Although some have called for the debates, discussions, and comments about The Marymount Plan and its Initiative to remain clean and without mud-slinging and negative personal comments about various individuals and groups, it has been my opinion that neither some representing Marymount and I will be able to remain clear of offering some negative information and opinions about folks we dramatically disagree with.
In the vein of attempting to head off direct or indirect personal criticism or character assassination of me, I will now provide what I consider as all my 'dirty laundry' to disallow others the opportunity to be the first to air any of my 'dirty laundry' in print or in other forms of personal attacks.
I just placed into the comment section of a prior post, a comment from someone who uses "Anonymous" as their name, which is perfectly alright with me, but is likely to bring more negative comments from folks who disagree strongly with myself and that particular 'Anonymous'.
So here, before others try to offend me with personal attacks, is just about all the 'dirty laundry' about myself, my life, and my situations:
I first arrived at the home I currently live within on May 4, 1955. I was carried over the threshold by a parent because, at the age of one-day old, I did not have the physical ability or mental capacity to enter the home by myself.
The house is in the oldest planned tract of housing now within Rancho Palos Verdes.
For almost 54 years, I had been led to believe that the tract of homes I grew up in was the original "Eastview" tract of housing. It was actually named and marketed as "Western View Homes" and it remained the only tract of homes constructed 'west' of Western Avenue for a short number of years before the tract of homes directly 'south' of is was constructed, some in 1955. Mira Costa Terrace, a tract of housing more commonly known as "Upper Caddington" also followed the construction of the first two tracts.
I was born at San Pedro Community Hospital. The hospital, as well as the current hospital on 7Th Street, had and has a mailing address of "San Pedro" yet it sits on land outside of the San Pedro/Los Angeles boundaries in an area formerly referred to as "La Rambla Precinct" and now considered to be in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Until the tract of homes I grew up is was annexed into the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, that tract, along with other tracts of housing, other types of housing, and businesses along portions of Western Avenue were situated in unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County, but had mailing addresses of "San Pedro, CA".
I attended Crestwood Street School, Dodson Junior High School, and graduated from San Pedro High School as only a Silver Seal bearer, in June, 1973.
My High School Diploma illustrates the 'highest' level of education I have. However, I do possess a certificate of satisfactory completion of the United States Air Force Technical Instructor Course, completion of a number of courses within the various phone company entities I was employed at, a General Radiotelephone Operator's License, a Doctor of Divinity from a probably-less-than-reputable entity, several letters of appreciation, other awards for voluntary service, a Honorable Discharge from the United States Air Force, a few service medals, and some other evidence of participation with various service groups, volunteer organizations, and work groups.
I attended California State University, Long Beach from September, 1974 until June, 1976 but earned no degree.
I served on active duty with the United States Air Force from 4 Oct. 1976 until 4 Oct. 1980 and was selected Squadron or Group Airman of the month, and Airman of the Quarter several times.
While I was primarily based at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California, I was selected Base Airman of the Year for 1978 and 1979, an achievement apparently not repeated by any other enlisted Air Force member at Norton Air Force Base nor any other U.S. Air Force Base, according to some members formerly with the U.S. military.
I met my first wife in 1975 and I married the former Lori Ann Meyers while on leave from a special scientific study I participated in, just after Air Force Basic Training, on December 23, 1976.
I did not live with Lori prior to our wedding.
I am the father of David William Wells, born on August 23, 1978, 20 months after my wedding to Lori. David is now 31-years old and will move to Australia in October, 2010 to marry and begin his family with Ms. Pamela Platt, an Australian citizen.
I am the father of Daniel Richard Wells, born on September 2, 1979. Daniel is now 30 years old and on August 28, 2010 I will officiate and solemnize his marriage to Ms. Rainbow DeAngelis at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California. I posses a Certificate of Ordination with a well-know, yet more thought of as dubious religious entity.
Lori was granted a divorce from me on October 8, 1991.
I met Ms. Teresa Ann Page on or about January 23, 1992.
I lived with Ms. Page prior to our marriage on July 4, 1992, in her house in Lawndale, California.
Terri and I were married by a Unitarian Universalist minister in our back yard.
There are no words good enough to describe my love for my wife of almost 18 years.
Terri and I moved back to the home I shared with my parents and sister while growing up on July 1, 1998. The house is now in trust and not owned by me. My mother, Ms. Nancy Wells holds ownership of the trust and therefore, the dwelling I reside within.
Since December, 1998, I have paid all the property tax bills for the dwelling and property as well and all of the maintenance, improvements, and other costs associated with living in what is now a 60-year old house and will continue to do so until my sister Ruth and I inherit the house.
At the time of any inheritance from my mother's trust, it is expected that I would not be able to afford to purchase my sister's interest in the house and Terri and I will most likely move to a much less expensive community.
From October 27, 1980 to October 9, 2008 I was employed by what was known in 1980 as Pacific Telephone. By my release from AT&T on October 9, I had worked for the other entities associated first with Pacific Telephone. Those companies were known as Pacific Bell and SBC.
I was released by AT&T because I was no longer able to meet the minimum standards for my particular job title with respect to the requirements of being able to climb wooden poles.
During my tenure with the various companies, I was one of only a small percentage of "Service Technicians" qualified to climb "unstepped poles" and work in and around 'manholes'.
During the early 2000's it was ultimately discovered that I had contracted avascular necrosis, and incurable disease involving blood supply to joints in the body.
The disease severely affected my right hip such that, after a first failed operation to restore my natural hip joint, on April 4, 2008, my right hip joint was replaced with an artificial joint.
According to AT&T regulations, the company determined that I was no longer able to remain with my job title and there was an attempt to find another place within AT&T where I could remain with that entity.
One of the options I was provided was to try to pass certain computer-based tests to become part of the administrative pool within AT&T.
I was able to pass the test involving computer skills quite easily. However, The Microsoft 'WORD' test AT&T used was based on 'Word 1997' and that test was given to me in 2008.
I have knowledge and skills with Word Perfect, Word 2001, 2003, 2007, and Word for Mac 2008, but sadly, I failed the Word 1997 portion of the testing.
Having enough seniority to 'retire', when AT&T released me, I qualified for unemployment benefits and was able to roll over my pension benefits in March, 2009 at what turned out to be a great time to do so, financially speaking.
Being only 53 years old when I was released from AT&T meant that I had to roll over my benefits into a type of structure that allowed for only one option to receive monthly benefits and those benefits must not change until I am 59-1/2 years old.
I decided to receive a very small monthly stipend that won't change for another approximately 4-1/2 years without severe penalties and costs associated with removing more funds prior to the age I can receive more benefits.
Currently, I am employed with the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce as a Census Enumerator. This is my fourth different assignment during the 2010 U.S. Census program.
I have also received notice of a contingency job offer and continue in the processes of becoming a Transportation Security Officer with the Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security.
I was selected as a Rancho Palos Verdes Traffic Safety Commissioner for a two-year period, but the City Council elected to change the terms of service of Commission members and I was not reselected to remain a Traffic Safety Commissioner when that Commission's membership was cut from seven members to five members.
While in the U.S.A.F. and for a period of about two years after discharge, I volunteered as a Red Cross C.P.R. Instructor teaching over 1,000 students in the practices and processes of C.P.R. with that organization.
For more than one year I have volunteered with The Relevant Stage Theatre Company, in San Pedro.
I am also volunteering with the Little Fish Theatre Company, also in San Pedro.
My I.Q. does not reach the minimum level to be considered a genius.
For more than 30 years I was considered morbidly obese.
In February, 2010 I entered into a program that could still eventually lead to Rue-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.
At one point in my life I stood 5' 7" tall and weighed in excess of 275 pounds.
I use '275 pounds' as my highest weight as I continue to go through a complete menu and life change. This morning I weighed 208.8 pounds.
Some folks have called me a 'secular humanist' for which I don't necessarily disagree with.
With most local, State, National, and International issues, I veer towards the extreme left of the political spectrum.
I have NEVER voted for a Republican candidate in a party-contested election. I have voted for whichever candidate I felt most qualified in uncontested elections, such as our city's Council elections.
I did not vote for either Councilman Campbell or Councilman Misetich in the last election cycle but I am pleased with their service to our community and have no complaints about their service or considerations.
I have been a outspoken critic of what I believe is the over development of the Ponte Vista at San Pedro site and I began the first of my many blogs in September, 2006 fighting against Bob Bisno's attempts to build at least 2,300 condominium units on the 61.53 acre site along Western Avenue.
I have never been arrested or charged with any infractions other than vehicular traffic infractions during the tenure of having my driver's license.
I did, in fact, complete a journey along Palos Verdes Drive East from about Crest Road to Palos Verdes Drive South in a Volkswagen Station Wagon, without placing my foot on the brake pedal.
I did, in fact, speed up and down the switchbacks at various time in my youth, both in a motor vehicle and on a bicycle.
I have hiked, biked, skateboarded, ridden as a passenger, drove as a driver, or navigated by other means, around and along a giant portion of The Hill, during my lifetime.
I oppose the construction of residential halls on the campus of Marymount College because of safety concerns I am not willing to alter and I continue to challenge anyone to debate me about the potential safety risks and possible damages associated with placing college students into a high-density environment in a low-density community that has roadways suited for low-density residential areas.
I also have great opposition to the manner, form, comments, marketing, probable misstatements of facts from representatives of Marymount College including its President, Dr. Michael Brophy.
I also volunteer my services at the Miraleste Intermediate School Library, at the beginning and ending of each school year and in the Library of that school, assisting my wife Terri and her co-worker, Melanie.
During my volunteer work I met Master Sullivan Brophy, the son of Dr. and Ms. Brophy and found 'Sully' to be a wonderful student and a very interesting fellow. Sullivan is now a high school student and I think he is doing well and now enjoying a summer vacation.
I also consider The Marymount Plan to be flawed in fact and features.
I have not heard one word from Dr. Brophy that he and his supporters will go forward with the approved Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project if the Initiative fails to be approved of, by voters.
It is my assertion that the College's administration and supporters will not proceed under the Project's guidelines and approvals until any an all measures to achieve the right to build on-campus housing have been exhausted.
It is also my assertion that Marymount College will have a decline in enrollment and donations, should on-campus housing not be allowed such that the college will ultimately close down and end physical operation.
I am also beginning to believe that there are certain reasons why I an others can believe that there are what can be considered by some as ulterior motives by Marymount in their quest to have the Initiative approved of by voters and that those motives may be associated with achieving what some may term as a windfall of income should the Initiative's sections about lack of governmental oversight be approved.
It is also my current belief that Dr. Brophy or others will not offer substantial, factual, or believable responses to the differences between what the City Council has approved and what is included in The Marymount Plan's documents and Initiative.
I hold little respect that associates of Marymount are willing to accurately and objectively offer reasonable, realistic, responsible, and respectful responses to the questions asked by Councilman Stern during the last Council meeting where responses to those questions were provided by City Staff or the City Attorney.
I despise hypocrisy and I try my best to never be considered as one who is a hypocrite.
I am left-handed.
I am also a non-insulin dependent Type II diabetic.
I was born with exotropia of the ocular sinister of greater than 55 prism diopters and I had two surgeries on each set of eye muscles of both eyes to visibly correct that situation.
I have no fusion. My blood is Type A Negative
I can easily hide in plain sight and I am a happy person who enjoys being considered as an artisan of clowning.
I have a mild form of Asperger's syndrome that actually benefits me in some ways.
My 'stage name' used in various theatre and video productions is M Richards.
I have never cheated on my wives, nor would I ever.
As part of my divorce settlement, I paid the entire Capital Gains tax on the house Lori and I sold using a payment plan with the I.R.S.
I hold a balance on one Mastercard and my Chevron card. I owe less than $2,300.00 on my Element and I paid off our Saturn early.
I keep secrets and I have a substantial network of very informed associates with the various interests I have who I keep their identity confidential and who are also trustworthy, intelligent, and well-informed.
I prefer assertions over rumors. I detested the marketing of the petition-gathering phase of The Marymount Plan Initiative.
Dr. Michael Brophy has personally claimed to me that he has found no statement purported by me as fact, to be anything less than factual.
I do not nor will not claim objectivity in considerations about Marymount College but I do and will provide factual arguments and claims from all sides of the issues, on this blog.
I welcome all comments, negative or positive and I have always published every comment other than those provided via a written foreign language I do not understand.
I reserve the right and the responsibility to place highly defamatory and outrageous, in my opinion, comments onto another one of my blogs that I try to keep its URL hidden from regular access.
I have been verbally attacked and have had very bad comments written about me on more than one of my blogs and I have a thick skin and I understand that if I am willing to dish it out, I had better be able to take it.
I try my very best to not step over the line as far a libel or slander go and I freely use rights granted in the U.S. Constitution I helped defend as a member of the Air Force and as I continue to do as a good citizen of the United States and the World.
So there you have it. If you can find something else to smear me with, good luck, happy surfing, don't waste your time, I'm not that important, and why bother.
If you need to resort to more character assassination than I have offered, then your arguments supporting whatever you support become moot and hypocritical by stating more negative things about me than I have already done, myself.
I will address the identities and careers of at least some of the members of the Board of Trustees of Marymount College as I find necessary.
I will not attack their character but I reserve the right to question their motives and affiliations with Marymount College.
I am ready, willing, and able to march into battle against The Marymount Plan and I will march honorably in support of The Marymont College Facilities Expansion Project.
Thank you.
