Of Thin-Skinned Sycophants And Liars
THE FUTURE DOES NOT LOOK BRIGHT
We're only two weeks into this new year and the tone for the near future has been set by supporters of the current council majority... and it's not pretty, my friends.
HOLD YOUR NOSE IF YOU VISIT...
Much as I really don't want to drive traffic to his almost incomprehensible site, over at CMCONSERVE, which uses the apparently copyrighted phrase "the right perspective in Costa Mesa", the blog operator - the pompous pontificator Dennis Popp - takes exception to comments made by speakers - more than three dozen of them - at the recent Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Meeting. Popp, the portly blowhard who is a member of that committee and was a major functionary on Lee Ramos' disastrously unsuccessful council campaign last fall, so dislikes the critical comments presented by those folks that he compares them to terrorists!
"ACTIVISTS ARE AL QUAIDA TERRORISTS"!
That's right, terrorists! In his entry of January 10, 2015, HERE, titled, "Fairview Park Activists/Terrorists", and sub-titled, " Fairview Park Al Quaida", there is little doubt that he is serious in his comparison to those folks who wish to keep Fairview Park in a natural state and not add playing fields to terrorists. I encourage you to read this bilge-pretending-to-be-literature for yourselves, but will give you a little tease first.
STUPIDITY...
Speaking about those dissenting voices he says, "However, for a group of activists, collecting data about fields is the moral equivalent of mortal sin or maligning the prophet."
...ON DISPLAY
He goes on in a subsequent paragraph to say, "Like the disparate groups of radical Muslims, activists don't agree much about." Really, Dennis? Well, I can tell you one thing - those activists who spoke last Thursday evening agree that they don't want to see playing fields carved out of Fairview Park.
DEFENDING THE INDEFENSIBLE
He goes on to defend Ramos' vote to move forward with the three items on the agenda that dealt with playing fields and criticizes the person who stood and called Ramos out for telling her one thing during the campaign and voting 180 degrees different that evening.
DON'T DARE CRITICIZE THEM!
Popp's rant perfectly represents the attitude of the current council majority - they are big fans of his work, apparently. He, and they, clearly cannot abide ANY form of criticism. That's the problem when the council majority stacks committees with thin-skinned sycophants - they can't take it.
HE'S FORGOTTEN HIS OATH
Popp has implied in the past that he's a combat veteran. For that service to our country I sincerely thank him. However, he apparently has forgotten the oath he, and the rest of us who served in the armed forces of this country, swore to at the time. We swore to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That includes free speech. He's about my age, so maybe he's suffering from early-onset dementia, but I remember that oath as clear as a bell.
CHATTING WITH THE ROOKIE
On a related topic, today was the first opportunity for residents to "Meet the Mayor" at City Hall on a Sunday afternoon. The plan was for folks to show up between 2-4 p.m. to spend some quality time with Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger one-on-one instead of presenting their comments, concerns and grievances to him and the rest of the council on the record during Public Comments at regularly schedule council meetings. Due to an unanticipated, but very welcome, family social engagement I had not planned to attend.
AN UNANTICIPATED STOP
However, on the way home from lunch at one of Costa Mesa's best restaurants with our guests we did swing by City Hall to see what kind of a crowd showed up. While they waited in the car I scampered up to the lobby steps and was greeted by the charming Sharon Rodelius, Executive Secretary, who was on hand to direct residents to their meeting with Mensinger. She told me that a few people had showed up and were all on the 5th floor. Apparently CEO Tom Hatch also had to blow off part of his Sunday, because he was up there, too.
A QUICK STOP
My conversation with her lasted less than two minutes, then I returned back to the car and our guests, who had to head back home. I was pleased that some folks had actually showed up to chat with Mensinger and wondered what the outcome of those meetings might be.
LIES...
Then, later this evening, a friend informed me about a lie published in the Costa Mesa Public Square Facebook Group page. Julie Mercurio, who is now apparently the Admin for that site - I guess my friend, Bruce Krochman, has handed it off to her - published a scurrilous statement on that page. I can no longer read what's published there because I'm no longer a member and the permissions have been changed since she took over. To see comments you have to be a member. Again, another example of the kind of "transparency" these folks work with.
...AND MORE LIES
The comment, under her byline, stated the following:
The first Meet the Mayor was today and 19 people showed up!!! I read there was great feedback which is good news! The more disturbing news is that Geoff West who is a blogger in town was walking around outside with his camera and as one person termed it was "creepy". Why would he not come in.
He denigrates so many so often, what would make him opt to lurk outside taking pictures vs coming in?
THE TRUTH
Well, I was not "lurking" and I had no camera with me. Lies.... I spent 5 minutes, max., from the time I left our car until I re-entered it and the time not spent walking to and from the car was spent standing on the steps outside City Hall, chatting with Sharon Rodelius. I "wouldn't come in" because I had nothing to say to the Rookie. At the time I was there - around 2:40 p.m. - eight (8) people had arrived and gone to the 5th floor and none had yet returned. Heck, I didn't know if Mensinger had locked them in a room someplace, for goodness sake! Only kidding... lighten up!
BE ON THE LOOKOUT
Since this "Julie Mercurio" person - I'm not even sure that's actually her real name - seems to be an untrustworthy sort, willing to spread falsehoods willy-nilly, I suggest you use caution if you encounter her. In case you wonder what she looks like, here's a little "selfie" I took of us in happier times at a council meeting this fall. Hint: she's not the chubby old fella in the photo.
MORE LIES AND ACRIMONY AHEAD
So, it looks to me as though the next several months are going to be filled with more acrimony rather than the harmony many wish for. That's a two-way street and it certainly won't happen when the spokespersons for the majority continue to puff and blow and prevaricate. Too bad.
We're only two weeks into this new year and the tone for the near future has been set by supporters of the current council majority... and it's not pretty, my friends.HOLD YOUR NOSE IF YOU VISIT...
Much as I really don't want to drive traffic to his almost incomprehensible site, over at CMCONSERVE, which uses the apparently copyrighted phrase "the right perspective in Costa Mesa", the blog operator - the pompous pontificator Dennis Popp - takes exception to comments made by speakers - more than three dozen of them - at the recent Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Meeting. Popp, the portly blowhard who is a member of that committee and was a major functionary on Lee Ramos' disastrously unsuccessful council campaign last fall, so dislikes the critical comments presented by those folks that he compares them to terrorists!"ACTIVISTS ARE AL QUAIDA TERRORISTS"!
That's right, terrorists! In his entry of January 10, 2015, HERE, titled, "Fairview Park Activists/Terrorists", and sub-titled, " Fairview Park Al Quaida", there is little doubt that he is serious in his comparison to those folks who wish to keep Fairview Park in a natural state and not add playing fields to terrorists. I encourage you to read this bilge-pretending-to-be-literature for yourselves, but will give you a little tease first.STUPIDITY...
Speaking about those dissenting voices he says, "However, for a group of activists, collecting data about fields is the moral equivalent of mortal sin or maligning the prophet."
...ON DISPLAY
He goes on in a subsequent paragraph to say, "Like the disparate groups of radical Muslims, activists don't agree much about." Really, Dennis? Well, I can tell you one thing - those activists who spoke last Thursday evening agree that they don't want to see playing fields carved out of Fairview Park.
DEFENDING THE INDEFENSIBLE
He goes on to defend Ramos' vote to move forward with the three items on the agenda that dealt with playing fields and criticizes the person who stood and called Ramos out for telling her one thing during the campaign and voting 180 degrees different that evening.DON'T DARE CRITICIZE THEM!
Popp's rant perfectly represents the attitude of the current council majority - they are big fans of his work, apparently. He, and they, clearly cannot abide ANY form of criticism. That's the problem when the council majority stacks committees with thin-skinned sycophants - they can't take it.HE'S FORGOTTEN HIS OATH
Popp has implied in the past that he's a combat veteran. For that service to our country I sincerely thank him. However, he apparently has forgotten the oath he, and the rest of us who served in the armed forces of this country, swore to at the time. We swore to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That includes free speech. He's about my age, so maybe he's suffering from early-onset dementia, but I remember that oath as clear as a bell.CHATTING WITH THE ROOKIE
On a related topic, today was the first opportunity for residents to "Meet the Mayor" at City Hall on a Sunday afternoon. The plan was for folks to show up between 2-4 p.m. to spend some quality time with Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger one-on-one instead of presenting their comments, concerns and grievances to him and the rest of the council on the record during Public Comments at regularly schedule council meetings. Due to an unanticipated, but very welcome, family social engagement I had not planned to attend.AN UNANTICIPATED STOP
However, on the way home from lunch at one of Costa Mesa's best restaurants with our guests we did swing by City Hall to see what kind of a crowd showed up. While they waited in the car I scampered up to the lobby steps and was greeted by the charming Sharon Rodelius, Executive Secretary, who was on hand to direct residents to their meeting with Mensinger. She told me that a few people had showed up and were all on the 5th floor. Apparently CEO Tom Hatch also had to blow off part of his Sunday, because he was up there, too. A QUICK STOP
My conversation with her lasted less than two minutes, then I returned back to the car and our guests, who had to head back home. I was pleased that some folks had actually showed up to chat with Mensinger and wondered what the outcome of those meetings might be.LIES...
Then, later this evening, a friend informed me about a lie published in the Costa Mesa Public Square Facebook Group page. Julie Mercurio, who is now apparently the Admin for that site - I guess my friend, Bruce Krochman, has handed it off to her - published a scurrilous statement on that page. I can no longer read what's published there because I'm no longer a member and the permissions have been changed since she took over. To see comments you have to be a member. Again, another example of the kind of "transparency" these folks work with....AND MORE LIES
The comment, under her byline, stated the following:
The first Meet the Mayor was today and 19 people showed up!!! I read there was great feedback which is good news! The more disturbing news is that Geoff West who is a blogger in town was walking around outside with his camera and as one person termed it was "creepy". Why would he not come in.He denigrates so many so often, what would make him opt to lurk outside taking pictures vs coming in?
THE TRUTH
Well, I was not "lurking" and I had no camera with me. Lies.... I spent 5 minutes, max., from the time I left our car until I re-entered it and the time not spent walking to and from the car was spent standing on the steps outside City Hall, chatting with Sharon Rodelius. I "wouldn't come in" because I had nothing to say to the Rookie. At the time I was there - around 2:40 p.m. - eight (8) people had arrived and gone to the 5th floor and none had yet returned. Heck, I didn't know if Mensinger had locked them in a room someplace, for goodness sake! Only kidding... lighten up! BE ON THE LOOKOUT
Since this "Julie Mercurio" person - I'm not even sure that's actually her real name - seems to be an untrustworthy sort, willing to spread falsehoods willy-nilly, I suggest you use caution if you encounter her. In case you wonder what she looks like, here's a little "selfie" I took of us in happier times at a council meeting this fall. Hint: she's not the chubby old fella in the photo.So, it looks to me as though the next several months are going to be filled with more acrimony rather than the harmony many wish for. That's a two-way street and it certainly won't happen when the spokespersons for the majority continue to puff and blow and prevaricate. Too bad.
Labels: CM Conserve, Costa Mesa Public Square, Dennis Popp, facebook, Julie Mercurio, Lee Ramos, Sharon Rodelius, Steve Mensinger, Tom Hatch
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 1/12/2015 12:22:00 AM
12 Comments:
One of the blessings and curses of the internet is that every person can put their thoughts out there for hundreds, thousands, or even millions to read without having to own a printing press or buy space from someone who does.
We get a lot of new thoughts and ideas to consider. But we're also exposed to lots of garbage. The great science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon said, as Sturgeon's Law: "90% of everything is crap."
In the case of Popp's writing, it's more like 99.99%. I believe he's an enemy of Costa Mesa (ECM)- one who has put the agenda of a few above the best needs of the populace. I believe he is intellectually dishonest- twisting facts to fit his own point of view. But most of all I believe he's a dunce- a less than mediocre writer who somehow believes he's smarter and more clever than the rest of us.
He strikes me as one of those people that learned a new angle or a couple new vocabulary words, used them, then was told how smart he was. Over time he believed this until arrogance was achieved.
This resulted in the hot mess he calls his blog, a convenient vehicle for other ECMs to use in their quest to grab land and money in Costa Mesa.
Funny photo of you and Pinocchio. Now she'll start bragging (again) that you are obsessed with her. She loves attention and will say anything to get it.
So, it was less than a wonderful turnout, huh? That's no surprise.
The really sad part though, is Popp. He seriously has some mental deficit issues. People standing up for their park is not terrorism, its democracy in a free society. Apparently not what Popp advocates. In my opinion, Mensinger's destruction with the path is an act of terrorism. He's a sad little man.
I'm glad that woman called Ramos out on his backflip. He definitely did run his campaign saying he supported no development in Fairview Park. Now, he'll say and support whatever he needs to in order to stay relevant with those in charge. Sad.
This feasibility study that apparently will go forward, of course, will be skewed in favor of the sports facility. I think residents really need to get involved with this and become outspoken, even if Popp calls us terrorists. Working with the NMUSD and lighting the fields makes more sense than destroying a park that everyone, not just the kids, enjoy. So either get involved, or the upcoming "skewed and paid for" study will destroy it.
I remember when a certain snowy haired pot stirrer was thoroughly raked over the coals for an off the cuff remark on a personal Facebook thread. Some reference to a WWII dictator in regards to the public comments being squashed. That one made the Daily Pilot. A few articles if I recall. There were loud protestations from the City's dias demanding formal apologies.
Yet here we have , what the DP calls "a kinder gentler blogger", member of the Fairview Park Advisory committee, and political campaigner , calling out residents as Al Qaida and Terrorists and nary a peep.
Geoff and all, please be careful.
Thank you for publishing a photo
of Julie.
She is spreading lies and very ugly
rumors about you Geoff, yet insists on
sitting right next to you at CM CC
meetings, talking the entire time so
others can't hear.
Please don't let her near you.
God only knows what garbage she will fabricate in order to hurt you. It's a mission with her.
Ugh!
Popp has some very serious problems.
Why did the DP label this guy the "kinder, gentler" blogger?
Major Popp seems to have some major ego issues and without a doubt has serious communication problems. He wrote that his stuff is 10th grade level, and is easy to comprehend. Sure if your dyslexic like me, and do everything mirror image. All you have to do is read it in the mirror and it becomes clear as a bell.
An African Grey parrot that took off from Pinocchio's nose landed on my porch to sing a song. The bird called itself Mercuriowiltsy for some odd reason, and started singing a song about being at the Public Square. Mercuriowiltsy seemed to be pretty vocal,saying Julie Mercurio,is a local girl, 40 something, aka Julie Anne Weinheimer, that lives pretty close to Skosh's on the Eastside, by what used to be a vacant dirt lot, waiting for a home, and has family in the area, including an older sister, a possible McNally 1982 Alum, with a flower/gift shop on Old Newport around 16th street. Mercurio Weinheimer's recent political rise,surely has nothing to do with having foot traffic increase at that business when all the new homes go up around TJ's area. I wonder if they work on commission there? Hmmm Wondering if there are any new commissioner appointments coming up soon?
Je suis Fairview!
Nous ne sommes Al Quaida!
"I am Fairview"
I am not Al Quaida.
I wonder if the city will consider buying the 21 acres of The LA Times property at 1375 Sunflower for a sports complex.
It's flat, has a parking lot, has utilities, and can be lighted without disturbing homes.
Maybe part of the building can be repurposed for indoor sports.
Teresa - why would the city consider that? It's too good of an idea. They'll just put more 3-story live/work lofts there instead and build at the park.
Besides, isn't that in Santa Ana technically?
I'm curious why there has not been an official press release from Mr. Lobdell or Mr. Messinger himself about the success of the Sunday Listening project. Don't they usually jump on getting that info out there or is it truly that whatever was discussed needs to remain behind closed doors?
And it is in very poor taste for Mr. Popp to even suggest citizens of Costa Mesa are "terrorists", comparing them to a group who is currently terrorizing citizens of countries throughout the world with acts of violence. Seriously???
WMC-
1375 Sunflower is in Costa Mesa, just east of Harbor, between South Coast and Sunflower!
Access from major streets! Amenities close by! Ample parking for the entire length of the property, gives close access to each field.
Besides, there can be only so many "vertical living" homes built to keep the prices at $800k +
Teresa, then it would be perfect. They'd just have to buy it, and that may be rough, but it would be a perfect place for a sports complex. I was thinking it was on the other side of the street. I like that idea.
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