The Adventures of Aaron Proctor

The Proc and Kelli went to a really cool spot in West Pasadena to check out this year’s Rose Bowl fireworks. (Video link)
It was a cool spot on top of Sequoia Drive over in the San Rafael part of West Pasadena. It wasn’t as crowded as, say, the Colorado Street Bridge - but it was pretty fun and interesting. We could also see Lacey Park’s fireworks as well as some from the racetrack and some from what I believe was South Pas.

West Pasadenans are so funny. Someone was setting off illegal fireworks (video link) and the neighbors were worried (I don’t blame them, I hate when people set off illegal fireworks - luckily Steve Haderlein didn’t let that shit last long in my neighborhood this year) - but it was so funny to be around so many West Pasadenans. They all had dogs, they all had 2.3 kids - with name like Audrey and Schuyler and Hunter, they all were driving hybrids. After the fireworks were over, I shouted “Yay! America!” and nobody said anything. Then there were these annoying stoner/frat boy types who put up lawn chairs and then left after like..5 minutes of watching the fireworks.

But it’s the 4th of July - and I was happy to be with my Kelli and enjoy a romantic moment and happy to watch the largest fireworks display in Southern California. So, you should definitely check out this spot next year.

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I’m getting $5. I had a bet with a friend that I wouldn’t stay on Ann Erdman’s blog roll more than 2 weeks...I checked this morninig and I wasn’t there. I guess it’s the foul language I keep using. Sorry about that, Ann. Fuck. Shit. Cocksucker. God Damn. Jesus Christ. Tits.

Have a great weekend,

Be seeing you,

- AP

The Star-Spangled Banner

O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Happy 4th of July! America’s birthday! My favorite holiday - after all, I’m from where it all began. Let’s celebrate the greatest country in the world..a country that allows me (and others) the right to make an ass out of myself day in and day out. U-S-A! U-S-A! I’ll be celebrating with Kelli tonight - checking out the amazing Rose Bowl fireworks - the largest fireworks display in Southern California. It’s no Penn’s Landing, but it’s pretty damn close.

Now I was in a good, uber-patriotic mood this morning. Until I saw the cover of the LA City Beat - a paper published by Southland Publishing (also owner of the PW but NOT affiliated with this website and vice versa). I’m not posting the picture of the cover here because it’s absolutely disgusting, disgraceful, saddening, and extremely Anti-American.

I’ve been harboring contempt for City Beat for quite some time. Every week it’s more and more hipster America-bashing - particularly by someone who calls themslves “Commie Girl” and thinks that’s cool or something. It’s so fucking “cool” to hate on America these days - yet these people would be missing it quite quickly if they moved to Canada or the UK or wherever. I guess those tattooed and pierced dregs of society they’ve got over there are grasping at straws while trying to figure out how to make people care about them like people care about the LA Weekly (not that I care about that paper, either - actually I think most people read the LA Weekly to get $5 off of nightclub covers).

I’m sick and tired of people like her - she’s actually the FUCKING EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER. I’m sick and tired of people thinking that just because you love America, just because you’re happy to live in a country with its many positives (and many follies), you’re some beer-swilling redneck who watches NASCAR. I love America and I’m proud to live here and I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to admit that. I don’t think someone should be admitting they love the country they’re in. There’s NOTHING WRONG with being patriotic.

Even some hot people hate America…

This chick should be happy she lives in a country which allows her the freedom to criticize our country and to bash it day in and day out. Instead, she proudly calls herself the same title that a freedom-less country like China calls itself: a Commie. What a horrible thing to do on the 4th of July - the day that our country began its great journey to allow you to print such trite and insignificant crap each week. Thankfully, the Constitution also allows me to berate your horrible excuse for a column and opinion into the next century.

Rebecca Schoenkopf (sounds like a Nazi last name to me..) - you get a special July 4th Ham And Egger Award. It’s what our forefathers would have wanted. I’m ashamed to even be loosely connected to you through work. I wish I could give you a one-way ticket to China or Cuba, since you pride yourself on the whole Communist thing. I’m sure you’ll be staring at the fireworks from wherever you are, drinking a beer, and having a good time….trying to make us all think you’ll be staying indoors, hating the country which allows you the freedoms to write like the Anti-American that you are, smoking some marijuana while in your Che Guevara t-shirt, watching “Loose Change“, and blaring “music” from Rage Against The Machine. Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit.
I also e-mailed her and you can do the same at this link:

This week’s CityBeat cover is disgusting, saddening, and offends me as an
American.

Why is it so horrible to love America any more?

- Aaron Proctor
Pasadena, CA
http://www.proctorformayor.com

By the way - if you were looking to increase readership with a half-assed-Photoshopped cover used for “shock value”, it was a pretty counterproductive effort. All you did was further the hipster America-hating - the embarrassing portrait of what everyone else thinks all Californians think and act like. You may have gained a few readers of that worthless and rebellious ilk - but you certainly lost one here (not that I ever really read your paper, more like glance through it and laugh because it’s probably put together by hipster white people who have dreadlocks and don’t shower for 3 days straight. Obama in `08, right?). Hating on America might be all the Hollywood rage but - to me - when you verbally and visually spit on our Nation, you’re spitting on me. You’re no worse than the terrorists you’re defending.

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Well, some Communist bitch isn’t going to ruin my 4th of July. Here’s a brand new Top Ten List:

TOP TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT AMERICA

10. Disneyland

9. Conservative talk radio

8. Politics

7. The National Anthem
6. Burger King
5. The “George Washington Bridge” song
4. John Philip Sousa
3. Baseball
2. Professional wrestling
1. Freedom

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Pasadena PIO Ann Erdman recently posted a photo of Pasadena Star-News reporter and blogger, Dan Abendschein:

I swear - if you give this guy a cigar and put on his sunglasses and more of a tan - he’d be:

Armando Alejandro Estrada!

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I’ve always found this picture hilarious. It’s been floating around the Interwebs for years. It’s a picture of ABC 7’s Marc Brown talking about a rape suspect. Notice the sketch in the corner, though:

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I like to send drawings to Mayor Bogaard. I think it annoys him. It cracks me up, though. Here’s my latest:

Be seeing you and Happy 4th! Now go enjoy Dusty Rhodes vs. Steve Corino from the good days of ECW.

- AP

Sometimes people take issue with things The Proc has to say. It’s the weight you bear when you’re a local treasure.

Let’s start with PUSD Superintendent Edwin Diaz. He recently commented to someone (or perhaps more than one person - I don’t really know because that’s what happens when you play “Whisper Down The Lane”) that he took offense to me calling him a “stupid mother fucker“. This, I believe, was a comment I made when I criticized him for bringing gangsta rapper The Game to talk to children at Muir. Apparently, Edwin was a big fan of this website - that is - before I said those things.

I guess that goes to show you that a lot of politicians and public figures in this town are fine with “duck, duck” but when they’re “goose”, it’s a whole different story. They sit back and laugh at their cohorts being lampooned and lambasted on this site - but when it’s their turn to be in the spotlight, then it’s all “Mr. Proctor has gone too far..blah blah blah..”
Here’s an e-mail I sent to Mr. Diaz yesterday - summarizing what I really had a problem with:

Hi Mr. Diaz -

I’m sorry you have a problem with me calling you a “stupid m-f’er”. I
think you confused harsh criticism with a personal attack.

I do, however, want you to know that if you ever have a problem with
ANYTHING I say, you can simply log onto my website and click “Contact”.
I’d rather you do that then hear you have a problem with me/something I
said through “Whisper down the lane”. That’s weak sauce in my book.

If you’d like to engage in some type of debate, I’m down like Doink The
Clown.

Please also understand my blog is NOT affiliated with Southland Publishing
or the Pasadena Weekly in any way. It clearly states that in the “About”
section.

Sincerely,

Aaron Proctor

I also find it hilarious how people think going to reporters at the Weekly to complain about my blog are going to accomplish anything. (Not that Diaz sought out a reporter - I know I just came up in conversation…this time). Maybe they think I’ll get in trouble or something? As I clearly state - nothing I say or do on this website has any affiliation with the Weekly or its parent company.

Yeah, it’s pretty apparent, though, that he wasn’t actually taking issue with my stance on his actions with The Game - he was just mad because I called him a name. Maybe I’ll never actually know what he’s really mad about - since he never told me directly - `cause it’s also pretty wussified that I have to hear this shit after it’s been through an assembly line. Diaz could have simply contacted me directly to air his grievance. Maybe I should have added “arrogant” to “stupid mother fucker“.

Caroline An (as well as Dirk Apter) has some issues with my criticism of the Pasadena Star-News for not printing anything about the PUSD Bond Measure meeting in yesterday’s paper:

Hi Aaron -

I have to take issue with some of your comments on your blog regarding the
the bond measure passed by the PUSD Tuesday. First of all, I have been
covering this issue since April when a bond measure/parcel was being
considered by the school board. I can email you articles for your reading
pleasure.

If you went to our web site today, I did post an update on the vote and a
larger story will follow in tomorrow’s paper. You can call me at number
below if you have any additional questions/concerns.

–Caroline

Caroline, we could always discuss any additional questions/concerns you’d like. How about at 2 a.m….after sex?

In all seriousness, though, here’s where the Interwebs beats the papers. I went to read the PSN at 6 a.m. that morning. Nothing in the paper yesterday morning about the meeting on Tuesday night. Nothing on the web about the meeting yesterday morning at 6.a.m…at 7 a.m…at 8 a.m…. It wasn’t until 10 a.m. (4 hours after I posted yesterday’s article) that something showed up. I criticized the paper because they didn’t have anything about it - since they tend to be one of PUSD’s biggest fans/lackeys. They have stuff about it today..that’s great…only a day late and 50 cents not worth paying.

So yeah, good job updating the website. Good job apparently not having a reporter at the meeting or something..why wasn’t it in Wednesday’s paper? Why does a bond measure getting approval have to wait until Thursday? Seriously - if the Pasadena Weekly came out on Wednesday, they would have had this story out before you. I had to read about the meeting on Rene Amy’s listserv…so you guys didn’t even get beat by the blogosphere - you got beat by a Google Group.

Quit your cryin’ and be a better, more reliable paper..and I won’t give you guys such a hard time. Yes, Larry, I said hard.

At least Caroline An had the ovaries to contact me directly. It’s not that hard to send an e-mail, Edwin. Maybe she should be the superintendent.

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Pick up a Pasadena Weekly today for my latest edition of “5 Questions“! This time, it’s with local pro-wrestler “Big Nasty” Eric Watts. You don’t want to miss it!!!!!!

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The Proc says that everyone needs a fight song. So, The Proc has one. Click here for the instrumental mp3 of the Villanova Fight Song and sing along to the lyrics of the Aaron Proctor Fight Song:

“A” for Aaron Proctor, “B” for blogosphere

“U” for you and “I” for I

For its for both those two that I fight

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Fight for Aaron Proctor, Fight for Victory

1. For we’re out to win in the fray;

Aaron Proctor leads the way,

With a capital “B” for blogosphere

2. For we’re out to beat the foe;

Show Steve Madison we know

How to with with a “V” for victory

Aar-on-Proc-tor, P-R-O-C-T-O-R

“V” for vic-to-ry, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

It’s a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye

And a “P” for P-R-O-C-T-O-R!

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Frank Girardot is reporting that there was a hate crime in Arcadia the other day. The blogger over at From Noise To Voice had their mailbox smashed to pieces and a note attached saying “Japs go home”. Whomever the “clever” (and by clever, I mean idiotic) person/people were that were responsible for this didn’t realize a few things:

• The people’s mailbox you smashed and left a note for were Chinese American, not Japanese.
• If you’re not fond of Asians, why the fuck are you in Arcadia?
• “Japs go home”? Do you also say things like “Wop” for Italians, “that’s swell”, and “23 skidoo”? How 1940’s of you.
• What a dick and a pussy move at the same time.

I doubt they’ll catch the people who did this - but - come on…seriously? Smashing mailboxes is so white trash. Do they think they live in Lancaster County or something?

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Kelli only lost Scrabble to me by 3 points last night. She’s becoming a better player every time!

Be seeing you and have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

- AP

Remember that movie “Snakes On A Plane“? Well, as you all have seen before, I occasionally like to send little drawings to the Mayor. Instead of trying to re-size the damn things to where they look horrible, I’ll just link my latest creation right here. You can enlarge it by left clicking. (That’s what she said).

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There’s a reason why a guy like Joe Hopkins made it to my list of The Ten People Ruining Pasadena. He’s fucking insane! Here’s an excerpt from his editorial last week… It’s your standard “conservative media” rant - when I can’t find a single news outlet or paper in this area that’s touting McCain the way he’s describing:

The conservatives want to talk about Barack’s race but they don’t want to talk about McCain’s age. They want to call McCain a war hero because he was shot down while piloting a bomber in Vietnam. What’s so heroic about dropping bombs from the sky on innocent Vietnamese people?

Yep. McCain’s old. We know this. You’re getting up there in years, too, Joe. I know this one dude who ran against someone and had an argument about that opponent’s age - trying to make the opponent’s age a negative. Remember when I called Bill Bogaard 170 years old? He beat me in a landslide. Age doesn’t really mean shit..except that younger people relate to a younger dude more - and then are too high/forgetful to wake up on Election Day and vote for the younger guy…AND… old people vote because a) they come from a generation that cared about voting, b) a lot of policy affects them more than affects us youngin’s and c) they have nothing else to do but play with Choo-Choo and Mitt-Mitt (their cats) and watch Huell Howser. (If you’re lucky, they don’t - d) - have a part-time job where they annoy the fuck out of you and don’t do any actual work)

I digress. I didn’t know you were a conservative, Joe? Because don’t you bring up race, and lately Barack’s race in general, every chance you get? Your whole paper is a big “Look at me! I’m black!” statement. Isn’t it guys like you that do the ol’ “we-don’t-want-to-make-this-election-about-race-but-we-actually-do” scenario? And by guys like you - I don’t mean African Americans..I mean every person who says “Hey - listen - I’m not gonna make this about race.” You just fucking made it about race by saying that! You know how you don’t make an argument about something: don’t bring up something!

And what the fuck…bombing & killing innocent Vietnamese people? Quit you’re cryin’ Ever hear of a little term called Collateral Damage? Here’s what Wikipedia says:

At least one source claims that the term “collateral damage” originated as a euphemism during the Vietnam War and can refer to friendly fire, or the killing of non-combatants and the destruction of their property.^[3]

Is that like the innocent people who died during the Civil War - I’m sure there had to be at least one person who didn’t have slaves or believed in slavery that lived in the Confederate states, right? It’s a war. People die. Children die. Little fluffy kittens die. People who don’t have anything to do with the war die. It sucks..but it happens. It’s not John McCain’s fault as much as it’s not John Kerry’s fault. Oh, but he’s white, so he’s the devil, too..I guess….

I’d have a lot more respect for you, Joe, if you stopped all of this bullshit and came right out and said it:

You’re voting for Obama because he’s black. That’s it. End of story. Lots of people are voting for him because he’s black (just as lots of people are voting against him because he’s black, for McCain cause he’s white, against McCain because he’s white, la la la…). And that’s fine - I mean, it’s stupid to vote for (or against) someone solely based on the color of their skin - but it’s your prerogative. I think you (and a lot of other people) should just come out and say it and quit your tired-ass charade. So…who’s the racist media again? Oh yeah, people like me. I forgot.

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We’ve got a Ham And Egger Award winner this week already - thanks to the suggestion of another winner, Frank Girardot:

Monrovia Mayor Rob Hammond.

Rob Hammond is obviously acting like a jackass toward bloggers. With his knock on the blogosphere last week and failure to realize the great job guys like Frazgo and RCJP are doing in Monrovia - he deserves it well this week. Guys like him are a dime a dozen in Pasadena, they’re just a little bit more quiet about their views of the “Evil Blogosphere”.

He’s also built an empire based on driving fear into people who try and vote against him. I’ve heard stories of countless people who have supported other candidates getting “visits” from Hammond, basically threatening them with code violations and all sorts of other nonsense unless they support him.

The Proc says Hammond needs to know his role, shut his mouth, and eat his breakfast.

Hell, this guy even has Ham in his name. Might as well add some eggs. And - he has a crony named Dick Singer. I don’t even have to make a joke about his name (but I heard that he changed his last name from Head).

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It looks like the Pasadena Star-Toilet Paper had their headline priorities straight yesterday:

Yes, Moe the Chimp is apparently missing (as of this writing - maybe they found him by now - but who the fuck cares?!). Why is this news, again? Screw the guy who got shot in Altadena, right? At least Girardot had the right idea to switching this pointless news to slightly less pointless news about CM Punk. I can’t believe I’m not making this shit up. Maybe Sid Tyler ate him?

(Note: Frank Girardot makes a good point about my screen-cap….in italics…..)

Ok legitimate.
But to be fair Aaron the shooting story is in the display sopt at the top
left hand corner of the page…where more people are going to see it and
read it…
Right?

TOP TEN NEWS STORIES I CARE ABOUT MORE THAN THE MISSING CHIMP

10. Mannie, Moe, and Jack. Which One’s A Coke Addict?

9. Proctor Gets Theme From “$25,000 Pyramid” Stuck In Everyone’s Head

8. Miss Havisham Misplaces Tea, Goes On Killing Spree, 12 Dead

7. South Pasadena Finally Realizes The Insanity Of Having Von’s Next To Pavillion’s

6. Who Put Chocolate In My Peanut Butter?

5. Joe Piasecki Completes Submarine With Screen Door

4. Holden To City: Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

3. Sgt. Schultz Bludgeons Col. Hogan With Tripod

2. Larry Wilson Gives “Mamma Mia!” 5 Stars

1. Moe The Chimp: The Real DB Cooper

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PEF…er….PUSD approved putting a $350,000,000 bond measure on this November’s Presidential election ballot last night. It was approved with 2/3 of the vote. The votes of approval came from Mike “I Look Like A Child Molester” Babcock, Bob “Zuccini Bread” Harrison, Barry Horowitz..I mean..Ed Honowitz, Tom “I Can’t Think Of A Nickname Or Likeness For Him Right Now” Selinske, and Scott Phelps - who - I can’t believe this - phoned it in…making him the school board’s brand new douchebag.

More from the lovely Mary Dee Romney:

At this afternoon’s special BOE meeting where the PEF/BOE majority approved a $350,000,000 general obligation bond for the PUSD, Supe Diaz alluded to the district’s unsavory past with Measure Y and vowed accountability for his *own* bond measure set for a vote in November.

Likewise, Mr. Brinkman affirmed his own personal support for the “accountability issue.”

If accountability is what Mr. Diaz and Mr. Brinkman profess, why did they fail to follow the customary Brown Act procedure of publishing staff reports to the district website prior to this afternoon’s public BOE meeting?

Why were the only two Facilities Master Plan Committee members speaking from the podium recommending against the bond proposal?

Why was the tax-paying public left dependent upon the scanning efforts of Rene Amy and the Greatschools listserve to learn the details of a bond proposal described today by Mr. Lizardo as “a very significant action (and) weighty decision” (?)

It is clear the PEF/BOE is saddled up and ready to ride with the Gilroy cowboys, regardless of so-called “accountability.”

Pasadena Star-News has nothing about this. Of course they wouldn’t. I guess this isn’t news to them. What a shitty newspaper. I guess this isn’t a “big deal”, huh? I guess PUSD “can do no wrong”. Bullshit. I can’t wait to see how they spin this - just like people spun Measure D and lied to everyone. Can’t wait to see what City Council thinks of this nonsense.

PUSD might think they’re fooling people by putting this on November’s ballot so half the people who are voting for President will vote “Yes” on this - but they’re not. I’m going to make sure everyone knows about this crock of a bond measure and make sure people vote no on it. It’s my job…not just as a citizen of Pasadena who actually gives a damn…but as the Most Electrifying Man In Pasadena (and your role model), The Proc.

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The Altadenablog recently had a 5-day crusade to make sure they were linked on Dave Atlantic’s Under The Dome blog.

Today is the first day of my crusade against Altadenablog. It’s called the “Fix My Fucking Link” crusade. You see, they have a very nice section of links that’s quite put together. Except the URL that you get when you click on the link to my site is West Coast Grrlie Blather. Kelly-With-A-Y is cool and all..but it’d be nice if that link actually went to my site. So yeah, fix my fucking link

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Be seeing you,

- AP

Congratulations to CM Punk. This guy became the WWE World Champion last night on what was an unusually amazing episode of Monday Night RAW. Not only did CM Punk work his way up from the independent ranks to do this (and became quite the fan favorite) - he’s a great guy to be representing WWE at the moment. You see, CM Punk - in real life and in character - is “Straight Edge”. No drugs, no cigarettes, no alcohol, nothing. Now, I’m not down with the no cigarettes/no alcohol/no sex before marriage lifestyle (actually I think being “Straight Edge” is pretty lame) - but with all the steroids shit going on in the WWE and other sports/entertainment, there’s nobody better to represent the company.

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The Proc has been analyzing District 2 City Councilmember Paul Little’s recent blog entry lately:

Council passed the annual operating budget last Monday night. Mostly, from what I can see the budget is appropriate.

I do have one serious concern: they added nearly $4 million more to the city’s General Fund reserve. Ok. Reserves help with stability, and generally I don’t have an issue with a healthy reserve. BUT, Pasadena already has a very healthy General Fund reserve. So healthy, the city recently earned a AAA bond rating.

Here’s my gripe, when they were campaigning for passage of Measure D, which I supported, the Mayor, former city manager, current interim city manager and the Council said they faced an emergency if the Utility User Tax wasn’t extended. BUT, now that the have the UUT in place, the city leaders are taking cash and putting it in their own reserve funds. NOT using it for services. NOT using it for constituent support. NOT using it for anything at all. If there was an emergency in February and it no longer exists, it seems to me only fair that, rather than line the city’s bank account, the appropriate action would have been to rebate that $3.7 million to the folks who pay the Utility User Tax.

As for the argument that other cityies have higher reserves — those cities don;t enjoy a AAA bond rating. They also don;t have a utility company that generates mass quantities of money on a daily basis and that carries both a reserve and a working capital reserve valued together at more than 15% of the General Fund budget. Oh, and let’s not forget the Capital Projects Reserve and a host of other funds carrying balances to hedge against lost revenue or emergencies.

So, I have take my hat off to Martin Truitt and Wayne Lusvardi, who apparently were prescient when they said that the city didn’t have an emergency, didn’t need the UUT renewal and that city leadership was only going to fatten its own wallet with the money.

In times of economic stress, I do find it difficult to accept a city government that increases its own reserves rather than do what it can to relieve the stress on its citizens and businesses.

Well, duh. Measure D was such a fucking crock - but hardly anyone listened, did they? Paul Little’s entry is great and all - but I’m still wondering - why did he exactly support Measure D in the first place? Why didn’t he do his own research? He would have come to the same conclusion that Truitt and Lusvardi did. Right? Why all of the 20/20 hindsight now, Paul? You’re a big voice in this City, a lot of us tend to listen when you speak - why didn’t you take the time to see how big of a hornswoggle Measure D really was?

Speaking of being bamboozled - according to Rene Amy - the PUSD is proposing a $350,000,000.00 (yes that’s $350 million) bond measure to go on November’s ballot. And if that doesn’t outrage you - maybe Rene’s description should:

…folks may not actually realize that bonds are like a mortgage
that all property owners in the district must pay back through increases
in their yearly property taxes.

Such bonds are typically paid back over 30 year.

We’ve still got about 20 years left on paying the mortgage on Measure Y.

So, this next bond would be like a second mortgage - with extra added
payments due year in and year out….

Oh, what the fuck. $350 million? In Steve Haderlein math, that’s 70 Peppermint Gardens. (Take a shot). So, PUSD is going to try to be all cool and sneak this bond measure on the ballot with, ya know, the biggest Presidential election ever - and have people just blindly vote “yes” on it because they’re skipping everything else to go vote for the President.

Are they insane!? If we’re still paying money back on Measure Y - which I still have yet to see numbers supporting what exactly, if anything, Measure Y solved - are we, as citizens, going to shell out another $350 million so the geniuses at PUSD can bring gangsta rappers to show kids the way or pay Virginia Hoge more money to stroke their academic cocks?

Of course - I’m sure the same people who supported Measure D will tell us what a good idea this is. Then, a few months later, one of their main supporters will come out and tell us that they were basically a shill and that this bond measure is faker than most women’s tits out here.

Crimeny. Is there anyone with a brain left!?

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Bloggers picnic photo. Courtesy WCGB:

Front row: The 99 Cent Chef, Pasadena Daily Photo, Ed Padgett.

Middle: Miss Havisham, Irina.

Standing in the back: Monrovia City Watch, WCGB, the cool dude Adam who hangs out with Brian Fuller, Kelli with an i, Ann Erdman, Susan Kitchens (who got me blogging in the first place).

The taller guys in the very back: Brian Fuller, Aaron Proctor, a space for Centinel, Frazgo.

Not pictured: The Sky Is Big In Pasadena, Alex Zucco (an FC Contributor), The Real Zajac

There’s also more coverage by Frazgo here on Metroblogging LA. Apparently that post was linked on MSNBC the other day - explaining another day of ridiculous web traffic for me.

Another group photo - by Frazgo

The pic is of the bloggers who willingly wanted to be shown on the net. That is the lovely Miss Havisham sitting on FCBlog co-owner, Centinel’s shoulder. To the right is equally invisible owner Publius. Invisible because no one knows who they are including those of us invited to post there know who they really are.

Speaking of bloggers - I found a really rockin’ blog out in Burbank called Valley of The Shadow. Thanks for the kind words!

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We’re down to the #2 spot on my list of The Ten People Ruining Pasadena. Let’s go over what we’ve learned so far:

#10 gets crazy with Virginia Hoge.

#9 is straight outta North Pasadena with Joe Hopkins.

#8 wants money but won’t let you buy them lunch. The homeless of Pasadena.

There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright - Larry Wilson (#7)

#6 was too busy watching MTV to go out and vote on Election Day

#5 - Peter Dreier, whose beard is full of bong resin and potato chips

#4 makes me sick.

#3 kept me on hold for 72 minutes and transferred me 6 times.

And now……#2 on the list of The Ten People Ruining Pasadena. This next entry might not be a shock to most of you - the position on the list just might be a surprise, though:

Councilmember Steve “Maserati” Madison!

Ric Flair has Sting. Superman has Lex Luthor. Bugs Bunny has Elmer Fudd. Virginia Hoge has common sense. Everyone’s got their rival, their enemy, their arch-nemesis.

My arch-nemesis and product of all my polemics happens to have been a Councilmember for like the past 12 years now. His name is Steve Madison, he drives a Maserati, and he’s kind of a douchebag. I think, for the first time ever, other people in Pasadena are starting to see this as well.

It all began a long, long time ago in a land far, far away during the 2007 Election. Back when I was an eyeliner-wearing Goth kid who supported rent control running for Mizayor. Toward the end of the race, there was a debate over at the Neighborhood Church. Kelli and I arrived a little late and she accidentally went into the door for candidates with me. (It was a separate door from the spectators).

Unbeknownst to me at the time, Madison turned to Kells Bells and yelled at her “THIS DOOR IS FOR CANDIDATES ONLY!!!!!!!!!” Kelli was furious and snapped back with a comment explaining how she was with the Mayoral candidate.

Madison and I tried to bury the hatchet once or twice but all it ended up being was a dissertation from him about how I’m being “brainwashed” by the “right-wing” of Pasadena. Or how he didn’t like that I called his 20-something girlfriend a stripper because she looks like one. I guess he didn’t realize that I can think for myself and make my own choices and it was actually guys like him and Bogaard and stuff trying to exploit me for the benefit of Liberals. Oh - and I forgot to mention - I once sent him an Aaron Proctor pin as a peace offering - and he mailed it back to me.

So, the Sock on Madison campaign kind of started from all of that and never looked back. Here’s the real problem I have with Madison - he’s not an informed guy, he doesn’t really know what’s going on in Pasadena nor does he care because he puts his job before his constituents. He thinks of City Council as more of a playground than an actual important entity.

Last week at City Council, he had the audacity to make a joke about the electricity bill when Iron Maggie was just trying to figure out what she was actually voting on. A few weeks before that, he sent his henchman, Victor Gordo, out to try and make me apologize to Madison for claiming he was going to miss a month or so of City Council (after Gordo had sort of told me that’s what was going on). Madison can’t fight his own battles, claims he doesn’t read this website, and sends Moose from Riverdale after me.

So - after all of this - I think that definitely qualifies Madison to be on this list. When you’ve been elected to serve the people and blatantly disregard serving the people, you’re messing up the Crown City. Hopefully someone grows some balls and runs against him in 2011. That person would be my hero.

Wonder who’s gonna be #1 on this list? We’ll find out soon.
**

Better watch out..cause Sid’s a war machine…

It’s time for this week’s Sid Tyler Facts:

• When Sid Tyler wants an egg, he cracks open a chicken.
• The Monrovia Police originally thought someone had Sid Tyler in their trunk.
• Sid Tyler has a pet kitten - every night for a snack.
• Sid Tyler walked out of church when they were talking about the Rapture. He was overheard muttering “That’s not how I’m going to do it…”
• The Kama Sutra was originally known as “The Diary Of Sid Tyler”
• The real reason PBS has pledge drives is so they can hire protection from Sid Tyler. He’s not a fan of Upstairs, Downstairs.
• Sid Tyler uses staples as hair gel.
• Despite Sid Tyler’s rage, he is still just a Councilman in a cage.
• When in Rome, do what Sid Tyler does. Kill.
• Sid Tyler’s belly button is actually a power outlet.

Be seeing you,

- AP

This final weekend in June just flew by didn’t it? This is my favorite time of the year - as we’re coming up on America’s birthday.  Phillies won, Phillies lost, John Cena didn’t win (ha ha!), I found out what Sid Tyler does on the weekend - oh and…

There was another blogger get together on Saturday. This time, Frazgo hit a home run/scored a touchdown/made a slam dunk/insert other sports analogy here - and got us into the air conditioned Mayan Room of the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia. Special thanks to Kathie Reece for being such an awesome hostess (She was on Huell Howser - I knew it!).

The Proc was used to slap-dash (but fun!) snarks in the park - but the Bloggers Picnic IV: With A Vengeance was definitely a treat. That dude Frazgo’s got a lot of pull in the All-American City. The hotel provided us with some snacks and people from all over the blogosphere came out to have some food, drink, and merriment. We had a really good turnout - I’d say there was a point where about 20 people were there. Even the 99 Cent Chef showed up! (The cupcakes he made using only ingredients found at the 99 Cent Store were delicious!) Bloggers from all around showed up…and we had some celebrity guests, too: Ann Erdman (Pasadena’s PIO) and Assembly candidate Brian Fuller joined in on the fun. (I had an awesome discussion with Brian about the film “Beyond The Mat“). I had sooooooo much fun that I forgot to get my picture with a lot of people!

It was a cool venue - especially the Mayan Room:

There was a stage where someone eventually got our group photo.

I guess this thing is called a sunroof? I don’t know much about architecture. It just looked really cool with the different paintings of Aztec gods.

Ann Erdman and I. She brought me back a gift from Finland - which I’ll show you later.

Fun, candid photo with Ed Padgett. Excellent photography by Susan Kitchens.

Ed & Susan ham it up in the Aztec Hotel’s lobby.

Susan & me. She took a lightbulb off of some Christmas lights and was quite happy about that.

It’s Kelli With An I (a/k/a Kells Bells)!

Kelly with a Y.

Она попробовала продать меня 52 миллиона хором доллара.

Having a tea party with Miss Havisham

Here’s what Ann Erdman got me from Finland. Yes, it’s reindeer jerky. Mmmm mmmm, Blitzen.  I’m going to go eat this in front of a vegan while singing Christmas carols.
So a million thanks to everyone who showed up (and please drop me a line if I left you out of this list - I may have accidentally did): Frazgo, Frazgo’s wife and his daughter, Pasadena Daily Photo, The Sky Is Big In Pasadena, Alex Zucco (FC Contributor), Miss Havisham, The 99 Cent Chef, WCGB, Ann Erdman, Monrovia City Watch, Susan Kitchens, Brian Fuller, the cool dude Adam who hangs out with Brian, Kelli, Irina, Ed Padgett, The Real Zajac… thank you all!
Afterward, The Real Zajac, Kelly with a Y, Kelli with an I, and I went to the First Cabin to chill out and drink more (that place is so fun and so cheap!) - sort of like an afterparty.

Don’t take WCGB’s picture while she’s getting gasoline.

A fun time was had by all.  I know there was a group photo taken but nobody has posted it yet - so I’ll get that to everyone tomorrow or whenever it’s up.  It’s nice to meet a lot of my ilk in real life and it’s also nice to notice that the attendance of these get togethers keeps getting bigger and bigger.  I had fun being the co-organizer of this and am setting up another shindig for Saturday, September 27th.  I figure we’ll get through the summer and have another one when the weather starts to get a little cooler.

**

For the past 15 years there have been some funny prank phone calls targeting the airwaves of the entire AM dial in my hometown of Philadelphia.  These guys call themselves the Earl Ferrell Fan Club and they’re absolutely hilarious.

Earl Ferrell was a fullback in the NFL for the then-known-as Phoenix Cardinals (that name never made sense to me).  He had a dismal career and was haunted by demons of drug problems.  For some reason, he gained a following in the Philadelphia area.  I remember listening to talk shows on 610 WIP and stuff like that in the summer time and hearing these guys call in once in a while.

Well, apparently, they have a website now - with some of the latest calls - because the fan club is still going.  People all the way in Scotland are playing along and joining the revolution.  In fact, the advent of the Internet has made the Earl Ferrell phenomena spread like wildfire.  Places as far away as Texas have been “Ferrelled”.  Pasadena Weekly’s Andre Coleman and I even got a Ferrell caller once (I just played along..trying not to laugh).

These phone calls are great - you can listen to some of the latest calls (seemingly from the summer of 2007) at this link.  Let me just say that one of the tracks on there, where a caller discusses eminent domain and how they should make room for Highway 31, The Ferrell Freeway - had me literally in tears.  Anytime I meet a sports fan from Phoenix, I always ask if they know who Earl Ferrell is.  I hope this group actually tries to track down the real Ferrell someday!
Enjoy the man, the myth, the legend - Earl “The Squirrel, The Pearl, Gets All The Girls” Ferrell.

**

Happy Monday, Goodbye June.
- AP

According to an article in the PW from a little while back, Steve Madison “doesn’t go to my website any more.”

Ya sure about that? Well, someone at Quinn Emanuel has sure taken a gander at my website since June 1st:

Hmmm. Could be someone getting a laugh at their cohort. My money is on Madison lying to the newspaper, though.

**

A few months ago, Kelli and I went to the Romano’s Macaroni Grill out in Monrovia before seeing my friend’s band play. After a very filling dinner, we were walking to the car when a lady - best described as a cracked-out Billy Idol - approached us. She told us a story about how she had left her bag on the bus and she needed some change, blah, blah blah. Kelli and I didn’t have any change so we didn’t give her any and she walked away. I told Kelli that I thought it was a scam - it was pretty close to 9 pm and buses out in these parts don’t run that late on a Saturday night.

So, a couple of days ago, Kelli and I are out at the Wal-Mart in Duarte. Guess who comes up to us in the parking lot? Cracked-out Billy Idol. 2 months later and, again, she “left her bag on a bus.” I told her to her face “You told us that 2 months ago!” and she just walked away…as if she had been owned by someone like that before - and started speaking to another dude - who I then walked up to and said “It’s a scam..saw her 2 months ago at the Macaroni Grill on Huntington.”

The worst thing is - she’s probably buying drugs with the money she does get for her sob story. So - yeah - this lady is obviously lying. If you ever see her around, don’t give her any cash and tell her to stop scamming people. Maybe that’ll learn her.

**

A lot of people sure are proud of the Ham And Egger Award.  Here’s Tribune prep sports reporter Fred Robledo and his award for outstanding performances in wasting company time.

Keep up the great work!

See you at the picnic later,

- AP

Over at Ann Erdman’s blog, she has pics of a ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center construction site. Included are tons of pictures of city dignitaries (sans The Proc) putting their tag on the final steel girder. Call the graffiti hotline at (626) 744-7622.

**

There’s an article by Mr. Thursday Morning Andre Coleman in this week’s PW about how PUSD is going to have a tough time (as of right now) pulling the wool over people’s eyes when asking the voters to approve a new bond measure or parcel tax. I think some of us forgetting that people who are going out and voting blindly this November (trust me - there’s a lot of them here in Pasadena) might vote yes blindly on this tax/bond. PUSD knows this and is taking full advantage.

Of course, Barry Gordon was quoted in the article - who I’m sure was “randomly” selected to take part in the phone survey about the dealy-o. Right after they got off the phone with Ginny Hoge and Peter Dreier, I’m sure. Barry’s a nice guy - hey - he was the Nestle Quik bunny - and he’s also a guy who thinks taxes solve everything and throwing money at something not worth throwing money toward at the moment is going to make everything perfect in the world.

I happen to like to get my facts from Mary Dee Romney. It helps that she’s easy on the eyes and I don’t picture Donatello from the Ninja Turtles when she’s talking:

Thanks to Rene Amy for attending last Friday’s Facilities Master Plan Committee (FMPC) meeting when I had commitments to a family funeral.

I since have received accounts of Friday’s meeting.

All confirm what I reported earlier, i.e., that the FMPC is not a *real* committee but window-dressing for a push by Edwin Diaz, Stephen Brinkman and the PEF/BOE majority to hurriedly meet November ballot deadlines for additional new property assessments of $50 for every $100,000 of assessed value through a new General Obligation Bond (GOB) - approximately $500,000,000 in new indebtedness.

Any new assessments approved in November will be in “addition to” present debt service on Measure Y bond funding.

Recall that property owners still are paying $40.08/$100,000 for Measure Y
indebtedness ($240,000,000) - and will continue to pay until 2020.

[Note: Measure Y bond issues were refinanced in 2004 and 2005 yielding an
additional $5,125,000 and $9,635,000, respectively; along with Prop. 1A monies in the approximate amount of $30,000,000, Measure Y improvements have been funded at just over $284,000,000.]

What do Mr. Diaz, Mr. Brinkman and the PEF/BOE majority intend to do for public education with new bond money dedicated for facilities?

It is difficult to know.

Mr. Selinske asked Mr. Diaz during a recent BOE meeting how he planned to use any anticipated new tax monies.

Mr. Diaz rattled off a random “wish list” making it clear no plan/priorities had
been discussed for the spending of what could be half a *billion* dollars in
facilities funding paid by local property owners.

In the current economy, in a district with declining enrollment and excess
capacity with no clear demographic guidelines until the 2010 census, there are troubling clues as to how this money will be directed:

1) The FMPC will remain a window-dressing committee;

2) The district will need “appropriate facilities” at Muir for community
“alliances” and career/ technical academies;

3) Rose City Continuation School will need to build capacity (enrollment),
requiring that Oak Knoll students move to the Edison campus;

4) Health service partners (counseling/mental health) will require facility space at all three levels (elementary, middle and high schools) - including
administrative space;

5) Space will be required for after-school programs.

The above, apparently, are the programmatic justifications for a half-billion
dollar facilities bond to support local public *education.*

Of considerable concern due to the hurried push to meet November ballot deadlines (ballot arguments, translation, publication, etc.), is the staff imposition of equally hurried architectural site reviews and inventories for site project lists.

Mr. Brinkman has acknowledged that some site reviews were conducted by phone and by email.

With protests reportedly registered both from members of the FMPC and from the architects on the project that the November tax timeline is unreasonable, Mr. Diaz and Mr. Brinkman continue to march toward November with a “half-baked” work product.

Being new to Pasadena these two gentlemen apparently do not understand that local taxpayers too often have seen the PUSD’s chase for funds end in fallen souffles.

Again . . . Mr. Diaz, Mr. Brinkman and the PEF/BOE, in prematurely pushing a bond measure for the convenience of exploiting an uninformed electorate in November, will lose in trust what they hope to gain in funding.

Thanks to all who have shared their thoughts off-list on these matters!

Mary Dee

[NOTE: The BOE and senior staff have discussed at BOE workshop meetings that voters in general elections are less informed on local matters, the implication being that ignorant voters in a general election will be more inclined to support a school bond measure and thereby - by sheer numbers - overcome statistical unknowns revealed in surveys; therefore the big push by Mr. Diaz, Mr. Brinkman and the PEF/BOE majority for a *November* bond initiative.]

**

So - let me get this straight. Miss Havisham reports about trash and ends up getting a citation of some kind - en Espanol, no less.

I’ve got a few problems with this.

1. Why is she being penalized for doing her civic duty?
2. Why are we wasting money printing things in Spanish? Seriously. You know how much money we’d save if we didn’t translate City documents? At least thousands, I’m sure. Stop coddling people and get them to learn English. The best way is if we stop printing shit in Spanish and whatever the fuck Tagalog is. I also notice a lot of people who claim they don’t speak English can speak it all right when they’re complaining about something. Ever see Public Comment at City Council?
3. ¿Por qué?
4. I called Miss H’s Councilman, Chris Holden about the matter and this is all he had to say.
5. It’s her fault that some assclown is dumping trash on her lawn?

Way to investigate, Pasadena. It’s obvious this is just another one of those cash register fines. You know, the kinds of fines where they can pull the lever anytime to generate even more money from us regular folk. If you want to run the city like a turnkey operation, open a damn car wash. Comprende?

**

Time for another installment of everyone’s favorite morning comic strip, “You Can’t Fight City Hall!”

**

Nice article in the PW this week about Glendale’s proposed smoking ban. I find it funny that all over a place that considers itself “open-minded”, practically has decriminalized marijuana, lets two dudes marry each other, and harbors illegal immigrants can be so harsh and hardcore about smoking. I thought we were the “wacky, play by no rules” state. Nahhhh. Sometimes I wonder if the real reason why we’re banning smoking is because people are still pretty much “ok” with smoking cigarettes in the South and the Midwest and back East and we can’t be anything like those “anachronistic right-wing loonies.”

**

I spoke with Iron Maggie on the phone Thursday morning. I congratulated her on what she said/did to Steve Madison on Monday. At first, I think she thought I was mocking her (with her trademark “Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrron!” - imagine Colonel Klink talking to Hogan) - and then I let her know that she’s the whole blogosphere’s (and by whole blogosphere, I mean The Proc) hero this week and to keep up the good work. She let me know she had a long day and she was just doing her job - but come on - Maserati Madison got OWNED. Ownership!!!!!! Ham and eggs in his face and all over the place! I think I’ve had wet dreams about that. Hopefully more Councilmembers follow suit. I am making everyone around the dais an offer they can’t refuse:

$2.50 if you throw a cup of water at him. Onward, Pasadena soldiers!

**

What is up with June 25th? On June 25th, 2007 - I received the most hits in a one day ever. Partially due to the fact people were Googling for more info on the Chris Benoit thing. Then, that record was shattered on June 11th, 2008 - don’t know exactly why. Now - both records have been completely erased - this past Wednesday, June 25, 2008 is now the date I’ve received the highest amount of traffic. UPDATE: That record was beaten by about 10 hits yesterday, June 26th! Maybe I should stop counting??? Thank you, thank you, thank you.

**

See you all at the picnic tomorrow!!!!! If you didn’t get an evite, let me know. Oh - and I think the Gold Line will end up going all the way to San Dimas. In 2052.

This chick’s a looker, huh? And she has a Russian accent.

And now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

- G.I. Joe, I mean…

- AP

Happy Wednesday! A year ago today, we all found out that Chris Benoit put a permanent Crippler Crossface on him and his family. Now, WWE has a “wellness policy” that everyone has to adhere to - except Triple H, a/k/a Vince McMahon’s son-in-law. What are they - Pasadena City Council??
By the way - Fuck Burbank.

A co-worker’s husband was recently fined $390.00 by the People’s Republic of Burbank (Pasadena’s cousin).

Was he speeding? No.

Was he causing a public disturbance? No.

Did he sock someone in the grill? No, but he should have.

He was fined for smoking. You know, the product that you can buy, the product that you can possess, but the product you soon won’t be able to ever use if you live in the state of California.

If I were him, I wouldn’t pay the ticket. I’d take that shit all the way to Supreme Court.

Remind me never, ever to spend money or time in that god-awful City. Not that I have a reason to - except there’s a Fry’s there. Oh - and some bitch I used to bang still lives there, I think. I guess I have all the reason more to hate on Burbank. Way to infringe on people’s personal freedoms. This is obvious that these smoking bans coming about in cities like our Crown City and Burbank and Glendale and the like are just another “feel good” way for the City to make money and thumb their noses at other cities in the US. We can be sooo French out here sometimes. Well, minus the smoking.

**

Another graffiti “genius” e-mailed me. I’m so excited - I really wanted to feel like I was smarter than someone this morning. The e-mail is also on the heels of an excellent post by WCGB about her trip to a City Council meeting and all of the disgusting “artwork” she endured. This dude named Mike totally made my dreams come true:

Hey Aaron, I recently stumbled upon your “blog” or whatever while I was
searching graffiti on google. I saw what you wrote about graffiti and I would
just like to say that I love tagging buildings and other locations just to piss
people like you off. People that are ignorant and think all graffiti artists
are “stupid”. I bet you dont know one graffiti artist so how can you claim they
are all stupid. So open up your eyes before you judge everyone. Oh and if
people are scared to use public transportation because of words on the seats,
then they have more wrong with them then you would think.

IP: 209.162.32.171

mpd183@hotmail.com

First of all, you’re an idiot. I forwarded your e-mail to your ISP and let them know that you admitted to conducting illegal activities (IE: tagging). Don’t know how much good that will do, but just to let you know - when you “piss off people like me”, you’re pissing off The Most Electrifying Man In Pasadena. Not some “run of the mill” average Joe: I’m The Proc, mother fucker.

Second of all, I commend the way you “fight back against society” by tagging buildings just to “piss off people like me”. You know, the “people like me” who will be catching up with you and arresting you and throwing you in jail. Yeah, the people like me that have to pay taxes because another worthless asshole is sitting in a jail cell because he wanted to put some unintelligible chicken scratch on a liquor store.

What?

No - I don’t know one graffiti artist, because I hang out and surround myself with people who aren’t wastes of life. Ya know, people who matter in life - not people who are going to be in and out of jail, abusing government programs, and other things I just can’t stand about lifelong criminals. I don’t know a graffiti “artist” (more like a graffiti-tard), care to know one, care to surround myself with or “get to know” one. That would be like a crackhead saying to me “I bet you don’t know one crackhead! How can you judge us?”

You simply proved - just like your friend did - that we should be making fun of you idiots even more. Yeah, it’s called a blog that I write. And guess what? Maybe you could get one, too, instead of defacing buildings because it looks “cool”. Go deface Wikipedia or something - at least that’s something new and fun to do and is cheaper to erase than your piss-poor “art”. Blogs are the wave of the future. Graffiti is so stupid, so passe, and so…useless. Assclown.

Oh - and if you didn’t read this morning’s PSN:

PASADENA - Four juveniles, belonging to a local tagging crew, were arrested after tagging 26 different locations on Lake Avenue Monday night, officials said.

Police responded to a call about possible tagging around 11:55 p.m. on the 900 block of Lake Avenue and discovered four males, two of them with spray paint, according to Lt. Keith Jones of the Pasadena Police Department.

The four males admitted to tagging 26 locations down Lake Avenue between Elizabeth and Boylston streets, Jones said. They all belong to a local tagging crew, according to Jones.

The juveniles are all Latino and between the ages of 15 and 17, Jones said.

Don’t fuck with the Pasadena Way, son. The Proc says: Take that can of spray paint of yours. Shine it up realllll nice. Turn that som’bitch sideways and stick it straight up your candy ass. Do you smell what the Proc is cookin’?

*theme music*

**

Kelli and I are thinking about getting a cat sometime in the next hundred years. Kelli wants to get a female cat so I won’t be able to name the cat Steve Caterlein. She’s ok with Margaret Mcmeowmeow, though.

Speaking of the Council - anyone hear Bogaard call Ann Erdman the “Queen Of The Blogosphere”? If I were West Coast Grrlie, Miss Havisham, or Larry Wilson, I’d be pretty pissed right now. And since I’m the King of the Blogosphere - doesn’t that make Kelli the Queen?

As mentioned before - WCGB has posted some pics from her trip to City Council via the ARTS bus - including one of a trash can with lame-ass graffiti all over it. Then, I found this picture - it’s obvious that Madison fears McAustin:

I’m shocked and surprised that Maserati Man was there (I’m not shocked about his tan, though). Maybe the map I recently sent to the Mayor helped him out?

If you can’t make out my 5-year-old handwriting, it says “Help Steve Madison Get To The Meeting” followed by a super-easy maze that even a Muir student could solve. Oh, and, City Hall wasn’t meant to look like a penis.

Anyhoo - Dormitas has his excellent weekly blow-by-blow here. Paul Little makes an appearance at City Council and tells them how stupid an idea Measure D was. Duh. Can’t wait until the PUSD Board votes next week to put a parcel tax on November’s ballot and fuck us over even more. Seems like Council’s all for prison raping our wallets.

**

It’s time to reveal just who is next on the list of The Ten People Ruining Pasadena:

#3 - Charter Communications

Charter is the only company that you’re allowed to get for cable television in Pasadena. We had a company called Champion for a cup of coffee last year - but the City of Pasadena didn’t like that too much.

It sucks, too - because Charter Communications are a bunch of idiots. Their customer service is quite subpar, they try to sneak charges onto your bill that you have to constantly call about, and you simply can’t complain and say I’ll change to someone else because they’ll laugh and remind you they’re the only game in town.

It’s obvious they’re in bed with the City Of Pasadena, who moves into a Socialist role by always being too cautious to let another cable provider in - in this case, AT&T’s “Uverse”. Pasadena City Council - you know, the people who make big deals out of nothing and little deals out of major shit - are taking forever and a day just to let AT&T in. Not sure if I’d switch right away - because I know people who switched to Champion and ended up having Charter again.

What kind of City wouldn’t allow fair competition? Well, obviously we don’t. It makes a lot of people unhappy - especially in an age where you pretty much need cable TV just to see anything at all going on in the world.

Charter’s sports packages are lackluster - why do I have a million fucking Fox College Sports networks? Why don’t I even get ESPN Deportes - at least they have really good soccer matches on there. Want the “Extended” packages? You don’t even get BBC America with that. I’ve missed like…the entire Torchwood series.
Now UVerse wants to put these boxes around town:

(Thanks to Dale Achdulieber for the pic)

Maybe Steve Madison is just intimidated by the black guy?
Hey Charter - thanks for ruining Pasadena.

**

Frank’s a cool dude

Finally: did you know that yesterday was apparently National Columnist’s Day? Where the fuck was my cake? Well, one of my favorite columnists/reporters, Frank Girardot, has really been hitting a lot of home runs lately. Maybe my beloved Phillies should sign him to a one-day contract, considering they’ve lost 6 games in a fucking row.

Check out this column he wrote on Tuesday - it’s amazing:

Terrorism claimed the life of a 12-year-old and his father visiting Montebello this past weekend.

Yes. I said it. Terrorism.

How else do you describe an attack on a party of 70 or so people gathered in a back yard to celebrate a graduation.

Killed were Albert Garcia, 12, of Hemet, and his father Juan “Jay” Garcia, 44, of Perris. Two others were wounded in the attack including a 23-year-old woman and an unidentified man.
The 9:50 p.m. ambush occurred Saturday while friends of Maria Soto gathered at her home in the 100 block of East Madison.

Partygoers feasted on chicken wings, barbecued ribs, pasta salad, meatballs and chips and salsa.

There was a D.J. There was dancing. There was Bud Light. There was a cake acknowledging the high school graduation of Soto’s 20-year-old blind daughter, Rosemary.

It could have been any party anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley on a sweltering summer night.

“We were happy one minute and then it turned into a nightmare,” Soto said. “It was horrible.”

Soto pointed to a dark blood stain in the dirt next to a small rose bush in her back yard.

“You don’t know when it’s going to hit you,” she continued. “Please. When are they going to stop devastating our families and our children?”

Every day we send young men and young women off to foreign countries because we’re told they are keeping terrorism at bay.

Maybe we’re keeping Islamic extremists out of the United States. But what is our government doing about terrorism in our own back yard?

There are no daily briefings, no green zones, no troop surges. I haven’t heard presidential candidates Barack Obama or John McCain say a word about fighting local terrorist gangs.
Yet young men and women like Albert Garcia are being shot at — sometimes wounded and sometimes killed — by remorseless killers.

I strolled around the neighborhood where Garcia and his dad were gunned down. Graffiti marred the sidewalks.

“Free Clumsey,” read one.

Graffiti also marred street signs, garden walls and even the whitewashed wooden siding of Soto’s raised foundation house.

Just a few miles north, where San Gabriel Boulevard leads to the Montebello mall, taggers from Pico Viejo, White Fence and El Monte Flores have clearly marked their turf.

I asked Montebello police Chief Dan Weist if his community could stomach the slaying of an innocent 12-year-old. I asked if he thought there was a gang problem in his town.

“It’s not as bad as you say it is,” came the reply.

Mayor Bill Molinari said he was “sickened by an event that’s never happened in our history.”
As I watched heat waves rise from the asphalt on Madison Monday, I heard the chimes of an ice cream truck in the distance.

I listened as the driver turned onto Madison and passed me. A sign above the dash said “Caution. Children.”

The song continued.

“It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Well, I probably could have. But I didn’t feel like it. So, rock on, Frank.

Be seeing you,

- AP

You’re my girl, Maggie Mags. Did anyone else see her verbally bitchslap my arch-nemesis Steve Madison last night? You’re my hero, Margaret. Instead of making it a new rule in the City Council Drinking Game, can I buy you a beer? Or two? Or three? Seriously. Keep up the good work. I honestly don’t even know what the whole issue was about - I just saw you rip Madison’s manhood out like you were a female Sid Tyler or something. Want to be my tag team partner?

**

Saturday - Saturday - Saturday! It’s the fourth get-together of all the local bloggers. This time it’s personal…nahh..actually, it’s just in Monrovia. If you haven’t received the super secret special E-Vite, please let me know and I’ll send it to you right away. If you’d like to be in a PSA, let me know, too.

**

The Proc can’t get enough of Rene Amy’s PUSD listserv. Rene likes to post a lot of thought-provoking articles from various publications, like this one from over the weekend in the San Francisco (*vomits in mouth a little bit*) Chronicle:

1997 saw the height of the Math Wars in California.On the one side stood educrats, who advocated mushy math - or new-new
math. They sought to de-emphasize math skills, such as multiplication
and solving numeric equations, in favor of pushing students to wr