Friday, June 04, 2010

National Donut Day 2010: Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme have deals

In the "just the thing when my doctor says I'm supposed to lose 20 pounds," department, comes the news that today, Friday, June 4th, is the 72nd annual National Donut Day. That means free donuts at every Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme locations.

According to Wikipedia, National Donut Day is held on the first Friday of June. The webpage reads:


"The holiday celebrates the doughnut (a.k.a "donut") — an edible, torus-shaped piece of dough which is deep-fried and sweetened. Many American doughnut stores offer free doughnuts on National Doughnut Day. In 2009, both independent doughnut shops[2] and large national franchises offered free doughnuts in the United States."


National Donut Day started as a fund-raiser for the Salvation Army and while it still is, just grew into a national corporate donut marketing event.

For all that, this blogger's staying miles away from any Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, or whatver free donut shop there is.

I'm ordered to lose 20 pounds.

Stephen Hill: killer porn star at large: $2,000 reward

Stephen Hill
Steven Hill, the porn star who killed one person and stabbed two others at the Ultima DVD office and distribution center in Van Nuys, California, outside Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, is said to be a "wacky guy" who was involved in an inappropriate act in a night club, according to an email tip sent to this blogger.

The email, posted in such a way as to protect the identify of the source, reads as follows:



...I saw your article on porn star killer, Stephen Hill, and just wanted too add my two cents (I've seen Stephen at different porn events). If he was going to be fired for inappropriate behavior, it had to be pretty bad, because porn company employees can get away with a great deal, especially if they also double as performers for company movies. I was at a night club party where Stephen was thrown out due to having sex acts performed on him publicly by a female in attendance. He was a wacky guy...I hope Stephen is caught soon!


Stephen Hill is a wacky guy, but a killer. And Stephen Hill's still at large and considered dangerous. Ultima DVD has a $2,000 arrest award out for Hill.

As of this writing, Hill has not been seen at large.

Stay tuned.

Oakland City Attorney John Russo on Marijuana, Oscar Grant, World Cup Soccer



On Wednesday, Oakland City Attorney John Russo sat down to talk about the need to legalize marijuana use, the Golden State Warriors, the Oakland A's, and World Cup Soccer. The result is this 14 minute video interview, the latest in a string of nine videos Russo has done with this blogger, and friend.

In this one, John Russo talks about his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana use in California. The vote to cause the legalization of marijuana use is on the November ballot in California. According to a recent poll, 37 percent of potential voters use marijuana.

John Russo is the first elected official to openly support the legalization of marijuana use in California.

Why does Russo support legalization? "Well, Russo said, first, number one I think marijuana prohibition has been a demonstrated failure at this point, no different than alcohol prohibition in the 1920s." Russo says it's also "cooler" for the young to use marijuana and that's it's time for us to get out of "this collective denial" of the situation.

Russo said the only people at parties who don't want to be around people who are using "weed" are elected officials like him, "who see someone in the back using marijuana and make up an excuse to go (leave the party)."

Russo's other "main reason" for legalization is that 60 percent of the revenue gained by drug gangs operating in America and across the boarder is from marijuana. He believes that legalization of the drug will cut off their revenue stream. "I don't understand why we would continue to give large bags of cash to those who would buy sophisticated weapons to use against our law enforcement," Russo said. The Oakland Lawyer believes legalization will lead to a drop in drug-related crimes.

On the FOIA, Oscar Grant, the Warriors, The A's and The World Cup

This blogger filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the City of Oakland, and really it was at the behest of John Russo. Not suprisingly, Russo's office and the City of Oakland have been responsive for the most part - I'm still waiting for the Office of Economic Development's latest communication. But the idea really in truth came from John Russo. "We're the office that's supposed to guard transparency for the public, Russo says.

Russo just got a FOIA request from KTVU Channel Two, "extensive. Asking for my personal calendar, ..because it's budget time. That's what the press should do." (Note: His personal "city" calendar, not his actual personal calendar.)

Something else, the press is doing is covering the Oscar Grant trial. I asked Russo for his take on the trial, which is being held in Los Angeles, even though it happened in Oakland.

"Well, the officer who's being accused (Johannes Mehserle) is being defended by some very sophisticated and aggressive defense lawyers. It's Mike Raines, who was the lawyer for Barry Bonds and has been a lawyer for many police officers around the state (of California). Mike's style is to try to politicize every trial. He's very combative, and it will often work with a jury. You throw enough mud around and you can confuse the jury," Russo said.

Such confusion can cause enough doubt to prevent Johannes Mehserle from being convicted of murder in the killing of Oscar Grant. "The (Alameda County) district attorney has charged the officer with murder, Russo said, "and with murder you have to show intent." Russo says he agrees with the DA's decision, but has a tough effort in proving intent to murder. Translation: Johannes Mehserle may not be convicted of murder.

Russo says the possible protests that could happen shows that most of the people out there are concerned about the inappropriate use of police force. But he says there are a lot of "knuckleheads from San Francisco" who came to Oakland to riot last year.

On the Warriors and The Oakland A's

Russo has not been contacted by any of the competing groups interested in buying the Golden State Warriors Basketball Organization. But really it's an Oakland / Alameda County Joint Powers Authority issue. But if the ownership team wants to move the Warriors to San Francisco, they would have to pay off the remaining bonds issued to pay for the new Oracle Arena in 1998.

On the Oakland A's Russo's still looking for the report from the "Blue Ribbon Committee" that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig formed to evaluate the Oakland Athletics' stadium issue. Russo says "we're still in limbo. Why that is, I do not know." Russo speculated that perhaps the reasons are due to economics, the 49ers stadium issue, and the overall declining popularity of baseball. But whatever the case, MLB has not issued their report.

On World Cup Soccer

Russo's rooting for Italy, even though he knows they will not win. I think it could be England, but that's my head, not my heart. It would be cool to see the USA win.

SF 49ers will remain in Bay Area - Jed York

Jed York
San Francisco 49ers Team President and Owner Jed York was reported as implying that the San Francisco 49ers NFL Football Organization would move to Los Angeles if they did not win approval to build a new stadium in Santa Clara, California this Tuesday, June 8th.

This blogger had the pleasure of meeting Jed York at Former San Francisco City Hall Staffer Hala Hijazi's June Professionals VIP event last night, Thursday, at The San Francisco City Club.

Late for the event, thus missing York's presentation, I made up for it by having an informal conversation with him afterward. It was a great moment, with other event goers who also hailed from York's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio coming up to express their warm wishes. But I had to ask him if he intended to move the San Francisco 49ers to Los Angeles.

"The San Francisco 49ers will remain in the Bay Area," York said. Moreover, York said it directly, clearly, and deliberately. York told me he's open to whatever stadium deal comes up, be it San Francisco, Santa Clara, or the Oakland Coliseum. York said the Raiders are still working on their stadium feasibility study, and he's interested in what that will reveal.

Personally, I like Jed York. In online accounts, York gets a bum-rap, take the comments in this BleacherReport blog post.

The legendary San Francisco Bay Area Columnist Lowell Cohn took to writing a hot column in the San Francisco Sentinel, that includes the term "whiner" in it. To this blogger, York's not at all whining, but perhaps that's because of the way we related to each other.

Because I've seen and been a part of the business side of the NFL, and still maintain a vast set of good relationships around the league, and have an expertise in making simulations of the business of sports organizations, I have a better appreciation for York's point of view. But details aside, York wants the 49ers to remain here.

While York came to Professionals VIP to talk about the Santa Clara Stadium vote on June 8th, the simple fact is he was in San Francisco and in a room full of some of San Francisco's heaviest political hitters; from observation, Jed York has great relationships with all of them.

Does that mean San Francisco still has a chance to salvage the stadium program should the Santa Clara vote go south on York?

Yes.

McDonalds Shrek glass recall: thank Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)

Movie product tie-ins are common and many new products are aimed at kids. That's why the news of the McDonalds Shrek glass recall is so terrible. But first, thank the Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier for the discovery of the problem.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle via the Associated Press, there were 12 million McDonalds Shrek glasses on the market: all of them must be recalled after a discovery by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The glasses are tainted with Cadmium, a carcinogen that can cause "long term adverse health effects." While that's in the recall notice, along with the news that the discovery came from the Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier from California, that news is buried way down deep in in the Associated Press article.

The article also makes it seem as if the Consumer Product Safety Commission made the discovery. You have to read the entire, long work to see that it was Rep. Jackie Speier's office who made the find base on an anonymous tip. Spier issued this statement:

"Our children's health should not depend on the consciences of anonymous sources. Although McDonald's did the right thing by recalling these products, we need stronger testing standards to ensure that all children's products are proven safe before they hit the shelves," said Speier. "Cadmium is a toxic substance that is extremely dangerous to the developmental health of children."


Here's the text from the recall notice and the link to the web page containing it:

McDonald’s Recalls Movie Themed Drinking Glasses Due to Potential Cadmium Risk

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: “Shrek Forever After 3D” Collectable Drinking Glasses

Units: About 12 million

Manufacturer: ARC International, of Millville, NJ.

Distributor: McDonald’s Corp., Oakbrook, Ill.

Hazard: The designs on the glasses contain cadmium. Long term exposure to cadmium can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The “Shrek Forever After 3D” collectable drinking glass are 16 ounce glasses that came in four designs, Shrek, Fiona, Puss n’ Boots, and Donkey.

Sold exclusively at: McDonald’s restaurants nationwide from May 2010 into June 2010 for about $2.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: McDonald’s is asking consumers to immediately stop using the glass out of an abundance of caution. Visit www.mcdonalds.com/glasses for additional instructions on how to obtain a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact McDonald’s toll-free at (800) 244-6227 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.mcdonalds.com/glasses

Note: CPSC was made aware of issues with this product through the Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier from California.


If you want to thank Rep. Jackie Speier's office, visit their website here:  http://speier.house.gov/

Juan Gonzalez CityTime Stop the Clock by Suzannah B. Troy

Juan Gonzalez has been at the forefront and mostly a soloist reporting a major scandal "CityTime" sinking tax payer dollars like the Titanic and again today his latest expose is entitled "Time to Stop Clock".  I wrote about CityTime, Mike Bloomberg's techno-dream to save the city money by making low tier workers sign in with their hand print costing close to a billion dollars and will easily bust the billion dollar mark very soon with what appears to have one really purpose and that is to make well connected "consultants" lots of money.

The renewal date is coming soon...This September and rather than renew, based on what I have read in both Juan Gonzalez's series of cutting edge investigative reporting and a piece by Ali Winston in City Limits.

I could not find this article on the front page of The New York Daily News website.  I read the article in the hard copy which I happily pay full price for at the stands but I couldn't find it on the website.

It is too bad the news did not have this front page and center because Juan Gonzalez's powerful expose on this on going money pit with a shocking number of consultants...actually hundreds of them paid a fortune deserves attention and every tax payer should know about their money filling 200 plus consultants deep pockets and some with "extremelyclose" ties to City Hall....

My comment posted on his powerful piece today in The New York Daily News:
Superb reporting. I am posting on as many blogs as possible. It is amazing that CityTime aka's the Tax Payer's Titanic is not getting more attention in the press. Great work. I have also read SAIC the company over seeing CityTime was embroiled in scandals on a federal level as well as in IRAQ. Did Bloomberg bring in SAIC because he thinks the mayor's office is his stepping stone to the White House? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tz4eMcP2LU Here is my YouTube and in the text portion is a link to a piece I wrote based on Juan Gonzalez's powerful series on this and Ali Winston's article which exposes major scandals with SAIC. There also seems to be major conflicts of interest. Great work Juan Gonzalez.

Here is my blog posting on CityTime--The mayor's techno dreams are the taxpayers Titanic