Happy Nannies Day

I failed.  The City of Pasadena has banned plastic bags beginning in July.  I had opposed the ban on my blog when it was proposed last October and distributed my argument against it to as many people locally as I could.  But after they cancelled the meeting I was going to attend to oppose it I lost interest.  I didn’t pay attention again until last week when Pasadena in Focus announced the ban.  Ordinance 7214 was passed unanimously by the City Council on November 7, 2012.  It effectively bans the distribution and use of plastic grocery bags in Pasadena and forces grocery stores to charge 10 cents for paper bags.

“Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

Winston Churchill

My next plan is to vocally and verbally oppose the ban.  As people become aware of it perhaps they will join a campaign to defeat the incumbents who have the audacity to take away our choice just because they can.

I’m thinking of printing 10,000 bags with:

Defeat Pasadena Councilman

Gene Masuda

Father of the Plastic Bag Ban

End the Nanny State

And giving them away at the local Ralph’s on Saturdays.  I’m not sure if the ban covers free speech on bags or not.  Or perhaps I’ll just grocery shop in Arcadia.  This Nanny State act by the Pasadena City Council certainly makes me want to get out California sooner rather than later.

 

 

Mallow

One of the best flower photos I have taken in a long time.

Click on the photo and look at it full screen you can see the pollen on the bee’s back.

I’d say National Geographic quality.

Life is good!

How Lake Avenue Got Its Name

Lake Avenue is one of the major streets in Pasadena.  Before the revival of Old Pasadena it was also the main shopping district. Today’s question is: How did it come to be called Lake Avenue when a Google map of the area doesn’t show a lake within twenty miles?  A map from the 1920’s answers the question.

The map was made by the Automobile Club when their slogan was “Good Roads.”  Zooming in on the south end of Lake Avenue we find the answer to the puzzle.

At the south end of Lake Avenue down in San Marino is “Mission Lake.”  It is in what is now Lacey Park near the old mill “El Molino.”  It was probably the mill pond for the mill.  For added fun in the Arroyo, on the left hand side of the small map, are “Busch Gardens” and the Cawston Ostrich Farm.  See a more detailed version of the map on Flickr

Rose Parade 2012

The Rose Parade is not held on Sunday so this year we walked down and saw it on Monday (1/2/12).  What a nice social event it is for those of us who have a way to get there without traffic.

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The weather was salubrious.  About 70F and sunny.  Kenny G was on one of the floats.

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The Royal Swedish Naval Cadet Band reminded me of my brilliant idea last year to organize a Marching Band from Israel for the parade.  What a great idea.

Happy New Year

Wind Storm

On the last day of November we had a giant wind storm in Southern California.  It was particularly bad in the San Gabriel Valley where we live.  We had some roof tiles blow off our house and some very large and unstable eucalyptus trees just down the hill from us blew over.

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Many people were without power for days.  We only lost power for one day.  For me It was a reminder of how privileged we are, how much convenience we take for granted and how easily a disruption of our routine can upset us.

Perspective:  At least a billion people in the world never lose electricity or water because they have never had electricity or running water.

Think Globally

Think Globally

Drink Locally.

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From the check at Lucky Baldwins newest location in Pasadena.

The closest you can come in Pasadena to real pub food.

At the East Pasadena location they have an excellent curry just like an English pub.

 

Public Art in Pasadena

This morning while we were walking in Pasadena we found this piece of public art across from the Paseo Pasadena.  It it a very beautiful bronze mountain goat on a limestone fountain pedestal.  The limestone is rough cuts of the same material as the building fascia.

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A couple of weeks ago we found this new public art installed on California Ave in front of the new parking structure at the Huntington Hospital:

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It is according to the plaque in the style of Henry Moore.  Maybe Henry Moore on Steroids.  The plaque itself is an example of political correctness run amok.  It is cast bronze embedded in the lawn with a braille translation.  How a blind person interested in examining sculptures would ever find the plaque is a mystery only a bureaucrat could explain.  But my petty complaints aside the art is nice and very well displayed.