Today we discuss Trump and Gaza, America is an Idea, CA Prop 50 Gerrymandering, CA SB79 and the Housing Crisis, Best Places for a quick San Diego Tour, Rush is touring again!, Poway’s struggle with the City in the County idea, Tony Blain Poway Recall, and much more. Got a question or comment? Drop your take in the live chat on YouTube, X or Facebook to join the Community Forum.
It’s Friday, October 17, 2025. This is what John Riley thinks.
Trump Gaza Ceasefire
It’s a ceasefire and hostage exchange, not peace.
Will it hold? I have doubts.
Trump sees it as a rebuilding effort, not 1 vs 2 state solution.
Trump is a con man.
America is an Idea – No Kings
Immigration/ICE, Blood and Soil
Inalienable Rights
Education System Failing
Rush is Touring Again!
All-time favorites
Incredibly happy for Geddy and Alex
Anika Gilles
Pursue Happiness, don’t sacrifice your interests because of Neil.
Neil tribute
Rooting for new drummer
CA Prop 50 – Gerrymandering
Is gerrymandering a good policy?
Principles vs Pragmatism
Pick Your Battles
GOP vs Dem vs Independent
CA SB79 – High Density Housing near Mass Transit
What is it?
Newsom signs it
Housing Crisis
Implications in San Diego County (San Diego, East County, Poway)
Visit San Diego in a Half Day
Old Town
Petco Park
Seaport Village
Cabrillo Monument (skipped)
Mission Bay Boardwalk, Roller Coaster
La Jolla Cove, Children’s Pool
Mt Soledad
Torrey Pines State Reserve
Dinner at Jakes, Del Mar
Poway City vs Country
Is Poway’s motto The City in the Country dead? Is it a contradiction? Or both?
Great article on Substack
https://carfreeamerica.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-blandville-the-cost-of
Europe understands how to do Urban Cities and Rural Country. In America, many cities combine the two and get disastrous results.
Americans want it all. Single family home, big yard, city conveniences, quiet neighborhoods, open space, fast roads, retail stores, jobs, etc.
We get Big Box stores with giant parking lots, too much traffic, unwalkable neighborhoods, and a complete obliteration of any semblance of country.
We have created Blandville.
Blend of urban and rural
Soulless, sprawling, overly wide streets, dead downtown, huge setbacks, car-depending, under-utilized parks
Not vibrant or charming
Stroads
Neighborhoods with lots of useless open space
Restaurants and coffee shops banned by zoning.
Highly walkable banned by zoning
Lack of community energy
Minimum parking requirements for retail and create big unfilled lots.
Height limits (Poway and Coastal Commission)
Opposition to density around traffic stops
Europe has vibrant, dense downtowns… rural countryside, and small villages with small downtown energy.
Results are non-human, no energy, disconnected.
Poway’s city motto has been dead for 20+ years. It harkens back to a time in the past.
Recommend making Poway Rd a narrow, diagonal parking, downtown feel Poway Street.
Redirect traffic to actual Roads (Twin Peaks, Scripps Poway Parkway, Espola, Pomerado, Community?)
Recommend allowing mixed use in neighborhoods (multi family, retail, restaurant, coffee)
Poway Tony Blain Recall
Finally get to vote
Does he survive?
#SanDiego #poway #trump #sb79 #housing #prop50 #gerrymandering #gaza #inalienablerights #strongtowns #stroads #tonyblain #propertytax
Thank you to our livestream participants in the Community Forum. Thank you to all that listen and view.
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