Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Let's be careful with accusations please.

Regarding the previous post entitled "From Wasilla to Pacifica, It Is Time for Change", I received a call from one of the people alluded to in the post (not Sarah), who asked that I take down the article because it was factually inaccurate and very unfair to the people mentioned. When I asked if the caller would be willing to post a refutation, they said they didn't want anything to do with the blog.

While postings won't disappear just because someone's unhappy with them, I thought the complaint was legitimate enough to publicly note the objection without burying it in a comment. While blog operators have been successfully sued for libel, it's also an issue of fundamental fairness.

Let's try to set the bar a little higher when it comes to the evidence required before accusing people of unethical/criminal behavior. Business is already bad enough in town, and there's no need to damage local businesses further by accusing them of being unethical simply because they did business with someone many of us find unpopular.

Thanks,
Steve Sinai

** Update: Looks like the post in question disappeared. I'm not the perp, so maybe Jeff took it down. - Steve Sinai

48 comments:

Kathleen Rogan said...

Oops!

Kathy Meeh said...

Think you said this perfectly Kathleen "Oops"! Probably more a matter of no one wants to go there, rather than lack of public records. Pen names and anonymous exist if anyone want to elaborate or refute Jeff's information based upon evidence.

Otherwise, the public records part of his information records stands, and let's move on.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Good call. Movin on. Hey! How's those American Olympians??!!

Scotty said...

Now I'm curious... Is there any way to add back most of the comments and just remove the ones that the censors decided to remove?

Was there an obscure reference that only Jeff recognized as the Night Stalker or something (again)?

Steve Sinai said...

I don't know of a way to add the comments back. It looks like when the post was removed, the comments disappeared automatically along with it.

Lionel Emde said...

My objection (I didn't call Hippie Steve!) was to the particular allegation about the supposed dirt done to former city manager Dave Carmany. It was completely backward.

So I'll turn it around: It's an election year. There are several strong candidates opposing the incumbents and it's looking like there's going to be a sea change in local politics.
The council majority really likes the city attorney and wants to make it difficult and expensive for the next council to fire her.
So they add some language to her contract that raises the bar considerably regarding causes for termination and potential litigative remedies if the new council goes ahead and fires her.
Would anyone support that?

Kathleen Rogan said...

NO! Stay on this , Lionel.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Making a daring move. Just received email that Simons has started his own blog. It's called
Jeffsbigmouth.blogspot.com
WTF is going on....maybe I'll start my own blog.
YeeeeHaawwwww!!! Gettin fricken crazy round heyr.

Anonymous said...

he deletes it from here, then posts it on his own, claiming censorship?

now that's hypocrisy

tod schlesinger said...

As most of you know, I do NOT post often, but, when I do, I suggest you pay attention. The recent uproar over the posting regarding Jim Vreeland/Rebecca Delgado/Vreeland's R.E. dealings, etc., etc., was generated based on the FACTS that I obtained thru accurate research of the public records!!! I do NOT deal in fabrication nor innuendo!!! So, as I posted last nite on PLUS, if you wish to view the evidence, call me @ (650)355-5067 and you are welcome to come over and do same. If not, do NOT contradict the facts, absent facts of your own to the contrary.

Anonymous said...

Exclamation marks and SHOUTING!!! It must be TRUE!!!

Kathleen Rogan said...

Love you Tod!!! YeeeHaawwww!!!!

Dick Trickle said...

Simons censored his own blog post? what a dick!!!

i mean WHAT A DICK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve Sinai said...

The problem with Jeff's article was that he wrote it in a way which suggested that the realtors involved in the transaction with Vreeland were acting unethically. I saw nothing suggesting that, and was hearing from a couple realtors that the real estate transaction in question was perfectly legal.

I got on Jeff's case about the loose way he was interpreting peoples' intentions, along with his habit of throwing out reckless accusations. He got upset and removed all of his posts from the blog, including the particular article in question.

Steve Sinai said...

Tod, do you have information that shows there was anything illegal or unethical about the real-estate deal?

Anonymous said...

Gee, real estate agents acting unethically in order to make a buck? That never happens...

Yogi the Berra said...

Simons stormed off Pacifica-L when others disagreed with him.

Simons stormed off Riptide when others disagreed with him

Simons boycotted the Pacifica Tribune when it refused to print his crazy tripe.

Now Simons has stormed off Fix Pacifica?

Who'd a thunk it?

Billy Martin said...

Simons stormed out of P4P when others disagreed with him

Simons stormed out of PBRG when others disagreed with him

you did the right thing running him off, Sinai.

Anonymous said...

Does he still have blog editing authority here?

Running off and deleting threads with all of our comments and research is more than just taking his ball and going home. He didn't author our work, and shouldn't be allowed to destroy it in a childish fit of pique.

Joe Torre said...

He's a big crybaby. Wah, I lost the election! wah, Dejarnatt is mean to me! Wah, Vreeland is a crook!!

kick him the f**k out, Sinai!

Cry-Baby Ruth said...

Correction: Jeff Simons was thrown out of P4P and PBRG.

Derek Cheater said...

kicked out of board of realtors, kicked out of p4p, kicked out of pbrg, kicked out of his job at paradime, kicked out of peebles inner circle, couldn't get on planning commission, couldn't get elected to council, kicked out of his home . . . guy sounds like a big looser

thanks for doing pacifica a favor, sinai!! keep up the good work

Say Hey Kid said...

What has Sinai done for Pacifica? Seriously? He claims he wants to "fix Pacifica" yet all I see are photo ops of him "hugging and kissing" the very people who have broken it, and criticizing the people who seem to want to fix it. Time to question his motives.

Barry Bondage said...

sinai is defending the realtors and they make the town run good

Karnak the Magnificent said...

Karnak says "Say Hey Kid is a looser sitting in Tex Ass."

Barry Bondage said...

kick that looser simons out of town and stay gone looser!!

sinai is the man now

Kathy Meeh said...

All these comments under "pen names" and "anonymous" are making those of you posting look like a bunch of "losers". How about giving this blog the kind community articles and research that Jeff did? Jeff fed this blog with real information of interest, whereas his last two articles hit a nerve in the real estate community.

FYI, your comments in particular Derek (Jim Alex) about Jeff from what I know are mostly false. Jeff was not "thrown-out" of the organizations you mention, and unless you were an "EPA attorney" you could not have been appointed by this city council to the planning commission either (and that's pretty screw-up if you think about it).

The other comments you made are even more inappropriate with doubtfully poised implications. But, those of you throwing these verbal stones are not that good, so if Jeff is a "loser" according to you, who are you?

Have you lost track of the real issues of this community, and are you going to work for the political/economic improvement, or are you just going to stay on the sideline and in your words be a "cry baby"?

Karnak the Magnificent said...

"What has Sinai done for Pacifica? Seriously?"

he got rid of your fat ass

Kathleen Rogan said...

Jeezus! What is going on? It's all falling apart.
Waaahhhhh!!! So much for trying to fix pacifica.

Say Hey Kid said...

Sinai lives alone and trolls this blog 24x7. He epitomizes the term "loser". He takes credit for things he had nothing to do with such as creating this blog and defeating Measure D. LOL@wannabe Sinai!

Jim Alex said...

Now I am Derek..Who else am I on the blog Kathy??

Derek Cheater said...

Now I am jim alex! go sinai!! get that looser boy simons out of the way and get vreeland reelected!!

mikie bell said...

Keep Pacifica in the crapper. Re-elect Vreeland.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Does this mean Pacifica won't be fixed? Can I ask this question? Are all these posters the new peeps in charge? Can I ask all these questions? Are all these posters gonna run for city council? Can I ask these questions? Or, am I gonna piss off people who don't like me? Can I ask any questions?
Maybe I will just go start my own blog.

First story; Big Top Circus in P-Town - To Stay

ZombieRockawaySue said...

I don't like Simons and I think he is a total blowhard but he does do his homework and he "speaks the Truth".

Steve Sinai said...

"Does he still have blog editing authority here?"

No.

Markus said...

All you people criticizing Simons, what a bunch of crap. Simons had the guts to post some controversial stuff with easily verifiable back-up. Kathy is right. All you criticizing him and calling him a looser, just look in the mirror. As far as our present city council goes, I can't wait for the upcoming elections. Time for a major change! I am so tired of this city looking like a third world village. We pay some of the highest taxes in SM County, mainly due to the lack of a strong tax base. Where in the hell is the often mentioned SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT? More like sustained NO development. We can have a nice balance between our environment and well planned development. Extremism in either direction will ruin this town!

Kathleen Rogan said...

We are so screwed without Simon. Gooodbye. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough...........

Someone who cares said...

This blog without Simons is now irrelevent. Might as well read the Trib if you want fluff. Nice while it lasted...

Steve Sinai said...

Wow, 5:37 AM? Good morning, Jeffy, aka "Someone who cares"

You should try disguising the time zone difference.

The ghost of Simons past said...

Simons was a hypocrite who jumped to wrong conclusions daily, called everyone that disagreed with him a lying moron, and then cried foul when anyone dared criticize him. It is possible that some of the wild accusations that he threw around were true, but it became impossible to trust anything he said, therefore it is best that he move on. Unfortunately, knowing him, he'll just continue to post under dozens of psudonyms, he can't seem to resist the urge to make up imaginary friends to agree with and compliment himself.

Jeff, you moved away, now move on.

Big Brother said...

To Ian the ghost:

And just exactly what are you doing Ian Butler? At least Jeff didn't lie -- like you have claiming you don't post anonymously or under pseudonym. And no, this isn't Jeff.

Kathy Meeh said...

That's right Big Brother, Jeff Simons was careful with the facts including details he presented. No justification in faulting or sliming him for that. He has been an important part of our blog and our community. I'm sure his part of Texas will be all the better for him being there.

Anonymous said...

What part of Texas would that be?

Someone who cares said...

Hmmm, 6:12 AM? Not much difference... Either Sinai lives in another time zone too, trolls this blog at all hours, or should recognize that some people actually get up early to go to work.

the ghost of azevedo said...

"...I'm sure his part of Texas will be all the better for him being there."

Pacifica will be better with Simmons in Texas, too.

Tex Ritter said...

What have you yessie's changed about Pacifica, for the better since this conversation took place.

Nothing!!


I hear crickets.

Anonymous said...

It if it wasn't for the push back from the Yessie's, the NOBY's would have killed this town long ago. The NOBIE's want a commune, filled with pot fields and covered with dog shit.
Speaking of shit, watch out for those road apples Tex.