Let's Get Honest! Absolutely Uncommon Analysis of Family & Conciliation Courts' Operations, Practices, & History

After one week’s hard work on that page (and it’s up to nearly 18,000 words //this post, only 6,400 words) — with some off-ramps too), I decided it was time to copy (case in point, here) and put it out as a POST.  The dark teal background color you see below here mirrors the color theme of top post on the blog, which lists my “formerly sticky posts.”

My added May 27, 2017, Page title “About this blog motto…” isn’t that representative of its contents– the post title above gives a better idea.   The exhibits (show-and-tell visuals) get more lively in the bottom two-thirds (for which go to the page), but this part also will still challenge your preconceptions.  Thanks in advance for your focused attention on this important information. //LGH.

This PAGE goes with the TOP POST ON THIS BLOG from which it was removed, with its case-sensitive short-link ending “-5MQ” named Vital Info: Formerly “Sticky” Posts (pared down from 15)       [2/8/2017]  (<==Title was  adjusted to make more sense, but that link still works). Link will be posted again at the bottom.

[That] PAGE title, with its case-sensitive shortlink ending “-6TM” is:

About My Blog Motto (formerly on Vital Info/Sticky Links post, moved here  May 26, 2017).

Though published May 26, 2017, it spent four days in a state of “flux” (that is, see extended middle section) as I worked through — with the usual “show-and-tell” exhibits, annotated images, and connecting narrative — how to explain the continuing purpose of this blog but raising my most recent concerns on a specific subject matter which is close, but not a 1:1 match, to the subject matter of “Family Courts” or “domestic violence.”  

This more recent subject matter, however, still speaks to the abuse of power, how it has continued to expand, and what people concerned about such massive exploitation on the national level in the U.S.A., while their (so to speak) many public institutions (universities, justice systems, K-12 schools, etc.) are restructured for globalization, might do to rebalance the power back to representative government with the INFORMED consent of the people.

In other words, how to withdraw consent when INFORMED consent has been deliberately side-stepped, bypassed, over-ridden, or structurally set up so as to be irrelevant, AS ALREADY WAS ACCOMPLISHED re: the handling criminal matters being diverted into the family court systems, while the two parallel and unequal systems continue the contradictory paradigms (“we’re against abuse — but you should learn to deal with it by improving communication skills,” and “We by this act declare a national protest and intent to stop Violence Against Women  {<=Legal Momentum history of the Act}}— but only to the extent it doesn’t interfere with the federal designer-family status quo, as expressed in 1996 PRWORA-forward (Welfare Reform) strategic purposes I, II, III and IV, for which interference with said status quo (on family composition) we blame poverty, dependency, not to mention, juvenile delinquency and other criminal behaviors. (Nov. 1996 summary ”

(Screenprint from this doc’t. notes the two major block grants; a paragraph from its opening pages again talks about its intent to reduce nonmarital births, and a second paragraph from it, stating why):

“SUMMARY OF WELFARE REFORMS MADE BY PUBLIC LAW 104–193 THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT AND ASSOCIATED LEGISLATION“— 11/6/1996, prepared by staff of and for House Committee on Ways & Means; read disclaimers in front matter).

The welfare reform law also contains major new policies aimed at reducing the rate of nonmarital births as well as substantial revisions in the Federal-State child support enforcement program, in the food stamp and commodity distribution programs, and in child nutrition programs. Taken together, the provisions of this legislation constitute the most far-reaching reform of the Nation’s welfare system in several decades.

Annotated to highlight the two block grants referenced (Click to see better, or better yet, visit main link provided on image)

…(from p. 7, under a chart of rising nonmarital births):

There is substantial evidence that children reared without the active involvement of two parents are at a substantial disadvantage. These children are more likely to be abused, to make poor grades in school, to quit school, to be unemployed as adults, to be poor, to go on welfare, to have long welfare spells, and to commit crimes (Maynard, 1996; Zill, 1996). In addition, research shows that teens who give birth outside marriage are very likely to use welfare. Within 5 years of a nonmartal birth, more than 75 percent of teen mothers are or have been on welfare (Adams & Williams, 1990). Nor are the impacts of nonmarital births on welfare use confined to teen mothers. Across all mothers who give birth outside marriage, the percentage of those who have welfare spells of 10 years or more is nearly 3 times greater than the percentage of divorced mothers who have spells totaling 10 years or more (Ellwood, 1986).

Given the negative impacts of nonmarital births on mothers and children, Public Law 104–193 contains several provisions designed to reduce nonmarital births in general and teen nonmarital births in particular.

In fact (in this “philosophy”) the real social scourge is the failure of “low-income people” to get and stay married,”*** that is to say, “fatherlessness.”

***Like their leaders? (who actually, often don’t; see multiple wives of one billionaire philanthropists with, say, oil industry connections), J. Paul Getty. We all know many celebrity and power-couples don’t stay “coupled” (for example, see current U.S. President!!).  So the unqualified, unconditional declaration of the two-parent family as the status quo cannot be valid as stated.  There are too many exceptions.

Besides which, the “work ethic” message implicit in the message — “get a job” isn’t always how the most successful around got to their positions in life either.  Some were born into it, treated to separate but unequal from the average public school systems prep schools feeding into Ivy League colleges which, at a certain point (namely, late 1960s, early 1970s and some even later), were male-only undergraduates, where lifelong associations, partnerships, connections to startup capital, opportunities to travel the world, etc., were provided.  And, wealth marrying wealth.  Did many of them work plenty hard?  No question — but was that all?  No.  So what’s with the social experimentation on the poor who some of these rich or their forebears, have impoverished generation after generation EN RTE TO their millions (or billions)? Not to mention, what’s taking place now, the double-edged sword of taxation/tax-exemption is being skillfully wielded to centralize operations by cause, but disperse (scatter) them throughout networks ,when it comes to “accountability.”

How accustomed have we become to this double-standard, while welfare restructuring, it turns out, since the 1960s, and even moreso in the 1980s (through Section 1115 waivers) engaged in a massive social experimentation project involving, initially the poor, and as later expanded AFTER 1996 Welfare Reform (“PRWORA” for short) restructuring, to all fathers, mothers, and children that were reachable through certain systems…

For example, as described here:

***Check out a 1998 publication on this; Might be an interesting review, incl. the parts that show how scanty the research leading to the conclusions that welfare reform might work as a massive behavioral modification program for poor people, and thus save the massive drain on public dollars that their existence, apparently, represents. The opening paragraph at least references “block grants to states” and lists those 4 purposes (I pulled out #2 and #4 below):

Welfare, The Family, And Reproductive Behavior: Research Perspectives.

• (2) to end the dependency of needy parents on government support by promoting job preparation, employment, and marriage;
• (4) to encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families (U.S. House of Representatives, 1996b)

The link is to Chapter 6, “Changing Family Formation Behavior Through Welfare Reform, ” (authors) Rebecca Maynard, Elisabeth Boehnen, Tom Corbett, and Gary Sandefur, with Jane Mosley, from the book by “National Research Council (US), Commission on Population, RA Moffitt, editor.”  Publisher, NAP (National Academies Press).

Such hypocrisy — both the serial monogamy of the politically powerful presiding over this programming, still,  and a 1998, government sponsored? review of the entire economic and social theory basis underlying behavioral modification experiments on the poor. I expounded on this, then moved it to a short, sarcastic page…..

Another admission that they know — “Empirical support is more suggestive than conclusive” (for the “ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL THEORIES” BEHIND WELFARE POLICIES & INITIATIVES!

I’ll bet that the write-ups of the state waiver AND post-PRWORA have NO relationship to my studies of some of these — that is, actually looking up those grantees, reading their tax returns, corporate filings, and making a notice of “MIA” money involved  — and posting it in the public interest.

In other words, you can talk about or argue all you want (and most organizations lead with this information, as do most government agencies) outcomes and social behavioral change modification effects — but I already know that this will typically divert talk FROM diversion itself as a black hole, a “Bermuda Triangle” in the sea of accountability for the usage of tax receipts and public funds.

“Diversion” in the immediate context, of welfare funds for social change, but also a larger scope, the nonprofit (tax-exempt) status itself is a “diversion” of cash flow to government entities for public services, with very little requirement that the resources so redirected actually serve the public.  At the moment of diversion, they are literally under private control with little direct accountability to the public other than to demand, IF there is government sponsorship, that it stop.

And I am going to talk, using functionally appropriate labels (with attention to where the label or website domain name — which I will find out, where possible, first whether it belongs to a legitimate business OR government entity, or “none of the above”**) about where ANY entity, organization or group sits on the continuum of taxed (individual, public-traded, or privately-owned), tax-exempt and non-stock (i.e., your basic “nonprofit” meaning, privately controlled even when civil servants may sit on the board), or tax-exempt because it IS a form of government.

(**It may be one of the above, or, it may not be an actor, agent, or any sort of “entity” but in fact, a project of one or more “entities.” This type of talk is commonplace, and in this blog I will continue drawing attention to the misleading practice. It’s not just innocent vagueness; it’s planned diversion of attention to the underlying entities while those entities expand their relationships and “turf” before realization of the character of the underlying entity is seen, by most people. It’s a psychological, sales ploy, and its purpose is for consolidated power and influence on whatever the field is. This should be “called out” when it occurs, and the underlying entities identified, and talked about. ALL THE TIME!

One characteristic of government (other than not being taxed itself!) is the ability to tax and a high responsibility to the public to keep good records of cash flow (In and Out) and assets & liabilities.  In other words, stewardship of something which is taken FROM those subject to governance. This is the third time I’ve posted this mini-excerpt from U.S. Census Bureau, on characteristics of governments for the purpose of counting state and local ones, as it does every so often.  The second image reminds readers that public school systems ARE government.  They are specialized entities, apart from “Special-purpose Local Governments,” County governments etc. (often, those school district financials will NOT be necessarily showing up in the County budget or financial statements, even if the district is wholly contained within a county. Only its CAFR will say for sure (“CAFR” discussed below on this page, too).

Gov’t Character (from Definitions part of 2012 US Census of Gov’ts) CLICK IMAGE if needed to read full-sized.

Click IMAGE to see full-sized (Tables to 2012 US Census of Govts issued Sep 2013)

People want to talk cause and transforming government, but when the tools used to do are the same tools government itself is using, (collaborations with nonprofit entities, i.e., P/P leadership), then that’s what we need to talk about.

I am going to talk about the unaffiliated individual’s relationship to government versus those in the “public/private partnership” sector, whether providing services FOR government, or seeking to alter/transform or influence government to behavior more “equitably” justly, or fairly.  I have seen too many tax returns for great causes (according to the public relations talk) showing corrupt practices, and at a very, very deep level, I question the multitude of major philanthropic organizations coordinating WITH EACH OTHER to regionalize, nationalize and internationalize operations “but in the public interest”

If we cannot live safely in the U.S.A. without joining a cause just to protect our right to live and pursue callings, interests, life’s work, even if that happens to be just earning sufficient to support ourselves and the next generation of our family lines, and instead must pouring life energies (time, funds, energy) into that cause as opposed to living and working peacefully to support household and family — then we do not have anything approaching freedom.

We must educate ourselves to understand financial matters because living in this country requires being taxed, and dealing all kinds of institutions supported by them.  While it may not come up “in your face” every day for some classes of people or in some places, going to sleep on this is unwise, and unfair to others.  Understanding financial matters from the evening news alone won’t work, because they do not post or discuss financial statements of government entities or, most of the time, the tax-exempt sector as a sector when it obviously is.  There is basically a language war on, with intent to limit choices without showing the choices.  These choices are to be aligned either politically, or by cause.

That conversation has to change, to the point that we understand at least how to tell public from private, and translate the language of propaganda into the language of “show me YOUR money, then we can talk… (or not…)” when “you” represents any institution, or organization seeking donations for a cause, including the cause of getting government’s attention to change its practices.

We need to understand many of the basic games being played, and who profits from them.  Certainly not the public overall.

No one said this would be a thought- and attention-free process! Those who don’t like exercising their capacity for reason, attention to detail, consideration of pros/cons on what’s been propagated, or accepting that a lot of what seems “obvious” depends on perspective — where you’re standing in the discussion — are welcome to just tune this page (and blog) out.  However, I am  standing here (my standing in the mix is) already aware of the power of networked nonprofits to up-end justice while proclaiming they are simply evening previous “imbalances,” and I want the conversation to shift back towards the operational reality.

I’m also a United States citizen (lifelong), a parent, and a survivor (so far) of the family court gauntlet which – FYI — for some has another one that can outlast children turning 18, or even 26, depending on the situation.  In these scenarios, freedom cannot be assumed as a natural consequence of citizenship, gender, demographic identity at any point in time, or marital status OR even age. It cannot be taken for granted, nor should we assume that it’s impossible to find some solid ground to stand on when judging the conflicting accounts of right vs. wrong, left vs. right as provided through social (on-line) or print media. But, by now I have some “age” on me, and a good part of it as a witness of the many manipulations and shape-shifting policies under which “public benefit” is sold in order to perpetuate the status quo.

Here’s a good investment:  Investing personal time into better understanding public/private partnerships and developing some sense of how to assess entities based on their ethics when NOT under significant duress to tell the truth — that is, when the public isn’t really looking hard.  I’m constantly amazed at how blatant the omissions, internal inconsistencies and — face it, at times — deception is, and when it comes to “networks,” that this seems to be routine behavior.

(How many people do you know who understand that reading government financial statements, private corporation financial statements, and tax returns of entities REAL interested in restructuring government institutions (whether it be the courts, the juvenile justice system, law enforcement, HOUSING, welfare, or, cases in point here, “education,” is a source of (can lead to) major comprehension of what’s really going on? And from there, a point of leverage in discussing what to do about it with those less than interested in revealing what they already know, that is, financially..)

So, this PAGE goes with the TOP POST ON THIS BLOG from which it was removed, with its case-sensitive short-link ending “-5MQ” named Vital Info: Formerly “Sticky” Posts (pared down from 15)       [2/8/2017]  (<==Title was  adjusted to make more sense, but that link still works).

I wrote the page over several days, adding images and links to explain a few basic topics. It fell naturally into these different sections (as explained in the section with orange borders here).  I may post it as a link, or a large section of it as a link, in early June, 2016.  Meanwhile, the comments field is still open, as it is for all posts.

Having completed the page, I am now tasked with shortening it for flow overall flow.  Reluctantly, because the material really is relevant and links directly to some of the things I report on here, I’ve started a separate pos for some of the reference in this “Map to the Page” orange-bordered section below.  It’s called:

Yet Another ~Recent Research Suggests (2015 quoting pre-2010)~ unearths Yet Another Chameleon Corp and its (Yet Another recently re-branded) Partner Targeting the $20 Billion School Supplies, Facilities, Technology and “Learning Environments” Marketplace. Internationally, of Course. (with case-sensitive shortlink ending “-6Wy” active now, active AND accurate as soon as I publish).

The parts removed are primarily expounding on another “find” which came up in the articles referencing “Capital Appreciation Bonds” and which, literally, shows an association that claims dating back to 1921 (or, its tax returns, 1939) targeting the $20B school supplies, facilities, and “learning environments” market) which I can safely say, if THOSE are the tax returns submitted to the IRS — they have been cheating. I hadn’t run across this one before blogging the other main university center (UCBerkeley) and DC nonprofits I’m about to reference — probably because it suddenly switched its entire: legal entity name, website, and branding efforts.

White-background = newer material (May, 2017) explains recent subject matter focus of the blog, although it’s really still on same principles — fiscal accountability for public/private partnerships (whether court-connected, or schools-connected).  Explains what disturbing new networks have emerged at least, to my awareness in addition to those focused on the family courts, domestic violence, child maltreatment, gender roles pro or con, etc.  Connects specific nonprofits I was looking at to the topic of “Capital Appreciation Bonds” which is a way of profiting now under excuse of raising money for school infrastructures, and letting the _ _ _ _ hit the fan (property owners, taxpayers, next generations) when it may, by which time some of the promoters may have AGAIN changed or merged out of their entity names, submerging into new partnerships.

CABs were outlawed in Michigan, restricted in California, but are still in place, and are INTRICATELY, DEEPLY, connected to the public school reform networks I’ve been blogging recently simply because it came up in the context.

I didn’t blog fully it here, but I found YET another tax cheating organization cited by the 21st Century School Fund, Inc., as having sponsored its research.  This grandiose-sounding entity (CEFPI) Council of Educational Facilities Planning International in Scottsdale, AZ:  abruptly changed its name in Sept. 2015 to “Association For Learning Environments” (A4LE.org); is clearly organized regionally (country and state lines are well, who cares about them? — although that affects support of public school funding!); and is nevertheless conducting professional training for other entities apparently, like AIA.  I saw the forms.  I looked at the Forms 990 (earliest available, and most recent) and  I showed a local friend, as in “rubbing my eyes — is this what I think it is?” on the tax returns.  [[I AM LEAVING IN a FEW IMAGES, BUT REMOVING THE NARRATIVE THAT GOES WITH THEM, AS NOTED ABOVE.  MORE WILL BE FOUND SHORTLY, HERE. (SAME LINK AS UNDER THE LONGER POST TITLE ABOVE)]]

CEFPI (“Where great schools begin) logo shown (2013) on an “Education Markets” Association web page as a “Partner,” the website (vs. 501©6 name) was “EdSpaces.com.” Click image to see the Dec. 2013 conference page

[CLICK IMAGE for more from “ABOUT US” page] The Education Market Association (EDmarket) is the leading trade organization for the educational products marketplace. [TIMELINE shows this name dates only back to 2013 before which it was the National School Supply & Equipment Association (NSSEA). EDmarket puts the collective experience of the most successful school industry businesses in the world at your fingertips. EDmarket represents companies of all sizes that produce and deliver every type of product you find in an education environment. Founded in 1916, EDmarket promotes an open market for quality educational products and services that are produced and delivered by professional suppliers and dealers.

“…and what a market it is…” according to EdMarket.org’s timeline —

“The K-12 instructional materials market, including textbooks, supplemental materials, and technology products, totaled $19.430 billion in sales in the 2012-13 school year. It is projected that sales in 2013-14 will be $20.979 billion, a 7.9% increase compared to the prior year.

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Do not ANY of these organizations even care about their colleagues’ behaviors? Or are they “like choosing like” as in, “if you’re corrupt, welcome to the crowd — wanna make a deal?” So long as it comes in a multi-color pdf on a halfway-respectable looking website under a good theme song about the public benefit, what it actually represents, simply doesn’t matter any more?

That example: “Recent Research Suggests” link under “Ticking Time Bomb” (<=links to an image) article below, in this section of my page.  Next screenshot quoting one nonprofit (logo at bottom) another Collaborative (“BEST” — admits it’s  Ford Foundation-sponsored) and the short-lived (after this report, by that name) “CEFPI” shows that, at any point in “reportage” you are likely to need “translation” of several, not just one or two, “entity” names to understand the financial and network relationships between them. While taking money from different sources, the 21st Century School Fund, which claimed starting 1994, shows some evidence of having been itself “Funded” by 1999, I have only been able to locate its first tax return (showing by then a well-developed purpose and connections) not until 2000, for Ford Foundation to come in by 2002 already with $1M, shows more than average connections to some major power structures.

Older image regarding the “BEST” Collaborative established by the 21st Century Schools Fund (see my other, mid-May posts on UCB CC+S for more details).  The street address shown appears to have been the Executive Director’s home, before it moved to the Thurgood Marshall Center for Heritage and Service in D.C.

Click image if needed to see better. This document (predates Sept 2010) was cited in a 2015 article on Capital Appreciation Bonds in iNews.org (shown below in FamilyCourtMatters.org page “About My Blog Motto” published late May 2017)

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These next 3 images (one, website of a newly re-branded organization, two of its tax returns) will also be at the post discussing the situation in more detail. Left in here for a point of reference, and because of the one excerpt identifying a connection to the DeJong family — which connects it to the next part of my page on CABs, below):

Another image from 2-15 Annual Rept of the re-branded entity CEPFI “now known as” Assoc for Learning Environments” (notice the expanded point of reference from “Educational Facilities” under CEFPI. Certifications had to be re-branded also, and this announced at a conference in San Diego CA taking place after the “CAB” (Cap. Apprec. Bonds) fiasco — particularly in So Cal — was getting, imho appropriately, negative press for the long-term debt burden and 10:1 payment-to-principal ratios. The greater the investments, the better, apparently, for the industry, “forget” the impact on the taxpayers (….)

See images:

CEFPI FY2002 return Pt V (Dir, Officers, Trustees…) showing (1) Wm. DeJong (at-large volunteer) and (2) a 40h unpaid executive director, and (3) only4 people.

Year 2015 (delivered 7 mos late, it says in Nov 2016) Pt I top. Click image to view if needed

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First Teal background section below (color change mostly for contrast, to easily identify it as a section)–takes us through most recent available CAFR from Chicago at a time when Chicago was reportedly considering investing in “Capital Appreciation Bonds.”  CAFRs are, amazingly, written in English (they also contain numbers) and are not impossible to decipher.  The more hands-on (eyes-on) time is spent, the clearer the structure and strategies involved will display themselves.  KEY CONCEPT, for example:  Who is and is NOT the filing entity, at any point? Awareness and basic comprehension of the CAFR accounting practices as regulated by a board run by a private nonprofit (GFOA) association spanning national boundaries, turns the light on the entire concept of taxation, let alone the relative importance of government-owned and controlled assets vs. picking a less or more exploitive form of local government financing for school district infrastructures.

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Below that: another white-background section demonstrating how tax-exempt foundations coordinate around causes and pass million-dollar-grants through each other, whether to other nonprofits named after themselves, other nonprofits on the chosen “transform society” cause — or via the university FOUNDATIONS to Institutes or Centers at universities (often named after themselves and similar intent to transform society by specific chosen means). (Example:  Buffett Early Childhood Institute and Fund) (odd, because meanwhile, Susan Buffett’s foundation is NOT named after the family, but is called instead, the Sherwood Foundation).  I list several foundations, examples from one or two, and take one example pretty far down the wire to show, well, where the trail of influence presents brick walls to self-identification (while continuing to advertise) or exposing the money trail.

When it comes to major supporting foundations associated with (named after) major universities, it seems some of them like to engage in side-line foundations also, siphoning off some of the assets (“who’s to notice?,” when the total is over $2 billion and business is good….).  I found one of these associated with the University of Nebraska Foundation (it’s called “UN Charitable Fund”) set up in only 2003, and whose legal service provider has some association with (represents, at least now) real estate investment and developer entities surrounding the Plan L2040 (L for “Lincoln” I guess) Urban Growth Scenarios.  And with some fiscal “anomolies,” although there may be an explanation I just don’t get yet which makes accounting sense.  That said, I’ve read thousands of tax returns over the years…of organizations large and small.

It’s in the “details” and the “drill-downs” that understanding can seep through the ongoing promotion, public relations, and pictograph iconography about how great causes A, B, C — later to be combined with D & E — are supposedly.

 

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Finally, the second teal background section currently at the bottom of this page is material from Feb. 2017 top sticky post moved here, including some of my recent blogging history and the reasons for it a change in subject matter focus.  It ends with an exhortation which was previously on the top (highest positioned on main area) post of the blog.

Note: Images on this page may cause surrounding text to display erratically (weaving its way between the images) despite my best efforts to mitigate that.

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Why this material was moved:  I want current posts to show closer to the top of the blog.  The extended exhortation part (teal background, below this section) pertained more to blogging 2016 than the direction I am going in 2017, although the principles would apply to either major subject matter.

Why: In 2017 (Quarter 1 AFTER completing the Table of Contents and paring down the “sticky posts” from 15 to just 7, also condensed into one, top-of-the-blog post) I have been uncovering some seriously disturbing information on the accelerated pace of government consolidation of already consolidated functions (such as health, education, or welfare, to put it mildly) into privately synchronized, foundation-sponsored networks involving major public AND private universities and their websites ending “*.org” often representing, in fact, some university center with foundation backing and nonprofit partners.

Breathless summary here, but for a more step-by-step one with evidence, read the posts.  My sidebar (10 most recent posts) or simply clicking on the Archive (monthly calendar) will bring up these posts:

See May’s posts on UCBerkeley Center for Cities & Schools ( or CC+S; two posts), another one on “Schools for the Children of the World,” and preceding, several earlier ones on the Annenberg Institute for School Reform (or “AISR”) at Brown University in Rhode Island.

I began to see the dates, times, names, and fiscal practices of multiple inter-related networks whose networking involved 501©3s that failed to file, failed to file on time, failed to stay incorporated, changed name and vehicles periodically, and were instigated/funded by major corporate wealth — Annenberg’s happened to be in publications, but the basic principle, is huge, privately-controlled tax-exempt Form 990PF filers (or some, Form 990s) which had organized with each other and with high-ranking government officials in (here, Schools of Education) to restructure not just schools, but ideally (as part of the goal), entire neighborhoods, based on their personal visions of what is “equitable” and helping the under-served.

More recently, and in association especially with UCBerkeley’s CC+S in D.C., “National Council on School Facilities” created by or out of “21st Century School Fund” taking Ford Foundation funding, went after the officials responsible for renovating or building new schools. A claim (at one point) that $46 billion more infrastructure investment (above that already in place) was really needed. Read my posts for more information.  I found that a person (Bill DeJong) on one of the ‘working groups” convened by several entities (including UCBCC+S + 21st Century Schools Fund) (which had mutual interests / contracting years previously) his LLC (DeJong-Richter) had just recently merged with a California LLC (Dolinka Group, LLC/Benjamin Dolinka) engaged in selling local school districts high-priced bonds which would come due with a major interest explosion — far down the road.  By which time, certain politicians might be out of office anyhow — so who gives a damn?  And those selling them already got their fees, so ….

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The other entity from OHIO (Ohio keeps surfacing as a state of interest in corrupt 501©3 networks, I wonder why….) bears among long-term directors, the family name, which actually became a trade name also, DeJong who in its related nonprofit “Schools for Children of the World, Inc.” (formed in 2003), inbetween facilitating and implementing a “master plan” for schools in the Honduras (and more school repairs/building on two other continents), double-incorporated for five years (both an entity in Ohio AND an entity in Avon, Colorado — a stone’s throw from the ultimate conference venue? Vail, Colorado) called themselves “domestic,” until finally apologizing for this “inadvertent” situation by dissolving the Ohio one just this past April (4/27/2017 signed document per Ohio SOS — I posted it.

SCW Ohio Corp Details Page (showing Cert of Cont’d Existence only req’d every 5 years/) + Dissolutn (Click image for better viewing)

Unsigned page attchd to SCW Apr 27 2017 Dissolution in OH because Inadvertently double-registerd (since 2012 in CO!) meanwhile the OH St Addr = DeJong-Richter’s (!) | SCW Ohio Entity #1391206 co-located at DeJong-Richter’com in Dublin) Dissolves 4-27-2017 claiming its Colorado 2012 ~double-incorporation under same EIN#~was inadvertent – (all pages of dissolution filing) .

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Benjamin Dolinka was apparently pushing Capital Appreciation Bonds under his sole-manager LLC, the Dolinka Group, in California, and likely before registering it under himself or some other entity name:  Here are several images of the various filings (California 2007ff, name change, and merger with DeJong-Richter, plus some from its older website, which is still up and partially functional (annotated image with red borders).  The images should be self-explanatory (click on any of them for a better view if needed.) Image #s reflect filenames — order of snapshots — and have no significance for order of business events; Images 2&3 not included on purpose:

Image 4, Cal. LLC “Dolinka Group” registered in 2007

Image 5.

Image 6, Certific of Merger showing consolidated # of shares (from 1000 to 100 only)

Image 7, now “Cooperative Strategies, LLC at 8955 Research Drive in Irvine CA (and still under Benjamin Dolinka) notice “Business Purpose” now reads “Financial Consulting for School Districts.” Also has an error in “signed” date, obviously (that date hasn’t arrived yet!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(“ZERO-COUPON”) CAPITAL APPRECIATION BONDS SOLD, SWALLOWED WHOLE, OUT-LAWED or LATER RESTRICTED (but not Retroactively) YET THE IDEA KEEPS SPREADING — WHY?

“Capital Appreciation Bonds” were only part of what seriously disturbed me, but still bear consideration.  They’ve been making news in recent years (after the horse has bolted, efforts are made at closing the barn door, but — as we do it in California — of course, not retroactively)…but only came to my attention from the other entities I was following.  See more at recent posts.  Combined with other mis-representations of selves and fiscally funky filing behaviors (throughout), this seems in character, i.e., self-interest more than public interest.

I also still believe that the bottom line, even when comparing one type of municipal or school district raising-capital bonds with this obviously pricey kinds, we are still ignoring the even deeper foundation of collective “Budgets” vs. collective held, income-producing assets, and the real smoke-and-mirrors behavior in agreement to characterize DEBT as pulling from the long-term liability as due NOW, instead of using existing available funds from other business enterprises, investments (and so forth) to fund ALL budgets.  Call that the “CAFR” (or “Walter Burien” / Carl Herman / Clint Richardson) factor.  But let’s look at these CABs first — simple search results on the term.  (Other search results shown on my posts):

Unlike a traditional loan, the principle and interest are paid in one lump sum on the bond’s maturity date instead of making a series of regular payments. This lack of periodic coupon payments classifies a capital appreciation bond as a zero-coupon bond.

How Does a Capital Appreciation Bond Work? 

When I quote a media or blog post below, notice what year it refers to, and in which state (some however, had no dates).

a.k.a. “Ticking Time Bombs” Capital Appreciation Bonds for School Districts) “In some San Diego County school districts today’s debt is tomorrow’s burden  by Leonardo Castañeda | February 25, 2015).  Within just a paragraph, its “Research suggests” (connection between good facilities and student achievement) links to a short piece by 21st Century School Fund surveying articles on the topic. Please click and read at least the cover page (of that research link) which acknowledges funding by an international association on school facilities (!) as having funded the work, as well as the relationship between Mark Schneider (whom 21st CSF has also been sponsoring) and the NCES, which “later published” his work:

This 1/25/2015 article makes (belatedly) some very good points, references the Poway School District’s 10:1 (long-term payment on their bonds) fiasco.

 

The district won’t have to make any payments on that bond for three decades. But starting in 2041 the district will pay, on average, almost the full cost of Vista Del Mar each year for a decade. By 2050, the San Ysidro School District will have paid out $228.9 million, almost $15 for every $1 the district borrowed. From 2041 to 2050, the district will pay, on average, $22.9 million each year.

That’s because San Ysidro used capital appreciation bonds, which are designed to defer debt — often to future generations — to meet immediate needs. Capital appreciation bonds are used throughout California, but San Ysidro’s debt-to-payback ratio is among the highest.

A $105 million bond issued by the Poway Unified School District in 2011, for example, that achieved national notoriety after a series ofnews reports, had a payback ratio of $9.35 paid for every $1 borrowed. The final payout will be almost $1 billion.

Across California, 338 school and community college districts issued 573 capital appreciation bonds from 2007 to 2012, according to a database compiled by the Los Angeles Times. In San Diego County alone, 42 capital appreciation bonds were issued by 19 school and community college districts.

Reminder: This, copied above except the short introduction at the very top, came from, and is about the top THIRD of this Page: About My Blog Motto (formerly on Vital Info/Sticky Links post, moved here  May 26, 2017).  To continue reading, find this part on the page and just keep going!

MUCH valuable information lies below it, that is, unless the page is split again, in which case, I’ll alert readers and leave a connecting link.

The CAB material, above here, is only part of the picture.  The CAFRs (I take you through parts of one for the City of Chicago) really turn the overhead lights on. Further images, captioned, and connecting narrative, better explains where the various foundations sponsoring educational transformation fit in, as well as what, really, seems to be taking place at University Centers A, B, C and D. and in some of their foundations, again, especially regarding early childhood education (remembering that in the USA, a lot of this funding comes through HHS by way of Head Start or Early Head Start), and public school infrastructures. Every one of those foundations have boards of directors, and many have professional investment advisors, some are run “lean and mean” and others, spending millions on investment advice. Please trust me when I say, the average investment advisor knows much more about institutional endowments, about government financial statements, and the mammoth size of the public assets collectively held in, or by way of, local school districts and at the university level also. They know what a “CAFR” is and how to read them.

It’s just the rest of us who know less than enough to protect ourselves from exploitation, or understand at what levels it has been occurring, that is, government operating at a profit, but selling it as a deficit through segregation of entities, or the types of funds.

I also explained (towards bottom of that blog) more about the direction I’m taking this blog, and why, the rest of 2017.  I am focused on the unilateral attempt to commandeer the public schools, and preschools, globally (but from a very strong basis in U.S. public/private networks driven by some of the richest corporations (their foundations, that is) around.

I can hardly poke four inches deep on any entity (although universities are harder to prod because their project-specific finances are “multidisciplinary” and so forth) without finding something truly shocking on the simplest of forms — a Form 990.  This is “hidden out in open” and surely some must be laughing at the public’s gullibility and vulnerability.

Someone needs to put the brakes on.  I’m working on it….