LTE: AN EXPERT TELLS HOW HE RATED CASINO SITES Daily News Letters 8/4/08

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August 7, 2008

Dear Editor:

Re: “Letters: AN EXPERT TELLS HOW HE RATED CASINO SITES Daily News Letters 8/4/08 (archived)

What Mr. Furhman fails to mention both in his letter and his “expert” analysis of the casino sites is the thousands of homes and families in the vicinity of the sites he so glibly rates a number from 5 to 10.

I am not and have never been in real estate but I have been living in the area that will be impacted by the potential Sugarhouse development for nearly 10 years. I have been opposed to and working to re-site Sugarhouse from the day the license was awarding.

It would seem that Mr. Furhman evaluates sites like someone who has never lived in a neighborhood effected by a massive development or talked to anyone that has lived in such a neighborhood. His criteria are strictly functional: size of the plot, cost to develop and access to public transit and convention visitors.

What about the neighbors that have made their lives and their homes there? Are they to just pick up and leave because real estate experts deem the vicinity of their homes “convenient to conventioneers?”

The argument goes double for the Spectrum site by the way: have you ever talked to anyone in proximity to the Spectrum or the stadiums? It’s a constant fight to manage traffic and spill-over from events. Add to that a 3+ million square foot facility with multiple 24 liquor licenses and 3000 slot machines? Are you kidding?

I would respectfully suggest that Mr. Fuhrman’s letter be considered what it is: an incomplete analysis that doesn’t consider perhaps the most important issue in the Philadelphia Casino issue: the neighborhoods and way of life that will be forever damaged if a casino is built on the central Delaware waterfront.

Morgan Jones
Fishtown

Oklahoma

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Every time I travel to Oklahoma I am asked “are you going out to the midwest?” I generally correct the speaker but could never really put my finger on how to categorize it. It’s not the midwest: the accents have a twang that hints at southern. It’s not the South: no sweet tea. It’s not the West: they’re not earthy enough.

I was writing an old friend this week when it dawned on me: Oklahoma is prairie meets southern hospitality with no sweet tea and less soul food.

If you have been to the South proper (Mississippi, Tennessee, rural Georgia) you know they both love their sweet tea and distrust those that don’t drink it.. or worse those that suggest (as I do) that it’s as simple as simply adding sugar to warm tea.. which it is but I digress. This doesn’t happen in Oklahoma. They do however serve unsweet tea absolutely everywhere in Oklahoma.

You won’t get comfort food in Oklahoma but you do get an excess of beef. Oklahoma City is the home of the “World’s Largest Stockyards.” And they do love their beef. We’re talking about restaurants that serve chicken so there’s an option for vegetarians.

Oklahoma also has some intense open spaces. For instalnce turnpike exits where the closest towns are 25 miles in either direction and the next exit is 30+ miles. This is fine until you find yourself there at 7:30 in the morning on a motorcycle and realize your fuel light is on. The woman at the toll booth was at least very nice. If you’re looking for available homes around the area, then visit sites like landmark24.com/ourportfolio/. For more real estate information learn more by visiting this page.

Zimbra LDAP Debugging

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Multi-node Zimbra installs sometimes fail in mysterious ways.. We recently resolved what turned out to be a network problem but it was causing our Zimbra install to fail with what I originally suspected was an LDAP problem. I think the troubleshooting process may prove useful. This is Zimbra 5.0.4:

If a store doesn’t appear to be communicating with its ldap master, here’s how a I debugged it

On the ldap master:


# vi /etc/syslog.conf
    local4.debug          -/var/log/zimbra.log
# /sbin/service syslog reload
Reloading syslogd...                                       [  OK  ]
Reloading klogd...                                         [  OK  ]
# su - zimbra
$ zmlocalconfig -e ldap_log_level=800
$ zmcontrol stop && zmcontrol start

Now tail -f /var/log/zimbra.log for slapd logging

Now from the store:

yum install openldap-clients (RHEL5) or
up2date openldap-clients (RHEL4) if ldapsearch isn’t installed


$ ldapsearch -h zldap.morganjones.internal -W -x -LL -D cn=config
-b cn=zimbra objectclass=*
Enter LDAP Password:
version: 1 

dn: cn=zimbra
objectClass: organizationalRole
description: Zimbra Systems Application Data
cn: zimbra 

dn: cn=admins,cn=zimbra
objectClass: organizationalRole
description: admin accounts
cn: admins 

...

dn: cn=com_zimbra_convertd,cn=zimlets,cn=zimbra
zimbraZimletDescription: Convertd Extension for Admin UI
zimbraZimletVersion: 1.0
objectClass: zimbraZimletEntry
zimbraZimletIndexingEnabled: TRUE
zimbraZimletKeyword: com_zimbra_convertd
cn: com_zimbra_convertd
zimbraZimletIsExtension: TRUE
zimbraZimletPriority: 12
zimbraZimletEnabled: TRUE
$

side note: Zimbra users TLS for connections before stores and ldap servers. ‘-LL’ forces ldapsearch to use TLS, -x turns off ldaps.

Here’s the background that started me down this path:

Install ldap master with at least zimbra-ldap

Install a store, answer ‘n’ to zimbra-ldap and ‘y’ to zimbra-store. At the Main menu choose ‘1’ for Common Configuration.

Set Ldap master host and Ldap Admin password and when I typed ‘r’ it hung just like this:


Common configuration

   1) Hostname:                                store01.morganjones.internal
   2) Ldap master host:                      zldap.morganjones.internal
   3) Ldap port:                                389
   4) Ldap Admin password:                 set
   5) LDAP Base DN:                           cn=zimbra
   6) Require secure interprocess communications: yes
   7) TimeZone:
             (GMT-05.00) Easten Time (US & Canada)

Select, or 'r' for previous menu [r] r

A quick look at /tmp/zmsetup* revealed:


Couldn't bind to zldap.morganjones.internal as uid=zimbra,cn=admins,cn=zimbra
Checking ldap on zldap.morganjones.internal:389
Unable to startTLS: Resource temporarily unavailable
Couldn't bind to zldap.morganjones.internal as uid=zimbra,cn=admins,cn=zimbra
checking isEnabled zimbra-store

Aha.. an LDAP connectivity problem.

Nutter speaks to Council about casinos

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The third of four city council hearings on whether to award Foxwoods casino their CED (commercial entertainment district) zoning took place on Friday. The hearing may be moot in light of this week’s supreme court ruling but council choose to hold the hearing and Mayor Nutter spoke strongly on the matter.

Nutter said: “It is clear that the proposed Foxwoods site is the wrong site for Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” He said it is the responsibility of Council and the Mayor to “…represent our constituents and run the city of Philadelphia in a forthright, open and transparent fashion.” He spoke of the potentially enormous impact casinos may have on Philadelphia, he thanked council for holding the hearings.

“If. If. If we are to have gaming in Philadelphia there is a way to do it, there is a way right that works for the citizens of this city, that works for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

He spoke firmly about the increased infrastructure costs, particularly police, that the casinos will levy upon the city. He said these costs were not considered in the budget, the five year and the city should not have to pay for them.

He ended with: “…We have an obligation to the citizens of this city and residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that if there is to be casino gaming in Philadelphia that it is done properly, it is done respectfully, it is done thoughtfully, and that it uses the best land use planning principles and we not allow ourselves to be lulled by the various interests who have their interests and not our interests at heart.”

This is strong stuff. So far Nutter has not spoken without purpose. He clearly chooses his words carefully. He twice referred to casinos as ‘if:’ likely not a mistake or oversight on his part. He speaks clearly and deliberately without hesitation or second thought. This is why we elected him, this is the stuff that changes cities.

Update, 4/26/08: I am not sure I can give credit but this is posted publicly:

Perl Truth

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Every time I write a perl script I have to pause to remember how Perl handles true and false. It seems Nathan Torkington answered the question years ago in this article from the Perl Journal. Truth is relatively simple when put in his terms:

– only scalars can be true/false (ie no lists)
– undef is false
– “” is false
– 0 is false
– 0.0 is false
– “0” is false
– all else is true

This means negative numbers are true.

LTE: “Rendell calls Council gutless over casinos.”

1 Reply

January 31, 2007

Dear Editor:

Re: “Rendell calls Council gutless over casinos”

Rendell is kowtowing to casino interests and ignoring the very neighborhoods he had a hand in rejuvenating. Rendell needs to understand that City Council is listening to its constituency. The people are not against jobs or development: they are fighting for the future of their neighborhoods.

City Council has the courage to listen to its constituency and stand up to a Governor who ignores the facts. Public officials listening to their constituency as Council is doing is not extortion, it’s their job, it’s why we elected them and we applaud them for it.

Make no mistake: most of us opposed to the locations of these facilities are not against gaming or job creation for the city. We simply don’t want to see our neighborhoods destroyed. If these are moved out of neighborhoods the opposition will largely disappear and Rendell and the casinos will get their chance to attempt to create jobs and tax relief.

The casino operators can start building right away by simply choosing sites outside of neighborhoods. The law allows it the best of my knowledge and City Council would likely support it.

If Rendell wants gaming in Philadelphia the solution is very simple: he can join Senator Fumo, City Council and much of the Philadelphia Delegation and move theses facilities to sites where they are not opposed. It is not enough that he asked the developers to move, he needs to take the initiative and make it happen. The neighborhoods don’t want them–how can we make that any more clear?

Make no mistake, the opposition to these casinos is significant and we will not let up. We have fought these locations for well over a year and we will continue to fight them until they are moved. If they are built where they are proposed we will work to shut them down.

Morgan Jones
Fishtown Resident

LTE: The ‘New Vince’ tastes suspiciously refreshing

2 Replies

December 3, 2007

Dear Editor:

Re: “The ‘New Vince’ tastes suspiciously refreshing”, Daily News 10/3

John Baer is right to point out the sudden 180-degree turn that Vince Fumo has done on casinos, but is the ‘New Vince’ ready to really step and do something to sway the skeptical voters who know and are warming up to Anne Dicker?

To my untrained eye it looks like Fumo is nervous. The neighborhoods are still vocally against casinos, Fumo is facing what appears to be a strong indictment and Dicker, a strong advocate with a record of standing up for neighborhoods and opposing casinos, is on the hunt.

The fact is Fumo is the self identified author of the law that brought gambling to Pennsylvania. Fumo did nothing when this law was used to to strip Philadelphians of their right to vote on whether to keep casinos away from neighborhoods. Fumo did nothing when Fourteen of us traveled to Harrisburg and got arrested asking the Gaming Control board to open up their records last winter. Fumo was not there to support the Philly Ballot Box initiative this spring. When casino opponents held their own “citizen’s referendum” on a buffer zone between casinos and homes, Michael Nutter, Tom Knox, Chaka Fattah, Bob Brady, Mike O’Brien and most of our city’s political leaders supported the effort and voted in the referendum, but Fumo did nothing.

Many of us have given up more than a year of our lives to fight casino development in our neighborhoods. We want to believe Fumo is really in this to the end but he’s going to have to actually move these casinos before election day if he wants my vote and my neighbors’ votes. I want to trust and support him but the old Vince is too fresh on my mind to allow anything short of action to sway me.

We will fight casino development in our neighborhoods until they are moved. If they are built we will shut them down. Period. If Vince Fumo wants our support he is going to have to move the casinos before the election, it’s just too easy for him to be our ally until the election is over.

Morgan Jones
Fishtown Resident
FAST (Fishtown Against Sugarhouse Takeover)

LTE: Guest essay: Slot machines benefit Pa. in many ways

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November 20, 2007

Dear Editor,

Re: Guest essay: Slot machines benefit Pa. in many ways

Gaming in Pennsylvania is not a rosy picture as Ms. Colins has painted for your readers. Act 71, the Pennsylvania gaming law, has granted casinos licenses at two of the worst possible locations in Philadelphia. These developments threaten to destroy some of Philadelphia’s highest valued and most historic neighborhoods.

Neighborhood opposition to these locations has been fierce and nearly unanimous. Despite well over a year of consistent opposition the City, State and the casinos themselves continue to wage war on the neighborhoods by refusing to talk about re-siting these facilities. This is the first time casinos have been placed in densely populated thriving city neighborhoods and we don’t want to be the gaming industry’s experiment!

This will be a huge experiment at the expense of our neighborhoods. They can be just as effective at generating revenue at alternate, unopposed locations in the city. The sooner these locations are found the sooner they can be built and start generating revenue.

We have asked and we have begged for assistance. We are now heavily fortified and ready to fight this to the end. My neighbors an I ask Ms. Colins, the rest of the Gaming Control Board and the state as a whole to stand with us to save our neighborhoods and find other locations where these are not opposed.

We will not back down as long as casinos are planned for the central Delaware riverfront in Philadelphia or any location where they are opposed by neighbors. We have delayed them since the licenses were awarded on December 20, 2006, nearly a year ago Even if these are built we will fight them until they are shut down. Period. If they are moved out of neighborhoods that oppose them they will be built and open in peace.

While I can’t speak first hand for the situation across Pennsylvania I urge your readers to look more deeply into gaming in Pennsylvania. My and my neighbor’s experience has taught that the process is deeply flawed and has the potential to leave permanent, damaging scars on Pennsylvania and its people.

Morgan Jones
Fistown (Philadelphia) Resident
FAST (Fishtown Against Sugarhouse Takeover)
http://fishtownagainstsugarhouse.org

Linus on version control

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He introduces distributed version control and his system: GIT. If I understand it correctly: developers pull from HEAD, work independently, are able to share and merge among each other.

Apparently there are two open source distributed version control systems:
Mercurial and GIT

He’s vehemently against CVS, SVN and Perforce.

Remember he is the author of the Linux kernel (read: brilliant) and overlook his attitude. He has some really interesting things to say.

LTE: “Official Negotiations for CBA Begin”

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October 11, 2007

Dear Editor:

Re: “Official Negotiations for CBA Begin” in Spirit Community Newspapers 10/4/2007

Your representation of the the casino “negotiations” taking place at the Hyatt is unbalanced. These negotiations are led by the developer and attended only by self-described pro-casino groups. You have also failed to mention that there were called in direct opposition to Fishtown Neighbors Association’s (FNA’s) request for time to obtain proper legal counsel.

There is nothing “formal” about these negotiations—they are a public relations stunt by Sugarhouse to lead us to believe their development has community support.

These “negotiations” are a clear attempt by the developer to move the casino development time line along with no regard for the community groups who truly represent the neighborhoods. NKCDC does not represent the community, they are a corporation. Fishtown Action (FACT), though it contains members of the Fishtown community, is a pro-casino advocacy group that has received funding from, held welcoming parties for and openly supports the very developer they are “negotiating” with.

Your story sounds like it comes from the public relations arm of Sugarhouse which would have you and the rest of the city believe they are honest brokers. Casinos are a corporate interest with one motive: profit. Make no mistake: they did not call negotiations with the interest of the community in mind, they are looking to open quickly in proximity to neighborhoods to make a profit.

True negotiations should be led by the community groups themselves on a time line that allows them to really address the needs of the community and not simply rush into a Community Benefits Agreement so the developer can accelerate their development time line.

Morgan Jones
Fishtown Resident