Scottsdale | Scottsdale Sucks

Scottsdale's police state expands

A man was arrested for DUI for driving a golf cart on a golf course.

This is out of control.

President ... McCain?

Can anyone here actually vote for this guy if he gets the nomination?

Lots of Republicans I know say they'd sit the election out and watch Hillary/Obama get elected because they can't bring themselves to vote for McCain.

His record is pro-illegal, pro-gun control, pro-tax, and look at all the time and money he's wasted investigating steroids in baseball instead of focusing on something that's actually important.

His website now says he's on the right side of most issues, but he's a classic Clintonesque politician - he'll say anything to get elected, then do what he pleases once he's in office.

Would a McCain presidency really be that much better than Hillary or Obama? Ok, well yes it would, but it's be far from ideal. I sure hope Romney can pull this one out. He's not ideal either but I think he's the best of the serious contenders. Despite how popular it is to be anti-Bush, I'll be bold and say I'd vote Bush into a 3rd term before I'd vote for any of the current candidates.

Thoughts? (Please, no Ron Paul rants, let's keep this to the candidates who can win.)

Words of Wisdom

I just responded to a comment on HousingPanic that was written by a Scottsdale-type; here's his post and my response - I think it is a message that is sorely needed in places like Scottsdale (the original post was about people who knowingly "bought" houses they knew they couldn't afford, frequently with no money down):

Say I make 50K/yr at the moment and really would rather make a mortgage payment than throw away my money paying someone else's mortgage (renting), but the catch is I don't have a down payment. I shouldn't get a 100% financed loan?

Here's the straight answer: If you haven't been able to save for a down payment, you're not responsible enough with money to be approved for a loan.

Plain and simple.

Regardless of what Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton and B. Hussein Obama tell you, you don't "deserve" a loan and are not "entitled" to own a home by your birthright.

You should have to earn that privilege after you prove you are financially responsible by living below your means and saving for a down payment.

Move somewhere cheaper. Buy a cheaper car or take the bus. Give up Starbucks and beer. Don't go out for a year - stay home and read instead (you might even learn something if you do that).

For the year leading up to when I started my business in 2003 I lived in a dirt-cheap crappy part of Phoenix, never went out, cooked at home every night, and for the reading I borrowed all the books from the library and didn't spend a cent. And now I'm financially free and living the good life.

Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the hard truth.

City of Scottsdale ordered to pay $81 million

Scottsdale ordered to pay Toll Brothers $81 million by a jury in the Maricopa County Superior Court.

The case stems from the fact that the corrupt and sleazy City of Scottsdale illegally seized 383 acres of land owned by Toll Brothers, for use in the now-failed McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Scottsdale arrogantly offered Toll $34 million for the seized land, a fraction of what it's really worth.

In case you're wondering, I say the preserve is a failure because it was an ass-backwards plan where instead of building a park, the entire preserve is off-limits to the public, and as a result it's become a garbage dump for contractors, builders, and anyone else who doesn't feel like paying for trash removal. Nice preserve you got there, Scottsdale.

This is yet another shining example of Scottsdale's total and complete disregard for the law, as well as private property rights. Good for them. I'm happy to see them get slapped with that judgment.

However, there's a dark side - you and I both know there will be a whole lot more photo cameras and traffic cops on Scottsdale streets to pay for the $81 million. And lots more DUI arrests on people who were ... ummm ... "drunk" ... yeah ... right.

A Reminder to Scottsdale

Thanks to HousingPanic for this picture - I posted it a while back and it needs to be posted again as a reminder to all the quick-buck, lazy, shysters who characterize Scottsdale more than any other type of person.

I can't think of ANYTHING that better characterizes Scottsdale than the left size of this picture. Or anything more totally opposite Scottsdale than the right side.

A true story

Since there's a lively thread happening on the Starbucks post, I thought I'd post a true story that happened to me in a north Scottsdale Starbucks a couple of years ago.

A typical plastic, fake-boobed Scottsdale girl pulled up in her 3-series BMW, in her Juicy sweatsuit and pink platform flip flips (so classy), and she came walking in with her nose up in the air and holding her BMW key chest-high in one hand to make sure everyone saw it.

She then ordered one of those dumbass Starbucks drinks instead of a normal tea or coffee, and the price with tax came to an even $4.00.

She then proceeded to pull out two credit cards and tell the cashier, "Put two dollars on this card, and two dollars on that card." She even managed to keep up the attitude while saying it.

At that moment I fully realized I was living in the depths of fake hell and needed to escape, fast.

Some things never change

A quick scan of the headlines at AZCentral.com today:

- Alcohol restrictions in Scottsdale, limited bans at FBR Open
- HOA wars
- Scottsdale getting media exposure from Super Bowl
- Scottsdale man arrested for sex crimes
- Citizens opposing Costco at PV Mall

So, nothing has changed. We're quickly coming up on the one-year anniversary of my escape and nothing has changed. Let's revisit those five headlines in plain English:

- Scottsdale's mantra is "Ban! Ban! Ban!" Always has been, always will be.
- Loser Arizona HOA boards still have no lives and must f*ck with others
- Scottsdale still trying to masquerade as a real city
- Scottsdale still full of scumbags and shysters
- Arizona is still full of anti-business, anti-progress wackos

Hey Scottsdale, since I moved there in 2000 - EIGHT years ago - I've constantly heard "Scottsdale is getting media exposure! Everyone will know us now!" Well sorry but if it hasn't happened in eight years it ain't ever gonna happen.

And in case you haven't heard, the Super Bowl is in GLENDALE at University of PHOENIX stadium.

The "Honeymoon" Period

Thanks to DPM for this one. It's so funny and so true how anyone with any class or brains at all comes to hate Scottsdale within a year and leaves, while the scum all stays there and they all live together in their fake make-believe world of ignorant bliss:

I'm also from Seattle, moved here to Scottsdale a little more than a year ago. It is so true about the honeymoon period... came to an end when I vacationed back in Seattle this past summer and realized that Scottsdale has no class or sophistication, and nothing interesting or fun to do. The people suck too - a bunch of freaks that have only one thing that they try to accomplish each day: Let everyone know how much they [supposedly] have, and how much better they are becuase of it. My fiance (from Seattle too) and I have started planning our exodus from hype-ville... going back home where things are actually real.

Sorry, Fred.

On issues and policy, Fred Thompson was my #1 pick all the way.

(Well, except for all that pro-life stuff that violates the 10th Amendment. But in all fairness, Roe v. Wade violates the 10th Amendment just as much. The decision belongs to the individual states, people.)

However, I'm dropping my support and have removed his banner from my site. Not because I'm a "fair weather fan" and only stick with the current front-runner. No, not at all. My reason for ditching Fred is because I'm disappointed with his efforts in this campaign. I just don't see him trying as hard as the others. In fact, while all the candidates are down in Florida campaigning their asses off, Fred is in Tennessee visiting his mom.

Who will I support? That's a tough decision. I've only got 2 weeks until Super Tuesday to decide.

In the end, I think we're screwed either way. All three democrat candidates are fundamentally communist, and the republicans will only nominate someone who demands we all pray to Jesus 24x7 with no consideration given to any other issues.

We're f*cked.

Arizona relying on photo radar to balance budget

It's official: Your governor has come out and admitted that photo radar is all about money.

We knew it all along, so it's nice to finally see the truth come out.

Of course, she said it as a half-truth: The way she put it, it was originally about "safety," but since the money is rolling in, she's expanding the cameras statewide.

Luckily there are a lot of legislators opposed to the plan, so write, email, and call your state representative and senator and tell them NO on the unconstitutional (6th Amendment to be specific) photo radar scam. And while you're at it, you can give a big thank-you to Mary Manross, the corrupt Scottsdale city council, and the corrupt Scottsdale "police" department for starting this whole mess that's about to screw the entire state, not just Scottsdale.