Eye On Modesto

Thoughts and observations about Modesto and Stanislaus County

Archive for the month “March, 2014”

25 Mar 2014

Comment at City Council Meeting 3/25/2014

By EOM Contributor honorourheritage

Good evening….tonight I’d like to talk about short-sightedness.  According to the dictionary if someone is short-sighted about something, or if their ideas are short-sighted, they do not make proper or careful judgments about the future.

A good example of this is the one child policy in China, started in the 1980s.  Chinese culture places a higher value on males than females, so this policy resulted in a much higher rate of female fetuses being aborted than males.  The results is that there is now a generation of young Chinese men who are ready to marry.  Unfortunately, there aren’t near enough young Chinese women for them to marry.  This is the result of short-sightedness.  It is the legacy of the one child policy.

I understand you want to bring more jobs to Modesto.  We need them now and as our population continues to grow, we will need them in the future.  But the flip side to that is that as our population continues to grow, we will need more food.  The prime farmland in Wood Colony can help provide that food with its wide variety of very productive crops, unlike the farmland in other areas around Modesto, that can only produce 2 or 3 different types of crops and are not near as productive.  The short-sightedness of your plan won’t be felt by my generation, but it will be felt by future generations.  This will be your legacy.

I don’t mean to be offensive with what I’m going to say next, but let’s talk about date rape.  We all know that rape isn’t about sex, it’s about power and control.  And we all know that date rape involves people who are friends or at the very, least acquainted with each other.  You are attempting to exert your power and control over our friends and neighbors.  They have repeatedly said “no” and yet you continue to force yourselves on them.  What you are doing to our friends, neighbors and acquaintances in Salida and Wood Colony is nothing less than political date rape.  This will also be your legacy.

I would like to urge the residents of Salida and Wood Colony to continue saying “no” to your attempts to exert your power and control over them.  As Gerald O’Hara said in Gone With The Wind….”land, it’s the only thing worth fighting for, worth dying for…for it’s the only thing that lasts”.  However, if you are successful in your attempts to pave over this wonderful farmland, it will not last.  It will be destroyed forever.  And that will be the final piece of your legacy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
25 Mar 2014
3 Comments

Modesto Bee Sells and Shares YOUR Personal Information

By Emerson Drake  laptoppic

Most people think of giant national companies when they think of data mining.  On 3/23/14 the Bee revised its privacy policy.   Here is a list of companies the Modesto Bee sells and or shares your personal and browsing information with. You can opt out if you choose but not all of the companies they sell/share with will allow you to do so. WE tried to opt out on all and as you can see it didn’t work as advertised. The numbers may surprise you.

3 Interactive Ad Network opt-out fail
33 Across Ad Network opt-out fail
50onRed Ad Network
[x + 1] Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Accordant Media Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Acxiom Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Ad Pepper Ad Network
Adacado AdNetwork opt-out fail
Adap.tv Ad Network opt-out fail
Adara Media Ad Network
opted-out

AdBrite Exchange
AdBuyer Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
AdChemy Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Adconion Ad Network
AddThis (XGraph) Ad Network
opted-out

Adgent Digital Ad Platform
Adgorithms Ad Network opt-out fail
Adition Tech. AG Ad Platform opt-out fail
AdJug Ad Platform opt-out fail
AdKnowledge Ad Network
Adlantic Online Advertising Ad Network opt-out fail
Admeld Ad Network opt-out fail
Admetrics Media Ad Platform opt-out fail
AdMob Ad Network
Adnologies Ad Platform opt-out fail
AdoTube Ad Platform
AdReady Ad Network opt-out fail
Adscale Ad Network
AdShark Retargeting / Optimization
Adsimilis Powered by AppNexus Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
AdTech Ad Platform opt-out fail
AdTiger Ad Network
Advance Internet Ad Network
Advertising.com (AOL) Ad Network
AdzCentral Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Aerify Media Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Affilinet Ad Network
Affine System Ad Network opt-out fail
Agenda Media Ad Network
Akamai (aCerno) opt-out fail
Alliant Retargeting / Optimization
Amazon Ad Network opt-out fail
Ampush Ad Network
AOL Ad Network
AppNexus Ad Network opt-out fail
AT&T AdWorks Ad Network
Audience Science Ad Network opt-out fail
Audience2Media Ad Network opt-out fail
AudienceScience (Connect) Ad Network opt-out fail
Avazu Demand Side Platform (DSP)
Baynote Inc. Ad Platform
Bering Media Retargeting / Optimization
BidVertiser Ad Network
Billboard Ad Network
Blastro Networks Ad Network
Blue Kai, Inc. Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
Blue Kai, Inc. AT&T Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
Blue Lithium AdNetwork
Brainient Retargeting / Optimization
Brand Networks (Optimal Inc.) Ad Network opt-out fail
Brandscreen Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Brightcove Ad Platform
BrightRoll Ad Network opt-out fail
Business Journals Ad Network
Casale Media – MediaNet Ad Network opt-out fail
CBS Interactive Ad Network
opted-out

Centro Brand Exchange Ad Network opt-out fail
Chango Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Channel intelligence by Google Ad Network opt-out fail
ClickMagic Ad Network
Clove Network Ad Network opt-out fail
Compete Ad Network
Conde Nast Digital Ad Platform
Conversant Enterprise Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Conversant Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Conversant Tech Ad Platform
Core Audience (Red Aril) Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
CPMStar Ad Network opt-out fail
Creafi Ad Network
Crimson Tangerine Ad Network opt-out fail
Criteo Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Crowd Science Data Provider / Aggregator
Crunch Digital Marketing Company Ad Network
Dapper Retargeting / Optimization
Datapoint Media Retargeting / Optimization
opted-out

Datonics (formerly AlmondNet) Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
Demand Media Studios Ad Network
Demdex Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
DidIt Demand Side Platform (DSP)
Digital Reach Ad Platform
DoubleClick by Google Ad Platform opt-out fail
DSNR Media Group Ad Network
Dstillery (Media6Degrees) Ad Network opt-out fail
e-Viral Ad Network
Ebay Ad Network
Echo Ad Network
EDGAR Online Data Provider / Aggregator
Efficient Frontier by Adobe Demand Side Platform (DSP)
Eloqua (Oracle) Data Provider / Aggregator
Emediate Ad Platform
Every Day Health Ad Network
Exact Drive Ad Platform opt-out fail
eXelate Media Exchange opt-out fail
Experian Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
Facebook (Atlas Solutions) Ad Platform
opted-out

Flite Ad Network
Frontline Media Data Provider / Aggregator
FullSixGroup Ad Network
Gannett Digital Media Network Ad Network
Glam Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Goodway Group Retargeting / Optimization
Google opt-out fail
Google Display Network Ad Network opt-out fail
Greystripe Ad Network
harrenmedia Ad Network
Harvest Digital Ad Network
HookLogic Ad Network
Horyzon Media Ad Network
Httpool Ad Network
iBillboard Ad Server
IBM TruEffect Ad Network
Impresiones Web, SL Ad Network
improve digital AdNetwork
Inadco Inc. Ad Network opt-out fail
InSkin Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Instore Audience Ad Network
Intent Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Intergi Ad Network
Invertise Ad Network
iPromote Ad Network opt-out fail
iProspect Retargeting / Optimization
Jemm Group Ad Network
Kitara Media Ad Network
Kontera Ad Platform opt-out fail
LeanMarket Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
lifestreet media Ad Network
LiveRamp Retargeting / Optimization
opted-out

Lodestone Social Ad Platform
Longtail Video Ad Platform
Lotame Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
Marimedia Ad Network
Martini Media Ad Network opt-out fail
MasterCard Advisors Data Provider / Aggregator
Matomy Media (Mediawhiz) Ad Platform opt-out fail
Media Networks, Inc. (MNI) Ad Network
Media Ocean Ad Platform
Media.Net Ad Platform
MediaFem Ad Network
MediaForce Ad Network
MediaForge Retargeting / Optimization
MediaMath Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
MediaScale Ad Network
MediaShift (Travora Media Group) Ad Network opt-out fail
Medicx Retargeting / Optimization
Meta Network Ad Network
Microsoft Advertising Ad Network
opted-out

Microsoft Corporation (MSN) Ad Platform
opted-out

Mirando Ad Network
Mixpo Ad Platform opt-out fail
Monster Worldwide Ad Network opt-out fail
NAF Digital Ad Network
Nanigans Ad Platform opt-out fail
NetMining Ad Network opt-out fail
Netvibes Ad Network
Neustar Data Provider / Aggregator
New Relic Inc. Ad Platform
Next Audience (Newtention) Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
nugg.ad Retargeting / Optimization
Ooyala Ad Platform
Operative Ad Platform
Optimizely Retargeting / Optimization
Ozone Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Peer39 Data Provider / Aggregator
Penton Ad Network
Perceptive Software (Twistage, Inc.) Ad Platform
Perfect Audience Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
Plista Ad Network
opted-out

Proclivity Systems Data Provider / Aggregator
Quigo Technologies – Adsonar AdNetwork
RadiumOne Ad Network opt-out fail
Reach Local Ad Network
ReTargeter Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
RevenueMax Retargeting / Optimization
RGM Ad Network
Rio SEO (Meteor Solutions) Data Provider / Aggregator
RMM Online Advertising Ad Network
Rocket Fuel Ad Network opt-out fail
Say Media Ad Network
Scripps Networks Ad Network
SearchForce Retargeting / Optimization
Serranetga Ad Network
Sharethrough Ad Platform
Shopzilla Ad Network
Simpli.fi Retargeting / Optimization
opted-out

Skimlinks Ad Network opt-out fail
Smart ad server Ad Platform
Sojern Ad Network
Solve Media Ad Network
SpotXchange Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Stack Exchange Inc Ad Network
SundaySky Ad Network opt-out fail
Switch Concepts Ad Platform
Tapjoy Ad Network
Targeting360 Retargeting / Optimization opt-out fail
TechClicks Ad Network
Technorati Media Ad Network
The Globe and Mail Ad Network opt-out fail
The Trade Desk Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Thomson Reuters Data Provider / Aggregator
TidalTV Ad Network opt-out fail
TradeDoubler Ad Network
Traffiq Ad Platform
Tremor Media Ad Network opt-out fail
Tribal Fusion Ad Network opt-out fail
TruSignal Retargeting / Optimization
Turn Media Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Tyroo Media Ad Network
uKnow Retargeting / Optimization
Unanimis Ad Network opt-out fail
V12 Group Data Provider / Aggregator opt-out fail
V2Media Ad Network
Varick Media Management AdNetwork opt-out fail
VideoHub Ad Network opt-out fail
Videoplaza Ad Platform
Visual DNA Data Provider / Aggregator
Vizury Ad Network
Vox Media Ad Network
Vzaar Ad Platform
Webads Ad Network opt-out fail
Webbula Public Data Provider / Aggregator
Webgains Data Provider / Aggregator
White-Pages Ad Network
Wired Ad Network
Wistia Ad Platform
Xaxis Ad Network
Yahoo! Ad Network Ad Network
YD Ad Network opt-out fail
Yellow Hammer Media Group Demand Side Platform (DSP) opt-out fail
Yieldlab Sell Side Platform (SSP)
YuMe Networks Ad Network opt-out fail
Zanox Ad Network
ZEDO Ad Network opt-out fail
Zvents Ad Network

Posted in Uncategorized
15 Mar 2014
1 Comment

Modesto Gives Itself a Black Eye in the New York Times

By Emerson Drake      NYtimes

Thanks to the Modesto City Council and the Chamber of Commerce Modesto has received more bad notoriety.  Every time we end up on another negative list, worst to retire to, worst places to live, worst places to breathe, and well, you remember them since they just keep coming.  To hear the Council and Chamber tell/spin it it’s never our fault but outsiders keep picking on us.

This time it’s well deserved, and maybe, just maybe, we came out looking better than we deserve.  We, Modesto citizens and voters,  brought this upon ourselves by not standing up to the City Council en masse and saying “enough is enough.”   The citizens of Modesto, on the large part, have been sitting back and allowing Salida and Wood Colony residents to fight our battles for us and it’s time we took over and straightened the Council and Chamber out. Here is the link to the article:http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/rural-spot-settled-by-religious-group-in-california-fears-a-citys-encroachment.html?_r=0

We should be ashamed of ourselves for not going down to the Council meeting in numbers that would dwarf our outlying neighbors, (Salida and Wood Colony).

Jenny Kenoyer was just speaking the unvarnished truth when she said referring  to Wood Colony that ” They can’t even vote for me”.  Cold sounding as it was it should have resonated in the hearts of Modesto voters as a plaintive cry for help for those who can’t help themselves. Jenny needed guidance and since the voters didn’t provide it the lackeys from the Chamber, including City manager Greg Nyhoff, stepped forward to label Wood Colony residents as anachronisms and being out of step with modern times.  The Chamber reps have been preaching from the rooftops that paving over Wood Colony is inevitable so we might as well get started.

Greg Nyhoff, Dave Cogdill, Bill Zoslocki and Cecil Russell have been reminding everyone who will listen that they don’t have to pay attention to Salida representatives and that the furor over Wood Colony will pass in time.   And why do they keep saying this?  Because the German Brethren will seldom speak in public let alone vote on any level and Salida’s residents, like those in Wood Colony, can’t vote in Modesto elections.  Mayor Marsh has gone so far as to gerrymander the proposed border to purposely exclude a major portion of Wood Colony’s voters.

A Modesto resident named John Walker has provided the most visible push-back to date. He has initiated a petition to recall Dave Cogdill and we wish him well.  Interestingly, when he announced his efforts at the last City Council meeting, Cogdill played the ‘hurt’ card.  He said he was willing to talk with Mr. Walker but wasn’t going to change his mind.  So basically he was going to talk at John and not to him.  From our point of view, when your elected representative feels different from his constituents, he/she needs to be replaced.

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02 Mar 2014
1 Comment

Going, Going, Gone, Our Water is Being Auctioned Off Thanks to the MID

By Emerson DrakeMIDpic

All farmers who irrigated their crops last year using MID are allotted a minimum 18 inches this year, not enough to bring a crop to the market place.  MID has set a bounty on the water of Four Hundred Dollars per acre for not using the water and returning the water to MID for distribution to all farmers that apply using a random drawing.  The reality is they set a base price for the upcoming private water auction for this year.

If the rate increase of 10% goes through the cost will be $32.50 for the base allocation of 18″  plus a ‘Drought Surcharge” of $11.91 which equals $44.14 per acre.  MID is offering to give irrigators  $400.00 per acre for their base of 18″ or $267 per acre foot if they don’t use the water and leave it with MID.  A nice incentive to return something they haven’t received or paid for.

It Gets Better:  Our self described city boys, yes John Mensinger used/coined the term referring to himself and Paul Campbell threw in a wild card.  He made his point by saying, “they mostly represented people living in Modesto.”  Their argument was that a farmer should be allowed to sell their water to anyone they wanted and not just to family as has been MID’s past practice for transferring water delivery rights.   And by pushing the $400 incentive they created a ‘base’ price for MID water.

But The Water Isn’t Theirs:  See the rub is the water is MID’s water and MID is owned by its ratepayers meaning you and me.   So the two city boys along with Nick Blom, who reversed his earlier position, voted to place MID’s water up for auction to the highest bidder.  Remember, this is water they haven’t paid for, don’t own, yet windfall profits are going to be allowed?  What did these three eat for breakfast?

Mensinger and Campbell have been complaining about subsidies by the electric side: With all of the preaching that has been going on about subsidies you would have thought they would have suggested that MID hold an auction for any surplus water and then use the profit to support its  budget instead of allowing a few special interest farmers to line their pockets using our water, which they won’t have to pay for until they receive their bill November.

We all understand the Modesto Chamber of Commerce donated $2,000 and Bill Lyons even more to each of the ‘city boys’ and that the Chamber is  famous for using public money to help their ‘friends’ and they do expect a return on their money, but I would have hoped they would have refrained from passing out the largess for a couple of months more.

The sellers are guaranteed a MINIMUM profit of $355.59 per acre.  And who knows where that will end up after the unofficial auction.

The bottom line is:  We’re fronting them the water for at least six months at no money down or interest fees to allow them to find the highest bidder on our water for them to make the profit on?   And this is  the business acumen the two city boys bring to the MID Board?   Just how did this help the 113,000 electric account holders?   How did this help the small farmer who is barely making it bring his crop to harvest.   How did this help us?

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