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Insider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 02:29 pm: | |
Candidate's Web site greets with a 'Smile'
A self-described "Portal for Democracy" emerged as the new campaign tool for Republican State Senate candidate Michael Skipakevich aka The Kid, an 18-year-old from South San Francisco with no political experience. Oddly, the Web site address is http://www.LetsConnect.TV .
More oddly, the Web site's most prominent feature on its home page is a giant tooth named Dr. Smiles wearing a phone headset and necktie and pointing a remote control toward a screen flipping through ads. Any direct reference to Skipakevich's campaign is so obscure that the Insider felt compelled to call its owner, Oscar Braun, to ask about the connection.
Even more oddly, Braun, 63, lost to the Kid Skipakevich in the June Republican primary, but is now Skipakevich's campaign spokesman. Skipakevich is pitted against Democrat and state Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Leland Yee for Jackie Speier's seat in the 8th state Senate District.
Skipakevich works for Braun, hired after the primary as the director of marketing for Braun's IT company, www.OscarKnows.com which specializes in providing on-demand content delivery and media services public and private sector entities. LetsConnect.tv is a project of Oscar Knows, nearly four years in the making and was developed for the healthcare industry, Braun said.
It appears as though Braun is using Skipakevich's candidacy — and his role as campaign spokesman — to draw traffic to a product produced by his for-profit company.
"Will I make money out of it? I hope so," Braun said, admitting that there was indeed a self-interested business reason behind the effort.
LetsConnect.tv is a home page of sorts for free and fee-based desktop portals which ostensibly allows people to better connect with their community.
So, what does that have to do with running for state Senate?
"There's a disconnect between the members of the community themselves and the whole application, in our view and in Michael's view, this is a great way to get connected," Braun said. "The political theme for Michael's campaign is empowering oneself."
Speaking of campaign Web sites
Political intrigue is heating up everywhere in Menlo Park — on the streets, at candidate forums and even in cyberspace. But has that turned into political cyber-sabotage against council hopeful Richard Cline?
As Cline set off on his election run last month, his campaign literature told supporters that they could log onto his Web site at http://www.clineforcouncil.org for more information.
But at that time, he had yet to register his domain name.
Menlo Park resident Sue Kayton beat him to it, but said there was no political cyber-fraud. She said she was just trying to make a point, saying that if Cline wanted to be a serious council contender, he should have paid better attention to detail.
"I registered the site as a form of free speech," Kayton said. "He's going around not organized."
Kayton turned the site over to Cline after he asked.
"It was surprising," Cline said of Kayton's online jab. "I think it was impulsive, but I don't think she meant any malice."
Cline and fellow candidates Vincent Bressler and Heyward Robinson have formed an alliance to challenge incumbents Lee Duboc and Mickie Winkler and newcomer John Boyle for the three council seats open in November.
Kayton acknowledged that her political views are more in line with the Duboc, Winkler and Boyle camp.
Proposal withdrawn in Emerald Hills saga
The Emerald Hills Homeowners Association, which proposed controversial zoning rule changes to the unincorporated area of Redwood City, has withdrawn its proposal from the county.
Association President Sallie Martin was not available for comment and pointed the Insider to the association's online newsletter.
"It is in recognition of our organization's charter to promote the health, safety and welfare of all residents that the board felt it necessary to take this action," the Sept. 19 newsletter read. "The recent controversy surrounding the proposals and the wide variety of opinions expressed in public and online forums indicate that more discussion is appropriate before advancing any set of revisions."
Indeed, hundreds have flooded the Board of Supervisors with petition signatures, e-mails and public comments claiming the association's proposal, which deals with design regulations such as home height and landscaping, were much too stringent and did not represent the desires of most residents.
Many joined forces with the grassroots Emerald Hills Community Coalition, which opposed the changes, and posted signs in their yards to "Stop the Style Police." Some sign-holders had their cars egged or found threatening letters in their mailboxes.
"We are gratified that the EHHA Board has withdrawn their proposal," Mike Mangini, spokesman for the Community Coalition, said in a statement. "I think they realize there is significant opposition to creating more restrictions on property rights in this community."
Community meetings held by the county to discuss the proposal were planned for this fall, but Lisa Grote, the county's community development director, said that "without a proposal on the table, we most likely will not have those meetings."
Dems get new digs
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante will drop in to San Mateo on Saturday to help county Democrats celebrate the opening of their new Democratic Campaign Headquarters.
The public can revel with the Dems for free at a 2 p.m. rally featuring speakers, entertainment, food and drink.
For those with deeper pockets, a fund-raising luncheon catered by El Pollo Supremo with Bustamante as headliner starts at 1 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person. RSVP to contact@sanmateodemocrats.org or (650) 344-1714.
The new digs, and all the festivities, are located at 910 S. Claremont St. |
RobertMcNeilly
| | Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 04:20 pm: | |
What has my representative done for me? Has my representative made my life easier, my bills lower, or my children any safer? I think the answer is clearly, NO.
Our communities are being destroyed by overdevelopment! Stop the JUMBO-CENTER invasion. Stop this "democrat" agenda. The more democrats we have in office and representing this predominently progressive area, the worse.
Robert. |
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