We're pressed for time this morning, so we've decided to set up an open topic thread. First however, we'll briefly highlight a few northern Utah news stories which caught our attention this morning:
1) Huntsman: $11.7B Budget. We were delighted to read this morning's Standard-Examiner story, in which Jeff DeMoss reports that governor Huntsman has pencilled-in $19.7 million from his office's proposed 2009 budget, to be applied toward construction of a long-sought Weber County veteran's nursing home. In the mere 5 months since the Utah Department of Veterans' Affairs was upgraded to governor's cabinet status, UDVA Director Terry Schow and his fellow veterans' advocates have made more progress toward realization of this project than in the previous several years combined. State legislative leadership appears also to be on-board with the governor's plan, according to today's story; and we suppose it didn't hurt the cause of Utah veterans to have had Terry Schow's new office relocated to just down the hall from the Governor's office.
2) Powder Mountain Rezone. The Std-Ex also reports on Monday's decision, wherein the Ogden Valley Planning Commission recommended approval of the pending Powder Mountain rezoning proposal -- subject to highly restrictive conditions. According to this morning's story, the commission's decision was tactical in nature:
Notably, Commissioner Lythgoe (who has a property interest in an parcel of property adjacent to the proposed development) abstained from voting on the matter, thus demonstrating ethics of the highest order, we think.Commissioner William Siegel said he wanted to vote against the rezone, but realized if the Ogden Valley Planning Commission voted it down, the proposal would just go to the Weber County Commission, which often votes differently.
“Denying this would be just liking punting the ball into their side of the field,” he said.He said the best option was to approve the rezone with stiff conditions, although the County Commission can still remove any requirements.
The planning commission's recommendation now moves on to the county commission. We'll be standing by watching to see whether the commission approves the planners' recommendation in toto, or rolls over for the developers and rips the conditional recommendation to shreds.
3) Sub-prime Market Meltdown. Charlie Trentelman meanders into a discussion of mortgage finance and real estate market economics this morning, with a fine segue from the plight of an Arizona flower shop, to President Bush's proposed sub-prime interest rate freeze. Trentelman himself properly characterises the situation as "grim", even dropping this gloomy quote from WaPo columnist Steven Perlstein: "How bad could it get? Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein says the coming financial mess won’t be as bad as 1929’s crash, but it will be the worst we’ve had since."
Your blogmeister believes neither Trentelman nor Pearlstein express an appreciation of how truly bad it could get, in which connection we link this "chirpy" article, which was making the rounds within internet investor circles yesterday.
4) Eminent Domain Threatened in the River Project Area? This Ace Reporter Schwebke story comes at us straight out of the blue. We have no idea specifically what Rep. Hansen is worried about. In our view Boss Godfrey has been very successful in nailing down options to River Project Area properties at will, without ever having to resort to the actual use of eminent domain. We'll try to contact Rep. Hansen at some decent hour after sun-up, and hope to fill in the blanks with an update, once we've obtained an interview. In the meantime, we'd be happy to hear from our gentle readers on this. We're quite eager to become informed on this issue.
That's it for now folks. Feel free to take it from here. Discuss any of the above topics, or whatever else lifts your skirts.
Update 12/12/07 6:34 a.m. MT: It would seem that your blogmeister isn't the only one who liked the looks of Gov. Huntsman's proposed 2009 budget. This from this morning's Salt Lake Tribune:
A self-avowed supporter of locking up criminals and "throwing away the key," state Sen. Jon Greiner is pleased with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s suggested Corrections budget.
"It's huge," said Greiner, a Republican who also serves as Ogden's police chief. "He did a great job."
51 comments:
Of course Mayor Godfrey plans to use eminent domain in the River project.
It has been threatened repeatedly against Michael Moyal because Gadi Leshem wants Mike's property.
Mike's property is key to what Leshem wants to accomplish.
I believe this why Senator Bramble pushed through his eminent domain law changes the last go-round.
Get your head out of the sand.
Ah... the Moyal Properties. Not very neighborly of Godfrey... or Leshem. And what audacity on Moyal's part... to believe that a property owner should himself determine the most appropriate use for his own property. Doesn't Moyal realize that his property is located in the Brave New MattGodfreyWorld?
Thanks for the heads-up. Frankly, Mr. Schwebke's article wasn't very helpful at all. We were hoping that a few of our readers could "fill in the blanks," as we suggested.
Anybody else?
I attended the OV planning commissin meeting last night. I am saddend that the wishes of preety much the whole populus of the valley cannot or will not be rightfully concidered. For many good reasons none would like to see any serious new development up there. The planning commission would like to send that message loud and clear to the Couty Commission, but they know they cannot trust their desires to be honored. Yes, current zoning would allow for substantial development, but, even that flies in the face of common sense.
The road to the resort is a steep narrow disaster. Most of the traffic that heads to the resort comes up Ogden Canyon. Any substantial increase in traffic only adds to all ready exsisting problems, safety. The growth that as all ready occurred in the valley has filled their roads and altered their quality of life so much that they themselves placed restrictions on their own rights to development.
Now there's a proposal that not only exceeds their own restrictions but goes far beyond. Cache County has had their say and granted what they will, and the developers made it quite clear they have no intention of going back to Cache Co. to ask for any more, this places all the burden on Weber Co. Like a no win situation. It's a shame that the Weber Co. Commission has acted with so much distain for the residents of Ogden Valley in the past that there's no confidence in their giving credence in there desires on this.
These are not just a bunch of nambys either, this will have a definate impact on the quality of lives for all residents of Weber Co. mostly negative.
Please apply pressure on the Co. Commissioners to follow all the reccomendations of the OV, planning Co. or better yet, be more demanding on these developers.
Ah, Rudi, Rudi, Rudi....
I read the "chirpy little article" you linked about the subprime mortgage mess [for which link thanks]. Banks and mortgage lenders engaged in widespread fraud in order to make billions on fees while passing the risk on [unbenknowst] to their customers? Why, surely not. Why just this week I was at a gathering at which Republicans were declaiming [as usual] about the need to "get government off the back of business" and how "government regulation" makes it nearly impossible to do business these days. Why, surely you're not suggesting the Fed and similar agencies rein in the banking community with "regulation" [gasp! Oh, the horror! the horror!]
I thought everyone in Utah knew... certainly Utah Republicans keep telling me... that government regulation is always bad. Why, look at how the Savings and Loan industry blossomed and soared when depression-era restrictions on what kinds of investments S and Ls could make were at last removed by Republicans in congress as part of their continuing war on the New Deal. OK, sure, we had the Savings and Loan crisis shortly thereafter and the taxpayers had to fork over something north of $400 billion to pay off insured deposits in bankrupt S and Ls. Picky picky picky. You guys will kvetch about anything.
But look at how the energy sector soared when Republican Senator Phil Gramm [at his wife's behest, she being a major consultant of the energy industry] got Congress to take off the depression-era restrictions that prevented one power company from monopolizing power production or delivery across the country. Look at the wonderful benefits Enron created once free of that pesky government regulation. Look at how California benefited from the "competitive market" in power delivery created by Enron.
Well, OK, sure, Californians were overcharged by [the courts said] at least $3 billion, and hundreds of thousands of investors and Enron employees took gas when the crooks running it brought the company down. Picky picky picky.
And of course, we have Sen. Gramm to thank for the Gramm-Leach act which repealed the bulk of the Glass-Steagall act [another Depression era New Deal measure designed to regulation what certain kinds of banks could invest in to prevent another wholesale collapse of the banking system as occurred following the stock market crash of 1929]. Well, OK, sure, American banks are now facing insolvency if they have to honestly report their non-performing real estate loans or buy back at face value investments they pawned off on their customers containing risky sub-prime mortgages in CDOs. Kvetch kvetch kvetch.
But we have to be on guard, I guess. The S and L crisis, the Enron disaster, the sub-prime mortgage crisis... why it might lead the impressionable to conclude that sometimes government regulation is in the public interest and a good thing. Then where would we be?
You're in the wrong party, Rudi.
Just came across this in the SL Trb. Might be worth passing on to anyone you know with kids who is concerned about Christmas toys from China that might be contaminated.
Free lead testing offered on Thursday in Ogden
Weber and Morgan county residents are being invited to bring up to five items to the Weber County Fairgrounds in Ogden on Thursday for free lead testing.
The Weber-Morgan Health Department and the Utah Division of Air Quality will be testing toys, dishes and other household items at the Golden Spike Event Center/Exhibit Hall, 1000 N. 1200 West from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Officials will use specialized X-ray equipment owned by the state.
"We thought with the holidays coming up, people might be wondering about the dishes in their cupboard and some of the family heirlooms they plan on using this time of year and so we are offering this as a free public service," said Frank Carlsen, an environmental health scientist with the department, in a statement.
It has been common knowledge that for the past 6 or 7 years or since the River Project was dreamed up that the use of eminent domain was planned and in the cards.
Property owners in the River area had been threatened with it for several years before the plan to use eminent domain to take land for the proposed Wal-mart became front page news.
I understand that Gadi Leshem talks publicly about it now with owners of property that he wants the City to help him get.
Whether he can get the City to use it or not is not the point - the point is that it is a method of intimidation that has been and continues to be used against all property owners in the area.
Who said that what goes on in Ogden's RDA scheme is always the truth or even possible.
All you need are rumors for property owners to get wind of and the property owners can't sleep at night.
Ogden government is not known for truth and veracity much less doing the honorable honest thing regarding property Godfrey wants to make sure his cohorts get their hands on.
Birdlips
Check this out.
Photo: '36 Helms Bakery Truck
Some very nice out-of-town ink for Ogden in the Christmas Village story that ran in today's SL Trib. Here are the opening graphs:
OGDEN - As cities evolve, some Christmas traditions slowly fade. In Salt Lake City, for example, the traditional Christmas parade the Saturday before Thanksgiving is a thing of the past. This year, there are no decorated windows in the ZCMI Center because the building has been razed. And the old animated holiday display at Southeast Furniture in Sugar House is a distant memory for aging baby boomers.
The scene is different in Ogden, with traditions old and fairly new making it easy to get into the holiday spirit. Probably the best known holiday tradition in Ogden, Christmas Village on Historic 25th Street...
Oz, thanks for the Helms truck link. I grew up with donuts delivered in the drawers of these trucks. I think the Helms Bakery is a Hari Krisna incense factory now.
On another subject, called about joining Golds, it is $37.26 with $6 added for towel service. When I was going daily it was $28 including towels before they moved to the Junction. Some of the older members decided to buy some home equipment and stopped going to the new Golds. They might price themselves out of business.
From this week's Economist:
Democracy is a slippery concept. Democracy as a term came into fashion during the 1930s, as a counterpoint to the then fashionable autocratic regimes in most of continental Europe. Since then it has become stretched and debased, almost to the point of uselessness.
The trouble with democracy is that the vote in itself means so little. Everything depends on who is allowed to vote, who selects the candidates or drafts the question, and what happens in the years, months and days beforehand. That raises harder questions about the rule of law, public-spiritedness and the strength of fair-minded, disinterested institutions.
[Emphasis mine.]
It was written about Russia, but it might apply to other places as well.
oz,
Thanks for the link. That's an earlier model Helms Truck than I ever saw, but really cool looking. What year was your truck?
good reader,
Where were you living when you heard the Helm's whistle? I heard it in West Van Nuys/Northridge. My third grade (I think) class visited the SFV Helms Bakery. They gave us a mini-truck, made out of cardboard, and a chocolate donut. Good stuff!
"You're in the wrong party, Rudi."
We paleoconservatives are doing our best to run the neoCON faction out of the GOP, and send them to the party from whence they came...
The democRATS!
Michael Moyal has already lost his property to Gadi Leshem based on the current state laws on the books relative to eminent domain (if the city includes his property in the project area), as outlined by Neil Hanson in today's paper. For that matter so has everyone else along the river, now the only question is what will Gadi Leshem pay them for their property.
This was all accomplished with the help of Ogden City administration providing Gadi Leshem with the proper % of property (via options) to qualify for the use of eminent domain. Once he's gets his area controlled, the city will enlarge the project area to just the right size to enable him to the have the right % of property ownership to use eminent domain again on that larger area and so on until he controls all that he and the mayor want.
The only way to stop this injustice to the current land owners rests with the city council. They must see the lack of ethics in this action, the abuse of the system, the unfairness to the residents and present landowners. The city council (and RDA Board) must resist the pressure from the administration that is willing to compromise the city’s integrity for perceived progress. Hopefully the Council (RDA) will show more ethics and integrity than our mayor.
These actions morally borders on the edge of government assisted white collar crime.
What poppycock, Mr. Concerned. Speak with knowledge and the world will listen. Speak with ignorance and you make a fool of yourself. Know the facts before you spout. Ogden is happening, with or without you and your negativity. I am lucky to be able to watch from a distance, but even here it excites me to see the marvelous coming together. People like you will be left on the sidelines. I don't think that you would know morality if you came face to face with it. Empty of reason and thought, I would say.
Rupert
You would have made a good cheer leader for Jim Jones. Now just drink your kool aide and be a good little sycophant.
Hey Ruppie, the only reason people are left on the sidelines, is because our little prick Mayor is in bed with the likes of you and the criminal carpet bagger from Chatsworth California.
I hope Gadi finds out why they call jail the Pokey, I'm sure you already know why.
Producer Rupert sez:
Know the facts before you spout.
Followed immediately by:
Ogden is happening, with or without you and your negativity.
Strange, what passes for "facts" these days.
Mono:
Ah, you just beat me to it. I caught "Ogden is happening" too. I fear The Producer cut his rhetorical teeth in the salad days of the Haight, the Summer of Love and such like. "Happenings" were very much a thing in the late sixties and the Producer thinks Ogden is having one now. Groovy.
Birdlips
All of the "Helms" style delivery vehicles were built for only a few years in the Mid 1930's, the last being the 1937 model. The company that made them - Contental Divco - changed the style in 38. The new model was bigger and had a short stubby hood. It became famous in its own right as the ubiquitous home delivery milk truck which was built all the way through to the 1980's.
The Helms style truck had a four cylinder Continental engine, which in that beefy vehicle was pretty underpowered, but this was before freeways. Helms had several hundred of them in their fleet. They were maintained very well and most lasted for the whole 40 years that Helms ran them on routes throughout the LA Basin. I believe that there were fewer than 10,000 of that style made during its several year production run.
More Republican “LESS GOVERNMENT." (BULLSHI'T)
When Democrat Scott Matheson was Governor of the State, the budget was less than one Billion. The population has tripled since then. If the Democrats were still in control, the state’s budget would only be 3 billion, not 11 billion.
[Noting the conversation between Oz and BL:]
One of the nice things about blogs is that out of the blue you find yourself learning about the damnedest things on them. Like California milk trucks [1930s - 80s]. Where else but WCF?
There is an "International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga, TN." [Honoring and relating the history of tow-trucks and pioneers of the towing industry. No, I am not making this up. Their website is here. ] Can't help wondering now if somewhere there is also an "International Milk Man and Delivery Hall of Fame." Where, doubtless, they will have Helm's-style vehicles on display. Anybody know?
The Divco milk trucks were every where in the US, not just California. In fact my neighbor down the street has an old junk one in his backyard!
Maybe it was just the different looking Helms ones that were in California? I have never seen one before the link on the blog.
There is an old Helms truck in the Ogden River. Don't get your hopes up tho because Mayor Godfrey and Mr. Lesham are filing eminent domain actions on it now that they know some one here is interested and there might be a few bucks in it for them.
Producer Rupert,
Gosh I love your retorts, always subjective and rarely with facts.
I asked you last time on the blog when you were touting Gadi's river project, that you said would be great because of his other successful developmens, to tell us where his other developments were and let us see is they live up to your claim that he was an accomplished developer. Just wanted to know how successful those developments were and how they look today.
Never heard back from you and don't tell me thay are all over in Isreal (where we couldn't do research on them) because Gadi's been in this country for quite a while now. Must have some kind of development track record over here by now.
Also why is his company listed as a foreign entity? Is this for liability reasons or for off shore accounting so no one knows where or to who the money flows back to?
I grew up with Helm's delivery in our neighborhood. I was always fascinated by the 6' long drawers filled with fresh donuts and breads. Those delivery trucks were long gone by the early 60's but there is an image of them in my mind from earlier when I was too young to run out and greet the Helm's man.
Curm,
Thanks for the link. I love old trucks. My first truck was an ‘51 chevy 1-ton panel truck. I cruised Van Nuys Boulevard in that truck and drove it to Yosemite one summer. I can still hear Wolf Man Jack howling in the night.
Oz,
Our Edgemar milkman drove a truck similar to the body style that you’re talking about. The Helms Trucks that I remember were Chevy or GMC Suburban/Carryalls. Something like this. I couldn’t find any other photos. However, I stumbled across this interesting vehicle and remember seeing it at super market openings in the SFV. It was great competition for the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.
I also need to apologize for mixing up respected journalist Charles Gibson’s name with opinionated Doug “Hoot” Gibson’s name.
Concerned Resident,
There is a trail of unanswered questions to ProdRup. He has a curious habit of desiring conversation then ending it at his leisure when someone asks for more than his less-than-clever remarks.
I recall several conversations over the year where he bailed out before it got interesting only to return eager as ever and bail out again.
I had a similar conversation on the phone with him. He acts all polite and courteous but is actually rude, controlling and intractable.
I wonder if he knows how ridiculous he appears in Ogden and also in Hollywood as he flaunts his "producer" status like some kind of bigwig. How many A, B, or C list Hollywood types ever get into local politics and development in a burg like Ogden. The real cats are in Telluride or Aspen or Jackson. This guy couldn't get a room at a Motel 6 in those towns.
Only in Ogden could he carry the "producer" label to a gullible mayor get taken seriously, and not get laughed out of the room. My Hollywood connections give this guy no rating at all. He is relegated to "training videos" and travelogues and promotional flicks for gondola projects that would not stand the light of day in smarter crowds.
The fact that this guy and these MalansBasin/Urban Gondola plans still linger are a sad testament to the overall knowledge of our community at large. These fools and these proposals would have been given the boot and the cold rail out of anywhere but Ogden.
Tec:
Telluride and Aspen have Motel 6s? Are you sure?
Tec:
Describing this fourth-rate, queeny, ridiculously absurd, San Bernardino PD promo-making assclown -- Rupert, "the producer" -- you wrote:
I had a similar conversation on the phone with him. He acts all polite and courteous but is actually rude, controlling and intractable.
Just like his onion-loving pals who spell their last name:
G-E-I-G-E-R.
Gondolas!
Curm,
Maybe I should say...
he couldn't get an easy chair at Starbuck's in those towns.
I've stayed at the Motel 6 in Jackson. You may be right about Telluride and Aspen.
Producer Rupert
Exactly what do you produce besides bullshit? I’ve been to your rinky dink site and it’s vapid. Apparently, so are you. You are a P.R. flack for the mayor and his cronies, period. It looks like you’ve “produced” some advertising CDs for Mr. Lesham’s company, so I guess you can’t be counted on for any objective relevance. Do you have any factual information to add to the discussion? If not, Pizazz off.
IMHO
The Powder Mountain rezone is a foolish plan. Bigger is not always better. Rampant development is murdering the soul, in addition to plenty of wildlife and vegetation, of the Ogden Valley. Smart growth and sustainable development are more suitable alternatives. The Ogden Valley Commission must have Park City Envy. Anybody been up to Park City lately? Lot’s of folks got rich while they sucked the soul right out of that interesting, historical town.
Bird, I grew up in Culver City, and do remember the drawers full of donuts. It was a good time since I remember seeing the San Bernadino mountains frequently, now you might get a glimpse of them once a year on a windy day. It seems the Wasatch front will be in the same boat when we can only see Antelope Island a few days a year with all the cars on the road.
Please relay the message to the Co. Commission. We, upper and lower Weber Co. don't want the Ogden Valley to look like Granada Hills, Clairmont, San Marcos or any other over developed once remote area of So.Cal. Picture a Huntsville exit, or a BIG cloverleaf right out of town. How about a 4 lane highway going thru North Ogden divide, probably less costly than a freeway up Ogden Canyon.
How much do we value the remnant wildlife populations clinging to exsistance in our county? Are we willing to just push them into Rich, Morgan, Cache and BoxElder Counties because we value Developement and dense population more?
BL [and others]:
It's not necessary to attack The Producer on his record as such in order to counter his arguments on Ogden development, the now-defunct "sell the park to Peterson" plan, and so on. It just doesn't matter to those arguments whether he's an academy award winning mega producer or a producer of corporate and municipal promotion films, or has a record of doing both Hollywood films and commercial ones. Doesn't matter in the least if his Hollywood films were A or B films, great or poor, classics or wholly forgettable bodice-rippers. None of that relates in any way to the soundness of his arguments [or lack thereof]about Ogden.
Going after people we disagree with on grounds that have nothing whatever to do with the disagreement seems bad policy to me. Raising questions about whether Mr. Lesham has in fact developed projects successfully before is directly relevant to the matter at issue: the wisdom of Ogden's getting into bed with him on the River Project Phase II development. But how good or productive a producer The Producer may or may not be bears not at all on the issues of the Peterson Proposal and whether it made sense, or the River Project or the Mayor's gondola obsession. Not at all. So I don't much see the point of raising that matter. Seems merely personal attack, not discussion of the issues to me.
Good Old (?) Curmudgeon:
You are full of it; this asshat takes it upon himself to call himself "the producer;" he "produced" that horrific Lying Little Matty and THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE gondola suckjob when he drove his LeBaron into town and has no interest in/relation to/bearing in what happens here in OTown, so he needs to be ridiculed for inserting himself into the discussion. That is the point, Dr. Curmudgeon. He has no relevant point of view and when he shoves his queeny, self-important ass into it, he's a just target for mockery and worse. He also spends his days in Tom Moore's guest room when he comes to town. He's a jerkstore queen (who really, really, likes GONDOLAS, onion-reeking a-holes from "ski companies" and Jay Asquith Cavendish's anatomy). And he's working on a second 3D film sequel to the Lift Ogden Reich's first PR effort entitled: Revenge of the famed Squirrel Patrol -- Rodents Go, Gondolas Rise!"
Stupid phony jackass. He and the entire famed Squirrel Patrol of Wayne Peterson deserve a far worse fate.
Birdlips
Actually Producer Rupert does have a list of show biz credits going back quite a way. He's no Speilberg, but his resume is respectable and longer than any of ours!
I don't recall Helms Bakery using the type of Chevy Trucks like the one you posted the pic on. The famous Helms delivery truck was the one made by Divco in the 30's and which a link was posted herein a couple of days ago. That is the style of the one I owned briefly in the early 70's. Seems like I paid $400 for it. Helms had been selling them off for quite awhile before I bought mine. I went to their bakery in Venice, they had sold most by then and I had my pick from about 50 that remained. After I had it a bit, I came to the conclusion that it would take way more than I had thought to restore it and make it a "cool" ride. I had also anticipated using as a grip vehicle, but it was really too small and underpowered for that. Their top speed was about 40MPH! Just really different and neat looking, but not practical at all.
I also had a 52 Chevy Sedan Delivery. I did restore it and drove it for a couple of years.
I'm with you Jason, on this one. Curm, butt out. This clown has insinuated his hollywood superiority on us several times and made his own characterizations of posters based on their hunger for facts and that they simply do not believe in the gondola vision. When will one of these scrodal gymnasts swing into action and actually cough up some experts who think it's all a good idea.
Oz,
Helms used late 50's early 60's Chevy/GMC panels when I marveled at the donut drawer in the early 60's. We lived in Ventura County. I wonder if those donuts made the ride all the way from Venice daily or if they had regional bakeries.
Producer uses his weak hollywood resume to attract flies like Peterson, Geigers, Godfrey who seem to thrive on the attention of outsiders. Like, gee, these California people think our city is cool. Let's pay attention to them and get them to invest here because they have run out of investment opportunities in Cali. Ogden will only be cool if California people think so. It all makes me sick. I moved here for the snow and recreation and I did not need Outside magazine or the NY Times to find out. Trendmongers is the term for these maggots. Thanks to Frank Zappa for the perfect description.
Tec, Frankly speaking, City of tiny Lights.
I concur, Rupert when questioned has always turned tail(back off Cavendish) and run. Never has any valid argument or stasticic to back up any point he makes. But then, what Godfry supporter ever has?
Lets see if this fits. "I'm supporting lying little matty, despite all the lies and wrong doings you guys point out. Where there once was dirt, we now have a rec center." Progress?
I wish that the mayor would cut down all the trees on Washington and put up those cool little lights like in front of the high advent center because that is so cooooool.
Good,
I grew up in Culver City, and do remember the drawers full of donuts. It was a good time since I remember seeing the San Bernadino mountains frequently, now you might get a glimpse of them once a year on a windy day. It seems the Wasatch front will be in the same boat when we can only see Antelope Island a few days a year with all the cars on the road.
I remember driving to the Culver City area, from the SFV, to visit relatives. We traveled on Sepulveda Blvd., before there were freeways. I was real young. The sky was, indeed, clear and all the mountains in the area were visible. However, check out what this guy has to say about ozone and the actual air quality of LA area in 1955. You’re right about the Wasatch Front, the cars and trucks, and the air quality problems. The inversion layer certainly exacerbates the issue.
Curm
It's not necessary to attack The Producer on his record as such...
I knew nothing about his films. I went to his blog sight and perused the P.R. blurb for Ogden. I read about the unholy trinity of Mayor Godfrey, Curt Geiger, and Chris Peterson. I’ve seen nothing but one-sided P.R. from the man. That may be his job, but I haven’t seen any factual information. Perhaps I’m mistaken about what the man is selling.
Seems merely personal attack, not discussion of the issues to me.
I re-read my post, and you’re right. I shouldn’t have called him vapid.
Going after people we disagree with on grounds that have nothing whatever to do with the disagreement seems bad policy to me....
Producer Rupert’s P.R. about Ogden, and who he gets his information from, has plenty to do with the argument, IMHO. But, hey I certainly could be wrong. I would genuinely like to see an open discussion of the issues. I intended to “go after” Rupert’s actions, not him.
...But how good or productive a producer The Producer may or may not be bears not at all on the issues of the Peterson Proposal and whether it made sense, or the River Project or the Mayor's gondola obsession. Not at all. So I don't much see the point of raising that matter. Seems merely personal attack, not discussion of the issues to me....
I went to Rupert’s blog and read a lot of P.R. He speaks of producing “enter-trainment” videos and CDs for businesses. Perhaps I missed something. I clicked “complete blogger profile” tab and there.......was......more.......P.R. What can I say?
Who is this "Jay Asquith Cavendish" that gets mentioned here on occasion?
I knew of a local big shot closet dweller awhile back that hid behind a name that sounded something like that when he was cruising the fag bars. Is this the same person?
Tec,
Helms used late 50's early 60's Chevy/GMC panels when I marveled at the donut drawer in the early 60's. We lived in Ventura County. I wonder if those donuts made the ride all the way from Venice daily or if they had regional bakeries.
That donut drawer was one of the Seven Wonders, for a kid. There was another Helms Bakery in the SFV. It was on Balboa Blvd., not far from the Van Nuys airport. That’s where the field trip took place when I was a kid. I lived fairly close and remember the sign, and the aroma, whenever we drove to Panorama Bowl, where my mother worked for awhile. Perhaps those donuts traveled the El Camino Real from Van Nuys to Ventura.
Oz
Actually Producer Rupert does have a list of show biz credits going back quite a way. He's no Speilberg, but his resume is respectable and longer than any of ours!
I did not know that. There is no link at his blog. Thanks for the info. Are his movies in the IMDB?
I had also anticipated using as a grip vehicle, but it was really too small and underpowered for that. Their top speed was about 40MPH! Just really different and neat looking, but not practical at all
What exactly is a “grip vehicle?” The top speed certainly would have been a bummer in So Cal, but I agree that they’re neat looking. You should have dropped a hemi in that sucker and taken it to Van Nuys Blvd. on Club Night. A slow cruise through the Van Nuys Bob’s.......priceless.....That’s how legends were made.
I also had a 52 Chevy Sedan Delivery. I did restore it and drove it for a couple of years.
Now that’s a cool vehicle. Was it stock? Got any pics? The sixties in So Cal were about hi-riders and low-riders. A low rider’s ride was a “pack of Luckies off the ground.” Hi-riders were jacked-up fast cars with extremely stiff suspensions. If you drove over a pack of Luckies, the car was supposed to bounce, stiffly. Good times!
Producer Rupert
I apologize for calling you vapid. Apparently there’s more to you than P.R. If you produced any films, that theater goers paid to see, I salute you. Making films is cool stuff, IMHO. Apparently you have other talents and I was wrong to think that your work is one dimensional. Sorry about that. Unfortunately, the only work I’ve seen of yours, is P.R. Please join the discussion and share some factual information. Comedy is also welcome. Lately, So Cal stories seem to be okay.
Birdlips and other Rupert slammers
Check this out for the scoop on Ruperts credits:
Rupert Credits
Not exactly major league stuff, but not bad either. He has worked with some pretty big time people over the last thirty years. There are a hell of a lot less impressive and shorter bio's on imdb than his.
Interesting points I found is that he was inactive for 10 or so years in the nineties. Wonder what he was doing? Maybe making real money laying floors for Gadi? (sorry, the devil made me take that cheap shot!)
Also found it funny that his one award nomination in show biz was for his Jaws-III 3-D thriller, and that was for the Razzie award. The "Razzie" is the award for the worst picture of the year!
All in all, he probably isn't assailable over his show biz credits. While it might be a bit pretentious to refer to himself as "Producer Rupert", he does have real show biz credits to back it up. I mean Speilberg doesn't go around calling himself "Producer Steven", does he? In fact, I don't recall ever hearing about a producer, director or any other player in show biz referring to themselves in such a manner. If you are, people know it - if your not, people know it.
I for one will judge Rupert on how much he participates in the Godfreyite scams, not on his show biz credentials, which apparently are way more than any of us can brag about! Beside that, most of us here on the WCF probably could learn a lot from a guy who produced a movie called "How to pick up girls" Rupert call me, I need help, it's an emergency!
Birdlips
A "grip truck" is what you haul film and lighting equipment around in. I was in the "biz" during those years and we did a lot of location shooting.
The chevy sedan delivery was stock except it had a 235 six cylinder engine instead of the smaller six it came with. That did not make it a hot rod however. I put about 40 thousand on it in the early eighties.
I was in LA from mid 60's to 1980 and don't remember seeing too many mountains except for when I was flying around in them. It was pretty smoggy most of the time in those years. Flying in and out of Van Nuys got to be a real white knuckle experience sometimes because of it.
Oz,
Thanks for the Rupert link. You’re right. It’s an impressive body of work. I’ve heard that “Electra Glide in Blue” is a popular “road movie” and has a bit of a cult following. I’ll have to check it out. I’ve also heard of Wolfen. The man definately paid his dues and deserves some kudos. Perhaps I should apologize further.
Interesting points I found is that he was inactive for 10 or so years in the nineties. Wonder what he was doing? Maybe making real money laying floors for Gadi? (sorry, the devil made me take that cheap shot!)
Cheap shots are okay if they’re funny, not rude. That was pretty funny. What do out of work writers and producers do? Actors do all kinds of stuff.
Also found it funny that his one award nomination in show biz was for his Jaws-III 3-D thriller, and that was for the Razzie award. The "Razzie" is the award for the worst picture of the year!
Hey, at least he was recognized by his peers. That’s got to be better than being ignored. Has there ever been a successful movie in 3-D?
All in all, he probably isn't assailable over his show biz credits. While it might be a bit pretentious to refer to himself as "Producer Rupert", he does have real show biz credits to back it up. I mean Speilberg doesn't go around calling himself "Producer Steven", does he? In fact, I don't recall ever hearing about a producer, director or any other player in show biz referring to themselves in such a manner. If you are, people know it - if your not, people know it.
As I said earlier, I’m impressed with anybody that can create, and produce, a vehicle that people will pay money to see. He’s an artist. “Nuff said.
I for one will judge Rupert on how much he participates in the Godfreyite scams, not on his show biz credentials, which apparently are way more than any of us can brag about!
Sounds fair to me. I’m going to follow your lead. My ragging on him was for his P.R./Godfrey stuff. I’m glad you enlightened me to his body of work. It was correct for Curmudgeon to get on my case too.
Oz, (continued)
Beside that, most of us here on the WCF probably could learn a lot from a guy who produced a movie called "How to pick up girls" Rupert call me, I need help, it's an emergency!
Shoot! Is that movie still available? Rupert, I’m really sorry. I now see the error in my ways. Can you help me out? Stat!
A "grip truck" is what you haul film and lighting equipment around in. I was in the "biz" during those years and we did a lot of location shooting.
So all those credits I ignored over the years were probably yours. Sorry about that. Sounds like interesting work. What’s a best boy?
The chevy sedan delivery was stock except it had a 235 six cylinder engine instead of the smaller six it came with. That did not make it a hot rod however. I put about 40 thousand on it in the early eighties.
I remember that motor, it’s very dependable. Slow, but dependable. Stock, in the eighties, is/was very cool. Those sedan delivery trucks were really fine.
I was in LA from mid 60's to 1980 and don't remember seeing too many mountains except for when I was flying around in them. It was pretty smoggy most of the time in those years. Flying in and out of Van Nuys got to be a real white knuckle experience sometimes because of it.
The smog was the main reason I left So Cal in the early ‘70s. My eyes used to burn really bad. I can’t imagine flying a small plane in that crap. I’ve been in a small plane, as a passenger, in a cloud between mountains and below the altitudes of the peaks. That is not a good feeling.
I guess I better contact you like you suggested. It’s probably rude to continue to hi-jack Rudi’s post. Sorry everybody!
Birdlips
A "best boy" is the Gaffer's assistant. In anticipation of the next question - the "Gaffer" is the person who lights the scenes for the DP, and of course you know the "DP" is the Director of Photography.
In some places they also call the Key Grip's assistant a "Best Boy". The "key grip" is in charge of the regular grips who of course handle all the stuff you haul around in a "grip truck", which the Helms Bakery trucks of the 30's were too small to serve as.
After hours in some West Hollywood gay bars a "Best Boy" is - - - oh never mind.
Birdlips
alsooooooo
You ask: "What do out of work writers and producers do?"
Well for starters every cab driver, and half the waiters in LA have a "script" they are trying to get some to look at, which of course makes them "writers".
Real writers write when they are out of work. If they are good, and lucky they sell there stuff and/or get hired onto shows on an ongoing basis. They also do a lot of time networking with people in the business to get their stuff exposed. Writers also in some cases become producers, especially in TV. Some also become directors.
The term "Producer" can mean many different things. "Executive Producer" is the top dog on any given production. He (or she) may be the one putting up the money, or in a big corporate situation be a top executive. "Producer" usually denotes the person that pulls all the pieces together to make a show happen. Hires the writer, director, crew, etc. and coordinates all of them. But not always, "producer" credits are often given out for any number of reasons to people who may or may not have much to do with the production. Same with "associate producer". Hell some Executive producers even give their gal pals the title. Then you have "Line Producer" and "Production Manager" which are sort of the same deal. That is the person who usually works hardest and longest on really taking care of all the little details. So again, "Producer" and all of its variations can mean a whole lot of different things.
As to out of work producers and what they do? Well if they are successful ones they lay on a beach in Hawaii, or a five grand a night suite in Paris, and entertain the many offers they have for their next project. If they are not so successful they go out into the hinterlands to some place like Ogden and hustle the local rubes on some sort of goof ball scheme or another. You see local rubes don't generally know the difference between a successful producer and a flake, so they are equally as flattered regardless of who is stroking them. I mean whatcha gonna do when "Hollywood" comes calling?
Oz,
Great read! That was funny, witty, and quite informative. Good stuff.
(Off key) "There's no business like show business, like no business I know."
(Dryly) Except, maybe, politics.
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