Happy Thanksgiving….

…TO THE READERS OF WILDOMAR MAGAZINE

Wildomar Magazine gives thanks for all of the readers of Zak and Gil’s posts. If it weren’t for you, we would wonder if our thoughts and ideas were meaningful.  Since many of you return for a daily update on Wildomar Magazine’s version of ” A Day In The Life” of our city, for reasons unknown, we still are thankful for each our readers. (Over 9.000 individual visits since July 2008)

So, to all who visit, read, and enjoy(not a requirement of your subscription, but it’s assumed) Wildomar Magazine, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Local Charity Like This Makes Sense To Zak…

….CONGRATS TO SUE REBAR

Sue Rebar, founder of locally-based Welcome Home Troops, and former chair of the Lake Elsinore Mayor’s Breakfast, (thus, likely motivated by religious urges) has secured the donations from local Starbucks patrons and is shipping  instant coffee to deployed troops in conjunction with the local VFW post 1508 Wildomar. (Nice photo by Don Boomer for the Californian).

According to today’s Californian, “Welcome Home Troops, a Lake Elsinore-based military support organization, gathered alongside members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1508 in Wildomar to send off 28,545 cups’ worth of Starbucks instant coffee to loading docks at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Tuesday.”

Wildomar Magazine salutes the efforts of thoughtful patriots, Sue Rebar and the vets at the Wildomar VFW Post 1508 and  generous, local coffee addicts who have to get their Starbuck “fix” on a regular basis. A worthy addiction, if you must have one.

It was a local project, coffee provided by local, charity-minded individuals (whose religious urges remain unknown) and did not require a bunch of delivery trucks to process the small boxes.

(Editor’s note:  Notice no one is overtly trying to “build their following.” That keeps this charity  resting easy on Zak’s troubled soul). If you want to support WelcomeHomeTroops, buy a paper, read the article and find out their contact info.

Well done, all.

 

Charity Begins At Home But….

 

…ITS GOING TO END UP ON WILDOMAR’S ROADS, THANKS TO CORNERSTONE

An article appearing in today’ s Californian underscores why an up-to-date traffic study must be completed by Cornerstone, followed by real mitigation, such as traffic lights and widened streets with turn pockets.

“Truck after truck pulled into the parking lot Monday at Cornerstone Community Church in Wildomar. As each approached, it stopped and a head poked out from the driver’s seat to ask Tonja Medbery where to park.

“You’re Fallbrook right?” she asked, pointing the driver to a loading spot to the left of a truck coming from Hemet.

Monday was the culmination of a year’s work as Medbery, a Murrieta resident, collected the final donations for this year’s Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child, a 16-year-old effort by the international Christian community to fill shoe boxes with presents for children in as many as 130 countries.” 

It is the very nature of a church like Cornerstone to become involved in large charity programs, originated by some other distant organization, many of which are laudable.  In this case, we have a woman from Murrieta  who is directing trucks from Fallbrook and Hemet for “stuff” going to other countries.  

All of these people’s charitable urges benefit  the residents of Wildomar how? 

Cornerstone members should understand that their version of Christian generosity should not be to the detriment of those of us who do not desire to join in Cornerstone’s particular charity events.

That doesn’t make us bad people.

Many of us have our own charitable efforts that are  sufficiently private that they actually conform to scripture about charitable giving. Matthew 6:3 says,  ”when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” An argument for personal, not institutional charity? (Editor’s note; Zak quoting scripture is truly unfair).

One more word about “motivations,” spoken by the frank Murrieta woman herself. “So (the giving is) done by their churches, their schools and they can build their following.”

Well said.

After The San Jacinto Indictments….

 

…THE PHRASE “DEVELOPER FRIENDLY” WILL NO LONGER BE GLIBLY TOSSED AROUND AT WILDOMAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

That’s just a guess from Wildomar Magazine.

Too Gullible To Identify….

 

….SO WILDOMAR MAGAZINE IS FREE TO MOCK

Today’s Californian reports on churches duped by their own ignorance but did not identify the Murrieta congregation and leadership, apparently to protect said leadership from ridicule and criticism. 

“State Attorney General Jerry Brown said as many as 30 Southern California churches —- three in Riverside County —- may have been defrauded, with the same companies suspected of bilking other churches in as many as 10 other states.

The local churches involved were in Murrieta, Perris and Moreno Valley.

The companies offered churches free computer kiosks that could serve as electronic message boards and generate advertising revenue, Brown said.

Instead, churches were left with leases as high as $45,000 per year for what amounted to little more than desktop computers and printers housed in podium-sized wooden boxes,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.”

Since churches are tax-free, non-profit organizations, the general public is forced to subsidize their existence.  Generally speaking, the benefits provided by churches outweighs the costs to the community.  However, when church leaders forget that their church sanctuary is just that; a place of safety from the excesses of our world and put an advertising medium within that place of “safety,” leaders too greedy/naive to protect their flock should bear having to read of their greed/naivete in a public forum.

It is a matter of time before someone will publish the identity of this Murrieta church and we will then know who the advertising genius is. Rest assured, yea, rest in  Blessed Assurance, that Wildomar Magazine will update you.

Comments can be made below.  Wildomar Magazine denies placing any advertising on the Murrieta kiosk.  Zak has too much respect for God’s little sheep to try take any advantage, unlike their supposed shepherd.

Marmaduke, The Movie…

….MY KID CAN WRITE BETTER THAN YOUR KID

All of that encouragement in going to college has again paid off.  Zak’s son, Tim Rasmussen and his equally talented son-in-law, Vince Di Meglio, will receive credit as screenwriters for the making of the partially animated movie feature, Marmaduke, based, of course, on the popular cartoon. Release is set for 2010.

As usual, a normally proud Dad but one who also blogs and can share his pride with his readers.

Thought you might enjoy sharing my moment.  Sorry, I can’t get you tickets to the premier.

Ask Your Mega-Pastor….

…WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?

The following excerpt is from the 11-18-09 Californian’s continuing reportage on the San Jacinto City Council indictments, describing how money allegedly changed hands. “Holgate is accused of repeatedly arranging for someone else to donate campaign money, and then coming in later to reimburse contributors. And, according to search warrant affidavits, he made payments to Shaull, a business associate, to reimburse him for paying more than market value for the Ayres’ former home.

That house was appraised at $300,000, but sold for $389,950, Robinson wrote.

Shaull, who until recently was pastor of Bayside Covenant Church in Roseville and earned $140,000 a year, was the one who purchased the home. After opening a local bank account, he deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to an affidavit.”

If you currently earn $140,000 per year in your secular job, you are excused from this exercise in Basic Christianity 101. However, if you are like a lot of folks, Christian or not, you might be struggling to make your ends meet. I suspect he is on the low side of ministerial salaries in some of these local “too-hip” growing churches with their big building plans. 

Recently,  there was a pastor in Indian Wells who was removed by his elders  when photos of he and his wife surfaced, drinking martinis while topless in a spa with another partially-suited couple. Local papers reported the offending pastor’s annual income, when terminated, was $250,000.  Forget the alcohol and the group nudity. Damn any pastor ”lifting” that much money from his flock in the name of Jesus.

What ever happened to “laying up your treasures in Heaven?’

Here’s a lame-*ssed “pastor” pulling down a six figure salary from a No. Calif. franchise church and allegedly consorting and colluding with corrupt politicians.

Therefore, as a public service, and, as usual,  at no cost to the readers, Zak broaches a cure for this heretofore silent subject and suggests that some member in good standing go to the senior pastor of any mega or mega-wannabe church and inquire as to the pastors total salary.  And don’t  buy the lame argument, “Well, my board knows.” Only full disclosure might change abusive behaviors.

If you are faithfully and sacrificially giving unto the Kingdom of God, you have every right to know and judge the size of your pastor’s compensation package.

If any pastor wants to get in Zak’s fine grill about accountability, post a comment and Zak’ll meet you for a coffee at Starbucks.  Zak will buy the first cup of coffee.

MegaChurch Madness Spreads….

……LIKE IT WAS H1N1

From Wildomar to Murrieta. Or is it, from Murrieta to Wildomar?

“A remarkable lack of simple due diligence,” quoth Zak Turango. ”Members should demand their building fund donations back from their leaders for incompetently wasting all of their design dollars and acquisition costs.”

Calvary Chapel had to ask Murrieta to reject their egotistic and overly-ambitious plans for a larger version of their current large church. This is what can happen when former electrical contractors become overly successful in another, unrelated mileau.  They don’t often have the experience and expertise to operate in the realities of their new world. 

Perhaps they thought that their Murrieta City Council Member members could get them a pass on the project (just like in Wildomar). The heads of their leadership must’ve been somewhere else when the decision to purchase 100 acres of bare, “unbuildable” land was made. (See above).

 Isn’t that what the back windows of their  Chapel member’s gas-guzzling SUV’s all proclaim anyway? ” Not Of This World” (See below). An oddly prescient admission.

According to today’s Californian, “In 2003, the church bought the land in hopes of relocating its current sanctuary and schools on Monroe Avenue north of California Oaks Road to the new site. While designers began piecing together what the campus could look like, an environmental determination was made that a regional conservation plan applied to most, if not all of the land. Church representatives initially were told 100 percent of the land would have to be preserved, Tyler said, but earlier this year city officials said that possibly as many as 29 acres could be developed.”

Twenty nine acres is not enough?

Perhaps, this is why the pastor of Cornerstone Community Church (a former insulation contractor) , which is located on a beautiful and natural hillside  in Wildomar that is to be removed,  is working so hard to avoid an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) for their 80+ acre plans. Someone or some agency, beyond their local, undue  political influence, might tell them that they cannot infect Wildomar residents with this particular strain of the dread ”ambition virus,” to the detriment of  Wildomar.

And don’t for a moment think that the pastors of these mega-churches don’t compete with each other for new members. The pastor of the last Calvary Chapel Zak ever visited (in Ontario, Ca)  proudly boasted of the number in attendance at the service so Zak never went back.  Most mega-pastors are enormously prideful little mega-roosters.  Zak, at that time, only wanted to worship, not check sizes. Now, since megachurches are all about “size matters,” and worship doesn’t (Don’t get Zak started on Praise Bands), Zak no longer bothers, either.

Zak, at least, knows the clean, fresh air of clear-headed thinking.

Despite the stroke damage.

Common Sense versus The Economist…

 

……SOMETIMES BEING TOO SMART IS TOO COSTLY

Press Enterprise reporter, Aaron Burgin juxtaposed the issue well, in his article found in today’s paper, citing the Building Industry Association’s (“BIA”) favorite orifice. However, a little common sense usually deflates such theoretic puffery and flatulent opinion, at least among the common folk.

“Our recovery, whether you like it or not, will not occur until we get construction up and going,” said Inland economist John Husing, who is credited for initially suggesting the fee breaks to stimulate the economy.”

The developers created the housing bubble in Southwest Riverside County and, as a result, the overbuilding and foreclosures that now wrack our economy, and now Husing wants us to reduce the developer’s fees to get the developer’s profit-making bubble back on track. Haven’t we suffered enough?

Sounding a bit like the man who murders his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the Court because he is an orphan, Husing wants to dump a hoped for economic recovery onto the backs of those of us now living in high density tracts and who spend long hours on a freeway commuting to a job somewhere else.

But then, the awesome power of common sense intercepts theory.

“Opponents, however, say the price the region will pay in the loss of dollars critical to improving the region’s underwhelming infrastructure is too steep.

“This is money that we can’t get back,” Wildomar Councilwoman Sheryl Ade said. “And when it comes time to widen our roads and improve our infrastructure, we won’t be able to do it.”

Ah, sweet, soothing common sense, like an aloe balm on chapped lips. Wildomar’s finest elected public servant deftly points her thoughtful   finger  downward and draws a practical line in Husing’s theoretical sandbox.

If the developer’s won’t pay for the infrastructure their high density tracts will create the need for, then the current taxpayers have to pay for it or sit in traffic.  No, thank you, Zak would rather wait for a real economic recovery to return, not one based solely on construction. Instead, Husing, and those who believe his words, lobby cities like Wildomar,  to support giving away money to developers to lure them back to build more houses.

Wildomar Magazine supports and applauds Councilwoman Sheryl Ade in her efforts to protect current Wildomar residents from an impacted future, stuck in traffic on the two lane Clinton Keith Bridge that developer fees haven’t paid enough to widen as yet.

Meanwhile, the modest tract home currently I own in Windsong Valley is sufficient to make my life pleasant. (That’s a conservative concept… MODERATION, not NIMBY).

Comments can be made below but understand that any comments may be published by Wildomar Magazine; but then  BIA reps know that, ’cause BIA reps are smart…. too smart.  Heard one whining again  last week at City Council.

Appellant Cites Cornerstone’s Missing…

…..BATHROOMS

And lots of them. No wee matter. (Sadly, Zak resorts to a pun; admittedly, the lowest form of humor). 

Wildomar resident and appellant Jim Filanc re-introduced himself to the Council and public last evening at the Wildomar City Council meeting, where his appeal of the Cornerstone parking expansion project includes asking the City Council to revisit the plans for Cornerstones’s athletic ”ministries,” which apparently do not provide for restroom “ministries.”

According to Filanc, it is Cornerstone’s intentions to have spectators walk several hundred feet to use bathrooms in the sanctuary.

Or, perhaps, another example (see above)  of a  ”Cornerstone incremental” under-the-radar solution is contemplated.

In any event, the matter was continued to January 2010 at Cornerstone’s request, removing the delay argument from known council supporter’s sense of urgency. Alleged delays in the past years (at the County and for which Wildomar is not responsible nor should the Wildomar council be in a rush) were, many times, the result of lack of timely preparation by Cornerstone or their reps. 

The tenor of the room was changed when CEQA attorney Ray Johnson, of the law firm, Johnson & Sedlack, easily listed the glaring deficiencies in the current project’s plans, each of which should trigger an obligation on the part of Cornerstone to produce an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”).

Has civic sanity, rather than undue unfluence,  returned to the political process in Wildomar?  

Wee think so.