, which is in his council district. Dumanis was strong in downtown's 92101 zip code, which would indicate her support among the city's downtown establishment. Filner raised money from the South Bay communities of Chula Vista and Bonita, which are outside the city of San Diego but in his congressional district. Rancho Santa Fe is outside the city, but the 92067 zip code neighbors Fletcher's assembly district.

The four major candidates raised $1.1 million in the race's first month, including DeMaio's $270,000 personal contribution to his campaign.

Here are the top three zip codes for each of the candidates and overall:

DeMaio

• La Jolla (92037), $30,981

• Rancho Bernardo (92128), $14,730

• Downtown (92101), $14,552

Dumanis

• La Jolla (92037), $17,777.31

• Downtown (92101), $17,735

• Hillcrest/Mission Hills (92103), $16,150

Filner

• La Jolla (92037), $6,150

• Chula Vista (91910), $4,725

• Bonita (91902), $4,200

Note: Filner transferred money from his congressional campaign to his mayoral fund, meaning some of these contributions were originally for his federal campaign.

Fletcher

• Rancho Santa Fe (92067), $27,950

• La Jolla (92037), $27,600

• Carmel Valley (92130), $19,100

Combined

• La Jolla (92037), $81,838.71

• Downtown (92101), $41,239

• Rancho Santa Fe (92067) $40,451.

Got Rid of Gaddafi...SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET RID OF DEADBEAT SOLANA BEACH CITY MANAGER DAVID OTT???

We are tired of these career bureaucrats bleeding taxpayers dry. This isn't a Tea Party position, but a progressive Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News opinion.

There are plenty of slings and arrows to cast at the numerous despicable North County and San Diego political officials and sycophants but that's for another day. Today, we bring you the worst of the worst, a most despicable thief of the public funds for his own greed and aggrandizement.

WE BRING YOU MORALLY DEAD, CORRUPT AND DIRECT --

DAVID OTT. Past, present and future Solana Beach city manager. Really, the only people making out better through greedy subterfuge are the 100 Rancho Santa Fe "farmers" receiving federal farm subsidies even though, obviously, they are not farmers and the few who do have "farms" use them as tax dodges.

 But back to ODD: Listen to the tale of his take:

"David Ott, who also served for years as the city's public safety director, officially retired from his city manager post in December and began collecting a pension of roughly $13,500 per month.

However, he still works under contract as Solana Beach's interim city manager, earning roughly $78 per hour in addition to a monthly cellphone allowance of $50 and car allowance of $450."

Ott continues to serve as interim city manager and no search for a permanent replacement is yet under way. He said last week he doesn't know exactly how many hours he has billed the city under his contract, but it's less than 960 hours, which is considered full-time employment by the California Public Employees' Retirement System and would jeopardize his retirement.

Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News says: DAVID OTT MUST RESIGN OR BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 More backstory, compiled from sources:

An email criticizing Ott's pension and pay arrangement was recently sent to several news agencies. It accused Ott of using his years as a public safety employee to receive a higher pension.

Ott said allegations he spiked his pension are untrue, but he acknowledged that his pension is unique because he held several positions in the city.... (more)

July Real Estate Sales Not So Hot:Rancho Santa Fe Down 26.7 Pct. Solana Beach Down 71 Pct...

Buyers acquired fewer houses in July in North San Diego County than in any July since the first Reagan administration, according to data from the San Diego County Assessor. Rancho Santa Fe 92067 had a median sales price of $2.25 million with 11 units sold in July, a 26.7 percent drop in sales. However, home prices rose in 92067  about 23 percent. Solana Beach 92075 was even worse, a disaster actually. Only two  home sold in July, down 71.4 percent  for an average price of $881,000. Del Mar? Cardiff? No change with seven single-family detached homes dold at Cardiff and six at the home of Carson Palmer, Del Mar.

Prospective homebuyers in July worried about national and international economic problems, from a potential U.S. government default to European debt to high unemployment, real estate agents said. Buyers who did enter the market bid low on houses attempting to score deals.

Meanwhile, some sellers decided to wait it out for better prices. Yet others decided to rent their houses instead of selling. But it all added up to a historically slow July.

"It was rough," said Fred Bradley, a Rancho Penasquitos broker. "July isn't supposed to be rough, but it was."

The 721 houses sold in July in North County were the fewest since 1984, down 11 percent from June and 8.7 percent from last July. Rancho Penasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa Fe and Carmel Valley sold 35 percent fewer homes in July than in July 2010.

Normally, summer is a real estate agent's busiest season as people try to make purchases and move before school starts.

The median price fell to $425,000, down 5.3 percent from June and 7.6 percent from July 2010, according to the assessor records.

"I think there's a lot of folks right now that are really concerned about the global economy," said Brian Westre, a Rancho Bernardo broker. "Anytime markets are rocked, they start to worry about their own job."

Overall, North County foreclosures in the first half of the year are at their lowest since 2007; mortgage interest rates are well under 5 percent; and the median price of $425,000 is at the same level it was in 2002, or 33 percent off its 2007 peak.

But prices may be too high for local buyers: Many tried to get deals with low offers.... (more)

CONSIDER THE ECONOMY AGAIN!

It is becoming exhausting, listening to all the political positions about what to do with the economy now that it seems hell-bent on doing some serious damage.

A couple months ago I shared a few simple thoughts on innovation, mostly from a business perspective.  I’d like to add something at this stage that could incorporate both (yes, I know I’m suggesting some sort of cooperation here) the public and private sectors, innocent that I am! 

A million years ago, after graduating from college my first job out of the chute was to administer one of the early Workfare programs in the nation for a county in Iowa.  At its core, it required anyone on Welfare (that was not disabled) to work to continue receiving their checks.  The goal was to gradually transition them into the workplace, with the government paying their salary while the person ‘worked’ at a ‘for-profit business’.   After some period of time, the recipient would be hired by the business, thereby getting the individual off Welfare.   While not everyone placed was permanently hired, many people were.

Well, why not do something like that now?  Why not take all the people that are currently on unemployment and require them to work to keep getting unemployment?  They would be placed in a business environment for say, six months with the government continuing their ‘paycheck’ – which is an unemployment check, while the business paid for insurance, say, or got a modest tax credit in some way for ‘hiring’ an unemployed person.  After six months, or less if mutually agreed upon, the business then would hire the person for a regular salary, and said business would get a tax credit (let’s pretend it’s a big fat tax credit), and person X is off unemployment.

The jig would be that the business had to keep the new employee (who has already been time-tested, by the way) on their payroll for say, twelve months to get the big fat tax credit.  And keep in mind they've already 'tested the person's ability and gotten a 'free employee' for six months!!  Everybody wins.  Doesn’t everybody win??  If there is some rule or legislation that needs to be changed to accommodate this, for crying out loud, let’s just do it.  I mean, how hard can this be?

It is staggering, staggering, all of the “yes we can’t’s” going around on both sides!!  I, for one, am bone tired of the nah, nah, nah’s and I know I’m not alone in this.  While there is lots of blame to go around for our current economic quagmire, it is time we stop screeching and start raising some creative thought; generate some new/old ideas to try.  So what if they fail.   What on earth do we think is happening right now? 

And some ideas will succeed.  My guess is there are other innovative ideas wedding the public and private sectors, not to mention drawing on some traditional ideas that did work in the late 30’s and 40’s for both the private industry and in the government sector.  If we don’t do something pretty quick, the ‘have’s and the have-not’s’ will all morph into ‘have-not’s’ because no one will be left to buy what the current ‘have’s’ even produce!

There are lots of 'infastructure' ideas being bandied about and WPA style projects, too, that could be tied to a 'work requirement' to receive unemployment compensation.  I'm sure there are other robust ideas floating around out there, some of which need not increase a deficit dramatically, and can also stimulate businesses to hire people at a 'reduced' cost, at least for a time.

The cacophony of nay-sayers need not drown out promising solutions.  After all, as Roosevelt so wisely said, "we have nothing to fear but fear itself".  And fear will bankrupt America for sure.