Best Word Never Heard

Thank you for writing this brilliant piece, Robert Bernstein.

It speaks to something in the current zeitgeist (malaise?) of our times. 

It’s not merely limited to printer software.

Best word I’ve never heard of, before seeing it in your piece. 

It made my day, and I’m still laughing at how it can apply to almost everything. 

Can we conjugate that to the verb “to enshittify?”

Sincerely, LeeAnn Morgan

Where’s the Rain?

On behalf of the Montecito community, could you or one of your reporters ask the Montecito Water District why we haven’t received a notice from them about our dire rain shortage? 

Per the Rainfall and Reservoir Summary in the Flood Control District chart <rain.cosbpw.net>, Santa Barbara, a good proxy for us, has received 0.64” of rain this Water Year, or 11% to date of a “Normal Water Year.” 

Have we ever gotten less by January 9th? Pretty sure in the January after the Thomas Fire and before the drenching that gave us the Debris Flow, we’d gotten more.

We know, or should know, that there’s no such thing as normal anymore, but wouldn’t it be prudent to at least mention to our community that we’re looking at the non-zero chance of almost no rain going forward. 

None is in forecast of any of six algorithms on Windy (GFS, ECMWF, ICON, METEORBLUE, NAM, HRRR), the longest of which goes out almost three weeks, or even AccuWeather, which speculates out 45 days.

Certainly, there’s a massive stalled high-pressure bowl in the Pacific that’s been redirecting our precipitation up north. The divergence between Northern and Southern California has never been greater since the beginning of those records. 

It’s almost as though no one’s noticed. Sure, it rained a lot the last two years, which certainly filled our reservoirs (Cachuma’s at 88% but falling every day) and has given us plenty of dry-cured fire fuel, but isn’t it time to start thinking about drought conditions again, and maybe even gently suggesting that we should be cutting back just in case?

Or even just reminding us of the possibility? Awareness can lead to action, no?

Respectfully, Cotty Chubb

Ownership Rights

Los Angeles housing is becoming overregulated like Santa Barbara. Tenant laws too broad and controlling while landlord laws burdening and too restrictive. The L.A. Times article on Council’s 15-0 vote is alarming.

There are many large homes owned by elders who are considering renters, however the risks and costs are simply too high, along with too many uncertainties of more government mandates.

Why would I rent to a family who then does not have to pay me rent, and can sublease rooms within my property to others and have animals, despite what they and I contractually agreed to in our 1:1 transactional lease relationship? 

Private property ownership must continue to include an owner’s right to control one’s property.

The owner holds the mortgage obligation, not the tenant. The owner has risks of loss, damage, and repairs, not the tenant. The owner must pay the cost of insurance, maintenance, and investor risk. Now government is dictating the owner must incur the expense for additional occupants and pets! 

Council’s action is one more example of government overreach that contributes to the housing shortage and the estimated 7-10% vacant, unoccupied homes.

Despite fear of government interference, I was about to rent my home to a fire victim family in need of housing and a high quality public elementary school UNTIL I read the article. I’m re-thinking. It reminded me of an interview with a Santa Barbara Councilman wanting a local ordinance dictating that all empty/ spare bedrooms in private homes be rented, tenant vetting not allowed. What’s next: a ban on lease agreements? 

Private home ownership is a huge risk in CA.  

Denice S. Adams, Montecito