Peak Misconception

Re “Way Too Many People Live Out Here” (Cover Story, July 24). Just a slight correction. In the article on development near the Cleveland National Forest, on page 42, the author said that Cuyamaca Peak, at 6512 feet, is the tallest peak in San Diego County. This is a very popular misconception. The highest peak is Hot Springs Mountain on the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, northeast of Warner Springs. It is 6533 feet high. You can verify it on a AAA map of San Diego County.

John Wehbring
via email

Contentious CBD

Regarding your lead article “Way Too Many People Live Out Here” (Cover Story, July 24) and the conflict between the Center for Biological Diversity and the Cleveland National Forest, I would like to share a little insight. The CBD has been a contentious and difficult group to work with about issues on public land for many years. Agencies like the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have a “multiple use” mandate in their decision-making policy about issues with public land. The CBD pushes these agencies to manage their way, with a strong bias towards species conservation and, when not satisfied, take agencies to court by means of lawsuits. These lawsuits often have the opposite effect of their intentions. This is because the lawsuits force the agencies to use large amounts of money and other resources to fight, taking away the agencies’ ability to manage the land they are charged with. The main tool of the CBD is the Endangered Species Act. One little-known fact about the Endangered Species Act is that if you sue and win, the government pays your legal fees. The CBD has used this fact to their financial advantage in many hundreds of lawsuits throughout the country.

The Endangered Species Act was originally sold to the American people to protect large animals from extinction. It has since been used extensively to protect species down to insects and plants (plants considered to be weeds by some). One time there was even an unsuccessful attempt to list a fungus as endangered. They often got away with using “junk science” to defend their cases. While the CBD is quick to sue, they are slow to volunteer. I personally volunteer with the Cleveland National Forest and Ocotillo Wells State Park. I have yet to hear of CBD people volunteering to help. It is my experience that volunteering and forming positive relationships with the staff of these agencies goes very far in guiding the management of land that interests me. If the CBD were to volunteer more and sue less, our public land might be far better off.

Ed Stovin
via email

Shame On The System

Prosecutor Brenda Daly should be ashamed (“Off-Road on Private Land,” “City Lights,” July 24). This is just another example of the legal system punishing a private citizen, Alan Inn, for trying to protect his property and defending the vandals who have no respect for the property and rights of others.

Sandra Conklin
via email

Bad Guys In The Desert

I read the article on the convicted felon Alan Inn, who committed a felony of assault with a deadly weapon (“Off-Road on Private Land,” “City Lights,” July 24). Did he or his attorney convince you to write this misleading story? Next time, please do some more research. For example: Drive out to the desert and view the Wisdon Ministry property. This article strikes me as an unfair portrait of off-road riders.

As a homeowner and landowner, I truly feel sorry for Mr. Alan Inn’s misfortunes. However, his approach on developing the land and his approach on pointing and shooting a gun are all wrong. If you unknowingly crossed a property line, do you deserve to be threatened, assaulted, and shot at? I don’t think so.

Mr. Alan Inn basically is taking out his frustrations on motorcycle riders who are riding 30-year-old established trails. Alan only fenced one side of the Wisdon Ministries property (the west side). Therefore, everyone traveling east to west became trapped and Alan pulled his gun and assaulted them. There were not adequate No Trespassing signs posted by Alan Inn. Even if he did place 50 signs as he says, the odds of seeing one in a greater-than-one-square-mile property are slim. The land is over one mile square! You can enter Alan’s property and never know it until you travel one mile and reach the west fence. That is where Alan pulled his gun and shot at the off-roaders.

Alan placed expensive items in the middle of the desert without fencing, signs, or security. Did he think they would be safe? The desert is full of criminals who come out at night looking for unsecured items to steal and/or vandalize. Read the Borrego Springs newspaper. The theft and vandalism of property in the desert is common. I feel sorry for Mr. Alan Inn that his equipment or property was vandalized. However, this is just not a safe place to leave expensive equipment.

Note: The off-roaders are often the victims of theft. Don’t ever leave your camp and belongings unattended at night. These are known facts for off-roaders. Alan Inn should know better and either secure his property or insure it is not left unattended.

Next you should do an article about Mr. Alan Inn’s illegal destruction of the desert.

If this Wisdon Ministry land was in San Diego or Borrego Springs, the county would be all over Alan Inn to stop his illegal activities.

(1) You describe Alan Inn as a developer who wants to build a wellness center and resort in the middle of the desert next to an 80,000-plus-acre off-road park and surrounded by privately owned property utilized by off-roaders. Doesn’t this wellness center and resort story sound fishy? What is Alan Inn’s property zoned for? Answer: residential agricultural.

(a) Who in their right mind would build or visit a wellness center and resort at this location? It is 110- plus degrees in the summer and prone to high winds throughout the year. Alan’s land is located in what is called the badlands. They have called it that for a reason.

(b) Why is the property owned under the name of Wisdon Ministries?

(c) If he is a developer, why did he not procure the required permits in January 2005 for…

— Grading (over 200 yards requires a permit). Alan has moved tens of thousands of yards illegally. He has topped several large hills. He has bulldozed so much that it just makes you wonder how he gets away with it. Look at a satellite picture of Alan Inn’s property in 2004. Next, look at one from 2008. This is ridiculous. For over two years he and a laborer have used a D10-sized dozer, a grater, a backhoe, water truck, and fuel truck to destroy these picturesque badlands. You can never restore the damage that he has done.

— Well permit and five water tanks (never approved).

— Construction trailer (no permit).

— Underground electrical and water pipe burial (no permit).

— B&Ps environmental control (nothing).

Even after his arrest, Alan continued to bulldoze these picturesque badlands without any permits or regard for the San Diego County planning, land use, and building requirements.

(2) Take a look at the attached pictures. Do you see any No Trespassing signs? No! Do you see a grading permit posted at the property? No! Do you see the unpermitted construction trailer, the dozer, the large amount of grading? Please consider doing some research and telling the story of the other illegal activities by Alan Inn. The San Diego County planning and building departments have been aware of Alan Inn’s illegal activities. It was officially and properly reported to them in 2005. Case #05-02211. Supervisor Horn’s office was even copied. What have they done to stop this activity since it was reported in 2005? It appears, nothing.

(3) This should be your next story. Please consider.

Name Withheld

This emailed letter included 28 photos of Alan Inn’s land, trailer, and equipment. You can see the photos here. — Editor

What’s The Point?

Despite a promising start, Cranston’s article fails to deliver on some basic journalistic principles (“Off-Road on Private Land,” “City Lights,” July 24). If this isn’t just a “dog bites man” report, then what is Cranston’s point? Is this a cautionary tale about vigilantism, the hazards of developing once-common lands in the desert, a jab at “evil off-roaders,” or a story about an immigrant’s tragic end? Too bad, because there is plenty to say about all of these issues. The article falls flat by simply retelling Inn’s story without providing key background info like climbing population figures and housing stats in Imperial County, trespassing incident stats from the sheriff, or firm evidence linking off-roader activity to vandalism on Inn’s property or crime generally. Simply making inferences without solid research and context is poor journalism. A shame since there is so much irony in a clueless immigrant’s attempt to tame the wild west by employing the brutal methods of the outlaw.

Marcus Nenn
via email

Something New For Gnarls

Two things I noticed in your most recent issue. You had the riders printed for what bands were going to have backstage (Blurt, July 24). Gnarls Barkley’s was interesting. It was also interesting when you printed that same exact one, a year ago when they played Viejas Casino. Tell the music editors we love Barkley. We’d rather read something fresh about them in the Blurt, not the same news we’re familiar with.

Second, the idea to do the crossword puzzle this way is excellent. Although as Murphy’s Law happens to be, I’ve yet to complete one now that I can print a message. Great idea on that one.

Name withheld
San Diego

A Gnarls Barkley contract rider was not published in the Reader last year. — Editor

Ignorant Review

Reading Duncan Shepherd’s scathing review of The Dark Knight (“Blackout,” Movie Review, July 23) was reminiscent of the times I spent participating in the class activities of my AP English language class this year. We had to read each other’s essay, make corrections, offer suggestions, and pass the essay for someone else to assess. Getting to my point, there was always that one essay that was not only mind-numbingly boring but completely inaccurate. Shepherd’s review of TDK was exactly this.

The Dark Knight was an exceptional film that was made up of all the key components of a great summer blockbuster: action, suspense, exceptional acting, and a great plot. The action and suspense went hand in hand, since the suspense stemmed from the grand action in the film. For example, as the Batman pursues the Joker on his motorcycle towards the end of the movie, everyone squirms in their seats anxiously awaiting the inevitable: the showdown between the Batman and the Joker. The acting was also phenomenal: the Joker, played by the recently deceased Heath Ledger (R.I.P.), was the best of the bunch. The way that Ledger seemed to capture the essence of the Joker reminded all of us viewers of the sick, twisted persona that we remember from reading the comics. Everyone laughed at the idea of a clown as a villain, but we readers knew of the Joker’s sick personality, and Heath Ledger has been the only actor (sorry, Mr. Nicholson) that has been able to truly personify every aspect of that notorious comic book villain. Obviously it helped Ledger that the plot was an intricate creation, something that all actors, producers, and directors wish to work with.

I could go on praising the film, or, better yet, attacking Shepherd, but I feel like everything that I stated, coupled with the actual film, proves how faulty his review of TDK really is. The Dark Knight was nothing short of a fantastic film, and anyone who claims otherwise is ignorant.

Stephen K. Eisermann
via email

Starless Dark Knight

For any of you that are new to San Diego, or just new to the San Diego Reader, you might wonder at the way films are rated by the in-house critic Duncan Shepherd. For your benefit I will explain how he goes about his job.

1. Was the film made by the Coen Brothers? If no, deduct a star.

2. Was it made in France? If no, deduct a star.

3. Was it based on a comic book? If yes, deduct a star.

4. Was it a sequel? If yes, deduct a star.

5. Was it praised by other critics? If yes, deduct a star.

See how easy it is? This is how an excellent movie like the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, gets no stars. Sending Shepherd out to review superhero comic book–based movies is a patent waste of time; he doesn’t like this kind of movie and is incapable of looking at one objectively. It’s like someone watching a football game and complaining about what a lousy baseball game it was. He just doesn’t get it. Shepherd’s taste in films runs so far from the general public’s that there is no common ground. Apparently there are a few pinky-waggers here and there who lap up his drivel as if it had a speck of merit or insight.

The four major superhero comic book–based movies to come out this summer, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and The Dark Knight, failed to rate a single star among them. These are all huge at the box office and well reviewed by other critics, but old Dunkyboy says they’re all trash. I suppose he imagines himself a lone crusader fighting an uphill battle against Hollywood excesses. Could that be the case? Could he really be a beacon of sanity shining brightly amidst a fog of bad films? Or could he just be an egotistical gasbag unable to get his mind outside the extremely narrow parameters of what he considers to be good filmmaking?

Whatever the case, Shepherd has been cranking out his reviews for the past 30 years, and he has been consistent. You can always depend on him to give no stars to superhero movies, most sci-fi and fantasy movies, and anything else that smacks of the fantastic (except of course Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast, because it was made in France).

The point of all this, why not have Shepherd stick to reviewing the artsy-fartsy films he is so enamored of and let someone else review superhero/sci-fi/action movies that he so obviously disdains. That way there would be at least a semblance of objectivity involved.

David A. Lathrap
Pacific Beach

The Bottled-Water Magic

Oh, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie. Please, you must stop this masochistic behavior at once (“Remote Control King,” July 17). One day, upon filling the carafe of my own instrument of torture, a strange sensation overtook me. Looking into the cloudy sludge that passes as San Diego tap water, I had the most selfish, self-serving urge to fill my little glass vessel with bottled water. I know, I can hear the outrage. We have the cleanest drinking water in the world, yet people pay for bottled water, polluting our oceans and creating literal mountains of nonbiodegradable debris, dooming future generations to tunnel underground in order to escape the eventual life-threatening scorch of an unrelenting Mother Earth and Sister Sun. Why, look at Angelina Jolie, that arbiter of goodwill, traipsing the globe, clutching her orphans in her withered arms, the result of denying herself sustenance due to the horrors of which she has borne witness. “Oh, God forgive me!” I cried as I filled Mr. Coffee with fresh, crystal-clear water from the fridge. I watched as it slowly dripped, dripped, dripped brown life-blood into the pot, anticipation reaching a crescendo as the color of my witch’s brew became almost translucent and thinner in consistency, not the viscous sludge of yesterday. Resisting the urge to pause and serve, I wait until the entire pot is brewed. Hands trembling, I fill my mug and bring it to my lips. What happened next can only be described as a religious experience. The clouds parted, the sun shone, the angels sang. Oh, life-giving elixir, never before have I felt this way! You are indescribably delicious, and my love for you reaches depths before uncharted. I genuflect in your presence! And so, Ollie, I implore you. Stop this self-flagellation. Get off your couch, go to the nearest grocery store, and buy yourself the largest container of purified water you can find. Make your coffee with it. I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. It will be our little secret.

Lorie Grant
via email

Phantom Treatment

I found Stephen Dobyns’s cover article very informative and troubling (“She Told Me My Arm Was Gone,” Cover Story, July 10). It troubled me that the techniques developed by Dr. Ramachandran more than a decade ago for the treatment of phantom limb problems go mainly unused in his home area. I first learned of Dr. Ramachandran shortly after his first book was published. Not long after that I viewed a documentary on him on KPBS. The findings appeared to be dramatic progress in a troubling area. I assumed that by this time his technique would be widely used, especially in San Diego. I queried a most reliable source in the medical community for an explanation. Sometime ago, Dr. Ramachandran refused to see several patients this highly respected physician referred to him. There can be understandable reasons for that. But what was also stated was even more troubling. Local physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists have not been encouraged or taught to use these treatments by Dr. Ramachandran! This needs investigating and a follow-up report by the author.

R. Larry Schmitt, M.D.
Mission Hills

During the last decade I have been involved almost entirely in basic medical research on pain management and have not been involved in routine medical care. I tend to be very busy, often moving on from one research project to the next. My e-mail is often erratic since I am frequently out of the country. I don’t recall the specific instances cited by your reader. Therapists need to come to our center if they need training. It would be hard for me, given my schedule, to visit each such facility in San Diego. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused. — V.S. Ramachandran

Shame On All Of You

Reading the July 10 article “Troublemakers Unlisted” (“City Lights”) by Joe Deegan (about the Republican Central Committee), I was not sure why anyone would be interested in the information. By the time I finished I was outraged. Is this another “elephant” in the room (pun intended)? My acceptance of how much corruption there is all around us has reached new heights.

How and why do people get away with this behavior? Is it so common that we ignore the ethical implications and outright injustice of these dirty tricks? Is this politics as usual? If I was one of the people who was conveniently “left off” the slate of candidates on the mailers for election to the Republican Central Committee, I would be pursuing some kind of legal action against the perpetrators. The actions of the supposed leaders/deciders is heinous.

It is hard to believe that the report is true. Maybe I am more naïve than I thought. Is being forced to pay to have your name on the slate okay? Are state assembly/state senate officeholders (or past candidates) honestly selecting the 17 ex officio members to serve on the Central Committee? Maybe they choose their friends or those who will toe the party line? Was Brian Bilbray’s 21-year-old daughter Brianna qualified or just paid big enough to get on the slate?

The worst part of all this is the money trail. It is so obvious what this activity is about. Bribes in the form of contributions from loyal-to-the-party developers and businessmen trickles down to organizations that in turn give the money to other organizations who will make sure the officials who do get elected are friendly to development. Legal? Maybe. Fair and democratic? Definitely not. Shame on all of you who are a part of this deceitful, deceptive practice. How do we fix this?

Jennifer L. White
Mission Valley

The Place, Not The People

I have a comment on your June 5 cover story, “There’s Been an Accident,” by Staci Thrasher. I am the “cemetery director” referred to on page 29. Unfortunately, the writer implies that my comment on an area of the cemetery as “less desirable” refers to the individuals interred in that area, because she writes, “I think Jadean would be much happier with the undesirables.” Nothing could be further from the truth. I used the term “less desirable” in describing the fact that the location is next to a street, making it less attractive to families who prefer a quieter location when visiting their loved one.

John Vargas
General Manager
Ramona Cemetery District