December 2007 Archives

My parade route live blogging with Ms. Vanity will commence shortly, once I've uploaded the pictures to the Interwebs and downloaded some more grappa and cocktails.

UPDATED: No really, that can wait til morning.

In the meantime, here's something. Not quite sure what to make of it yet, will read it again in the morning:

PRESS RELEASE

January 1, 2008

Victims and Activist Groups to Sue the City of Pasadena, Various Public Officials and Individuals for Violation of Their Civil Rights

Contacts: John Li 626-568-8889 (I will be at the corner of Del Mar Blvd. and Orange Groove for most of time with other Falun Gong practitioners)

Shizhong Chen 858-366-5818

When: 7:00 AM, January 1, 2008

Where: Los Feliz Room, The Westin Pasadena,

191 North Los Robles, Pasadena, California 91101

Pasadena- Victims of China’s human rights violations and human rights groups who had protested the inclusion of a float representing the Peoples Republic of China in the 2008 Rose Parade announce today their intention to sue the City of Pasadena, various public officials and private individuals for violation of their civil rights. We intend to show that these agencies and individuals acted in concert to unlawfully prevent the issuance of a city permit to us for a demonstration against China’s continuing abuse of basic human rights.

It's 1 p.m. and already several thousand people out there. From my vantage point at 911 East, people were loitering where the area they planned to settle hours before the official noon threshold for staking space.

Sofas are no longer allowed along the route, yet the fire department held another photo-op demonstration where they put flame to a couch to show how hazardous encamped living can be. Guess what? It wouldn't burn.

Parade as stress test for color television:

New York Times
Monday, January 4, 1954
Television in Review: NBC Color
Tournament of Roses Parade is Sent Over 22-City Network
by Jack Gould
Severe Test Passed - New Year's Program, a 'Bevy of Hues'

Color television's most exacting test came with the National Broadcasting Company's outdoor pickup of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena California. The New Years Day Program was the first prolonged presentation of color video under circumstances where, unlike a studio show, neither lighting, nor movement could be controlled. All things considered, the results were exceedingly good.

The Tournament of Roses parade had the largest audience thus far, probably several thousand persons to see color TV at one time. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company, in a amazingly speedy engineering accomplishment, put together a color network of twenty-two cities to which the Radio Corporation of America had rushed equipment. A number of set manufacturers also held demonstrations of color receivers in different cities.

With so many sets in operation, each subject to relatively critical tuning controls and possible vagaries of electronics, the quality of the tinted images from Pasadena undoubtedly varied on some receivers. But, overall, there is no question that the essence of the parades panorama of color was projected successfully on home screens some 3000 miles away. In comparison the monochrome pictures seen on existing receivers seemed virtually meaningless.

As the two NBC color cameras scanned a succession of elaborate floats, assorted military units, and other parade features, the scene was a veritable bevy of hues and depth; at other times the close-up was better. Occasionally there were overcasts of one tint or another but these disappeared with movement of the camera.

To concentrate so much color information within the frame of a small screen would be difficult for even the most gifted artist doing a "still" painting. To do it with constantly moving pictures seemed pure wizardry. Especially interesting from a technical standpoint was the remarkable stability of the individual colors as the NBC camera moved quickly from left to right and back again. On one set at least there was no perceptible streaking.

The Tournament of Roses parade, received locally from 12:15 to 1:45 P.M., did emphasize several problems for the home viewer. In the broad daylight and sunshine, it was necessary to draw the shades and cut out all glare if the colors on the TV screen were not to be washed out. This frankly, was a nuisance.

Another difficulty related to the size of the picture. The disadvantage of a small color image - roughly 12 1/2 inches - was much more noticeable with the parade than with earlier studio programs. And, since it is necessary to sit much farther away than from a black and white set, one wonders how big a color tube will be practical. Finding a happy compromise between picture size and viewing distance could be tricky for the engineer and the viewer, particularly if the latter must start rearranging furniture again.

Fortunately many indulgences of years' ends past counter the fact I'll be asleep by midnight to get a pre-sunrise start tomorrow.

As much delight I take in covering Pasadena, working the obligatory parade day coverage also comes at the cost of carousing. A fortuitous convergence of friends in town this weekend made for a Saturday evening well-spent at the Molino House. Bilious, rabid props to Caroline An for picking up my weekend shift in exchange for undisclosed concessions from myself.

My open letter to East Pasadena, at least those in the Hastings Ranch area:

Your galaxy of lights, constellations of incandescent color illuminated my earliest holidays. What happened? Forged from the marketplace of neighborhood competition, the once-inventive displays and original exhibitions have been either discarded or replaced with identical, store-bought pablum. I lost count of the identical, inflatable fixtures festooning the fronts of your homes.

Seriously, I don't know if homeowner turnover or aging is a factor in the darkening of Pasadena's Nor'easter climes, but the whole thing is looking shabby, apart from a few proud hold-outs.

Too many Frosty the Wal-Mart Doppelganger clones, so few ass-kicking displays of American holiday independence. Don't let your next Christmas be an inflatable one.

From KPCC.org:

China's Float a Lightning Rod for Critics (Real Audio required)

For the first time in the 119 year history of the Rose Parade, China will have its own float. But critics of that country's human rights record are objecting and want to mount their own march down Colorado Boulevard. When California tradition and China's politics collide, where should the line be drawn?

Bill Bogaard, Mayor of Pasadena
Shizhong Chen, spokesman for the Pasadena Coalition for Human Rights and president of the Conscience Foundation, a Chinese human rights group headquartered in San Diego.

There were a lot of cool things in the world to impress this child of the 80s. Transformers. WWF wrestling. Global thermal nuclear war. And Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto, seeping sophistication and style. I had a young crush on Benazir.

A few years back in romantic Lahore, a few hours' drive from the very Pasadena-like Islamabad, I was invited to a Muslim League rally. Ousted President Nawaz Sharif's former veep was among those making impassioned speeches about restoring democracy in Pakistan and challenging Gen. Pervez Musharraf's autocratic rule.

They didn't have many nice things to say about Bhutto. But that was as much rivalry with her hometown of Karachi and the rightful indignation many proud Lahore residents have for that city's "undeserved" cosmopolitan reputation.

Anyhoo, they did hold a much greater enmity -- along with many Bhutto fans I met -- for Gen. Musharraf's rule.

Tuesday's paper just showed up in the office. I can understand why it was edited, but I still prefer my original lede:

Activists drawn to parade’s visibility

By Kenneth Todd Ruiz
Staff Writer
PASADENA — Inspired by biblical Armageddon or global climate meltdown, those with an end-is-nigh message will have to compete for attention at next month’s Rose Parade.

Not only those who’d hoped for a sanctioned human-rights march to sate their opposition to a Beijing Olympic float will be present, but hundreds of activists holding different messages plan to converge on Colorado Boulevard, lured by the thick crowds and cameras broadcasting around the world.

“It’s an unprecedented outreach opportunity for us,” said Peter Thottam of the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center, which is fielding hundreds of volunteers to promote an anti-war, pro-impeachment message.

Wednesday was a nice day to spend wandering around the track and observing its culture.

And they're off ... to Santa Anita Park for opening day
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/26/2007 09:51:54 PM PST

ARCADIA - There are two types of women, Thelma Barque figures - those chasing down deals after Christmas and those handicapping fast favorites at the track.

Barque of El Monte was among the motley regulars, casual tourists and picnicking families already at Santa Anita Park by noon Wednesday for opening day's first post, which according to track officials drew more than 30,000 visitors throughout the day.

"After our Christmas dinner, my sister was cutting ads out of the paper, but I had all my racing forms out," Barque said.

The Hallway Monitor is back on the ed beat, now in the capable hands of veteran education reporter Caroline An, aka CAN. Check it.

UPDATED: She forced me to say that.

What a bunch of goofs. My Special Day Song is always a hit.

Here's a copy of the "compromise plan" referenced in today's story. Police rejected it, citing security concerns:

Plan D

I.Goal

To hold a dignified human rights event before the Rose Parade to call the world’s attention to China’s unfulfilled promise of improving human rights for the Beijing Olympics and the continued worsening of human rights condition in China, Tibet, Sudan, Burma, North Korea, and other countries as the result of the Chinese regime’s exploitation.

II.Key Components
a.A marching band (see explanation below) of 100 people.
b.A Cushman Super Truck with microphone and speakers (see explanation below)
c.Marchers carrying banners representing various victim groups, including Falun Gong, Tibetan, Chinese Christians (underground churches), Chinese pro-democracy activists, Darfurians, Burmese, and various human rights groups, including local Amnesty International chapter, Visual Artist Guild, Justice for Americans in China, All Saints Church, Conscience Foundation, etc.
d.Grandstand on Euclid Street side of City Hall
e.A Human Rights Torch.

III.Timing Sheet

a.Preparation
i.At 0100 the 16’x 24’ grandstand is erected at Euclid Street behind City Hall
ii.At 0500 Cushman Super Truck is pre-positioned south of the intersection of Colorado Blvd and Terrace Drive
iii.At 0530, the marching band and marching groups will gather and line up along Terrace Drive

b.Opening ceremony
i.At 0620, the marching band will form behind the Cushman Super Truck
ii.At 0630, the marching band will play a short piece.
iii.At 0633, the keynote speaker will ascend the Cushman Super Truck and begin to speak about the Event
iv.At 0638, the Human Rights Torch will be lighten, and delivered to the first torch bearer, marching band starts to march east along Colorado Blvd.

c.Procession
i.After the marching band, the keynote speaker will introduce the first group of marchers;
ii.The first group starts to march with their banner
iii.The keynote speaker introduce the second group of marchers,
iv.The second group starts to march with their banner;
v.The process will repeat until all groups are introduced and start march
vi.The last group will start marching no later than 0705

d.Ending ceremony
i.The whole procession will arrive at the grandstand at Euclid Street at 0730
ii.Several speakers will give short 3-minute speeches.
iii.Conscience Foundation awards are presented to Kenneth Hardy and Chris Holden.
iv.The campaign to hold up Universal Declaration of Human Rights during the Beijing Olympics will be announced.

I.Justification for the Cushman Super Truck:
a.To provide a podium for the keynote speaker
b.To provide sound system for the keynote speaker

II.Justification for the marching band;
a.To provide sound and rhythm to the Event
b.To help to attract audience attention and clear the street

Here's the open letter from James H. Zimmerman, Jr. of Amnesty International USA referenced in today's story. It opens with a friendly overture that on second read is dripping with sarcasm.

20 December 2007

Dear Mayor Bogaard,

Amnesty International USA has learned, with gratification, of your proclamation of December 10 as Human Rights Day in Pasadena. This day, as you know, has been celebrated internationally for the past fifty-nine years, and we are pleased that your city has now joined the rest of the world in celebrating it.

I copied you earlier on correspondence with Mr. C.L. Keedy of the Rose Parade, and will not repeat what I said in that letter. Rather, we are concerned with the reports in the press in which you are quoted as characterizing the record of Chinese human rights violations as "allegations." In an earlier letter, I had said that I would not recite the long list of these violations, as they are widely available and, indeed, some were cited in the report and recommendations of your own Human Relations commission. Evidently you need more persuasion however, so I am taking the liberty of sending you, under separate cover, a selection of Amnesty reports.

(Continued below)

No safety valve for dissent.

Compromise fails, police reject plan for rights protest
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/20/2007 11:28:44 PM PST

PASADENA - Negotiations over whether to permit a human-rights march before the Rose Parade broke down Thursday, according to those involved.

Police Chief Bernard Melekian rejected a scaled-back plan Thursday from critics of a Beijing Olympic float seeking to counter what they insist is undeserved propaganda, given China's poor human rights record.

Citing unspecified "operational and public safety" issues, police officials turned down organizer John Li's compromise plan, which had excluded several large vehicles and would have steered clear of the parade's "security zone."

Despite being "very sympathetic" to the protesters' message, Melekian said Li did not appreciate the "huge operational and security concerns" associated with the event.

"I've given Mr. Li three different options, none of which seem to work for him," Melekian said. "Most police departments would have told him no, and now I wish I had, too."

Expect some more-dubious-than-usual distinctions from The Proctor , who has some end of the year awards awaiting votes.

Speaking of Aaron, did anyone else think a certain story last weak read like rip-off of Aaron's blog? Perhaps he could get a job over there! <.<

Updated: Metroblogging.la has reached a decision on its 2007 "Grinch of the Year" award, thanks to the "Pasadena blog mafia."

After Sunday's story ran regarding pleas from former Pasadenan Yaning Liu, now of Baldwin Park, to enlist aid in freeing her mother from hard labor re-education camp, Rep. Adam Schiff came through for her. Schiff's letter was sent Wednesday; not sure why that time element was removed from the lead.

Yaning shared a copy of the letter Schiff sent to Paramount Leader Hu Jintao of the People's Republic.

UPDATED: Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, tops Schiff with two letters. One to the Chinese government, one to the U.S. Dept. of State.

Schiff lobbies China to free woman
Mother held in labor camp
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/19/2007 10:59:55 PM PST

PASADENA -- After months of pleading for help to secure her mother's release from a Chinese labor camp, a local woman's persistence has paid off.

In a letter sent to President Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, called for the release of Shuying Li, 64.

Nothing to do with Pasadena, but because I'm a connoisseur of fine public comment, I present this for your own enjoyment.

As previously reported, at least one of the member organizations of the Roundtable of Southern California Chinese-American Organizations (which are paying for half of the float) was created by the Chinese Communist Government's Ministry of Information Industry (1) (2) and Mayor Bill Bogaard signed an October, 2004, Memorandum of Understanding with the Beijing government while in China committing Pasadena to the effort.

Yet we still get complaints for reporting the float's links to the Chinese government, despite that government's frequent bragging (1) (2) about "their" float.

Last night someone anonymously forwarded this e-mail to me, purportedly sent to the heads of Chinese student associations, making reference to "secret" Rose Parade meetings organized by the Chinese Consulate (bolded emphasis mine)

From: Chong Liu [mailto:dliu2008@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 3:52 PM Subject: Call for Waist Drum Players

Hi all Presidents,

I drafted an announcement and it is ready to go now. Please forward
it to your members immediately. Thanks.

Dahai

"Call for the Recruitment of Waist Drum Players from CSSA Members"

Dear CSSA members,

There will be a Grand Rose Float Parade in Pasadena on Jan 1st, 2008
organized by the American Chinese Cultural Association (ACCA). We
would like to invite a couple of girls from CSSA members to
participate in this parade and perform waist drum with our members. We
hope to recruit 4-8 people to join us, and we will provide costumes
and necessary trainings. If any of you are interested in, please let
me know ASAP. The invitation letter can be found at:
http://cssa.ucla.edu/archive/07-08/ACCA.doc

Best regards,

David Lin
President of ACCA
Tel: 626-446-0916
Cell: 626-354-8848
Fax: 626-446-0925
davidlinxu@gmail.com

On 11/13/07, Chong Liu wrote:
> Dear Kevin, Yizhou and Nancy,
>
> Mr. David (Xu) Lin who was with us on the last time of Rose Parade
> meeting at the Consulate asks us to offer a help. He is organizing a
> waist drum team to attend the Rose Parade on January 1st at Pasadena
> which is one of the most famous parades in the US and attracts 100
> millions of TV audience from the world. It is the great opportunity
> for CSSA members to support this event as we all agreed during our
> 'secret' meeting. After you three receives the announcement of call
> for participants from David, please post this announcement at
> CSSA-UCLA, CSSA-Caltech and CSSA-USC to encourage CSSA members to
> participate immediately. Thanks for your great support!
>
> Hi David,
>
> Kevin, Yizhou and Nancy are Presidents of UCLA, Caltech and USC,
> respectively. Please touch the base with them to get a help you need.
>
> Best,
>
> Dahai

Big news today -- perhaps historically, the Tournament of Roses, despite previous indications, is willing to allow a pre-Rose Parade human-rights march organized by Beijing 2008 Olympic float opponents, but the plan hit a snag with police. Chief Bernard Melekian rejected the plan as presented because of security concerns and offered options for a scaled-back event or to hold it on another day:

Pasadena rejects pre-parade march plans
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/18/2007 10:14:10 PM PST

PASADENA - Citing security concerns, Police Chief Bernard Melekian on Tuesday rejected a proposal by critics of China to precede the Tournament of Roses parade with a human-rights march down Colorado Boulevard.

The decision was made during a morning meeting of Tournament officials, the chief and John Li, head of Caltech's Falun Gong club, which has opposed a float linked to the People's Republic of China's in the internationally televised Rose Parade.

"We gave him a variety of options," Melekian said. "The proposal they put forward didn't work for us. There were some significant security issues."

How could I forget to mention my day began at the most untoward hour of 7 a.m.?

Measure D ballot statements were in court this morning downtown, a last minute switch-up had Robert H. O'Brien hearing the case instead of Dzintra Janavs.

His order was just released, and word has it plaintiffs have succeeded in striking some of the statements from the ballot argument against Measure D.

File this under "developing:"

PASADENA -- Several ballot statements from Measure D opponents were ordered stricken this afternoon under court order, according to the lawyer representing Citizens for Responsible Government.

In a lawsuit filed on behalf of City Clerk Jane Rodriguez, supporters of the utlity-tax related ballot measure demanded several statements be removed from a rebuttal argument filed by opponents.

Holding the special election on Feb. 4 will cost $432,000.

The currenty Utility User Tax accounts for about $10 million in general fund revenue for the city.

Monday was the deadline to finalize ballot statements with the county.

UPDATED: I can file my story and go home once City Hall has finished vetting its formal statement on the issue and getting it approved by every person of interest involved.

Substance of O'Brien's changes:

Before: Measure D is a new tax trap on telephone service that threatens your privacy and forces the City of Pasadena to tax Internet access.
After: Measure D is a new tax trap on telephone service.

Stricken:
Measure D gives the City the legal right to ‘audit’ your private phone and Internet records at any time, requiring phone companies to hand over your private phone records without your knowledge or consent. Who you call or email and the web sites you visit could all wind up in the hands of City employees.

However, Measure D would force the City of Pasadena to assess and collect Internet taxes from you as soon as the current temporary Federal ban expires or is overturned by a new Congress.

Measure D could even result in you being taxed for the junk email people sent to you.

Keep the Internet free from governmental interference.

Protect your privacy.

Yaning Liu has some cool black and white photos her father took in China online, including this of her and her mother, Shuying Li.

Hate to split hairs, but I did prefer my original lede before it was edited for Sunday's story about Yaning's efforts to bring attention to her 64-year-old mother's extra-judicial detention in a labor re-education camp. Here's a "remix" of the story that appeared in the paper, the one I hurriedly filed Friday evening. Would have liked a little from both columns ...

By Kenneth Todd Ruiz
Staff Writer
]PASADENA — Standing quietly at the edge of international debate over China’s suitability as Olympic host, Yaning Liu holds a simple sign: “Help save my mom.”

When objections to China’s rights record focused locally on a Beijing 2008 entry in next year’s Rose Parade, the deeply introverted Baldwin Park resident seized the opportunity to make her own personal plea one year after police forced her mother into a “labor re-education” camp.

Coliseum and USC closer to a deal, Times reports:

In an effort to keep USC from moving its home football games to Pasadena, the Coliseum Commission is expected to deliver a long-term lease proposal to university administrators this morning.

The document, crafted during a special closed-door meeting Wednesday evening, represents a potential step forward in the long and sometimes acrimonious negotiations between the commissioners and the school that has played in their stadium since 1923.

Behold! Plan 1:

Water Shortage Plan I (PMC 13.10.040) All persons and customers of the department shall, on a voluntary basis, reduce water usage by taking the following water conservation measures:

A. Refrain from hosing or washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas or other paved surfaces;

B. Refrain from cleaning, filling, or maintaining levels in decorative fountains, ponds, lakes, and similar structures unless such structure is equipped with a water recycling system;

C. Refrain from serving drinking water, unless at the express request of a customer, in all restaurants, hotels, cafes, cafeterias, or other public places where food is sold, served or offered for sale;

D. Promptly repair all leaks from indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures, including but not limited to sprinkler systems;

E. Refrain from allowing water to run off landscape areas into adjoining streets, sidewalks, parking lots or alleys;

F. Refrain from allowing water to run off into adjoining streets, sidewalks, parking lots or alleys while washing vehicles;

G. Refrain from landscape watering more often than once every 3 days;

H. Refrain from landscape watering between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;

I. Refrain from filling or refilling a swimming pool. (Ord. 6289 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 6275 § 1 (part), 1988)

Conserve now, lest ye force yon eldritch administrators to invoke the dire machinations of Plan 2, or worst yet, The Plan Which Must Not Be Named (Hint: 3).

First we have a headline that sucks any life out of a story to ensure that nobody could possibly want to read it: Agency to seek water-use rules

PASADENA -- With a "perfect drought" already in progress, the city hopes to discourage water wastrels by first asking nicely.

Facing a reduced water supply as soon as next year, Pasadena Water and Power will ask the City Council on Monday to declare a water shortage and approve what will initially be a voluntary conservation plan.

"We're asking customers to enact these nine, very specific measures to save water," said PWP's Nancy Long, who oversees the department's water conservation program. "One of the reasons we're starting out with voluntary recommendations is to give both our residential and commercial customers the opportunity to change their behavior without penalties and fines."

The recommendations range from the obvious to the mildly inconvenient: don't irrigate driveways and sidewalks, rein in run-off, and keep plants on the edge of thirst with a goal of reducing the city's water consumption by 10 percent.

Because I'm hoping beyond hope that Exalted Chairman Tim Brick will return my call for a watery story today, I'm not above calling attention to a recent article to which he hoped attention would be called:

Landscape Architecture, the glossy monthly magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects, this month features the Arroyo Seco as an outstanding example of urban stream restoration efforts. The article stars landscape architects Lynne Dwyer and Rosa Laveaga and prominently highlights the role of the Arroyo Seco Foundation.

Linda McIntyre, the article's author, details recent restoration programs in Pasadena's Central Arroyo and puts them in the context of the larger watershed restoration program and the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.

UPDATED: Tim called two minutes into my conversation with Nancy Long at Pasadena Water and Power. You see, on days like today, none of my morning calls end up returned until late afternoon. And when they do, everyone calls at once. For this reason, I disseminate my office extension (one line only), my work-sponsored cell phone and personal cell phone numbers.

Once again gainfully employed and blogging, The Noticeable One scooped me on news that Pasadena's weekly reporter (unlike us daily ... okay I need a new joke) Andre Coleman is set to surrender the raptures of bachelorhood for the bonds of marriage.

Actually I've met the bride-to-be; she's cool, smart, and totally hot!

Straining to channel a moment of sincerity: Congratulations dude. Advantage: Andre.

After several painful hours of debate, the City Council -did- award exclusive negotiating rights for Heritage Square to Retirement Housing Foundation.

Voting in support was Bill Bogaard, Victor Gordo, Steve Madison, Margaret McAustin and Sid Tyler.

Steve Haderliein was MIA. Chris Holden left the room before the vote.

Jacque Robinson voted yes, but then left the room, came back, and changed her vote to an abstention.

A staff writer at our sister paper picks up where Saturday's story left off:

Measure S phone tax could tap Internet usage
By Kerry Cavanaugh, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 12/10/2007 11:10:20 PM PST

Despite assurances that a telephone-users tax on the February ballot is simply aimed at modernizing how Los Angeles taxes communications systems, wording in the measure opens the door to also taxing Internet access.

Federal law currently prohibits taxes on Internet access and e-mail - but that law sunsets in 2014, and some watchdogs said Monday that if the broadly written Measure S telephone tax passes it could allow the city to tax Internet access without additional voter approval.

"How do you say you're not taxing the Internet when the statute specifically says it's covering DSL, Voice-Over-Internet protocol, text messaging, instant messaging and PCS?" said Walter Moore, who is writing the opposition to the measure for the Feb. 5 ballot. You don't need a law degree to realize this is a tax on the Internet and wireless and all that."

Truth takes many forms and guises. So does legal language.

Since the city's own attorney cleared up any confusion about what Measure D's scope on Friday, members of the City Council are straining to contrast legislative "intent" and legislative "outcome," a distinction that might convince Immanuel Kant.

And I don't think they were happy with Michael Colantuono's rather clear explanation -- he wrote a ballot measure that could be applied to the Internet, if the council chose to do so at a future date when the current federal moratorium expired.

By the time other's got around to doing what one reader described as "re-reporting" the news, the spin had taken hold.

Measure D back in spotlight
Lawyers: Proposal would allow Internet tax
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/08/2007 12:07:03 AM PST

PASADENA - Approving Measure D would allow City Hall to enact an Internet-access tax at a future time without a vote of the people, according to the legal team that wrote the ballot measure.

Seeking to challenge "misleading" ballot statements filed by Measure D opponents, the law firm of Colantuono & Levin filed a motion in court Friday arguing the City Council-endorsed ballot measure would "allow," not "force," a tax on Internet access.

"Our basic point is Measure D authorizes an Internet tax, but it doesn't require it," Colantuono said in a telephone interview.

The measure is designed that way, he said, because technological strides might render telephone use unrecognizable in time.

So I sat on the phone with editor Kate Kealey struggling with a football metaphor for the headline for Thursday night's Rose Bowl-USC story, but "incomplete" just didn't lend itself to pithiness.

This Trojans-at-the-Rose-Bowl thing is a case study in the political paralysis that takes hold when no one wants to "be the bad guy." No one wants to offend or slight. Getting past the question of whether USC was really serious -- their aggressive approach signified willingness -- the real issue was UCLA.

But UCLA didn't want to be the bad guy and outright say "no." The all-boys club of the The Rose Bowl Operating Company didn't want to say "no" to USC.

Nor were they interested in putting their only real tenant in the position of having to be the bad guy.

What entertainment transpired during the closed session meeting, I can sadly only speculate upon. They were supposed to adjourn at 6:30 p.m. At around 7 p.m., all but Chairman Bill Thomson and stadium general manager Darryl Dunn (maybe one more) came out and took their seats. After 15 minutes, they all got up and went back because Thomson wasn't returning.

It was bizarre. By 7:45 p.m., they were back out with a non-statement statement which little satisfied the assembled media: We didn't say no and we didn't say yes. Which is really no, without having to say it. It was like staring at a tasty dessert and pretending not to want it. UCLA appointee WIlliam Cormier wasn't present immediately after they returned from closed session, likely reporting to his bosses. (Not to suggest any official would consider applying disclosure rules differently.)

That's politics. Never a straight answer. The board and Thomson do deserve credit for doing the right thing and not leaving it at 'We have nothing to report in accordance with the Brown Act' and leaving the room seething. They took questions. But instead of bringing resolution to the whole thing however, they confused some people into taking it at face value, which is why people of authority loathe real journalism. They much prefer a transcription service.

Rose Bowl passes on USC lease

PASADENA - Trojan football remained homeless Thursday night after the Rose Bowl passed on a lease offer extended by USC.

Although the stadium's board voted unanimously to turn down USC's offer - yet left the door open - it was the 800-pound Bruin in the room that weighed on the decision.

"The Rose Bowl Operating Company believes its best interest at this time is to allow USC and the Coliseum Commission to continue its negotiations at this time," said RBOC Chairman Bill Thomson, before going on to say that USC should have further talks with UCLA.

Under the Rose Bowl's contract, UCLA's blessing would be needed for the stadium to host another team.

Addressing board members before the meeting, a USC spokeswoman said her school admired "the deference that this body has shown to UCLA" but reiterated the sincerity of USC's interest.

Continued ...

Wayne Lusvardi says Colantuono and Levin, the law firm responsible for Pasadena's Measure D, has notified him they are suing to remove certain items in the Rebuttal to the Argument FOR Measure D that Wayne submitted last week.

UPDATED: See, it all comes together. All the disparate narrative threads and one-liners, like good sketch comedy, converge into something discernible. Ragnarök? Or just a lot of talk?

I've been waiting for things to gel beyond speculation for a print story about the lawsuit but yes, Rene Amy's first case? Defending Wayne Lusvardi's Citizens for Responsible Government (which he insists on pronouncing as "CRAG") in court.

Here's the city press release from Spokeslegend Ann Erdman:

LAWSUIT FILED TO CORRECT FALSE AND MISLEADING STATEMENTS
IN REBUTTAL BALLOT ARGUMENT ON LOCAL MEASURE “D”

On Dec. 7, a lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the Elections Official for the City of Pasadena to correct a misleading ballot argument that was submitted for the voter pamphlet against local Measure “D.”

Measure “D” will be considered by the voters of the City of Pasadena at a Feb. 5, 2008, election; the Measure itself is titled “Pasadena Utility Users Tax Continuation Measure.” The Measure is intended to clarify the application of the City’s Utility Users Tax on telephone services, first imposed in 1969, to new telephone technologies like wireless and voice over the internet protocol.

(More below)

Rene Francois Amy says his mother was something of a Francophile, if that wasn't apparent from his brothers Amy: Jean Luc, Jean Claude and Jos Bleau. (OK, I made up those names)

When I was on the PUSD for nine months or so, I'd peruse "the list" once a week or so, and of course would enjoy the inevitable blurb Rene would insert above each of my stories posted.

"Yawn, nothing new, lazy damn reporters."

Ended up not having the time to compose the intended story to explore the greater theme of Pasadena's "opposition movement" and what its perspective is on predominant, Pasadena Way. Did speak briefly with school board member Ed Honowitz, whose comments were similar to those of Scott Phelps and Bill Bibbiani. Ed did suggest my time could be better spent pursuing other topics. :)

In the full post, I've put the 2003 Rene Amy epic as composed by former staff writer Gretchen Hoffman.

Visual Artist Guilder Ann Lau writes in about crashing Steve Haderlein's district meeting-raffle last week and asks what happened to plans for a Dec. 10 human-rights celebration as discussed Oct. 29:

We were distributing a brochure about our call to "Turn Your Back to the Rose Parade's Beijing Olympic Float".

It was rather dark outside and we had people from the Burmese, Chinese pro-democracy, human rights group and other supporters (about a dozen people all spread around inside and outside). Jim Morris
and other people were outside too. Some people were being interviewed by Radio Free Asia.

Later we went inside and Channel 4 called some of us outside for interviews. We were outside for awhile.
When I went back inside, Steve Haderlein was answering some questions regarding the freeway. After those questions were answered, he asked if there were any other questions. I raised my hand and other people raised their hands also. Steve took a look at my side (his right hand side), turned to the middle and then turned back to look at me and then turned to the middle again.

Then he told the audience that he would have the raffles and would answer more questions later. After the
raffles, people began drifting out and the formal meeting more or less ended. Some people went to talk to Steve.

I also went to talk to Steve and said to him, "I hope I did not cause you to stop the meeting." He said, "Oh, no, no ....." and started giving some excuses or other. Now, if he really didn't stop the
meeting becaus e he saw me, he would have said, "What do you mean?" Won't he?

I asked him what the Council has done regarding the letters to the Sisters Cities, he said nothing yet.

I gave him our brochure and pointed to the photo of Bishop Jia and I also mentioned Father Wen as being still in jail. I said that since he went to Marymount; (he corrected me and said Loyola), and since he teaches at a Catholic school, I would assume that he is Catholic and would be interested in the Catholic clergies who have been sent to jail because they refused to renounce their allegiance to the Pope. Some woman next to me said that I am putting him on the spot.

I then mentioned the Council talking about celebrating the anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. I said that since December 10 is the anniversary, we are planning a Human Rights Exhibition on December 8 at the Jackie Robinson Center and I invited him to come.

He later said that since December 10 is the anniversary, the Council may discuss the letter then. I asked if there isn't a meeting this coming Monday, he said there is a meeting and I can raise the issue at that meeting.

That was what happened. I wished Steve Haderlein had called on me to ask him questions publicly.
Ann Lau

For years I've saved some of the best and brightest of e-mails sent by readers. I was thinking they'd make for a nice coffee table book. Some of the ones I received while working at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario -- wow.

Instead of hording them for another project I'll never be serious about, I'm posting the first in an occasional series. This one from Joshua Jengel, who's "just curious" after reading today's story re: The Bill-board:

I'm just curious, isn't China her own country? We make not like how their government runs, but who are we to tell them how to behave? How would the countries involved in the war with Iraq feel if China excluded them from the Olympics? Not too happy I imagine. How these reporters are behaving is childish and I am appalled that the city allowed the billboard to go up. That is a direct insult to China and it makes me ashamed to be an American. It is not up to us to tell the rest of the world how to live. We barely can keep our own country from falling apart. It's high time that we start paying attention to what is happening between these borders and spending a little less time policing parts of the world that we don't agree with. Especially since the UNiCEF report in February ranks the U.S. at twentieth out of twenty-one countries when it comes to the welfare and education of its' children.

Actually Joshua, I'm just curious if you wouldn't be happier in China? Or perhaps in Vladimir Putin's New Russian Republic of Vladimir Putin presented by Vladimir Putin? Not that you're the only one here "ashamed" and "appalled" by the Constitution and its various amendments.