Thanks to everyone who checked into this blog and Mayor Sam's Sister City Blog (the real political heat) this past year.
Special thanks to everyone who I met in person at various meetings, spoke with on the phone and corresponded with via email. There isn't a single person that I met this year that didn't provide me with something that went into my blogging and comments. (All the answers are within the community, and the corrupt politicians are not fooling these people. See Dirt Burnell.)
And a very special thanks to the (not so) short list of people who spent endless hours tutoring Zuma Dogg with endless legalese -- getting me to the point where I could spit it back in a two minute public comment rant. (And I know it can be a torturous process getting me to that point. Alright, I know it is a torturous process.)
And a special, special thanks to everyone who took my call (who would have been in big trouble if their bosses knew) -- and all the people who contacted me, outright, against their boss' interests.)
Thanks to all the talk show hosts, locally and nationally that let me get my two cents in, many times for five minutes at a time, or more. (And thanks to Kevin James of KRLA AM-870 for playing ZD's Holiday Song, "Proposition S Going Down". Perhaps time for an encore this week when Kevin discusses Prop. S. 9p-11p on 870 AM.)
Zuma Dogg - "Proposition S Goin' Down" (Holiday Song)
BIGGEST ZD STORY OF 2007 ended up having nothing to do with City Hall, at all. For all my hundreds of hours blasting City Hall shadiness and inefficiency, the one "anomoly" of a story ended up being not only the biggest story of the year, but the biggest financial story in the past decade according to the news wires: I tried to warn everyone on May 5, 2007. Here's the Google Search of frantic posting across multiple blogs on that day -- warning of sub prime crisis triggering recession fears .
It all started to come true three months later, and we are still talking about it more than anything else from a financial standpoint as I type this. (So not only did I go out on a limb on this story out of my usual range, I went out BIG, and I think I made the right decision. So look for a little more of this in '08. A lot more, actually. I have excellent advisers.)
Meanwhile, here's something to keep you busy over the New Year's Weekend:
Zuma Dogg's "Mega-Master Shady Report" (Quarterly Newsletter of all ZD stories/Political Shadiness that robs the community, county and state.) If I blogged or commented about it in '07, you can find it here:
Zuma's Mega-Master Shady Report
FIRST TWO ISSUES OF 2008: LAUSD/Charter Reform (including Clinton Foundation billionaire cronies) and Proposition S (and Zuma's new "No on Prop S" song to the tune of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" called, "Please Stop Deceiving.")
Zuma Dogg - "Prop S Punk" (Original "Sex Pistols-style" song about Proposition S)
Zuma's Official Website
Zuma's Video Blog (including videos not on YouTube)
Zuma's YouTube Page (more videos)
Zuma's Podcast Page (music and radio calls)
zumadogg@gmail.com
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
New YouTube: Zuma Dogg Sings About "NO on Prop S" (Villaraigosa's Shady Phone Tax)
The shady and fiscally irresponsible Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is arrogant enough to think you will fall for a new CELL PHONE AND INTERNET TAX by calling it a "reduction". Instead of what it really is...A NEW TAX ON CELL PHONE AND INTERNET USE!!!
If you are a Los Angeles voter who is excited about the thought of paying more money out of your pocket to help cover the fiscal screw-ups and financial irresponsibility of political thug Mayor Antonio Villagrosa -- then the elections in February is your lucky day. YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO APPROVE THIS NEW PHONE AND INTERNET TAX (That many feel should not have even been allowed on the ballot. But that never stops Antonio...see AB 1381.)
THE REST OF US WILL BE VOTING "NO ON PROP S (S for 'Shady')".
Zuma Dogg - "Proposition S Is Going Down"
(To The Tune of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town")
zumadogg@gmail.com
zumatimes.com
If you are a Los Angeles voter who is excited about the thought of paying more money out of your pocket to help cover the fiscal screw-ups and financial irresponsibility of political thug Mayor Antonio Villagrosa -- then the elections in February is your lucky day. YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO APPROVE THIS NEW PHONE AND INTERNET TAX (That many feel should not have even been allowed on the ballot. But that never stops Antonio...see AB 1381.)
THE REST OF US WILL BE VOTING "NO ON PROP S (S for 'Shady')".
Zuma Dogg - "Proposition S Is Going Down"
(To The Tune of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town")
zumadogg@gmail.com
zumatimes.com
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Zuma Dogg Year End Shady Report '07 - Part One of Series: Top Story ZD blogged this year
ZUMA DOGG's "Shady Report '07" (Year End Recap of Top Stories) -- Part One of Year End Series (set Google alert)
by Zuma Dogg
This year, a little anomoly of a story ended up not only being the biggest story Zuma Times ended up breaking 3 months before it hit news headlines around the planet, but ended up being the biggest financial news story in a decade.
THE SUB-PRIME BUBBLE BURST
I was contacted on May 5, 2007 by community activist Jose Aguilar from East Los Angeles (a true genius of a gem) over something he heard Senator Chuck Shumer talking about.
It was about this thing called, "sub prime lending", which I knew 0.00% about.
As a community activist, myself, financial lending practices and the housing market was something I had 0.00% interest in covering as a local activist.
But much to the dismay of corrupt local politicains (and those who support them), Mr. Aguilar continues to rip the curtain open, exposing these politicians the way Toto ripped the curtain open exposing that phoney, corrupt Wizard of Oz. He has proven himself (to me, at least) to be ahead of the curve with the "real deal" on all the shady angles these politicians are playing to screw the community -- time and time again.
So when Jose Aguilar talks, Zuma Dogg listens. And if he felt this "subprime thing" was a big deal on May 5, 2007 -- I wanted to hear about it.
It DID end up hitting me as being a big deal, and even though it was completely outside the range of material I had ever covered up to that point, I wanted to post it on the blog, for the record, and to try and warn anyone who believed in the story.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
ZUMA DOGG PUBLIC HEARING: IS THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL FOR A RECESSION STARTING IN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR?
Oh no...Sen. Chuck Shumer/NY just told Zuma Dogg (indirectly) that we are gonna have a housing bubble-burst and recession starting in about a year. (With the effects starting as soon as six months.) SELL NOW!
They got these things called “sub-prime lending” (high risk, low interest loans). When you have a good economy, you can give some “riskier investments/clients” these low interest loans to jumpstart their American dream of home ownership.
They only pay 1% or 2% the first three years, or so. Then, the rate jumps to the Federal rate (what is it, 5.5%, or something.) Well ZD feels it might go to of 6%, 7% -- is 8% out of the question?)
When the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, more people with subprime loans default. Why? Because these people, coming off 3 year low interst loans, have to jump into a 6% or 7% or even 8 % rate all of the sudden, and they can’t keep up with the new, higher payments each month and then they default.
Well these days, with higher paying jobs being replaced with lower paying jobs; while housing costs, property taxes, and everything else -- people are gonna be defaulting on the loans, more and more. And the banks know that this is going to to become more of a problem, so they are going to stop approving these “low prime lending” rates.
Sen. Chuck Shumer/NY has a bill in congress in about six months to a year they are going to put the clamp down on “sub-prime loans”. This is a major sign that the housing bubble is gonna pop. Then, all these condos will be staying on the market, vacant -- getting cheaper and cheaper by the quarter.
L.A. is leading the nation in this housing bubble burst, as vacancy rates in Los Angeles continue to increase, due to people moving out of the City for all the reasons stated daily by the pueblos.
Posted by Zuma Dogg @ 5/05/2007 10:32:00 AM
So three months later, I was walking down the street and saw the news headlines on all the newspapers about the sub prime mortage mess...and now, it is being called the biggest financial crisis in a decade.
Another three months later (six months to the week/month that the story was originally posted), the stock market tanked. Check the charts from that period in November '07, but you probably don't have if you are an investor.
AND NOW THIS FROM MARKETWATCH.COM
Last update: 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 22, 2007
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Investors will look for Santa's sleigh to go further into rally mode in the final week of 2007 in an attempt to get over the rough second half of the year, during which markets were rattled by the biggest financial crisis in a decade.
So although it was the one story this year that I covered that had NOTHING to do with my usual fare...I DID feel it was related to City business and felt it would affect the community/readers.
AND, this story really, really highlights the function ZD plays in the community. (And I feel so guilty because I end up getting all the credit for all the knowledge pass onto me by the everday people of the community.) ZD ain't really so smart, y'all, comparitively speaking.
I could never figure out the stuff people pass on to me. So here's what I can take credit for:
a) Interest (Have to have that, I guess.)
b) Like listening to what people have to say. (I always have as a market research person.)
c) Being able to distinguish between good information and bad information and recognizing patterns as to who has the best/most accurate info.
So as much as I would like everyone to think I am the political/economic genius I wish I was; luckily I don't have to be, because I am good at my a), b), c)'s.
And that's the secret sauce of Zuma Dogg. But ha ha...I'm better at "c)" than you are!!! And it sure helps when Jose Aguilar phones in the entire story for you. Thanks, bro!
original zd subprime prediction thread:
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
by Zuma Dogg
This year, a little anomoly of a story ended up not only being the biggest story Zuma Times ended up breaking 3 months before it hit news headlines around the planet, but ended up being the biggest financial news story in a decade.
THE SUB-PRIME BUBBLE BURST
I was contacted on May 5, 2007 by community activist Jose Aguilar from East Los Angeles (a true genius of a gem) over something he heard Senator Chuck Shumer talking about.
It was about this thing called, "sub prime lending", which I knew 0.00% about.
As a community activist, myself, financial lending practices and the housing market was something I had 0.00% interest in covering as a local activist.
But much to the dismay of corrupt local politicains (and those who support them), Mr. Aguilar continues to rip the curtain open, exposing these politicians the way Toto ripped the curtain open exposing that phoney, corrupt Wizard of Oz. He has proven himself (to me, at least) to be ahead of the curve with the "real deal" on all the shady angles these politicians are playing to screw the community -- time and time again.
So when Jose Aguilar talks, Zuma Dogg listens. And if he felt this "subprime thing" was a big deal on May 5, 2007 -- I wanted to hear about it.
It DID end up hitting me as being a big deal, and even though it was completely outside the range of material I had ever covered up to that point, I wanted to post it on the blog, for the record, and to try and warn anyone who believed in the story.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
ZUMA DOGG PUBLIC HEARING: IS THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL FOR A RECESSION STARTING IN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR?
Oh no...Sen. Chuck Shumer/NY just told Zuma Dogg (indirectly) that we are gonna have a housing bubble-burst and recession starting in about a year. (With the effects starting as soon as six months.) SELL NOW!
They got these things called “sub-prime lending” (high risk, low interest loans). When you have a good economy, you can give some “riskier investments/clients” these low interest loans to jumpstart their American dream of home ownership.
They only pay 1% or 2% the first three years, or so. Then, the rate jumps to the Federal rate (what is it, 5.5%, or something.) Well ZD feels it might go to of 6%, 7% -- is 8% out of the question?)
When the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, more people with subprime loans default. Why? Because these people, coming off 3 year low interst loans, have to jump into a 6% or 7% or even 8 % rate all of the sudden, and they can’t keep up with the new, higher payments each month and then they default.
Well these days, with higher paying jobs being replaced with lower paying jobs; while housing costs, property taxes, and everything else -- people are gonna be defaulting on the loans, more and more. And the banks know that this is going to to become more of a problem, so they are going to stop approving these “low prime lending” rates.
Sen. Chuck Shumer/NY has a bill in congress in about six months to a year they are going to put the clamp down on “sub-prime loans”. This is a major sign that the housing bubble is gonna pop. Then, all these condos will be staying on the market, vacant -- getting cheaper and cheaper by the quarter.
L.A. is leading the nation in this housing bubble burst, as vacancy rates in Los Angeles continue to increase, due to people moving out of the City for all the reasons stated daily by the pueblos.
Posted by Zuma Dogg @ 5/05/2007 10:32:00 AM
So three months later, I was walking down the street and saw the news headlines on all the newspapers about the sub prime mortage mess...and now, it is being called the biggest financial crisis in a decade.
Another three months later (six months to the week/month that the story was originally posted), the stock market tanked. Check the charts from that period in November '07, but you probably don't have if you are an investor.
AND NOW THIS FROM MARKETWATCH.COM
Last update: 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 22, 2007
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Investors will look for Santa's sleigh to go further into rally mode in the final week of 2007 in an attempt to get over the rough second half of the year, during which markets were rattled by the biggest financial crisis in a decade.
So although it was the one story this year that I covered that had NOTHING to do with my usual fare...I DID feel it was related to City business and felt it would affect the community/readers.
AND, this story really, really highlights the function ZD plays in the community. (And I feel so guilty because I end up getting all the credit for all the knowledge pass onto me by the everday people of the community.) ZD ain't really so smart, y'all, comparitively speaking.
I could never figure out the stuff people pass on to me. So here's what I can take credit for:
a) Interest (Have to have that, I guess.)
b) Like listening to what people have to say. (I always have as a market research person.)
c) Being able to distinguish between good information and bad information and recognizing patterns as to who has the best/most accurate info.
So as much as I would like everyone to think I am the political/economic genius I wish I was; luckily I don't have to be, because I am good at my a), b), c)'s.
And that's the secret sauce of Zuma Dogg. But ha ha...I'm better at "c)" than you are!!! And it sure helps when Jose Aguilar phones in the entire story for you. Thanks, bro!
original zd subprime prediction thread:
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
NEW AUDIO: Zuma Dogg on CNBC's "Mad Money" w/Jim Cramer
CNBC got it's first dose of Zuma Dogg today, as he called into CNBC's "Mad Money" to needle Cramer a little about Game Stop stock (that ZD owns).
Keep in mind, the stock was up today, in the worst down market day...BUT IT WAS DOWN THIS WEEK (even though the entire market tanked). BUT ZD ONLY LIKES HIS STOCKS TO GO "UP" -- NEVER DOWN, NOT EVEN ONE PENNY!!!
And I knew Jim would say good things about Game Stock, cause it's a great stock. Meanwhile, as usual, ZD gets off to a combative start. I started my question with, "Except for today...Game Stop had a terrible week...". Which is when Jim cut me off and said, "If you call up .66 cents in the worst down day...". Forcing the Big ZD to cut in to say, "I SAID EXCEPT FOR TODAY". Which caused Jim to show ZD who is boss of the show.
Then, Jim continued to have a little fun at ZD's expense with the next caller.
AUDIO: Zuma on CNBC's "Mad Money" with Jim Cramer
youtube.com/zumadogg
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
zumadogg@gmail.com
Keep in mind, the stock was up today, in the worst down market day...BUT IT WAS DOWN THIS WEEK (even though the entire market tanked). BUT ZD ONLY LIKES HIS STOCKS TO GO "UP" -- NEVER DOWN, NOT EVEN ONE PENNY!!!
And I knew Jim would say good things about Game Stock, cause it's a great stock. Meanwhile, as usual, ZD gets off to a combative start. I started my question with, "Except for today...Game Stop had a terrible week...". Which is when Jim cut me off and said, "If you call up .66 cents in the worst down day...". Forcing the Big ZD to cut in to say, "I SAID EXCEPT FOR TODAY". Which caused Jim to show ZD who is boss of the show.
Then, Jim continued to have a little fun at ZD's expense with the next caller.
AUDIO: Zuma on CNBC's "Mad Money" with Jim Cramer
youtube.com/zumadogg
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
zumadogg@gmail.com
Hear Zuma Dogg on CNBC's "Mad Money" w/Cramer 3p & 8p TONIGHT!
Big ZD is going to call into Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" show on CNBC this evening to fire up Jim about Game Stop -- and hopefully get him to say good things about it, since Zuma Dogg owns Game Stop.
Gonna use some reverse psychology on Jim and criticize the stock's performance this week -- which should fire him off into a hyper-rant on how good the stock is. (Which is what I want him to do -- REMIND PEOPLE TO BUY GAME STOP SINCE THEY INTRODUCED A wii RAINCHECK PROGRAM WITH THE RETAILER.
Tune in to CNBC tonight at 3p & 8p for a double-dose of madness...Zuma Dogg and Jim Cramer. (Doesn't get any more mad than that! Should be a fun call!)
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
Gonna use some reverse psychology on Jim and criticize the stock's performance this week -- which should fire him off into a hyper-rant on how good the stock is. (Which is what I want him to do -- REMIND PEOPLE TO BUY GAME STOP SINCE THEY INTRODUCED A wii RAINCHECK PROGRAM WITH THE RETAILER.
Tune in to CNBC tonight at 3p & 8p for a double-dose of madness...Zuma Dogg and Jim Cramer. (Doesn't get any more mad than that! Should be a fun call!)
zumatimes.com
strategyupdate.com
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Grand Avenue Project Problems Already As Costs Skyrocket And They May Ask For More Subsidies From Los Angeles City
DailyNews.com ran an item this morning about Grand Avenue Project saying, "The sweetheart deal known as the Grand Avenue project broke ground last week - with a price tag more than twice as much as originally planned. But the project's builder insists the higher cost of $3 billion won't translate into a larger public handout." (May we have that in writing, please?)
Meanwhile, read the article here (it's very short), and read Zuma Dogg's extensive coverage of all the shady "ins and outs" of the Grand Avenue Project. (I did a massive amount of research, including analysis of "insider" business plan of all three phases and interviews with planners, councilmembers and the project developer, himself.)
Grand Ave Project (ZD review)
Grand Ave Project (LA Weekly Article)
LA Live Project (ZD review: It reads like a comedy script!)
zumadogg@gmail.com
zumatimes.com: News Before It Happens!
Meanwhile, read the article here (it's very short), and read Zuma Dogg's extensive coverage of all the shady "ins and outs" of the Grand Avenue Project. (I did a massive amount of research, including analysis of "insider" business plan of all three phases and interviews with planners, councilmembers and the project developer, himself.)
Grand Ave Project (ZD review)
Grand Ave Project (LA Weekly Article)
LA Live Project (ZD review: It reads like a comedy script!)
zumadogg@gmail.com
zumatimes.com: News Before It Happens!
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