December 28, 2007 by PT Rothschild.

MY NEW YEAR’S PREDICTION HAS THE LID BLOWING OFF THE SUCKA

Last year I started out with the prediction that in 2007, ‘the plot would thicken’. As the year moved forward, I was proven correct time after time as all the people I know saw their lives become more complicated in unexpected twists and turns, causing a great deal of turmoil and anguish. Things and events went beyond being a soap opera to become a real pot-boiler and page-turner. Twists and turns, ins and outs, coupled with the unexpected and unwanted caused many to reexamine their lives, their loves, and their goals. I said it more than once last year, ‘I hate being right’, as I saw the trials and tribulations affect my friends and myself. After seeing this huge pot of trouble simmer all last year, I have to think that this coming year, 2008, the lid will blow off the ‘sucka’.


It could be in a good way and/or a bad way, but with the death of Bhutto just in the last couple of days, it seems the bad will outweigh the good, as far as being an explosive year. I do feel that some good things will explode onto the scene and that those things will be cracks in an otherwise bleak horizon. Surely the fallout from the latest effort to ‘disappear’ all the undesirable kids’ music from the valley isn’t over and hopefully will effect the upcoming local elections when they take place later in the year. You also have to wonder if positioning a military person with a policeman at motorists’ checkpoints is a precursor to Marshall Law being imposed onto the people.

Ron Paul continues to make headway against all the mainstream media presidential picks as more and more young people, the largest segment of the population to see through all the Matrix B.S., join into the Ron Paul Revolution. Will the powers-that-be allow this unconventional and refreshing candidate to breathe new life into this country that seems bent on ‘adventurism’? I remember being so thrilled when Bobby Kennedy decided to run in ’68, and we all saw where that went.

On a note closer to home, Bill Gould has been elected to the Romoland School Board and I, PT, have acquired an agent so perhaps both our agendas will advance and produce both positive results and open new doors for us. For these and other reasons, like my tingling ‘Spidey Sense’, point to my advanced announcement for the upcoming year. twelve months from now, gentle readers, we will all see if once again I called the shot. Better make that a double shot, bartender.

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December 24, 2007 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Normally I just write the hard news stuff, the murders, car wrecks and the tweekers getting busted - and leave the opinion page stuff to PT. I do feel that it is time to step up and say a few words myself about the state of the local business community. As everyone who has not had their head in the sand knows, the economy sucks right now. This has been made clear on a local level with the closing of many businesses in the recent past. On any given day you can hardly drive through any part of the Temecula Valley and not see a guy, who clearly needs the money, holding a sign for a furniture store who is ‘liquidating all assets’. Clearly, this is the sign of our current times.

Many people have come to this site in recent days reading the news of Cuppys being shut down, Channel 27 layoffs and the biggest - Abbot Labs (Guidant for the old school Temecula people) layoffs of over 700 local employees. Now PT writes of the closing of Roda Viva, and I know of a few other small businesses that have closed in recent months and a few others who are struggling.


One thing that is for sure, Pechanga, the behemoth casino on the south side of the valley is not going out of business anytime soon, a line of cars can be seen streaming in and out of there all day and all night, 7 days a week. Many people consider this proof that the economy is fine and Temecula is OK.

Simply not true, and this is why:

The reality is that many of the people who line up to get into Pechanga are from out of town, evidence of this can be seen as they exit the 15 freeway southbound at the newly named Temecula Parkway. The line off the freeway is long most days. Most of the tourists enjoy the casino and take a tour of the local wine country and thats that. They don’t really venture out to visit local businesses, instead electing to go to the chain store that they are familiar with. All this while most of the local residents eat at home, watch tv and go to bed - whereas 18 months ago the same families would have been out to dinner, seeing a movie and getting dessert at an ice cream place.

The key is moderation. Many ‘mortgage rich’ people of the recent past real estate boom went way over the top, spent way beyond their means and bought homes all over town in hopes that they would be the next Trump. They bought Hummers that they cant afford to put gas in. They bought boats and other watercraft. They bought RV’s and memberships to RV parks. Clothing and shoes flew out of the stores. People were selling the homes they could afford to get on a waiting list for a home with twice the payment in a new development - and that is before the rate adjusted. Now all of the same people are in crisis mode and not spending a dime and it is causing a harsh ripple effect across the small business community of the Temecula Valley.

Again, the key is moderation. Shutting off the money spigot and not leaving your home is not the answer either. I openly encourage people to get out and spend a little after this holiday season. Only us local residents know where the great local shops are. This is to say, if your making $75,000 a year, don’t go buy a new $80,000 luxury car just because your not in foreclosure, but do go out for a $40 meal and leave a fair tip for your server. The key to this idea is for you to spend your money at locally owned businesses. Local business people support our community in a host of different ways that the large corporations cant and/or wont. They sponsor your local youth teams. They give to schools with fund raisers and they donate food and supplies to arts and performance groups. Most of all they do these things because they live here and believe in what they are doing - not because of a tax write off or a photo-op. Help support quality local merchants so they can prosper and help support you and your neighbors.

Soon, I hope to see the sign of our times as a ‘Grand Opening’ to our new local economy.

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December 23, 2007 by PT Rothschild.

Temecula, CA – In the wake of all the recent business closing and layoffs, a six year establishment and local hangout spot for Ivan and friends has served their last meal today. As I sat there having a Xincu (‘chin-goo’) Brazilian beer, Marina of the red hair and a alumni of the Invisible Children’s Displace Me campaign in LA earlier this year, walked around doing her serving duties for the last time. “The rent here is absurd and Temecula just keeps raising taxes,” she quipped. The restaurant could have been sold to new owners and stayed open but the Mall wouldn’t renew the lease to the potential buyers, forcing still more people out on the street just before Christmas - ‘BA Humbug! The Mall has plans for this prime location but no details are forth coming so far.


So a small special crowd (Ivan, Kenny, Matt, Liana, Katt, Paul (Ivan’s roomie), and Paul (Inverse) gathered to reminisce about times past. Ivan (of Ivan Promotions) remarked with friends, Kenny and Matt, about how they had originally found the place and made it their ‘spot’, going from being there just on the weekends to rolling through also on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. “We hit it hard, after becoming hooked on the Sunday dinner special that was ‘all you could eat for $10.99,” said Ivan. There were some big events here and even local Timmy D put in live entertainment, (without the dreaded special use permit - which means only special people have to have one at $4K) that Mayor Chuck Washington supported and attended.

“I remember having a birthday party here and it was the first time that I saw my mother and (divorced) father actually sit down together, have a meal, and be cordial to each other. Usually I just got handed off from one parent to another. My best friend Streeker got my them together for the celebration so I have some fond memories here.” As Sid, the manager mixed us the Ivan special, Ivan waxed these final words, “our lives from where they were when this placed opened are nowhere near where they used to be.” Amen to that as another seven people hit the street from the local TV station, Channel 27, last week. Merry Christmas Tiny Tim!!

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