Aside from the fact that exactly zero flights are taking off or landing at El Toro, the best indicator that the skies over South County are safe is the content of the El Toro Chronicles message board.
During the hottest days of the war on El Toro, local activists used the board to kick around all aspects of the fight—occasionally even to denounce the Weekly's reporting. And while you can still find messages on LAX expansion, air-passenger demand and the merits of booting 1st District county supervisor Chuck Smith from a regional government board, the site's real hair-pulling fights these days are over matters entirely unrelated to air travel.
“She really should come to grips with her hair color too,” wrote “The Bride” during one July 8 discussion on the merits of Ann Coulter, a commentator so conservative she actually helps the left. “I'm convinced she has a pillow case with eye holes hidden somewhere.”
“The Bride would do a quick takedown of Coulter, then have time for beer and veggie fajitas afterwards,” wrote “ThomasDad” a few minutes later. “There would be no catfight, just a simple asskicking as calm and businesslike as taking out the trash (which this would be, more or less).”
The discussion of Coulter continued for the next few hours, eventually including a critique of her writing. “Coulter's 'opinions' are irrelevant,” wrote “etinotlogical” four hours after the takedown message. “This is because no actual thought goes into them . . . Potted plants would therefore carry more intellectual weight, as her blind following of the right makes her mentally lazy.”
Of course, not all of the message board has been taken over by comments on Coulter. One discussion on an aviation issue degenerated into a discussion of fiscal policy and tort reform. “We watch our ox get gored when we pay our local taxes, or buy products with inflated prices due to outrages [sic] settlements,” wrote “mvmike” on July 8.
And one mammoth discussion thread on July 9 spanned over 40 messages on the evidentiary requirements for obtaining a search warrant, referencing everything from the U.S. Constitution to the LAPD's Rampart scandal to The Practice.
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” concluded “The King.” “We're way too easy on criminals in this country.”
Research assistance by Sarah Callender.
