Jon Nahhas–
I do read your posts and feel compelled to say that I am concerned with “Anonymous” comments in your blog. While at times you may feel the need to protect the source or cannot get the permission from the source to publish (you are really good in doing that), I feel the lack of accountability can really hurt the accused and destroy the character of someone or something that can’t defend himself. Just my 2 cents.

Comment: Such an interesting, thoughtful statement. I share your concern. Only two or three times have I agreed to anonymity? First of all I would not allow something to be printed that would hurt someone and possibly destroy them. Not my thing. I would check out if true or not. I would decide on merits whether necessary for my blog or web. Comments regarding public figures without solid facts are continuing game. Innuendos are not for a news blog. Hopefully, my blog is a news blog with features that concern the community.

Webbers abuse free speech with comments and many administrators allow such because it makes for hits. Webbers feel commenters will make more comments and be less restricted if they use a pseudonym or anonymous. Advertisers pay attention to hits. A recent case, and I don’t have the case, involved someone using anonymity and they were revealed in court and lost the case. So anonymity has a precedent for losing, .not protecting. Moral is: anonymous or not, do not abuse your right to speak. It is a precious right. And if you have something worthwhile to say, put your name to it. We are all nut cases.

Webbers are coming closer to newspaper guidelines as far as free speech and copyright are concerned. They should. They deal with the printed word and use others’ stories and photos. It is called stealing and is protected by copyright laws. A recent case stated that a tweet was copyrighted. Most Webbers do not know the laws of copyright and just pick and choose what they want or how much of it they want. Many of these things will change in the next few years. Couple of lawsuits can make a difference.

And yes, have turned down commenters when they wouldn’t put their names to it.

Comments in Update are very well read. People want to hear what is happening with others. They want to hear their candid thoughts. Putting a name to it makes the statement worth more.

Nancy Poertner
Ref: Importance of limit lines. Signs can be obscured.
I’m with Heather….. I have had really good success calling 311 and reporting trees which are obscuring traffic lights/stop signs. The city will come out and cut them back.

Summer in the City, right?

Debbie Rochlin-Mar Vista News
Our 15th Annual “Potluck Picnic” is this Sunday from 12 noon – 3 pm on Barry Avenue between Charnock Road & Victoria Avenue. Please come and invite your neighbors to come with you…the more the merrier.

MVNA will provide the hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies and drinks.

We encourage you to bring a side dish or dessert for 5-10 neighbors. Last year we had some amazing dishes. I wonder what delights are in store for us this year.
(Note 1: We will have index cards for you to describe your dish. It helps for those with allergies.)

(Note 2: Please label your dishes/utensils so you can get them back at the end of the picnic. An address label works great.)

There will be music, a new Integra event for the teens (at their very own table at the north end of the picnic) and wonderful activities for the kids (also at the north end of the picnic.)

Of course, our elected officials, the police and fire departments will be there too.

Heather Kahler
Ref: Car Sleeping Ban
We housed are getting fewer rights to the quality of life we work our asses off for.

No one wants to criminalize homeless. But the vagrant portion of criminals who are housed do not belong in the same category why does
No one see this????

David Ewing
Ref: 9th Circuit decision
Thanks for this. I’m sure some people will scream, but it was a unanimous decision, which ought to tell us something. I hope it will move the City to deal with homelessness in a more comprehensive way, instead of simply criminalizing the condition itself. I like what Mike is saying in his press release. I wish, though, that we were more determined to find solutions instead of settling for an “appropriate balance.” It shouldn’t be a sum zero proposition. Best practices show that real dedication to solving homelessness benefits the whole community, not only the homeless. Just ask Salt Lake City and Phoenix.

Linda Lucks
Ref: 9th Circuit decision
How about leasing vacant City owned land to developers to build very affordable units? If the property is leased, the City keeps the assets. Without huge land costs, creating low cost housing on land appropriate for multiple units makes building affordable for developers. Seems like a win-win to me. Where there is political will, there is a way.

Check out 100,000 homes.

Reta Moser
The LA Times story about the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals not allowing the ban on sleeping in the car was as a result of a fast thinking reader-Jay Berine. You all reaped the benefit of his quick response to me.

Latest scam-Real estate offers by mail. Someone just offered me a price for a piece of property, no commission, that is about half the value of the property. Could have saved a commission and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Call a broker to get a free appraisal. If you want to sell, call several brokers to get appraisals.

If you thought that Update contributor and author Amy Alcon was a nut case combination concerned citizen, read this New York Times article. I jokingly refer to her as a certified nutcase. Amy replies: “I absolutely am a certified nutcase! And proud of it. No wonder she lives in Venice. That is where we all live.