While all these scenarios are mind-boggling, it's the latter that infuriates me most because a lot of dangerous felons are being kept out of jail where they belong and returned to the public arena where it's been shown so many revert to their unseemly behavior.

How did this no-bail insanity come about in this state?

Well, that most partisan judicial body, the California Supreme Court, comprised of perhaps seven of the most ludicrously senseless, confusedly misguided individuals on the Planet Earth, naturally struck down a pro-bail measure that was passed last November by the state voters.

Why even vote any longer in the California elections?

Even when something is passed against the wishes of the entrenched California elitists---Gavin Newsom, Gil Garcetti, ad nauseam---you can be certain that the ghastly California Supreme Court will come galloping to the rescue and nullify the victory in a unanimous vote, which was the case in late March when it dispensed its oh-so-predictable no-bail verdict.

So, alas, we have to live with it, keeping our fingers solemnly crossed that the daily deluge of arrested felons being set bail-free even though judges, of course, can intervene to stop such an exodus if they deem certain felons a serious public threat which they seldom do in these weird days. . .

In November of 2016, the long-time Long Beach City auditor, Laura Doud, spoke to the LB City Council and said she advised it not to approve a $23 million loan to Urban Commons.

``The only people who were against it were Suzie Price (Third District Councilwoman) and I,'' she told me Monday. ``I thought at the time we should do more due diligence on Urban Commons, more vetting.''

Long Beach City Auditor Laura Doud

Natch, the rest of the LB City Council, overflowing even then with the usual gaggle of Peter Principle disciples, still went quickly ahead and approved it, and less than five years later Urban Commons is in bankruptcy with all sorts of alleged financial misdeeds being raised against it..

Laura Doud crosses finish line at Boston Marathon in 2019. She ran it in 4:04, but her best time came in 2014 when she completed it in 3:37.

``I can't provide confidence that all the vendors received payment although there were some vendors who confirmed to me they were paid,'' says Ms. Doud, who recently released the findings of her two-year investigation of Urban Commons.

To condense a massive undertaking by Ms. Doud's office in partnership with the forensic accounting firm, Hemming Morse, Urban Commons has refused to provide its electronic check register, cash account details, bank statements and cancelled checks, cashier checks, wire transfers or other payments paid to vendors and subcontractors.

Now one wonders idly why a firm given $23 million by the gullible yokels on the LB City Council by a 6-1 vote would blithely ignore the inquiries of Ms. Doud and Hemming Morse.

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I'm going to make a most outrageous and wild observation for Urban Commons' reluctance in revealing what happened to that $23 million donation---a lot of it was used to strengthen the bank accounts of those receiving it and a small amount was used to strengthen the Queen Mary.

Laura Doud actually said to me Monday the Queen Mary has earned profits over the years with its concerts, its Dark Harbor Haunted House, and its other events---and that there has been a reason for companies like Urban Commons wanting to be involved in it.

But she admitted the ship has been beset with severe deterioration.

``I know there was a 400-page engineering report given to the City of Long Beach four years ago that estimated the cost would be $289 million to repair it,'' related Ms. Doud, a veteran Boston Marathon runner who plans to participate in the Oct. 21 Long Beach Marathon. ``Well, that figure now has increased exponentially."

``Obviously, the local pols should, finally, get rid of it and stop squandering so many millions on a vessel that no longer is physically viable,'' I said.

So why don't they do it?

Laura Doud didn't have to answer the question.

I did.

Not one politician in this city of gutless politicians---not the City Manager, Taciturn Tom Modica, not the Mayor, Robert (Ol' Blood and Guts) Garcia, not one City Councilman save perhaps Suzie Price---would dare do so for fear it would tarnish their sacred legacy when, in cold financial reality, it would greatly enhance it. . .